The Minutes of the previous meeting (July 2008)

MINUTES OF MEETING OF HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 19th AUGUST 2008 AT 7.30PM AT THE VILLAGE HALL

Members were reminded that the Council has a general duty to consider the following matters in the exercise of any of its functions - Equal Opportunities (race, gender, sexual orientation, marital status & any disability); Crime & Disorder, Health & Safety and Human Rights.
Diane Howes, Parish Clerk

PRESENT

Peter Bysouth, Robin Carpenter, Kevin Margetts, Malcolm White, Rob Lloyd, Bill Turner and David Beckley.

IN ATTENDANCE

Diane Howes (Clerk), Hannah Lefeuvre, Lesley Boucher (District Councillors), Cathy Bakewell (County Councillor) and 6 members of public.

Before the meeting commenced members of the public were invited to speak.

Alan Ivory expressed concern about the proposed recreation field. He said that in the Parish Plan questionnaire people had been asked if they would support a recreation field, but not if they would give financial support. He felt the question had been misunderstood and answers could have been misinterpreted. He asked what the costs would be to set up and run the field for the first year. He felt the question should be re-put to the parish when costs were known. He also felt that the chosen site was not appropriate, as access was not good and the site was wet. He asked about usage, and if it would be a village recreation field or a children's play area. He felt more car parking would be needed for a village recreation field. He asked if there were a minimum number of children required in the village, below which the project would not be viable.

Barry Mazey expressed concern about the access via North Lane and Moor Lane. He was worried that there would be more traffic down Moor Lane which is a single track road and a cul-de-sac.

Mike Bickerton felt that as nearly every other village has a recreation field, then Hardington should have one too. He was concerned that the land might be sold off in the near future. Ernest Kong had told him that he would not sell the site just for a recreation field, but only if it incorporated a village hall as well.

Stuart Ogden had attended the discussion on site the previous day, and felt there was an enormous amount of work to be done before moving forward. The Parish Plan showed an interest but he felt it was too much work for the Parish Council alone to undertake.

Members of the Council confirmed they were very aware of the issue of costs. These were being investigated, but it was too early to give any figures, particularly until the amount of grant aid is known.

A site meeting had taken place the previous day after several days of rain, and it was not wet. It was anticipated that most of the access to the site would be on foot. The question of usage was being looked at. The Council was aware of the need for a feasibility study. Some on site parking would be needed, but there was good pedestrian access from the Moor. There was plenty of parking at the top of North Lane, and people could walk from there.

The question of the minimum number of children required to make a recreation field viable would be addressed later in the meeting.

The potential problem of people using Moor Lane could be addressed by a sign saying there was no access to the recreation field via Moor Lane.

Ernest King had been informed that Highways would object to a village hall on the site, and the Council had voted at its last meeting to retain and improve the existing hall. It was understood that Ernest Kong had not made the sale of the site conditional on the provision of a new village hall there. It was agreed that Hardington was the only village in South Somerset that did not have a recreation field. Both SSDC and SCC were keen to get play provision in the area.

The Council had considered the formation of a steering group at its last meeting, but had decided not to do so.

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
    There were no apologies for absence.
  2. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 15th July 2008 (Already Circulated).
    The minutes were approved and signed.
  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.
    There were no declarations of interest.
  4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
    1. Parish Website: David Beckley and Brian Dodd were working on the oil consortium to go live at the end of this month. Interest can be registered either via the website or by telephone. David Beckley was working with Brian Dodd to devise a form for the website and also to go in the Messenger. These would also be in the Post Office. Everyone in the village was welcome to register - Oil will be ordered every other month.
      Peter Bysouth asked about a website forum. Brian Dodd will continue to look into this, to see if he can overcome the problems he had encountered previously with the software.
    2. Proposed Recreation Field at North Lane. Robin Carpenter read a summary of the meeting which had been held on site the previous day for Rob Parr of SSDC. Rob Parr (SSDC), Hannah Lefeuvre, Robin Carpenter, Rob Lloyd, Stuart Ogden and Sarah Quinton (Pre School) had attended.
      Rob Parr had confirmed that the size of the field (2.97 acres) almost exactly matches the size criterion for a village of the population (not the number of children) of Hardington Mandeville. He had raised the need for:
      • A feasibility study
      • A risk assessment survey
      • An environmental survey
      • An archaeological survey
      • A village survey to find out what parents and children would like on the field
      • An investigation of routine maintenance (as opposed to set up) costs
      • Consideration as to how the field would be managed
      • Ascertaining what documents would be required to support a planning application for change of use from agricultural to recreational use
      Rob Parr promised to report back to the Council with more information.
      (Bill Turner left the meeting at this point.)
      Robin Carpenter read out a letter he had drafted to the SSDC planning department asking what documents would be required to support a planning application, and it was agreed that this should be sent. He reported that Peter Smith had agreed to assist the Council in the preparation of a planning application, and would give his time and expertise free of charge. However, there would be a fee of approximately £30 fee for copying the OS map, and it was agreed that this fee would be met by the Council.
      David Beckley asked Cathy Bakewell if there were grants for ongoing maintenance but she felt there were not, and this would need to go on the Parish Precept. Cathy Bakewell has a local initiatives budget available, but probably this will not be possible until next year as evidence has to be given that the project is underway.
      After further discussion it was resolved that:
      1. Cathy Bakewell would investigate the grants available for play equipment.
      2. The Clerk would contact Nigel Strickland at West Coker about the arrangements for their recreation field.
      3. No steering Committee would be formed at this stage.
      4. Robin Carpenter would supply Ernest Kong with a report of this meeting, and explain that a village hall was not really a feasible option on this site.
        (Bill Turner returned to the meeting.)
      5. The Clerk would obtain literature and prices for suitable play equipment.
    3. A letter had been received from SSDC giving the consultation dates for the removal of BT payphones.
    4. Hannah Lefeuvre reported that the Play Day had been a great success. The woodland dens were particularly successful. SSDC want to recreate this event next year. It was felt that extra time was needed for promotion and support from Parish Councils and Schools. Bill Turner would like support for next year's Farm Open Day which will be on 3rd June 2009.
  5. DISTRICT & COUNTY COUNCILLORS' REPORT
    Hannah Lefeuvre reported that:
    • She had spoken to Rob Parr about Youth Provision and the proposed recreation field. There is a pack of information available. The Parish Plan had shown that a Youth Forum was preferred. There are buses which could come to the villages to provide facilities for young people.
    • Computer classes at East Chinnock were run by Bridgwater College. Broadband was obtained through funding. East Chinnock classes were funded through class fees and Martin Heal ran the classes, which were based on what people had asked for. Cathy Bakewell reported that East Chinnock ran coffee mornings with use of the internet available (Internet cafe?). Bruce Murdock had completed the forms successfully for grant applications.
    • The Community Council for Somerset website had details of grants for recreation fields, including Awards for All which had been mentioned by Rob Parr. Ken Marsh at the Community Council for Somerset was the person to speak to about recreation fields.
    • There is a Big Tidy Up Campaign to be launched in September. Peter Bysouth said that the WI usually ran this in the village.
    • Nine Springs and Ham Hill had won Green Flag Awards. The Wildlife on Edge project was complete.
    • Princes Street, Yeovil had been improved with the underpasses cleaned up.
    Lesley Boucher said that she was a governor for Yeovil Hospital. The hospital had reached Government targets, and was now aiming to exceed them.
    Lesley Boucher said that as far as she knew Paul Richards would be re-applying for planning permission at Woodentop Farm. The Clerk would contact Lynette Osment in Enforcement.
    The proposed closing of SW Train booking offices was mentioned, but the Parish Council had discussed this last month.
    Peter Bysouth asked Hannah Lefeuvre to look into the planning application for The Stables, Partway Lane, as the 5 year temporary permission had expired in July.
    Cathy Bakewell said she was the County Council representative on the Police Authority. She also reported that the County Council and SSDC had passed a resolution in July to try and reduce the carbon footprint of Councils and hoped that Parish Councils would be signed up as well. Stroud, Totnes and South Petherton are transition towns/villages. There were details on the internet.
    Peter Bysouth asked about recycling plastic and cardboard. Cathy Bakewell said that trials were taking place at the moment in other districts. Peter Bysouth also asked about speeding traffic as this had been raised in the Parish Plan. Cathy Bakewell felt there was no likelihood of another survey being carried out because of the lack of accidents in the Parish.
  6. PLANNING MATTERS
    1. 08/03141/FUL Extension to porch/utility room to provide a WC at The Laurels, Barry Lane for Mr L J Hawkins. There were no objections.
    2. 08/03068/FUL Demolition of existing rear porch and the erection of a two storey rear extension at 343 High Street, Hardington Mandeville for Mr and Mrs Kim Manuel. There were no objections. The Clerk was asked to enquire why no application had been received for Listed Building consent.
    3. There were no other planning applications.
    4. There were no results of previous applications.
    5. The new Planning Enforcement Policy was circulated.
  7. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
    1. No further information.
  8. PARISH PLAN
    1. The Chairman of the Village Hall Committee had felt that there should have been more detail in the letter written with suggestions for the village hall. The Parish Council felt that enough detail had been given.
    2. Road Safety. David Beckley offered to write a piece for the Messenger.
    3. Village Website. Already discussed.
    4. Use of the Post Office. The Clerk will ask Daphne Creed to put a note in the Messenger of things the Post Office can be used for although this is already on the website link.
    5. Appearance of the Village. To be discussed next month.
    6. Community Safety. Already discussed.
    7. Recycling. Already discussed.
    8. Computer Classes. Already discussed.
    9. Steering Group. Already discussed.
  9. FOOTPATHS
    1. Peter Bysouth had seen SSDC looking at the gate at the top of Pig Hill, although Malcolm White had not been contacted.
    2. Robin Carpenter said that the footpath across Pennels (top of Pig Hill) will soon have dog access in the new fencing. He mentioned that permission should have been obtained to install a new stile in this fence, although this might have been sought.
    3. Malcolm White has removed the post in the ditch on footpath from the Post Office to Moor Lane.
    4. Bill Turner said that the blocked footpaths in Lyatts will soon be cleared.
    5. Robin Carpenter said that the stile on the footpath by Gillards in Lyatts needs repair
  10. HIGHWAYS
    1. A letter had been received from the Highway Authority in response to our latest list saying that the person concerned was on holiday.
    2. The Clerk would to write to Wessex Water complaining about the diversion signs around the village during the recent work in Barry Lane which had caused confusion and inconvenience.
    3. Rob Lloyd reported that he had met with Jon Sale (Highways Dept) and some work had now been completed as follows: Road surface at the top of North Lane. Ruts at the side of Primrose Hill and Lyatts. Some repairs to road past Wimborough Lane/Partway Lane.
    4. Mrs Rowswell at High Point had offered to sponsor a stone which her daughter will carve with the name of the village free of charge. Details circulated and to be discussed at next meeting.
  11. PARISH LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
    1. The Parish Lengthsman was unwell on the day he was due in the village but had been seen in the village since. No report of work carried out.
    2. Work for this month:
      Strim around the noticeboard opposite the Mandeville Arms.
      Cut back brambles around the noticeboard at Hardington Moor.
      Strim bank at junction of Lyatts and Hardington Moor.
      Varnish the noticeboard opposite the Mandeville Arms.
      Repair stile at Lyatts.
      The stream at the West end of Moor Lane was very overgrown. Lengthsman to be asked to strim the verge and Malcolm White will cut the hedge.
  12. RISK MANAGEMENT
    1. AON insurance had replied that they did not carry out a valuation survey, and that the Council should contact an independent adviser to provide a valuation, which should also include professional fees. Bill Turner suggested contacting Simon Clothier of Symonds, Sampson.
    2. Village Hall Indemnity Insurance. To be discussed at next meeting.
    3. Clerk to chase up VAT invoice from Nat West for Deed Storage fee.
  13. FINANCE
    1. The Clerk confirmed that she had worked 16.75 hrs in the previous month.
    2. The bank reconciliation was approved and signed.
  14. CORRESPONDENCE would be circulated.
  15. MATTERS OF REPORT & ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
    No items to report.
  16. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING & CLOSURE
    There being no other business the meeting ended at 9.45pm. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 16th September 2008 at 7.30 pm.

©
Hardington Mandeville
Parish Council
2010