Hardington Mandeville

The Minutes of the previous meeting (January 2009)

MINUTES OF MEETING OF HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2009 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. Jane Woodcock, Parish Clerk

PRESENT

Peter Bysouth, David Beckley, Kevin Margetts, Bill Turner and Malcolm White.

IN ATTENDANCE

Jane Woodcock (Clerk), Cathy Bakewell (County Councillor), Lesley Boucher and Hannah Lefeuvre (District Councillors), and one member of the public.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
   There were apologies from Robin Carpenter and Rob Lloyd.
2. MINUTES OF MEETINGS HELD ON 20th January 2009 (Already Circulated).
   The minutes were then approved and signed.
3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.
   There were none.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
   1. Parish Website. Peter had spoken to Brian Dodd. The Village Forum Software he was interested in had been fixed. He will now look into it to see if suitable for a Hardington Village forum.
   2. Telephone Boxes. SSDC are objecting to the removal of phone services from Hardington as well as a number of other Parishes. Objections are on grounds of poor mobile phone coverage, and the amount of use the phones have. SSDC believe that BT by placing a deadline on the purchase of the phone boxes gave parishes little choice other than to purchase. Now we have to wait and see what BT will do but purchase of the boxes has not taken place.
   3. Charity Trust Insurance. Have yet to receive quotation.
   4. Team Somerset – this was an item in correspondence. Councillors wished the Clerk to liaise with the team to include Hardington in its listings.
5. DISTRICT & COUNTY COUNCILLORS' REPORT

   Cathy Bakewell first spoke about the bridge over Chinnock Brook in North lane. This is the responsibility of Highways and has been passed to structures. Highways do not consider the erosion of the bank on the brook as a problem.

   Council Tax. Cathy said this will rise by 2.74% which is less than what was initially thought would be necessary (3.75%). Police Authority component would rise by 4.5%.

   Cathy acknowledged that the roads everywhere were in a dreadful state after the bad weather this winter. There was gully emptying in the Hardington area next week which she hoped would improve some of the blocked drain issues.

   Hannah Lefeuvre then gave her report. She had been to a conference entitled Peak Oil to Community Oil in Cirencester. This looked at the impact on communities of volatile oil prices against the backdrop of the global recession. There were some examples of transition initiatives including food co- operatives, and community gardens skills shares. In South Somerset, South Petherton and Langport have transitional initiatives. Hannah subscribes to the South Petherton Breath group which has a talk next Tuesday by Julia Hales. Hannah had also been to the flooding workshop in Crewkerne. The Street Scene team had been very busy delivering over 800 sandbags the previous Monday. A very useful workshop. Hannah asked that some of the key points about flooding be included in the Messenger which was agreed upon and the Clerk will include in her report.

   The adoption of the South Somerset Biodiversity Action Plan was being debated in full Council on Thursday. Broad aims of the plan were to maintain and enhance where possible the rich biodiversity of South Somerset, our local nature reserve 1 of only 3 in the area was cited in the report. Council tax was set to rise by 2.74% Hannah reported that much of the rise was due to the introduction of concessionary public transport fares which was a government initiative but not backed up by funding and although a great initiative had taken its toll in budgets.

   Last month saw the first joint area committee in Area South.

   There was to be a Planetarium event at Ham Hill.

   Lastly, construction work had started on new public toilets in Yeovil Town Centre - a joint partnership between SSDC, Yeovil Town Council and SCC. Based on an award winning design from the Mendip area this will be large single use facilities (plenty of room for shopping/prams etc.) with no communal areas to encourage anti–social behaviour. They will include an eco-friendly rainwater recycling system and a sun pipe for lighting. They are due to be finished in June 09.

   Lesley Boucher spoke about Somerset Recycling. The current downturn in recycling was only temporary and that we should all keep up the work of recycling.

   The increase in council tax this year would amount to approx a £5 increase a month on a band D property.

6. PLANNING MATTERS
   1. There were no new planning applications this month.
   2. There were three results from previous applications. Planning permission with conditions was granted for Application No 08/05060/FUL The erection of a first floor extension for Mr White. Permission with conditions was also granted for Application No 08/03195/FUL permanent permission for private family gypsy residential site for Mr and Mrs Small. The notice of result was accompanied by a letter from Jean Marshall Team Leader (South/East) re the request that the matter be referred to Committee. The two ward members were unable to agree so a decision was made by the Area Chair Tony Fife who decided he did not want to bring this matter to the Committee. David Beckley queried whether Mr and Mrs Smith’s parents were still living on the site.
      There was no result yet from the WoodenTop application but Lesley Boucher believed that court case had been postponed for a further 4 months.
      It was noted that there were still problems in accessing full details on SSDC planning site. Hannah will pursue this.
   3. Parish Plan and Design Statement sent to Planning Office. Clerk had made contact with Jo Manley who had reviewed the Design statement but did not have a copy of the Parish Plan. Clerk had sent another copy to Strategic Planning.
7. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
   
   1. The Clerk had attempted to make contact by phone and email with Kerry Plumb SSDC but to no avail. Hannah Lefeuvre will take this matter on.
   2. Clerk had made contact with Community Council for Somerset – Rural Housing section to see what assistance could be given and was waiting for response. Lesley Boucher is on their committee and will assist if needed.
8. PROPOSED RECREATION FIELD
   1. Arrangements for presentation. Peter had been in contact with Ernest Kong. Because of family circumstances Mr Kong is finding it hard to commit to a date for a presentation at this time. Peter will remain in contact.
   2. Play Audit. James has organised four free activity days over Easter Holidays as part of the consultation process. He is also organising a weekend (possibly 4/5th April) for parishioners to visit recreation sites in surrounding area. He is looking for people to go on this including a Councillor. Stuart Ogden’s name was put forward as someone interested in the provision of activities for young people. Councillors thought Robin Carpenter may also be interested. Need to make sure all this is well publicised. Clerk to continue to liaise.
9. PARISH PLAN
   1. Tree Planting. Clerk has written to Francis Jones as requested. She also had suggested he put an article in the Messenger which he was planning to do. Francis had asked that an invoice for £20 be sent to SSDC for the trees to be planted this year.
   2. Village Hall Re-development Committee. David Beckley reported that the Committee had now met. It had been a lively committee with lots of ideas. Will be contacting the groups that use the Hall currently about their needs and views. Very positive meeting but will depend on funding. Peter Bysouth had investigated the question of VAT. The Parish Council can claim VAT refunds and this could have a significant effect on the cost of redevelopment but not appropriate /allowed to channel funds through Parish Council just so VAT can be claimed back. David Beckley pointed out that the Parish Council owned the Hall therefor seemed strange could not claim VAT on work carried out on something we own. Peter said he would investigate further.
   3. Computer Classes. Clerk had yet to investigate item in Thatch about computing.
   4. Litter Pick. Clerk had contacted Lynett Osment of SSDC’s Street Scene Department about the Parish Council organising this. Had been sent the necessary paper work. Need to book the equipment, and carry out a risk assessment. Rubbish will be collected. Councillors agreed 18th April as possible date. Clerk will book. Clerk suggested other local organisations could be approached to be involved. Councillors requested that a separate article be put in the Messenger to this effect.
   5. Driver Awareness Course. Agreed 8th May as suitable date. Clerk to book village hall and to publicise in the Messenger.
   Peter had received an email from David Cleaton. He has started work on the Welcome Pack and hopes to have this ready for Council approval before Easter. David has yet to make any progress about computing. David has heard that the Rural Housing Trust has gone into liquidation because of the recession but he is hoping other contacts maybe of help. Lastly as far as the Youth is concerned, David wrote that they managed to involve quite a number in the pantomime and thinks that Stewart Ogden might have some ideas about how we can extend this area of the Plan.
10. FOOTPATHS
    1. Robin Carpenter has completed the footpath survey. He has had further correspondence with Stephanie Wheeler about rights of way. Of particular interest were 3 routes which Robin Carpenter believes were old highways but have no legal status. Stephanie has lodged DDMO's on two of these Cold Harbour Lane, from Townsend Farm at 350980/111380 SW to 350280/111050. A footpath Y10/38 leads N from a point 150m up this lane, and horses use the lane. Coker Hill Lane, parallels footpath Y10/1 from OS 351370/112550 to 351500/113110 and the Parish council have funded clearance work in the past. There is also Common Lane which no DDMO has been lodged as yet because it crosses fields and Bridleway Association is concentrating on routes where there is no private ownership. Another issue is the bridleway 10/25 from Marsh to Halstock which is totally obstructed over the border. Robin is in contact with Dorset CC which still have this classified as a unpaved unclassified road.
    2. Black House Lane. Clerk had yet to get further quotes on materials. After further discussion councillors agreed not to carry out any work at present other than to ask the Lengthsman to keep the hedges under control.
    3. There was feedback form Cathy Bakewell on the matter of Chinnock Bridge. Highways do not see this as problematic. Councillors were not happy about this and asked that the Clerk to write to the District Council to express their concerns about the unsafe state of the bridge especially with the use of the area by children.
    4. Mr Smith who was present at the meeting asked if he could raise the matter of the letter he had received from the Parish Clerk about the proposed work on the footpath by his garage (Y10/4). He did not feel large stones would be helpful and could be hazardous. He was very happy to speak to the Lengthsman about the way forward. He thought something like chippings would be suitable. He also raised the matter of dog muck on the path which was very unpleasant for the Lengthsman when strimming.
11. HIGHWAYS
    1. Critical Ordinary Watercourses (COW'S). Clerk is waiting to hear if any of Hardington's streams fall into this category.
    2. Signpost at Lyatts. Clerk has contacted Mike Fear of Highways to inform him that we have funding and to ask him to proceed on this matter.
    Peter Bysouth had received a letter about a bad pot hole in the lane up from the A30 just past Cott Farm. This it was decided falls into the East Chinnock Parish and the Clerk was asked to pass the matter on.
    Flooding in the bad weather in Wimborough Lane was raised. This was seen to be caused by the pipe under the lane from Partway Lane either being blocked or just not able to take the load.
    There were drains blocked outside the Newman's and further back by the field entrance. Drain at the top of the High Street is also blocked. Issue of the amount of water running down the High Street has been previously raised with Highways and were hoping for a new gully to be built to manage the problem.
12. PARISH LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
    1. a) The Clerk had not received any reports of the Lengthman’s activities this month but he had been seen painting the road sign to Hardington Marsh on the day of the meeting.
    2. Work to be done included keeping the hedges on Black house Lane under control as an ongoing job, liaising with Malcolm White about the drain needing digging out on Barry Lane opposite Fieldview and along Ridge Lane where is some flooding again and also needs to look at the problem with flooding in Wimborough Lane.
13. RISK MANAGEMENT
    1. The Clerk has two 'New Clerk' training sessions organised with S.A.L.C. Has also asked SSDC if she could attend one of their inductions for new staff to help her find her way around all the different departments and asked to meet Hannah Lefeuvre DC to learn about more about her role.
    2. Peter Bysouth has sent for references for the Clerk.
    3. New specimen signatures and change of clerk’s details for NatWest Bank. Only one councillor needed to present his ID at the bank and the forms which were complete could be submitted to the bank.
    4. Response from Simon Gale. Peter Bysouth reported that he had received a request for a meeting from Simon Gale Head of Building Control at SSDC Offices (before his visit to Parish Council meeting on 17th March). This would take place on 23rd February. None of the other Councillors could make the meeting.
    5. Event for Councillors and Clerks to promote the 'Power of Well-being'. This is a new power for parish and town councils which could allow them to help finance initiatives such community shops, or renewable energy in their parishes. Need to attend the event to see if applicable to Hardington and what would need to do to gain this power if appropriate. Nearest event was at Fivehead Village Hall. Peter Bysouth and the Clerk will attend.
14. FINANCE
    1. The Clerk did not confirm her hours for this month.
    2. The Clerk confirmed she had purchased a printer for the sum of £29.33.
    3. The form to set up a standing order for £15 a month to cover the cost of hiring the Village Hall was signed by three councillors. It was agreed that this should be an ongoing arrangement.
    4. A cheque from CC Cathy Bakewell's Community Budget had been received. This will cover the cost of repair of signpost at Lyatts.
    5. The Bank Reconciliation to 31st December was approved by the Councillors.
    6. The Quarterly Reconciliation was approved by the Councillors.
    7. The Clerk had investigated the matter of the cheque which was for a £100 donation to the Pre–School which had not been cashed and was now out of date. This had been lost by the Pre-School's previous treasurer. It was agreed to cancel the missing cheque and issue another at the next meeting.
15. CORRESPONDENCE
    Correspondence was circulated.
16. MATTERS OF REPORT & ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
    The Clerk reported that she had been offered and accepted the post of a Learning Support Practitioner at Yeovil College for one day a week.
    Items for next meeting to include Data Control renewal of registration, donation to the Messenger and ideas for speaker for the Village Meeting.
17. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING & CLOSURE
    The next meeting with be on Tuesday 17th March 2009 at 7.30pm. The meeting closed at 9.50pm.