Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 1st September 2015 in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm.


1. Apologies. Cllr Ray Triggol and Cllr Liz Perry (SDC).

Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Martin Baker, Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell, Terry Oxman and Brian Gale. Also Cllrs. David Hall (SCC) and Derek Alder (SDC).

Members of the public: Mr Rodney Young.

2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 28th July 2015 were taken as read, approved and signed, all in favour.

3. Matters arising from the minutes.

• Wessex Water allotment inspection. The Clerk read a letter received from Wessex Water confirming that following their re-inspection of the Allotment site, all rectification work had now been completed and no problems were found that contravene the Water Supply Regulations. To ensure the plumbing system continues to comply with the regulations, the Parish Council is asked to contact Wessex Water if it is intending to make any alterations in the future. In that event, Wessex Water say they will be happy to give advice and check any proposals prior to the work being done.
• Somerset Local Authority Civil Contingencies Unit. The Clerk reported that Geoff Mackett was unable to attend but had arranged for Mr Stewart Granger – Community Resilience Officer for the Levels and Moors at Somerset Local Authorities Civil Contingencies Unit to attend and speak in his place. Regretfully no speaker appeared to speak. (Note: Since the meeting, Mr Granger has contacted the Clerk and apologised for the fact that he went to Middlezoy in mistake. He has confirmed he will attend the next meeting on 6th October 2015).
  

4. Somerset County Council report. David Hall reported as follows:-

• Hinkley Point. It is felt that optimism is rising that the Final Investment Decision could be made perhaps before the year end.
• Health and Wellbeing. He said applications would soon be invited for this year’s scheme – again for projects to improve the general Health and Wellbeing of the local population as a whole, of all ages. David said firm thought should be given to the matter.
• Highways Small Improvement Scheme. A separate fund for local smaller improvements such as footway extensions, crossings and minor road improvements was being made available.
• Broadband. Cllr Hall mentioned there appeared to be some problem peculiar to Chedzoy in that a new resident had been advised that BT could give no timescale for the installation of a new phone line.
• Ward Lane highways issues. Pat Lennard raised the various problems in this area, which she walked frequently, namely: - overgrown hedges, the serious breakup of the road edges and the erosion of the “rumble” strips. It was discussed and Cllr Hall suggested  there was a subtle difference between potholes (the responsibility of SCC highways) and the general deterioration of the adjoining land edge where the land met the road , caused by the ever increasing size of vehicles in general and agricultural vehicles in particular ( this damage being the responsibility of the landowners). He suggested the Parish Pothole Officer (Mark Smith) be asked to log any pothole damage on the website – the Clerk to make the request to Mark who very kindly still attends to these issues despite having retired from the council.

5. Sedgemoor District Council report. Cllr Derek Alder reported as follows. Derek said he had little to report at this time, but said he had been asked to take responsibility for a new Housing effort in Sedgemoor whereby he was asked to find 1000 new homes, either houses or flats or industrial conversions or homes above shops over the coming 5 tear period, over and above the usual residential development in the area.

The Chairman congratulated Derek on this new responsibility, on behalf of the whole Parish Council and wished him well.

6. Planning. There are no new applications to consider.

7. Correspondence.

• Enquiry from 3rd year geography student at Bournemouth University – the Clerk read an e mail from Louis Sherman who is working on a dissertation looking at the 2013/14 flooding event. In particular the enquiry concerns the use that the local Church was put to as a possible evacuation centre or possibly doubling up with other use during the floods. The Clerk was asked to reply that we were luckily unaffected directly by flooding in the Parish.
• Complaint received, re: dog fouling in the Churchyard. The Clerk read an e mail forwarded on from Don Johnson Editor of Chedzoy News and received from a parishioner, a dog owner regarding herself as “responsible” one as most in the village are, who had been upset and disgusted at seeing a dog fouling in the Churchyard and the owner failing to remove the faeces, together with another occasion when she saw faeces from a large dog actually on a person’s grave. After a discussion Cllr Martin Baker, said he would visit the complainant and try to get to the bottom of the matter and report back to the next meeting.
• RTL2/RTL3 monies. The Clerk reported receipt of the usual annual reminder that these funds, where available, were to be utilised during strict time schedules. There are no funds currently available in Chedzoy as those which had been there had been used towards the funding of the refurbished Playing Field at Pig Lane.
• Bridgwater Without Parish Council “Banksman” suggestion. The Clerk rad an e mail from this neighbouring Parish in which it was suggested the possible joint funding of a village banksman to keep verges tidy in a possible “cluster” of Parishes. The suggestion was discussed but it was felt there was no great need here in Chedzoy and furthermore no funds available from within the Parish Council to assist in meeting costs here. The Clerk to respond appropriately.
• Somerset Association of Local Councils (SALC) AGM at The Edgar Hall Somerton Saturday 26th September with guest speakers and FREE buffet lunch. The Clerk asked for attendees and Martin Allen and Pat Lennard expressed an interest, The Clerk to coordinate attendance.
• Code of Conduct Training at Bridgwater House Monday 21st September 2015 6.30 pm. The Chairman expressed agreement to attend with the Clerk.

8. Matters arising from the correspondence. None

9. Finance.

Balances with all outstanding cheques presented:

Lloyds Bank current account	£5035.45
Lloyds Bank deposit account	£2.48
Cambridge Building Society, Council Easy Access account	£12192.69

There is a further £1500.00 of Precept money due later in the year.

Following completion of the allotment plumbing work, the following cheque:

Number	Amount	Payee	For
476	£200.00	Roger Preece	Allotment works

had been issued between meetings. This had been authorised at the previous meeting.

7 further cheques signed by 2 councillors:

Number	Amount	Payee	For
477	£152.47	C. N Fry	August net salary
478	£80.36	C. N Fry	Expenses to date
479	£40.00	OUEM	Allotment rent due (in advance)
480	£152.00	Village Hall Committee	Annual amenity grant (uprated by 5%)
481	£244.00	Playing Field Committee	Annual amenity grant (uprated by 5%)
482	£500.00	St Mary’s Church	Annual grant for Churchyard upkeep (increased following a specific request from the PCC)
483	£200.00	Don Johnson	Printing costs of last 4 editions Chedzoy News.

The perfectly reasonable request for an uplift here to £50 per edition to take account of wear and tear and depreciation of printing equipment proposed by Cllr Pat Lennard and seconded by Cllr Martin Baker – all in agreement.

10. Any other business including date of next meeting.

• Potholes in Ward Lane. Cllr Martin Baker suggested that if SCC Highways at Dunball (Laurence Hackling) could come up with a couple of loads of scalpings and deposit them at say Fry’s Lane then he would get some local volunteers to fill in some of the pothole damage in Ward Lane. The Clerk to make enquiries.

Date of next meeting Tuesday 6th October 2015 at 7.30 in the Village Hall.

There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.20 pm