2015/11/25
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 17th November 2015
Minutes of the meeting Of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 17th
November 2015, in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm.
1. Apologies. None, but the Clerk said Cllr. David Hall would attend the meeting later following another meeting in Bridgwater.
Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Martin Baker, Brian Gale, Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell, Terry Oxman and Ray Triggol. Also Cllrs. David Hall (SCC) and Derek Alder (SDC).
Visiting speakers: John Rowland (Flood and coastal risk management) and Richard Bradford (RSPB)
Members of the public: Peter Dodge, Helen Hunt, Paul Moate, Richard Woodward and Rodney Young.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 6th October 2015 were taken as read, approved and signed.
3. Matters arising from the minutes.
6. Planning. No new proposals.
7. Correspondence.
9. Finance.
Balances with all cheques having been cleared:
2 cheques signed by 2 councillors.
The Clerk said the Precept for 2016/17 would be set at the next meeting.
10. Any other business including date of next meeting.
There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 9.20pm.
1. Apologies. None, but the Clerk said Cllr. David Hall would attend the meeting later following another meeting in Bridgwater.
Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Martin Baker, Brian Gale, Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell, Terry Oxman and Ray Triggol. Also Cllrs. David Hall (SCC) and Derek Alder (SDC).
Visiting speakers: John Rowland (Flood and coastal risk management) and Richard Bradford (RSPB)
Members of the public: Peter Dodge, Helen Hunt, Paul Moate, Richard Woodward and Rodney Young.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 6th October 2015 were taken as read, approved and signed.
3. Matters arising from the minutes.
- Address by John Rowland and Richard Bradford. John
explained that he dealt with flood risk management (Land
drainage) and was currently involved in the Somerset Rivers
Authority’s 20 year plan. Richard said he was from the RSPB’s
West Sedgemoor Reserve and was now seconded to help with the
flood action plan – liaising with approximately 40 farmers on
the Levels, and feeding their views back to the Somerset Rivers
Authority in order to get a consensus on the best way forward.
The huge flooding on the levels in 2013/14 had concentrated
minds on the need to address the flooding issue in general.
Cllr. Oxman was concerned about the possibility of the many flood defence measures increasing the likelihood of Chedzoy being flooded in the future. John said that none of the measures being taken would have that effect.
The meeting was told that the huge amount of money being invested in flood preventative measures would minimise the chance of future flooding occurring. There was concern, however, on the need for future ongoing funding, with budgets facing unprecedented squeezes. John Rowland kindly invited those interested to take a tour of pumping stations and other various defence projects in the New Year, possibly on a Saturday and the Clerk was asked to liaise with him appropriately.
- Health and Wellbeing Budget 2015. Cllr Allen invited
suggestions from the floor as to what schemes the Council could
put forward as needing funding under this year’s budget. Cllr
Derek Alder said that, as there was no doctors surgery in the
village it might be possible to apply for funding to run a local
volunteer driver scheme to transport the elderly or needy to
appointments at various surgeries. Cllr Katrina Maxwell said it
might be a good idea to apply for funding to train/retrain
parishioners in defibrillator use. The Clerk was asked to
enquire of Cllr David Hall if these were possibilities.
- Various drainage problems around the village. The Clerk explained that it had been intended to ask John Rowland if the small grant scheme would be of any help in solving the various historic drainage problems we have eg the blocked culvert at Pig Lane, the flooding issue in Manor Road etc. The Clerk was asked to take this up with John when he liaises about the proposed tour in January.
- Traffic congestion in Pig Lane. The Clerk reported he had requested the signage department of SCC erect a sign limiting the class of traffic allowed along the lane, and although he request was accepted it would take some time. Helen Hunt has also written in with a similar suggestion. Helen added that her husband Francis had reseeded an area of grass outside their gateway and had erected two posts to stop cars parking on the newly seeded area. Cllr Maxwell said the Oxford University Chest had decided not to sell the playing field at this time, but they had indicated that they may agree to allow parking on the field anyway, the committee were considering the matter. The parking problem had subsided now summer was gone but would undoubtedly return with the better weather next year.
- Budget Gap. David said the funding gap of £27 million
was still to be dealt with. The Government’s Autumn Statement
was awaited after which the position concerning the level of
Revenue Support Grant and Council Tax Support grant would be
clearer.
- Devolution. The Government was keen for South West
devolution plans to be explored.
- FID (Final Investment Decision) at Hinkley Point.
Although still not quite finalised, there was little doubt
agreement would come, possibly by December or January.
- Chedzoy’s ongoing problems of both Broadband and conventional Ttelephone landline connections. David offered to work with the Chairman to draw up a suitable letter to BT about both of these issues.
- Finance. There was a smaller deficit at SDC, of the order of £358,000 which would need dealing with.
- Derek said there were several schemes afoot for overcoming the various cuts the District Council were facing.
6. Planning. No new proposals.
7. Correspondence.
- Local Plan (Core Strategy) Review 2011/2032. The
Chairman reported he had ploughed through the paper copy of this
and he said it was open for consultation until December. He said
the plan was more positive than the previous one with Chedzoy
now having been now designated under tier 4 (sustainable) rather
than unsustainable as it was before. Now being a 'Sustainable
location with limitations'- there was a slight change in the
development boundary. He said he thought the council should give
the plan it’s tacit support and he would draft an appropriate
letter.
- SDC Proposed Legal Advice and Representation Scheme. The
Clerk reported that Sedgemoor’s legal department were offering
to carry out legal work for Parish Councils at a rate of £100
per hour plus vat, which is considerably less than private legal
practices.
- SCC Highways department - 'Ready for winter with 7 new
gritters'. The Clerk reported this and added that the
annual de-icing materials distribution to the parishes by SCC at
Dunball was being made this Saturday 21st November. Cllr Triggol
offered to collect this.
- RLT3 contributions – application process. The Clerk
advised he was holding an application form should anyone require
it.
- Home Start Sedgemoor – Grant aid request. The Clerk
reported receipt of a letter requesting financial support to
this organisation which gives support, friendship and practical
help to families who have at least one child under five who are
experiencing difficulties. A discussion took place and it was
accepted that good work was carried out here, but in the present
climate and bearing in mind the increases agreed to the Parish
Council’s expenditure already this year, it was not considered
prudent to agree to this request at this time.
- Birch House – wall repairs. The Clerk reported he had
been advised by the new owners of this property that they were
having a builder look at possibly making the wall safe in the
New Year and the builder had suggested they advise the Parish
Council.
- Subsidised Local Bus Services Concessionary Fares Policy
Consultation. The Clerk reported on an e mail which
advised the scheme was being considered for cost cutting
changes.
- SCC 'Population pressure adds to budget challenge'. The Clerk read an e mail stating the County’s population was growing by 3400 people per year and getting older. The additional cost to the budget represented by this “demographic pressure” was £5m with inflation adding a further £3.5m to the 2016/17 costs.
9. Finance.
Balances with all cheques having been cleared:
| Lloyds Bank current account | £4027.12 |
| Lloyds Bank deposit account | £2.48 |
| Cambridge Building Society Easy Access account | £12192.69 |
2 cheques signed by 2 councillors.
| Number | Payee | Amount | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 491 | Mr C N Fry | £72.50 | Expenses to date |
| 492 | Mr C N Fry | £305.14 | Oct/Nov salary |
The Clerk said the Precept for 2016/17 would be set at the next meeting.
10. Any other business including date of next meeting.
- BT Telephone Services Connection Problems. The Chairman reported on a letter received from Mr John Bilton of Manor Road complaining about having lost his landline connection for 7 days recently. The matter will be covered in the latter being drawn up by the Chairman in conjunction with David Hall (see fourth item of the SCC report above).
- SCC 'Got a traffic problem? Find a solution with Traffic Choices'. The Clerk read out an e mail from SCC advising of a new website designed to enable members of the public to report concerns about pedestrian safety, speeding vehicles or inconsiderate parking matters.
There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 9.20pm.
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