Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 5th April 2016.
Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council, held on Tuesday 5th
April 2016, at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
1. Apologies: Cllrs. Ray Triggol, Katrina Maxwell, David
Hall (SCC) and Mrs Liz Perry (SDC}, the latter two had a clash of
meetings.
Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Martin Baker,
Brian Gale, Patricia Lennard, Terry Oxman and Derek Alder (SDC)
Members of the public: Messrs. Pete Dodge, Richard Woodward
and Rodney Young.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 23rd February 2016 were
taken as read, approved and signed.
3. Matters arising from the minutes.
- Landline and Broadband Problems. Martin Allen
(Chairman) read an e-mail reply from Paul Coles (BT South West
Regional Partnerships Director (BT plc)) to the Clerk,
summarising his remedial proposal to these problems as follows:
- The key determinant of broadband speeds in Chedzoy is
the distance that the community is from cabinet 19 that is
connected off of Bridgwater exchange.
- Issues relating to telephone calls and ability to order
new lines were primarily down to a capacity shortage between the
cabinet and the exchange – this has now been resolved.
- Additional issues affecting stability of broadband were
caused by some line pairs splitting- we have now proved where
those are, and are moving people over as we speak.
- A more substantive upgrade will happen next week when we
are looking to provide a replacement cable over a 230 metre
span. We hope to complete that next (this) week.
- The Chairman said several residents had received visits from
the engineers re: problems.
- Paul Coles has also agreed to meet the councillors when the
proposed improvements have been carried out and the dust has
settled, to answer any remaining queries there may be. The Clerk
was asked to arrange this meeting, possibly at the next Parish
Council meeting.
- Footpath obstruction at Parchey. The Clerk reported he
had received a phone call from George Montague, SCC Rights of
Way officer covering Sedgemoor, confirming the matter of further
action was still under consideration by the Environment Agency,
owners of both the Bristol gate and the land. He said he now had
contact details at the Agency and after a suggestion from
Richard Woodward it was decided the Clerk should follow up with
the Agency and suggest the possibility of involving the Ramblers
Association in an endeavour to resolve this long standing
problem.
4. Somerset County Council report. None (see 1).
5. Sedgemoor District Council report. Derek Alder reported
as follows:
- Development in Sedgemoor. Council houses are again
being built in the SDC area, at West Huntspill and Highbridge
(21 homes in all). Additionally, a further 11 homes previously
sold off under “Right to Buy” have been acquired by Sedgemoor.
In the last 12 months, 570 new properties had been built, 157 of
which were affordable and so were redistributable by SDC. Also
in the last year, 51% of new builds in SDC area have been built
on former brownfield sites. The development of the old cattle
market site was yet to start, but agreement had been reached on
an entry road past the Newmarket Hotel and exit road to run into
Bristol road, accommodated by the demolition of a single house.
Various individual minor developments are pending, such as the
former Pig and Whistle PH site involving affordable homes which
is nearing completion, the former Hope Inn PH site on Taunton
Road, the former Withy Cutter PH site [Frederick Road], the
former filling station on the junction of Bath Road [junction
with Branksome Avenue] , and the former Paragon Laundry site
opposite the Hope Inn on Taunton Road.
- In the last year Sedgemoor’s planning performance has
been amongst the top 25% of all local
authorities in the country.
- In the past year Sedgemoor had allocated
£56,000 in grant aid to local community groups and £80,000
to minor flooding issues on the Levels.
- Sedgemoor receives just 9p in every £ levied in
council tax.
- The drainage board portion of the council tax is not
capped and Sedgemoor are obligated to raise the total
required by the board, which amounted to £1.3 million or 23% of
the total council tax total yielded by all band D properties in
the past year.
- There are 157 CCTV cameras throughout Somerset
which are all controlled by SDC.
6. Planning. No new proposals.
7. Correspondence.
- Proposed [road] closure at Fowlers Plot Road. The
Clerk reported the Highway Authority has received an application
from Somerset Highways to close this road in order that
necessary drainage work can be carried out after 2nd May for an
estimated 5 day period.
- HM Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday Commemorative
Medal. The Clerk read a letter from the Tower Mint
announcing the medal which is aimed at schools and councils to
mark the forthcoming event. As Chedzoy has no school, it was
felt inappropriate to order any.
- Somerset Day 11th May. The Clerk read a letter from “Passion
for Somerset” encouraging local celebrations on the day or
the following weekend.
- The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). This
organisation provides:-
- Support and advice for assessing planning applications.
- Access to planning resources and publications.
- A free national planning helpline.
- Access to CPRE Somerset events.
- The organisation is looking for Parish Councils to join at a
fee of £36 per year.
Bearing in mind the very limited development anticipated in the
village it was felt unnecessary to join.
- Large mobile phone masts - relaxation of planning rules.
A letter has been received from SDC press office advising the
Chancellor has announced that large mobile phone masts of up to
25 metres high will in future be given the go ahead without
requiring planning permission.
- Sedgemoor “Ready for spring”. The SDC press office
advise they are busy gearing up for spring with Berrow beach
recently having been cleaned up by volunteers who collected 50
sacks of rubbish. SDC staff are aiming to make Sedgemoor
“blooming lovely” with 65,000 spring bedding plants, 25,000
spring flowering bulbs, 58,000 summer bedding plants and later
on 90 hanging baskets, 19 flower towers and 30 troughs full of
colourful flowers to follow.
- RLT2 and RLT3 funds. The usual reminder that any funds
due are time limited. Chedzoy currently has no funds available.
- New Chief Constable – Avon and Somerset. Andy Marsh is
now in place. The Notice of Election for the post of PCC is on
public display. Election due 5th May.
- Finger Posts. The County Council are planning to
protect these historic historical items with the help of local
partners. Further details to follow.
- CCS - Community Council for Somerset. A new Chief
Executive has been appointed.
- New Sedgemoor Neighbourhood Police Sergeant appointed
covering our area.
- SDC community Safety Survey. Between March and May
2015, 5000 survey forms were randomly sent to Sedgemoor
households with 1626 replies coming back – results as follows:-
- 95% of residents feel safe at home during the day.
- 88% of residents feel safe at home after dark.
- 89% of residents feel safe in the town/village centre during
the day.
- 57% of residents feel safe in the town/village centre after
dark.
- Litter, dog fouling and fly-tipping are the top 3 anti-social
behaviour issues of concern to residents.
- Generally it is perceived that crime and anti-social behaviour
levels have stayed about the same in the previous three year
period.
- Only 15% of respondents felt that the presence of Closed
Circuit Television cameras in the district have no effect on
their feelings of safety.
- Cycling in Sedgemoor appears to make people feel less safe
than travelling by car, bus or walking.
- 70% of respondents have not been a victim of crime themselves.
- SDC Leisure fund. £500,000 of funds provided by
EDF have been distributed by SDC to support sports clubs and
voluntary groups in the Bridgwater area, being designed to
increase participation in sport and physical activity. There are
two consultation meetings coming up, Monday 18th April and
Wednesday 27th April at the YMCA in Bridgwater.
8. Matters arising from the correspondence. None.
9. Finance.
Balances with all cheques having been cleared:-
Lloyds Bank current account |
£2581.55 |
Lloyds Bank deposit account |
£2.48 |
Cambridge Building Society Easy Access
account |
£12252.99 |
5 cheques signed at the meeting.
Number |
Payee |
Amount |
For |
503 |
Mr C.N Fry |
£152.47 |
March net salary |
504 |
Mr C.N Fry |
£221.42 |
Expenses to date |
505 |
Mr C.N Fry |
£200.00 |
due to R Beale (bus shelter
maintenance). |
506 |
Roger Preece |
£75.00 |
Repairs to taps at allotments. |
507 |
HCI Data Limited |
£83.76 |
Renewal of website domain for next 2
years |
The Clerk advised that smaller councils were being given the chance
to appoint their own external auditors in the future. He said his
personal preference was to remain as we are.
Revised limit for S137(A) 2016/17 set at £7.42 per elector.
The Clerk asked the council to agree to the reimbursement of £42.00
to the Chairman, who was carrying out considerable printing on
behalf of the council. This was proposed by Cllr. Brian Gale and
seconded by Cllr. Martin Baker with all agreed.
10. Any other business including date of next meeting.
- Martin Allen (Chairman) wished to express the thanks of the
council to Mr Don Johnson for his sterling work in producing a
very comprehensive parish newsletter which included
comprehensive coverage of Parish Council meetings.
- Rubbish in the Manor Road culvert at the bottom of gardens of
some Higher Road houses. Cllr Pat Lennard reported this. After a
discussion, Derek Alder (SDC) said we should write to Homes in
Sedgemoor who could deal with both council houses and former
council houses. The Clerk to see to this.
Date of next meeting (which will be the annual trio of meetings)
Wednesday 18th May 2016 starting earlier than usual, at 7.15pm.
There being no other business the meeting was declared closed
at 8.35 pm.