Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday 13th March 2017 in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm.

1. Apologies. Cllrs Martin Baker and Ray Triggol.

Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Brian Gale, Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell and Terry Oxman.

Members of the public: Messrs Peter Dodge. Rodney Young and Brian and Sheila Jones (Stawell).

2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 13th February 2017 were taken as read, approved and signed.

3. Matters arising from the minutes.

• Broadband Problems. Martin Allen (Chairman) said we were now in the final weeks of the period during which the vouchers could be used (31st March). This date may well be extended. He went on to say several parishioners had signed up with Rural Broadband South-West (Open Reach now having provided a line), and results were encouraging. He said he felt the present position was at least now understood by the public.

4. Somerset County Council report. Cllr David Hall had advised the Clerk that he had a clash of meetings and would inevitably be late attending this evening.

5. Sedgemoor District Council report. None.

6. Planning.

No new applications but the Chairman reported he had been asked by the Chairman of Stawell Parish Council (Brian Lishman) to receive representation concerning an application they had received:

Reference: 46/16/00011.

Proposal: Variation of condition 6 of Planning Permission 46/14/00004 to allow a maximum of 20 caravans and all year round use.

Location: At Camping Field at Fitchetts Farm, Stawell Road, Stawell, Bridgwater TA7 9AU.
 
Accordingly, Brian and Sheila Jones were present at the meeting and invited to outline the situation. At present the site has permission for 5 caravans and 15 tents on a seasonal basis. Cllr Terry Oxman said he had worked at the site and he thought it was perfectly equipped and able to take the increase in usage. The main concern is the possible increase in traffic passing through Chedzoy to get to the site, with the very poor state of the narrow roads between the villages. Martin Allen said there is always a reluctance to get involved in planning applications of other parishes, but he felt the possible traffic problems legitimised at least an interest sufficient to require some representation  to be made to Sedgemoor, if the parish councillors so desired.

A discussion took place and the unanimous feeling of the Chedzoy Parish councillors was that a letter outlining their concerns, but restricting comments to the possible increased traffic flow through our village, be sent by the Chairman in the next few days.

7. Correspondence.

• Somerset Coast Advice Partnership. The Clerk read a letter received from the above detailing the intention of the Sedgemoor CAB and West Somerset Advice to work in partnership in their endeavour to ensure a good standard of advice is available to everyone with the impending increase in demand linked to Hinkley Point’s expansion and the ensuing increase in population in the areas of Sedgemoor and West Somerset. To this end the Partnership will be applying for funding through the Community Impact Mitigation Scheme. The Partnership are requesting to support of the Parish Council in this and after a discussion during which Pat Lennard reminded the meeting of the support which has been given to the Sedgemoor CAB by the Parish Council over the years in recognition of the service it provides. There was unanimous support for an appropriate letter of support to be sent by the Clerk.

8. Matters arising from the correspondence. None.

9. Finance.
 
Balances after allowing for all payments made.

Lloyds Bank Current Account	£1910.87
Lloyds Bank Deposit Account	£2.48
Cambridge Building Society Easy Access	£12300.08

4 cheques issued signed by 2 councillors as follows:-

Number	Payee	Amount	For
544	C.N Fry	£152.47	March net salary
545	C.N Fry	£31.14	Expenses
546	OUEM	£40.00	Allotment rent
547	D. Malley	£81.00	Payroll service

10. Any Other Business, including the date of the next meeting.

• New Business development at the Strategic Employment site, Nexus 25, at Junction 25 of the M5. The Clerk has received a Press Release about the public consultation on the above site which runs for 4 weeks from 1st March.
• Sedgemoor Crime and ABS Survey 2017. The Clerk advised this two-year survey would involve 5500 surveys being sent out to random households in Sedgemoor during this month, The District Council is committed to making Sedgemoor a safe place in which to live, work and visit.
• 'Don't be fooled by Council Tax Scammers'�. The Clerk has received a warning from Sedgemoor for householders to be aware of Scammers who ring up and offer to arrange to get your Council Tax reduced for a fee.
• Call for Sedgemoor voters to register in time for the local elections on 4th May. Sedgemoor are appealing for non-registered people to register in time for the local elections on 4th May 2017.

There being no other business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.15 pm.

Date of next meeting: Monday 24th April 2017 at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall.