2018/01/23
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 15th January 2018.
Minutes of the meeting of the Parish
Council, held on Monday 15th January 2018 in the Village Hall, at
7.30pm.
1. Apologies: Cllr. Martin Baker.
Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell, Terry Oxman and Ray Triggol.
Also: Cllr D Hall (Somerset County Council) and Liz Perry (Sedgemoor District Council) – Also Stuart Houlet and Julie Armstrong-Baker (both officers in Sedgemoor District Council Planning Department).
Members of the public: seven members of the public.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 11th December 2017 taken as read, approved and signed.
3. Matters arising from the minutes.
6. Planning.
8. Matters arising from the correspondence. None.
9. Finance.
Balances after allowing for all payments made.
(Interest amounting to £18.45 added for the year to 31/12/2017).
Four cheques were signed as follows:
10. Any Other Business, including the date of the next meeting.
Date of next meeting; Monday 19th February 2018 in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.
There being no other business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.15pm.
1. Apologies: Cllr. Martin Baker.
Present: Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell, Terry Oxman and Ray Triggol.
Also: Cllr D Hall (Somerset County Council) and Liz Perry (Sedgemoor District Council) – Also Stuart Houlet and Julie Armstrong-Baker (both officers in Sedgemoor District Council Planning Department).
Members of the public: seven members of the public.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting of 11th December 2017 taken as read, approved and signed.
3. Matters arising from the minutes.
- Blocked Footpath at Parchey. The
Clerk gave an account of the meeting held between himself, Martin Allen
and Mark Doyle of the Environment Agency (EA) at Rivers House,
Bridgwater. Due to a significant oversight, the footpath running along
the bank of the King Sedgemoor Drain (KSD) was not redirected when the
Drain was widened in the late 1960s, with the result that it is now
submerged. It follows therefore that the gates erected by the EA at
what they thought was the footpath entrance and again further along
towards Westonzoyland are not situated on the footpath. As it stands,
the EA is not agreeable to either removing the gate or the barbed wire
as they consider this may encourage people to comit trespass.To achieve
the redirection of the footpath now would involve all the landowners
between Parchey and Greylake giving written agreement to a permissive
right of way and the drawing up of a suitable legal document – with the
accompanying legal costs. The footpath passes through several parishes.
The Parish Council is not in any position to cover the legal costs
involved. It was agreed to refer the matter to George Montague (SCC
footpath officer covering Sedgemoor) as it may be that he has access to
'in-house' legal staff who might help. Mark Doyle confirmed that the EA
is 'on board' with regard to a permissive right of way.
- Suggested usage of the
[telephone] Kiosk. The Clerk read an email from Jan McLeod,
outlining her suggestion to use the kiosk as a mini information centre
with two areas of it serving two different purposes.
Outside. The side facing the pavement/road lends itself to notices which could be seen by passers-by without the need to enter the box. Jan suggests that the two columns of smaller windows be left to offer a view of the inside, with the larger central column of windows housing notices.
Inside. Jan sees this as an interactive helping hands area. The existing fifty inch by twenty-nine inch board could be covered by corkboard and divided into three sections:
a/ Lost,
b/ Found,
c/ As a real chance to help each other in practical ways. We can help our neighbours, but also call on them for a helping hand from time to time, divided into “offers” and “needs”. No payment or bartering would be allowed.
- Lyn Allen put forward
ideas from the Country Life website – an article entitled “7 fantastic
alternative uses for a British Icon”.
a/ A colour therapy box with the plain glass panels being replaced with stained glass depicting scenes from local life. Anyone having a rough day could retreat inside and be enveloped in the light emanating from the stained glass.
b/ Artificial grass on the floor and an adjustable seat. Laminated glass is stronger.
Lyn wonders if this idea was adopted would the Parish Council assist by offering financial help with say stained glass courses so panels could be produced, and to thereafter maintain the kiosk.
After a discussion, it was agreed to further consider the matter having given more time for other ideas to come forward.
- E-consultation of Planning Applications by SDC. Stuart Houlet and Julie Armstrong- Baker spoke on the matter. The Chedzoy Village Hall is very well equipped with a projector and screen system. Julie exhibited plans from her laptop, which she had previously downloaded, and these were quite clear. SDC will provide support and even paper plans on the occasional basis. Liz Perry also said she could obtain paper plans if requested. Stuart explained that all incoming applications to SDC were emailed, and many Town/Parishes were already using the system.The Clerk said he would run a dual system in the run up to e-consultation being introduced. Plans can be downloaded at home before meeting so no Internet access is required in the hall itself.
- Giggaclear. Assurances have been received that the Carillion connection should not affect the progress of the rollout.
- SCC Budget. The funding gap here is currently £13 million. The cap placed on future Council Tax increases has been raised to 2.99% and with the escalating costs of Adult Social Care there are almost certainly Council Tax increases on the way.
- Schools. There are an estimated twenty-three schools that will be needed in the coming years to cope with the rising population, with huge cost implications. (Local Authorities are responsible for funding Primary and Secondary schools).
- Clarification on business rate retention together with the mitigating effects of economic growth are important factors.
- SRA. David Warburton (the MP for Somerton and Frome) is involved with the precepting of the Somerset Rivers Authority.
6. Planning.
- Appeal [for] planning application reference no 18/17/00003. (Victoria Osborn). The Chairman said he had received a request to attend the forthcoming appeal, and speak in favour of the application. The other councillors unanimously confirmed they were agreeable to this.
- Application reference:
18/17/00008/DT.
Proposal: Conversion of existing barn to form a residential dwelling, erection of a double garage/office and formation of parking area.
Location: Land to the south of Manor Barn, Higher Road, Chedzoy Bridgwater TA7.
Applicant: Oxford University.
The plans were displayed and examined by the councillors. The many accompanying reports had been studied by the Chairman. The merits and objections were aired. At a pre-application meeting last June, Dean Titchener (Planning Officer) indicated there should be little problem here, save for any adverse flood risk report. The Chairman invited local residents present to comment. Access to the site was considered inadequate. The site is in flood zone 3a and has not flooded in living memory.
A vote took place and the 5 councillors present unanimously voted against.
The Chairman asked the Clerk to submit the following comments to SDC Planning Department:
“In responding to this application, Chedzoy Parish Council notes that the site is in flood zone 3a, and that the pre-application advice given on 20/06/2017 by Sedgemoor District Council was therefore endorsed as “subject to a satisfactory Flood Risk Report”. Chedzoy Parish Council does not have the specialist expertise to determine whether the very comprehensive report, prepared by RMA Environmental to support this application, satisfies current planning criteria, but would point out that PC members are satisfied that the site has never flooded in living memory. However, we have other concerns. The existing building is of a long, narrow footprint, single storey, with a shallow pitched roof that precludes first floor sleeping accommodation. This would normally be an important 'refuge' considered for a building in Flood Zone 3a. To provide first floor sleeping accommodation - if that is deemed necessary - would involve significant structural alterations to the roof. It is proposed that the corrugated iron roof is replaced with a zinc roof in order to 'retain the building’s agricultural character'. The roof covering materials used in Chedzoy are either slates or tiles, as are the adjacent properties, and this would be preferred, rather than to perpetuate the stark utility of a long metal roof, in what is a very prominent position approaching the village. Chedzoy Parish Council therefore cannot support this application as it stands.”
- Temporary road closure at Ward
Lane by Wessex Water. This is due from 30th January for 8 days.
It is hoped that pedestrian access will be allowed.
- General Data Protection
Regulations – significant tightening up from May 2018. The Clerk
said he had been advised the law is changing with all organisations
needing to be compliant by 25th May 2018. He said he had consulted the
Somerset Association of Local Councils (SALC) who advised the measures
are only now going through Parliament and there is no concern at
present. It may well be that SDC or the NAtional Association of Local
Councils (NALC) take steps to safeguard/protect Parish Councils.
- Schools 2019/20 Admission
Arrangement Consultation. The Clerk has erected notices about
the 6 week consultation on school admission arrangements for children
who are due to start, transfer or move schools during the 2019/20
school year, which is currently taking place.
- SDC – New Chief Executive now
in place.
- Connecting Somerset and Devon – delivering superfast broadband to more homes and businesses. David Hall to update at the next meeting.
8. Matters arising from the correspondence. None.
9. Finance.
Balances after allowing for all payments made.
| Lloyds Bank Current Account | £3944.88 |
| Lloyds Bank Deposit Account | £2.48 |
| Cambridge Building Society Easy Access Account | £12318.53 |
(Interest amounting to £18.45 added for the year to 31/12/2017).
Four cheques were signed as follows:
| Number | Amount | Payee | For |
| 582 | £152.67 | Mr C.N Fry | January net salary |
| 583 | £ 72. 91 | Mr C.N Fry | Expenses |
| 584 | £114.40 | HMRC | PAYE Oct/Nov/Dec |
| 585 | £119.78 | SALC | Affiliation fee for 2017/18 |
10. Any Other Business, including the date of the next meeting.
- Asbestos dangers. The Clerk read an e-mail from Amber Packer-Hughes, Marketing Officer Somerset Scientific Services, highlighting the danger of potentially poisonous asbestos being disturbed during alteration works to older homes and garages. There is an item to appear in 'Chedzoy News'.
- Register of Electors. The Clerk said he has a copy of the December 2017 list.
- Buckingham Palace Garden Party. The Clerk said SALC had been allocated 4 places for the event on 31st May 2018. Nominations are sought from parishes for suitable candidates to be considered, such as long serving Chairmen.
Date of next meeting; Monday 19th February 2018 in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.
There being no other business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.15pm.
© Copyright
Chedzoy Parish Council