Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council, held on Wednesday 9th May 2018 in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.

 1. Apologies. None

2. Present.  Cllrs. Martin Allen (Chairman), Martin Baker, Brian Gale, Patricia Lennard, Katrina Maxwell and Terry Oxman.  Also Cllrs. David Hall (Somerset County Council (SCC)) and Liz Perry (Sedgemoor District Council (SDC)).

Also, Mr Chris Fry (Clerk) and seven members of the public.

3. Minutes of the previous meeting of 4th April 2018 were taken as read, approved and signed.

4. Matters arising from the minutes.

• Suggested usage of the Kiosk. The Chairman said his wife, Lynne would be getting together with the other two ladies who made suggestions, with a view to possibly forming a working group to take matters forward. Francis Hunt suggested it might be a good idea to incorporate housing for the defibrillator in the plans, as the Phone box is in a much more recognised location than the present position at the side of the village hall.
  
  
• Affordable Housing. Martin Allen said that Esther Carter and Duncan Harvey had agreed to come to the next meeting to meet with the Parish Council and members of the public. The Clerk pointed out that it had been made clear that the whole scheme would be driven solely by the Parish Council. The Chairman is determined to do all he can to make everybody aware of the scheme, which he considers has some positive aspects as well as negative ones. A notice advising parishioners of this meeting on 13th June 2018 will appear in the next issue of 'Chedzoy News'.
  
  
• Village Agent. The Clerk reported that Vanda Squire - Sedgemoor Community Agent - had agreed to come to the June meeting, and suggests it might be constructive to bring the Village Agent along so that they can explain their differing roles within the community.

5. Somerset County Council report. See Annual Parish Meeting minutes.

6. Sedgemoor District Council report. See Annual Parish Meeting minutes.

7. Planning.

No new Planning Applications but:

Town and Country Planning Act – Section 78.
Proposal:  Conversion of one dwelling to two separate dwellings.
Location:  35 Higher Road Chedzoy Bridgwater TA7 8QU.
Appellant:  Mr S Baker.
Appeal reference:  APP/V3310/W/18/3197333.
Appeal start date:  18/04/2018

Details of this appeal had not been received by the Clerk until about 1st May or so. The letter states that the appeal will be determined on the basis of written representations. All the representations made to Sedgemoor District Council during the original application have been forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate and appellant, and these will be considered by the Inspector when determining the appeal.

Any comments or alterations which may wish to be made can be lodged online at https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk . If access to the internet is a problem letters can be sent to: Pauline Dun, The Planning Inspectorate, 3P Kite, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN.

The meeting was opened up to the public, so that the neighbours who were in attendance could comment. A comprehensive submission which she had drawn up giving a point-by-point assessment of the objections was presented.

The Chairman asked the Clerk to submit the following comments on behalf of the Parish Council:

'Having discussed this Appeal Application fully, Chedzoy Parish Council continues to support the Planning Officer in his refusal to the original application 18/17/00007'.

8. Correspondence.

• General Data Protection Regulations – SALC training seminar 22nd May 2018. The Clerk reported he had received several emails about this and that the tone of the Regulator was definitely softening towards the Parish Councils as regards them instituting the stronger regulations which are due to become law by the end of May. There is also news of a move to exclude Parishes from the regulations altogether. The Chairman is unable to attend but the Clerk will go along.
  
  
• Somerset Village of the Year Competition – entries close 14th June 2018. Noted.
  
  
• Parish Bridle Paths [Bridleways] – parishioner’s letter. The Clerk read out a letter received from Karen Bennett of “Tower View”, in which she explains she is a horse rider and finds the bridle paths [Bridleways]in the area are not always accessible during the summer months when they are likely to be used most. She describes impassable barriers which have taken the place of opening gates, a situation which renders some paths impossible to use. A discussion took place with many present being unaware of the problem.  Katrina Maxwell offered to make a visit and take photos which could be considered at a future meeting, probably in July. The Clerk was asked to acknowledge the letter.
  
  
• Polden Project. The Clerk advised he had received confirmation that Sedgemoor had granted a lease on the old Co-op store in Woolavington to a pharmaceutical firm, thereby rejecting the Polden Plan.
  
  
•  Somerset Waste Partnership re-organisation. As from 16th April Kier - working with Somerset Waste Partnership - have been restructuring the collection rounds in the Sedgemoor area. This needs to happen every few years as new properties are developed and populations grow in different parts of the district. Most residents will probably not notice changes. A small number of properties will have their collection day changed, but these will receive a letter of explanation.
  
  
• Avon and Somerset PCC.  'Rural residents to be asked their views on police response times to rural crime'. Rural communities are being encouraged to have their say as part of the 2018 National Rural Crime Survey, to help better understand the true picture of crime and anti-social behaviour in rural areas and the impact it has on local people who live and work there. You can take part in the survey by visiting www.nationalruralcrimenetwork.net and you have until 10th June 2018 to respond.
  
  
• Somerset County Council's 'Let’s take action against dementia'. SCC is asking everyone to help make a difference to the lives of people living with dementia.  It is a sad fact that one person develops dementia every three minutes, and often these people live alone and feel excluded from their local communities and wider society. The Alzheimer’s Society is leading Dementia Action Week (21-27 May) and SCC is calling on everyone to come together to help create a 'dementia-friendly' County. You can sign up to be a Dementia Friend across the County by visiting www.dementisfriends.org.uk
  
  
• Somerset County Council – Work underway to transform health and social care. Somerset CGT, the organisation that plans and buys healthcare services for Somerset residents, and SCC, responsible for providing social care services, have agreed to work together on a joint programme called “Fit for the Future”. The best option will be sought for future health and social care provision in the County. For further information please contact the Press Office on 01823 355020 or email pressoffice@somerset.gov.uk
  

9. Matters arising from the correspondence. None.

10. Finance.

Balances after allowing for all payments made.

Lloyds Bank Current Account	£6113.00
Lloyds Bank Deposit Account	£2.48
Cambridge Building Society Easy Access Account	£12318.53

Seven cheques were signed as follows.

Number	Amount	Payee	For
594	£ 81.00	D.M Payroll	Payroll 2018/19
595	£152.67	Mr C.N Fry	April net salary
596	£114.40	HMRC	PAYE Jan/Feb/March 2018).
597	£694.15	Came and Co.	Annual insurance
598	£121.78	Somerset Association of Local Councils	Affiliation fee
599	£137.21	Mr C.N Fry	Expenses
600	£10.00	Mrs L. Friend	Internal audit

The first tranche of the 2018/2019 Precept of £3748.00 has been received.

The Clerk explained to the members the order of actions needed to sign off the 2017/2018 accounts, which have now been internally audited.

The Parish Council is required to consider the internal audit work before approving the Governance Statement before approving the Accounting Statement. With this in mind the Clerk distributed copies of the internal audit certification and the Annual Governance Statement, the adoption of which was proposed by Cllr Baker and seconded by Cllr Maxwell and unanimously agreed. The Clerk (RFO) had already signed the Governance Statement and the Chairman now countersigned it, followed by the resigning of the Accounting Statement by the chairman and Clerk (RFO). The Accounting Statement was reapproved with Cllr Gale proposing the motion and Cllr Oxman seconding it, with all in favour.

When the Statutory Notice of public scrutiny of the accounts is advertised, then the procedures ahead of the External audit will be complete.

11. Any Other Business, including date of next meeting.

• Fry’s Lane. Stuart Farmer was invited to outline the position, which he did and said it was a story of prompt and positive assistance by SCC Highways (Laurence Hackling) and SDC Clean Surroundings, as well as Ray and Simon Triggol, all doing all they can (in these straightened times) which now meant things were almost in place and the condition of the lane already looking so much better. The Lane is scheduled to be mechanically swept at regular intervals and it now only remains for the planings (which have been delivered) to be spread into the areas of potholes and areas where conditions remain poor. The Chairman agreed to approach Ray Triggol and enquire if he is able to kindly assist.
  
  
• Bus Shelter Garden. A parishioner raised what she felt was the poor condition of parts of the garden. Also there is a problem of a small bush having established itself within the party wall between School House and the garden. Cllr Baker kindly agreed to have a look to dealing with the bush.
  
  
• Computer courses in the Village Hall. The Chairman said he had received a letter enquiring if there was a possibility of computer 'starter' courses being held at the Village Hall, as seems to have been the case at some point in the past. Martin Allen felt this might fall within the remit of the Hall management body, and Rodney Young advised there was a move afoot to get internet access installed at the Hall. Cllr Lennard (Parish Council representative on the hall management committee) agreed to raise the issue at the next meeting.

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 13th June 2018 in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm.

There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 9.17 pm.