KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 3 April 2017
Present: Cllr A Brock (Chairman)
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr R Lane (public session only)
Cllr R Sutton
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
Master Daniel Younger presented 19 letters from the pupils of the Primary School seeking Parish Council support for the exciting plans to develop the School facilities and, in particular, drew attention to the need for smaller skate ramp facilities suitable for children of his age. Councillors noted this and thanked Daniel for his excellent presentation. The Clerk would investigate further, especially the possibility of redundant ramps becoming available following the Romsey Rapids upgrade due in the near future.
Action: Clerk
PCSO Storm Perrott reported on activity in the area which included 5 break ins during the past 3 months and 3 thefts of lead and tools. She confirmed that follow up visits were being made to those affected and that the identities of the likely perpetrators were known. Cllr Brock, as the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator, commented on the lack of information passing down to him on the Police network although other areas seemed to receive regular updates; PSCO Perrott would follow this up. She would also follow up the theft of copper wire from SSE’s work in the area and report any findings.
Action: PCSO Perrott
B/Cllr Ward commented on the proposed realignment of Test Valley ward boundaries currently out for public consultation and on which the Parish Council had already submitted its serious concerns. He shared councillors’ opinion that the proposed changes would not benefit King’s Somborne. He also confirmed that Aster Housing’s application to build on the Eldon Road/Scott Close car park, which was to have been determined at the Southern Area Planning Committee meeting the following day, had been postponed.
C/Cllr Gibson confirmed he had again discussed the design of the pipe protruding into the Borne opposite the Nutchers Drove junction with Hampshire Highways staff but that there appeared to be sound engineering reasons for its design. He also confirmed plans existed to resurface parts of Winchester Road and that potholes had to be a minimum of 40mms deep before they could be repaired. However, he reminded those present that the new vehicles now in use by the County would repair stretches of road rather than a single pothole to a far higher state. Finally, he warned every one of the likely noticeable increase in traffic supplying the new Sparsholt College biomass digester plant and the inconvenience resulting from this if experiences elsewhere were indicative.
Cllr Lane left at this point
53. Apologies for Absence
53.1 Cllrs Harwood and Whitehead; Mr Dyke (Open Spaces Warden)
54. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
54.1 Cllr Brock confirmed the documents for transferring ownership of the King’s Somborne recreation ground from Fields in Trust to the Parish Council had been received and signed off. Once registered with the Land Registry, the recreation ground would become owned by the Parish Council, the Council would become the landlord of the area of land occupied by the Scouts and the easements necessary before Scottish and Southern Electricity could underground the power cables across the 3 Fields could be formalised and work could commence. Cllr Brock also took the opportunity to thank Cllr Curtis for improving the kissing gate entrance to the footpath and field adjacent to his property in Horsebridge Road whilst building his entrance wall.
55. To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 6 March 2017
55.1 Proposed Cllr Sutton, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED with Cllr Curtis abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2017 be accepted as a true record.
56. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
56.1 Para 42.1 Cllr Sutton was liaising with the new website consultants over our proposed website and would obtain a set of terms and conditions for acceptance by the Council as part of the process.
Action: Cllr Sutton
56.2 Para 42.2 Cllr Hughes tabled a costed plan for family events at the Horticultural Show. Details are minuted at para 63.1.
56.3 Para 45.1 The Clerk confirmed anti-dog fouling measures and the ability to report instances to the TVBC Dog Warden were now available on the Council’s website and to date 10 such reports had been submitted.
56.4 Para 45.1 HCC had now agreed our terms of the licence and the method by which charges would be determined enabling the Primary School to continue to enjoy the recreation ground facilities at appointed times.
57. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations
57.1 None declared or sought.
58. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
58.1 The Speaker of the House of Commons had written inviting participation in the UK Parliament Week to be held between 13 and 19 November 2017. A participation kit was available to explore what the UK Parliament means to individuals and the ways in which they could become involved. The Clerk would register for a kit which should be available in October 2017.
Action: Clerk
58.2 CPRE’s AGM would be held on Saturday 6 May 2017 and Cllr Fahy would attend as the representative member.
Action: Cllr Fahy
59. To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 6 and 20 March 2017
59.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 6 and 20 March 2017 had been circulated with the agenda.
59.2 Proposed Cllr Fahy, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 6 and 20 March 2017 be received and accepted.
60. Councillors’ Reports
60.1 Cllr Hughes reported she had been involved with setting up an eco-garden at the Primary School and that the bug house on 3 Fields was now well established. She would provide the Clerk with suitable wording for an explanatory sign.
Action: Cllr Hughes
60.2 Cllr Griffith confirmed she was now a member of the governing body of the Primary School.
60.3 Cllr Curtis reported possible dangers from an overhanging tree along the footpath running across the private land to the rear of the houses on Horsebridge Road. The Clerk would investigate.
Action: Clerk
60.4 Cllr Sutton cited problems caused by the loss of a broadband connection from an EE mast where rats had allegedly chewed through cabling. The Clerk reminded Councillors that when the planning application for the mast had been considered, the Planning Committee had recommended strongly that a battery be built in as a fall back power supply. Given our local MP’s interest in matters such as this, the Clerk would write seeking her support.
Action: Clerk
61. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
61.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.
61.2 The end of year internal audit would be completed on Thursday 6 May 2017 and would involve the supply of additional information to the external auditors this year as King’s Somborne was one of the 5% of parish councils randomly selected to be audited in depth.
62. Payment of Accounts
62.1 Proposed Cllr Hughes, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for March 2017 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 678.19 0.58 678.77 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 415.13 415.13 Int
Legal & General Staff pension 57.24 57.24 DD
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 245.00 245.00 Int
TV Com Svcs Minibus hire 50+ 75.00 75.00 Int
Earth Anchors 3 seats 815.00 163.00 978.00 Int
Seagrave Ltd Play equip insp 216.00 43.20 259.20 Int
Totals 2501.56 206.78 2708.34
63. Horticultural Show participation
63.1 Cllr Hughes tabled ideas and costings for a family event to be held in conjunction with the Annual Flower Show, Dog Show and Cherished Car Show on the King’s Somborne recreation ground on Saturday 22 July 2017. Her ideas included events for young and not so young involving the Scouts, Primary School, volunteers and external game providers. B/Cllr Ward had offered to fund costs up to £250 for entertainment providers leaving a balance of up to £410.50 to be met from elsewhere. Cllr Hughes would continue to co-ordinate the project.
Action: Cllr Hughes
63.2 The view that community events should not attract a commercial hire charge from the Village Hall was expressed. Cllr Fahy, as the Parish Council representative on the Village Hall management committee would raise this at the next management committee meeting.
Action: Cllr Fahy
63.3 Councillors supported the concept as outlined by Cllr Hughes with Cllr Curtis offering to lend his two gazebos for use by the Parish Council/Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group and Cllr Sutton would provide some suitable banners for external use. Other ideas included a children’s suggestion box and a general comment box for adults. Further discussion and agreement on funding would be determined at the May Council meeting.
Action: Clerk
64. Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress
64.1 Cllr Brock reported that Steering Group members continued with drafting the NDP. Action Hampshire had finally provided their analysis of the local housing need and this was currently being studied. The review of those open spaces in the Parish with potential for development and a tree survey had been completed and would be incorporated into the NDP to provide additional background information for potential developers.
65. Clerk’s monthly report
65.1 The Clerk had met with the Head Teacher of the Primary School to discuss her plans for developing physical and recreational activities for the children in the School field adjacent to the John O’Gaunt field. Councillors noted these with interest.
65.2 The supplier would install the emergency generator on the outside wall of the Village Hall main room on Thursday 13 April 2017 which would then enable the Hall to better operate as an emergency holding centre in the event people had to evacuate their homes. This equipment and other items such as hi-viz jackets, fuel and radios, had been funded by a grant for SSE for which the Council remained very grateful.
65.3 Three new seats had been installed on the main recreation ground but sadly within 24 hours one had been vandalised although subsequently repaired. Equally sad was the offensive graffiti drawn on the skate ramp which the Clerk had obliterated.
65.4 Mr Brook-Webb was co-ordinating an Art Exhibition in the Village Hall on 20 May 2017 and was seeking some financial help in meeting the Hall hire and other costs. Up to £100 had been requested. The Clerk would investigate the commerciality of the event in the belief that if pictures were being sold then hire costs should come out of the sale proceeds or the artists should pay to exhibit. However, given B/Cllr Ward’s willingness to support this local community event, and should the Hall waive its hire charge, there was sympathy towards meeting some of the associated costs involved.
Action: Clerk
65.5 Proposed Cllr Sutton, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that up to £100 be granted towards the costs of mounting the proposed Art Exhibition provided the venue raised no hire charge.
66. Date, time and place of next meeting
66.1 The next meeting would be the Annual General Meeting to be held on Monday 8 May 2017 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.00pm