KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 2 July 2018
Present: Cllr A Brock (Chairman)
Cllr S Dack
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr R Harwood
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr S Whitehead
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
Mr R Dyke (Open Spaces Warden) was present for part of the meeting.
Also present were Mr Carter from Millgate Winchester and Mr Gardiner from WYG Ltd who outlined their plans for a small development of 5 detached houses on land just off Muss Lane. Councillors raised questions on house and garden sizes and the access route to the development plot and the need for a hard surface before any work started but deferred any further comment until formal plans were submitted. However, it was agreed the Clerk should send a copy of the NDP Design Guidance for their information.
Action: Clerk
- Apologies for Absence
106.1 Cllrs Curtis, Townsend A, Townsend H and Webb; also received from C/Cllr Gibson and B/Cllr Ward.
- Chair’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
107.1 Cllr Brock wished to record his thanks publicly to the volunteers who had helped him clear the weed growth from the Bourne adjacent to Winchester Road and to the neighbours who plied them all with drinks.
- To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 4 June 2018
108.1 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED with Cllrs Dack, Griffith and Whitehead abstaining (not elected at that time or absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 June 2018 be accepted as a true record.
- To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
109.1 Para 93.2 The Chairman and the Clerk had met on-site with officers from Hampshire Highways to discuss a range of concerns in the Parish, not least the poor state of the roads and pavement maintenance, railing repairs, gully cleaning, inefficient working practices by contractors and non- retrieval of road signs after work was completed, to name a few. Monitoring and meetings would continue in an effort to get things done more quickly and efficiently.
Action: Clerk
109.2 Para 93.3 Receipt of the signed agreement was still awaited from the Scouts before SSE would start undergrounding the supply cables; this was being hastened.
Action: Cllr Brock
109.3 Para 97.3 Sight of the Welcome Pack sent by the Church to new arrivals was still awaited; this item was now deferred until the next meeting.
Action: Clerk
110. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations
110.1 None declared or sought.
- To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
111.1 None tabled.
112 To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 4 June 2018
112.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 4 June 2018 had been circulated with the agenda.
112.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 4 June 2018 be received and accepted.
113 Councillors’ Reports
113.1 As Chair of Planning, Cllr Harwood reported on the four applications considered earlier in the evening, all of which had been supported but with caveats added to the infill application lodged for land at Yew Tree Hill to minimise inconvenience to residents and to protect the environment (HCC/2018/0232).
113.2 Cllr Harwood also commented that he had discussed the uneven cut by the TVBC grass contractor across the cricket outfield and that the last cut was much improved.
113.3 Cllr Hughes, commented on the way the sun faded public notices and suggested ways of minimising this, the need to mow the edges of the all-weather path more regularly to deter grass and weed encroachment and commented on the increasing amount of graffiti appearing on seats and play equipment. She also asked for maximum support from all for the Fun Day on Saturday 28 July 2018. The Clerk would see what could be done.
Action: Clerk
- To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
114.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.
114.2 As RFO, the Clerk confirmed he had submitted bids for external funding totalling £197,515 to enable the new community building to LoddenTest, HCC and TVBC, each for £25k and to the TVBC Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund for £95k leaving £27,515 to come from the Village Hall.
114.3 With the on-going problems with TSB and their new computer programmes, the Chairman had authorised the transfer of Parish bank accounts to NatWest and this was in hand.
114.4 The Clerk had bid for a grant of £150 from the Borough Councillor’s community fund to help offset the costs of the Fun Day being held in conjunction with the Horticultural Show.
- Payment of Accounts
115.1 Proposed Cllr Dack, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for June 2018 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 848.73 10.65 859.38 Bacs
HMRC Tax/NIC 476.18 476.18 Bacs
Unity 50+ bus hire 117.80 118.10 Bacs
KS Village Hall IT hire 44.00 44.00 Bacs
Luana Veo Steady & Strong 41.85 41.85 Bacs
Methodist Church S&S hall hire 45.00 45.00 Bacs
Totals 1573.56 10.65 1584.51
- To determine the terms of the new Community Centre lease to the Village Hall
116.1 Cllr Hughes briefed councillors on progress made to date on plans for the new community building/preschool and the comments just received from TVBC on the pre-planning submission and choice of location. The two remaining potential locations were adjacent to the MUGA and on land leased to the Scouts. Both options were still under consideration but with the terms of the Scout’s lease requiring their agreement to surrender and the consequential loss of outside land for their activities, the site adjacent to the MUGA was the preferred option. To enable the project to progress on all fronts, it was now timely to determine the heads of terms for the lease of what will be a Parish Council owned amenity with the Village Hall. The proposal was to introduce a 25 year lease with right of renewal at a peppercorn rent of £1pa with all responsibility of timely building maintenance and management falling to the Village Hall. Cllr Harwood argued the short-sightedness of omitting any review period for the rent in the lease when the Village Hall was earning an income from the Centre and also thought it appropriate for the Parish Council to be compensated in some way for loss of the junior football pitch. Cllr Whitehead also supported these views. After some further discussion, a revised proposal was tabled.
116.2 Proposed Cllr Hughes, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood against and Cllr Whitehead abstaining that a lease be drawn up between the Parish Council as owners and the Village Hall as tenants of the new community centre/preschool to be built on Council owned land for a 25 year period with a formal rent review process every 5 years and the right of renewal at the expiry for an annual rent of £1 with all aspects for the responsibility of building administration, maintenance, management and associated costs falling to the Village Hall as if in all other respects they owned the facility.
Action: Clerk
116.3 Councillors then took note of the need to relocate the football pitch 4m towards the Top Field border to enable completion of the all-weather path and installation of new path connecting the Hall with the new Centre, the removal of the Top Field fence and tree line and relocation of three trim trail posts with costs being met by external landscaping grants and eventually when more funds became available the purchase of a new and more challenging skate park, the removal of the half pipe and relocation of the toddlers play area nearer to the new Centre. Also, on the wish list was the purchase of an adult rope swing and installation of a junior goal post at the bottom end of Top Field.
- To note action taken in support of the disposal of the allotment site
117.1 Councillors noted with serious concern the proposal by the Diocese of Winchester to sell the allotment site for development and that the sales literature contained misleading statements; these had been pointed out to them. More to the point, the site was registered as an asset of community value which gave the Parish Council first refusal on its purchase under current legislation. Our wish to take up this option had been registered with TVBC and a meeting requested with the Bishop and/or Diocese officials to discuss their aspirations. The Clerk had given interviews to the press and on radio emphasising the Council’s support for the allotment tenants, some of whose families had managed the same plot for generations. The help of our MP had been requested and petitions were being raised to generate greater awareness of what was seen as an unwanted action by the Church together with hopefully the employment of an investigative reporter. Both the Chairman and the Clerk would continue to liaise with the tenants organising committee on future actions.
Action: Chairman and Clerk
118 To respond to HCC’s consultation on public transport and street lighting
118.1 The Clerk would table a draft reply for consideration at the next meeting; the Chairman will write separately to the Lighting administration team with regard to the current dimming programme which appeared not to be in operation.
Action: Chairman and Clerk
119 To determine the new system for booking the MUGA tennis court
119.1 It was agreed that a computerised booking system should be introduced for booking a one-hour slot on the MUGA tennis court to relieve Mr Fahy the responsibility of managing this. A combination padlock would replace the current keyed lock and the unlocking numbers would be made available at time of booking. The code would be changed at regular intervals. Full details would be advertised in due course.. The Clerk would write to Mr Fahy to thank him for his kind efforts with management of the MUGA for tennis on behalf of the Council.
Action: Clerk and Cllr Whitehead
120 To receive the quarterly Community Speedwatch report
120.1 The Community Speedwatch co-ordinator’s quarterly report had been circulated to councillors and put on the website. The report contained much statistical information which highlighted the frequency with which drivers exceeded the speed limit around the Parish. The team could do with more members and posters advertising this would be displayed around the Parish, on the website and on Facebook. A request would also be made to deploy the local Police neighbourhood speed detector van more frequently on the A3057 to increase the deterrence factor. Councillors wished the Speedwatch volunteers to be congratulated on their diligence.
Action: Clerk
121 Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress
121.1 Cllr Brock reported the NDP pre-consultation period ended on 22 June and perhaps not surprisingly flooding had been the main issue raised. The NDPSG was now working its way through the written comments received and compiling responses which would then be annexed to the Plan in preparation for its external examination. Cllr Townsend had submitted a proposal that work stopped on the NDP in view of the quantity of negative comment received and that the situation be reassessed. However, councillors concluded that as we were so far along the path to completion we should continue, address the issues raised and submit for external examination.
- Clerk’s monthly report
122.1 The new adult fitness equipment for the main recreation ground and Up Somborne should be installed later this month.
122.2 Romsey Ramblers had requested Council support in their endeavour to have warning signs installed at the footpath crossing point on the A3057 in Lower Brook; this had been provided.
- Date, time and place of next meeting
123.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 6 August 2018 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.10pm