KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting

held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 4 July 2018

Present:      Cllr A Brock (Chairman)

Cllr R Curtis

Cllr R Harwood

Cllr K Hughes

Cllr A Townsend

Cllr R Webb

In Attendance:   Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)

Public Session

Mr R Dyke (Open Spaces Warden) and B/Cllr Ward were present for part of the meeting.

B/Cllr Ward supported the application to recognise the allotments as an asset of community value especially in view of the Diocese’ intention to sell the land in question. He updated councillors on the progress made to date to establish a new community building/pre-school stating that pre-application advice had been sought from the TVBC planners with their report due next week. Various problems were in the process of being resolved including the need for a professional flood assessment survey for which quotations were being obtained, completion of the external funding bids from HCC and TVBC and determination of the lease. In this respect, councillors agreed in principle that a peppercorn rent would be appropriate and this together with determination of the lease length and ownership of the building would be tabled formally for agreement at the July meeting.

Action: Clerk

B/Cllr Ward also commented on the on-going need to relocate the football pitch to enable further development of the Village Hall as well as reducing the risk to pedestrians of injury from footballs, relocation of the ‘wedding tree’ and removal of the current fence line between the pitch and Top Field which should be allowed under the terms of the new lease (which had yet to be agreed). Cllr Harwood, in particular, expressed the view that any costs relating to relocating the ‘wedding tree’ should definitely not fall to the Parish Council. The Clerk was liaising with the Village Hall and Football Club over this matter.

  1. Apologies for Absence

 89.1     Cllrs Griffith; Cllr Whitehead not present.

 90.   Chair’s announcements and Councillors’ questions

 90.1     None.

  1. Councillor co-option

 91.1     There were 3 nominations for the two vacancies on the Parish Council but as one nominee had not turned up to the meeting the Chair determined that councillors should only consider the two nominees present both of whom were invited to introduce themselves personally.

91.2     Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that Sharon Dack and Henry Townsend be co-opted on to the Parish Council

 92.    To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 14 May 2018

 92.1     Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Townsend, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 14 May 2018 be accepted as a true record.

  1. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes

 93.1     Para 72.2   The Clerk was still in discussion with both the Village Hall and the Football Club over possible funding to effect the move of the ‘wedding tree’.

Action: Clerk

 93.2     Para 72.4   A date was still awaited from Hampshire Highways management to meet a senior manager on-site to emphasise the need for urgent road repair work around the Parish.

Action: Cllr Brock

 93.3     Para 72.5   The Scouts had now signed off to the agreement with SSE to underground the electricity supply cable across their leased land so final contract execution should be forthcoming shortly and the work could soon commence.

Action: Cllr Brock

 93.4     Para 72.6   Cllrs Hughes and Griffith had successfully involved the school in their plans to organise a painted rocks hunt to encourage increase community involvement in local fun activities. It was agreed the Clerk should hide the KSPC sponsored rock.

Action: Clerk

 93.5     Para 72.7          Cllr Whitehead should be asked to send out details on how councillors could convert their e-mail address to a gov.uk address. Cllr Brock would discuss password privacy with Cllr Whitehead.

Action: Cllr Whitehead and Cllr Brock

 93.6     Para 76.4          Mr Fahy’s views had been sought on arranging easier access to the tennis club store. He had expressed the wish for no change, but councillors thought an easier alternative than having to physically book out equipment and draw the key from Mr Fahy could be found. Cllr Hughes would discuss with Cllr Griffith regarding a similar concept seen elsewhere. Cllr Harwood offered the cricket club store as an alternative safe location for storing the generator fuel container and would arrange for access keys for the Clerk. Cllr Brock would discuss a system of booking the court on the website with Cllr Whitehead.

Action: Cllrs Hughes, Griffith, Harwood, Brock and the Clerk

93.7     The Clerk had completed all other actions placed upon him at the last meeting.

  1. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations

 94.1     None declared or sought.

  1. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required

 95.1     None tabled.

 96.   To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 14 May 2018

 96.1     The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 14 May 2018 had been circulated with the agenda.

96.2     Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 14 May 2018 be received and accepted

 97.    Councillors’ Reports

97.1     As Chair of Planning, Cllr Harwood reported on the nine applications considered earlier in the evening, all of which had been supported including the previously contentious application to develop land adjacent to 5 Riverside Green where it was understood that agreement had now been reached with TVBC planners on action necessary to satisfy previously expressed concerns.

97.2     Cllr Hughes, as the Village Hall KSPC representative, reported that the Hall management committee was in the final throes of agreeing the design of a £55k improvement to the front of the Hall with work due to start in late July/early August. The addition of an external clock was also suggested by the Council which Cllr Hughes will recommend to the Village Hall Management Committee. She also thought it would be a good idea to invite grant recipients to attend the Annual Assembly and report on those improvements/activities part funded by their KSPC grant. This was noted.

Action: Cllr Hughes

97.3     Cllr Harwood recommended thought be given to introducing a Welcome Pack for new arrivals in the Parish. The Clerk would check with the Church whom it was thought might have something similar and draft an outline content for consideration at the next meeting.

Action: Clerk

  1. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring

 98.1     A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.

98.2     As RFO, the Clerk confirmed the audit return had been submitted to the external auditor for comment; that SSE had been invoiced for £3,715 as their contribution towards the compensation payment due for disruption caused to KSPC owned land whilst cable undergrounding took place; and that our bank account with TSB was still not possible to access via business internet banking and, if not resolved soon, would result in his recommending a change of bank.

Action: Clerk

  1. Payment of Accounts

 99.1     Proposed Cllr Webb, Seconded Cllr Harwood, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for May 2018 be approved for payment:

 To                               For                                 Net          VAT       Gross    Chq/Internet

Mr P Storey                 Salary/expenses          717.57         2.03       719.60             Bacs

HMRC                         Tax/NIC                      443.85                        443.85              Bacs

Unity                           50+ bus hire                117.10                           117.10              Bacs

KS Village Hall          IT hire                            32.00                          32.00              Bacs

Sarson Press              NDP plan                    276.00                        276.00              Bacs

Blake Morgan             Land registry fees     616.45     116.69        733.14              Bacs

Luana Veo                  Steady & Strong           69.75                           69.75              Bacs

Methodist Church       S&S hall hire              75.00                          75.00              Bacs

Mr M Rebbeck            Grounds maint       1492.50                      1492.50             Bacs

Totals                                                       3840.22     118.72 3958.94

  1. Councillor appointments 2018 – 19

 100.1   Councillors’ appointments for the current year 2018 19were agreed as follows:

            Chair of Council                                                         Cllr Andrew Brock                    388227

            Vice-Chair of Council                                               Cllr Katie Hughes         07585 230078

      Committees/Working Groups

            Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group – Cllrs Brock (lead) and Hughes

            Planning Committee

            Chairman – Cllr Harwood                                                                                  01264 810314

Members – Cllrs Dack, Curtis, Townsend and Webb

            Other appointments – Lead Councillor

a.    Village Hall Management Committee                Cllr Hughes                  07585 230078

b.    Flood Action Group                                                Cllr Griffith                               389524

c.    Schools and Scouts liaison                                      Cllr Curtis                                389373

&   Cllr Hughes              07585 230078

d.    Test Valley Assn of Local Councils                   Cllr H Townsend             07881 272620

e.    Farming community liaison                               Cllr Brock                                     388227

f.     Sports and recreational facilities                      Cllr Harwood                 01264 810314

& Cllr Hughes  07585 230078

g.    Highways, transport and road safety               Clerk and Chair                       389688

h.    Up Somborne liaison                                          Cllr A Townsend             07932 019678             i.

i.    Biodiversity                                                            Cllr Hughes                     07585 230078

j.    Horsebridge liaison                                              Cllr Curtis                                    389373

k.    Utilities liaison                                                     Cllr Brock                                    388227

&  Cllr Webb               07478 276815

l.     Communications co-ordination                       Cllr Whitehead                           388739

& Cllr H Townsend    07932 019678

m.    Eldon Road liaison                                           Cllr Hughes                      07585 230078

& Cllr Webb            07478 276815

& Cllr Whitehead                388739

Volunteers

  1. Footpath Warden                                                Mr Duncan Gould                      388049
  2. Tree Warden                                                        Mr Oliver Godfrey          07944 833726
  3. Open Space Wardens       Up Somborne        Cllr Sharon Dack             07891 126950

Muss Lane       Cllr Henry Townsend     07932 019678

KS rec               Cllr Roy Curtis                             389373

4.  Community Speedwatch                                   Mr Terry Heffernan  07 834 483384

Clerk

Emergency planning officer                                      Mr Peter Storey                        389688

            Cemetery interments, records and maintenance

Play equipment maintenance

Parish notice boards

101.    Community asset registration

 101.1   Under the Localism Acts, parish councils can apply to have assets which they considered essential to the wellbeing of their communities registered to give them the right to buy in the first instance as and when those assets were put up for sale. Registration lasted for five years and the initial round of registrations was about to expire. Application for re-registration of the following assets has been submitted to TVBC under the scheme: The Crown Inn, The John O’Gaunt Inn, The Working Men’s Club, the allotment site, the Primary School, Cross Stores/Post Office, Corner Stores, and the Methodist Church/Epworth Hall. TVBC’s decision was awaited.

 102.    Public seat installation

 102.1   A request had been received to install a public seat at the top of the Froghole Lane footpath in memory of Brian Orange who had contributed so much to the Church and the Parish during his lifetime. The Clerk would liaise with the landowner and widow.

Action: Clerk

102.2   Proposed Cllr Hughes, Seconded Cllr Harwood, RESOLVED unanimously that a public seat be installed at the top end of the Froghole Lane footpath, subject to the landowners’s agreement and that an engraved plaque in memory of Brian Orange be affixed.

  1. Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress

103.1   Cllr Brock reported we were now half way through the statutory 6-week consultation period and that public presentations had been held in the Working Men’s Club and the Village Hall with repeat presentations planned for later in the month. As a result of comments made, consideration was       being given to commissioning an initial flood risk assessment to amplify information in the Plan, although it was acknowledged this would be one of the responsibilities of the developer to attain should any development proposals be put forward. The costs of this and funding sources were being investigated along with that to support a focussed proportionate Strategic environmental study as recommended by TVBC following the request for a SEA and HRA Screening Opinion

Action: Clerk

103.2   Copies of the Plan were available for public perusal in The Crown Inn, the John O’Gaunt Inn, Cross Stores, Martin’s Shop, Village Hall and Working Men’s Club. The link to the Plan on the Council’s website is – www.kingssomborne-pc.gov.uk/NDP/

  1. Clerk’s monthly report

104.1   The Parish clock has been reinstalled on the Church tower following its cleaning and restoration -the first time in more than 40 years.

104.2   The Clerk had attended a TVBC Resilience planning meeting to discuss plans for the next parish resilience planning seminar which would held in the Autumn when contamination planning would be discussed.

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting

 105.1   The next meeting will be on Monday 2 July 2018 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.

 

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.15pm