KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 5 March 2018
Present: Cllr A Brock (Acting Chairman)
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr R Harwood
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr A Townsend
Cllr R Webb
Cllr S Whitehead
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
C/Cllr Gibson, B/Cllr Ward, Mr Dyke (Open Spaces Warden) and two members of the public were present for part of the meeting.
C/Cllr Gibson stated that with the recently approved increase in council tax not all the earlier planned cuts would now have to be introduced. He also took note of the reports submitted to Hampshire Highways on the state of our roads and the views expressed that there appeared to be un-necessary road closures introduced for minor repair work and poor allocation of Highways resources to tasks at hand. It was agreed to invite a senior highways engineer to a future meeting to discuss these concerns. It was also suggested that any unspent highways funds should be reallocated to other schemes of benefit to the Parish such as the Lengthsman scheme and C/Cllr Gibson agreed to follow this up.
Action: C/Cllr Gibson
B/Cllr Ward briefed on the new Andover Leisure Centre now being built, the new gym facility in Romsey Rapids and another at Knightwood. There also plans for a climbing experience at Charlton Lakes.
Mr Vanderpump asked if an additional salt bin could be sited near the entrance to Lancaster Green where the slope had caused problems for drivers in the recent adverse weather especially those volunteer drivers transporting elderly residents for Neighbourcare. He also expressed his pleasure at the funds raised over the past 13 years by the Clay Pigeon Shoot when 9 shoots had raised over £145k for the benefit of the Village Hall.
Action: Clerk
36. Apologies for Absence
36.1 Cllr Lane.
37. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
37.1 The Chairman commented that some personal details on the Parish Council website still required updating.
Action: All
37.2 Cllr Curtis asked when the Parish clock would be reinstated on the Church tower. The adverse weather and the need to find an alternative safe way of reaching the belfry were delaying this work but hopefully the task would be completed this month.
37.3 The Clerk would hasten Aster on a response to their policy on disposal of dwellings when a need to provide rental property remained.
Action: Clerk
37.4 Cllr Townsend commented on the need to cut back the hedging overhang on the S-bend along the A3057 where no footpath existed; the Clerk would hasten.
Action: Clerk
38. To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 5 February 2018
38.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Townsend, RESOLVED with Cllr Whitehead abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2018 be accepted as a true record.
39. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
39.1 Para 22.2 Horsebridge Road kissing gates. Following complaints from families living in Horsebridge with a need to walk safely to King’s Somborne along the field footpath, an approach had been made to the field and gate owners to agree to new gates being fitted. However, this had been unsuccessful. The Clerk would arrange an on-site meeting with the HCC Countryside Access staff to review the options.
Action: Clerk
40. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations
40.1 None declared.
41. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
41.1 The Clerk remained in correspondence with the member of the public who had submitted a Freedom of Information request for sight of all papers leading to the current position vis-à-vis drafting the Neighbourhood Development Plan. On legal advice, the request was now being dealt with under the Environmental Information Act 2004 and the correspondent had been advised that much of the information he had requested was freely available from the County Council’s and Environment Agency’s websites. A specific request to have sight of the South Downs National Park Authority’s report had been rejected, at least for the time being, as one aspect of their report had yet to be clarified before it could become public knowledge after which it would form an integral part of the Plan and thus be available for public perusal. The implications of agreeing to release the data analysis file from which the published graphs were produced were still being considered and a response would be sent in due course.
Action: Clerk
41.2 The Speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords had written seeking our participation in marking various events to be held during UK Parliament Week. The Council had nothing planned but full details were available on www.ukparliamentweek.org for anyone interested.
42. To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 5 February 2018
42.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 5 February 2018 had been circulated with the agenda.
42.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Webb, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 5 February 2018 be received and accepted.
43. Councillors’ Reports
43.1 Cllr Harwood reported on the two tree applications considered at the planning meeting held earlier in the evening both of which had been supported.
43.2 Cllr Hughes had been approached by a local couple who had been given permission to plant a tree on the border between Top Field and the football pitch on the occasion of their wedding some years ago. They had now heard of plans to remove this tree and others as part of the reconfiguration of the recreation ground and were very upset. The Clerk would investigate.
Action: Clerk
44. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
44.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.
44.2 Councillors expressed their thanks to B/Cllr Ward for the grant of £500 from his devolved budget towards the costs of a replacement notice board for the Village Green.
45. Payment of Accounts
45.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Whitehead, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for February 2018 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 690.84 690.84 BACS
HMRC Tax/NIC 446.88 446.88 BACS
Legal & General Staff pension 80.42 80.42 DD
Mr T Light Internal audit 435.00 435.00 BACS
KSVH IT room hire 32.00 32.00 BACS
Monk Rookley Ltd Defib grant 346.00 346.00 BACS
TVCS Bus hire 87.70 87.70 BACS
Mr R Jackson Cricket stop cock 57.25 11.45 68.70 BACS
CAF FiT subscription 50.00 50.00 BACS
Methodist Church Room hire 450.00 450.00 BACS
KSVH IT Room hire 32.00 32.00 BACS
L Veo Steady & Strong 68.85 68.85 BACS
Blake Morgan Land registry fees 631.00 100.00 731.00 BACS
KSWMC Grant 5000.00 5000.00 BACS
Brighton & Hove CC South Downs report 1310.00 262.00 1572.00 BACS
Wicksteed Play Up Somborne slide 4899.00 979.80 5878.00 BACS
L Veo Steady & Strong r’fd 40.00 40.00 BACS
TVBC SLR rotation 863.00 863.00 BACS
A Cox New notice board 1007.80 1007.80 BACS
Totals 16527.74 1353.25 17880.99
46. To fill the vacant councillor communications role
46.1 Cllr Whitehead had volunteered to fill the vacant councillor communications role following Ryan Sutton’s resignation; no-one else put themselves forward.
46.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED with Cllr Whitehead abstaining that Cllr Whitehead be appointed as the Council’s communications councillor.
46.3 Cllr Whitehead would review the impact of and need for a Council Facebook page and present options at the next meeting. He would also advise on the new website address and councillor
e-mail addresses, finalise the transition arrangements and confirm an effective date and confirm any other necessary arrangements.
Action: Cllr Whitehead
47. To adopt the revised policy on the use of e-mail and the Internet
47. This item was deferred pending further review.
48. Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress
48.1 Cllr Brock reported continuing progress on producing the NDP with positive feedback from councillors. The first draft of the NDP had been submitted informally to TVBC for comment, following which it would form the basis of a further public consultation before formal submission to TVBC, an external examiner and a public referendum. It would be published on-line with hard copies for public perusal at various locations around the Parish.
49. Clerk’s monthly report
49.1 TVBC had advised their intention to remove the two brown waste bins adjacent to the recycling centre on the recreation ground because of the amount of inappropriate waste matter being placed in them often posing a risk to the handlers and sorters at the recycling depot. The Clerk would place an article in the next issue of The Gauntlet magazine.
49.2 Notices advertising the Council vacancy to be filled by co-option had been circulated although no nominations had been received to date.
50. Date, time and place of next meeting
50.1 The next meeting would be held on Monday 9 April 2018 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman and closed the meeting at 9.15pm