KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.05pm on Monday 5 September 2016
Present: Cllr A Brock (Acting Chairman)
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr R Sutton
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
Mr R Dyke (Open Spaces Warden), Dr T Macintosh (Chairman Village Hall Management Committee), B/Cllr Ward and two members of the public were present for part of the meeting.
Dr Macintosh highlighted the urgency for reaching agreement on the proposed land transfer so the Village Hall could determine the best way for it accommodate the needs of the Pre-School under new legislation coming into effect. The Chairman advised that progress was being made although no final date for the transfer could yet be determined. Dr Macintosh also stressed the on-going vandalism problems suffered by the Hall and B/Cllr Ward recommended contact be made with the Test Valley Borough Council anti-social behaviour team which he and Cllr Hughes would follow up. Incidents of vandalism should also be reported to the Police on 101 as to date there were insufficient recorded incidents to justify the presence of a police officer. The Clerk would also invite our PCSO to make increased visits to the recreation ground at times when youngsters were likely to be present.
Action: Cllr Hughes and Clerk
B/Cllr Ward highlighted TVBC’s willingness to organise computer training for residents in the Village Hall, the hire costs of which he was prepared to meet in part from his councillor grant fund, but more names were needed to make it worthwhile. He also spoke about the proposed traffic regulation orders (TROs) limiting HGV access to certain narrow roads in the area and that local farmers were unhappy at vehicle size limitations unless exceptions could be made. Legal advice was being sought on the implications of introducing TROs and their impact on farm vehicles but in the meantime more discussion would take place with interested parties. Cllr Brock would initiate this.
Action: Cllr Brock
Finally, B/Cllr Ward briefed that the recently appointed Neighbourhood Development Plan officer on the Borough Council staff had left for personal reasons and the Borough Council was actively seeking a replacement but there was a critical shortage of planners in the Borough and elsewhere which was of concern.
Mr Vanderpump confirmed that the ransom strip at the end of Tarrant Villas which was previously owned by Heron Homes had now been transferred to the Nutchers Drove Conservation Group. He sought help from the Parish Council on behalf of the Group to seek reinstatement of the fence and that part of the hedge which had bene removed with Aster Homes agreement by their tenant and in the longer term help from the Council in maintaining the hedge itself. This was agreed as part of the footpath maintenance and the Clerk would write to Aster.
Action: Clerk
130. Apologies for Absence
130.1 Cllrs Evans, Harwood, Lane and Whitehead.
131. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
131.1 On behalf of the Chairman, the Clerk informed Members of Cllr Evans’ wish to take a sabbatical for family reasons and this was agreed.
131.2 There were no councillors’ questions.
132. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1 August 2016
132.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 August 2016 be accepted as a true record.
133. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
133.1 Para 105.2 Emergency generator A bid for funds for emergency equipment had been submitted to the SSE resilience fund amounting to £5366.98 ex VAT to purchase a generator and other resilience equipment.
133.2 Para 121.2 Dog fouling. Cllr Sutton confirmed he was having 10 suitable large signs made reminding dog owners of the need to pick up after their dog and that the artwork would soon be available for comment before he displayed these around the popular walking areas.
Action: Cllr Sutton
133.3 Para 113.1 Community Speedwatch. Nine volunteers had now come forward to express an interest in forming a Community Speedwatch group. The Police had confirmed the registration and training procedures for volunteers but no other local groups existed to share the costs involved. The Clerk would widen his search in an attempt to spread the £3000 capital cost involved.
Action: Clerk
133.4 Para 121.4 Speed limit reminder. The Clerk would contact the supplier of the current SLR to establish costs, battery life and models available with fittings compatible with our current posts.
Action: Clerk
133.5 Para 121.5 Scott Close parking. Investigation of potential additional parking areas in Scott Close had identified a grassed area between 1 and 3 Scott Close which could be converted to provided addition parking.
133.6 Proposed Cllr Fahy, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that Aster Housing be approached to convert the grassed area between 1 and 3 Scott Close into a herring bone layout to increase the available parking area.
Action: Clerk
133.7 Para 124.6 Dog poo bag dispensers. Investigation had established the cost of suitable dog poo bag dispensers to be £79 each plus the cost of the poo bags. Before any further bins might be purchased, the Clerk would investigate the success of installing these bins elsewhere.
133.8 Proposed Cllr Hughes, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that one dog poo bag dispenser plus bags be purchased at this time in an effort to encourage dog poo to be collected and deposited in the waste bins positioned around the popular dog walking areas.
Action: Clerk
134. Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations
134.1 None declared or sought.
135. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
135.1 None tabled.
136. To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 1 August 2016
136.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 1 August 2016 had been circulated with the agenda.
136.2 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Fahy, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 1 August 2016 be received and accepted.
137. Councillors’ Reports
137.1 Cllr Sutton stressed the need for people to sign up to Twitter and Facebook to keep up to speed with events and information likely to affect them. This was particularly important if the community was to stand a chance of benefiting from the possible investment by Virgin Media in the provision of high speed broadband in the community. Cllr Sutton would arrange for a presentation by the Company to interested persons in a few weeks probably in the Working Men’s Club
Action: Cllr Sutton
137.2 Cllr Sutton also reported on the 6 planning applications considered earlier in the evening; namely, external shutters to Cross Stores, a timber support frame at Brook Farm House, window replacement in Muss Cottage, tree work at 4 Nutchers Drove, change of use to buildings at Compton Manor Farm and changes to the plan for a garage at Ourn, Up Somborne.
137.3 Cllr Griffith, as the Flood Action Group facilitator, introduced the perceived need to clear the water parsnip from The Borne. Cllr Fahy had voluntarily cleared a stretch along Old Vicarage Lane but a debate ensued on the likelihood of the plant reseeding if removed whilst in flower. Before any further voluntary action was taken, the Clerk would establish the date of the next planned stream clearance by the Environment Agency and the potential benefit of removing the Water Parsnip growth at this time.
Action: Clerk
137.4 Cllr Fahy reported sight of a Segway rider in the Nutchers Drove area and highlighted the dangers of riding these machines without the appropriate protective clothing and the fact that it was in any case illegal to ride them on the public highway. The Clerk would seek the assistance of the Police.
Action: Clerk
137.5 Cllr Curtis commented on the broken seat at the junction of Eldon Road and Furzedown Road and the difficulty in repairing. Given the age and state of the seat, a case for replacement rather than repair would be tabled at the next meeting.
Action: Clerk
137.6 Cllr Brock updated Members on the land transfer from Fields in Trust to the Parish Council which was progressing albeit slowly and also the planned cable burying by SSE across the 3 Fields site. £1700 of expenses paid last month were reclaimable from SSE as were £200 of Fields in Trust expenses and the Clerk had invoiced SSE accordingly. The remaining costs were also likely to be recouped from the easement payment to the Council from SSE.
138. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
138.1 The Clerk confirmed he had applied for rates relief on the Cemetery.
138.2 The land title transfer from Fields in Trust to the Parish Council required a letter from the Council to the former confirming it consent to the proposed transfer so as to effect a change in trustees whereby the Parish Council became the sole charity trustee of the recreation ground under the same charitable trusts on which it was held currently by The National Playing Fields Association.
138.3 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the required letter of consent to Fields in Trust be duly signed.
138.4 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers.
138.5 Proposed Cllr Fahy, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the Budget Report be accepted as tabled.
139. Payment of Accounts
139.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for August 2016 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 687.29 687.29 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 410.84 410.84 Int
Legal & General Staff pension 37.82 37.82 DD
TVBC Grounds maint 1054.50 210.90 1265.40 Int
CPRE Subscription 36.00 36.00 DD
SLCC Legal guide 76.60 76.60 Int
Seagrave Ltd Play equip safety insp 210.00 42.00 252.00 Int
Came & Co Insurance premium 1622.06 1622.06 Int
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 1014.50 1014.50 Int
Totals 5149.61 252.90 5402.51
140. Annual Return
140.1 The Annual Return for the year ended 31 March 2016 had now been signed off and returned by the external auditor. The necessary public notice would now be displayed for the statutory 14 days.
Action: Clerk
140.2 Proposed Cllr Hughes, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that the audited Annual Return for the year ended 31 March 2016 be accepted and approved.
141. Up Somborne play equipment
141.1 The recently completed six-monthly safety inspection of play equipment in the Parish had identified some minor repairs necessary which the Clerk had set in train with more serious attention needing to be paid to the Hoggs Back climbing frame and the toddlers slide in Up Somborne. The Clerk was obtaining estimates to repair the climbing frame but recommended replacement of the slide due to its age and how far short its design now fell from current health and safety standards. Discussions between Cllr Lane and local residents had established a like for like replacement would be acceptable and initial research had shown costs to be around £3000, part of which could be met by external grants. The Clerk would research further and table recommendations at the next meeting.
Action: Clerk
142 Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress
142.1 Cllr Brock briefed on the progress to date regarding preparation of the NDP. In particular, he drew attention to the completed survey of brown field sites and the need for a Housing Needs Survey. Hitherto, we had not undertaken a separate survey but given the requirement that the policies and procedures contained in the NDP had to be sustainable and not conflict with the TVBC Local Plan or national guidance/legislation, he had met with Action Hampshire and TVBC who would set up a
survey. He had reminded those involved that the King’s Somborne community was not deemed to be sustainable from an employment viewpoint.
142.2 Legal advice had been received from TVBC that NDP Steering Group meetings should be open to the public in much the same way as were parish council meetings and that all group members must conform to the Parish Council’s code of conduct, in particular, observing the need to disclose ‘disclosable pecuniary interests’. A template was being produced by TVBC governing identification of sites relevant for development and 7.5 hours of aerial mapping support would also be provided. Finally, he briefed that investigations were on-going into the best method, if any, of protecting the future of the allotments which unusually in our case were owned by the Diocese and not the Parish Council; the Clerk was investigating possibilities with the Diocese.
Action: Clerk
143. Clerk’s monthly report
143.1 Work had started this day on the all-weather path contract with construction anticipated to last up to five weeks. A storage container had been positioned by the contractor on the recreation car park.
143.2 The Clerk would be meeting on-site with HCC Head of Highways to emphasis the need for remedial work on various parts of the highways in the Parish; in particular, the stream bank on Winchester Road and the damaged railings.
Action: Clerk
143.3 Members were reminded that, by courtesy of the Village Hall, those Parish records required to be retained in hard copy, and often in perpetuity, were stored in the Hall’s current storeroom. With the completion of their new storage facility, the Hall had agreed for this arrangement to continue in the new storeroom which lent itself to a modern large filing cabinet which the Clerk would acquire.
144. Date, time and place of next meeting
144.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 3 October 2016 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.30pm