KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 7 January 2019
Present: Cllr A Brock (Chairman)
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr R Harwood
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr A Townsend
Cllr S Whitehead
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
Mr R Dyke (Open Spaces Warden), Mr T Heffernan (Community Speedwatch co-ordinator) and 13 members of the public were present for part of the meeting.
The Chairman publicly thanked Mr Heffernan and his team of volunteers for their productive community speedwatch efforts.
Mr Pearson requested deletion of his personal details from the Parish Council website together with those for some other ex-councillors; Cllr Whitehead to action.
Mr Smart and others present again raised their serious concerns at the potential flood risk to those living along the southern border of area KS3 should development take place there and requested that the flooding issue became a formal Parish Council agenda item and also that a ‘gross error’ flood risk calculation be completed before the draft NDP progressed further but these actions were not adopted as the NDP was already a standard agenda item for Council meetings and this included all aspects including flooding, where appropriate. In the case of the flood risk assessment, the Chairman pointed out this was not the Council’s responsibility but that of a potential developer. The Chairman then explained the use of attenuation tanks which if installed correctly should reduce the amount of water going directly into the ground in the first instance by collecting run-off water thus allowing the ‘free’ ground to take more water than normal. He confirmed attenuation tanks would only discharge when the ground water level was low, the tank itself being unable to discharge because the ground at that point would be fully saturated; this would be the same situation as if there were no buildings there in the first place. The key to successful attenuation was in the design, size and number of tanks installed, and this was for a potential developer to determine and not the Parish Council, nor was it a requirement for the NDP. The developer having undertaken more detailed and site specific tests would ascertain the precise arrangements required for any potential development, as part of any formal planning application. Mr Smart contested that the professional report into this matter cited the top of the potential tanks was too low to allow meaningful surface water drainage being 1.5m below the ground surface thus causing them to fill too quickly putting increased pressure on the Borne through run-off resulting in an increased risk of flooding. Cllr Brock would seek clarification. Cllr Brock to action.
Cllr Brock confirmed the NDP Steering Group would meet again when all amendments to the current draft NDP and its supporting documents were to hand; this would be followed by a further public consultation to bring matters to a conclusion at Parish level.
The Clerk had circulated a report from Cllr Ward confirming final amendments to the planning application for the new community building/pre-school which would now go to Southern Area Planning on 19 February and he urged all councillors to attend this meeting. Action: Councillors
Cllr Ward also highlighted the plans to create a two-land dual carriageway on the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down in Wiltshire incorporating a 2 mile long tunnel past Stonehenge. The Planning Inspectorate would determine this application.
The Clerk had also circulated a report from C/Cllr Gibson containing information on Government funding for the foreseeable future and the agreed increase in the County portion of council tax of 4.99% for 2019 – 20, together with a plea to continue to report potholes in our roads.
- Apologies for Absence
1.1 Cllrs Dack, H Townsend and Webb; apologies received from C/Cllr Gibson and B/Cllr Ward.
- Chair’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
2.1 Cllr Brock reported completion of the selection process for the new Clerk and was pleased to welcome Mrs Gail Foster to the meeting.
- To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 10 December 2018
3.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED with Cllr Whitehead abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2018 which had been circulated with the agenda be accepted as a true record.
- To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
4.1 Para 200.2 Cllr Brock was in discussion with Virgin Media over the poor state of ground reinstatement after their broadband cable installation and in particular with regard to the loss of road surface drainage grips on Horsebridge Road.
Action: Cllr Brock
4.2 Para 202.2 SSE was currently hoping to complete the undergrounding of the electricity supply across the recreation ground and the Scout Hut area in April 2019.
4.3 Para 202.5 Cllr Dack was obtaining quotes for the supply and installation of village entrance gates and the Clerk was liaising with Hampshire Highways on their location and also identifying external grant providers,
Action: Cllr Dack and Clerk
4.4 Para 202.6 The School Parent’s Association was now considering alternative plans to minimise the impact of droppings from the Church Yew on the children’s play area.
4.5 Para 202.8 Cllr Brock was in discussion with the Village Hall clock supplier over costs and installation dates.
Action: Cllr Brock
4.4 Para 202.13. A contract was now awaited from the engineer who had offered to maintain the speed indicator device at a cost of £500 pa.
Action: Clerk
4.5 Para 206.3 Cllr Griffith had successfully recruited another volunteer for the community warden scheme, but more were required. She and Cllrs Hughes and Webb would continue with their quest.
Action: Cllr Griffith, Hughes and Webb
4.6 Para 202.10 It was hoped to flail cut the hedge growth in the Muss Lane open space before the end of February; one of the local farmers was working with us on this project.
Action: Clerk & Cllr Brock
- Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations
5.1 None declared or sought.
- To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
6.1 The Clerk had circulated the e-mail from TVBC advising the arrangements for the local council elections to be held on 2 May and reminding prospective councillors of the actions they needed to take. Any other interested persons should contact the Clerk for advice.
6.2 HCC had revised slightly their planned introduction of part-night lighting on those local roads which were not classed as principal traffic routes (i.e. A, B or C class roads). In the earlier public consultation, Councillors had supported the proposals which would mean lights being switched off between the hours of 01.00am and 04.00am on some of our local minor roads and saw no reason to change this comment. The Clerk would respond accordingly.
Action: Clerk
- To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 10 and 17 December 2018
7.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 10 and 17 December 2018 had been circulated with the agenda.
7.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 10 and 17 December 2018 be received and accepted.
- Councillors’ Reports
8.1 Cllr A Townsend noted with thanks the efforts being made to make good the ground reinstatement along Horsebridge Road following the broadband cable installation.
8.2 Cllr Whitehead queried if all necessary action had been concluded following the receipt of solicitors’ letters querying whether best practice had been followed in the preparation of the draft NDP; the Clerk was able to confirm this.
8.2 Cllr Griffith reported that some trees were at risk of blocking the stream flow across the open ground adjacent to Horsebridge Road. She would investigate further and let the Clerk know for follow up action with the land owner.
Action: Cllr Griffith and Clerk
8.3 Cllr Curtis recounted how the proximity to a defibrillator had recently saved his life and thought it appropriate for fellow councillors to consider the installation of another machine in the Parish, this time on the wall of the Village Hall; other machines were already located at The Crown Inn and at Rookley Farm. The Village Hall actively supported this location. In order to determine this, he acknowledged Standing Orders would have to be set aside as the matter was not on the agenda and he confirmed funds were currently available from the British Heart Foundation to offset the total cost.
8.4 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr A Townsend, RESOLVED unanimously that Standing Orders be set aside to determine whether or not the Parish Council should acquire a third defibrillator for installation at the Village Hall. Cllr A Townsend recommended that if possible the machine should have the ability to help children as well as adults.
8.5 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood against that £600 be made available for the purchase of a third defibrillator for installation on the outside wall of the Village Hall ensuring that, if possible, it should have capacity to help children and that the Clerk
should now liaise with the Village Hall and the British Heart Foundation to acquire the machine.
Action: Clerk
9. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
9.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.
9.2 As RFO, the Clerk reported that the Diocese had confirmed their intention to continue with the commercial sale of the allotment site with the caveat that any successful developer would be required to provide a suitable alternative site. The Clerk had confirmed our offer to purchase remained extant.
9.3 Following submission of our Precept figure for the next financial year, TVBC had confirmed the tax base for 2019 – 20 which when applied to our Precept resulted in an increase for Band D tax payers of £2.67 pa to £54.70 pa here in King’s Somborne.
9.4 The Internal Auditor would complete his interim audit of the Council’s records on 9 January 2019.
- Payment of Accounts
10.1 Proposed Cllr A Townsend, Seconded Cllr Whitehead, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for December 2018 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 710.25 0.82 711.07 Bacs
HMRC Tax/NIC 454.63 454.63 Bacs
Legal & General Staff pension 80.42 80.42 DD
South Downs NP SEA Scoping Report 1312.50 262.50 1575.00 Bacs
KSVH Room hire 53.00 53.00 Bacs
Utility Bus hire Nov 111.50 111.50 Bacs
Epworth Hall Hire contribution 450.00 450.00 Bacs
Totals 3172.30 263.32 3435.62
- To receive the Community Speedwatch quarterly report
11.1 The quarterly Community Speedwatch report had been tabled with the agenda and a copy placed on the Council’s website.
11.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED unanimously that the quarterly Community Speedwatch report be noted and the volunteers be thanked for their ongoing efforts.
Action: Clerk
- Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress
12.1 No addition comment was made in view of the comprehensive discussion in the public session.
- Clerk’s monthly report
13.1 Nothing to report.
- Date, time and place of next meeting
14.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 4 February 2019 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.25pm.