Parish Council

Parish Council meeting December 2006

KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Special Finance Meeting of the Parish Council
held in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne
commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 4 December 2006

Present: Cllr D Bidwell (Chairman)
Cllr R Bevan
Cllr R Dyke
Cllr A Gannaway
Cllr R Harwood
Cllr R Lane
Cllr G Pearson
Cllr R Pidgeon
Cllr D Room

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

Public Session: No members of the public were present.

1. Announcements by the Chairman

1.1 No announcements were made by the Chairman.

2. Apologies

2.1 Apologies were received from Cllr Geary-Harwood.

3. Declarations of Interest

3.1 No declarations of interest were made.

4. To consider the possible purchase of all or part of 3 Fields

4.1 Thought had been given previously to the possible purchase of all or part of the 3 Fields site and with the pressure to find recreational land it was thought prudent to reconsider. Currently, the site was on a ten year lease from Test Valley Borough Council expiring in July 2015, at a peppercorn rent. An initial estimate of the cost to purchase had been assessed at up to £15000 per acre but this would be subject to negotiation and agreement on whether valuation should be based upon agricultural or recreational use. There was general support for the principle of purchasing but not in the short term given the capital cost and attractive current leasing terms. Accordingly, it was thought more appropriate to provide a long term provision for possible future purchase and the matter was voted upon later in the meeting. (See Item 6).

4.2 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Dyke, RESOLVED unanimously that the Parish Council should continue to lease the 3 Fields site for the duration of the current lease subject to any significant changes in circumstances.

5. To consider and, if appropriate, adopt the revised Chairmanship, Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Complaints Procedures

5.1 The Clerk had circulated with the agenda a revised version of the Chairmanship, Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Complaints Procedures. Cllr Gannaway sought further definition on some procedural points and the application of the regulations to committees but no further revision was thought necessary.

5.2 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Dyke, RESOLVED unanimously that the revised Chairmanship, Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Complaints Procedures be adopted as tabled.

6. To consider and, if appropriate, adopt the Expenditure Budget and Precept proposals for 2007/8

6.1 The proposed Expenditure Budget and Precept for 2007/8 had been circulated with the agenda together with amplifying notes. In the following discussion, it was agreed to increase the payment to the Methodist Church for continuing use of the Epworth Hall for council meetings to £150 for the year, reduce the proposed budget for the Village clock from £4000 to £1000 since it was not owned by the Parish Council, and to increase the budget available for Community Grants from £1000 to £4000. The resulting expenditure of £34900 would be financed by a Precept of £26750, an increase over the current year of £750 or 2.9%, with the balance coming from reserves and miscellaneous income received. Members also thought it prudent to ringfence some of the reserves, and to add to this annually, to provide funds for capital acquisitions such as the possible purchase of all or part of the 3 Fields site within the next few years and to provide a more suitable bus shelter for the Village centre.

6.2 Proposed Cllr Dyke, Seconded Cllr Bevan, RESOLVED unanimously that £15000 be ringfenced from general reserves to fund potential capital acquisitions in the future.

6.3 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously that an Expenditure Budget of £34900 and a Precept of £26750 for 2007/8 be approved.

7. To consider and, if appropriate, adopt the gang mowing, open spaces and 3 Fields maintenance contracts for 2007 and onwards

7.1 Gang mowing. Two contractors had been invited to tender for both a one and a three year gang mowing contract against the schedule of requirement. Only one, TVBC the current contractor, had replied with a one year quote of £1340.55 and a three year quote of £1407.75 for each of the three years. Members expressed their content with TVBC with their work to date.

7.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Bevan, RESOLVED unanimously that Test Valley Borough Council be accepted as the gang mowing contractor for the next three years at an annual cost of £1407.75 per annum.

7.3 Open spaces. Mr Rebbeck had quoted £3058 to maintain grass, hedges and borders in the open spaces against a schedule of requirement for 2007. He had also confirmed he held the necessary equipment to meet current health and safety requirements and had indicated his willingness to undertake work in addition to that stated in the requirement. Members expressed their content with Mr Rebbeck’s work to date.

7.4 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously that Mr Rebbeck be retained to undertake scheduled open spaces grass cutting, border and hedge maintenance during 2007, plus additional work as required.

7.5 3 Fields. Mr John Rolfe had quoted £150 to cut the 3 Fields site and Members had expressed their content with the work to date. A minimum of four cuts per year was thought appropriate and had been budgeted for.

7.6 Proposed Cllr Bevan, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously to contract with John Rolfe for grass cutting the 3 Fields site.

8. To determine the Recreation Ground hire charges for 2007/8

8.1 The current hire charges for casual lettings at both King’s Somborne and Up Somborne recreation grounds were £10 plus VAT. The Football Club paid £105 for the season or £95 if paid before 31 December and the Cricket Club paid £63 with no VAT being levied on these regular users. Members thought it unnecessary to increase these modest charges.

8.2 Proposed Cllr Bevan, Seconded Cllr Harwood, RESOLVED to retain the recreation grounds’ hire charges at their present levels for 2007.

9. To determine the Burial Board charges for 2007/8

9.1 Members noted that an in-depth comparison of burial charges levied elsewhere had been completed in 2004 and a modest increase had been agreed for last year but to meet ever increasing costs and to ensure the Burial Board remained self-financing it was thought some increases should be made with effect from 1 April 2007.

9.2 Proposed Cllr Bevan, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously that the following charges be levied by the Burial Board from 1 April 2007 –

Interments
Child under 12 years of age No charge
Body of person 12 years or over £150
Cremated remains £100
Purchased grave £100
Exclusive Right of Burial
Adult grave £100
(or double for double grave)
Headstones, monuments, tablets and memorial inscriptions
Headstone, monument or flat stone inset in the ground £100
Inscription after the first £50
Flat cremation tablet £60

10. To adopt the Planned Maintenance Register for the next four years

10.1 A schedule of planned maintenance had been circulated with the agenda and was amended slightly during discussion.

10.2 Proposed Cllr Bevan, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously that the amended planned maintenance register for the next four years be adopted.

11. RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring

11.1 An analysis of budget against actual spend to date, together with a forecast out-turn had been circulated with the agenda. The RFO acknowledged that some of the out-turn figures might be optimistic but overall expressed satisfaction with the Council’s financial state of affairs at the end of the eighth month into the financial year when 64% of the annual budget had been expended to date. The combined bank balances stood at £47423.

11.2 Proposed Cllr Gannaway, Seconded Cllr Bidwell, RESOLVED unanimously that the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring be accepted.

12. Payment of Accounts

12.1 Proposed Cllr Pidgeon, Seconded Cllr Room, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts be paid:

To For Net VAT Gross Cheque no
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 475.04 475.04 1271
HMRC Tax 243.56 243.56 1272
Wansbroughs VAT 225.66 225.66 1273
Hants Fencing Dragons teeth 80.00 80.00 1274
TVBC Grass maint 650.70 113.87 764.57 1275
NPFA Subscription 25.00 25.00 1276
Assn Burial Auth Subscription 82.00 82.00 1277
Smiths of Derby Clock maint 148.00 25.90 173.90 1278
Bishopstoke PC Broadband/sub 82.50 82.50 1279
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 32.00 32.00 1280
Total 1818.80 365.43 2184.23

13. To consider correspondence received

13.1 Details of correspondence received since the last meeting had been circulated with the agenda; the actual correspondence was available at the meeting for Members to peruse, as required. The Clerk drew attention to correspondence received since circulation of the meeting papers. A request had been received from Houghton Parish Council to support their wish not to have a footpath upgraded to bridleway but since the footpath in question fell outside the King’s Somborne area of interest it was thought inappropriate for any support to be given.

14. Clerk’s Report

14.1 The Clerk reported that two quotes had been received for attending to the necessary tree work in the Churchyard and it was agreed the lower quote should be accepted.

14.2 Proposed Cllr Pearson, Seconded Cllr Bidwell, RESOLVED unanimously that Tree Care Services of Salisbury should be the confirmed contractor for tree work in the Churchyard at a cost of £640 plus VAT.

14.3 Only one of two building firms approached had quoted for repairs to the Churchyard wall and it was agreed that work should proceed in view of the decaying state of parts of the wall.

14.4 Proposed Cllr Pearson, Seconded Cllr Harwood, RESOLVED unanimously that Everest should be confirmed as the chosen contractor for repair work to the Churchyard wall at a cost of £1150 plus VAT.

14.5 Following last month’s meeting, the Tree Warden had obtained an estimate of cost for planting thirteen trees around the Parish for £275.20 from Landford Trees of Salisbury.

14.6 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Bevan, RESOLVED unanimously that the Tree Warden be authorised to obtain the trees and the necessary stakes and ties at an estimated cost of £275.20.

14.7 A request had been received to help maintain the ornamental Yew tree opposite the Village Green in accordance with Test Valley Borough Council’s planning requirements. It was felt that the tree provided a major feature in the Village and needed to be maintained as a feature and to prevent decay.

14.8 Proposed Cllr Dyke, Seconded Cllr Bevan, RESOLVED with Cllrs Harwood and Pearson voting against, that exceptionally £75 be provided as a contribution towards the maintenance costs incurred provided the work was undertaken in August 2007 which was deemed to be the best time in the season.

15. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

15.1 The next meeting of the Parish Council would be on Monday 8 January 2007 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the Meeting at 8.45pm

Clerk to the Council

KING’S SOMBORNE BUDGET 2007/8

General Admin
Salary and expenses 9000
Insurance 1800
Audit fees 1100
Subscriptions 450
Courses 250
Facility hire 150
Cllr expenses 200
Miscellaneous 750
Election expenses 1500
Sub total 15200

Community Services
and Projects
Village Hall 3000
Section 137 600
Parish clock 1000
Vandal damage 500
Community grants 4000
Maintenance 1500
Sub total 10600

Burial Board
Grounds maintenance 1500
Rates 100
General maintenance 500
Sub total 2100

Open Spaces
Church Yard 1000
Village Green 1000
Muss Lane 300
Up Somborne rec 400
King’s Somborne rec 1600
Three Fields 750
Play equipment 1000
Community safety 500
Street lighting 500
Sub total 7050

Provisions 15000

TOTAL 49900

Funded by:
Precept 26750
Interest receivable 750
Burial Board: Interments 1000
Memorials 750
Purchased graves 750
Sports Field 200
Total Income 30200

Net Expenditure 49900
Financed by:
Precept 26750
Reserves 23150