KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Village Hall
commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 8 September 2014
Present: Cllr R Harwood (Chairman)
Cllr A Brock
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr J Evans
Cllr R Jackson
Cllr R Lane
Cllr A Reeves
Cllr S Whitehead
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
The Open Spaces Warden, six members of the public, PCSO Bonter and the TVBC Neighbourhood Warden, were present for part of the meeting. One member of the public again expressed her concern at the management of the MUGA project. Another sought confirmation of the action being taken to prevent a recurrence of last year’s flooding in response to which the Chairman outlined the various on-going consultations between the various agencies involved. In response to the suggestion that a dam be built above Tanner’s Pond (the ford), the Chairman stated that this proposal had already been assessed and shown to hold back flood waters for an estimated two hours only. He restated that he, the Vice-Chairman and the Clerk had walked the length of The Borne where it passed through the Village and noted the choke points, low bridges and build-up of silt and other detritus, together with where the riparian owners of the adjacent land had not met their responsibilities to keep the water flow clear, and he would be following this up in the near future.
Mr Vandepump spoke on behalf the grant application submitted by the Village Hall and invited all councillors to visit the Hall to see the modernisation to date. Mr Dyke reported on his safety inspections of play equipment, Mr Pidgeon asked for an update on the long awaited all-weather path between the top end of the Village and the School/Village Hall which had remained outstanding for some years now and PCSO Bonter announced details of the planned Street Meet at Eldon Road between 5.00pm and 6.00pm on Thursday 18 September to which all were invited to meet her and her colleagues and discuss local policing issues.
- Apologies for Absence
128.1 Apologies received from Cllrs Fahy and Werrett.
- Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
129.1 The Chairman drew attention to a letter of complaint about the Council procedures regarding the application for a certificate of proposed lawful development for the MUGA which had been sent to the Chief Executive TVBC and the subsequent reply, which the Clerk would circulate, and also reported on the flood prevention meeting he had attended and the intentions by those present to undertake positive action to minimise the risk of flood damage in future. Assessments of the work necessary to make The Borne and adjacent flood areas more effective when dealing with excessive water were being put in place; some ditch clearance work had been completed along the Winchester Road and drainage channels cleared nearer the Village. Further meetings with Environment Agency staff and at TVBC were being set up to monitor action taken to date as a result of
problems encountered and lessons learned earlier this year.
Action: Chairman/Clerk
- To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 4 August 2014
130.1 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED with Cllrs Brock and Evans abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 August 2014 be accepted as a true record.
- To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
131.1 Para 115.1 Dog mess. The TVBC environmental health officer would attend the next meeting to discuss the problems of dog mess and a larger litter bin would be provided for the toddlers’ play area on the King’s Somborne rec.
Action: Clerk
131.2 Para 117.2 Gladman Developments proposal. A meeting date was being negotiated.
Action: Clerk
- Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations
132.1 None declared or sought.
- To receive the minutes of the Planning Committee
133.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 4 August 2014 had been circulated with the agenda papers. Cllr Lane also took this opportunity to confirm formally that the resubmitted application for a certificate of proposed lawful development for the MUGA had been approved.
133.2 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 4 August 2014 be received and accepted.
- To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
134.1 No correspondence had been received other than that already circulated.
- To receive Councillors’ Reports
135.1 Cllr Evans was very pleased to report that the British Heart Foundation had approved the funding of a defibrillator for the community which would be located outside the Working Men’s Club provided a contribution of £400 was forthcoming from the Parish Council. Given this contribution was less than that originally ringfenced, Members agreed to fund accordingly.
135.2 Cllr Brock reported on progress re burying the electricity cables across the 3 Fields site and that he was questioning the need by the Charities Commission for surveyors’ reports. He confirmed that once Fields in Trust had all the necessary documentation, and the surveyor question had been resolved, SSE could begin work within three weeks.
135.3 Cllr Jackson reported that the Church clock setting dial had been repainted. He also thought it timely to review the servicing contract with a view to reducing the associated costs and that the Church should be approached to pay for the electricity consumed by the lantern.
Action: Clerk
135.4 Cllr Reeves confirmed that TVBC had confirmed to her that a speed indicator device would be positioned temporarily on Eldon Road to help deter speeding.
135.5 Cllr Whitehead queried the need for a French drain around the MUGA but accepted that the proposed surface was porous and that such a drain would not add any value. He was congratulated on his trial parish council dedicated website which all Members should now review and pass comments to him before consideration was given at the next meeting on whether or not to adopt it.
Action: All
135.6 Cllr Harwood reported on the flood review workshop he had attended at TVBC and confirmed that King’s Somborne was being targeted as an area at severe risk and that further meetings with the agencies responsible were planned. There was surprise expressed by some agency representatives that the Village had power cables on poles sited in The Borne itself. Another workshop to monitor developments was planned for November.
- To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
136.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers and was noted. Given the approval of the grant to the Village Hall (see below), the Clerk would table adjustments to the budget in order to avoid an overspend at the yearend.
Action: Clerk
136.2 The external audit of the accounts for the last financial year had now been completed and the Annual Return had been signed off with two minor observations; a minute reference had been omitted and grant monies received had been attributed incorrectly by the internal auditor. Members noted these points and that there were no other matters which had come to the Auditor’s attention. The Clerk would now post the statutory notice informing electors of the right to inspect the accounts.
Action: Clerk
- Payment of Accounts
137.1 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Lane, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for August 2014 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 616.20 1.34 617.54 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 383.05 383.05 Int
BPC Shared costs 22.00 22.00 Int
Sub Arb Church tree 1200.00 240.00 1440.00 Int
CPRE Subscription 36.00 36.00 Int
KSVH Room hire 21.00 21.00 Int
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 768.25 768.25 Int
Came & Co Insurance 1314.95 1314.95 Int
BDO External audit fee 240.00 240.00 Int
Totals 4601.45 241.34 4842.79
- Grant Aid applications
138.1 The Village Hall management committee had applied for a grant of £1600 towards the costs of new curtains as part of the on-going modernisation programme. Members were very sympathetic to the request given the Hall was an essential amenity in the community and thought it appropriate to use the advantage of S33 VAT Act 1994 whereby items purchased could be gifted to the applicant, provided no interest in the item remained with the Parish Council, and the VAT could be reclaimed.
138.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Lane, RESOLVED unanimously that curtains to the value of £1920 inc VAT be purchased by the Parish Council and gifted to the King’s Somborne Village Hall.
138.3 The Somborne Players had applied for a grant of £1081.02 to provide addition al stage lighting in the Village Hall. After some discussion, it was decided to defer any decision until after further discussions between the Players and the Village Hall management committee on ownership and benefit provided by this additional lighting.
- Parish Development Working Group update
139.1 No progress to report.
- Clerk’s monthly report
140.1 A resident in Winchester Road had sought the Parish Council’s support for the removal of lighting along the road to maintain a rural environment. Members thought it inappropriate to lend support to this request.
140.2 The Clerk would attend a community resilience meeting hosted by Hampshire Fire and Rescue on 3 October at their HQ in Eastleigh.
140.3 The HALC AGM would be held in Hartley Wintney on 4 October; the Clerk would attend.
- Date, time and place of next meeting
141.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 6 October 2014 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.50pm