Parish Council
Parish Council minutes 3 Feb 14
KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall
commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 3 February 2014
Present: Cllr R Harwood (Chairman)
Cllr A Brock
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr J Evans
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr A Reeves
Cllr J Werrett
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
The Open Spaces and Footpath Wardens were present for part of the meeting and the latter updated Members on progress so far on the Horsebridge Road footpath and kissing gate problems. Lady Inchyra expressed her serious concerns and those of her neighbours at the speed of motorists along Winchester Road especially in the area of the junction with Strawberry Lane and the risk of fatalities. C/Cllr Gibson undertook to investigate what could be done to alleviate the problem and he would also review the programme for ditch maintenance in view of the current flooding. He was monitoring the Forest Extra reaction to the recent refusal to grant them planning permission and explained how he, at HCC level, was involved with rationalising HCC resources such as rural transport, village agent schemes and other initiatives, to maximise their effect. In the absence of the PCSO, the Clerk paraphrased her report which included action taken by her to reduce speed in the Up Somborne area generally. Two other members of the public were also present.
14. Apologies for absence.
14.1 Cllrs Jackson and Lane. B/Cllr Ward, C/Cllr Gibson and PCSO Bonter.
15. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
15.1 At the Chairman’s request, it was agreed to bring forward discussion on the Local Plan to enable members of the public to take part.
16. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 6 January 2014
16.1 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Werrett, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2014 be accepted as a true record.
17. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
17.1 Para 4.1 Co-option. One nomination had been received to date. A decision would be taken at the March meeting.
18. Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations
18.1 None declared or sought.
19. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
19.1 The Clerk drew Members’ attention to correspondence received but no further action was thought necessary.
20. To consider a response to the TVBC Local Plan
20.1 TVBC’s revised Local Plan 2011 – 2029 was out for consultation and the Chairman invited Mr Herbert, who had led the initial Parish Council review, to explain the changes since then in the Plan’s details. Mr Herbert confirmed his opinion that the key issues of the high number of new houses planned, 588 per annum in each of the next 20 years, and the supply of water to these new as well as existing dwellings, remained major areas of concern. It was agreed that the risk of future major developments in the Parish was low but King’s Somborne was a ‘distressed water area’ and a statement on the Plan that it was not intended to take additional water from the aquifers gave rise to concern. Cllr Werrett and Mr Herbert would follow up this question of future supply with Southern Water and the matter would be on the March PC agenda to formulate a Parish Council response.
Action: Cllr Werrett and Mr Herbert
20.2 Cllr Werrett confirmed that the Neighbourhood Plan, which he was co-ordinating, would identify where development could take place ie the SHLAASs and that the settlement boundary would likely remain the same as now. Cllr Fahy briefed that under the new community infrastructure levy rules, a community with a neighbourhood plan would attract 25% of developers’ contributions but only 15% if no plan existed.
21. To receive Councillors’ Reports
21.1 Cllr Reeves would attend the forthcoming transport forum in lieu of Cllr Evans.
21.2 Cllr Reeves asked if any approach had been made regarding fracking in the area; there had not.
21.3 Cllr Fahy briefed on the recent HCC sponsored Working Together seminar he had attended at which flooding, local community infrastructure support and highways matters had been on the agenda. More information was on the HCC website. He also outlined the action being taken to have the fallen tree removed from the stream where it crossed the Horsebridge field at the southern end of the Village which had in the end turned out to be an Environment Agency responsibility.
21.4 Cllr Curtis had been liaising with the Scouts on the work needed to the tree at the entrance to their site. The Clerk would forward a Grant Aid application.
Action: Clerk
22. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
22.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers and was noted.
22.2 The RFO was very pleased to report that the bid to Veolia Environmental Trust for a grant towards the multi-use games area costs had been approved and £23,150 had been offered. This grant, when added to the £18,953 available from developers’ contributions, the £5000 from TVBC’s capital grant fund, the £2,000 received from Hampshire Playing Fields Association and the £1,000 from C/Cllr Gibson’s county councillor grant fund, left £10,010 to find with one external bid for £500 outstanding. If successful, this resulted in local fundraising and the Council’s reserves having to meet the remaining £9,510. Cllr Curtis would establish the final cost at today’s prices for the project with the preferred supplier. The location will be on the land owned by the Parish Council adjacent to the skate ramp.
Action Cllr Curtis
22.3 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED with Cllrs Evans and Werrett abstaining that subject the final cost being confirmed £9,510 be made available from reserves to fund the MUGA project.
22.4 The RFO also reported that Southern Water had reimbursed the Council for overcharged water rates dating back eight years or more despite our querying the basis of their calculation. It seems that there was confusion by them regarding the amount of water supplied to the Village Hall and the recreation ground over this period although no detailed records were available. It was agreed that the refund should be share equally between the Council and the Village Hall but that the Clerk should write again to Southern Water seeking their acknowledgement that this settlement payment was full and final.
Action: Clerk
23. Payment of Accounts
23.1 Proposed Cllr Werrett, Seconded Cllr Brock, RESOLVED with Cllr Fahy abstaining (claimant) that the following accounts for January 2014 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 924.51 924.51 Int
BPC Shared costs 22.00 22.00 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 30.15 30.15 Int
Southern Electric Clock electricity 13.03 2.60 15.63 DD
Southern Water KSVH refund 1194.08 1194.08 Int
Sub Arb Church tree stump 380.00 380.00 Int
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 96.75 96.75 Int
Cllr F Fahy Sandbags 44.40 8.88 53.28 1798
Cllr F Fahy Travel expenses 12.60 12.60 1799 Totals 2717.52 11.48 2729.00
24. Financial Risk Assessment 2013 -14
24.1 Current audit and accounting rules required an annual financial risk assessment to be adopted by the Parish Council before the yearend to which the assessment related. A risk assessment signed off by the Clerk and the Internal Auditor had been circulated with the agenda papers.
24.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Evans, RESOLVED unanimously that the Financial Risk Assessment 2013 -14 be adopted.
25. Parish development working group report
25.1 Cllr Werrett introduced his draft structure for the Village Design Statement which had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted. Individual sections were allocated to different councillors for their input and work would continue with a further update report next month.
Action: Cllr Werrett and others
26. Annual Assembly 2014
26.1 The Chairman outlined his proposals for the Annual Assembly which would be held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday 3 April. A rolling slideshow would be produced by Cllr Brock, Cllr Curtis would give a presentation on the multi-use games area and Cllrs Werrett and Brock would outline the work to date on the Village Design Statement. The Clerk would produce a display of councillors’ photos and responsibilities to aid identification and B/Cllr Ward and C/Cllr Gibson would be invited to attend to answer questions from the public. Light refreshments would be served with the help of councillors’ spouses. There would not be an external speaker although an invitation would extended to HCC for someone to attend and respond to questions on Broadband.
Action: All
27. Clerk’s monthly report
27.1 A wayleave had been signed on behalf of the Council agreeing to SSE working on Council owned land as part of the plan to reroute the overhead power cables crossing the 3 Fields site underground. A small payment would be received as a result.
27.2 The Council’s insurers had confirmed our policy did not cover the removal costs of the Fir in the Church grounds which fell during the recent storms, only the repairs to the Church wall, the cost of which coincidentally equalled the excess payable, so no claim would be made for this work.
27.3 The final route for the all-weather path connecting Lancaster Green to the Village centre, School and Village Hall, had been agreed following English Heritage’s refusal to grant their consent for the path to go through the mounds on the John O’Gaunt site. The route would now follow the existing grass path alongside the School fence to the kissing gate and then go behind the skate ramp and the junior football pitch to the Village Hall. However, no installation date had yet been determined by HCC.
27.4 The Clerk had attended an HCC Peer Review meeting in the Village Hall at which HCC and TVBC officers, together with the deputy leader of Wiltshire CC, a NALC officer, a Stockbridge councillor, Sue Jackson our Village Agent, and the Lengthsman had attended. The aim was to determine how the County Council could continue to provide support for local communities in the current financial climate and into the future when austerity measures would continue to deplete available finances. HCC was looking for more local initiatives and were very impressed with the level of support given to the King’s Somborne community by those of its volunteers who had benefited from training funded by HCC and the initiatives taken by the Parish Council to achieve best value.
27.5 The Clerk was liaising with the Environment Agency over removal of the fallen tree blocking the water flow to the south of the village.
Action: Clerk
28. Date, time and place of next meeting
28.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 3 March 2014 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
Action: All
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20pm