Parish Council

Parish Council minutes 6 January 2014

KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall
commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 6 January 2014

Present: Cllr R Harwood (Chairman)
Cllr A Brock
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr J Evans
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr R Jackson
Cllr R Lane
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 some discussion took place on the remedial work required on fallen trees as a result of the recent storms and gated access to the Horsebridge Road footpath.

1. Apologies for absence.

1.1 B/Cllr Ward and C/Cllr Gibson.

2. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions

2.1 The Chairman wished all present a Very Happy New Year.

3. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 2 December 2013

3.1 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Curtis, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2013 be accepted as a true record.

4. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes

4.1 Para 146.1 The Clerk would republish the co-option vacancy notice later in the month.
Action: Clerk

4.2 Para 151.5 The Clerk had informed HCC of the relocation of the grit bin from the entrance to Hunter Close to the other side of Eldon Road and had requested that HCC replenish it.

4.3 Para 153.1 The Annual Assembly date was confirmed as Thursday 3 April 2014.
Action: All

4.4 Para 156.1 The Village Hall management committee had confirmed that it would meet all the legal costs involved in lease transfers for the recreation ground except those incurred for the Scout hut lease. Members recognised that no value would attach to the Village Hall by the transfer of the Scout hut lease although there would be an advantage to the Parish Council if all parcels of land comprising the recreation ground were either owned or managed by it. (See para 7.2 below).

5. Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations

5.1 None declared or sought.

6. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required

6.1 The Clerk drew Members’ attention to correspondence received but no further action was thought necessary.

7. To receive Councillors’ Reports

7.1 Cllr Evans reported that large print bus timetables were available on request for those in need. A transport road show would be touring the County and was expected to be in our area on 27 March 2014. Details would be published later.

7.2 Cllr Fahy reported the reasons for the Village Hall management committee not agreeing to meet the transfer costs of the Scout hut lease and in an effort to avoid further delay proposed that the Parish Council met these costs. His proposal failed to get a Seconder because it was thought more appropriate at this stage to continue to adopt a cautious approach given that Fields in Trust, from whom the notion had originated but who were not prepared to meet any costs involved, had yet to approve the various transfers and the costs were unknown. The Clerk would advise the Village Hall accordingly and obtain an independent quotation.
Action: Clerk

7.3 Cllr Jackson reported that the Church clock lighting had partially failed and he was undertaking the necessary repairs.
Action: Cllr Jackson

7.4 Cllr Lane reported on the latest Planning Committee meeting and commented on the refusal by TVBC to approve the retrospective application by Forest Extra who would now be subject to enforcement action.

8. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring

8.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers and was noted.

9. Payment of Accounts

9.1 Proposed Cllr Fahy, Seconded Cllr Brock, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for December 2013 be approved for payment:

To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 971.91 11.38 983.29 Int
BPC Shared costs 22.00 22.00 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 30.15 30.15 Int
Methodist ChurchRoom hire 250.00 250.00 1797
Sub Arb Church tree work 200.00 200.00 Int
Totals 1474.06 11.38 1485.44

10. To appoint the internal auditor for 2014 -15

10.1 Following the earlier decision to seek quotations for the internal audit, the Clerk tabled a short list of three contenders and gave some background on each. Members wished to record their view that the proposed change in internal auditor was in no way due to any aspect of concern with the work undertaken to date by Mr Reynolds but that after many years of excellent service it was thought expedient to seek a new approach.

10.2 The quotations received were within £75 of each other and after reflection that provided by Mr T Light of The Lighter Touch was thought to provide the best value for money.

10.3 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Werrett, RESOLVED unanimously that the internal audit for 2014 -15 be undertaken by The Lighter Touch.

11. Parish development working group report

11.1 Cllr Werrett drew Members’ attention to the e-mails he had circulated on his proposals to take the Parish development plans forward and sought Members’ interest in which of the likely ten sections of the proposed document they would be prepared to lead on. His working group would meet in the next few days to allocate resources to the project following Members’ responses.
Action: All

12. Clerk’s monthly report

12.1 The Clerk commented that re-accreditation of our Quality Parish status would fall due in the Summer and one of the assessed criteria was effective communication with the electorate. It was thought appropriate to adopt a more informal approach to the report on Parish Council meetings submitted to The Gauntlet magazine.
Action: Clerk

13. Date, time and place of next meeting

13.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 3 February 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 8.15pm