Parish Council
Parish Council minutes April 2011
KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall
commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 4 April 2011
Present: Cllr R Dyke (Chairman) Cllr R Bevan Items 39 to 49) Cllr D Bidwell Cllr F Fahy Cllr R Harwood Cllr G Pearson Cllr R Pidgeon Cllr D Room Cllr J Werrett
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session Borough Councillor Ward, Mrs Dawn Harrison (Village Correspondent) and one member of the public were present for the public session. Mr P Wykes and Mr G Townsend from Test Valley Borough Council Environmental Services outlined the potential noise and smell problems generated by the bottle banks on the King’s Somborne recreation ground adjacent to the new houses and, as a result of a formal enquiry by the developer, the need to consider alternative locations to pre-empt formal complaints being made by the new property owners. The Borough Council proposal to relocate the banks to the rear of the BT hut was not acceptable, given the proximity to other existing house owners. Following earlier on-site meetings held by councillors to consider other locations within the recreation ground, it had been agreed that their preferred relocation would be behind the garages to be built to the rear of one of the new houses. However, this was not acceptable to the Borough Council and, as a result of the discussion, it was decided that the Parish Council with the Borough Council would review locations outside of the recreation ground and that, in any case, the banks would be removed from their present location by 31 July 2011. Both the Parish Council and the Borough Council confirmed their support for the need to encourage increased recycling and it was hoped that suitable alternative locations could be found. The clothing, foil and cardboard banks would remain in situ. The Chairman congratulated Mrs Harrison on the Parish Plan Update and thanked her for the hard work expended in producing the document which would now be tabled at the forthcoming Parish Annual Assembly for adoption by the community.
39. Apologies for Absence
39.1 PC Williams.
40. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
40.1 The Chairman announced, with regret, the resignation of Cllr Lane for personal reasons and it was agreed that a letter of thanks for his eight years service to the community should be sent.
Action: Clerk
41. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7 March 2011
41.1 Proposed Cllr Pearson, Seconded Cllr Bidwell RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2011 be accepted as a true record.
42. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
42.1 Para 28.5 The erection of the Ashley roadside stones was accepted as a matter for local residents in the hamlet. There were no other matters arising not dealt with elsewhere in these minutes.
43. Declarations of Interest
43.1 None declared.
44. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
44.1 The Clerk drew Members’ attention to recent correspondence received which included a letter from TVBC outlining the proposed route of the national cycle network through the Parish and another introducing the campaign to encourage residents to ‘Love Where You Live’ by becoming involved in community clean up events. It was decided to include the subject of litter sweeps on the September agenda. Mrs Edmonds had written expressing her wish that the title ‘Parish Council’ be retained. (See para 50.1)
Action: Clerk
45. To receive reports on planning applications considered and determined
45.1 The following responses had been made to recent planning applications received:
* 1 Redhill Cottages – removal of existing sheds – no objection
* Goosehill, Stockbridge Road – fell two Conifers and reduce one Birch by 25% – no objection
45.2 The following decisions had been notified by Test Valley Borough Council:
* Horsebridge Farm, Horsebridge Road – change of use to farm buildings – permitted
* Park Farm House, Somborne Park Road – rear lobby and internal alterations – application withdrawn
46. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
46.1 A budget monitoring report showing income and expenditure to date had been circulated with the agenda. All noted that 99% of the budget had been spent to date. Cllr Harwood requested that a review of the financial controls be included on the June agenda.
Action: Clerk
47. Payment of Accounts
47.1 Proposed Cllr Pidgeon, Seconded Cllr Bevan, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for March be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 795.47 795.47 1679
BPC Shared costs 22.50 22.50 1680
HMRC Tax/NIC 240.91 240.91 1681
M J Ellis Church gate repair 105.00 21.00 126.00 1682
Landford Trees 3 Fields 67.69 13.54 81.23 1683
HCC Street lighting 29.17 5.83 35.00 1684
TVBC Misc 1326.11 255.03 1581.14 1685
Mr P Storey Expenses 55.42 55.42 1686
TVBC Cemetery rates 112.10 112.10 1687
HALC Subscription 342.00 342.00 1688
Totals 3096.37 295.40 3391.77
48. To determine the need to charge for Right of Way access to the King’s Somborne recreation ground
48.1 Discussion on this item was deferred pending confirmation that rear gates to the new development were to be built.
49. To receive a progress report on the cricket net plan
49.1 Cllr Fahy updated councillors on the increase in costs of installing a safety net to the rear of the new houses to protect occupants from cricket balls. The increase was due to the difficulties in erecting the net and associated posts close to the rear wall. Thought had been given to repositioning the net along the edge of the grassed area but this could attract abuse and damage. Agreement to the pre-application for planning had been received from TVBC but the full application would require a fee of £352 which the Cricket Club could not readily afford. Councillors thought it reasonable for the Parish Council to submit the application on behalf of Cricket Club at the Council’s reduced fee and Cllr Fahy would let the Clerk have the necessary paperwork.
49.2 Proposed Cllr Bevan, Seconded Cllr Room, RESOLVED with six votes in favour and three abstentions, Cllrs Fahy, Harwood and Werrett, that the Parish Council submits a formal planning application for the erection of a safety net adjacent to the rear wall of the new houses on behalf of the Cricket Club.
Cllr Bevan left the meeting at this point. As he was not standing for re-election, all present offered him their sincere thanks for more than three decades of service to the community
50. To consider changing the Council’s name
50.1 Cllr Bidwell introduced some reasons for changing the Council’s name to avoid on-going confusion with the PCC (Parochial Church Council) and to reflect more accurately the movement towards communities and grass root local government. Although there was no pressure to change, it was thought appropriate to take a show of hands on the subject at the forthcoming Annual Assembly. (See also para 44.1)
Action: Clerk
51. To consider the need to review Standing Orders in the light of new technology
51.1 Cllr Werrett introduced his view that Standing Orders should better reflect the standards expected of councillors when exchanging information by any means offered by modern technology. The Clerk was obtaining professional; advice on a suitable form of words and he and Cllr Werrett would table an amendment at the June meeting.
Action: Cllr Werrett and Clerk
52. To consider a response to Hampshire County Council’s consultation on subsidised bus services
52.1 The Clerk had previously circulated the consultation document which had been designed more for individual responses than a parish council. However, it was agreed that the consultation was important and to this end every effort should be made by individuals to respond by the 31 May deadline. The Clerk would place an article in The Gauntlet and all noted that access to the document was available on http://www3.hants.gov.uk/passengertransport/busreview.htmAction: All and Clerk
53. To determine improved means of preventing damage by vehicles to the Village Green
53.1 A local resident had offered an additional large stone to help prevent damage to the Village Green.
53.2 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Fahy, RESOLVED with Cllr Pidgeon abstaining that an additional stone be installed on the Village Green.
54. To consider appropriate signage at the entrance to the King’s Somborne recreation ground
54.1 Following the permission given to the Village Hall Management Committee to erect a new sign at the slip road entrance to the recreation ground, it was decided to take no further action on a second sign at the main entrance at this time. Introducing a one-way system was also discussed but not widely supported.
55. To receive a recommendation to add names to the War Memorial
55.1 Cllr Pearson’s research had identified three names of War Dead omitted from the War Memorial. However, as the omission might have been deliberate and the dates of death were decades ago, it was thought unlikely that next of kin could be contacted to give their permission and thus no further action would be taken at this time. The names in question were – Samuel Chilvers, Frederick William Sheppard and William Claud Frederick Barker-Mill.
56. To receive Councillors’ reports
56.1 Cllr Pearson had attended the CPRE AGM at which concern had been expressed at the delegation of planning decision to parish councils although a wider role was cautiously welcomed as was the removal of housing targets. He undertook to inform CPRE of major planning applications within our area to enable them to become aware of significant changes in the countryside.
Action: Cllr Pearson
56.2 Cllr Fahy confirmed he had taken reporting action on the uneven pavement along the Winchester Road, the need to replace the missing village entry sign at the top of Furzedown Road and his opinion that the hedge on the corner of Winchester Road with the junction to Ashley needed trimming back to enhance safety on the corner.
56.3 Cllr Harwood reported that the biodiversity area had now been sprayed and that he would publish plans for the area in The Gauntlet soon.
Action: Cllr Harwood
57. To receive the Clerk’s monthly report
57.1 The Clerk reported on the Village Conversation organised by TVBC, the aim of which had been to identify those areas of concern to the elderly where service providers were not meeting aspirations. 31 residents had attended together with representatives from the Department of Health, TVBC Customer Relations, HCC Customer Relations, Testway Housing, the Fire Service, Community Action and Age Concern. Eventually, a report would be published with the findings of all the conversations held in Test Valley and a plan for the way ahead.
57.2 Hampshire Highways had agreed to mark off a restricted parking area outside the entrance to the Church to allow the hearse to park unimpeded.
58. Date, time and place of next meeting
58.1 The next meeting will be on Monday 16 May 2011 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne.
Action: All
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.55pm by thanking all councillors for their support during his term of office and in particular during his absence on health grounds.