Parish Council

Parish Council Minutes February 2006

KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council
Held in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne
Commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 6 February 2006

Present: Cllr D Bidwell (Chairman)
Cllr R B W 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: Seven members of the public and a member of the press were present. A query was raised on a report in the Hampshire Chronicle implying there had not been any adverse comment on the skate ramp noise when in fact the comment related to the installation of the ramp itself. Other comments on ways of reducing sound levels were made by those present and are reported below. It was also confirmed that the revised speed limits for the A3057 should be introduced before the end of March.

1. Announcements by the Chairman

1.1 The Chairman made no specific announcements.

2. Reports from the Tree Warden, Footpath Warden and others

2.1 The Footpath Warden reported that a very successful Village Walk had been held recently with 39 walkers. She also reported that a number of rabbit holes along footpath 15 could cause accident and injury and that the footpath sign at grid reference 361309 is out of its concrete base; remedial action was recommended in both cases.
Action: Clerk to contact HCC to establish who is responsible for making safe the rabbit-hole damage and also who should replace the signpost.

2.2 The Tree Warden suggested that a group of interested parish residents should walk round the key areas with a view to producing a parish tree planting and husbandry plan. (This could embrace the Edmond’s legacy requirement – see paragraph 5.8)
Action: Chairman and Tree Warden

3. Apologies for Absence

3.1 Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Geary-Harwood and Cllr Bevan.

4. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 9 January 2006

4.1 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously, subject to minor amendment, to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 January 2006.

5. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes

5.1 Cemetery gates. Cllr Dyke was still investigating further.
Action: Cllr Dyke to undertake further investigation on design and costs and report back in due course.

5.2 Kissing gate. Cllr Dyke tabled his recommendations on a redesigned gate available from Centrewire Ltd which would allow pushchair and disabled access into the Three Fields site at an estimated cost of £800 including VAT.
Action: Clerk to investigate availability of grants and place on agenda for next meeting.

5.3 Youth Shelter. Because of the likely high cost of provision, it thought appropriate to sound out the
views of the local youth on need, style, and location, before taking any further action. The Chairman suggested that this would probably best be done by inviting young people to a widely publicised meeting in the Village Hall.
Action: Cllrs Bevan, Geary-Harwood and Pidgeon to arrange

5.4 Parish website. Cllr Gannaway reported that the Parish website was testing successfully and would soon be available for Members to review.

5.5 German Memorial. The Clerk had hastened the German Embassy and would continue to monitor.
Action: Clerk

5.6 Tree by School. The tree had been pruned.

5.7 Planning applications. The procedures for considering planning applications had been reviewed and were now thought to be satisfactory.

5.8 Edmond’s legacy and Three Fields Site. The Chairman was following up on tree planting and management of the Three Fields site.
Action: Chairman

5.9 Headstones safety. The Clerk confirmed that no contractural obligation existed between Council and IMI regarding headstones safety inspections and it was thought appropriate to place the matter in abeyance for the time being.

5.10 Office furniture. The surplus office furniture had been sold for £25.

5.11 Health and safety at work. A self-assessment of the health and safety at work conditions relating to the Clerk working from home had been signed by the Chairman.

5.12 Recycling materiel. The Clerk had contacted TVBC regarding specific notices stating that cardboard should not be placed in the waste paper container on the King’s Somborne recreation ground and was told that none existed, although the waste container itself displayed a prohibition sign. The reason for not putting cardboard in this container was that the container contents go directly to the paper recycling company for newsprint which excludes cardboard. TVBC would be reviewing all waste collection sites and notices in the next financial year.

5.13 27 Scott Close rubbish. This has been removed.

5.14 Cricket Club grant in aid. A bid will be submitted in the near future.

5.15 RoSPA playground safety checks. The playground equipment will be routinely inspected by RoSPA in May 2006.

6. Declarations of Interest

6.1 None declared.

7. To consider Correspondence Received

7.1 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 if required.

8. Report on Planning Applications Considered

8.1 No planning meeting had been held since the last meeting of the Parish Council.

9. RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring

9.1 Budget monitoring and income and expenditure. The Clerk reviewed the actual spend against budget up to 31 January 2006 and highlighted the adverse effect on the running totals by virtue of the capital spend on playground equipment authorised earlier in the year and recommended that a virement be made to reflect more accurately the impact on the budget of that earlier decision. Cllr Harwood wished for a column reflecting forecast outturn to be included, at least in the quarterly statements; the Clerk would amend the format accordingly. A copy of the comparison is attached to these Minutes.

9.2 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Gannaway, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood abstaining, that £9000 be vired from General Reserves to the Playground Equipment budget to reflect the capital expenditure incurred over budget earlier in the year.

9.3 Councillors noted that the Cash Book was with the internal auditor to correct some arithmetic errors not identified at handover in order for the Clerk to produce a monthly reconciliation with the bank accounts.

10. Payment of Accounts

10.1 Proposed Cllr Pearson, Seconded Cllr Room, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts be paid:

Cancelled cheque Cheque 1178
Inland Revenue tax £199.16 1179
TVBC emptying dog bins £768.03 1180
Colourworld Parish Plan printing £2201.00 1181
Panasonic copier rental £94.95 1182
Bishopstoke PC shared expenses/consumables £99.00 1183
Mr P Storey salary and expenses £412.33 1184
HCC shared Partnership Scheme £1099.58 1185

11. Management of Parish bank accounts

11.1 The Clerk confirmed that all Members were now authorised cheque signatories. However, the bank required a resolution from Council authorising it to accept verbal and internet instruction from the Clerk.

11.2 Proposed Cllr Room, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED unanimously that cheques drawn on the King’s Somborne Parish Council LloydsTSB account should continue to be signed by the Clerk and any two Councillors; that transfers between King’s Somborne Parish Council accounts could be made on the instruction of the Clerk only; and that should it suit the Clerk’s purpose account management could be undertaken over the internet.

12. Reports by Members on External Meetings at which they have represented the Parish Council or have attended in any other capacity

12.1 Cllr Pearson reported on the Planning Service User Group meeting at which – public comments on the Local Plan Review modifications were to be made by 3 March, the Inspector’s report was being studied with TVBC’s response published early this month and further comments received by May with the aim of adopting the Local Plan in July; the Local Development Framework, which was the revised system of preparing planning policy documents, had generated eleven objections which had been forwarded to ODPM and had also generated criticism of the pre-application meetings with developers and the public’s feeling of unease over these meetings; TVBC had met or exceeded nearly all of the targets set and had received various grants from Central Government; and that TVBC was aware of the growth in ‘highway advertising’ and carried out regular clean up operations on unauthorised displays.

12.2 The Chairman tabled a paper from the Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee in which the financial state of the Hall was reviewed. Major areas of concern included the heating and plumbing systems, the need to electrically rewire, vandal damage and major refurbishment in general. Charges levied on users were in the upper quartile of those charged by similar of better equipped halls and thus did not leave much scope for increase if the Management Committee was to look to self-funding to meet its needs. In sum, the paper identified current funding problems and other risk areas but did not outline how it was intended to address these and, whilst Councillors recognised the important part played by the Hall in the fabric of the Village, they felt unable to make any positive gestures at this time, preferring to keep the matter under review.

13. To consider the report and recommendations by Cllr Gannaway on the skate ramp

13.1 Cllr Gannaway’s report had been circulated before the meeting and had generated much discussion in the open public session. Much technical detail and opinion was provided by Professor Frank Fahy who lives in the Village and was prepared to undertake various studies. In discussing ways of deadening sound, Cllr Pearson thought grassed over earth bunds at one or both ends of the ramp structure would have an effect and breeze block walls under the ramp could also absorb noise but Professor Fahy supported the concept recommended in the report of installing Zintec self-adhesive damping sheets onto the existing half pipe, and considered this was likely to be the most effective option although it was recognised that this would have little or no effect on the irregular noise made by some methods of boarding. Leisuremark, who had installed the ramp, were completing a sound deadening task at another site and it was decided to await the outcome of this before determining the way ahead.
Action: Cllr Gannaway to monitor

14. To determine replacement/new notice boards for the Parish

14.1 Thought had been given previously to installing a notice board in Horsebridge and Cllr Pidgeon would review this.
Action: Cllr Pidgeon

15. To determine action required from recommendations outlined in the Parish Plan

15.1 Details of actions required had been circulated to those identified as being or accepting responsibility and it now remained for Council to determine its own way ahead. It was decided to make these deliberations the subject of a separate meeting on Monday 20 February.
Action: Councillors

16. Cemetery/Churchyard

16.1 As agreed earlier in the meeting, no further action, other than continuing with visual inspections on a regular basis, was thought appropriate for the time being.

17. Clerk’s Report

17.1 The Clerk reported that one of the two signs at the entrance to the Cemetery was missing and it was agreed costs of replacing should be obtained.

17.2 It was decided not to renew the subscription for Local Councils Update publication

17.3 Costs of upwards to £400 were likely to be incurred in staff preparation time and stationery in producing the required copies of the Parish Council portfolio for assessment as part of the Quality Parish accreditation. It was thought prudent to delay evidence gathering until late in the year when the requirements could be more readily identified.

17.4 Leaf collection. It was agreed in principle to arrange for a leaf collection around the Memorial Green and adjacent areas before the Remembrance Day service and early Spring.

18. Highway Matters

18.1 The chevron road signs and marker posts on the bend in Winchester Road by the Ashley junction required repair or replacement.
Action: Clerk to inform Hampshire Highways

19. Test Valley Borough Council Matters

19.1 No matters for discussion.

20. Recreational Facilities

20.1 Up Somborne RG. Cllr Lane reported a rabbit problem which the Clerk would follow up with Mike Rebbick
Action: Clerk

20.2 Renovation of seats and John o’Gaunt’s signs. The Clerk would progress the staining of these items with Mike Rebbeck.
Action: Clerk

20.3 Removal/amendment to wording on John o’ Gaunt’s Palace signposts. To be placed on a future agenda for deliberation in accordance with the 6 month rule.
Action: Clerk

20.4 KSRC. Cllr Harwood sought an assurance that the cricket outfield would enjoy an early cut.
Action: Clerk

21. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

21.1 The next meeting of the Parish Council would be held on Monday 6 March 2006 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the Meeting at 9.20pm