Parish Council
Parish Council minutes March 2010
KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hallcommencing at 7.00pm on Monday 1 March 2010
Present: Cllr R Dyke (Chairman) Cllr D Bidwell Cllr F Fahy 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
The Chairman invited all present to join him in a short silence in memory of Mr Ken Tull, past Chairman of the Parish Council
Debbie Scard put the case for a youth shelter on behalf of the youngsters in the Parish and the Clerk would obtain details on designs and costs.
Action: Clerk
PC Benton stated there had been minimal crime over recent weeks. He also undertook to speak to the School about the need to have a school travel plan in being before any thought would be given by HCC to marked road crossings.
Action: PC Benton
Mr Matthews, the Tree Warden, confirmed he had planted some of the new trees on the 3 Fields site and in the Cemetery. He had also purchased blackthorn hedging for the gap in the 3 Fields hedgerow by the play area. It was agreed that before this was planted, the Clerk would arrange for a short chain link fence to be installed to prevent people taking a short cut whilst the new hedge was growing.
Action: Clerk
The Clerk would also hasten Testway Housing for a decision on planting new trees on their land in The Gorrings and all agreed further thought needed to be given to the problem of litter around the Parish and volunteer action to clear up affected areas. This would on the agenda for the next meeting.
Action: Clerk
Mr Mackintosh and Mr Vanderpump spoke on the management of the Village Hall and confirmed that the Development Committee was now back up to strength and concentrating on Phase 3, the renovation of the pavilion area. It was also confirmed that copies of the minutes and agenda for meetings were posted on the village website and the agenda would, in future, be placed on the parish notice boards inviting anyone interested to attend committee meetings. An architect had been engaged to plan the pavilion renovation to best advantage and work was due to start at the end of the football season. It was noted this might preclude cricket teams from using the showers and toilets. Help was sought in approaching the owners of the land adjacent to the Village Hall with a possible view to purchase some and the Clerk would follow this up.
Action: Clerk
The meeting was then closed to the public
1. Apologies for Absence
1.1 Apologies had been received from Cllrs Bevan and Werrett and Borough Cllr Ward.
2. Announcements by the Chairman
2.1 None made.
3. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1 February 2010
3.1 Proposed Cllr Pidgeon, Seconded Cllr Fahy, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2010 be accepted as a true record.
4. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
4.1 Para 4.1 Cllrs Fahy and Lane were taking forward the suggestion of a petition from the children who had to cross the road at the junction of Strawberry Lane and Winchester Road.
Action: Cllrs Fahy and Lane
4.2 Para 10.1 TVBC had advised that a device could be installed which would collect data to enable Councillors to evaluate the benefits of purchasing a second speed indicator device. It was agreed the device should be installed at either end of the A3057 as it passes through the Village.
Action: Clerk to arrange
4.3 Para 15.2 It was agreed that the wording of the covering letter advising the allocation of a grant should reflect the need for sight of an invoice, contract or receipt, before payment of any money except in the case of an outright donation.
Action: Clerk
4.4 Para 15.4 The Clerk would investigate the provision of granite blocks for the Village Green to deter vehicles from gouging out the grass surface.
Action: Clerk
5. Declarations of Interest
5.1 None declared.
6. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
6.1 The Clerk drew Members’ attention to a letter from Sandra Gidley MP on unallocated developers’ contributions held by TVBC and was able to assure Members that he had claimed all money possible to date under the scheme. He had also received a copy of the TVBC Draft Access Plan for information. No further action was thought necessary at this time.
7. To receive reports on planning applications considered and determined
7.1 The following responses had been made to recent planning applications received:
* Somborne garage site – amended plan to the garage and work space of House 1 – no objection and the reply would include specific mention of the allocation of any developer’s contribution to improve the village amenity facilities. The Clerk would express Members’ concern at the untidy state of the area to TVBC.
Action: Clerk
* Rookley Farm, Winchester Road – removal of existing building and erection of garage with storage above – no objection
7.2 Cllr Lane expressed concern on behalf of Up Somborne residents over the increase in large vehicles using Strawberry Lane to access industrial units at the top end of the hamlet. The Clerk would relay this to TVBC, Borough Cllr Ward and County Cllr Gibson suggesting HCC review the size of vehicles allowed to use the road.
Action: Clerk
7.3 The following decisions had been notified by Test Valley Borough Council:
King’s Somborne Village Hall – sports pavilion refurbishment – permitted
* Horsebridge Farm – changes to buildings – refused as not in keeping
* Moorcourt, Palace Close – extension – permitted
* Sunnyside View, Stockbridge Road – change of use of farm buildings – permitted
* Park Farm, Somborne Park Road – change of use of farm buildings – permitted
* Jessamine, Romsey Road – two storey extension – permitted
8. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
8.1 The budget monitoring report showing income and expenditure to date had been circulated with the agenda. All noted that 86% of the budget had been spent and that the Council’s bank balances stood at £21,076.03.
8.2 The Clerk reported success in obtaining a capital grant of £6,604 and developers’ contributions of £2,650.23 from TVBC towards the remaining costs of upgrading the children’s play equipment in the King’s Somborne recreation ground. There remained a balance to find of £3,953 and the Clerk suggested this be funded by utilising next year’s budget for playground equipment of £2,000 with the balance coming from capital reserves. When completed the cost of the upgrade would total £25,417.
8.3 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Bidwell RESOLVED unanimously that the balance necessary to fund the playground equipment upgrade be found from next year’s budget and capital reserves.
9. Payment of Accounts
9.1 Proposed Cllr Bidwell, Seconded Cllr Pidgeon, RESOLVED with Cllr Pearson abstaining (personal interest) that the following accounts for February be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 622.67 622.67 1587
HMRC Tax/NIC 175.66 175.66 1588
BPC Shared costs 15.00 15.00 1589
Cllr Pearson Expenses 12.80 12.80 1590
TVBC Dog bins/hedge 981.64 171.79 1153.43 1591
KS Village Hall N’hood Watch hire 10.00 10.00 1592
Hants Playing Fields Annual sub 20.00 20.00 1593
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 31.25 31.25 1594
AJP Log Bird boxes 260.00 45.00 305.00 1595
Methodist Church Hire contribution 150.00 150.00 1596
Totals 2279.02 216.79 2495.81
10. To receive a formal application from the Village Hall Development Committee for a capital grant
10.1 Members noted the formal application for a grant towards the pavilion renovation in the Village Hall for which £4,000 had been budgeted this year and previously approved and paid.
11. To receive reports from Members on external meetings at which they had represented the Parish Council or attended in any other capacity
11.1 Cllrs Dyke and Fahy had attended a meeting of the Village Hall management committee.
12. To receive Councillors’ reports, as appropriate, on actions taken on lead and other matters
12.1 Cllr Harwood reported he now had possession of 40 bird boxes and would write an article for The Gauntlet seeking other interested people to take ownership of these boxes. He would issue guidelines for best practice and approach the school to engender interest amongst staff and pupils.
Action: Cllr Harwood
12.2 Cllr Bidwell reported that there was no further news on the establishment of a pre-school although it appeared that the Junior School was now leading on this.
13. To receive the Clerk’s monthly report
13.1 The Clerk reported that the Winchester Archaeological Society now had English Heritage agreement to undertake an exploratory dig into the mounds on the John O’Gaunt field to establish if they contained any items of historical value or interest before excavation began on building the all-weather path connecting the School to the Village Hall.
13.2 The Clerk also reported that the electricity generating board would soon be burying the overhead cable which crossed the 3 Fields site to prevent further loss of power to the village in adverse weather.
13.3 A delay had arisen in the planning for the affordable housing project because of the need to undertake a flood risk assessment before formal submission of the planning application.
14. To receive reports on the Parish recreational facilities and Cemetery
14.1 Cllr Pidgeon reported concern at the overgrowth on the footpath from Eldon Road to Braishfield and the broken stile on the footpath behind Riverside Green. The Clerk would follow this up.
Action: Clerk
15. Date, time and place of next meeting
15.1 The next meeting will be on Monday 12 April 2010 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, King’s Somborne.