KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 5 October 2015

Present: Cllr R Harwood (Chairman)
Cllr A Brock
Cllr J Evans
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr R Lane
Cllr R Sutton

In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)

Public Session

Mr Dyke (Open Spaces Warden) and 11 members of the public were present for part of the meeting.

Mr Vanderpump, on behalf of the Muss Lane protest group, updated Councillors on action taken to date and confirmed the group had sought professional advice which had opined that the action taken thus far was not considered permitted development but a material change of use. Group representatives would meet with Aster Housing again and with TVBC Head of Planning to discuss further. It had also been established there was a ransom strip at the entrance to the property probably owned by the developer who might no longer exist; both HCC and TVBC had disclaimed any ownership. It was also reported that residents had allegedly suffered verbal abuse and that this had been reported to the Police. The Chairman thanked Mr Vanderpump for the update and thought it appropriate to invite an Aster representative to the next Parish Council to discuss the situation. In the meantime, the Clerk would represent the Council at the forthcoming meeting with Head of Test Valley Planning and write to Hampshire Highways seeking agreement to defer installation of the dropped kerb until the matter of the ransom strip was clarified.
Action: Clerk

Mr Reeve asked for an update on whether the mobile pizza van mentioned in the previous minutes would be operating from the recreation ground. Following consideration by the Council, the request had been passed to the Working Men’s Club to see if they were willing to host the van and a response was awaited.

Mrs Chapman requested help in getting BT to repair the fence on the slip road bordering her property which the Clerk would follow up.
Action: Clerk

Mrs Qassim from Cross Stores sought the Council’s support in her bid to resist the Post Office’s plan to change the terms of her contract and convert the post office facility currently operating into a counter service from within the shop. This change would reduce the number of services especially in the availability of cash and benefit withdrawals. The Post Office argument was that although fewer services would be available they would be available for longer hours. Mrs Qassim had unsuccessfully applied for Community Branch Status which, if it had been agreed, would have kept her contract and the range of services available as at present. This had been rejected on the grounds that a suitable alternative retailer existed within half a mile (Corner Stores). Councillors supported Mrs Qassim and the Clerk would write to the Post Office in her support.
Action: Clerk

148. Apologies for Absence

148.1 Cllr Curtis; Cllr Whitehead not present; B/Cllr Ward.

149. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions

149.1 None made.

150. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7 September 2015

150.1 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Evans, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2015 be accepted as a true record.

151. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes

151.1 Para 136.1 Cllr Lane was progressing the installation of a Yield sign at the junction of Church Road/A3057.

151.2 Para 136.2 The Environment Agency had confirmed their intention to clear the vegetation from The Borne during October but the residue would be left on the banks for a few days before removal to allow it to dry and for insect life to relocate.

151.3 Para 142.2 Cllr Fahy had undertaken considerable research into alternative speed indicator devices (SID) and speed limiter reminder (SLR) devices. Research showed that solar power was not that reliable. The preferred choice elsewhere was a device which showed the speed of the passing vehicle with an ability to collect data for further analysis and/or follow up action. Councillors expressed some doubt over the benefit of data collection and the additional work involved preferring to stay with the existing device for the time being. The Clerk had established that if the current and a new device were to be installed, the maintenance and rotation costs charged by TVBC would be double the existing charge of £815pa before any inflationary increases.

151.2 Cllr Fahy proposed that a new Radarlux device be purchased to supplement the existing device in an attempt to make motorists more speed aware but this proposal failed to attract a seconder.

152. Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations

152.1 None made or requested.

153. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required

153.1 The annual invitation to the Test Valley School Presentation Evening had been received and it was agreed that, if willing, Cllr Curtis would attend or if not, Cllr Harwood.

154. To receive Councillors’ Reports

154.1 Cllr Evans reported on the very informative planning seminar held by TVBC and how the parish council comments on planning applications were valued by the planning staff.

154.2 Cllr Fahy stressed the need for more action on road safety to reduce the risk of accident.

154.3 Cllr Brock briefed that the electricity cable burying across the 3 Fields site was still in the hands of the various legal departments of those involved and confirmed our legal interest would best be served by the solicitors previously retained on our behalf.

154.4 Cllr Lane drew Councillors’ attention to the Forest Extra appeal which had been upheld subject to certain conditions and to the two planning applications heard earlier in the evening.

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

155.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers.

155.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Lane, RESOLVED unanimously that the Budget Report be accepted as tabled.

156. Payment of Accounts

156.1 Proposed Cllr Evans, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for September 2015 be approved for payment:

To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 673.34 10.83 684.17 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 391.54 391.54 Int
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 895.00 895.00 Int
BDO External audit 400.00 80.00 480.00 Int
Mark Harrod Tennis net rods 36.00 7.20 43.20 Int
Totals 2395.88 98.03 2493.91

157. To approve and adopt the audited Annual Return for the year ended 31 March 2015

157.1 The external auditors required the formal approval and adoption of the Annual Return now that all action had been taken and the document had been returned for filing.

157.2 Proposed Cllr Sutton, Seconded Cllr Lane, RESOLVED unanimously that the Annual Return for the Financial Year 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 be formally approved and adopted now all necessary action had been taken.

158. Neighbourhood Plan progress

158.1 The Clerk reported that 59 responses to the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire had been received and that TVCB had helped to analyse these and produce into a spreadsheet. It was now TVBC’s intention to visit other borough councils with us to form a best practice approach to producing our Plan following which our steering group would be formed and an initial analysis made of the information currently held.

158.2 In view of this delay in proceedings, it was thought appropriate to remind people of the need to return the questionnaire through The Gauntlet, posters on the notice boards and hard copies of the questionnaire in the shops, Working Men’s Club and The Crown.
Action: Clerk

159. Clerk’s monthly report

159.1 The Clerk had attended the six-monthly TVBC Resilience meeting at which present arrangements to combat flooding and other risks were discussed. He had highlighted the value of having community flood wardens who knew the circumstances of vulnerable people in their areas and the need to avoid complacency. The meeting had agreed that a different approach was now timely to sustain interest in having resilience plans, identifying people responsible for their implementation and the on-going need to target parishes who were not sufficiently prepared.

159.2 The statutory period for electors to seek a poll to fill the current vacancy on the Council was about to expire, following which nominations would be called to elect by co-option.

159.3 The Parochial Church Council had determined that the cost of installing a new motherboard capable of taking the electricity supply to the Parish clock was not justified from their point of view. The Clerk would approach SSE to see if community funds were available from them to finance the
necessary rewiring and thus save the Parish Council the quarterly standing charge for electricity.
Action: Clerk

159.4 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED unanimously that if SSE community funds were not forthcoming, the Parish Council would offer a grant to the Parochial Church Council to fund the necessary rewiring and only pay for clock servicing in the future.

160. Date, time and place of next meeting

160.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 2 November 2015 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.35pm