KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Annual General Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 8 May 2017

Present: Cllr R Lane (Chairman)
Cllr A Brock
Cllr H Griffith
Cllr R Harwood
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr R Sutton

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

Public Session

Mr R Dyke (Open Spaces Warden), two members of the public and C/Cllr Gibson were present for part of the meeting.

C/Cllr Gibson confirmed he was trying to establish a meeting to discuss haunching the stream bank. He was also challenging Hampshire Highways’ methodology for roads maintenance and he welcomed the Parish Council’s offer to check on maintenance allegedly completed by the contractor before the work was signed off.

67. Election of Chairman

67.1 Two proposals for Chairman were tabled. The second proposal by Cllr Griffith, seconded by Cllr Hughes that Cllr Brock be elected Chairman attracted three votes for. It was then proposed by Cllr Harwood, seconded Cllr Hughes and RESOLVED with four votes for and two abstentions that Cllr Lane be elected Chairman of the Parish Council for 2017 -18.

67.2 In accepting the appointment, Cllr Lane paid tribute to the outgoing Chairman, Cllr Harwood, for his application to and enthusiasm for his role as Chairman.

68. Election of Vice-Chairman

68.1 Proposed Cllr Griffith, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED unanimously that Cllr Brock be elected Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council for 2017 -18.

69. Apologies for Absence

69.1 Cllrs Curtis, Fahy and Whitehead.

70. Election of Chairman of the Planning Committee

70.1 Proposed Cllr Lane, Seconded Cllr Brock, RESOLVED unanimously that Cllr Harwood be elected Chairman of the Planning Committee for 2017 -18.

71. Appointments 2017 -18

71.1 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Brock, RESOLVED unanimously that the following appointments be made for 2017 – 18:

Chairman of Council Cllr Rob Lane 388792
Vice-Chairman of Council Cllr Andrew Brock 388227

Committees/Working Groups
Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group – Cllrs Brock (lead), Hughes, Lane and Sutton

Planning Committee
Chairman – Cllr Harwood 01264 810314
Members – Cllrs Curtis, Fahy, Lane and Sutton

Other appointments – Lead Councillor
a. Village Hall Management Committee Cllr Fahy 388314
b. Council for the Protection of Rural England Cllr Fahy 388314
c. Neighbourhood Watch Cllr Brock 388227
d. Flood Action Group Cllr Griffith 389524
e. Schools and Scouts liaison Cllr Curtis 389373
Cllr Hughes 07585 230078
f. Test Valley Assn of Local Councils Cllr Lane 388792
g. Farming community liaison Cllr Brock 388227
h. Sports and recreational facilities Cllr Harwood 01264 810314
Cllr Hughes 07585 230078
i. Highways, transport and road safety Cllr Sutton 07939 861749
j. Up Somborne liaison Cllr Lane 388792
k. Biodiversity Cllr Hughes 07585 230078
l. Horsebridge liaison Cllr Curtis 389373
m. Utilities liaison Cllr Brock 388227
n. Communications co-ordination Cllr Sutton 07939 861749
o. Eldon Road liaison Cllr Sutton 07939 861749
Volunteers
p. Footpath Warden Mr Duncan Gould 388049
q. Tree Warden Mr Colin Matthews 388272
r. Open Space Wardens Mr Richard Dyke 388525
s. Community Speedwatch Mr Terry Heffernan 07834 483384
Clerk Mr Peter Storey 389688
Cemetery interments, records and maintenance
Play equipment maintenance
Parish notice boards

72. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions

72.1 Cllr Lane thanked everyone for his election and confirmed he was looking forward to the year ahead.

73. To accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 3 April 2017

73.1 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Griffith, RESOLVED with Cllr Harwood abstaining (absent) that the minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2017 be accepted as a true record.

74. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes

74.1 Para 56.1 Cllr Sutton was awaiting sight of the contract from the potential providers of the new website.
Action: Cllr Sutton

74.2 Para 60.4 Caroline Nokes MP had supported our request that EE provide a back up energy source to prevent loss of the Broadband facility in the event of a power cut; a reply was awaited.

74.3 Para 65.5. Following further investigation into the funding of the art exhibition and the previously approved grant of up to £100, Councillors now thought it inappropriate to help finance this exhibition in view of its commercial aspect. Consequently, the grant approval was withdrawn and the organiser informed accordingly
.
75. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations

75.1 None declared or sought.

75.2 The Clerk reminded Councillors it was an annual legal requirement for them to notify the TVBC monitoring officer of any changes necessary to their recorded declarations of interest. Those present confirmed either no change or had submitted a revised declaration. When absent councillors had also responded, the Clerk would confirm as necessary to TVBC.
Action: Clerk

76. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required

76.1 The Clerk had been notified of a petition raised by Eldon Road residents and submitted to TVBC regarding the risks of accident posed by increased traffic along the length of the road. Councillors noted this although those living on or in the area of Eldon Road claimed to be unaware of it. The Clerk would follow up with the petition organisers.
Action: Clerk

77. To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 3 and 24 April 2017

77.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 3 and 24 April 2017 had been circulated with the agenda.

77.2 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 3 and 24 April 2017 be received and accepted.

78. Councillors’ Reports

78.1 Cllr Hughes reported that Aster were increasing their garage rents from £40 to £80 per month to the concern of some tenants. The Scouts had completed a litter pick of community areas and an apiarist (bee keeper) would be visiting the School to introduce the children to bees. She also notified Councillors of an increasing amount of messaging on Facebook relating to the volume of traffic on the Romsey Road and the dangers this posed conjoined with an appeal to the Parish Council for action. Because roads management was not a Parish Council responsibility, it being Hampshire Highways, Cllr Sutton would draft a Facebook response and invite those concerned to attend a future Parish Council meeting to voice their concerns.
Action: Cllr Sutton

78.2 Cllr Brock confirmed the legal necessities relating to the transfer of the recreation ground title from Fields in Trust to the Parish Council had now been completed bar registration with the Land Registry. This was noted and completion would now enable the parties involved to sign the necessary easements allowing SSE Contracting to underground the supply cables across the site to minimise the risk of future power cuts.

78.3 Cllr Sutton informed Councillors that EE broadband customers could now claim against the company for any financial loss incurred as a result of power cuts. From 12 May 2017, potential clients of Virgin Media’s broadband could sign up to their supply. A one-off contribution would be required for connection and a minimum of 1000 applicants was required; a higher number would likely reduce the connection cost. Virgin Media would be present at the Fun Day/Horticultural Show on Saturday 22 July 2017. Cllr Sutton would draft an article for The Gauntlet.
Action: Cllr Sutton

78.4 Cllr Harwood had spoken at the Southern Area Planning Committee meeting at which the Gladman application had been considered and subsequently rejected. 28 local residents had also been present but no representative from the Company. He was also pleased to note the recreation ground had been treated for weed growth but saddened that the cricket hut roof had been vandalised.

78.5 In answer to a query about notice board access, the Clerk confirmed the unlocked notice boards around the Parish were available for any person or organisation to display notices although priority would be given to Council notices. However, the two locked notice boards did not allow such easy access being currently under the control of Cllr Fahy. It was thought the ‘free for all’ approach should be adopted for all notice board and to this end, Cllr Brock proposed with Cllr Sutton seconding that arrangements should be made to enable this to happen; some minor modification would be necessary to the two locked boards.
Action: Clerk and Cllr Fahy

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

79.1 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers. This was noted.

79.2 The RFO drew Councillors’ attention to a request from one of the dog training groups for a reduction in the increased monthly hire charge for use of the field. The previous charge of £20 had been increased to £50 for 2017-18.

79.3 Proposed Cllr Harwood, Seconded Cllr Brock, RESOLVED unanimously to reduce the hire charge for using the recreation ground for dog training from £50 to £40 for 2017 -18.

80. Payment of Accounts

80.1 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Harwood, RESOLVED unanimously that the following accounts for April 2017 be approved for payment:

To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 710.58 3.82 714.40 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 429.66 429.66 Int
Legal & General Staff pension 58.39 58.39 DD
TV Com Svcs Minibus hire 50+ 91.10 91.10 Int
Mr M Rebbeck Grounds maint 747.00 747.00 Int
KSVH IT training 30.00 30.00 Int
Totals 2066.73 3.82 2070.55

81. To approve the Annual Governance Statement

81.1 The RFO introduced the procedure for signing off the Annual Return for the year just ended and drew Councillors’ attention to the meaning of each section. Councillors noted the Council had been selected as one of the 5% of parish councils to be externally audited in depth which meant providing more information to the auditors than normally required; the second time the Council had been selected in the past decade.

81.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the Annual Governance Statement be approved for the year 2016 – 17.

82. To approve the Accounting Statements for 2016 -17

82.1 The RFO tabled the Accounting Statements for the year ended 31 March 2017 for discussion and approval.

82.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the Accounting Statements for the year 2016 -17 be approved.

83. To approve the Financial Accounts for 2016 – 17

83.1 The Financial Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017 had been circulated with the agenda papers.

83.2 Proposed Cllr Brock, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the Financial Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017 be approved

84. Fun Day/Horticultural Show participation

84.1 Cllr Hughes confirmed that arrangements for the Fun Day to be held in conjunction with the Horticultural Show were progressing. The Clerk reminded Councillors that the Council would have a stand on the recreation ground to highlight actions taken by the Council, together with members of the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group and our Borough Councillor, and the Police, to enable members of the public to ask questions on matters of particular interest.

85. Annual Assembly review

85.1 The Annual Assembly had been held in the Village Hall on 4 May 2017 with Councillors and 21 parishioners attending. The guest speaker was a police officer from the Hampshire Police Cyber Crime Unit. The arrangements had worked well although some thought would be given next year to ways of increasing the public attendance. A full set of minutes is on the Council website.
Action: All

86. Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) progress

86.1 Cllr Brock reported that Steering Group members continued with drafting the NDP. Regrettably, one of the group leaders had now stood down and some rationalisation with TVBC of how people on the waiting list for social housing at TVBC were quantified, was necessary. Cllr Brock would take this up with the appropriate staff.

87. Clerk’s monthly report

87.1 The lease by the Council from TVBC of Top Field and the John O’Gaunt Field was being renegotiated and draft Heads of Terms had been submitted for comment. Cllr Brock and the Clerk would respond with suggested amendments/additions and a draft lease would be tabled for approval in due course. There was agreement that, if possible, the Council’s interest in acquiring full title should be pursued.

87.2 Investigation into having a full time dedicated PCSO had shown the likely cost to be £28,993pa. It was therefore highly unlikely that the Council could afford to follow this up although the Clerk was making further enquiries.
Action: Clerk

87.3 Representatives of the community, led by Mr Terry Heffernan, had put together a synopsis of King’s Somborne Village and entered it into Channel 4’s Village of the Year competition. The short list result was awaited.

87.4 PCSO Claudia Pattison was earmarked to become our new PCSO from the end of the month, replacing PCSO Storm Perrott.
87.5 The Clerk had provided letters of support in the name of the Council to the landowner of the field at the Romsey end of the Village in his quest for funding from HCC Countryside Access funds to
replace the two kissing gates and also to Cross Stores to gain funding from the HCC Community Fund to upgrade the premises.

88. Date, time and place of next meeting

88.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 12 June 2017 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne. (Previous Monday already booked by another)

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.40pm