KING’S SOMBORNE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held in the Epworth Hall commencing at 7.00pm on Monday 4 January 2016
Present: Cllr A Brock (Acting Chairman)
Cllr R Curtis
Cllr J Evans
Cllr F Fahy
Cllr K Hughes
Cllr R Sutton
In Attendance: Mr P J Storey (Clerk to King’s Somborne Parish Council)
Public Session
Mr Dyke (Open Spaces Warden) was present for part of the meeting and commented on the length of the grass in the toddlers’ play area.
1. Apologies for Absence
1.1 Cllrs Harwood and Lane; Cllr Whitehead not present.
2. Chairman’s announcements and Councillors’ questions
2.1 Cllr Brock welcomed everyone to the meeting and wished all present a Happy New Year.
3. To approve the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7 December 2015
3.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Evans, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2015 be accepted as a true record.
4. To consider any Matters Arising from those Minutes
4.1 Public session. Eldon Road estate parking. The Police had confirmed they could only act when there was an obstruction caused by inconsiderate vehicle parking; at other times it was the responsibility of the County Council to take action and they had adopted a flexible approach to this addressing each complaint as it arose. It was therefore advisable for all persons affected by inconsiderate parking to report it to Hampshire County Council for possible action. Similarly, it was thought appropriate for vehicles parked on land owned by Aster Housing to be reported to them.
Action: All
4.2 Public session. Aster Housing. Aster had declined to comment further or attend a Council meeting in response to the request for comment on the application of their mission statement; Councillors deemed this response very disappointing. Following advice from the internal auditor, public funds cannot be used to support the costs incurred by action groups or political parties and regrettably it would not be possible therefore to approve an application grant aid from the Nutchers Conservation Group in their action to obtain title to a ransom strip.
4.3 Para181.3 The hedge obscuring the slip road light on the approach to the Village Hall had now been cut.
4.4 Para 181.4 Cllr Brock was still hastening the Winchester Road haunching, defective street light repairs and completion of the legal paperwork at Fields in Trust to enable the overhead electricity supply lines to be buried across the 3 Fields site.
Action: Cllr Brock
4.5 Para 189.1 Consideration of nominations to be co-opted on to the Council to fill the current vacancy was deferred to the February meeting.
Action: Clerk
5. Declarations of Interest and requests for Dispensations
5.1 Cllr Evans declared an interest in the Payments tabled as she was a recipient.
6. To consider Correspondence Received and determine any action required
6.1 The Clerk drew Members’ attention to a letter from Caroline Nokes MP to the Chief Executive of Fields in Trust seeking their urgent action to conclude the legal paperwork necessary to allow the overhead electricity supply cables to be buried across the 3 Fields site.
7. To receive minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 7 December 2015
7.1 The minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 7 December 2015 had been circulated with the agenda.
7.2 Proposed Cllr Evans, Seconded Cllr Sutton, RESOLVED unanimously that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 7 December 2015 be received and accepted.
8. Councillors’ Reports
8.1 Cllr Curtis endorsed Mr Dyke’s comments about the grass length in the toddlers’ play area and also commented on the loose fitting of the entrance gate; the Clerk would review.
Action: Clerk
8.2 Cllr Fahy confirmed he had possession of the Veolia plaque from the MUGA which had been removed by persons unknown; the Clerk would refix.
Action: Clerk
9. To receive the RFO’s Report and Budget Monitoring
9.1 The Clerk confirmed that the interim internal audit would take place on 14 January 2016.
9.2 Changes were in train in the manner in which the external auditor was appointed and for parishes of our size HALC recommended we join with the Sector Led Body Audit procurement arrangements, the alternative being to research and appoint our own external auditor. Costs under the central procurement arrangements were likely to be slightly lower than those incurred at present if we were to join.
9.3 Proposed Cllr Sutton, Seconded Cllr Evans, RESOLVED unanimously that KSPC joined the Sector Lead Body Audit in the appointment of our external auditor.
Action: Clerk
9.4 A budget monitoring report had been circulated with the agenda papers.
9.5 Proposed Cllr Sutton, Seconded Cllr Evans, RESOLVED unanimously that the Budget Report be accepted as tabled.
10. Payment of Accounts
10.1 Proposed Cllr Curtis, Seconded Cllr Hughes, RESOLVED with Cllr Evans abstaining that the following accounts for December 2015 be approved for payment:
To For Net VAT Gross Chq/Internet
Mr P Storey Salary/expenses 617.30 617.30 Int
HMRC Tax/NIC 391.54 391.54 Int
BPC Shared expenses 21.70 21.70 Int
Conservatives Printing 30.00 30.00 Int
Cllr J Evans Refreshment reimbursement 106.75 106.75 Int
Methodist Church Room hire 2016 250.00 250.00 Int
Totals 1417.29 1417.29
11. Neighbourhood Development Plan progress
11.1 Cllr Brock, as lead councillor, briefed on the successful community meeting held on 16 December 2015 in the Village Hall at which 152 members of the community had attended with many volunteering to assist in the Plan’s production. Working groups would now be formed and their terms of reference agreed.
Action: Cllr Brock
12. Clerk’s monthly report
12.1 Following the NDP community meeting, it was thought appropriate to consider the purchase of a portable public address system; Cllr Evans would investigate.
Action: Cllr Evans
13. Date, time and place of next meeting
13.1 The next meeting would be on Monday 1 February 2016 at 7.00pm in the Epworth Hall, Winchester Road, King’s Somborne.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.10pm