DRAFT

MINUTES

LEIGH ON MENDIP PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

held on 17^th March 2008

at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall

Councillors Present Chris Cudmore – Chairman (CC), Frank Higgins (FH), Rose Martin (RM) Marsha Read (MR), Alf Smith (AS), Vicki Taylor (VT). Clerk – Sandrine Vaillant (SV). The meeting was attended by 2 parishioners (one representative of Rec Field Committee) and Gloria Cawood (GC), District Councillor.
		Action
1.0	Apologies
1.1	Apologies were received from Ty Schlechter and Phil Ham.
1.2	GC presented apologies for Claire Fleming.
2.0	Minutes of the last meeting & matters arising
2.1	The minutes of the meeting held on 18^th February 2007 were accepted with the following amendment: Marsha Read was present, not Rose Martin.
2.2	(2.9) East Mendip Partnership – VT confirmed attendance.
2.3	(7.4) Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment – Letter and issues dealt with by Simon Eames (Planning Policy Officer) or Nina Richards, responsible for generating and promoting affordable housing at MDC.
2.4	(8.0) Grants to Restore Mendip’s Landscape – Posters displayed. Action finished.
2.5	(4.1) Grit bags for road outside Whitehole Farm – Spot was visited and grit already present at the nearest available verge. Action finished.
2.6	(3.5) Rec. Field – Email received by the RFMC from District Councillor confirming that permission was not required for the car park resurfacing.
2.7	Rec. Field Development – It was confirmed that plans for the building extension had not been finalised.
2.8	(3.3) Post Offices – Information posted on website. Action complete.
	GC joins meeting.
2.9	(5.5) Audit – Action complete.
2.10	(6.1) Cemetery – New schedule of fees, cemetery rules and updated forms issued to local stone masons and Funeral Directors. Action finished. Clerk to distribute to Vicar.	SV
2.11	(8.1) Parish Plan – Draft a Welcome Pack. Action continues.	VT
2.12	(11.0) Speed gun – Possibility of borrowing a speed gun from Holcombe to be investigated through John Gardner. Action continues.	TS
2.13	(11.0) Link to school website – Link and Ofsted Report published on website. Action complete.
2.14	(16.2) Share the learning points from Clerk and new Councillors training – Action continues.	SV/RM/MR
2.15	(17.1) Vision for Frome (V4F) – Action finished.
2.16	(17.2) Obtain copy of LoM S106 Agreement – Action continues.	CF
	Representative of Rec. Field leaves meeting.
3.0	PCSO Report
3.1	PCSO unable to attend but confirmed that he had been visiting the church in the evenings following report of vandalism and that speed checks had been undertaken on roads around the parish.
4.0	District Councillors’ Reports
4.1	CG tabled report included in correspondence file.
4.2	Mendip Central & East Neighbourhood Forum – Date to be set.
4.3	CG congratulated the Rec. Field about the recycling facilities provided.
4.4	Chairman asked for DC’s advice about MDC’s invoice (elections). See 5.4.
4.5	Cookswood quarry – There was uncertainty as to whether planning permission for 40 wooden log cabins had been granted. Clerk to email CF to obtain clarification. Chairman asked whether PC would be advised if application went to Planning Board. GC was not aware of any further progress of this application.	SV
	GC leaves meeting.
5.0	Finance
5.1	Financial statements – Statement for 18^th February – 16^th March 2008 was not signed. Clerk to balance statements with cash record book and provide statement to 31^st March 2008 to reflect year-end figures.	SV
5.2	Parish Clerks’ wages – Cheque #530 agreed and signed.
5.3	Cemetery Clerks’ wages – Cheque #081 agreed and signed. Cheque #082 agreed and signed to reimburse Cemetery Clerk’s wages to current Parish account.
5.4	MDC (invoice 3003622) – Election costs. Payment is currently awaiting a reply from the Electoral Services Manager who had been invited to this meeting. Invoice not paid.	CC
5.5	SALC Membership Renewal – Cheque #531 agreed and signed.
5.6	Assets and risk audits – Audits undertaken. Clerk to provide reports.	SV
5.7	It was decided to hold transfer of funds from Savings Account as Precept is expected in April.
6.0	Cemetery
6.1	Acceptance of mowing & pruning contracts – contracts issued. Action complete.
7.0	Planning update
7.1	Withdrawal of Planning Application – Rookery Farmhouse 120246/000.
7.2	Examiner House 102257/002 will be decided by Planning Board on 9 April.
7.3	Application 060263/05 White House, Leigh Street – Proposals seem reasonable and do not affect rest of village. Fit in with village design statement and environmentally friendly. Recommend approval.
7.4	Application 112105/007 Tadhill Farm – Proposals to improve safety. Recommend approval.
7.5	Application 120321/000 Raglan, Leigh Street – Discussion ensued. Proposals would result in a high risk of the new residents parking on the highway due to insufficient combined parking and turning area for two houses. For the size of houses in a rural village, it is likely that both households will have two cars and the use of the single garages is improbable. Vote: 2 for, 3 against. Recommend refusal.
7.6	Consultation on validation of Planning Applications – Chairman to raise the existence of Village Design Statements to be taken into account. CC to email back with comment.	CC
7.7	Rec Field building plans – Nothing to report. Chairman stressed that Rec Field committee would need to submit planning application asap, before change of forms.
8.0	BBC Somerset Bus
8.1	Clerk to invite bus to Country Fair and Dog Show on 21^st June 2008.	SV
9.0	Post Offices
9.1	Discussion ensued. Chairman read proposed statement, which was seconded. To add results of Parish Plans.	CC
10.0	Affordable Housing
10.1	Copy of S106 for dwellings built last year to be obtained from MDC. See 2.17 above.	SV
10.2	Housing Survey to be looked at in time.
10.3	Parish Forum on 14^th April 2008 (6pm at the Council Chamber) will look at S106 and Affordable Housing. Chairman would like to find out what the ‘grand plan’ was with regard to finding land and building affordable houses (for rent &/or shared ownership).
11.0	Councillors’ Reports
11.1	PCSO – Nothing further to report. PCSO’s report to be obtained.	SV
11.2	Footpaths – Nothing to report.
11.3	Highways – Repairs and white lining exercise by SCC ongoing.
11.4	Recreation Field – Minutes tabled. Verbal report on first recycling exercise.
11.5	Memorial Hall – Building works starting 7^th July 2008 to take 8-10 weeks.
11.5.1	Quiz night 12^th April. Teams of 4.
11.5.2	Mouse racing 10^th May, 7.30pm to eat at 8pm. £10 ticket including food and wine. Tables of 8. Tickets from Marsha or Sue.
11.5.3	Next meeting 7^th April 08. 8pm.
11.6	School – Nothing to report. Verbal update on school federation.
11.7	SALC – CC emailed Peter Lacey to ask for electronic minutes and points of interests.
11.8	Quarry – Chairman reported on meeting held at Tarmac. Next meeting on 4^th June 2008.
	FH leaves meeting & Parishioner leaves meeting.
12.0	Meeting Attended / To be attended
12.1	RM and VT met with Katie Graham regarding East Mendip Partnership grant, which was submitted. Review at next East Mendip Community Partnership meeting on 8^th April.	VT/RM
12.2	Clerk reported on Freedom of Information and Data Protection Act training. Clerk to seek policy templates for Freedom of Information, Document Retention and Data Protection, retention and disposal of documents policies.	SV
12.3	Dates of forthcoming meetings: Parish Forum – Monday 14^th April (CC, FH + +) East Mendip Community Partnership - 8^th April (VT/RM) Mendip Area Working Panel – 21^st May Police Liaison – 15^th April (TS) Area Planning Board – 9^th April (CC)
13.0	Correspondence
13.1	· PC response to Post office consultation · Audit Commission; re. Appointment of external auditor · MDC, provision of sandbags · District Councillors report · Withdrawal of planning application · Rec. Field minutes of meeting 25/02/08 · Town & Parish Standard, March 2008 · Mendip Community Newsletter, Spring 2008 · Clerks & Council Direct 2008 · News from Mendip Housing, December 2007 · The Clerk, March 2008 · Clerks & Councils Direct, March 2008 · Minutes of Mendip Strategic Partnership 04/12/07
14.0	Date & time of next meeting
14.1	The next meeting will be held on 21^st April 2008, at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall
14.2	The following meetings will be held on 19^th May 2008, in the Memorial Hall: · Annual Parish Council Meeting (formerly AGM) – 7.30pm · Annual Parish Meeting – 8.00pm · Parish Council Meeting – 8.30pm
14.2	Clerk to email copy of Parish Newsletter to councillors for updating and reviewing at next meeting.	ALL