DRAFT  MINUTES

LEIGH ON MENDIP PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

held on 20^th October 2008

at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall

Councillors Present Chris Cudmore – Chairman (CC), Frank Higgins (FH), Rose Martin (RM), Ty Schlechter (TS), Alf Smith (AS), Vicki Taylor (VT). Clerk – Sandrine Vaillant (SV). The meeting was attended by 2 parishioners and Phil Ham (PH) (District Councillor).
		Action
1.0	Apologies
1.1	Late apologies were received from Ty Schlechter. Apologies were received from Marsha Read (MR) and Gloria Cawood (GC). PH presented apologies for Clare Fleming (CF), District Councillor.
2.0	Minutes of the last meeting & matters arising
2.1	The minutes of the meeting held on 15^th September 2008 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
2.2	(2.2) Grants Application Form – Draft to be circulated and agreed at next meeting.	SV
2.3	(2.3) VAT for lawnmower purchased for Rec Field – Clerk to obtain lawnmower invoice for Parish to claim VAT on purchase.	SV
2.4	(2.4) Bell Inn Meetings with PC – To be deferred until new landlord in place.
2.5	(2.5) Footway from school to Barnclose Quarry – FH advised these footways were the responsibility of Highways. FH to ascertain responsibility for pavements.	FH
2.6	(2.7) Easement for the 4 houses in front of Rec Field car park (retention of right of way) – Chairman to issue.	CC
2.7	(2.12) Grant – MDC chased on 14^th October. Advised it would be paid by 22^nd October 2008 following a ‘coding’ error from Accounts Department. Action complete.
2.8	(2.13) Risk Assessment – · Signs for car par liability. To be discussed at Hall’s next meeting, together with hiring policy. Ongoing. · Check that R. Cambourne has public liability insurance. Ongoing.	MR SV
2.9	(2.13) Declaration of Interest – Forms from 2 councillors still to be returned.	MR/FH
2.10	(2.14) SV to contact Peter Williams to invite him to attend Speed Awareness Workshop once date has been set.	SV
2.11	(2.15) Village Signs – Awaiting for funding to be available. Clerk to investigate whether signs can be obtained/bought from MDC and what the choice is.	SV

2.12	(2.16) Freedom of Information & Document Retention – Clerk advised that new information from SALC had been received with regard to Freedom of Information. Policies to be checked against this information before issue.	SV
2.13	(2.20) White lining at Townsend – Ongoing. Highways seem to be unresponsive. Complaint to be addressed to Sonia Grant Davidson and Ioan Rees at County Hall, Taunton.	FH
	Ty joins meeting.
2.14	(3.4) Invoice for elections – No information has been received from Matthew Hillier following last month discussions. Ongoing.
2.15	(4.1) Housing – No update has been received from MDC or SCC regarding the Land Surveys. CF and PH to try and obtain some information.	CF/PH
	PH suggested setting up an enabling process to put Affordable Housing in the village. PC to consider carrying its own survey to assess housing needs in the village. CC reported that MDC had promised to provide feedback on the “Time for Planning” consultation carried out earlier this year.
2.16	(8.1) Suggestion to Remove Lighting in Leigh On Mendip – Clerk reported on possibilities. Clerk to ascertain responsibility and liability should someone fall over in the street due to the lights being turned off. Possibility of 2 timers to be investigated so that the lights can be turned off at midnight and turned back on at 6am. TS proposed to trial for a 12 months period to assess response, RM seconded. A motion was passed with 4 votes ‘for’ and 2 ‘against’. Clerk to action as long as no liability issues were identified.	SV
2.17	(9.1) Driver Awareness Course – Hall have agreed to let the PC hold the session free of charge. Clerk to organise.	SV
2.18	(10.2.2) The position, access and signage for a permissive path identified by Tarmac on the south west side of Halecombe Quarry is to be confirmed by TS.	TS
2.19	(10.2.3) Barnes Close Quarry – Path has still not been made good. Matter reported to MDC who have written to owner. To be escalated to SCC and Enforcement Officer should this not been made good. TS to monitor.	TS
2.20	(10.2.5) Hedge along Memorial Hall – Hedge has now been cut back by Memorial Hall working party. Action complete.
2.21	(10.2.6) Concrete footbridge along Mells stream – PH advised the matter was brought up at Coleford meeting. Sheila Petherbridge dealing with it. Action complete.
2.22	(12.1) SV read advice from Peter Lacey of SALC. Agreed that Agendas would be issued electronically with a ‘read receipt’ to confirm all councillors have received agenda in time for meeting. Action complete.
3.0	District/County Councillors’ Reports
3.1	PH gave a short report.
3.2	Chair read through GC’s report.
4.0	Finance
4.1	Financial statements – Statement to 19^th October 2008 agreed and signed.
4.2	Internal Auditor Gift Voucher – Purchase agreed on 16^th June 2008 (item 5.2). Cheque #545 signed and issued.
4.3	FDC Law for Rec Field Land Registry title – Invoice 5/478 agreed. Cheque #456 signed and issued.
4.4	Grant request from Leigh On Mendip 1^st School – VH proposed to award grant of £175.00 to buy a wooden bench for the school. Motion passed unanimously.
4.5	Grant request from Victim Support – Rejected.
4.6	Grant request from Mendip Community Transport – Rejected.
4.7	Grant request from Rec Field towards costs of replacing roof - £500.00 unanimously agreed.
5.0	Cemetery
5.1	Mowing Invoice – Invoice #82 for cuts on 19^th September and 3^rd October was agreed. Cheque #87 signed and issued.
6.0	Planning update
6.1	Chairman updated the council on recently granted planning proposals.
6.2	Chair advised council of a planning complaint being investigated by the MDC Planning Enforcement Officer.
7.0	Pioneer Somerset: ‘Devolution of Services’ Survey
7.1	To be circulated in correspondence file and discussed at November meeting.
8.0	Councillors Reports
8.1	PCSO – FH reported on last meeting and read PCSO’s report. Clerk to invite PCSO to next meeting as shifts have changed.	SV
8.2	Footpaths – Nothing further to report.
8.3	Highways – Nothing further to report. SV to look for letter with points of contact.	SV
	FH advised PC that there are been complaints about the height of the hedge around the Rec Field. This was planned to be cut this autumn.
	Damage to the sign and milestone had been reported following a traffic accident opposite LJH.
8.4	Recreation Field – RM advised committee was still looking at getting the roof done (getting quotes now), then intend to look at wall insulation.
	Barn dance at Mells was cancelled. New fund raising event to be organised with the cricket club.
	Disabled car park is now ‘up and running’. Committee to put up ‘disabled parking’ badges and ‘vehicles left at owners risks’ signs.
8.5	Memorial Hall – PC was advised that extension was finished. 25^th October – Jazz Concert (£8/adult - £5/children, including supper). AGM Monday 3^rd November, 8pm.
8.6	School – VH advised the PC of the change of chair and that the school was looking for a community governor. Clerk to send a letter to Rev. Colin Horn to thank him on behalf of the Council for his role as chair.	SV
8.7	SALC – AS reported on meeting attended.
8.8	Quarry – Quarry Liaison Meeting organised for 22^nd January 2009. TS and CC to attend.
9.0	Meetings Attended / To be attended
9.1	Somerset Chairman’s Community Service Award Ceremony – AS attended and reported on award received by Graham and Caroline Harris. Parish Forum 6^th October – CC & AS attended and reported on Code of Conduct and change of law with regard to planning applications. RM attended training on Code of Conduct – Notes from training to be circulated.
9.2	Meetings to be attended:- 1^st December – SALC meeting. Venue to be agreed.
10.0	Correspondence
10.1	Chairman asked representatives of various committees to think about their budget needs for 2009/10 precept in preparation for discussion at the November meeting.
10.2	· Letter from Memorial Hall Committee · Letter from Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance · G. Cawood’s Report October 2008 -PCSO Peter Williams’ Report & Chief Sup. Nicky Watson’s Report · Pioneer Somerset: Town & Parish Councils Survey · Homefinder update and general information, from MDC · Specimen Affordable Housing Survey · Council Question Time events across Somerset · Code of Conduct fact sheets · Parishes information bulleting October 2008; Somerset’s Community Safety Newsletter 6; Town & Parish Standard September 08; NALC Annual report 2007/08; Your Somerset October 2008
11.0	Date & time of next meeting
11.1	The next meeting will be held on 17^th November 2008, at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall.