MINUTES

LEIGH ON MENDIP PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

held on 20^th April 2009

at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall, Committee Room

Councillors Present Chris Cudmore – Chairman (CC), Frank Higgins (FH), Rose Martin (RM), Marsha Read (MR), Alf Smith (AS) and Vicki Taylor (VT). Clerk – Sandrine Vaillant (SV). The meeting was attended in part by Philip Ham (PH), District Councillor.
		Action
1.0	Apologies
1.1	Apologies were received from Yvonne Mears, PCSO.
2.0	Declaration of Interest
2.1	No interest was declared.
3.0	Minutes of the last meeting & matters arising
3.1	The minutes of the meeting held on 16^th March 2009 were agreed as a true and accurate record of the meeting held.
3.2	(3.2) Welcome Pack – See item 8.0 below.
3.3	(3.3) Reduced Street Lighting – Letter expressing interest in taking part in trials has been sent to Peter Gutteridge at SCC. Action complete.
3.4	(3.4) East Mendip Community Grant – VT presented an invoice for the bulbs bought with the remaining money. Most of the bulbs bought have now been planted.
3.5	(3.7) Communication with Villagers – Clerk to issue monthly e-newsletter.	SV
3.6	(5.2 & 5.3) Audit & Assets reports – See 5.3 and 5.4 below.
3.7	(5.7) Payment of Election Costs – Clerk advised council of discussion with P. Lacey who strongly advised to pay the invoice. It was an idea to ask MDC to publish prices before holding elections, so costs are known in advance. Action complete. .
	AS proposed to pay the balance of the invoice, MR seconded. A vote followed as follow: 3 for, 2 abstinences, 1 against.
	Clerk to send payment for the balance of the invoice and add in covering letter: ‘we will be unable to pay in the future unless costs are known in advance’.	SV
3.8	(5.8) Website Domain Name Renewal – An invoice made to the Parish Council has been requested. Clerk to draft invoice to be signed to facilitate payment.	SV
3.9	(6.2) Purchase of land for Cemetery – Clerk updated Council on discussion held with Sheryl Norton at MDC. Clerk to request confirmation of the land MDC owns behind the Affordable Housing properties and to contact Clerk at Nunney Parish Council to check how they went about opening a second cemetery. To be discussed further at June meeting.	SV
3.10	(8.1) Maintenance of Playground – Chair wrote to MDC to confirm costs included in the Special Expenses. Awaiting response. Action complete.
3.11	(12.1) Public Path diversion order at Pitten House – Clerk advised that Resident himself had visited neighbours to explain the situation with the diversion. Action complete. There had been no adverse representations to the Parish Council and no response to MDC was therefore required.
4.0	District/County Councillors’ Reports
4.1	No report submitted by District Councillor this month due to approaching elections.
5.0	Finance
5.1	Financial statements – Statement to 19^th April 2009 was agreed and signed.
	Clerk to assess if monies need to be transferred to Savings Account following payment of precept.	SV
5.2	End of Year Account / Annual Return – Clerk tabled end of year accounts. FH proposed approval, VT seconded. Unanimously voted to accept the accounts. Annual Return was signed and dated.
5.3	Update of Financial Regulations – Clerk tabled updated Financial Regulations, to be circulated and agreed at next meeting.	SV/ALL
5.4	Assets & Risks Audit Reports – Clerk advised the Council that she was updating the Risk Assessment form. To be circulated for approval at next meeting.	SV/ALL
5.5	Renewal of Employer Liability Insurance – Clerk asked for this item to be agreed at next meeting in order to assess in conjunction with Risk Audit.
5.6	Subscription of Community Council for Somerset – FH proposed not to renew, RM seconded. Unanimously voted not to renew.
5.7	Memorial Hall Grant - Following agreement to support the works to the Village Hall Committee, it was agreed to pay the outstanding granted monies. Cheque #564 for £1,321 agreed and signed.
6.0	Cemetery
6.1	Mowing invoice – No invoice was submitted for payment.
7.0	Planning Applications / Updates
7.1	The Chair updated the council on the positions of previous planning applications.
7.2	Application 2009/0269 Oak Cottage, Stocks Lane – Complies with Village Design Statement. FH proposed to leave decision to the Planners who will have access to any objections received from neighbours. VT seconded. Unanimously agreed. SV to respond to MDC.	SV
8.0	Welcome Pack
8.1	VT tabled final draft with details of materials for finish product. A quote for £641.82 (+VAT) from the printers at Frome College was received to print 350 copies, with a 10-day lead time. It is hoped to launch it at the Annual Parish Meeting in May.
8.2	As the grant received for this totalled £800, it was agreed to spend the remaining monies on buying supplies to be able to print updated versions of the welcome pack ourselves.
	Phil Ham joins meeting.
9.0	Parish Newsletter
9.1	Draft newsletter was tabled and discussed. Chair to finalise for issue prior to AGM.
9.2	Chair to finalise letter; Clerk to organise printing and distribution to councillors for leafleting.	CC/SV ALL
10.0	Parish Councillor and Vice Chairman Vacancy
10.1	No expression of interest has been formally received.
10.2	MR proposed for VT to stand as vice chair, FH seconded. Unanimous agreement.
11.0	Councillors Reports
11.1	Phil Ham reported on recent activities at District level. The following was discussed:- · Reshuffle at MDC · Performance plan · Special Expenses rates. PH offered to look into it on behalf of the council and look at what we get charged for if Chair doesn’t get a response (see 3.10 above).
11.2	PCSO – RM to attend next PCSO meeting in Frome. Report from YM was read.
11.3	Footpaths – Position of Footpath Officer still vacant. Nothing further to report following discussion regarding footpaths around Whitehole Hill as part of the PCSO report.
11.4	Highways – FH still in contact with Highways regarding white lines painting at Townsend. Following current resurfacing work on the roads around the parish, the white lining team will be in the area in the near future who, it is hoped, will contact FH to action the white lining at Townsend.	FH
11.5	Recreation Field – RM updated on recent activities and advised that a good profit was made from the Barn Dance event held in March.
11.5.1	RM queried if the Parish held Deeds or conditions of use for the Rec Field in order to clarify a query/complaint that recently arose about the use of the field. SV to provide copy of lease.	SV
11.6	Memorial Hall – MR reported on recent activities at the memorial Hall and particularly thanked the Parish Council for the cheque issued. It was pointed out that, following last month’s discussions, a clock had been installed in the room.
11.6.1	Forthcoming events – Elvis Night on Saturday 11^th July. Bar 6.30pm, food 7pm, show 8.15pm. Tickets £10 including food (£5 for under 18’s).
11.6.2	Next meeting on Wednesday 6^th May.
11.7	School – VT did not attend the last Governors meeting. However, it was reported that a budget had been set for this year despite reduced financial support from SCC and further cuts are expected for the next 2 years. VT asked that parish be aware of this. Chair suggested that the Parish Council write a letter to GC to support the school and complain about the current constraints. VT to draft a letter. To be discussed at June meeting.	VT
11.7.1	FH asked to be invited to the next Governors meeting to talk about parking at the school. Clerk to liaise with the school.	SV
11.8	SALC – No meetings held.
11.9	Quarry – County Councillor in office to chair the next meeting. This is on hold until the results of the elections to be held in June are known.
12.0	Meetings Attended / To be attended
12.1	Meetings attended:- East Mendip Community Partnership Board – RM attended but the meeting was very much focussed on issues pertaining to Frome and not very beneficial to the parish. Documentation included in correspondence file.
12.2	Meeting to be attended:- Parish Forum – Monday 27^th April. CC & AS to attend. SLCC Somerset Meeting – Friday 1^st May. SV to attend. PCSO meeting - 18^th May. RM to attend
13.0	Correspondence
13.1	Clerk advised of correspondence received from SCC advising of road closure from 4^th May 2009, for 5 days, between Soho Cottages and Vobster Inn. Clerk to put notice on notice boards and e-newsletter.	SV
13.2	The following correspondence was passed for circulation: · Copy of correspondence to SCC re. Reduced street lighting. · Grove Shute Farm application determination letter from MDC · Thank you letter from Somerset Art Works · Path diversion order for Pitten House · PCSO monthly report. · Notes from East Mendip Community Partnership Meeting attended by RM. · April/Spring Edition Magazines: Parishes information bulletin; Somerset Matters; Mendip Community Newsletter, News from Mendip Housing, · March Edition Magazines: The Playing Field, Town & Parish Standard, Clerks & Councils Direct, the Clerk.
14.0	Date & time of next meeting
14.1	The AGM will be held at 7.30 and the Annual Parish Meeting at 8.00 on 18^th May 2009 in the Memorial Hall. Clerk to organise refreshments	SV