ANNUAL PARISH MEETING OF LEIGH-ON-MENDIP PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN
THE MEMORIAL HALL ON MONDAY 26 MAY 1988 AT 8 pm.
Present were B Chubb, J Davis, A Gould, G Lee, P Rooke, D Turner,
D Yelland who was in the chair and approximately 50 members of
the public.
1. Minutes of the Parish Meeting of 28 April 1987 were
summarised by Mr Yelland.
The item on HALECOMBE QUARRY had been surpassed by recent events.
The meeting had discussed, noise emmission & amenity banks. The
BASALT QUARRY AT TADHILL - Somerset County Council had turned
down the application by Western Roadstone for this. The latter
have indicated that they will appeal.
The Minutes were accepted by those present and signed.
2. REPORTS - MEMORIAL HALL
Mr C Featherstone, Chairman of the Memorial Hall Committee
reported that his committee were aiming to establish the long
term viability of the Hall as a village assett by getting its
finances straight. To do this they must first increase the
utilisation of the ammenity by re-vamping the building to improve
the facilities. They had increased the income of the Hall from
£600 to £1200 in the first year to £2400 in the second year.
Grants of £2400 from the Community Council of Somerset & £1600
from Mendip District Council had to be met by an equal amount
from the Hall Committee and the guarantee that they could
adequetly manage their affairs. This money is being spent on the
Roof, Heating and Lighting and the Kitchen. Next year a grant of
is required to put in double glazing. If the Committee can
succeed in its aims to refurbish the Hall, increase the useage,
and balance the books then the long-term viablity of this assett
will be assured for the village. Mr Featherstone asked the
Parish Council to consider ways in which they could help the Hall
committee to do this.
Questions were invited from the floor: It was suggested that the
Parish Council could provide more money. It was explained to
Parishioners that the Parish Coucil had to consider the needs of
all village activities and apportion money accordingly, but
perhaps with the larger Precept requested more help might be
available. The PC may be able to help on the question of VAT
however it transpires that the Hall Committee are not liable for
this. The concept of full support for the Village Hall Committee
was endorsed. A Parishioner asked if support to the Hall could
be given by increasing the Parish Rate levied and it was further
suggested from the floor that this ought to be done before the
advent of the Poll Tax. The Chairman pointed out that the Parish
Rate had already been slightly increased and suggested that
pressure form this ought to come from the Hall Committee lobbying
villagers, however Mr Featherstone suggested it would be improper
of him to do this. When asked to vote on whether the Village
Rate ought to be increased to support the Hall over half the
assembly were for the motion, there were 3 against and the rest
abstained.
Mr Yelland thanked Mr Featherstone for making the report and for
the efforts of his committee in the running of the Hall.
RECREATION FIELD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Mr D Webber Chairman of the Recreation Field Management Committee
reported on the needs of the Recreation Field. His Committee is
a parent body of the Social Club Committee. Although the Cricket
Pavillion is old and in a poor state of repair recently the gents
toilets had been improved, a Ladies toilet had been built and the
showers had been renovated as well as essential repairs being
carried out to the roof. To date no great financial outlay had
been needed as the work had been done mainly by volunteers like
Nick Worthington who maintains the cricket pitch to a very high
standard and Tony Harris who had effected roof repairs. Recently
the outside of the building and the general area had been cleaned
and tubs of plants had been placed by the car park, it was hoped
to plant shrubs to enhance the area. This great assett to the
village was being used for cricket in the summer by 3 senior, 1
junior and 1 very junior teams and in the winter for football.
Mr Webber reported that 2 senior teams wanted to use the pitch
and that a very junior team made up of villagers could be found
on the field on winter Saturday mornings. The Needs of the Field
were 1)to complete the climbing tower roof - here Mr Webber
pointed out that despite criticism about the grass surface under
the tower the Playing Field's Association recommended firstly
cork and secondly grass. 2)To re-wire the building,3)to install
hand-basins in the toilets, 4)To have the roof surveyed to see
how much longer it would last. He requested the help of the
Parish Council in levying a fine on the owners of dogs which
fouled the field area and in finding some method of increasing
the off street car parking area for users of the field.
On behalf of the Parish Council Mr Yelland stated that they were
aware of the need for Car parking and were trying to get this
included in any plans for the development of land at Manor Farm
adjacent to the Field. Mr Rooke said that he had spoken to Mr
Jeannes who had displayed a willingness to include parking for
the Recreation Field in any plans. If the impetus from the
Memorial Hall could be carried over to the Recreation Field then
perhaps money could be raised to match any grants available from
various sources to improve the facilities. Mr Webber pointed out
that any extension to the building would be done by the Social
Club. Mr Yelland further stated that the PC was unable to levy a
fine on owners of dogs fouling the area in fact this law had been
shown to be virtually unworkable and suggested that public
pressure should be exerted on the owners of the offending
animals. He asked if out of village users ought to pay more for
the facilities or put more into it. It was pointed out that no
levy could be raised on the use of the Field by villagers and it
was suggested that the Field be supported by the Parish Rate - a
vote of Parishioners showed about half in favour of this, there
were no objectors. A questioner from the floor querried whether
the Village Fete paid for their use of the Field. Mr Webber said
that only a nominal fee was charged and it was suggested by the
floor that this matter be considered by the committee formed to
run the next Fete.
Mr Yelland reiterated the praise of the work done by Mr
Worhington and suggested that if help comes from within the
community for the Field area then help can be sought from outside
the community also. He thanked Mr Webber for his report.
PARISH COUNCIL REPORT - given by the Chairman.
In the first year in office of this totally new Parish Council
Planning Applications had been received for approximately 36
dwellings in a village comprising 120 dwellings. Of these 14
were approved - 6 at the Sawmills had been completed & work had
begun on those at Townsend - 14 were still being considered by
the Council, and 8 had been turned down -of which 2 had gone to
appeal. An application for an unspecified number of houses at
the rear of Plevna had been refused due to lack of sewerage
capacity. The present treatment plant had capacity for a total
of 300 heads, although it was not known how close to this number
Leigh was Parishioners must be made aware that if the treatment
plant is replaced a larger one could be installed thus opening up
the village to more expansion. It was for residents to decide if
they wanted this especially in light of the Halecombe Quarry
Expansion Plans. The Parish Council would have a public meeting
on this plan on Monday June 6 at 7.45 in the Hall. The Parish
Councillors enthusiastically supported the British Legion Housing
Association Plans for sheltered Scattered housing for the elderly
as their prime objective was to house the elderly residents
already in the village. The number on the School Roll had
increased, and more new residents ought to help numbers.
The Parish Council are trustees for the 2 Village assetts - the
Hall and the Field.
The Financial position was as below:
£900 in reserve. £75 paid out in fees. £325 in Clerk's salary &
expenses. £310 in Grants.
A Precept of £1350 had been requested - this included the cost of
the elections. It had been raised to enable more support to be
given to village organisations if it was needed.
Somerset County Council had given committments to repair local
highways and footpaths in the coming year.
An application for expansion at Halecombe Quarry was in the
offing but would be discussed at the special meeting on 6 June.
Two information sheets had been distributed during the year.
With regard to the Speed Limit although no reply had yet been
received it was known that if the street lamps were a proscribed
distance apart then the area had a 30 mph limit anyway, this
could well be the case in Leigh.
Mr Yelland thanked the Villagers for their support and asked for
any questions from the Floor.
A complaint was made about street parking opposite the Post
Office but it was agreed that this was the province of the police.
A questioner asked if any thought had been given to a weight
limit through the Village. It was stated that it had been
considered about 6 years ago but it could be investigated again.
The responsibility for holes in the road was raised it was stated
that the Clerk had already pursued this matter with the County
Council who were sending an inspector.
Overspill parking from the pub was causing annoyance in
Bellfield and it was asked if this was due to customers being
unable to use the whole car park. It was agreed that the pub and
Hall had shared use of the land. Mr Rooke stated that Wimpey
Hobbs had agreed to resurface the car park as part of their deal
with the Hall when they installed a Bore Hole but this had not
yet been done.
The Speed Limit will only extend as far as satisfactory street
lighting although attempts will be made to get Towns End
included.
Halecombe Quarry - the date for receipt of objections in the
Somerset Standard had no relevance as plans not yet registered.
All those present were invited to the public meeting on June 6 at
7.45 in the Hall. Mr Hewell stated that Mandip were prepared to
accept representations up to the time the plans came before
Committee.
The Meeting closed at 9.40 pm.
Back to list of meetings