Annual Parish meeting March 2008

WEST MONKTON PARISH COUNCIL

Annual Parish Meeting, March 2008

Apologies: Cllr N. Cavill, Cllr M. Besley, Cllr S Haskins, Mrs P Cavill (Clerk), Revd G Boucher; Mrs T Reeves, M Ellis

Present: Cllr J Reeves (Chairman). H Ellis, B Gage, G Day. Mrs R Bond (Minutes). No members of the public present.

Minutes: The Minutes of the 2007 Annual Parish Meeting, having been circulated were adopted and signed by the Chairman as a true record. Proposed: G Day; Seconded: H Ellis

Matters Arising: There were no matters arising from the minutes.

Mr P Daniel, Guest Speaker: Cllr Reeves introduced the Guest Speaker, Mr Peter Daniel, Development Manager of Viridor Waste at Priorswood.

The site is located in both West Monkton and Cheddon Fitzpaine Parishes. Environmental issues are always an important consideration.

Between 1971 and 1992, 1.3 million tonnes of wastes were taken and processed. Planning permission is currently being sought to restore the land to agricultural use. There is a certain amount of gas present in the site, but not sufficient to merit bore holes.

All the new buildings installed have been built on waste. The new arrangements have reduced the amount of queuing by people bringing in waste. The composting site is also improved, with much of it now going to agriculture. 6,000 tonnes are produced a year, most of the waste material coming from the skips on site, and the Parks and Gardens Department of Taunton Deane.
They would like to move the transfer station out of the Materials Recycling Facility building in future.

Food waste is currently more than can be coped with on site, with some now going on to Ludlow, and some to Devon. A new processing facility is planned in Bridgwater.

Future plans: The eastern part of the site will be community woodland and open space. Northern part will be for industrial use. The area will need hedging for security, and there will be a limited number of footpaths. Informal use by cyclists and pedestrians will be allowed, but there will be no vehicular access. The plan is to encourage as much wildlife on the site as possible.
British Waterways are happy to have a new bridge over the stream.
Viridor want to bring the transfer of Hazardous Waste to Priorswood. Screening will be carried out to protect housing in the area.

Analysis of waste is carried out four times a year. The total amount of food waste had decreased. 79% is probably the maximum for recycling. Remainder is really not recyclable. Plastics are a big issue, as there are so many different types.

If changes are made to the collection of waste by weight, fly-tipping will become a greater issue.

The site is on a flood plain. It will be about 3-5 years before the land can be opened up for community woodland and open space.

It would be good for the Council to be given a tour of the Materials Recycling Facility. A time will be arranged.

Currently, 75 people are employed by Viridor. The Viridor unit at Galmington (where the lease expires in 2008) will be amalgamated with that at Priorswood.

Cllr Reeves thanked Mr Daniel, who then answered questions from the floor.

Report from Revd G Boucher, St Augustine’s

Church life is a combination of steady commitment and faithfulness which can carry a sense of changelessness on the one hand and vision for the future and the comings and goings of people which involve us in regular change and development on the other.

The PCC was honoured to be asked to accept a training Curate and the congregation was delighted to welcome Reverend Sue Hounsell to the parish after her ordination as deacon at Wells Cathedral at Petertide. Sue is non-stipendiary and commits Sundays and two days a week to the parish. She is already very much a part of our life.

The congregation was sorry to lose Kate Bond from the choir but delighted that she had won a place to train as a soprano. We wish Kate well and trust that she will return to sing here once again in the future.

There was great sadness at the death of Mary Cryer shortly before her ninetieth birthday. She had graced our church and community with her prayerful presence for so many years and her funeral had that same wonderful sense of warm humanity and the praise of God.

The 11.30 Special continues to happen each month and has changed location from the Village Hall to the Primary School. The school hall is proving to be a good meeting place.

We were pleased to host the Women’s World Day of Prayer Service in March and the Taunton Christians Together Summer service in July. Pastor Grace Applebee came to preach in January and we worked with Bathpool Chapel in the running of an Alpha Course in the Autumn.

Within our Local Ministry Group we joined together for Evensong on each of the Sundays of Lent and hosted united services for Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday. The Local Ministry Group churches worshipped together at united services on fifth Sundays.

Plans have been drawn up for the re-ordering of the north west corner of the church and the installation of a servery. Quotations have also been obtained for the replacement of the south aisle roof which has reached the end of its useful life.

During the year there were 28 Baptisms; 7 Marriages; 14 Funerals (3 in church)


A.O.B There was no other business

Cllr Reeves closed the meeting at 8.46pm.