Annual Parish Meeting 4th May 2005

ADOPTED
WEST MONKTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Wednesday 4th May 2005 at 7.30pm in the Committee Room, West Monkton Village Hall.

Present: Councillors J Reeves (Chairman), H Besley, H Corcoran, N Cavill, G Day, R Tully, L Warren, H Ellis, G Wallington.

In attendance: County Councillor Mrs E Waymouth, District Councillor S Cavill (both arrived later).

073/05 Apologies for absence
D Greig, TDBC Parish Liaison Officer

The Chairman stepped down and the Clerk took the next agenda item

074/05 Election of Chairman
John Reeves was proposed by H Besley, seconded by G Day. There were no other proposals. J Reeves was elected unanimously to be Chairman for the year ahead. The Chairman resumed the Chair.

075/05 Election of Vice Chairman
Ray Tully was proposed by G Wallington, seconded by H Corcoran. There were no other proposals. R Tully was unanimously elected Vice-Chairman for the year ahead.

076/05 Election of Planning Committee
The Parish Council resolved to continue the practice that the full Council constituted the Planning Committee.

077/05 Election of Footpaths Officer
G Day was proposed by N Cavill and seconded by R Tully. There were no other proposals and G Day was elected unanimously as Footpaths Officer for the year ahead.

078/05 Election of Allotments Warden
Les Warren was proposed by H Ellis and seconded by G Day. There were no other proposals and L Warren was elected unanimously as Allotments Warden for the year ahead.

079/05 Election of Playing Fields Officer
There was some discussion, taking into account the forthcoming housing development in the Parish, and the fact that there is no longer any Play Equipment in the Play area. Consequently, it was agreed that it would be more appropriate to have an ‘Open Spaces Officer’, to oversee the general tidiness of the areas involved. Accordingly, the change in position was proposed by N Cavill, seconded by H Ellis and adopted unanimously. G Wallington was proposed as Open Spaces Officer by R Tully and seconded by L Warren. There were no other proposals, and G Wallington was elected for the year ahead.
Thanks were recorded to L Warren for the service he provided as Playing Fields Officer over many years.

080/05 Election of Press Officer
G Day was proposed by H Ellis, and seconded by G Wallington. There were no other proposals and G Day was elected Press Officer for the year ahead.

081/05 Election of Environment and Tree Warden
G Wallington was proposed by G Day, seconded by H Corcoran. There were no other proposals and G Wallington was unanimously elected as Environment/Tree Warden for the year ahead.

082/05 Parish Council representative on Village Hall Management Committee
R Tully was proposed by N Cavill, seconded by G Day and elected unanimously for the year ahead.

083/05 Parish Council representative on West Monkton in Need Charity
H Corcoran was proposed by R Tully and seconded by H Besley. H Corcoran was unanimously elected for the year ahead.

084/05 Parish Council Highways Co-Ordinator
H Besley was proposed by N Cavill, seconded by G Day and unanimously elected for the year ahead.

085/05 Parish Governor representative at the Primary School
H Ellis was proposed by N Cavill, seconded by R Tully and unanimously elected for the year ahead.

086/05 Declaration of Acceptance, Register of Interests
The chairman signed the declaration of Acceptance, and members renewed their register of interests.

087/05 Adoption of the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 13th April 2005 at 7.30pm
The minutes, having been previously circulated, were adopted and signed as a true record.

088/05 Matters arising from the minutes
Clerk’s notes having been previously circulated, were noted. There were no other matters arising.

The meeting was closed.

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Potholes were becoming a problem again, various sites noted at Sidbrook crossroads, Greenway Chapel drive way joining Greenway, opposite Blundells Farm.

Road signage had been put in place at Goosenford.

Visibility affected by verge side plants especially cow parsley, at Monkton Elms/Blundells Lane junction, and exit from Hartnolls farm onto A3259.

Skateboard signs on flats and shop in School road reported missing.

Merry Monk bus stop not painted on road.

Farriers Green bus shelter glass broken, now mended.

Public question time was closed and the meeting was reconvened.


089/05 Matters arising from Public Question Time
It was resolved that the Clerk should follow up the matters raised during Public Question time by letter.

090/05 To consider lease at Play Area, School Road
Background information was distributed prior to the meeting. Discussion centred on the possibility of installing a Youth Shelter on the play area now that the play equipment was no longer in place. Funding and maintenance of the shelter would be afforded by the LAT. It was accepted that the location of the shelter would generate litter for which Parish Council would be responsible. Providing a site for the youth shelter would represent Parish Council provision for that age group – all other groups being catered for in various ways.
N Cavill proposed, seconded by R Tully that:
the lease should continue
the Clerk should suggest the site to the LAT
the Parish Council should continue with the insurance as previous years (public liability)
the Parish Council should accept the on-going costs of litter picking in the area
The proposal was agreed with one vote against.

091/05 To note changes in dog-waste collection contractor
Background information was distributed prior to the meeting. The Clerk had approached three companies, none of whom would collect the dog-waste, due to licensing requirements. TDBC DLO could provide the service, at a cost very similar to the charge made by Allscan (Allscan £1.70 per bag, TDBC £1.76 per bag). It was resolved to accept the DLO contract for dog-waste collection.

092/05 Official reports
There were none.

093/05 Planning Applications received
Planning applications received were distributed prior to the meeting.
48/2005/022LB: Re-slating of Welsh slate roof with Spanish slate, the Courtyard Building, Walford House, Walford Cross, Taunton.
Comment: use of suitable materials is endorsed
48/2005/021: Renewal of 48/2000/005, erection of 1st floor extension to provide 2 storey granny annexe at Staddlestones, Monkton Heathfield.
Comment: none
PC/4/48/05/020/JF: Application for the erection of bicycle shelters at Heathfield Community School, School Road, Monkton Heathfield.
Comment: none
48/2004/079: Erection of dwelling, detached garage and vehicular access, land adjoining Greenway Thatch, Greenway, Monkton Heathfield. Amended proposal.
Comment: none
08/2005/004: Vary condition 18 of 08/03/032 to provide for baling, sorting and recycling of waste material inside the proposed new transfer station building at Priorswood Household Waste Recycling Centre and Depot, Crown Industrial Estate, Venture Way, Taunton
Comment: measures against noise contamination of Acacia Gardens and Maidenbrook Estate, and also appropriate working hours.
RB/R58/MH:PD22/793/TD974: Tree Preservation order 2005.
Comment: order noted
APP/D3315/A/05/1177544: Appeal against decision of Local Planning Authority to refuse permission for retention of a detached garage at 4 Kyrenia Cottage, School Road, Monkton Heathfield. Letter sent to Inspectorate, Parish Council’s position consistent and unchanged.

094/05 Planning decisions made by TDBC
48/2005/008: Erection of dwelling and detached garage, construction of new access, driveway and parking areas at land adjacent to Tanfield Cottage, West Monkton.
Comment: conditions attached to the permission noted.
Other planning decisions noted.

095/05 Communications as listed
The list was noted.
It was agreed that the proposals for Trafalgar Weekend needed to be put on the next agenda for further discussion, as it might be possible to have a beacon.
The Annual Meeting with Parish Clerks on Thursday 30th June at 7.00pm was noted. Regrettably, the Clerk has a previous engagement, but Cllr Reeves agreed to attend.
TDBC Electoral Review. Clerk agreed to attend.
Local transport Plan 2006 – 2011. It was agreed that a sub-committee would meet to formulate the Parish Council’s response. The sub-committee will comprise J Reeves, Ray Tully, Hazel Ellis, Henry Besley, Hilary Corcoran. The sub-committee will meet on 24th May at 7.00pm at Hill Farm.

096/05 Approval of payments and Financial Sheet
Receipts
Precept by BACS £5000.00

Payments
Mrs David £20.00
Clerks wages (April) £411.97
Clerks expenses £147.10 *
Section 137 donations
CAB £50.00
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance £100
Allianz Cornhill Insurance £709.65

*£120.00 is cost of printing Annual Report for distribution to 1200 homes in Parish. Clerk has claimed reimbursement under her expenses, but cost will be listed on financial sheet under ‘Publicity’.

No invoice from Allscan – contract terminated.

No invoice received from Parsons although one is expected.

The payments and receipts list, having been previously circulated, was approved, proposed by H Besley, seconded by R Tully and agreed unanimously.
The Financial Sheet was reviewed and approved, and signed.

097/05 Date of the next Parish Council meeting
The date of the next meeting was noted as Wednesday 8th June 2005 at 7.30pm.

098/05 Outstanding Items
The list, having been circulated was noted.

004/02 Provision for skateboard park and youth shelter

099/05 Urgent matters raised with the permission of the Chairman
It was agreed that the Clerk would investigate a more accessible saving account than the NS&I.
The Clerk would continue with the web-site development.
Rubbish had been dumped in the gritting lay-by

The Chairman thanked the Council for their support during the previous year and looked forward to the year ahead. He emphasised how important it was that Councillors should attend Council meetings.

The meeting closed at 8.55pm

Chairman..................................................... Date........................................