Bothenhampton Village





MINUTES OF THE BOTHENHAMPTON & WALDITCH PARISH COUNCIL. MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL, BOTHENHAMPTON, ON MONDAY 9 JULY 2012.

Present: Alan Stenning(Vice Chair, & Chairman for this Meeting in the absence of elected Chair), Sarah Butcher, Pennie Jones, Colin Sparkes, Karl Wallace, & Elizabeth Welch. In attendance: Chris Dobbs (Clerk).

25. DECLARATION OF INTEREST.

25.1 - To remind Parish Councillors of the need to make a Declaration of Interest on any Agenda items where personal or prejudicial interest may arise. E.g. A Grant request for a Village Hall Project, or a Planning Application adjacent to a Parish Councillor's home.

26. APOLOGIES.

26.1 There were apologies from - David Stubbs, & Bob Dennis

26. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

The Minutes of the previous Meeting of Bothenhampton and Walditch Parish Council held on Monday 11 June 2012 , were accepted as true records and duly signed by the Chairman.

27. MATTERS ARISING.

27.1- May 2012 - 1 to 12, June - 13 to 24, July - 25 to 36, August - no Meeting, September - 37 to 48, October - 49 to 60, November - 61 to 72, December - no Meeting, January 2013 - 73 to 84, February 2013 -85 to 96, March 2013 - 97 to 108, & April 2013 - 109 to 120. This is following the advice of the Internal Auditor, and creates a unique set of Minutes for each month in the year.

27.2 - Debbie Jack has confirmed by e mail, received by the Clerk on 24/6/12, that she is stepping down from being a Parish Councillor with immediate effect - Casual Vacancy Notices from 11th July 2012 - Action - Notices given to Alan Stenning who will place them on the Walditch Notice Board by 11th July 2012 -

27.3 - Previous Highways concerns - update by Clerk - Action - included DCC Highways request for PC to consider proposed reduction of speed limit in Burton Road - Parish Councillors agreed for proposal to be placed on the September Meeting Agenda -

27.4 - Report on recent flooding in the area was given by Colin Sparkes as Floods Warden for PC - Action - the comprehensive Report was well received by the Parish Council, as while no homes were flooded in the Parish there were aspects of the adverse rain on the previous Saturday 7th July which had caused great concern to local residents.

28. DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.

At 7.10 p.m. the Meeting was adjourned to enable members of the public to air their view on matters of local interest. At 7.30 p.m. the Meeting re-convened to complete the Council's agenda, there being no further matters raised.

n.b. - There were 3 members of the public present at the Meeting -

29. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR BOTHENHAMPTON.

David Tett - As you know, the plans for the redevelopment of the South West Quadrant have now been approved by a majority vote of the Development Control Committee.

There was confusion amongst Members at the end of the debate when the decision was taken both in relation to the vote itself and the due process. However, the Chief Executive of the District Council is satisfied that there is no significant departure from the provisions of the Local Plan,( as an area for a comprehensive mixed use development), to warrant any call in of the planning application.

However, certain parties have written to the Secretary of State. He will now ask his Officials to look carefully at the matter and decide whether or not there are grounds to do so. I fear the matter will rumble on for some time to come: and , of course, this was only Outline Planning Application and a Detailed one has still to be submitted.

Following the abolition of The Standards Board for England, a new Code of Conduct has been approved by the District Council. It will embody the Nolan principles i.e. Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

The Standards Committee will carry out its work in much the same vein and comprise both District Council Members and Lay and parish Members.

The Committee works well and the Members of the District Council at last Thursday's Meeting of the Full Council agreed unanimously not to depart from a tried and trusted procedure of dealing with complaints etc. However, on advice of Central government, suspension or partial suspension will no longer be a sanction available to the Committee.

One might argue we can be seen to be somewhat a toothless tiger with very few sanctions available to us !

30. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR WALDITCH

Mark Roberts - was absent from the Meeting -

31. REPORT BY DCC COUNCILLOR - RON COATSWORTH

Ron Coatsworth - was absent from the Meeting -

County Councillor Karl Wallace commented on the risk of flooding in any future SW Quadrant developments. He also mentioned forthcoming meetings regarding the future of Adult Social Services, and the Olympic Torch going through Bridport on Thursday 12th July at 2.55 pm.

32.* PLANNING AGENDA for B&WPC Meeting - Monday 9th July 2012

a) Applications received from WDDC/DDC -

1/D/12/000723 - Asker Meadow, Sea Road South( Adjoining Parish) - Provision of new bridge & cycle routes - to Meeting 11/6/12 - Action - Corporate View of the Parish Council is to recommend Approval of Planning Consent.

1/D/12/000885 - Barn Corner, Westown - Change of use of land with log cabin for use as artists studio & construct wildlife pond - Action - After some discussion re the Application , the Parish Council decided to make a site visit after the Meeting as all Parish Councillors would be available to give a Corporate View -

1/D/12/00885 - Action - Further consideration made at Site Visit by PC at 8.45 pm, then on return to Meeting at 9.15 pm, the six members present were of the Corporate View to recommend Approval of Planning Consent.

CA/12/00213 - Homestead, Walditch Road, Walditch - reduce 1 Cherry Tree by 30%, 1 Eucalyptus by 50% - Action - no comment by PC -

1/D/12/000862 - Battlecombe House, East Street(Adjoining Parish) - change of use - vacant to office use - Action - Corporate View of the Parish Council is to recommend Approval of Planning Consent -

1/D/12/000726 - Pitfolds Farm, Shipton(Adjoining Parish) - construct single storey annex - Action - Corporate View of the Parish Council is to recommend Approval of Planning Consent -

1/D/12/000897 - 11 Chestnut Road - Erect Porch - Action - Corporate View of the Parish Council is to recommend Approval of Planning Consent -

1/D/12/000821 - 20 Glebe Close - Alterations & extension. Form pitched roof over existing garage - Action - Corporate view of the Parish Council is to recommend Approval of Planning Consent -

b) Decisions by WDDC/DCC etc.

1/D/12/001917 - 21 Elwell - Demolition of existing bungalow & garage. Construction of new dwelling & garage - Amended Plans - n.b. Approval 13/1/12 -

1/D/12/000763 - 15 North Hill Way - Approval -

33. FINANCE - for B&WPC Meeting - Monday 9th July 2012

Receipts - Nil

i) Statement of Current Account as at 30 June 2012 £13312.70
N.B. No June 2012 Statement in place on 9/7/12 - confirmed A/C balance by telephone - ii) Accounts for Payment

Less outstanding cheques as listed :

Cheque £

1235 Walditch Village Hall - 15.00

1236 Walditch Village Hall - 15.00

1237 Holy Trinity, Bothenhampton( Churchyard) - 1000.00

1238 Bothenhampton Village Hall - 12.00

1239 David landscapes - Grass Cutting - 540.10

1240 Open Spaces Society - 40.00

1241 C T Dobbs - June 2012 Salary - 379.08

1242 H. M. R. C. - April, May, & June 2012 Income Tax for Clerk 284.31

1243 C T Dobbs - Office Accommodation - 97.50

Total £2382.99

Balance £10929.71



Proposed for payment by Pennie Jones, seconded by Elizabeth Welch, and carried by all Parish Councillors present.

34. * PARISH MATTERS - for B&WPC Meeting - Monday 9th July 2012 .

- n.b. All items to be introduced by Clerk unless specified on Agenda -

34.1 - Annual Review of Risk Assessment, Standing Orders, & Financial Regulations Action - Financial Regulations( Alan - lead Parish Councillor), - Approved by Parish Council - Annual Review of Risk Assessment( Elizabeth - lead Parish Councillor), & Standing Orders( Pennie - lead Parish Councillor), - to be reviewed at September 2012 Meeting -

34.2 - On or after 1st July 2012, the commencement order for those sections of the Localism Act relating to Standards comes into force - Action - The NALC Model, dated May 2012, of the Code of Conduct had been distributed to the PC with the Agenda, and was adopted by resolution by Bothenhampton & Walditch Parish Council at this Meeting on Monday 9th July 2012. The new Register of Members Interests document was distributed to all Parish Councillors present, with a request from the Clerk for members to complete and return by 28th July 2012.

34.3 - Walditch - John Gundry Play Area maintenance needs - Action - Clerk to obtain estimates for presentation to July 2012 Meeting - Action - Both estimates were considered to be too high and possibly above the specification required for the area - Clerk requested to obtain estimates for reposting the existing fence -

34.4 - Annual Inspection of Play Areas Reports - Action - Clerk understands that any maintenance work should be carried out in the next few weeks - to give update at Meeting -No further action at Meeting - 34.5 - Lengthsman's duties forJune 2012 - Action - Evaluation letter to Bridport Town Council - see notes - Action - Clerk to present Report on Lengthsman's services to the Meeting on Monday 9th July 2012 - Clerk to send review to BTC -
Bothenhampton - to include - strimming and mowing top of bank adjacent to Church -
Walditch - to include - cutting back overhang/nettles adjacent to Walditch Road/A35 junction - At June Meeting, pointed out the deterioration of Notice Boards in Walditch Road, Pasture Way & Burton Road - Clerk to provide costs of replacement at July 2012 Meeting - Action - to be considered at September Meeting - 34.6 - Progress of High Pavement - Action - Clerk's Update for July 2012 - Clerk to invite comments on the stonework finish & colour - Action - mainly favourable comments regarding stonework progress and colour -

34.7 - Sycamore Avenue, Walditch - Action - no reply from enquiries to WDDC have been received by date of the Meeting - Action - telephone message from Graham Cox indicating that he will give update to September Meeting -

34.8 - DAPTC Evaluation - Clerk's Update - Area Representatives - Action - Information on DAPTC given to Elizabeth for assessment - Area Representatives for July Meeting - Action - further assessment for September Meeting -

34.9 - Proposal by Clerk to cancel future August or September Meeting to enable Annual Holidays to be taken- Action - PC considered that the August Meeting should be cancelled for Annual Holidays -

Proposals for the Parish Matters Agenda of the September 2012 Meeting - none -
N.B. There were no proposals listed for July meeting -

35. CORRESPONDENCE - to be tabled at Meeting.

N.B. All correspondence is available from Clerk unless assigned to a Parish Councillor as listed.
35.1 - Draft letter - Review of Lengthsman - Clerk to update PC -
35.2 - WDDC Local Plan - to Elizabeth -
35.3 - DCC Minerals Development Framework - to Karl -
35.4 - Letter from DAPTC re Council Tax Rate for Parish Councils - to Elizabeth -
35.5 - DAPTC Training Courses - to Pennie(Training Officer) -
35.6 - MEP Poster - for NB -
35.7 - Bothenhampton Hall Committee Thank you letter - read to PC -
35.8 - Open Spaces Journal - to Pennie -

The next Meeting of Bothenhampton & Walditch Parish Council will be held at WALDITCH VILLAGE HALL on MONDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2012, commencing at 7 pm.

There being no further business to discuss, the Meeting closed at 9.30 p.m.

MATTERS RAISED IN THE DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.

Monday 9 July 2012 -

Roger commented on debris in Long Lane, and 1 pothole - Action - Clerk to contact WDDC re street cleaning, and to discuss pothole with Lengthsman -

Ms Katherine Searle - expressed concern regarding the forthcoming Planning Application on Barn Corner, Westown - 1/D/12/000885 -

Ms Searle had used the adjoining footpath to the site and was concerned about grass cuttings on the ground. The field grass appeared to be cut in stripes which gave the effect of a garden setting rather than an agricultural field. There was little or no opportunity for the encouragement of wildlife, and it was likely that damage was being caused by the mower wheels. Parish Councillors present were encouraged to consider the Local Plan, Chapter 5, Settlement Strategy -SS1, SS2, & SS3, and to oppose the Application on Change of Use.

Mrs Nicola Dennis pointed out that the grass had been cut that day as an annual holiday was pending. The mower had been set on the highest cut and 2 ft high wildlife strips were surrounding the field on the sides and bottom edge.

Some discussion continued with both sides of the argument, both for and against the Planning Application, and after about ten minutes the Chairman requested that views had been properly aired and the debate should cease.

Nicola Dennis expressed concern that recent adverse weather had caused a severe overhang of trees on the Westown side of Hollow Way Bank - Action - Karl Wallace agreed to follow up concerns about the safety and maintenance of the site by contacting DCC.
The Clerk agreed to make attempts to establish ownership by contacting the Land Registry .