MINUTES OF THE BOTHENHAMPTON & WALDITCH PARISH COUNCIL. MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL, BOTHENHAMPTON, ON MONDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2010 at 7 p.m.
Present: Karl Wallace(Chair), Bob Dennis(Vice Chair), Audrey Pearson, Colin Sparkes, David Stubbs & Elizabeth Welch.
- 6 Parish Councillors were present.
In attendance: Chris Dobbs (Clerk).
61. DECLARATION OF INTEREST.
61.1 - 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. This may be a Grant request for a Village Hall Project, or a Planning Application adjacent to a Parish Councillor's home.
61.2 - The Chairman, Karl Wallace, to withdraw from leading the PLANNING AGENDA, as he is a member of WDDC Development Control Committee, and this part of the Meeting is to be led by the Vice Chairman, Bob Dennis, or a Parish Councillor nominated by the Chairman.
61.3 - Parish Councillor Debbie Jack is presently working for DCC Planning - Regulation 3 + large School extensions/inc. farms & County owned buildings - this should not affect her giving a view on PC received WDDC/DCC Planning Applications.
62. APOLOGIES.
62.1 There were apologies from - Parish Councillors - Peter Tobutt, Debbie Jack, & Pennie Jones - County Councillor - Ron Coatsworth.
63. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
The Minutes of the previous Meeting of Bothenhampton and Walditch Parish Council held on Monday 11 October 2010, were accepted as true record and duly signed by the Chairman.
64. MATTERS ARISING.
64.1 Numbering of Minutes from May 2010. Minutes to be numbered sequentially i.e. May - 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 2011 - 73 to 84, February 2011 - 85 to 96, March 2011 - 97 to 108, & April 2011 - 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.
65. DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.
At 7.06 p.m. the Meeting was adjourned to enable members of the public to air their view on matters of local interest. At 7.15 p.m. the Meeting re-convened to complete the Council's agenda, there being no further matters raised.
n.b. - There was one member of the public present at the Meeting - Roger Ffooks.
66. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR BOTHENHAMPTON.
David Tett presented the following Report :-
1. I can now confirm that David Clarke, the Chief Executive of West Dorset District Council, has been appointed to oversee the merger of services with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, and he will become the Chief Executive of both Authorities.
2. The Report on Discretionary Services administered by the District Council which takes the form of providing financial aid to local communities and voluntary organizations( to include, amongst others, Village Halls and the Citizen Advice Bureau) will be out later this month, and I will see that your Council has a copy
Contrary to any rumour that may be circulating, I can state there will be no cut in the grant to the CAB, and its funding is secured under the current Service Level Agreement it has with the District Council.
The CAB does invaluable work and I sense that in the present financial climate its services will be stretched even further.
Other than that, it would be wrong of me, at this point in time, to pre-empt the full findings of the Report, except perhaps to say we are moving into times of extreme financial pressure with limited resources available.
3. Following the Government's recent Comprehensive Spending Review, our Grant will be cut appreciably, but we won't know the details until December.
We, therefore, have to maintain the services we provide for less. However, working in partnership with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and the savings in costs envisaged and the Council's sound financial management, we can avoid cutting the services.
We are in a much better position than most other Councils and, through the Leader of the District Council, I am arranging for a briefing note to be circulated to the parishes.
Cllr. David Tett
Ward Member for Bothenhampton
67. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR WALDITCH
Mark Roberts - confirmed the comments made by David Tett, and added that Outline Planning Permission has gone through for the Charles Street Development in Dorchester. This will provide a new accommodation for WDDC, and a new DCC Library.
68. REPORT BY DCC COUNCILLOR - RON COATSWORTH.
Although unable to attend the Meeting, County Councillor Ron Coatsworth sent the following Report :-
Thursday will see a meeting of DCC at which the first Petition under the new rules introduced by the government. This gives the right of any group of petitioners who have more 1000 signatures to present their petition to the whole Council and they have 10 minutes to speak in which they can elaborate their arguments. The Councillors can debate the matter for 15 minutes(this seems a very short time ?) before deciding what to do about it.
The petition urges DCC to reject any site if it is located close to the A35 Trunk Road for the following reasons
The section of the A35 around Bridport is heavily congested and is notorious for serious accidents and fatalities
Each of these sites would require new junction arrangements incurring significant(but yet unknown) costs
All the sites are situated in open and attractive countryside, part of the AONB and close to the World Heritage Coast.
And so the story goes on; it is now three years ago that the Cabinet first made a decision on sites following the Public Inquiries held some 5 or 6 years ago. My opinions on these matters are well known together with my views on the costs involved.
Later in the Agenda the Annual Report of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee will be considered. I have chaired this committee since its inception some 6 years ago. Many of the routine topics are of interest such as the Patient Transport Service and Supporting People, but every year we take time outside the normal committee programme to consider in depth one topic chosen by members. This year it was DEMENTIA and a panel of 5 members, with their own chairman received evidence from patients, carers, service providers and commissioning bodies by formal reports, questions and answer sessions, and one to one interviews. The report contains a set of recommendations which have been well received by NHS organizations and others and the results will be monitored over the coming years.
69.* PLANNING AGENDA.
a) Applications received from WDDC/DDC :-
1/D/10/001599 - The Barns, Manor Farm, Walditch - Demolish existing barn. New barn extension - Action - Corporate View to recommend Approval of Planning consent.
1/D/10/001651- Bonscombe Farm, Shipton Gorge - Single & two storey extension to dwelling. Change of use from agricultural land to residential curtilage - Action - Corporate View to recommend Approval of Planning consent.
TP/10/00337 - 8 Howard Close - alterations to crown of 1 Macrocarpa tree - to Meeting -Action - no comments sent to WDDC
1/D/10/001788 - 2 Slades Green - extension - Action - Corporate View to recommend Approval of Planning consent.
b) Decisions by WDDC/DCC etc.
76 Crock Lane - ref to recent enquiry -
Enquiry - re Cedar of Lebanon situated on sky line of Mount Joy - Action - Checked with WDDC Tree Officer - no TPO so owner has no restrictions - advise PC to apply for distinctive trees to have TPO's -
TPO 746(A.1) - 16 Howard Close - reduction of 3 Beech trees - consent is granted -
CA/10/00292 - The Green, Walditch - thin crown 1 Horse chestnut - no objection - n.b. The tree is on Parish Council land -
1/D/10/001447 - Stoneleigh, Walditch - extensions - Action - Withdrawn from the Planning Register.
70. FINANCE.
Receipts - October 2010 - Capital Deposit A/C - Interest 0.62 p
i) Statement of Current Account as at 31 October 2010 - £14519.69
ii) Accounts for Payment
Less outstanding cheques as listed :
£
1123 - C T Dobbs - October 2010 Salary - 379.08
1124 - C T Dobbs - Office Accom. - 97.50
1125 - C T Dobbs - Office Expenses - 21.50
1126 - David Landscapes - 306.05
1127 - David Landscapes - 1048.65
1128 - BDO LLB - 8.00 NB - already included in October 2010 accounts - cheque1122 incorrectly written as £180 instead of £188.
Total £1852.78
Balance £12666.91
Proposed for payment by Bob Dennis, seconded by Colin Sparkes, and carried by all Parish Councillors present.
71. * PARISH MATTERS .
- n.b. All items to be introduced by Clerk unless specified on Agenda - there were no Parish Matters from the Floor of the last Meeting on Monday 11 October 2010 - .
71.1 - Annual Return 2010 - to be presented to the Parish Council for Approval & Acceptance - Action - Annual Return Approved & Accepted by PC
71.2 - Issues Arising Report for Parish Council, concerning Audit for the year ended 31/3/10 - Action - Agreed by PC that Issues Arising from Report would be commended to Finance Meeting, set for Tuesday 14 December 2010 at 6 pm in Bothenhampton Village Hall. The Finance Meeting will consider Agenda Items - 71.3,71.4, 71.5, & 71.6
71.3 - *Annual Risk Assessment of BWPC - ( - to be reviewed & minuted by 31/3/10) -
71.4 - *Review effectiveness of internal audit -
71.5 - *Review of Budgetary Process -
71.6 - *Setting of BWPC Annual Budget & Precept for 2011/2012 -
* For Agenda of Finance Meeting set for 6 pm, Tuesday 14 December 2010 at Bothenhampton Village Hall.
71.7 -Grant for St Mary's Churchyard, Walditch - Action - Grant of £1000 recommended for payment at January 2011 Meeting.
71.8 - Review of Grant for Holy Trinity Old Churchyard, Bothenhampton - Action - Additional £100 approved, in line with 2010-2011 Budget
71.9 - Sundry Deposit/ S 106 a/c with WDDC - No Action - awaiting view of WDDC Finance Manager.
71.10 - Parish Maintenance Unit - December Works Request Form - Action - Clerk to complete by 14/11/10 -
71.11 - Sycamore Avenue, Walditch - letter of concern -
Action - Clerk has requested guidance re letter detail - to consult with Debbie Jack.
71.12 - Society of Local Council Clerks - Action - PC have decided to defer consideration of membership to January Meeting.
71.13 - Police, Bridport Section Commander - issues for BWPC - Action - PC to invite Bridport Section Commander, Inspector Caroline Naughton, to the Annual Parish Meeting in May 2011.
71.14 - Allowances for members of Town & Parish Councils - Action - Clerk to seek advice from DAPTC & report to January Meeting.
71.15 - Tasks for Lengthsman - November/December - note to Parish Councillors - please list possible tasks prior to Meeting - Action - Tasks noted in Journal - Lengthsman to be briefed by Clerk on Tuesday 9 November & Tuesday 14 December 2010
71.16 - Planning Obligations Guidelines - Action - Notes to Debbie Jack
71.17 - Concern of resident re hedge alongside bridle path - Action - Clerk to contact resident
71.18 -Waste Transfer Site - No Action at this Meeting - PC aware that DCC are presently considering proposed site surveys.
71.19 - Bridport & District Tourist Association Ltd - Action - PC declined membership
71.20 - Environment Agency Flooding Meeting - Acton - Colin Sparkes attended Flood Meeting at Beaminster & outlined main points to PC- unlikely to be flooding in either Bothenhampton or Walditch.
71.21 - Schedule of Meetings for 2011 - Action - List distributed to all members present.
71.22 - CAB - Application for Financial Assistance 2011 - Action - PC agreed to award Financial Assistance of £500 for 2011 - to be paid at January 2011 Meeting.
71.22 - Provision of Bus Stops in Sea Road South - Action - Karl agreed to attend starting of service at 1230 on Tuesday 9 November 2010 at the junction of Hollow Way with Sea Road South.
Proposals for the Parish Matters Agenda of the January 2011 Meeting :
Karl requested that the provision of Pedestrian Crossings in Sea Road South & the Burton Road should be placed on the Agenda for the January Meeting.
72. CORRESPONDENCE - to be tabled at Meeting.
N.B. All correspondence is available from Clerk unless assigned to a Parish Councillor as listed.
72.1 - CAB Letter - Action - to Parish Matters as 71.22
72.2 - Eneco Wind Park Products - Action - to Karl Wallace
72.3 - Access Dorset Newsletter - Action - to Karl Wallace
72.4 - Information re Lunch Clubs - Action - to Pennie Jones
72.6 - West Dorset Partnership - No Action -
72.7 - CPRE AGM - Action - Information to Audrey
72.8 - Draft Minerals Core Strategy - No Action -
The next Meeting will be held in Bothenhampton Village Hall on Monday 10 January 2011, commencing at 7 p.m.
There being no further business to discuss, the Meeting closed at 8.40 p.m.
MATTERS RAISED IN THE DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.
Nb - These notes are to the Minutes of the Parish Council held on Monday 8 November 2010.
Roger commented on the following
1. The need for some of the benches in the village to be repaired or replaced - Action - Lengthsman, Kevin Eden, has agreed to carry out repairs in winter months.
2. Bank above the footpath in Hollow Way needs attention, and footpath needs widening -
3. 'To the Sea', fingerpost is being repaired by Roger - thank you expressed by PC.