MINUTES OF THE BOTHENHAMPTON & WALDITCH PARISH COUNCIL. MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL, BOTHENHAMPTON ON MONDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2008 AT 7 P.M. ,
Present: Bob Dennis (Vice Chair), Audrey Pearson, Colin Sparkes, David Stubbs, Peter Tobutt, Pennie Jones & Elizabeth Welch. In attendance : Chris Dobbs (Clerk).

APOLOGIES.

56.1 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 Councillors home.

56.2 Apologies were received from Ron Coatsworth & Karl Wallace.

57. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

The Minutes of the previous Meeting of Bothenhampton and Walditch Parish Council held on Monday 8 September 2008, were accepted as a true record of the Meeting and duly signed by the Chairman.

58 MATTERS ARISING.

58.1 Numbering of Minutes from May 2008. Minutes to be numbered sequentially i.e. May - 1 to 11, June - 12 to 22, July - 23 to 33, August - 34 to44, September - 45 to 55, October - 56 to 66, November - 67 to 77,etc. This is following the advice of the Internal Auditor, and creates a unique set of Minutes for each month in the year.

58.2 Walditch Ward - Action - reminder to Meeting of one vacancy.

59. DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.

At 7.03 p.m. the Meeting was adjourned to enable members of the public to air their view on matters of local interest. At 7.10 p.m. the Meeting re-convened to complete the Council's agenda, there being no further matters raised.

60. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR BOTHENHAMPTON.

Report by District Councillor David Tett - The Scrutiny Report on Tourism will be completed at a later date as there is still further work to be done. David anticipates that a high level of service should be maintained, but at the same time achieving savings in costs. At present the overall costs are about £700,000.

Proposals to alleviate the Town Centre traffic congestion will shortly go out for consultation. David considers that such proposals will go some way to achieving this.

Planning Applications concerning Parish Matters continue to occupy quite a bit of David's time - including 1/D/08/001747, Autumn Cottage, Wych Hill.

61. REPORT BY WDDC COUNCILLOR FOR WALDITCH

Mark commented that WDDC investments did not include Icelandic Banks, and there was less than £1M in German Banks. Is assured of medium term deposits.
DCC has £28M in Icelandic Banks, which could affect Pension Funds. There was also concern that Dorset Police funds may be affected by investments.

62. REPORT BY DCC COUNCILLOR - RON COATSWORTH.

Ron Coatsworth had given apologies.

63. PLANNING

a) Applications received from WDDC/DC :-

Vodaphone Mast - pre-planning consideration for additions. - letter to Land Agents requesting additional tree planting.
1/D/08/001670 Hillside House, 3 Crock Land. Develop land. Outline.* Opposed - no further information.
1/D/08/001747 Autumn Cottage, Wych Hill. Alterations & extension. - Opposed - too high & overdevelopment of site.
1/D/08/001786 15 Meech Close, Bridport. Erect conservatory. - Supported
1/D/08/001148 17 Crock Lane, Bridport. Erect dwelling & construct vehicular access. - to David, for checking against amended plan.
1/D/08/001957 9 Main Street, Bothenhampton. Install wood burning stove. - to Pennie - has authority of Meeting to give corporate view if supportive of Plan.

b) Decisions by WDDC/DCC etc.
CA/08/00240 Trees at Spring Hayes, Old Church Road. No objections.
1/D/08/001423 2 Pasture Way, Bridport. Erect conservatory. Approved.
1/D/08/001541 Blueberry Hill Farm. Change materials. Approved.
1/D/08/00376 Land Adjacent to 9 Mount Joy, Bridport. - * Further notes. PC requested that Clerk write to Andrew Jordan to invite him to next Meeting.
1/D/08/001931 8 Nordons, Bridport. Amended plans. - to David with original Plans for checking.

ACCOUNTS

i) Statement of Account as at 30 September 2008 - £6,434.27

ii) Accounts for Payment.

968 Bothenhampton Village Hall £21.00
974 David Landscapes £310.36
975 DCC Inspection of Play Areas £114.33 976 Walditch Hall £15.00
977 Clerk's Salary £352.43
978 Clerk's Expenses £40.90
979 Office Accommodation £97.50
980 DCC Street Lighting (1st payment) £3,895.00
981 Inland Revenue £265.35

Approved for payment by David Stubbs, seconded by Elizabeth Welch, and carried by all Parish Councillors present.

65. PARISH MATTERS

Agenda 65 - Parish Matters. - tabled at Meeting on Monday 13 October 2008.

65.1 - Parish Councillors Areas of Responsibility - Action - Parish Councillors.
To be distributed at next Meeting, and to Bothenhampton Web Site.

65.2 - The adequacy and effectiveness of Internal Audit - Action Elizabeth Welch. - The Audit regulations require all Parish Councils to review the effectiveness of the internal audit once a year.
I met with Chris Dobbs to carry out this review on 10th June 2008. I was shown the accounts and asked several questions which were answered satisfactorily. I am satisfied that the Internal Auditor is competent and independent. As this was the first such review, and I had very little information about the review to act on, I deem the internal audit to be effective. - Elizabeth Welch.

65.3 - John Gundry Play Area, Walditch - Action - Action - update. Elizabeth Welch recently attended a Friends Meeting. Need for a No Dog Fouling sign - Action - Clerk. Friends Committee obtaining estimates for levelling of Play Area. Annual Inspection Report of John Gundry to Helen Sawyer. The Annual Inspection of both John Gundry Play Area, and John Holt Play Area - Action - Pennie Jones has copy of John Holt Report. Clerk to action gate repair.
Clerk has arranged for DCC Inspection of both Play Areas - Pennie Jones to co-ordinate visits. Completion reported to Meeting.
65.4 John Holt Play Area - update - David Stubbs.
Concerned about grass cutting - to be reviewed at next Meeting before Contract goes to tender. David Weston to be asked to remove old Goal Posts.
65.5 Parish Owned Street Lighting in Bothenhampton.
Update - Clerk - note 64.8 - Invoice for £3895.
Clerk to send invoice for 1st Annual Payment of £3895 to DCC. Four further annual payments of the same amount required.
65.6 Allotments waiting list and letter to the Bugler Family - Action - Clerk. Letter was approved by Parish Councillors present.
65.7 Temporary Road Closures - B 3257 - Update. Further updates are being regularly sent to Parish Council.
65.8 Keeping the red telephone box - Action - update from Clerk. WDDC have advised Parish Council that no action is likely in near future, and to await further guidelines.
65.9 John Loder's Research Documentation. Action - Clerk to investigate further.
65.10 Homewatch Meeting - Action - update from Clerk. Clerk to meet Police on Wednesday 22nd October to arrange January 2009 Homewatch Meeting.
65.11 Walditch Sycamore Avenue - notes from Robin Stapleton. Clerk to contact DCC Senior Tree Officer, Graham Cox.
65.12 Dorset County Training Partnership - CilCA Training Action - Clerk. PC wish to more about Training Budget and schedules.
65.13 Grant to Bothenhampton Brownies - Action - Clerk. PC agreed to give Grant of £100 to match Bridport Grant.
65.14 Aggregates Grant. Not applicable for B & W PC.
65.15 Projector from WDDC - Clerk to set up for next Meeting.
65.16 - Colin Sparkes reported on recent BLAP Meeting - difficulties in establishing ownership of Literary Institute, and warning that up to 240 houses could be built in 22 West Dorset villages including Bothenhampton.
65.17 - Colin also commented that WATAG were not having success in persuading Highways to allow Bus Stops on the A35, Sea Road South. Clerk instructed to write to Highways Agency, with copy to County Councillor Ron Coatsworth.

66.CORRESPONDENCE - to be tabled at Meeting.

66.1 Christmas Refuse Collection Arrangements, 2008
66.2 DAPTC Circulars.
66.3 Axe Valley & West Dorset Ring & Ride Service Ltd.
66.4 Town & Parish Standards.
66.5 The making and enforcing of byelaws.
66.6 DAPTC AGM - Saturday 1 November 2008.
66.7 DAONB - Consultation Documents.
66.8 Bothenhampton Conservation Area - Executive Meeting, 11/11/08.
66.9 West Dorset Design & Sustainable Development - Planning Documents.
66.10 West Dorset Partnership - Annual Assembly.

The next Meeting will be held in Bothenhampton Village Hall on Monday 10th November 2008 commencing at 7 pm.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting closed at 8.51 p.m.

MATTERS RAISED IN THE DEMOCRATIC HALF HOUR.

Simon Ward and his wife expressed concern regarding Planning Application - 1/D/08/001747 - Autumn Cottage, Wych Hill, Bothenhampton - Alterations and extension. He raised the following points :-

1. Height of the extension would be 4 to 5 ft. above the existing property. The extension was huge compared to existing and surrounding dwellings.

2. Lack of concern for the topography of the area which is situated on a high ridge. The planned extension would be overbearing and dominant in the area.

3. Simon Ward expressed opposition to the Application alongside 2 neighbours.
v The concerns were noted by the Chair, and the Clerk inform Mr. Ward that the Planning Application was listed in the Parish Council's Agenda for the resuming Meeting.