HATCH BEAUCHAMP PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Hatch Beauchamp Parish Council held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 9 May 2007 at 7.30pm. (in the format to be submitted to the next meeting for approval as a correct record)
Present:- Mrs R Gould, Mrs P Kent, Messrs Downie, Fowler and Green. Mr Hounsell from minute 1410
In Attendance:- Mr Williams (TDBC), Mr Crossley (Clerk)
Mr Fowler in the Chair
All members present and Mr Parsons had signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
1405 Election of Chairman
RESOLVED that Mr Fowler be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year
Mr Fowler signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chairman and took the chair
1406 Apologises
Apologises were submitted from Messrs Graham, Parsons and Clark (SCC). It was agreed that Mr Graham’s declaration of acceptance of office be made before the next meeting
1407 Declarations of interest
There were no declarations of interest
1408 Appointment of Vice Chairman
RESOLVED that Mr Downie be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year
1409 Co-option of new members
The Clerk reported that following the elections in May there remained 2 vacancies on the Council, and the Council now needed to consider how those vacancies should be filled. M/s Hooper, who had been away in the period around the elections, had written to confirm her interest in being co-opted a member. Mr Hounsell, who was present as a member of the public, confirmed his interest in being co-opted a member. No response had been received to the notices which had been published.
RESOLVED that M/s Hooper 29 Home Orchard and Mr P Hounsell of 33 Home Orchard be co-opted as members of the Council
(Mr Hounsell signed his Declaration of Acceptance and took his place at the meeting)
1410 Appointment of representatives on outside bodies
RESOLVED that the following appointments be made
a) SALC and West Area Committee of SALC – Messrs Downie and Green
b) Village Hall Committee – Mrs Gould
c) Footpath Liaison – Mr Parsons (with the Chairman being the Liaison Officer regarding Footpath T14/18 given that Mr Parsons would need to declare an interest in this item)
1411 Appointment of Planning Committee
RESOLVED that Mrs Kent, M/s Hooper and Messrs Downie, Parsons and Green be appointed the Planning Committee, that the quorum remain at 3, and that all members continue to receive the agenda
1412 Payment of annual subscriptions
RESOLVED that the annual subscriptions to SALC and SPFA be renewed
1413Minutes
The Minutes of the meetings held on 14 March and 25 April 2006 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman
1414 Questions from Members under Standing Order 23
Mr Downie queried the road markings on the surface of the lay bye at Neroche View which appeared to set out parking spaces. Mr Williams indicated that ownership of the lay bye rested with TDBC who had given residents licences to cross the land to access parking spaces within the gardens of the adjacent properties, and he would make enquiries given the concerns at the apparent loss of parking
1415 Code of conduct for members
A new model Code of Conduct for members had been published and the Council considered the Clerk’s report thereon which had been circulated with the agenda
RESOLVED
1) that the mandatory Model Code of Conduct (SI1159) be adopted with immediate effect with the specific inclusion of paragraph 12(2) of the model code (effect of prejudicial interests on participation)
2) that consideration of new standing orders 53 and 54 (dealing with withdrawal of members and members of the public speaking at meetings as set out in the Clerk’s report) having been moved and seconded be adjourned to the next meeting in accordance with the provisions of SO 74
1416 Minutes of Annual Parish Meeting of 25 April 2007
The draft minutes had been circulated with the agenda. The meeting had suggested that a small group be established to report to the Parish Council on suggestions for utilisation of the S105 monies from the Huckers Hill development, and since the meeting Mrs J Wilson and Mr N Parsons had been nominated to represent the school and the village hall respectively. The Chairman had also agreed at the meeting to ask the Parish Council to look at both the provision of additional notice boards and giving publicity to the web site
RESOLVED
1) that Mrs R Gould represent the Parish Council on the proposed group and she report to a future meeting of the Council on suggestions for making use of the monies
2) that the Clerk make enquiries of the cost of providing a notice board in the bus shelter at Hatch Green, and also the availability of grant aid for a new board and for repairing/replacing the board at the playing field entrance
3) that the web site address be publicised in the parish magazine, and information on Parish Council meetings be passed to the Somerset Gazette
1417 Renewal of insurances with Allianz Cornhill
RESOLVED that the Council’s insurances with Allianz Cornhill be renewed for a further year at a premium of £446.41
1418 SCC’s proposals for a unitary authority
An invitation had been received to attend a series of SCC presentations to discuss its proposals to create a single unitary authority for Somerset, details of which had been circulated to members. A request had also been received from TDBC to support petitions rejecting the proposals and offering an open invitation to discuss the “Team Somerset” approach. A letter had also been received from SALC seeking the Council’s views and urging the Council to become fully informed before giving a view.
RESOLVED
1) that the two lobbies for support be noted
2) that a special meeting of the Council be held after the SALC West Area meeting to discuss a response to the proposals, and both SCC and TDBC be invited to make a short presentation to the Council
1419 April newsletter from SALC
RESOLVED
1) that no nominations be made to the Exmoor National Park Authority and the Quantock Hills ANOB Joint Advisory Committee
2) that Mrs Gould be authorised to attend one of the Councillor training events
1420 Parish Plans
RESOLVED that no action be taken on the letter from the Community Council regarding funding for the preparation of parish plans
1421 SCC Area Working Panel
The Clerk reported on the last meeting of this panel and gave out details of the Parish Lengthsman Scheme. An invitation had now been received to attend the next meeting on 22 May at the Albemarle Centre Taunton at 7pm
RESOLVED that no action be taken
1422 Invitation to join Community Council for Somerset
RESOLVED that as the Village Hall Committee are members no action be taken
1423 Patient and Public Involvement Forum on Health in Somerset
RESOLVED that the invitation for members of the public to join the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forum be publicised in the parish magazine and on the notice boards
1424 Local development Framework – consultations on Development Management policies
TDBC had circulated for consultation this document which had been prepared in co-operation with other District Councils and which set out the type of issues to be taken into account when considering development proposals
RESOLVED that the papers be passed to the Chairman and then Mrs Kent
1425 Invitation to Mendip Housing’s Rural Housing conference – 15 June Sparkford
RESOLVED that no action be taken on this invitation
1426 Invitation to respond to SCC highways related services annual return
The Clerk reported that this year SCC had requested that to obtain a broader view Parish Council’s consider the return at one of it’s meetings. Members discussed
their experiences over the year
RESOLVED that in preparing a response the Clerk make a return on the basis of “could do better”
1427 Appointment of Internal Auditor
The Clerk reported that the Council’s previous auditor, Mr Dominy, had left the area, and that after discussing the situation with the Chairman he had approached Mrs J Pope of Staple Fitzpaine who had agreed to undertake the role. An honorarium of £50 had been agreed which was the same as in a neighbouring authority.
RESOLVED that the action of the Chairman be confirmed and Mrs Pope be appointed the Independent Internal Auditor on the basis proposed
1428 Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2007 and Annual Return
The Clerk had circulated with the agenda the Annual Summary of the Receipts and Payments A/c and a report dealing with the new requirement to undertake an annual review of internal audit. The External Auditor had set 30 June 2007 as the audit date and the statutory notices would be published before 21 May 2007. Members also had before them the Annual Return including the Statement of Account and the Annual Governance Statement
The Clerk set out in his report the steps already undertaken to review internal control and the scope of internal audit which members found satisfactory. Members remained satisfied with the independence of the Internal Auditor. Her report for the current year was also available and she had raised no issues of concern.
Additionally to current practice it was now proposed that the Executive Checklist for financial year ends included in the NALC Practitioner’s Guide be completed by the Chairman annually, and that in future the Annual Review of Audit take place at the same time as the Risk Management Review
RESOLVED
1) that the proposals in the Clerk’s report be adopted
2) that the Annual Summary of Receipts and Payments be approved
3) that the Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement in the Annual Return be approved and signed by the Chairman
1429 Accounts
The Clerk submitted a Statement of Account and Bank Reconciliation Statement showing £80.78 in the Current A/c and £5465.44 in the Reserve A/c
RESOLVED that the following accounts be paid
1) Clerk’s salary - £332.40
2) Clerk’s expenses - £16.00
3) Clerk’s office and admin costs - £16.78
4) Parsons Landscapes Ltd - £178.66
5) SALC - £113.11
6) Somerset PFA - £10.00
7) Allianz Cornhill - £446.41
8) Mrs J Pope (internal audit) - £50.00
1430 Items of Report
1) circulation sheets of 9 April and 3 May
1431 Items for next meeting (to be held on 11 July 2007)
1) pruning of trees on footpath from Home Orchard
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.40pm.
Chairman