Present: Mrs Kingston, Messrs Fowler, Holt, Hounsell, Knight and Rogers

Mr Rogers in the chair

After a brief discussion the meeting was adjourned to enable private discussions to take place. On re-convening it was

RESOLVED That Mr Hounsell be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year

Mr Hounsell in the chair

756 Apologies

Apologies were submitted on behalf of M/s Hooper and Messrs Lintern and Townson

Mr Knight declared an interest in minute number 777(b) (breach of condition notice on land at Oldway Lane)

758 Appointment of Vice Chairman

RESOLVED That Mr Fowler be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

759 Appointment of Planning Committee

RESOLVED That Messrs Fowler, Hounsell, Rogers and Townson be appointed to the Planning Committee and that the quorum be set at three

RESOLVED That Messrs Knight and Townson be appointed the Council's representatives on this committee

761 Annual payments/subscriptions

1) That the annual insurance premium of £269.41 be paid to Cornhill Insurance

2) That the payment of the annual subscription to SALC and SPFA be approved

Standing Orders required that this item be considered but no proposals were before the Council

RESOLVED that the position be noted

The minutes of the meetings held on 13th and 27th March were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman

Mr Rogers reported that volunteers were still being sought from parents at the school to help with the organisation of a fete and that he would advise the chairman if and when further information was available. Somerset County Council had written to say that grants were available for projects and that the last date for submitting applications was 2nd September. There had been limited interest in taking further the suggestion for the provision of elaborate and/or substantial entrance gates to the village and the Council discussed more modest alternatives including the provision of a large block of local stone engraved with the name of the Parish. Mrs M Gee had also written to indicate interest by local residents in providing a red hawthorn on the green at Hatch Green

RESOLVED That the offer from Mr Knight to ascertain the cost of providing and engraving a piece of local hamstone for placing at the entrances to the village be accepted, and that the proposal from Mrs Gee be supported and the Clerk pursue the matter with the Highways Agency.

The Clerk reported that he had been advised that funding was available should it be decided to proceed with the youth shelter.

RESOLVED That the position be noted and the issue be reviewed when the results of the proposed survey are available

Mr Fowler that reported on the information which he had obtained about undertaking a community appraisal. Brief particulars had been circulated with the Agenda and he made available at the meeting a copy of the folder provided by TDBC. There had to be a formal launch to the project to demonstrate public support and a number of volunteers would be required to help with the Steering Group. An initial grant was available to the person who agreed to organise the first phase. The Parish Council would control the funding for the second stage of the project which would come from the Community Chest (part of the lottery funding arrangements).

Successful community appraisals enabled a village to produce a document setting out its aspirations for the village, which statutory bodies would be obliged to consider in carrying out their statutory functions, although it would not be binding on those authorities.

Mr Fowler indicated that he was intending to proceed with the first stage of the proposal.

RESOLVED That the proposal be further considered when the project has been taken forward and further information is available

The Clerk reported that he was still awaiting information from TDBC about repairs to the bridges on the footpath from Elm Bridge to Capland. The Borough Council had also offered to provide materials to improve the surface of the footpath from the school to the Village Hall but it would be for the Parish Council to make arrangements for it to be laid. Complaints were also made about the disrepair of part of the tarmac surface of this footpath, and the growth of thistles on the same path.

RESOLVED That

1) a notice be published seeking volunteers to help with the spreading of scalpings on the footpath

2) the Highways Agency be contacted about the condition of the tarmac area on the path

3) the Clerk contact the contractor responsible for cutting grass on the playing fields for advice as to how to deal with the thistles on the footpath (including a quotation) and the Chairman make a similar approach to the contractor undertaking work in the church grounds.

The Clerk reported that the Village Hall Trustees had agreed to support an application for assistance with play area improvements and that the application was still being processed. Information had not yet been received from the Highways Agency as to the impact of the Station Road improvements on the notice board in Station Road, but at the Annual Parish Meeting the owner of the property on whose wall the notice board was sited had asked that it be moved. Following suggestions at the Annual Parish Meeting, Mr Rogers had written to the head teacher of the school inquiring if the school would permit the notice board to be sited inside the school fence. The head teacher had agreed to take this request to the next governor’s meeting.

Members also discuss the possibility of the sign being located by the wooden building fronting onto Station Road at the school.

RESOLVED That the issue be further considered when the views of the governors are known.

The Clerk reported that he had been advised by TDBC that working hours restrictions applied to the site of Sterling Services but that given the nature of the complaints these were unlikely to be of any help to nearby residents. There was no planning control over the use of the crane immediately adjoining the residential property. Noise issues remained a matter for TDBC.

Sterling Services were proposing to use the former station, which was a Grade 2 listed building, for offices and had agreed to comply with suggestions made by the Conservation Officer.

RESOLVED That the complaint regarding the crane be referred to the Environmental Health Department at TDBC and it be asked to refer it on to the Health and Safety Executive if it is not a matter coming within its remit.

1) That Mr Rogers be appointed the Council's representative on the Village Hall Management Committee

2) That the Chairman and one other representative to be agreed with the Chairman when the day for the meeting is known be appointed to attend meetings of SALC

3) That Mr Fowler be appointed as the Council's representative on the Footpath Liaison Committee

The Clerk reported that TDBC had advised him that following the resignation of Mr Dominy there existed a vacancy for a tree warden

RESOLVED That Mr Fowler be nominated to the vacancy.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on the 10th April 2002 and circulated with the Agenda be noted

The Clerk reported them the Planning Committee had agreed to offer no objections to proposals for the formation of a car-port at Hatch Green Farm, alterations at the Parlour House, Capland Court, and the provision of a double garage at the Brambles.

774 Waste bin outside the former Post Office

The Clerk reported that Mr Fowler had received a request from the owners of the former Post Office for the removal of the waste bin outside their property

RESOLVED that enquiries be made of TDBC as to responsibility for the waste bin and whether it was a originally requested by the Parish Council.

The Clerk reported that the district auditor had issued an unqualified audit opinion on the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2001. The Auditor had, however, suggested that the Council review the level of the fidelity guarantee insurance presently held by the Council.

The Clerk also reported that the Audit Commission were preceding with new audit arrangements (to take effect from the audit of the 2001/2002 accounts) to bring them in line with the proposals indicated in the publication "a new approach to local council audit" and that Moore Stephens of Bath had been appointed the Council's auditors.

The council would also need to proceed with the appointment of an internal auditor but further information on this would be provided in due course.

RESOLVED that

1)the fidelity guarantee insurance be increased to £3,000

2)formal notice be published of the closure of the Audit for 2001.

The Clerk submitted a Statement of Account showing a balance of £2,738.27 in the Current Account and £1,736.43 in the Business Reserve Account.

RESOLVED That payment of the following expenses be approved

a) Clerk's expenses £29.28

b) Clerk's salary £207.50

c) Cornhill Insurance £269.41

d) SALC £88.35

e) SALC (publication) £9.95

f) SPFA £10

NALC annual conference 14/16 June

Service of Breach of Condition Notice on land at Oldway Lane

Annual Policing Plan 2002/2003

Parrett Catchment Water Management Strategy Action Plan

River Tone Leap Action Plan Review

Taunton Deane Crime and Disorder Strategy

 

The Council discussed and supported the arrangements made by the Clerk for including on the main part of the agenda those items of Council business which required a decision of the Council and for confining the generic heading of "correspondence" to those items of correspondence relating to the Council’s affairs which needed to be drawn to the attention of the Council but which were unlikely to require a decision.

Complaints about graffiti at Hatch Hill would be drawn to the attention of TDBC

Clarification would be sought from TDBC about the listing of Grey Lodge (The Lodge)

Building Control at TDBC would be asked about controls over a central heating vent at The Stables, Station Road, which appeared to overhang the highway

The Village Hall Management Committee were looking for volunteers to police the playing fields on a rota basis

In expressing his hope that the Parish Council would work together for the benefit of the village in the next year the Chairman paid tribute to the work of Mr Rogers during his chairmanship of the Council

RESOLVED That the thanks of the Council be conveyed to Mr Rogers for all he has done for the village during his term of office.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm

Note: the next meeting of the Council will be on 10 July 2002

P Hounsell

Chairman