FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
Meeting held on Wednesday August 14th 2019, at 7.00 p.m. in the Blanchard Room, Village Hall, Lytchett Matravers
PRESENT: R Carswell (committee Vice Chair), M Attridge, A Bush, M Colvey (from 19:24), A Cottman, R Watts, P Webb and Mr T Watton (Parish Clerk)
Public participation: There was none.
1. APOLOGIES. Cllrs B Barker, A Huggins, C Maher, M Colvey (attendance from 19:24) and C Wood.
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest; and consideration of requests for Special Dispensations under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011.Cllr Attridge indicated an interest in item 11 and subsequently took no part in discussing that item.
3. To receive and approve minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 10th July 2019. The minutes were ACCEPTEDas a true record and signed by the committee Chairman.
4. To receive and consider reports of past subject matters. The following matters were included in the Clerk’s report of past subject matters. [nb: comments made or decisions taken at the meeting are shown in italics]
i. F&GP, 13th February 2019, Minute 12 –Health and Safety Policy. Due to higher priorities associated with year end procedures, the elections, and other projects the Clerk has not yet had time to resume the task of researching the background for potential need to enhance the adopted policy with regard to the Allotments and Sports Pavilion. DEFERRED
ii. F&GP Cttee, 12th June 2019, Minute 17 – control of invasive plant on Recreation Ground. A contractor was identified who is was obtaining the necessary training and qualification to Environment Agency recommended standard “National Proficiency Tests Council” (NPTC) certification. He is obliged to await the actual receipt of his qualification certificate – which can take up to 5 weeks from the date of the course – which took place in mid July.
iii. F&GP Cttee, 12th June 2019, Minute 20 Role of Parish & Town Councils in the planning consultation process – Cllr Watts’ had not yet communicated with David Walsh of the Dorset Council on issues arising from this matter. DEFERRED.
iv. F&GP Cttee, 12th June 2019, Minute 22 – Council letter of support for Allotment Association grant application for Allotment Drainage scheme. The Parish Clerk has prepared a letter of support accordingly. No further report from the Allotment Society has yet been received. DISCHARGED.
v. F&GP Cttee 10th July 2019, Minute 8 – Clerk to contact the Scribe team to discuss options for access to Scribe by the Chairman. The Parish Clerk has still to speak to the Scribe administration & sales team about options to enable this.
vi. Planning application responses sent to the DC Planning Team:
Planning application 6/2019/0269 Mr Robert Holden. Hill House, Jennys Lane, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BP. Outline Planning application. Demolish existing workshop and stables. Remove 2 metal containers & erect a 2 storey detached dwelling. Pass shows that this application has been refused.
Planning application 6/2019/0327 Mr Christopher Ryan. The Latches, Middle Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset BH16 6HJ. Demolish existing garage/store at front of property and erect 2 storey double garage. Pass shows that this application has been approved.
Planning application 6/2019/0318 Bracken Developments Limited. Former Royal British Legion Club, Wimborne Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6HQ. Outline application for the demolition of the former, vacant, Royal British Legion Club building and the construction of 7 dwellings with car parking and landscaping – Reserved matters application seeking approval for appearance, landscaping & scale. Variation of condition 9 of planning permission 6/2018/0645 to amend the agreed Biodiversity, Mitigation & Enhancement Plan. Pass shows that this application has been approved.
5. To receive and note the 2019/20 bank reconciliation. A copy of the bank reconciliation is attached at Appendix 1 to these minutes. Members also examined copies of the relevant bank statements. It was RESOLVED to accept and approve this reconciliation.
6. To receive and consider a report covering 2019/20 year End council income and expenditure. The reports were circulated to all members by the Parish Clerk. It was RESOLVED to accept and approve this. Copies of the report and the Sports Club financial tracker are attached at appendices 2 and 3 to these minutes.
Cllr Bush remarked on the some analysis he had undertaken on the data in the Sports Club Tracker. When the one-off costs related to Pavilion refurbishment, etc are removed the income from YTD hires exceeds the YTD running and routine maintenance costs, thereby indicating a healthy financial position.
7. To consider a resolution that the council meets the eligibility criteria for the General Power of Competence (Localism Act 2011, Part 1, Ch1, ss 1-8; and Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012 schedule Conditions of Eligibility).It was RESOLVED that the Council meets the two eligibility criteria, and can therefore utilise this power:
– At least two thirds of members are declared elected[1], and
– The clerk holds an appropriate qualification[2].
8. To consider how to manage car parking issues related to future events at the Recreation Ground. Cllr Cottman explained that he had been prompted by the experience of the football tournament in June to reflect on arrangements to cope with demands for parking for major events in the village. After some discussion the following were RESOLVED :
(i) that the High Street car park is a public facility with use on a first come first served basis,
(ii) that the Parish Council will encourage liaison between potential organisers of major events in an effort to avoid clashes of peak parking usage and their effective planning for alternative / supplementary provision.
(iii) that the Parish Council will encourage potential organisers of events to ensure adequate forward notification to village residents ahead of any event which may affect availability of parking space for general uses (shopping, etc).
(iv) that the council will consider introducing marked parking bays in the High Street car park.
Cllr Bush indicated that he would prepare an item on the above to be included in the Parish Council’s regular article in the Village Magazine. Action: Cllr Bush to prepare the article accordingly.
9. To consider for approval a proposal to make a pump priming contribution to an additional bus service to Poole. Cllr Watts drew members’ attention to a gap in the provision of early morning bus services to Poole which had come to his attention. He referred to the Infrastructure Delivery Plan associated with the Purbeck Local Plan – available online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/purbeck/local-plan-review-purbeck/pdfs/submission-documents/sd28-infrastructure-delivery-plan-submission-2019.pdf . Page 10 of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan comments on potential for service provision improvement in Lytchett Matravers as follows: “To fill the gap in the am peak service arriving in Poole between 7:57am and 9:00am would require pump priming funding of £192,450 over 7 years.”
It was RESOLVED to ask Cllr Watts to continue dialogue with Dorset Council on this matter. Action: Cllr Watts to continue communications with Mr Boyt of Dorset Council on this matter accordingly.
10. To receive and consider a report from Cllr Huggins on the progress of the replacement dolly posts initiative for the Recreation Ground. It was noted that Cllr Huggins had given apologies and was unable to attend this meeting. DEFERRED to next meeting.
11. To consider planning application 6/2019/0326 11 High Street, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BG.Erect two storey side extension and create vehicle access. NO OBJECTION
12. To note and consider the joint NALC / SLCC national salary award for Clerks WEF 1st April 2019. It was RESOLVED to note and RECOMMEND to Full Council the approval of the revised pay rate for the Parish Clerk (old SCP 25 = new SCP 17) with effect from 1st April 2019.
13. To CONSIDER ITEMS FOR THE NEXT PARISH MAGAZINE The following items were suggested for inclusion:
(i) Refurbishment of the Sports Pavilion and reintroduction of men’s football.
(ii) The installation of 3 more new benches to replace dilapidated ones.
(iii) Prompting event organisers to plan ahead and communicate to residents where it is expected that there may be a significant demand on existing car parking facilities.
14. TO note correspondence received.
Cllr Colvey referred to a letter which a resident had shown him in his council role. The letter was from the resident to Tescos and referred to an incident concerning public safety which had been reported to council members on 12th July 2019. The matter had also been reported to Tescos by a member of the council on 12th August 2019.
Cllr Cottman reported that a Village Fayre will take place in Lytchett Matravers on 27th June 2020.
Cllr Watts reported on correspondence with Ms Kelly Flynn, Sustainable Transport Officer, Dorset Council concerning electric charging points. The correspondence explained that whilst DC was unable to consider funding the installation of a charging point in the village, the Parish Council may wish to consider partnering with Hampshire County Council direct on this initiative. Cllr Watts indicated that he would contact Hants CC accordingly.
Cllr Watts also advised on a meeting he and the Parish Clerk had in follow-up to correspondence with the Dorset Council Monitoring Officer, Jonathan Mair, regarding the procedures to follow with regard to confidential items for inclusion on council agendas. This reaffirmed our current standing arrangements and that the Council’s adopted Code of Conduct requires all members to protect the confidentiality of any such items. The meeting also provided useful advice about the handling of any requests under the FOI Act 2000 – which in the case of material emanating from Dorset Council should be referred to them to handle.
Cllr Bush referred to a telephone call he had received concerning the possible unauthorised display of a commercial notice on the railings surrounding Old School Green. He indicated that he is investigating this and if necessary will request that it is removed.
The Parish Clerk reported on correspondence with a resident of Keates Meadow concerning trees growing on the Foxhills Open Space close to the boundary of their property which they feel are affecting the enjoyment of their property. The correspondence requests that the trees be cut back or taken down. The Clerk drew members attention to a “Tree Management” policy used by other councils and suggested that the council may wish to consider adopting this to guide decision-making on this and any future similar requests. He will prepare a proposal for consideration of this policy at the next meeting.
The meeting closed at 20:18.
Annotated by/on …………………………. Approved by/on ………………………
Fin&GenpurposesCommitteeMinutes 190814 Appendix1 (LMPC Bank Reconciliation to 9th August 2019).pdf (PDF)
Fin&GenpurposesCommitteeMinutes 190814 Appendix 2 (YTD Budget reports).pdf (PDF)
Fin&GenPurMinutes 190814 Appendix 3 (CIL and Sports Club trackers Aug19) (Excel)