FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
Meeting held on Wednesday January 8th 2020, at 7.00 p.m. in the Blanchard Room, Village Hall, Lytchett Matravers
PRESENT: Cllrs R Carswell, M Attridge, A Bush, B Barker, M Colvey, A Huggins, P Webb and Mr T Watton (Parish Clerk). No members of the public were in attendance.
Public participation:
There was none.
1. APOLOGIES. A Cottman, R Watts, C Wood
2. Declarations of Pecuniary Interest; and consideration of requests for Special Dispensations under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011.There were none.
3. To receive and approve minutes of the Finance & Policy Committee meeting held on 4th December 2019. The minutes were ACCEPTEDas a true record and signed by the meeting 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. Also F&GP 13 November 2019, Minute 8 –Health and Safety Policy, Recommended to full council for approval.
ii. F&GP Cttee, 12th June 2019, Minute 20 Role of Parish & Town Councils in the planning consultation process – Cllr Bush had previously reported that he had exchanged emails with DC Officer Anna Lee; and members noted that the focus is on the role of Parish & Town Councils in the process for considering planning applications. Attention was drawn to a document published by Winsham Parish Council (Somerset) which attempts to interpret and define that role. Cllr Bush indicated that he would draft something on this for consideration of Full Council. Action: Parish Clerk to add this as an agenda item for the next Full Council meeting.
iii. F&GP Cttee, 19 October 2019, minute 6 – Annual Licence with Lighthouse church for Club Hall – Review of licence fee by Cllrs Bush and Watts. At the December meetingCllr Watts explained that the licence expires at the end of March 2020 so this will be resolved by this date. There will be an opportunity to review the rent on the Scout Hut in 2021. Carried Forward.
iv. F&GP Cttee, 19 October 2019, minute 6 – review of food vending licence. Review of thedetails of the food vending licence and the related fees Subject to item 11 on the F&GP Cttee agenda for 8th January 2020.Cllr Attridge had previously indicated that he would pursue an application for change of use for the recreation ground car park to enable a possible expansion of food vending activity. Subject of item 11 below.
v. F&GP Cttee, 19 October 2019, minute 10.2 Cllr Cottman to arrange for improved access car park gate lock (VH end) by removing part of cover. No report from Cllr Cottman. The Parish Clerk indicated that he would speak to Cllr Cottman and arrange for Poole Business Services to carry out this work.
vi. F&GP Cttee, 4 December 2019, Minute 6. Annual CIL report. Clerk to establish the time limits for spending CIL. Action: Parish Clerk to pursue with NALC and SLCC.
vii. F&GP Cttee 4 December 2019, Minute 8. Remedial actions required as a result of worsening cracks and slippage in the wall behind the war memorial. Clerk to get three quotes to rebuild the wall – using the three contractors giving quotes for the pharmacy steps. In the meantime Cllr Colvey indicated that he would speak to former Parish Councillor Talbot to see if he is aware of any relevant information concerning the underlying ground conditions at this location. Action: Cllr Colvey to contact Mr Talbot accordingly.
viii. F&GP Cttee Planning application responses sent to the DC Planning Team:
Planning application 6/2019/0441 Harlequin Homes. The Shooting Box, Middle Road, Lytchett Matravers BH16 6HJ. Sever plot, erect two dwellings with access and parking. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2019/0455 Treetops, Flowers Drove, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BX. Single storey side extensions. Erect detached carport with office above. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2019/0530 Lewis Wyatt (Construction) Limited. Land off Flowers Drove, Lytchett Matravers. Change of use of land to Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) & associated car park. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2019/0528. 3 Foxhills Crescent, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BEFlowers Drove, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6BX. Erect a two storey extension. DC planning portal shows that this application has now been approved.
Planning application 6/2019/0548 Caroline Cottage, Prospect Road, LYTCHETT MATRAVERS, BH16 6ED. Variation of condition 2 of pp 6/2016/0721 (Subdivide plot and erect single dwelling in front garden of existing cottage, and single dwelling in rear garden of existing cottage with new access from Prospect Road and associated car parking) to increase floor area of dwelling A to create an extra bedroom. DC planning portal shows that this application has now been approved.
Planning application 6/2019/0585 Bracken Developments Limited. Former Royal British Legion Club, Wimborne Road, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, BH16 6HQ. Erection of 9 dwellings with car parking and landscaping. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
Planning application 6/2019/0616 16 Huntick Estate, Lytchett Matravers BH16 6EB. Sever plot & erect single storey bungalow with access and parking. DC planning portal shows that this application has still not yet been determined.
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 TO DATE council income and expenditure. The reports were circulated to all members by the Parish Clerk. It was RESOLVED to accept and approve these. The income and expenditure reports are included in appendix 1, and the Sports Club financial tracker is attached at appendix 2, to these minutes.
7. To undertake an annual review of Council’s Risk Register. The Parish Clerk had circulated a draft of the updated register to all members in advance of the meeting. The contents of this were reviewed and it was RESOLVED to RECOMMEND its acceptance to Full Council. A copy is attached at Appendix 3 to these minutes.
8. To undertake an annual review of the schedule of Governance / Internal Controls responsibilities. The Parish Clerk had circulated a draft of the updated schedule to all members in advance of the meeting. The contents of this were reviewed and it was RESOLVED to RECOMMEND its acceptance to Full Council. A copy is attached at Appendix 4 to these minutes.
9. Annual review of burial records – nomination of reviewers. It was RESOLVED that Cllr Attridge would carry out this review and report back to this committee.
10. Annual review of insurance cover – nomination of reviewers. It was RESOLVED that Cllrs Huggins and Wood would carry out this review and report back to this committee.
As part of this process the reviewers should examine the current coverage for:
(i) the Sports Pavilion building and its contents, plus sports equipment owned by the Sports club for use on the recreation ground; and
(ii) Public liability coverage for the activities carried out or promoted by the Sports Club which is currently being run under the direct control of the Parish Council rather than under its former status as a separate community entity.
11. Food Vending Licence for recreation Ground Car Park
11.1 To review the terms of the food vending licence.
Deferred until 11.2 is completed, although it was RESOLVED that the fee charged to vendors should increase to £50 per quarter from 1st April 2020. Action: Parish Clerk to advise the current vendor accordingly.
11.2 To consider progress towards formal “change of use” of the High Street car park.
It was noted that Cllr Attridge had the “change of use” application ready for submission. It was RESOLVED to go ahead with this. The Parish Clerk prepared the necessary cheque for payment of the £231 planning application fee and handed it to Cllr Attridge to accompany the application.
12. Proposal to write to organisations displaying flyposted and other unsightly unauthorised advertising material in the village. It was noted that there are a wide variety of organisations posting material without permission. It was RESOLVED to begin by focusing on the commercial organisations advertising anywhere other than on their own premises and to approach them with a polite letter requesting that they remove such advertising.
13. Proposal to repair the gaps in the bollards around the Rec to prevent access. Cllr Bush referred to the recent incident in which someone accessed the recreation field with a vehicle and did an amount of damage to the very wet and soft surface. He also referred to a paper produced by Cllr Huggins concerning options for adjustments to recreation field boundary security arrangements. It was noted that the Council is awaiting a response from the Village Hall Management committee regarding bollards to secure access from the car park to their grounds, as that route provides circuitous access to the Recreation Ground. A copy of Cllr Huggins’ paper is attached at Appendix 5 to these minutes. The following points were RESOLVED:
13.1 To obtain a quote from Poole Business Services for moving the two drop posts from north western corner of the field to a point giving access from the upper end of the car park, replacing them with plastic ones; and with the option to also introduce a dropped kerb at this point.
13.2 The car park re-design work to include replacing the posts from the Scout hut eastwards to the footpath with a bund.
13.3 In the short term, the Handyman to install new posts in the current 4 gaps between the Scout hut eastwards to the footpath, plus to straighten the one which is leaning.
13.4 Cllr Huggins to request a quote for the supply and installation of plastic posts adjacent to the car park from the Pavilion westwards to the corner nearest the Village Hall.
14. To CONSIDER ITEMS FOR THE NEXT PARISH MAGAZINE Discussion took place concerning the next Parish Magazine. It was concluded that the following items should be raised:
· Guerrilla Gardeners initiative.
· Community Christmas tree disposal / shredding offer.
15. TO note correspondence received.
Reference was made to the report that two of the four floodlights at the Astro had failed, and the action taken so far to pursue remedial work.
Cllr Huggins reported that the Village Hall Management Committee members were concerned about the untidy appearance of the bund around the northern end of the Village Hall. It was noted that the two local residents who manage the bund at the other end would be willing to take this this on as well, if they are given the resources to do so – i.e. the bund in question is improved with good quality topsoil and seeds and plants are provided.
The meeting closed at 20:30.
Annotated by/on …………………………. Approved by/on ………………………
Fin&GenPurposesCommitteeMinutes 200108 Appendix 1 (Bank reconciliations and budget reports from Scribe YTD Jan 2020).pdf (PDF)
Fin&GenPurMinutes 200108 Appendix 2 (Sports club and CIL tracker 6 Jan20) (Excel)
Fin&GenPurMinutes 200108 Appendix 3 (Risk register Review Jan 2020).xls (Excel)
Fin&GenPurMinutes 200108 Appendix 4 (Internal control and governance schedule and action plan- Jan 2020) (Excel)
Finance&GenPurposesCommitteeMinutes 200108 Appendix 5 (Cllr A Huggins – Rec bollards) (Word)