Minutes of a MEETING OF LYTCHETT MATRAVERS PARISH COUNCIL

Held on Monday October 16th 2017 at 7:00 in the Methodist Church, Lytchett Matravers.

PRESENT were Cllrs A Bush, B Barker, R Carswell, K Norris, P Webb, A Huggins, R Watts, P Webb, C Wood and Mr T Watton (Parish Clerk).

Also present: District Councillor W. Meaden, County Cllr P Wharf, and three members of the public.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

  1. A resident referred to a problem with blocked drains in the vicinity of Purbeck Road and Purbeck Close, which seems to have been caused by an accumulation of leaves after Wessex water had the work done to tidy up the hedge on the boundary of the reservoir site. It is understood that Cllr Meaden is already dealing with this matter with DCC Highways and has arranged for a visit of a roadsweeper machine. DCC Highways staff have also indicated that a gulley cleaner unit will also be sent if it is found to be necessary. It was noted that the DCC Engineering team have asked the resident to provide photographs if his driveway becomes flooded as a result of problems of this type.
  2. The same resident asked if the Parish Council was planning any form of recognition for the long service to the community of a local family retail business which is closing. The Chairman indicated that this matter will be considered at another meeting.
  3. A resident commented that when DCC staff cut the hedge adjacent to Jubilee Walk (public footpath) recently, the hedge trimmings were left in the ditch. Action: Parish Clerk to raise this with the relevant Countryside Ranger, with a courtesy copy to County Cllr Wharf.

District Councillor’s Report

Cllr Meaden’s report is attached at appendix 1 to these minutes. In response to a question from Cllr Bush, Disc Cllr Meaden clarified that Aster Housing has taken over the former Purbeck Dist Council housing stock from Synergy Housing Association. She explained that when housing association properties become vacant there is an option for housing associations to sell them off, provided they then build another property to replace it. However, the rules governing this currently mean that the replacement properties don’t have to be in the same area as the properties which are sold off. Instead, they can be built anywhere in the country. It is understood that it is quite common for Aster to do this, and as a consequence the available affordable rental housing stock in the Purbeck area is reducing.

Cllr Carswell commented on the possible controlled incursion of sea water on the Arne Peninsular, thereby creating a larger area of wetland. Cllr Meaden explained that the thinking behind this is twofold: (i) to protect existing settlements from flooding due to rising sea levels and (ii) nitrogen mitigation.

Cllr Webb’s report is attached at appendix 2 to these minutes. Cllr Bush asked about the reported underspend by Dorset Waste Partnership and whether this would affect the current policy to charge for disposal of certain types of waste at the household recycling centres. He wondered how this might then affect the current levels of roadside fly tipping. Cllr Webb commented that this seems unlikely to affect the policy of charging for waste disposal, however there is currently a separate nationwide legal challenge to charging at household recycling centres. Regarding roadside fly tipping Cllrs Webb and Meaden commented on the effectiveness of the local enforcement officers, and noted that there have been less incidents so far this year than last. Cllr Carswell indicated that he would prepare a piece for Lytchett Link on fly tipping and the effectiveness of the efforts of the PDC Enforcement Officer, as well as control mechanisms / protection for householders employing contractors doing work on their properties who need to dispose of building materials. Action: Cllr Carswell to prepare the article accordingly.

County Councillor’s Report

Cllr Wharf‘s report is attached at appendix 3 to these minutes. There were no questions by members. County Cllr Wharf went on to comment on an approach he had received from a resident about the condition of the surface of Loop Farm Road. He reported that he and the Parish Clerk had both visited and separately had arrived at the opinion that whilst the surface is not perfect, there is no justification for DCC expenditure on it at this time.

1. To receive and consider apologies for absence – Cllrs M Colvey and A Cottman.

2. TO RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST; AND CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR SPECIAL DISPENSATIONS UNDER SECTION 33 OF THE LOCALISM ACT 2011.

There were none.

3. To consider applications for the casual vacancy for membership of the Council.

There was one application.

4. To appoint a new council member, and receive the Acceptance of Office.

Members RESOLVED by unanimous vote to co-opt Mr Ralph Watts to the Parish Council. Cllr Watts signed the Acceptance of Office and the Parish Clerk formally witnessed this. The Parish Clerk passed a copy of Declaration of Interests form to Cllr Watts, advising that this must be completed and retuned within 28 days.

5. TO receive AND RESOLVE to APPROVE THE Minutes of The Full Council Meeting on 18th September 2017.

RESOLVED to approve as a true record of the meeting and signed by the meeting Chairman.

6. TO RECEIVE and consider REPORTS OF PAST SUBJECT MATTERS.

It was RESOLVED to receive and note the contents of the following report, which had been prepared and circulated in advance of the meeting by the Parish Clerk. The italics below indicates additional comments by members at the meeting.

i. Minute 14, 21st September 2015 – website updating. At the April Full Council meeting it had been agreed that all members would send their personal profiles to Cllr Colvey again. As of the September Full Council meeting there had been no report on any increase on the 3 members who had forwarded their profiles to Cllr Colvey, so Cllr Colvey indicated that members would receive the chaser on this in time to produce their profiles for the October edition of Lytchett Link. As Cllr Colvey was not present at this meeting, the matter was deferred.

ii. Minute 20, 17th October 2016 Decommissioning of Telephone Kiosks: A definitive response from BT is still awaited.

iii. Public Participation – 21st August 2017 – reported hedge overgrowth. The matters reported required hedge cutting work by Mr Mills at the end of Willow Walk, and a report to DCC Highways regarding the area opposite the Rose & Crown PH. Letters have also been sent by the Parish Clerk to various households where hedge growth was reported as affecting roads or pavement use. DISCHARGED.

iv. Public participation, 18th Sept 2017 – missing sign indicating “disabled parking bay” outside Tesco store. The Parish Clerk has reported this matter to DCC Highways requesting that this sign is replaced (Highways report number 1087066).

v. Minute 8, 18th Sept 2017 – proposal to apply the double skin to the remaining three sides of Rocket Park. A quotation for this work provided by Poole Business Services had already been circulated to members. In line with the Council’s Financial Regulations, two further quotations have been requested from local contractors before a decision can be made.

  1. Minute 10, 18th Sept 2017 – proposal to clear undergrowth and shrubs along the metal fence adjacent to Library Walk, leaving just the oak trees and the low shrubs around the noticeboard and bordering High Street. It had been resolved to arrange for this work to be done, once the DCC Representatives had been consulted on it at a meeting with them on 27th September. Action: Parish Clerk to arrange accordingly.

7. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

There were none.

8. To consider a proposal to plant a tree at the OLD SCHOOL green in replacement of the “twinning” tree at the car park.

After a brief discussion it was RESOLVED to go ahead with the purchase of a tree below the de-minimus cost limit. Precise details of planting location at the Old School Green is still to be determined, taking into account height, canopy span and root span when fully grown.It was separately suggested the Woodland Trust had been offering free tree packs for schools and communities. The Parish Clerk agreed to investigate this. Action: Parish Clerk to contact the Woodland Trust accordingly.

9. To further consider the proposal for a revision of arrangements for Council meetings. The following was RESOLVED:

· Restructuring the current Environment & Amenities and Finance & Policy committees into a single Finance & General Purposes Committee, which will meet monthly.

· Retain the Current Planning Committee, to meet monthly immediately before the Full Council meeting, on the same evening.

· Moving all meetings to Wednesday evenings with effect from December 2017.

· Relocating committee and Full Council meetings to the Blanchard Room at the village hall, with effect from December 2017.

Action: Parish Clerk to notify the bookings secretary of the Methodist Church and to make the necessary arrangements and bookings for the Village Hall.

10. To consider a proposal to award a grant of £100 to CALM for printing of publicity signs. It was RESOLVED by 8 votes (1 abstention) approve this further grant to CALM.

11. To receive and note the content of a report of a meeting with DCC Officers regarding possible transfer of local DCC assets to the Parish Council. A copy of the report by Cllr Bush is attached at Appendix 4 to these minutes. It was RESOLVED to receive and note this.

12. To receive and note the content of reports from Sub Committees and Working Groups as required. It was RESOLVED to note and accept the report prepared by Cllr Huggins concerning the Huntick Rd Cycleway project. A copy of the report is attached at appendix 5 to these minutes.

13. TO O NOTE THE DECISIONS MADE by the Following Committees:

· Finance & Policy Environment & Amenities Committee meeting on 9th October 2017.

Noted the resolution of the previous bank reconciliation discrepancy

Noted and RESOLVED to accept the completed annual return and report from the external auditors, BDO.

· Planning Committee meeting on 4th October 2017

Members noted that the PDC Planning Committee is now not expected to consider the proposal for a Rural Exception Site adjacent to Deans Drove during its October meeting.

14. To approve the following payments due:-

Inv To Whom For What Net VAT Total
3831 T Watton Clerk’s salary – Oct (12 equal monthly payments by SO) 864.83 0.00 864.83
3832 DCC LGPS pension contrib October 343.62 0.00 343.62
3833 HMRC PAYE & ENI 959.04 0.00 959.04
3834 T Homer Handyman duties, October 2017 288.03 2.33 290.36
3835 Idverde Ltd Cemetery maintenance – Sept 2017 303.49 60.70 364.19
3836 Idverde Ltd Grass cutting, Southern end of Rec x 2, Sept 2017 43.00 8.60 51.60
3837 1st Lytchett Matravers Scouts Hire of scout hall for meeting – 27 Sept 2017, 09:30-11:30am 26.00 0.00 26.00
3838 Southern Electric Car park lighting – Quarter 2 16.35 0.81 17.16
3839 Mark Pincott Associates Top up of Prudential investment + £500 investment fee. 14,300 0.00 14,300
3840 BDO LLP Fee for Annual Return 2016/17 430.00 86.00 516.00

RESOLVED to approve.

15. to note any training undertaken by members or the Clerk in the past month Cllrs Wood and Barker had attended a meeting with Mr Alan Davies for PDC Planning to clarify understanding of issues related to the way in which the Neighbourhood can or should affect the PDC Planning decision-making process. Cllr Wood indicated that she and Cllr Barker would produce a report giving more detail of the insights they gained from this meeting.

15. To note any decisions and / or action taken by Parish Clerk under “Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014”, Part 3, Paragraphs 6-10, Record of Decisions and Access to Documents. There were none.

16. CORRESPONDENCE

(a) Cllr Norris reported on correspondence he has been involved with regarding Community Land Trusts. Cllr Carswell agreed to contact Roger Holm to discuss this further.

(b) The Parish Clerk referred to correspondence from PDC concerning a piece of land within the parish boundary which has been offered up as a possible site for consideration by PDC as a possible location for future development. In line with the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) process PDC are seeking the views on of the Parish Council as to its suitability.

17. To note date of next meeting and items for future agendas.

The next meeting is due on Monday 20th November. Items requested for future agendas:

· To review the legal requirements, guidance and good practice for Annual Parish meetings and consider how this meeting can be best utilised as part of the communication strategy for Lytchett Matravers Parish Council.

· To consider a proposal to demolish and remove the bus shelter at Lime Kiln Road opposite the war memorial.

.

The meeting closed at 8.45pm

Annotated by/on …………………………….. Signed by……………………

FullMinutes 171016 Appendix 5 (Report of Huntick Cycleway Working Group 14 Oct 2017).docx
FullMinutes 171016 Appendix 4 (Report of meeting LMPC-DCC-Sep 27).docx
FullMinutes 171016 Appendix 3 (Report – DCC Oct 2017).doc
FullMinutes 171016 Appendix 1 (WM’s Dist Cllrs report October 2017).doc
FullMinutes 171016 Appendix 2 (PW’s District Councillor Report).docx

Full Council minutes 16th October 2017