Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday the 5th August the Village Hall, Marnhull.
Present: Cllr Vaughan – Chairman, Cllr Tacon – Vice Chairman, Cllr Hamer, Cllr Kerr, Cllr Cullender, Cllr Wiles, Cllr Ruth, Cllr Holdship and Cllr Looker
Attendance: Mrs Nicola Phillips – Clerk, (standing in for Mrs Sally Upshall) Dorset County Cllr G Carr-Jones, 8 members of the public.
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming those present and announcing the Domestic Notice. The Chairman asked if anyone present wished to record the meeting, there was no requests. The Chairman reported that he will be recording the meeting only for clarification for the minutes, this recording will be deleted after the minutes have been produced.
At this point the Chairman moved to agenda item 3, Public Consultation.
1. Public Consultation
The following matters were raised:
• Request for a 20MPH through areas in the village. The Chairman confirmed that the Speed Watch Team are recording their findings and after a year of recording, these can be given to Dorset Council Highways Team when requesting the speed limit to be changed. This is an ongoing project which will be monitored.
• The date for the Christmas Car Park event was agreed for Saturday the 14th December 2019.
• It was reported that some of the footpaths in the village have become very overgrown. The Clerk will report this to Dorset Rangers and it was recommended that the public also report their concerns on the Dorset For You website, under footpaths.
At this point the Chairman moved to agenda item 4 and to be followed by agenda item 2
2. Apologies of absence.
Mrs Sally Upshall – Clerk, Cllr Mrs Ruth sent their apologies.
3. Declaration of Interest and Dispensations
Cllr Holdship, Cllr Tacon and Cllr Looker declared a personal interest under agenda item 8 – Men’s Shed.
4. Planning
The following planning applications were considered:
2/2019/0948/HOUSE – 3 Carent Close – Demolish existing Conservatory and erect rear extension – it was proposed by Cllr Hamer, seconded by Cllr Kerr that this application be approved, this was agreed by all members.
RESOLVED: to approve the application 2/2019/0948/HOUSE (2019-4, no budgetary requirements required)
2/2019/0866/LBC – Kentsford House, New Street – amendment for various internal and external works from original application. The Parish Council had already approved the original application; therefore, they approve the amendments.
2/2019/0796/FULL – Os Plot 7987, Stoneylawn – erect garage with room above. The Parish Council had previously objected to the original application due to inconsistency of the details for access, this has now been addressed by adding a condition which the Parish Council are happy with. The Parish Council would like to request a further condition that it was stated the garage will be linked as a part of the house, not stand alone. Therefore, the Parish Council approve this application as long as the new condition is put in place.
The Parish Council has received three further applications, which were too late to be discussed at this meeting and will be deferred until the meeting in September. The Clerk will request an extension from Dorset Council Planning Team. Action-Clerk NP
At this point the Chairman moved to agenda item 9 to be covered under this agenda item.
It was confirmed that Cllr Ruth and Cllr Tacon, along with Dorset Councillor Carr-Jones, will be attending a meeting regarding an appeal on Burton Street Application.
The Chairman recommended that the Parish Council have a Planning advisory team to look at Planning applications in detail and report back their proposals to the Parish Council for consideration.
Cllr Cullender, Cllr Tacon and Cllr Looker volunteered to be the officers for the Planning.
AGREED: Cllr Cullender, Cllr Tacon and Cllr Looker are the delegated officers for the Parish Council Planning Team. (2019/4 – no budgetary requirements required)
5. Chairman’s urgent business-report
The Chairman expressed concerns over receiving a bank statement from Santander, which did not have Marnhull Parish Council on the heading, only the Chairman’s name. The Clerk will need to resolve this with the bank. Action-Clerk SU
The Chairman has received a letter from the landowners of the Allotments, who have instructed a company to act on their behalf to manage their land. The letter states that the contract with the Parish Council has not been reviewed since 2009 and they have not increased the rent from £250.00 a year since that date. They are proposing that the rent is increased to £317.00 a year as from 1st April 2020. The Chairman will ask the Clerk for the original contract and circulate all the relevant information for the Councillors to consider for the meeting in September.
6. To approve the minutes for the Parish Council meeting held on the 1st July 2019
Cllr Wiles proposed, Cllr Kerr seconded, all agreed that the minutes be signed as a true and accurate record of the meeting. They were duly signed by the Chairman.
7. Matters arising
• Bin in Walton Elm – the request has been withdrawn.
• The breakdown of money spent by the Cricket Club and the matter of the Cricket Covers not being removed will be deferred to the meeting in September, due to the holidays.
• Cllr Cullender produced a report for the website from the Speed Watch team.
• Cllr Holdship will amend the date on the standing orders to May 2020.
• An offer from a resident to walk the footpaths and to report any problems they find was received. Graham Stanley is happy to meet with the resident to discuss what to look for. It was also noted that the footpaths (except for foot path 111) are correctly recorded on the official maps.
8. Financial Matter
The Payment Schedule for August 2019 for the sum of £1827.57 had been circulated. Cllr Looker proposed that the payments on the schedule to be paid, this was seconded by Cllr Wiles, all members in favour.
NDDC funds for The Hub and Men’s Shed, these payments of £5,000 each had already been agreed. The legal document is still being looked at by Dorset Council legal department. The Clerk will chase this up. Action – Clerk NP
Technical Support for Clerks Computer, after debating this matter, it was agreed for the Clerk to provide the contract that is being paid to technical support company to show what it covers.
Action Clerk SU
9. Dorset Councillor Report
Cllr Carr-Jones reported the following:
Had a drive around Marnhull with a member from Dorset Councils Housing Team and the Planning Team, to show them the importance of Rural Dorset and what community facilities are provided. Cllr Carr-Jones reported that he is on the Housing Team at Dorset Council which for a small team covers a very large area in Dorset, from Lyme Regis to Verwood.
10. Councillors Reports
Moorside Lane update – Dorset Council Highways Team have this on their to do list, as the residents are still not able to “navigate this lane without potential damage to their vehicles”. The reason is that it depends on which side of the lane you reside as to whether you’d turn right or left.
Playground – Cllr Kerr reported that the annual play inspection has been completed and there are matters that have been raised, but none urgent. The value of the play equipment including the skate park will be given to the Clerk to forward on to the Parish Council’s insurance company.
Cllr Kerr reported that the seat around the tree is in a poor state and needs replacing. He tabled a quote from the Men’s Shed for the of £350.00 to cover martials only. After debate, Cllr Kerr proposed that the Men’s Shed is requested to replace the seat, this was seconded by Cllr Cullender, all members in favour.
RESOLVED: for the Men’s Shed to replace the seat around the tree in the play area for the sum of £350.00. (2019/10- Play Area budget)
Recreation ground and grass cutting – Cllr Hamer reported that she has obtained quotes for the grass cutting, but until she receives a breakdown of the grass cutting from the Cricket Club, the quotes cannot be considered. After debate it was agreed for a letter to be sent to the Cricket Club asking again for the breakdown of the grass cutting costs, as the Parish Council will be forced to withdraw its donation towards the cutting until these figures have been received.
At this point the Chairman removed standing order to allow the public to speak
Footpath 111 – Concerns were raised of what is the hold up of re-opening the footpath 111 to its original route. The Chairman confirmed that the Footpath Team at Dorset Council had not sent the request to Central Government for their consideration. after debating the matter further, it was suggested that the public set up a petition with a supporting letter from the Land Owner, stating that she is happy that the footpath goes back across her land, to request that this matter is dealt with as a matter of urgency. The Clerk will send the Chairman forms for the residents to complete and for them to ask the Parish Council to send the documents/petition to Dorset Council Foot Path department on their behalf. Action – Clerk NP
Standing orders were re-instated
Cricket Club and Football Club contracts
The Cricket Club contract had been discussed under matters arising. The renewal of Football Club Contract was agreed.
11. Clerk’s report
Nothing to report
12. Correspondence and items of the next meeting
Correspondence had been circulated.
Items for the next Agenda – Co-option – Cricket Club contract – grass cutting contract, others to be agreed.
13. Date / Times of next meeting
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on the 2nd September 2019 at 7pm in the Village Hall
There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.45pm