FVPC Minutes 23-01-23

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting

held on Monday 23rd January 2023

at 7pm at the Savill Hall Cattistock

Present:

Cattistock                                                    Frome St Quinton                                    Chilfrome

Cllr G Browning (GB)                                Cllr S Palmer (SP) (Chair)                        Cllr I Mitchell (IM) (Vice Chair)

Cllr B Sennett (BS)                                     Cllr D McCallum (DM)                             Cllr S Tosswill (ST)

Cllr D Newman (DN)                                 Cllr S Stovin (SS)

Cllr C Ould (CO)

2 Vacancies

 

In Attendance

Mrs M Harding (Clerk/RFO)                                                                                 no members of public

Democratic Period- Ten-minute period prior to the Council meeting for members of the public to raise issues or comment on Agenda items-no members of public.

  • Welcome and opening introduction from the Chair- SP welcomed all to the meeting.
  • To receive apologies for absence– Cllr W Lashbrook (WL) Cllr A Alford (AA)
  • To receive disclosures of interests from members on matters to be considered at the meeting –
  • Councillor Vacancies- 2 in Cattistock- Cllrs discussed the reasons why they are on the Council and why some Cllrs may leave in order to try to understand how to encourage new members on the Council. The Council will manage with the number of Councillors currently elected or co-opted until volunteers come forward.
  • To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 28th November 2022

The minutes were approved as an accurate record of the meeting and signed.

Proposed CO                                               Seconded DM

  • To receive any matters arising for information only – DN reported that he has arranged for a land valuation and a plan of the area around the spring, in order to record the area with the Land Registry. SP commented she has written evidence regarding the Jubilee bench. This is ongoing.
  • To receive a report from Dorset Council (Tony Alford)

AA was unable to attend but had provided a report:

Dorset Council is to receive around £4.5m over the next two years to continue several key programmes, as well as launch some new initiatives.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which matches and succeeds EU funding.

A new Investment Plan for Dorset, led by Dorset Council with input from a wide range of contributors, has been approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and will see the county benefit from £4.5m of UKSPF money.

Dorset Council has published its proposals to deliver a balanced budget next financial year, 2023-24. The council’s total net budget for 2023-24 will be £348 million. The council proposes to increase council tax next year by just under 2% and to levy the adult social care precept of 2%. This is less than the maximum 5% increase outlined in the Government’s Spending Review in December 2022. The increase would be equivalent to £1.41 extra per week for a Band D property.

Since becoming a unitary council in 2019, we have made efficiency savings of £76 million, and this money has been reinvested to protect frontline services,

Five libraries (including Bridport) are offering the chance to borrow an iPad for up to six weeks free of charge. The pilot scheme is being offered by Dorset Council libraries, who are working with Citizen’s Advice and the Department for Work and Pensions to help people search and apply for jobs online. They can also be used to access online training to gain skills and knowledge.

Dorset Council is inundated with flooding issues across Dorset. Information at Dorset Council – Live travel updates. https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/travel/travel-dorset/live-travel-updates.

 

  • Community Space
  • To consider the quote for resurfacing

A further quote was supplied after the last meeting within the play inspection report, the contractor will be asked to install grass matting to the area around the tyres in order to meet H & S requirements. This is at a cost of £235.      Proposed SP                          Seconded GB

To consider any maintenance issues and receive inspection reports.

The football nets will be removed, SP to action.

The decayed planks on the balance board will be replaced SP to action, material costs will be charged to the PC.

The oil for the roundabout will be replaced by volunteers.

 

  • Finance and procedural matters
  • To authorise payments for goods and services
Payment Description Voucher No Amount
T White Agri services Gym area fencing 48 1620.00
ICO Data Protection 49 35.00
Fresh Air Fitness Gym equipment final payment 50 4737.54
Staff Costs Salary, expenses, PAYE 51,52 1049.62
Savill Hall Hall hire 53 20.00
K Hussey Play inspections 54 70.00
Fleur Graphics Printing 55 10.00
Receipts
LLoyds Interest 2.75
HMRC Vat refund 1981.290

All payments were made in line with internal controls.

Proposed SS                          Seconded CO                 Bank rec as at 31st December 22- £34,273.45

To confirm booking of training courses for all Councillors

SP asked Cllrs to look at the courses available from DAPTC, it was agreed at a previous meeting that all Cllrs would attend a course per year to keep up to date with their responsibilities of being a Councillor. SP commented that she is attending 4 courses- appraisals, social media, addressing conflict and managing performance. She asked that all Cllrs attend either the new Cllr training or a refresher course. Cllrs to inform the Clerk which courses they wished to be booked onto. SS and DM had attended new Cllr courses February 22.

  • To consider a review of policies

The Clerk had produced a report on the current policies in place, there are some missing to cover staffing, grants, child protection, complaints and social media, Cllrs agreed to review these policies each taking a policy to review for the March PC meeting. Clerk to send the policies to each of the Cllrs for review.

 

  • Planning and Development matters
  • To consider planning applications currently in circulation-

No current applications in circulation

 

To note development decisions received since the last meeting

The Warden Hill development has not yet been given a date for consideration by the planning committee.

The notice to remove the caravan at Sandhills will run out in April 2023, it is not known what will happen if the caravan is not removed by this date, Clerk to follow up with AA.

SP reported for info that she will be installing a static caravan on her property in readiness for the works to be carried out, this has all been agreed with the planning department.

 

  • Highways
  • To receive any highways reports-

Grit bins and road salting-The Council discussed the grit bins and salting of the roads in all of the villages, many of the bins require filling some have not been filled and are not on the Dorset Council grit bin list. The bins are classified as either strategic or community bins. The strategic bins are filled by Dorset Council and the Community ones are filled but paid for by the Parishes.

At Frome St Quintin there are 2 stone bins both are missing from the bin list and will be added, both require a repair to the lids as they have filled with water, SP reported that she will arrange the repair of the lids and charge the PC for materials. There is also a plastic green bin in the village which is now empty. There is part of a dumpy bag at DN’s farm, this will be used to fill the community bins in Cattistock and Chantmarle, a further dumpy bag will be ordered. All the strategic bins require refilling, Chilfrome bins are ok at present.  It is hoped to ensure that many of the bins become strategic and are therefore refilled by DC. All agreed.

IM commented on the flood water in Chilfrome and the recent information circulated regarding riparian owners and the clearing of ditches which used to be carried out by Dorset Council. AA would be asked for his feedback on this situation.

 

To discuss 20mph speed limits in the village

At the last meeting residents attended to express their interest in the 20mph speed limit and concerns about speeding in the village of Cattistock. The information from Dorset Council on this process and criteria was shared with Cllrs to read. It was noted that in order to apply for a 20mph limit a Community Speed Watch scheme would need to be in place providing evidence which would be required to support a change in the speed limit. None of the residents had come forward to volunteer for the scheme at this stage. It was agreed that those interested would be asked to write a piece for the Chimes which the PC would ask to be printed to gain interest in a scheme.  Cllrs did comment on the issue of speeding near the cricket pitch, but noted it is very difficult to speed through the village with parked cars, it is an issue of perceived speeds.

 

  • Footpath and Rights of Way

Following the last meeting the fly tipping letters had been printed to be hand delivered to those who back onto the right of way concerned. The bridleway had been reported to RoW to be cleared, when the rangers came out to clear no fly tipping was found. To be monitored.

 

  • Correspondence- report previously circulated.

To receive an update on Maiden Newton Surgery- GB reported on the recent meeting with the Ammonite group and the announcement that the surgery will be closing on a Thursday from 26th January 23 due to a lack of Doctors available, the issues with recruiting new doctors in the country. The PC had printed a flyer of the information supplied by the surgery for publication, these were delivered to Cattistock residents. Cllrs and residents are obviously disappointed by this news especially as there is no public transport to Bridport or Beaminster should appointments need to be arranged at other Ammonite surgeries.

  

  • Parish Reports- Cattistock, Frome St Quintin and Chilfrome parishes- none

GB commented on the new buildings at Chantmarle Manor and was there planning for the improvements, to be followed up.

The coronation- GB commented on the Coronation celebrations in May and if there is anything the PC could do, further discussion at the March meeting.

 

  • To confirm the items for the meeting on the 20th March 2023

        The March meeting date was changed from the 27th to the 20th March, the Savill Hall will be notified and the list of dates updated.

 

Meeting closed at 9.25pm