FVPC minutes 24-07-23

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting

held on Monday 24th July 2023

at 7.00pm at Savill Hall Cattistock

Present:

 

Cattistock                      

Cllr C Ould (CO)

Cllr D Newman (DN)

             

Frome St Quinton

Cllr S Palmer (SP) Chair)

Cllr S Stovin (SS)

Cllr D McCallum (DM)

 

Chilfrome

Cllr I Mitchell (IM)

Cllr S Tosswill (ST)

 

 

In Attendance

Mrs M Harding (Clerk)                             Cllr A Alford (AA) (County Councillor)                      no member of public

 

No members of public so no democratic period was held.

 

  • Welcome and opening introduction from the Chair.
  • To receive apologies for absence– apologies were received and recorded from- Cllr B Sennett and Cllr W Lashbrooke and Cllr G Browning (GB)
  • To receive disclosures of interests from members on matters to be considered at the meeting –DN on a planning item.
  • Minutes of the meeting held on 20th March 2023

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

Proposed DM                                                    Seconded CO

  • To receive any matters arising for information only – none
  • To receive a report from Dorset Council (Tony Alford)

1.Proposals to start the design for an 80-bed reablement centre in the heart of Dorchester are to go to Cabinet tomorrow (25 July).

The proposed centre would be on the Dorset County Hospital (DCH) site near Bridport/Damers Road, forming a significant partnership for health and social care for the years to come.

The new centre would significantly increase the capacity for the number of people receiving recovery and rehabilitation care and provide a modern fit-for-purpose facility for the future of care delivery for all our residents.

The proposal is the first development of a programme to ensure Dorset Council has the required care capacity, with up to £80 million ear marked for the purpose from its capital account, and this will build on work already progressed to support residents who are discharged from hospital or are recovering after a fall or illness in their own home.

It follows the council’s decision last year to prioritise actions to address the lack of therapeutic recovery services in the county following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lack of suitable bedded rehabilitation services that could help them recover to live independent lives more quickly and fully means that too many people must stay in long-term care or return to hospital rather than moving back to their own homes. This is not good for them and their families.

The new Reablement Centre will help:

  • Ensure that Dorset has sufficient care services to meet future demand for care.
  • Reduce pressure on NHS beds and services including prevention of admission.
  • Help those patients that no longer need to be in hospital to be discharged more quickly.
  • Improve health outcomes for Dorset Council residents who are discharged from hospital and need ongoing care and support.
  • Reduce pressures on the Council’s finances arising from demand and cost of adult social care services
  1. We are working on our housing strategy to set out our vision for future housing in the Dorset Council area. At the end of July, we will launch our housing strategy consultation and we want to hear residents’ views. Our vision is to ensure our residents have access to affordable, suitable, secure homes where they can live well as part of sustainable and thriving communities.

Good, safe, environmentally sustainable, and affordable housing is important. It leads to healthier more independent lives.

We are looking for a wide variety of views to help us shape the strategy.

  1. Dorset Council will lead in the preparation of a new Local Nature Recovery Strategy for the county.

It will help to show where our most valuable spots for nature currently are. It will also explore the opportunities to restore, grow and connect wildlife in our county.

Cllrs asked who is paying for the reablement centres and why is it not coming from Central Government, it was explained that this is coming from the Dorset Council capital budget and the social care budget does from local Councils. Cllrs asked if this also covered dementia care, AA would expect so but did not have that level of detail.

Cllrs also asked if there is this level of expansion will there be land left over to expand further if required, AA responded that capacity will be met but this has been mitigated by putting in multi storey car parks.

Cllrs asked about the rules on using recycling sites for DIY waste and if there is to be a charge, AA reported that he was unaware there was a charge now.

As AA needed to leave the meeting for another PC meeting, the planning item was brought forward.

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

P/FUL/2023/02610 Proposal: Erection of farm building Location: Manor Farm
Manor Farm Access Road- no objections submitted 26/06

P/HOU/2023/03360 Proposal: Erect outbuilding Location: Fairview Chantmarle Lane Chalmington Firs- no objections 10/07

P/LBC/2023/0373 9Proposal: Demolition of the majority of the existing squash court and garage (retention of curtilage listed elements) and the erection of a dwelling, with associated car parking, landscaping, and boundary walls. Location: Chalmington Manor Chantmarle Lane Junction Chantmarle to Junction at Chalmington Firs – comment by 2nd August it was agreed to contact the immediate neighbours before making comments, although most Cllrs did not object to a modest dwelling.

P/FUL/2023/03738 Proposal: Demolition of the majority of the existing squash court and garage (retention of curtilage listed elements) and the erection of a dwelling, with associated car parking, landscaping, and boundary walls. Location: Chalmington Manor Chantmarle Lane Junction Chantmarle to Junction at Chalmington Firs – comment by 11th August- agreed as above.

 

  1. To note development decisions received since the last meeting.

Enforcement response ref The Orchard- Following complaints from residents regarding the events taken place at the premises and these being we believed to be in contravention planning constraints, the PC reported this to enforcement and have had a response stating that Planning Enforcement believe that there is no breach of planning control on site as the Planning Permission granted under WD/D/20/003226 to construct a taproom/café/shop has not been utilized. The Landowner has instead elected to change the use of part of one existing building on site under Permitted Development allowances to accommodate this activity. The Planning Condition is therefore not applicable.

AA was asked to follow this up as Cllrs were concerned that this is misleading, and the residents have had to put up with the noise etc. It was noted that a licence has been previously obtained for the premises and this will also be followed up to see that they are following this process. The Clerk and AA to investigate this case.

AA left the meeting to attend another PC meeting.

  • Community Space
  1. To receive an update from the Community Space working group

The weekly checks have been conducted and report supplied, the contractor has cut the grass in the Gym area. The balance beam has been replaced, the changes to the gate openings had been queried as the gates currently open onto the road so this is more of a risk than opening into the area for an emergency situation, it was suggested the gates could be turned around or a latch put on the gate similar to that on the Gym area to stop young children being able to run out of the site accidently. DN, DM and SP to look at this after the meeting.

  1. To receive inspections of equipment. Completed
  • Finance and procedural matters
  1. To consider the Annual Grants given the Section 8 of the Local Government Act 1894 – Additional Powers of Parish Councils to execute any works (including of maintenance or Improvement) incidental to or consequential on the exercise of any foregoing powers, or in relation to any parish properties, not being property related to the affairs of the church or held for an ecclesiastical charity.

The Council discussed this at length to try and find a way to support the Churchyard grass cutting as community assets in the parishes but understand that the powers for this are not in place. The grants have been made for many years and many parishioners are buried in these churchyards and the PC felt the grant was a way of supporting their heritage.

After much deliberation it was agreed to continue to make the grants based on heritage assets but aim to support any future changes in legislation in order to make this change for community benefit. This was agreed by all, and the internal auditor will be informed of this decision against their recommendations.                 Proposed DN          Seconded CO                 All agreed.

  1. Cattistock PCC Churchyard- £525, Cattistock PCC Clock- £85, Frome ST Quintin PCC Churchyard- £260, Chilfrome PCC Churchyard- £260
  2. Purchase of the Wreath for November £50- this was agreed to make the annual donation and reuse a wreath as last year.
  • Country Cars- £40- the usage for April – June:

42 trips = Cattistock x 7- 16.67%, Maiden Newton x 29 – 69.04%, Toller x 6 – 14.29%

It was agreed to grant to the value of 20% of the usage for the parishes when the new contract for the phone is agreed.

  1. To authorise payments for goods and services received since last meeting.
Payment Description Amount
Admin Salary/Exp/office costs £1055.62
J Carver Grass cutting £140.00
K Hussey Community space repairs and inspections £495.75
Dorset Council Grit bin and dumpy bag £126.00
Savill Hall Hall Hire 20.00
Receipts
Lloyd’s savings account Interest June £2.75
Interest July £2.93

 Bank Balances as of 30th June 2023 £36,121.92

  • To consider the re investment of the Lloyds fixed term bond – it was agreed that the PC will reinvest the sum of £20,000 for one year. Proposed DM                Seconded DN
  1. To complete the update of policies- the co-option, social media, Grievance, and disciplinary policies have now been checked and agreed. These are all now on the website.
  • Highways- to receive highways reports- none.
  • Rights of Way- IM reported on the definitive map application for Wraxall, a stopping order could be put in place, and the route reverted. This is to be confirmed.
  • Correspondence– received and previously circulated.
  • Parish reports:
    1. Cattistock- none
    2. Frome St Quintin – A meeting with the bank will be arranged in September, parish minutes are being looked at from meetings in 2012 when the jubilee bench was purchased with parish funds and an information board to prove ownership of “the Spring” in Frome St Quintin. It was also hoped that the S106 monies still held for the parish could be used for this area.
  • Chilfrome – There had been an issue where several accidents had occurred with cyclists and walkers due to algae on the road created by springs in this location, this is ongoing, highways are looking to install a spring box.
  • To consider the format of the Annual Parish Assembly 2024 -It was agreed arrange an event to coincide with Dorset Arts week and raise the profile of the PC this will be deferred until September when more Cattistock Cllrs are present. The PC needs to give the hall committee 3 weeks’ notice in order to book the main hall for a Monday evening.
  • To confirm items for the next Parish Council meeting on 25th September 2023

 

Meeting closed at 8.50pm