FVPC Minutes 27-09-21

Minutes of the Parish Council held

on Monday 27th September 2021,

at the Savill Hall (kitchen) at 7.00 pm.

 

Present:

Cattistock                                                    Frome St Quinton                                    Chilfrome

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

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

Cllr M Harpur  (MH)

Cllr R Kilby (RK)

Cllr W Lashbrook (WL)

 

In Attendance

Mrs M Harding (Clerk), Cllr A Alford (County Councillor) (AA)                          No members of public

 

Welcome and Democratic Period

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. No members of the public were in attendance. Photos were taken for the village/community website.

 

  • Approve and appointment of the incoming Parish Clerk/responsible Financial Officer

Michele Harding who is also a Clerk to other Parish Councils in West Dorset was appointed and accepted the role of Clerk. Michele took the minutes of the meeting although the official start date was the 1st October 2021.

Proposed GB                                Seconded BS

  • Apologies for absence-apologies were received and recorded from Cllr S Stovin (SS).

 

  • Code of Conduct and Declarations of Interests- To receive disclosures of interest from members on matters to be considered at the meeting-None.

 

  • Minutes of the meetings held on 29th July 2021

Informal minutes received and noted as an accurate record of the meeting.

Proposed MH                                             Seconded DM

 

  • Matters Arising for information from the last meeting

 

Following the request to install a bench outside the Church in Cattistock GB had inspected the current bench and reported that it is a solid bench but could do with some repairs, it was suggested that this could be relocated and taken on by the PCC. MH to look into this.

Clerk to contact the family who wish to install the bench to gather a spec, timescale for installation and future maintenance.

 

  • Dorset Council -Ward Cllr report – circulated prior to the meeting

Cllr A Alford 24 September 2021

Latest Covid 19 figures over a 7-day period. Case rate per 100,000 – 253.6 (Previous week 254.1)

There is a Dorset Rights of Way Improvement Plan consultation –including online maps – to help the

Council, understand the key issues that need to be addressed. Dorset Council will be making a transition from working at home to hybrid working.

 

The effects of the national HGV driver shortage, coupled with the continuing impact of the pandemic, are starting to be felt across Dorset Council’s waste services as collection rounds feel the strain.

Phased reopening of customer service points earlier this summer – seeing approximately 200 customers

per week through our doors. We continue to encourage customers to self-serve online or use the

telephone whenever possible.

 

Planning services are struggling with demand. In July, planning applications rose in every English region

compared to the same period 12 months ago. This follows a bumper start to the year where February saw an amazing 25 per cent increase in applications (compared to February 2020) across the country, leading to a huge increase in demand on Dorset Council’s planning services.

 

The government’s National Bus Strategy – Bus Back Better sets out the vision and opportunity to deliver better bus services for passengers across England.

In response, we are developing a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to make bus services:

more attractive, cheaper, easier to use, faster, more reliable and greener.

DC is inviting town and parishes to take part in an engagement session for the Bus Service Improvement Plan as part of our response to the Government’s National Bus Strategy. Town and parish councils are welcome to attend the stakeholder engagement which will take place virtually, at 1pm on Wednesday 6 October.

 

Award-winning housing association Hastoe have recently submitted an application for eight ‘all-

affordable’ homes at The Coal Yard, Rope Walk, Bridport. This all-affordable scheme will offer three 3-

bedroom homes and five 2-bedroom homes, all with parking. The Design and Access statement submitted by popular local builders C G Fry proposes a sympathetic scheme which reflects architectural details seen throughout Bridport.

 

Household recycling Centres. Winter opening hours start on October 1st. instead of 10am to 4pm, the

opening time will be 9am. Summer opening hours will resume on 1st April 2022 – 9am to 5pm.

 

Local land charges service.

Due to significant volumes of searches, we are receiving and the bedding in of a new single IT system our average working day response times from date of submission are:

East area: average 30 working days, North, West, Weymouth & Portland and Purbeck combined areas: average 61 working days.

We are working hard to commit to bringing our service back to within a more acceptable timescale as

soon as we can.

Cllrs asked AA asked about the shorter opening hours for the recycling centres, AA explained this was agreed after looking at numbers of visitors to the site and at what times.

Cllrs asked if DC had any plans given the fuel and shortage of HGV drivers, all of the Bournemouth garages had closed. DC would have a risk management in place and would deal such issues, but no announcements have been made to date.

GB asked AA to comment on the issue of the climate emergency and is there any guidance at parish Council level from DC- AA explained that some parishes had developed their own plans, all the DC plans for the climate emergency can be found on the DC website.

BS commented on the state of the planning department and the delay of the considerations of planning applications, this not being a recent problem and is getting worse. AA commented that with Covid many people have taken on DIY works and have there has been a huge increase in domestic applications. The department did receive 2-3 per week now receive 2-3 per day. AA noted there had been registration issues and this has hopefully been dealt with. The planning department are not at this time employing more planners. Cllrs noted at least 1 application that has still not been dealt with which came up before lockdown and a further application that had been waiting approx. 4 months. AA explained that many of these applications are delayed when further information has been requested by the case officers of the applicants.

Cllrs suggested that there could be more transparency on the website, so each application has a note on it with its current status to reflect these delays.

 

  • Planning and Development
  1. To consider planning applications currently in circulation
    1. P/HOU/2021/01903- Proposal to demolish a flint boundary wall and to erect a ground floor extension – 4 Rocks, West End Cattistock- Members raised no objections to this application.
    2. P/FUL/2021/02724- Three Acres, Lane Lower Wraxall-Erection of garden room and terrace-The Council raised objections to this application for the following reasons: the plans submitted were inadequate for making a reasonable assessment of what was planned and its context in terms of neighbouring houses, concerns also raised, that neighbours have not been consulted. The Garden room is considered to be guest accommodation.

 

  1. To note development decisions received since the last meeting- None

 

  1. To receive any updates regarding the mobile home located at Sandhills

AA noted feedback from the enforcement officer, a notice is being prepared to be served to vacate the site. Further discussion was held on the housing status of the person on site and possible addresses of interest. AA will follow this up with the enforcement officer.

 

  • Community Space
    1. To receive and update from the Community Space working Group

Nothing at this time Clerk to follow up on the quarterly inspections.

  1. To note the weekly inspection reports- noted
  2. To receive the quarterly inspection report and action any repairs- none
  • Highways & Footpaths
    1. To receive an update from Rights of way Liaison Officer- DC are currently looking at footpaths that are not fully open. An application for a section 53 definitive map modification order for T647 Frome St Quintin and Batcombe Parishes- the diversion looked to be on a by-way open to all traffic, Cllrs to look into this further.

 

  1. Update on consideration for signage on side of Community Space to prevent parked vehicles blocking access for neighbouring properties-

Cllrs were not in favour of further signage cluttering the area. This item is now closed.

 

  1. Update on refurbishment of the Chilfrome fingerpost located on the A356

IM to look into this further, and report to Cllrs, information on the suppliers and grants available to be supplied by the Clerk. It was noted that the lettering must be cast iron not plastic ot be in keeping.

 

  • Finance
    1. To authorise payments for goods and services

 

Payment Description Chq No Pmt No Amount
J Carver Grass contract (3months) 100815 165.00
K Sheehan Expenses 100814 23.52
Receipts
Dorset Council Precept 5650.00

All payments were made in line with internal controls

Proposed GB                                        Seconded RK

It was confirmed that the grass cutting carried out by the same contractor at the Church is invoiced separately.

 

  1. To amend the bank mandate to add incoming Clerk as signatory/correspondence address

Following the change of Clerk, the bank mandate will be updated to include Mrs Michele Harding and remove the outgoing Clerk, this will include the change of address of the PC office to the Clerk’s address.

Proposed SH                                        Seconded MH

The council will now be looking into internet banking, it was noted that HSBC do not have a 2-party process for online banking so the Clerk will investigate opening a suitable account and report at the November meeting. The suggestion would be to consider Lloyds or Unity Trust Banks. The signatories will continue as the same for this online account being SP, GB, BS and the Clerk.

 

  1. To retrospectively approve decisions made under the Council’s scheme of delegation

None

 

  • Correspondence

To receive a verbal update from the Chair on any correspondence not dealt with by substantive agenda items.

Following the employment of the new Clerk the PC now need to supply a laptop at a cost of approx. £379.00 plus office and accessories.  The Clerk already has a printer.

It is necessary to have the Parish Council data separate from other parishes and personal computers for GDPR purposes. Also, should the Clerk have time off or change in the future the laptop can be given the Chair or a locum Clerk for continuity.

Proposed DM                                                    Seconded SP

 

  • Other relevant Information

DM commented on the notice board in Sheepwash lane, there was a bench in front of the board but only 2 posts remain. The PC could use S106 funds for this as it could be of archaeological interest. SS/SP to look into this.

 

Grit bins- following the notice that bins will be filled in October the PC agreed to look at the costs of a new grit bin for Frome St Quintin. The sites for the dumpy bags of salt will be confirmed but initially there will be 2 ordered- Manor Farm, Cattistock and Barnhayes Dairy, Frome St Quintin.

 

WL commented on the land adjoining to Back Lane that could be suitable for allotments, WL will look into this further.

 

ROI- Cllrs were reminded that there will soon be links sent out from DC to upload their Register of interests online, the Clerk will send an email to remind Cllrs when this is up and running.

 

It was noted that the replacement notice boards are likely to be in November.

 

The lamp post in the village square has been done.

 

  • Arrangements for the next meeting

The next meeting is Monday 29th November at 7pm

 

Items for the agenda to be advised to the Clerk/Chair 7 days prior to the meeting date.

 

Meeting closed at 8.20pm