KINGSTONE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD ON 23rd OCTOBER 2019 AT KINGSTONE CHURCH MINUTES

Present: see sign-in sheet Apologies received: Philip Creed Jocelyn Baranowski Patricia Creed Paul Tomlin Colin Chapman Margaret Rigby Jilly Chapman Liz Gifford Martin Lingeman Anne Dillon Fiona Lingeman Mark and Rachel Pitman David Gordon Susan Gibson Joanna Davies David Wilkinson Pat Kirk GE Kirk Linda Vijeh (County Councillor) Steve Uzzell Sue Osborne (District Councillor) Sarah Uzzell Duncan Rigby Nick Rutter Sallie Rutter Richard Fuller Becky Fuller Michael Gifford Mike Gifford Mark Dillon Aideen Perry Carmel Wilkinson Chris Baranowski

1. WELCOME: CB welcomed all to the meeting which commenced at 19:00.

2. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND CLERK: Philip Creed proposed Chris Baranowski as Chairman and Carmel Wilkinson as Clerk to the Parish Meeting – agreed.

3. PUBLIC QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR REPRESENTATIONS: None

4. TO RECEIVE SSDC & SCC COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS: Apologies received from District and County Councillors.

Richard Fuller discussed Somerset Rivers Authority work programme, see: https://www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk/

5. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: See list above

6. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.

7. MATTERS ARISING AND ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING: None

8. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS (GDPR): keeping your data safe.

Link for more information: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/gdpr-resources/ CW will send a further email offering a short extension to the cut-off for adding names to the email circulation list, for the purpose GDPR compliance.

The list is now closed and non-responders will no longer receive email updates/information, or agendas and minutes of parish meetings.

9. PARISH WEBSITE: Cari very kindly offered to set up a website for Kingstone Parish. A £3 to £5 contribution per household will secure a domain. Donations will be requested via a mailshot, an article in the Web magazine or other means.

10. PLANNING MATTERS

10.1 Decisions approved: Noted

 S73A application to vary planning condition 2 (approved plans) of 17/01268/FUL (retrospective).

 Demolition of buildings, conversion and extension of buildings into dwelling (revised application)

10.2 Application under consideration:

Erection of buildings to store and aid the construction of carnival floats

Land OS 6300 Longforward Lane Kingstone Ilminster Somerset TA17 8TB Ref. No: 18/02609/FUL | Received: Thu 19 Jul 2018 | Validated: Wed 17 Oct 2018 | Status: Awaiting decision The application is under consideration and additional information in respect to highway safety and ecology impact has been sought and provided. To this end a consultant ecologist’s report was added to the planning portal.

 The demolition of some existing buildings and the erection of an office and a warehouse and store with associated works. Lime Kiln Sawmills Kingstone Road Dinnington Hinton St George TA17 8TQ Ref. No: 18/03320/FUL | Received: Wed 10 Oct 2018 | Validated: Wed 07 Nov 2018 | Status: Awaiting decision DG thought this application was in Dillington or Whitelackington rather than Kingstone.

11. POPLAR TREES AT LONGFORWARD LANE: Concern was raised prior to and at the meeting regarding the felling of the remaining hybrid poplars and Leyland cypress, which were originally planted to shelter Showering’s cider-apple orchards. The orchards were grubbed out in the 1990s, and these trees were a remnant of the landscape as it was when the main crop grown in this area was cider apples.

A 5-year felling licence was approved to clear-fell the poplar/cypress shelter belt with the condition that the felled trees are replaced – the licence expiring on 7th August 2024. The licence conditions state that by 30th June 2025 the restocked trees must be planted with a mixture of oak and native broadleaved species at no less than 1100 stems/ha to produce a native broadleaved hedge. The conditions also state that the trees must be maintained in accordance with the rules and practice of good forestry for a period of 10 years following planting. The application was placed on the Public Register on 4th July 2019 and removed on 1st August 2019, no comments were provided by the Public – who were not made aware of the register or the pending application.

Questions/comments included: Most of the trees appeared to be in good condition . . . Had each tree been assessed? What advice was received?

Response from NR: The felling was carried out legally i.e. a licence was applied for and granted (Allowenshay Farm 018/1252/2019). Advice was taken prior to felling, including that the poplars were at the end of their life of 65 years. Native broadleaf trees will be planted to replace the felled trees.

Some felt that the replacements would have greater value for the landscape and local wildlife. Others were concerned about the impact on the landscape itself: land is owned but the landscape isn’t.

ACTION: CW to circulate Nick’s correspondence

The meeting was updated about the Ilminster Tree Project: Ilminster Tree Project What are we doing in response to the drastic man-made warming of Earth’s climate? The short, tragic answer is: not enough… That is why a group of local people has got together to plant 7,000 new trees, in the local area, over the next 12 months. If we can exceed this target, so much the better. If we can go on to plant 7,000 every year, so much more the better.

The UK’s 2050 net zero carbon neutrality target is one of the most ambitious in the world – it was recommended by the Committee on Climate Change, the UK’s independent climate advisory body. Net zero means any emissions would be balanced by schemes to offset an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, such as planting trees or using technology like carbon capture and storage. We believe we can and should be more aggressive with our targets on a local level, thus we have calling upon the Ilminster Town Council to strive towards Ilminster becoming carbon neutral by the year 2030.

Carbon neutrality is and must be seen as, an attainable target, but it will not happen by itself. Through the biochemical process of photosynthesis carbon dioxide is taken in by trees and stored as carbon in the trunk, branches, leaves and roots. Carbon is also stored in the soil and indeed this is a major sink for carbon in our woodland. Carbon sequestration is aided by the planting of new trees.

National tree cover averages at 13%, while in Somerset it is 6%. We need to plant more trees locally. To this end In Ilminster we have started the Ilminster Tree Project. We have in our group enthusiasts, horticulturalists, climate scientists, Quakers, OAPs, teachers, parents, carpenters and small-holders. Everyone wants to be involved, and, indeed, there is a job for everyone. What we are asking you to do is to discuss this issue at your next parish council meeting and publish this email to your distribution list by whatever method you usually use. We need local landowners, large and small, to designate areas where new trees can be planted. We can help with advice about which species to plant, when to plant them and very importantly, how to make sure they survive. We can also provide assistance with the actual planting.

A member of the Ilminster Tree Project will attend the meeting to provide more context and information if you would like us to. You can find out more from our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/greenilminster

A website will be launched very soon.

Please contact us by email at: [email protected]

N.B. more of this at the next parish meeting.

12. SAVE SHUDRICK VALLEY UPDATE: The parish meeting discussed this matter on 27th Feb 2019 and, having objected to the planning application in 2014, resolved to work with neighbouring parishes to maintain its opposition to this development. Residents were astonished to hear that South Somerset District Council had spent £50,000 of public money defending its objection to the proposed development at a three-day public inquiry, yet has changed its position and is now supporting its inclusion in the revised Local Plan.

13. CORRESPONDENCE (TO BE TABLED) None

14. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 A defibrillator for the village? Work is required to determine whether it would be feasible to install a defibrillator in the old phone box. This will require fund-raising and bid-writing - volunteers?

 BT Openreach have been working in the area. Residents reported crackling phone lines caused by water ingress. Also, tree branches rubbing against cables and exposing wires.