MINUTES of the MEETING of ODCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL HELD on MONDAY 15Th MARCH 2021 ONLINE at ZOOM.US (7.30 P.M

ODCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL 102 Monks Dale, Yeovil, BA21 3JH

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF ODCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 15th MARCH 2021 ONLINE AT ZOOM.US (7.30 P.M. – 20.17 P.M.)

Present:

Mrs D Rennie (Chairman) Mr P Cooper Miss F Cumming Mr C Francis Mr D Peters Mr K Perry Mrs J Tasker Mr R West

District Councillors N Clark & G Seaton Mrs E James (Clerk)

1 member of the public

OPEN SESSION FOR ODCOMBE PARISHIONERS ONLY No questions raised.

REPORTS FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS Reports from County Councillor Keaton & District Councillor Clark were circulated prior to the meeting. District Councillor Seaton gave a brief update.

179/20 TO RECEIVE ANY APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE An apology for absence, for personal reasons, was received from Mr Parr.

180/20 TO RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None.

181/20 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15th February 2021 It was RESOLVED to APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 15th February 2021, which were then signed by the Chairman.

The meeting was closed for public participation and then re-opened.

182/20 RIGHTS OF WAY STRIMMER SCHEME It was RESOLVED to contribute 50% of the cost for a parishioner to take part in the County Council strimmer scheme.

183/20 CRIME, DISORDER AND COMMUNITY SAFETY (a) It was NOTED that PCSO Matt Shire had been unable to attend this meeting (b) It was AGREED to advise the PCSO that cars had been seen manoeuvring dangerously (“donutting”) in the car park.

184/20 PLANNING

(a) APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION None.

(b) PLANNING UPDATES It was NOTED that an update on the phosphate issue was available on the SSDC website.

(c) ANY PLANNING MATTER TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DISTRICT COUNCIL The Clerk gave details of concerns raised by a parishioner regarding the felling of trees. It was NOTED that contact details for District Councillors and SSDC Planning Enforcement had been given to the parishioner.

185/20. HIGHWAY MATTERS (a) Speed hump – it was NOTED that, due to the current national lockdown, a meeting has not yet been arranged with SCC. (b) Oak Tree outside of the boundary of the recreation ground – it was NOTED that no further information has been received from the County Council. (c) Notification of road closure – Camp Road from 22nd March for 5 days to allow the County Council to carry out drainage work - circulated electronically and sent to parishioners on the email list. (d) Rex Road – It was NOTED that a request for hatch markings on the road at the end of the footpath section of Rex Road had been received and forwarded to SCC Highways. (e) Highway concerns – It was NOTED that SCC Highways had been advised of two blocked drains on Dray Road and a dropped gully on Old Road. It was AGREED to write to the landowner of a field on Street Lane regarding debris on the road.

186/20 REPORTS FROM COUNCILLORS WHO ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES OR MEMBERS OF WORKING PARTIES None.

187/20 CORRESPONDENCE (a) Coronavirus – newsletters from both the County and District Councils - circulated weekly. (b) Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) – invitation to a briefing and question and answer session about its new Recycle More service – circulated electronically. (c) Unitary proposals for Somerset – correspondence from both Somerset County Council and South Somerset District Councils – circulated electronically. It was NOTED that there is no requirement for the Parish Council to respond to the consultation, but members may wish to respond personally. (d) Local Government Reorganisation Event - South Somerset & Somerset West Councils – circulated electronically. (e) Somerset Day Fly the Flag – May 11th – circulated electronically. (f) Chiselborough PC - ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – SOLAR POWER OFFER – it was AGREED that Mrs Rennie would attend a meeting to be arranged. (g) Wessex Internet – it was AGREED to invite the Community Engagement Manager for Wessex Internet to the meeting to be held on 21st June 2021.

188/20 CLERK’S REPORT (a) Management Plan for the Recreation Ground – on hold. (b) Opportunities for additional services – it was NOTED that the Clerk to Brympton Parish Council had advised that there will be no further meeting until the government consultation has been completed and the findings made known.

(c) 'How Parish and Town Councils can Communicate and Engage in a post-lockdown World'. – it was NOTED that the Clerk had attended this free event. (d) Parish Ranger – an update on the recent work carried out by the Parish Ranger was given. (e) Website – It was NOTED that the Village Design Statement had been removed from the web site for accessibility reasons.

189/20 VIRTUAL MEETINGS It was AGREED that the Clerk would give an update at the next meeting.

190/20 TELEPHONE BOX AT LOWER ODCOMBE Members were reminded that the redundant telephone box at Lower Odcombe was transferred to the Parish Council in 2008. It was AGREED that the telephone box could be used as a venue for exchanging seeds, and it was also AGREED to ascertain the cost of shelving to enable the box to be used as a book exchange. It was AGREED to obtain quotations for the cost of paint for the telephone box, which was last painted in 2015.

191/20 RECREATION GROUND - BMX TRACK It was NOTED that this had been checked on 7th March, and found to be satisfactory, with some weeds requiring removal. The track will have two weed sprays during the year.

Mr Francis declared a personal & prejudicial interest in the following item, being Treasurer of the Club, and left the meeting.

192/20 ODCOMBE FOOTBALL CLUB Due to COVID-19 restrictions, which had resulted in the football pitch being used 10 times during the 2020-2021 season, it was AGREED that the Football Club should only pay 50% of the annual fee, being £65.

Mr Francis returned to the meeting.

193/20 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR It was NOTED that the accounts for 2020-2021 had been inspected by Mrs Meecham, Council’s appointed internal auditor. It was NOTED that Mrs Meecham had advised that she had carried out an inspection of all aspects of the accounts and had found all areas to be in order with no items of concern. It was NOTED that the fee of £85 for the Internal Auditor, as approved on 6th July 2020 (min. no. 22/20). Would now be paid.

194/20 REVIEW OF INTERNAL CONTROL FOR YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2021 A review of internal control measures for the year ending 31st March 2021 was carried out. It was RESOLVED to approve the document, which was then signed by the Chairman.

195/20 FINANCE (a) Although all Councillors had been notified of payments made under delegated authority between April and June, it was NOTED that the payments had not actually been named in the minutes of the first virtual meeting in July. Members NOTED and APPROVED these payments, being:

E-on, £29.66, electricity Mrs E James, £318.65, Democratic services Zurich Town & Parish Council Insurance, £404.69, insurance KTD Gardening Ltd, £127.50, grounds maintenance. SSDC, £301.92, Parish Ranger service x 2 months KTD Gardening, £127.50, grounds maintenance E-on, £28.71, electricity Mrs E James, £318.65, Democratic services Mrs E James, £121.99, (expenses and litter picking equipment) KTD Gardening, £127.50, grounds maintenance HMRC, £238.80, Democratic services E-on, £29.66, electricity Mrs E James, £318.65, Democratic services KTD Gardening, £127.0, grounds maintenance (b) Members will recall that, at its meeting held on 20th June, (min. no. 38/20(b) a quotation was accepted for work to the oak tree on the boundary. Members NOTED that the minute stated that the work would be carried out in the sum of £475 but omitted that VAT would be added, making the total sum payable £570, net £475.00. (c) Members NOTED the receipt of 0.39p received in interest on 31ST January 2021. (d) Quarterly monitoring report – reviewed and APPROVED. (e) It was RESOLVED to approve the following schedule of payments:

Vision ICT, £78.00, renewal of domain name Democratic services & Internal audit fee £680 Mrs E James, £29.29, Clerk’s expenses E-on, £26.79, electricity

(f) It was RESOLVED to pay the invoice due for the Parish Ranger service should it be received before 31st March.

196/20 ITEMS OF INTEREST AND AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING Price of paint for telephone box? Annual governance and accountability 2020- 2021 Certificate of exemption

197/20 ITEMS FOR DISTRIBUTION

198/20 DATE OF NEXT MEETING It was NOTED that the next meeting will take place virtually on Monday 19th April 2021at 7.30 p.m. The meeting will close at 7.55 p.m. to allow the Annual Meeting of the Parish to take place at 8.00 p.m. Following the close of the Annual Meeting of the Parish the Parish Council meeting will recommence.