Minutes of the 915th Meeting of the Stratton-on-the-Fosse Parish Council Held in the Village Hall 10 December 2012

PRESENT: Councillors: Mr John Padfield,(Chair), Mr D Stock, Mr Jeremy Padfield, Mr W Quinn, Mr A Norris, Mrs I Duggan, Mrs L Gittings. Mrs J Davies, Mr M Daniels. IN ATTENDANCE: Clerk The Lord’s prayer was said. ACTION

PUBLIC FORUM: There was no discussion. 1. APOLOGIES: Cllrs, Mr R Jones(Vice Chairman), CC Gloria Cawood, PCSO. 2. MINUTES: The Minutes of the previous Meeting held on 19 November 2012 were approved as a true record and duly signed.

3. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: New Declarations of Interest were needed to discuss the Precept, therefore all Councillors present signed a Request for a Dispensation Form which was granted and signed by the Clerk.

4. MATTERS ARISING: The Clerk reported on the following action taken since the last Meeting:

ACTION BY ACTION POINTS NAME DATE Contact Highways re Accident at Killings Knapp Completed highlight PC concern re safety issues at junction. Direction Trees & hedges need cutting back Copy Gloria sign Cawood removed & 1. Clerk replaced with giveway on double pole. Contact Highways Bath View pavement encroached by overgrown bushes. Blocked drains throughout village due to build up of leaves. Chicanes need special attention ie broom rather then mechanical sweep. Flood issue opposite war memorial on Fosse Road – 2. long standing problem. Completed Clerk Warning Sign(Giveway) at end Watery Lane not in place. Footpath LH Side towards MSN to Lay-by overgrown earth & grass restricting width. Footpath at Nettlebridge (Pitcote crossroads and Pub on RH side) overgrown – not useable. Reported before.

1 Following advice on FOI, Data Protection, Complaints procedure 3. from SALC – Email to request Pro-forma on Next mtg Clerk complaints procedure, Website ICO.gov to check if registered for F.O.I. Data Protection – procedure to be followed to Cllr 4. insert in SO’s Asap Daniels

Cllr 5. Place Standing Orders on Web-site Asap Daniels

6. County Councillor’s Report -forward As received Clerk 7. Contact Mr Dale James re email sent Completed Clerk Contact Father James at Downside inviting to sit 8. Completed Clerk on Community Gardens Committee Invoice from W Palmer to be given to Clerk 9. Next mtg Chair Secure Quotes for the cutting of Community Cllr 10 Garden grass. Asap Daniels . 11 Invite PCSO & Beat Manager to next meeting Completed Clerk . 12 Post Cheques – Cab (Reissued) Clerk Completed . Set up a spread sheet for PC’s Payments & Cllr 13 Receipts competed Daniels . 14 To liaise with Cllr Daniels over spread sheet asap Clerk . 15 Forward Cllr Duggan September’s Minutes asap Clerk . 5. COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT: A Report on The Community Warden Scheme was received. (To be discussed) 6. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT: Nothing received. 7. POLICE MATTERS: An apology had been received from the PCSO and the Beat Manger who were both unable to attend.

8. PLANNING MATTERS: 8.1 Applications: None received.

8.2 Notified of Approval by MDC: Ref: 2012/0420 1 Middlemead Create off road parking space for 2 vehicles. Approved with Conditions.

9. FINANCIAL MATTERS: 9.1 The Clerk’s salary for the period Oct-Dec 2013 amounting to £692.94 was agreed by all Councillors to be paid. Cheque No. 000913

9.2 An Invoice for printer ink amounting to £26.98 was agreed by all Councillors present to be paid. Cheque No. 000912

2 9.3 An Invoice (37) for work undertaken by Chris Perkins(lengthsman)(Sheet 92-£100 and Sheet 93-£100) totalling £200 was agreed by all Councillors present to be paid. Cheque No.000911

9.4 The Clerk confirmed that a cheque received from the Community Garden Scheme amounting to £11,558.14 had been banked. All agreed that this money should be ring-fenced for the Community Gardens expenses such as damages and general upkeep, but not for grass cutting. Clerk

9.5 Councillors present all agreed to the purchase of a rubbish bin at a cost of £120 plus VAT for the Community Gardens. The Clerk to order. Clerk

9.6 Cllr Daniels and Cllr John Padfield reported on a meeting attended, (along with Andrew Turner, Charlie Higgins and Gloria Cawood with representatives of Stoke St Michael and Leigh on Mendip), outlining the Community Warden Scheme and Enablement Fund.

9.7 A bid needed to be made for the Parish Warden Scheme (which could be used for Chair training a new lengthsman in the future), for a £3k 1-off payment. The money Cllrs could be taken and if not used paid back, but funding cannot be applied for later. Jeremy The majority of Councillors agreed for the bid to go forward. Padfield Daniels 9.8 The Enablement Scheme involved 5 parishes (similar to the Lengthsman Scheme) and money would be given to 1 Parish and then handed out to other parishes. This would be a 5year scheme with £50K divided between 5 Parishes therefore £2k per parish per year. Plus extra jobs that Somerset County Council funding will not cover in the future. Also a contract would be drawn up with Highways for the control of weeds and traffic signs for example. A discussion took place about different ways of implementing the monies available; for instance could the cutting Chair of the Community Gardens be included. Cllr Jeremy Padfield proposed that Cllrs Stratton put in a bid and Cllr Daniels seconded this: 7 Councillors voted for the Jeremy proposal with 1 Vote against. Therefore the proposal was carried and Cllr Jeremy Padfield and John Padfield and Cllr Daniels would discuss the details of the bid before Daniels submitting to Gloria Cawood.

9.9 The Precept requirement was discussed at length with the acknowledgement that the Parish Council’s biggest commitment was the Community Gardens. It was estimated that the deficit for Year End 2013 would be £3k and would be in the region of £3,500 in Year Ed 2014. The Chairman stated that there were 3 options; either £3k could be requested, the Precept could be kept the same at £7k and the shortfall taken from reserves, or some extra money on the Precept and the rest from reserves. Cllr Daniels proposed that £9k was asked from the Precept and £1,500 from reserves. Cllr Daniels stated that if the Government put a cap on Precepts that the Parish Council would be in trouble. Cllr Jeremy Padfield thought this too much and suggested that £8k was asked for the Precept and the rest from reserves.

A vote was taken by a show of hands. 9.10 Cllr Daniels proposal, seconded by Cllr Duggan, for the Precept to be £9k received 2 votes (Cllr Daniels and Cllr Duggan). 9.11 Cllr Jeremy Padfield’s proposal, seconded by Cllr Norris, for the Precept to be £8,250k received 6 votes (Cllrs Jeremy Padfield, Davies, Norris, Gittings, Quinn, Stock).

3 9.12 The Clerk to forward the Precept request of £8,250.00 to Mendip District Council. Clerk 10. COMMUNITY GARDENS: 10.1 Cllr Stock reported that he had inspected the Gardens on a weekly basis since the last meeting and had found nothing to report. A Check List was given to the Clerk.

10.2 The Clerk was in receipt of the Community Gardens Inspection Report from Digley Associates, which included a few action points needing attention immediately or by February 2013. These were read out:  A bolt on the entrance gate was in need of cutting off. This would be dealt with by the Lengthsman tomorrow. L/man  Rubbish needed to be cleared from the Tunnel. Cllr Daniels would clear Cllr tomorrow. Daniels  The bark groundcover under the basket and the slide needed to be raked over. By Feb 2013  The entrance Sign needed to be monitored as was torn/worn. By Feb 2013.

10.3 The items needed attention by Feb 2013 would be discussed at the sub-committee meeting to be held on 16 January 2013. Also the football posts, although not within Sub- the Community Gardens would be dealt with at the same meeting. com

11. STREET CLEANING/LENGTHSMAN SCHEME: 11.1 Cllr Quinn confirmed that Chris Perkins, lengthsman, had been stood down now until February.

11.2 The Clerk would acknowledge Chris’s letter announcing his price rise; stating that the Parish Council would review this when the present contract run out at the end of March 2013. Clerk

12. HIGHWAYS: 12.1 The Clerk to report to Mendip District Council the fly-tipping on the bridle path, Watery Lane. Consisting of black bags including timber. Clerk

12.2 The Clerk was instructed to ask Highways for the agreed work on the chicane to be verified in writing; that it would be completed in this Financial Year. Clerk

13. FOOTPATHS: Councillors had received complaints about Mogg Hill footpath at the Stratton approach. This was due to cattle gathering at the entrance and leaving a mess, making the footpath unusable for schoolchildren and mothers with buggies. This was a thoroughfare to the Doctors and the School at Chilcompton. The Clerk was instructed to write to Dr Jackson, who owned the cattle, to highlight the problem and suggest how it can best be resolved. This might be to either fence off the footpath or make an alternative area for cattle to lie down. Clerk

14. PARISH FORUM REPORT: There was nothing to report. The next Meeting was in January 2013. 15. WEB-SITE: Cllr Daniels reported on the work he had completed on the web-site; this included reorganising the menu, separating the Planning. He had organised that a police report be forwarded every month and a link to the Police Commissioner. The Mobile Library details were now on the site, also the Code of Conduct and the Standing Orders were almost ready to be placed on the site.

4 16. CORRESPONDENCE: Correspondence read and dealt with accordingly: 1. Digley Associetes – Inspection Report – Read out to Councillors – to be dealt with by Community Gardens Sub-committee. 2. Draft Mendip District Local Plan.

Magazines/ Brochures: Came & Co Parish Magizine Autumn 2012

Planning: Permission: Ref:2012/0420 1 Middlemead SOF

Bank Statements: 05 Nov 2012 Business Reserve A/C 14,160.52 Current A/C 50.00 Cheque paid in: Community Gardens 11,558.14 Cheques: Chris Perkins Lengthsman £200.00 V Attwood 26.98 V Attwood 692.94 17. MATTERS OF REPORT & ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: For Agenda:  Adoption of Standing Dispensation for Parish Council. Agenda  Monies for RBL Wreath Agenda

18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: 18.1 The date of the next Meeting will be on Monday 21 January 2013 at 7.45 pm 18.2 There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.45 p.m.

CHAIRMAN______DATE______

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