Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils Western Area Committee
Minutes of the DAPTC (WA) meeting held at Mountfield, Bridport, on Thursday 22 February 2018.
Present: Cllr Chris Turner – Chairman (Beaminster), Cllr Janet Page (Beaminster), Cllr Michele Warrington (Loders PC), Cllr Paul Oatway (Charmouth PC), Cllr Steve Ralph (Symondsbury PC), Cllr Sally Welford (Thorncombe PC), Cllr Sarah Williams (Bridport TC), Cllr Diana Staines (Corscombe, Halstock and District PC), Cllr John Broom (Lyme Regis TC), Cllr Rowland Hibbard (Broadwindsor PC).
In Attendance: Stephen Hill (Strategic Director, North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council), Hilary Trevorah (DAPTC Chief Executive) and Sal Robinson (Secretary and Chideock PC Clerk).
461. Apologies were received from Cllr Debby Snook (Char Valley Group PC) and Cllr Hilary Nadin (Loders PC).
462. Minutes. Having been previously circulated, the minutes of the meeting held on 23 November 2017 were taken as read and were approved and signed as a true record.
463. Matters Arising from those minutes and not included on the Agenda. None.
464. Stephen Hill, Strategic Director, North Dorset District Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council / Impact of Local Government Re-organisation on Parish and Town Councils. Stephen’s report had been pre-circulated to all and is sent with the minutes. Stephen spoke to 3 points in his report: - • Page 2 – Housing Infrastructure Funding secured for developments across Dorset. This includes funding for infrastructure improvements for the Vearse Farm development (Symondsbury) / Miles Cross A35 junction. • Page 1 – New campaign launched to tackle the housing crisis. Last year WDDC reached the housing target for the area. • Page 1 – Local Government Reorganisation Update. As yet there is no news, but it is hoped an announcement by the Secretary of State will be made soon. Weymouth and Portland elections are due this year. If the Secretary of State says “No” then alternative options must be devised. If the answer is “Yes” then only the minimum legal matters for the new Unitary Authorities will be in place for April 2019. • Stephen then spoke about WDDC Planning. A new IT system has been procured which will be used for planning applications, land charges etc. It is a 2-year contract with an option to extend for 1 further year. Sal said that she hoped that the conversion of data from the current system to the new system would be better than the last time this was done, when a significant amount of consultation response data was lost. Planning backlogs are improving. The average time for application validation is now 3 weeks, down from 6 weeks. The Nation Target id 10 days. There were questions regarding the accuracy of applications. Simon said that factual errors cannot be picked up by validation and should be queried by Parish Councils. He said he would send the secretary a copy of the Validation Checklist for circulation to all.
Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils Western Area Committee
Cllr Turner said that the Chairs of all the DAPTC Area Committees had received an e-mail regarding a Task and Finish Group which is to be set up by the Dorset Area Joint Committee to look at Community Partners Engagement. 3 representatives are required from each Area, I for each of Towns, medium / large Parishes and small Parishes. Following discussion as to how the representatives could be chosen it was agreed that this should be considered by the DAPTC Executive on 3 March as it affects all DAPTC Areas.
465. Chief Executive’s Report – attached. Hilary went trough the main points in her report.
466. Dorset County Councillor. The Secretary will contact the new Bridport councillor and ask if they will attend. (Election being held that day).
467. Update on Superfast Broadband. No update report had been received. Loders - there are still issues regarding the new “green box” for broadband. The work has been affected by the collapse of Carillon. However, there appears to be some progress in getting broadband in Uploders. Symondsbury - there is a continuing dispute with BT over the “green box” which has been put in the wrong place.
468 Reports from Parish Council representatives. • Chideock PC. The Definitive Map Modification Order process for Bridleway 18 has ground to a halt as Mr Phil Hobson of DCC Rights of Way is on long term leave. The Parish Council website (Chideockpc.org.uk) will launch on 1 March. The Parish Council will be supporting the Parish Poll result for a) an alternative route for A35 traffic, and b) de-trunking of the A35. One of the bus shelters suffered damage when a wheel came off a car and rolled down the pavement – luckily no-one was injured. • Bridport TC. A special Town Council meeting to consider Community Transport is being held on 5 March. A meeting about the St Michaels redevelopment is being held with interested parties. The refurbished Literary and Scientific Institute opened on 19 March. • Lyme Regis TC. There are plans to provide free Wi-Fi on the beach and promenade. They are looking at which WDDC assets in the parish can be taken over by the Town Council. The Tourist Information Office is being taken on. There is ongoing controversy regarding the proposed RNLI look-pit hut on the parade. • Loders PC. BT will not be undergrounding their cables. Some Western Power Distribution poles are going this Friday but only those which are not required by BT. A meeting has been arranged with Sir Oliver Letwin MP to look at this situation. Work to clear the landslip at Uploaders has started and should finish early summer. The are issues with the school bus and telegraph poles. The Parish website is being upgraded. The PC is investigating the possibility of reclassifying a road as a bridleway. • Charmouth PC. Peter Noel has resigned from the council. The planning application of improved access to the beach has been approved. The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is progressing well. Wi-Fi and a webcam for west Charmouth beach has gone out to tender. There are in discussion with WDDC regarding devolution of the public toilets and the car park. • Corscombe, Halstock and District PC. 2 miles of the track between Corscombe and Halstock has been repaired. DCC started the work but did not have funds to finish it – the work was carried out by local labour and only materials were paid for, with money from DCC. • Symondsbury PC. Work on fingerpost refurbishment continues. • Broadwindsor PC. The council is supporting the Village Hall to get Wi-Fi. The 3rd draft of the Neighbourhood plan is being prepared. There have been meetings with Simon Roberts, Dorset
Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils Western Area Committee
Highways, regarding road surface issues. Funding for a multi-use game area next to the school has been obtained - £5,000 from WDDC Leisure Development Fund and £10,000 from Awards for All. • Thorncombe PC. They are 1 councillor down. School numbers are down, and the head teacher is leaving. There are 2 empty houses in the village. 24 July marks the 20th anniversary of the village First Responder. • Beaminster TC. They are 1 councillor down. £73,000 has been awarded by Leader to refurbish the play area (80% of the cost) and the work should be complete by the summer. WDDC has agreed to loan the money as the grant will not be paid until completion. The possibility of a Sport England grant for the proposed skate park is being investigated. There has been some progress regarding the lack of bus services – 2 16-seater DCC Community buses, but insurance, permits etc have yet to be sorted out.
469. The date of the next meeting is 24 May 2018, at Mountfield, Bridport, starting at 7.00pm.
Subsequent meeting dates are 6 September 2018 (AGM) and 22 November 2018.
The meeting closed at 8.55 pm.
Signed Date: 24 May 2018
Chairman