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Minutes of the Meeting of Holt Parish Council 28th July 2021 7:15pm
Item
61 Attendance & Apologies
Cllr Jonathan Cutts (Vice Chairman) Cllr Peter Finney Cllr Wrettham Ladbrooke-Chartres Cllr Celia Moore (Chairman) Cllr Janet Wallace Cllr Richard Walsh Cllr Andrew Wilson Cllr Jackie Egan
Lisa Goodwin (Clerk)
1 member of public present.
Apologies received from:
Cllr Richard Lonsdale Cllr Robin Cook (Dorset Councillor Stour & Allen Vale Ward)
62 Declarations of Interest & Requests for Dispensation
Cllr Andrew Wilson declared a non-pecuniary interest in PA 3/21/0679 as a neighbour and will not take part in the discussion of this item.
Cllr Jonathan Cutts declared a non-pecuniary interest in PA 3/21/0781 as a neighbour and will not take part in the discussion of this item.
63 Public Open Session
A resident of Furzehill asked members to again consider extending the Holt Parish boundary to incorporate the part of Furzehill that is currently in Colehill Parish. This would then make the whole of Furzehill in Holt Parish. This is to protect the future expansion of Wimborne into the Green Belt between Furzehill and Colehill/Wimborne and in view of the forthcoming Dorset Council Community Governance Review where Parish Councils have the opportunity to request changes to governance. The Review commences on 05 August until 28 October 2021.
Cllr Jonathan Cutts thanked the resident of Furzehill for his diligent work on this for members information.
64 Dorset Councillors Report – Cllr Robin Cook Stour & Allen Vale Ward
See Appendix A.
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65 New Code of Conduct
Members resolved unanimously to adopt the new LGA Code of Conduct and will complete their on-line registers by 30th September 2021.
66 Confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held 30th June 2021
The minutes of the meeting held 30th June 2021 were confirmed and will be signed by the Chairman.
67 Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Meeting held 30th June 2021
None.
68 Cemetery Matters
Members discussed extending the hardstanding inside the entrance gates with scalpings and shingle to improve access for funerals. M. Clifford provided a verbal quotation of approx. £1500.00. The Clerk contacted N O’Hara Funeral Directors and they explained they in fact park outside the Cemetery gates. M. Clifford will quote to take up the uneven concrete path and re- lay with scalpings and shingle however members felt this should be considered later when the new cemetery extension area has been formally purchased. Members discussed purchasing a Remembrance Bench @ £946.00 and Bin @ £531.00 + VAT and delivery for the new cemetery area when formally purchased. Members resolved unanimously to accept the quotation of £1900.00 from C. Hiscock for the maintenance of the cemetery grounds for 1 year from 01 August 2021.
69 Parish Hall Matters
No matters to report.
70 Highways
The hedge beside Holt St James Church is overgrown and has been reported to Dorset Council 1175466 The Salisbury Diocese confirmed that the responsibility is with Dorset Council and should be cut after the birds have finished nesting. Holtwood BT Kiosk - Members discussed this becoming a book/jig-saw exchange. The Holtwood Methodist Church have taken some care of the box and area around it but do not wish to take on any more, however, the Holtwood Community Farm have expressed an interest and will be putting together ideas and prices for the Parish Council to consider. Highways England advise the A31 Ferndown/West Moors will have traffic management restrictions in place from Monday 09 August to Wednesday 20 October to renew the safety barrier. Overnight closures between 9pm and 6am Monday to Friday only. Signed diversion will be in place via Wimborne Road East/West. Clerk to circulate this information on HOLT Together. Resident of Holt Road at Bowers continuing to press for a 30mph limit as the speed of traffic is making it very unsafe for residents there. The Highways Working Group will meet to discuss this and to summarise highways actions ready for discussion next meeting in September.
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71 Rights of Way Matters
Cllr Peter Finney has asked Dorset Council Green Spaces Team to organise a training session for volunteers. This is for those who cannot make the week day working groups but would like to get involved at the weekends.
72 Planning Applications/Matters
3/21/0846/FUL Location: HILLTOP, HARTS LANE, HOLT, BH21 7AR: Change of Use (agricultural to C3) - land adjacent to Hilltop to improve access arrangements. Members resolved unanimously to OBJECT to the change of use of land in the Green Belt to residential which does not infact improve the access and visibility arrangements for this property. Members agreed comments should be reported to the Planning Committee if the Planning Officers recommendation is at variance to the above.
3/21/0963/HOU Location: 5 BURTS COTTAGES, HOLT, BH21 4JW: SINGLE STOREY REAR EXTENSION. Members resolved unanimously to respond with NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
3/21/0141/FUL Location: LITTLE CIMARRON, CLAYFORD, BH21 7BJ: Extend the existing dwelling to create an additional storey and overall re-configuration and refurbishment including refurbishment of the attached stable. Change of use of land to residential curtilage. Members agreed that whilst they have no objection to the proposals for the dwelling, they do OBJECT to the change of use of Green Belt land to residential curtilage. Members agreed comments should be reported to the Planning Committee if the Planning Officers recommendation is at variance to the above.
3/21/0692/HOU Location: MINTERNE, GAUNTS COMMON, BH21 4JR: Erection of a single storey side and rear extension. Members resolved unanimously to respond with NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
3/21/0781/HOU Location: OLD ORCHARD HOUSE, HOLT LANE, HOLT, BH21 7DJ: Single storey rear conservatory and single storey side extension. Members resolved (1 abstention) to respond with NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
3/21/0443/FUL Location: HOLT LODGE FARM, HOLT, BH21 7JN: Two-bay extension to existing agricultural building; erection of new agricultural building. Members are unable to comment as documents not yet available on line at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
3/21/0679/HOU Location: HILLCREST, HOLTWOOD, BH21 7DR: Erect a double garage. Members resolved (1 abstention) to respond with NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
3/21/0780/FUL Location: AMBERLEA, SMUGGLERS LANE, FURZEHILL, BH21 4HB: Change of use of land from agricultural to residential in association with former holiday let. Members resolved to OBJECT to the proposal as they can see no justification for changing agricultural land to residential.
3/21/0451 HOU Location: MARENDA, HOLT LANE, BH21 7DH: Raise existing roof ridge height and erect side, front and rear single and two storey extensions. Members resolved unanimously to OBJECT to the proposal which would overdevelop the site, adversely affecting the traditional neighbouring thatched cottage. The design is too large and inappropriate in this location and detrimental to the setting on the Village Green. This proposal is equivalent to the impact of the previous application which was refused in 2018 (3/17/3210)
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We would also expect the National Trust as owners of the Village Green to be a consultee on this application. Members agreed comments should be reported to the Planning Committee if the Planning Officers recommendation is at variance to the above.
Planning Enforcement Matters
Willow Cottage, Holt Road Mannington, BH21 7JY new entrances to property – Clerk to chase up Dorset Council for a response on this enforcement complaint.
Horseshoes Farm, Holtwood, BH21 7DR – Clerk to report agricultural land is fenced with close board fencing causing serious harm to the Green Belt and a new access has been made onto the highway.
Members discussed their on-going concerns with Dorset Councils Enforcement and agreed to submit a formal question to Dorset Council Full Cabinet to understand why Dorset Council is no longer enforcing breaches of planning law unless under certain criteria they themselves have chosen. The criteria is vague and undefined and the Parish Council is therefore unsupported when reporting breaches on behalf of its residents.
73 Woodland area (old Brickworks) off Queens Copse Lane
Working Group to meet on site with a view to setting up a working party to get started on clearing invasive species.
74 Community Governance Review
Members considered the residents request during the Public Open Session and it was resolved unanimously to agree with the principle of extending the Holt Parish boundary to incorporate the part of Furzehill currently in Colehill Parish to protect against the future expansion of Wimborne into the Green Belt.
Residents of Furzehill will be asked to send their views on this to the Clerk.
The clerk has written to Vale Of Allen and is awaiting their comments on the current parish boundary which runs directly through the centre of Gaunts Common. Clerk to chase up response.
75 Correspondence – circulated to members prior to the meeting
DAPTC 2021 Annual General Meeting will be held Saturday 13th November 10:00 to be held virtually. Dorset Council Invitation to Town and Parish Councils to attend Bus Service Improvement Plan Event 26th July 2021 14:00 to be held virtually. Dorset Council correspondence advising the Wimborne St Giles Neighbourhood Plan was formally designated and can be viewed on line at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.ik Correspondence from a resident concerned about the proposed Lawless music festival at Crooked Willows Farm, Burts Lane from 3rd to 5th September 2021. Dorset Council is aware of this event and awaiting a Temporary Event Notice application. The event has also been logged with the Safety Advisory Group which is made up of the various agencies such as police, ambulance, fire, etc.
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76 Financial Matters & Expenditure
The Clerk provided members with up to date bank balances. Members approved the following items for payment including Clerks Salary:
ONLINE DAPTC Training for Chairman £25.00
77 Information for Report only
Cllr Janet Wallace reported on the recent DAPTC Area East Meeting including a presentation by Cllr David Walsh, Portfolio Holder for Planning Dorset Council, on the Local Plan. The next meeting of the Parish Council will be in Holt Parish Hall, 8th September 2021 at 7:15pm
Meeting Closed 21:40
These minutes are to be signed by the Chairman after approval at the next meeting of the Parish Council.
Signed: …………………………………………………………………………………………… 8th September 2021
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Appendix A
COVID-19
Dorset Council prepares for step 4 of the COVID roadmap
Dorset Council has put plans in place in response to the lifting of remaining legal restrictions relating to the COVID pandemic by the Government from last Monday 19 July.
All council services are now operating fully. The vast majority of these services continued to operate throughout the pandemic, with appropriate COVID restrictions in place. In light of the current rising COVID rate locally, the decision has been made to retain a number of COVID measures for the ongoing protection of customers and staff. Council staff in customer-facing roles will be strongly encouraged to continue wearing face coverings, as will customers visiting indoor premises. Plexiglass safety screens will remain in place in customer-facing settings, and hygiene and cleaning regimes will continue.
Throughout the pandemic, many council employees have continued to deliver their roles working within local communities, providing vital services such as highways maintenance, social work, and waste collection. This work will of course continue from 19 July. A limited number of council staff have been working from council offices throughout the pandemic, with strict COVID-secure measures in place. From 19 July, those council employees who have been working from home will continue to do so where they are able to, and any future wider return to office working will be cautious and gradual. Working arrangements have been discussed extensively with employees to ensure that staff needs as well as customer needs are met.
Over the coming months, Dorset Council will be moving to hybrid working arrangements for many staff on a permanent basis, allowing employees to work from a range of locations including out in the community, from home and from a number of office buildings and other workplaces.
Help on a range of issues relating to COVID-19, including support for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable or those who need to self-isolate, can be found online www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/coronavirus or by calling 01305 221000.
Council meetings
Plans were in place for Dorset Council meetings to revert to normal from 19th July, but in the light of the increasing Covid- 19 case rates locally and the projected increases through August and into September, in consultation with group leaders, the Chief Executive has exercised his emergency powers to revert to informal virtual meetings. For this meeting where a decision is required it is delegated to the most appropriate officer to make the decision, having listened to and taken into account the views expressed by the wider Committee membership.
And a personal view
July 19th - so called ‘Freedom Day’ has happened and some of us we will probably be unsure, and possibly concerned, about the impact the lifting of the remaining restrictions in England will have on Covid infections. I have enquired around a selection of businesses locally and it appears that most seem to be taking a cautious approach by requesting that customers and visitors wear masks while on their premises, and existing hygiene measures such as hand gel etc. remain in place for some time yet.
I don’t think anyone wants a government to micro-manage their lives, and the situation now means we need to take back a greater share of personal responsibility. I dislike wearing a mask intensely but will continue to do so in certain situations out of courtesy to others.
Customer service points now open to the public.
Since March 2020, due to COVID-19, many more people have been accessing services through the council’s website or by telephone.
From 5th July support with council services is now available face to face. For us locally, contact points are at Wimborne library and Nordon Lodge, Blandford. Customer services can assist with council enquiries or urgent needs that cannot be supported over the phone or online. For many residents in my ward this is their preferred method, and the new customer service points are to be welcomed.
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The continued safety of customers and employees is paramount. There will be pre-booked appointments only unless an enquiry requires support due to its complexity or the vulnerability of the person concerned. All locations will follow the latest COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing measures to ensure customers are kept safe.
Customers can contact Dorset Council from anywhere in Dorset, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm by calling Dorset Direct on 01305 221000 (out of hours service operates outside this time), email [email protected] or via the website www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and in public access computers are available for use in all of our libraries.
Dorset Local Plan
The Dorset Council Local Plan contains strategies to shape the area over a 17-year period. These include planning growth in the right places at the right time, maximising the supporting infrastructure secured through development, boosting the local economy, and protecting the high-quality local environment. Without a plan, and an ability to show that it has a five- year supply of land for development, the council is open to challenge from developers who would then be able to build homes in unplanned locations potentially harming our high quality environment.
During the pandemic the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) gave guidance that local councils should not delay the production of their Local Plans. Dorset Council took on board this guidance and used a mixture of online and traditional methods to promote the consultation on the Dorset Council Local Plan to make sure that a representative sample of the population responded to the questionnaire.
This first version generated mostly constructive comments in the community. Surprising in a way, as this part of the county has borne the brunt of new development since the former East Dorset District Council plan was adopted in 2014, so the prospect of yet more could be an anathema to some. Throughout the process I encouraged individuals to respond and will continue to do so as future iterations of the plan evolve.
The consultation has been scrutinised by a working group of elected councillors making sure that the project keeps to its objectives. The Executive Advisory Panel (EAP) as it is known is supported by officers and is tasked by Dorset Council’s Cabinet to focus on areas of work to make sure that it is carried out according to the council’s priorities. Any recommendations that the panel make have to be agreed by the Cabinet.
There were over 60,000 comments via the online form, posted paper copies or by email, with around 7,000 residents responding, and a good cross section with age range from 11 to 85 years old. All the comments are being considered within the framework set by the National Planning Policy which informs all planning decisions.
The Leader of the Council joined others from across the country recently to discuss the issues relating to the Government’s proposed planning reforms and the potential impact on Dorset. It was a very productive meeting with open and frank discussions regarding some of the proposed changes and how best to find a suitable balance between housing need and the safeguarding of our unique environment in the county of Dorset
Wimborne Market
Probably many of you have been, or indeed still are, users of it I thought you would appreciate an update on the situation with the future of Wimborne Market which has made the news over the last few months.
McCarthy and Stone put in a planning application for a ‘Retirement Village’ comprising of 66 age restricted apartments, 26 age restricted bungalows, 6 age restricted chalet bungalows, one wellness centre, 9 open market houses, parking, highway improvements and pedestrian link. This initial application has been refused and whether it comes back to the table remains to be seen.
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