Corfe Castle Parish Council 65/18
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CORFE CASTLE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF CORFE CASTLE PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, CORFE CASTLE ON MONDAY 10th December 2018 - The meeting commenced at 7.00pm PRESENT: Cllr Dru Drury (chairman), Cllr Clarke, Cllr Spicer-Short, Cllr Dragon, Cllr Spinney, Cllr Haywood, Cllr Morrison-Wells. There were three members of the public present. PUBLIC HALF HOUR. Richard Brown attended to deliver a presentation about the Dorset National Park and to receive questions. Richard reminded the Council that National Parks are specialised local authorities, composed of 75% elected members (50% from the County Council and 25% from Towns and Parishes). Richard noted that whilst it is not procedure at present there is scope for these members to be elected rather than nominated. He advised the Council that a report is published on the website stating the economic benefits of a Dorset National Park. The report summarises the evidence available from a number of sources as well as reports from Government and economic advisors. Whilst we think of National Parks being about conserving the environment, their duty is to serve and foster the economic and social wellbeing of their areas; it is this agenda the Glover review is keen to encourage. Richard invited questions. Cllr Dragon asked how there would be no duplication of planning services when the area covered by the park does not cover the whole of Dorset and also falls into Devon. Surely these areas out of catchment would need an independent planning authority? Richard answered that more of Dorset is being included in the National Park and sited some examples of areas keen to join; Portland, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton. There will be some areas that do not meet the criteria, however Ministers are very keen that the National Park work outside of their boundaries where that was appropriate. Richard highlighted the advantages of having a specialist local authority which can work with the Dorset Council to deliver on the environmental agenda, bringing in additional resources from Government to work in partnership and enhance the provision of services . Where would the planning department be? This will not be clear until the Dorset Council set up their planning department. When/if the Dorset National Park comes into being it will contract the services of the County Council whilst employing specialist to work with them. The aim of the NP is to have distributed planning offices as there are in the South Downs. They want local people to talk about local issues. There are a variety of different arrangements for planning in other National Parks, for example in the South Downs they work with numerous District Council planning departments. Dorset would have the advantage of a ‘seamless’ partnership with the single unitary Council and the NP would enhance services already there with their expertise. Cllr Clarke highlighted that if National Park Status was granted it would be for the New Authority to establish the arrangement which could be quite independent from the Dorset Council. Richard advised this is the advantage of laying out a prospectus and deciding what we want for Dorset and conveying this to ministers. Cllr Clarke highlighted areas of Dorset have already reached capacity in peak times, that Dorset has a high profile and that we need to manage demand as much as promote more tourism. Do we wish to encourage more visitors? He also noted we do not promote the fact we are a world Heritage Site which holds great status, should we not be promoting this? Richard explained the intention is to extend the season of tourism, eco tourism, night sky tourism, heritage tourism, cultural tourism, and to encourage visits to other areas less frequented by tourists. Evidence in the South Downs shows that once they acquired NP status there was not a huge increase in the volume of visitors but there was in the value, they stayed there for longer and they spent more. The NP brand could be associated with businesses and products which has a real marketing value. If we are to attract younger families to Dorset to stay here, we need to create affordable housing which can accommodate these people. National Parks are under a specific remit to encourage affordable homes for local people. There is a 50% policy of affordable Housing in the New Forest and 40% in the South Downs. 65/18 CORFE CASTLE PARISH COUNCIL Planning Officers in Purbeck have stated that if the area were a National Park they would have greater control over second homes. A further advantage is that National Parks are not subject to central Government housing targets; they work from Neighbourhood Plans. Richard suggested that we can be complacent about what is happening under the surface, the degradation of our environment, the reduction of wildlife and natural capital. The NP can identify and help address these environmental issues. The Council felt that one of the main concerns was the lack of democratic responsibility and they put this to Richard. He would advise commenting to this effect in the response to the Glover review and to state their view that the Board should be democratically elected. The proposed timescale is potential 3-4 years. Glover will report next year and this may be followed by an announcement from the Secretary of State next autumn. Following this Natural England will need to assess the area to be included in the park and DEFRA would need to negotiate budgets and resources. Richard highlighted we need adequate funds and we don’t want an underfunded National Park. Cllr Dragon asked if there was to be a change in Government would it affect the plans? “No, National Parks have cross party political support” APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllr Dando, Cllr Marshallsay. 1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATIONS: The Council adopted the Code of Conduct set out on the Communities and Local Government website at the 10th September 2012 Meeting (Page 155, para 3.7). Declarations of Interests received for all Councillors. All Councillors are granted a dispensation to set the Precept. 2. TO CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING: The draft minutes of the meeting held on the 12th of November 2018 were confirmed as a true record of proceedings and were signed. 3. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT: Cllr Brooks had little to report as the Council is focusing all of its energies on LGR which is fast approaching. A report put to Cabinet regarding taxis for children with SEND and disabilities suggested taking children to pick up points rather than running a door to door service. The report was deferred by Joy Haines as parents expressed they had not been consulted. The new Council should have received it’s finance settlement but this has been delayed until after the Brexit Vote. The Dorset Natural England Team have moved into County Hall to liaise with Highways and the Planning Department. Cllr Brooks was asked to report on the County Councils debt. She advised that year there is a reported debt of £350 million however this is likely to be reduced to £180 million through the Council borrowing against their own reserves. It was noted they are also bringing into the new Council £954 million of assets. Following a meeting with Cllr Brooks and Cllr Spinney the highways department have decided to refresh the double yellows and repaint the white hatching in the Square outside of the Bakery. Although this falls outside of the code of conduct, they have decided that it needs to be done because of access to emergency vehicles. Unfortunately, because of the cold weather and the fact that salt affects the setting of the paint it will be done the New Year. Cllr Brooks is working on arranging a meeting with Kevin Humphreys regarding the Railway and Norden but this is now likely to be in the New Year. Under the boundary review Cllr Brooks has been nominated as the Conservative candidate for the Dorset Council, the Council congratulated her on this. Cllr Clarke raised two issues with Cllr Brooks. Firstly he questioned District Council policy to patch repair small sections of the roads whilst other parts of the highway are visibly deteriorating. Would it not be more cost effective to resurface full sections of roads? Cllr Brooks agreed that yes it would. Her PDP paper cited that decisions made by previous Councils, based on cuts, were not cost effective in the long run and her paper was adopted. The result is that a larger budget has been pledged to highway maintenance and preventative action. There is a budget of £1.4 million for this year and £3.6 million for next year. The council also have £6 million to spend by March on improving road surfaces; County are finding the problem is getting the workforce on site as in house teams have historically been dissolved in favour of contracting. 66/18 CORFE CASTLE PARISH COUNCIL Cllr Clarke second query related to road signs advertising road closures whilst works are taking place. There is a lack of detail,: generic ‘road closed’ signs are used which do not clearly indicate what is required of road users, often leading to unnecessary diversions. He requested that it be made simpler and clearer Can Cllr Brooks please take this back to Highways? Yes she will, she commented that often it is subcontractors putting out these signs. 4. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT: Cllr Dragon advised the Council Meeting at Purbeck is cancelled due to lack of business. He advised the Timson Cottages in Langton have been adopted as a Trust and that Corfe Castle Village Hall had received a grant of £20,000.