283 EAST COKER PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 9th November 2011 at The Pavilion, Long Furlong Lane at 7pm

Present: Cllrs. B.Bennett, M. Horsley, B. Sugg, S. Shayler, K. Wilson, B. Griffin,. J. Shaw, J. Fysh, D. Mead, M. Mead, S. Rashley, R. Boyden District Councillor Gina Seaton Cllr. Rashley declared and interest at Item Planning Application 5c 11/04058/FUL 1. Apologies – Cllr. H. Clarke, C.Cllr. Cathy Bakewell 2. Public Open Session A member of the public commended the Parish Council on its handling of the Open Meeting regarding the proposed Urban Extension and the draft Core Strategy. 3. Minutes of 12th October 2011 September 2011 proposed Cllr. M. Mead, seconded Cllr. Sugg and carried. 4. District Councillor Gina Seaton briefly reported on the Area South meeting and discussion on the planning application for an astro turf pitch on the Mudford Rd. recreation ground – a further Addendum to the Traffic Survey and a visit by D.Council members to the proposed Urban Extension site south of Yeovil taking in the possible northern site at Lufton also viewing that site from Ham Hill. Congratulated Chairman and Cllr. Bennett on their representation at the Public Meeting of 26th October. Council was introduced to Liz Rose from Tellis Cross who was interested in the traffic calming enquiries and the traffic surveys in the areas. Cllr. Becky Griffin would keep in touch with her. SSDC are installing temporarily the black boxes to undertake the surveys now for a 5-day period. Council to ask the Lengthsman to cut back the debris and undergrowth from the walkway down from Tellis Cross to the School within the white line. 5. SSDC Planning Applications a. 11/04170/TPO Mr. John White, The Spinney, Yeovil Rd. Application to carry out tree surgery works to various trees within Group G3 of the Yeovil District council (East Coker No. 1) Tree Preservation Order. It was previously asked of the applicant by the Parish Council to do this work so the Council had no need to make observations. b. 11/04147/FUL Mr. & Mrs. S. Packer, Chantry Orchard, Yeovil Rd. Various extensions and alterations to enlarge and refurbish existing dwelling. Council approved. c. 11/04058/FUL Mr.Simon Smith. The erection of an agricultural field shelter/storeat land OS 1993 Holywell Halves Lane, East Coker. Council did not approve of buildings of this nature being erected in open countryside. d.11/03958/FUL East Coker Village Hall Charitable Trust. The installation of solar PV panels on south facing roof of premises – Council approved. e. 11/04266/FUL Mr. & Mrs. Kenny, 10 Lower Wraxhill Rd. BA20 2JU Alterations, rendering of existing dwelling, the erection of a two-storey side and a single storey rear extension and a front entrance porch. Council approved. Determinations a. 11/03679/LBC Ms. Helen Ryan, 4 Holly Mews, Coker Court – Withdrawn b. 11/03369/COU Mr. Thornton & barnes/Mr. & Mrs. D. Palmer – Granted c. 11/03614/TPO Mr. Marcus Rowswell, 32 Helena Rd. – Granted d. 11/03687/FUL Mr. & Mrs. Bowditch, 2 Priory Close – Granted late correspondence e. 11/03721/FUL Mr. Couch, Pavyotts Mill – granted f. 11/02428/FUL Sutton Bingham Water Treatment Works – Permitted g. 11/03318/FUL Mr.Steve Docherty, The Gables, Burton – Granted

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6. Matters Arising / Reports Summary of Open Meeting – The meeting was well received with residents and there was co- operation between the various groups in the parish. There was nothing further to report as this stage. a. Barriers to Travellers – information received on a lockable horizontal barrier to stop trespass by unauthorised vehicles. The height is shown on a cross bar which is a bright yellow and set at 2.2m so that a standard Land Rover can get under but nothing bigger. Once in place a timed photo provides evidence that the Parish council has taken precautions to prevent illegal entry and as such it is a matter of forcible entry and trespass if occupation takes place which allow the police to evict without court action. The horizontal bar is on hinges and has a locking bar capable of being secured with a padlock and can be opened to allow larger permitted vehicles to enter. Council discussed and considered this a very good idea. Cllr. Stan Shayler proposed we adopt this form of barrier, seconded by Cllr.Sugg and carried. Clerk to obtain quotations. b. Grit Bins – Highways had responded that it was for the Parish Council to replace grit bins. It was considered urgent that the P.Council replace the bin at ‘The Spinney, Darvole’ and the chairman and Clerk were authorised to get prices and place an order. c. Unesco World Heritage Site application. East Coker Preservation Trust consider that it is still a possibility that East Coker could qualify and have agreed to keep in mind and come back to the Parish Council if and when for approval. d. ECPC Web site . Cllr. Horsley reported that the website is now up and running. Content is needed now. Various groups to get together to give a precis of their brief for inclusion on the site. All comments should be sent to him by the end of November. Cllr. Horsley would be the main administrator of the site. There was discussion on the protocol of including councillors contact details on the site. Clerk to take advice from SALC e. Diamond Jubilee Celebrations . Majority of groups had responded positively so long as it was not held on the Sunday. A further meeting arranged for Wed. 23rd Nov. 7.30pm in The Pavilion to discuss the options and plans to which all interested parties would be invited. A pre-meeting on 15th Nov. At Cllrs. Sugg’s home 7.30pm to arrange format of this meeting. Cllrs. Shaw, Wilson, Rashley, Shayler, Sugg to oversee. f. Hedge Laying – Mr. N. Dowding only had responded with a quote for this work. His quote of £7 per metre for laying hedge from car park entrance to the fence with Cllr. David Mead taking away the rubbish was accepted. Proposed by Cllr.Shayler, seconded Cllr. M. Mead and carried. g. Bulb Planting – Cllr. Sugg thanked all who had turned up to do this job. All areas were planted with appropriate daffodil bulbs. £17.94 had been spent on refreshments but the surplus had been sold off to the football teams so there was no charge to the Parish Council. Many thanks to Cllr. Sugg for doing this. The replacement fridge for the Pavilion – Quotes from Currys £129, Comet £119,Marshes of Sherborne £149 Cllr. S.Shayler proposed to accept Comet price of £119, seconded Cllr. D. Mead and carried. Cllr. Kath Wilson agreed to collect and pay and the Parish Council would refund. h. New cradle seats for the swings in play area. This matter still in hand. Clerk to follow up. 7. SSDC – a. A pamphlet called The Green Directory received. Clerk to try and get further copies. b. Licence application from The Foresters Arms in Holywell received. No comment from Council to be made. c. Playground Inspection Service operated by SSDC would now be a chargeable service wef 1st April 2012 The information given to Cllr. Judith Shaw to read and report back. d. Precept form received for year 2012/13 Councillors to consider potential for major works next year to impact on the precept. Further discussion at December meeting.

285 8. SCC a. Winter Service 2011/12 De-Icing material now available for collection. The Lengthsman to collect on behalf of the Parish. Councillors considered it a better idea not to have one deposit point (Primrose Hill Farm) but to share around various locations. A depot Open evening for 10th November was unfortunately too late to take advantage of. b. Somerset’s Draft Countywide Parking Strategy received and available to anyone interested. www.somerset.gov.uk/transportstrategy c. Replacement of Defective Paving with Tarmacadam. Because of the need to make savings in the next three years one of the policies that has changed is the replacement of broken slabs and paviour blocks with tarmacadam instead of replacement on a like for like basis. This has proved unwelcome in conservation and heritage areas. The County Council is asking whether the P.Council would be prepared to help in sharing that cost or topping up the funds required to carry out repairs on a like for like basis. This doesn’t particularly apply with the conservation area of East Coker not having pavements. d. Rights of Way – applications to modify the Definitive Map and Statement. One footpath involved in East Coker Y9/46 P.Council to object. This should stay a footpath for pedestrians not a bridleway. Cllr. S. Rashley to investigate.

9. General a) SALC Somerset Association of Local Councils sent a summary of items discussed at their AGM and an agenda for the next meeting on 12th December at 7.30pm Donyatt Village Hall. Chairman and Clerk to attend. Other Councillors welcome. b) Planning for Play workshops – information given to Councillors. Cllr. Shaw hoping to attend. c) A request from Wakely Funeral Directors about a childs grave with kerbs. Councillors felt that as much sensitive consideration should be given to this request as possible. As kerbs were generally discouraged it was agreed that the grave should have a filled-in top i.e. the headstone laid flat should a request come to the Parish Council. d) Mr. R. Allwood had written regarding the proposed Urban Extension and also detailing the location of the remains of the Roman Villa. Clerk to write and thank him. e) Awards for All – Grant application by ECPC for funds to replace the existing path from the entrance gate to the Pavilion and a spur off to the Scout hut with 1.5m wide tarmac with white edging and membrane. First contractor qualified to quote at £4800 plus VAT Cllr. Kath Wilson had completed the application. Should the application be successful further quotations will be obtained. f) An up to date Contract of Employment agreed for the Clerk Mrs. P. Gubbins. Adoption was proposed by Cllr.S.Shayler, seconded Cllr. D.Mead and carried. Cllr. K. Wilson to be mediator in the event a grievance. Late Correspondence 1.Somerset Waste Core Strategy published for consultation until 6.1.12 For further information www.somerset.gov.uk/mineralsandwaste 2. Somerset County Council Minerals Options Paper Consultation nearing completion for consultation in December/January For further information www.somerset.gov.uk/mineralsandwaste 3. Neighbourhood Planning – Paul Weston, Community Consultant and Regeneration Adviser. Free help to communities that want to engage in neighbourhood planning. 4. Susan Borthwick wrote thanking the Parish Council for the work done to the shrubs around her relatives grave which make it look so much better. 5. Grimple Green Grants Scheme – Grant available £2k-£10k but deadline 30.11.11 6. Somerset County Council’s Submission for Somerset electoral review. County Council’s proposal seeks to increase the electorate for this Division to within +/- 10% threshold of the target level of 8137 electors for Somerset. The Review felt that Barwick’s communities had a greater connection with Yeovil than Coker. Similarly the review identified the desire to return parts of East and West Coker Parish Councils within the current Yeovil South Division to Coker Division.

286 East Coker’s response: The East Coker Parish Council fully supports the proposal that the Wraxhill Ward be moved to the Coker Division. When boundaries were last reviewed in 2005/06 it was accepted that the level of responses from local people had demonstrated that they identified with and used the facilities of East Coker. The feeling of the local community indicated that the local people looked to East Coker for their community focus. There is no evidence to suggest that this has changed. 7. Kathryn Sturtridge emailed asking that the Lengthsman give a mulch of small bark chips around the Tree where the new planting had been undertaken. Parish Council happy to do this. Clerk to contact Lengthsman. Clerk to write to Kathryn Sturtridge to thank her. Items for For future Agendas 1. Localism Bill 2. Lengthsman to tidy and strim around the Oak tree a junction with Sandhurst and Plackett Lane.

Accounts

Bank balance at Nat. West at 31.10.11 £19431.53 Less unpresented cheque No. 2269 54.00

Balance £19377.53

Payments to be made: Mrs. P. Gubbins 329.16 Mrs. P. Gubbins 102.77 (rent & expenses) Tessa Cleaning 160.00 KM Dike 522.12 KM Dike 305.33 Somerset Landscapes 72.00 SSDC 10.46 (printing) SSDC 70.00 (Annual premises licence) R.Best 120.00 (cutting paddock Aug/Sept) JT New 198.49 (plumbing in Pavilion)

Total £1890.33 Balance £17487.20

Proposed Cllr. B. Sugg, seconded Cllr. M.Mead carried.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.20pm

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