STON EASTON PARISH COUNCIL Clerk to the Council Rookery Farm Fiona Lyons Binegar, Radstock Chairman BA3 4UL Tom Osborne 01749 841464 [email protected] AGENDA For PARISH COUNCIL MEETING to be held at Clapton Village Hall Tuesday 14th May 2013 commencing at 8.00pm 1. Election of Chairman and Vice-chairman 2. Apologies and declarations of interest 3. Public participation 4. Minutes of last meeting To agree the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 27th March 5. Matters arising a. UK Methane/Fracking 6. Report from District / County Councillor 7. Planning a. Applications b. Approvals/Rejections 8. Financial matters a. Renewal of Annual Insurance b. South West Ambulance - defibrillator c. Request for donation – Chewton Mendip Parish Magazine d. Request for funding from Mendip CAB e. Clerk’s expenses 9. Correspondence a. Police newsletter b. MDC - Amendments to the seven Principles of Public Life 10. Matters for report and items for next meeting 11. Date of next meeting (Tuesday 9th July 2013) 1 Item 4 Minutes Ston Easton Parish Council meeting held at Ston Easton Village Hall Wednesday 27th March 2013 commencing at 7.30pm Present: Tom Osborne - Chairman, Steve Huckle, Mark Long, David Watts and Rob Winkworth Fiona Lyons - Clerk 1. Apologies and declarations of interest Apologies had been received from Mrs Hope Salvidge PCSO Nicky Housley There were no declarations of interest. 2. Public participation Lee Wright from Pointcloud requested to speak on Agenda item 4 as agent for the applicant. 3. Minutes of previous meeting The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 12 March were approved with no amendments. Matters Arising DW reported that he had identified who had caused the deep ruts in verge opposite the church. It was suggested that it would be more appropriate for the PCC to write to farmer about the matter. 4. Planning 2013/0473 - 3&4 School View, Ston Easton - Removal of conditions relating to holiday Occupancy Lee Wright introduced himself as agent for the applicants and gave a brief history of the site: • The properties were approved as holiday lets 6 years ago. The level of lets had built up in the first few years but is now static. This is partly as a result of the economy but also because of the location, proximity to the A37 and the limited facilities in the village. • Finance for the properties was originally over 20 years But this recently been dropped to 10 years by bank which has doubled payments. • A previous application had been withdrawn because the planning officers felt there was insufficient evidence about the viability of business. They had wanted to see the properties marketed but the applicant did not want to sell. The properties have now been marketed and a robust marketing appraisal is included with the application. • This application is to remove the conditions relating to the holiday lets and allow open market renting of the properties. Questions and comments: RW pointed out that the Parish Council had recommended refusal of the original application on the grounds of overdevelopment and design and had also raised concerns about the viability of the holiday lets. He felt that the property had been marketed but at an inflated price which would not attract an investor. He queried whether the business was externally funded as the income from the lettings would not be sufficient to cover the loan repayments. RW was also concerned that it appeared it may always have been the applicant’s intention to have the properties as open market rentals rather than holiday lets. Lee Wright confirmed that there is a degree of top-up over the rental income to finance the loan repayments. He did not wish to comment on the valuation and confirmed that as the planning authority, Mendip will be able to comment if they feel that the valuation was not realistic. If MDC think it is too high they will comment on that 2 ML agreed that there had been no change in the facilities in the village since the properties were built and the properties had not been viable as holiday lets from the start. SH also agreed and queried whether affordable housing would be considered. Lee Wright confirmed that the application was for open market rental rather than affordable housing. There were no representations from the public. RW proposed that the Parish Council recommend refusal for the following reasons: • The Parish Council had recommended refusal of the original application • Concerns were raised by the Parish Council at the time of the original application that the holiday lets would not be a viable business. • The Parish Council is of the opinion that the properties have not been marketed at a realistic value This was seconded by SH and carried unanimously 5. Matters for report and items for next meeting The Clerk had been contacted by UK Methane. The company wishes to make a presentation to the Parish Council prior to an application being submitted to drill a test borehole in Ston Easton. RW reported that the majority of pot holes identified at the previous meeting had now been filled although a very dry tar mix had been used so he was concerned that the repairs will not be long lasting. It was noted that repair/reinstatement of verges is funded from a different budget to potholes. 6. Date of next meeting (Tuesday 14 May 2013) 3 Item 8b Ston Easton parish Council c/o Rookery Farm Binegar Radstock Somerset BA3 4UL Wednesday, 22 May 2013 Dear Fiona, Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding setting up a Community Public Access Defibrillator (cPAD) scheme for your area. By joining our cPAD scheme we will provide annual public training, a 24hr support service to trained staff including our counselling service should this ever be required and full support for the device including replacement electrodes and battery should they expire or be used. We provide a public open evening to better understand the defibrillator and to learn Basic Life Support. The training we provide will take approx 2 hours and is usually delivered at your arranged location. We ask for a room with a power supply and we will bring everything else we require. I write to confirm that we are able to supply 1 Cardiac Science PowerHeart G3 semi automatic defibrillator for £1500. 1 External Heated Cabinet £720 inc VAT. I can confirm that the cabinet is in stock but the defibrillator may take up to 6-9 weeks for delivery. Please would you forward a cheque made payable to ‘South Western Ambulance Service’, clearly marked on the reverse with ‘FRED Fund – Ston Eastern ’, for the full amount of £2220.00. I can confirm that training can be booked once the cheque has been received. Once we have received payment I can then bring the defibrillator and cabinet with me to the training session of your choice. If I can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely Tom Jackson Assistant Community Engagement Officer East (Dorset and Somerset) 4 Item 8c Chewton Mendip Parish Magazine From suecartmel : Sent: 02 May 2013 12:12:19 To: [email protected] Dear Fiona Chewton Mendip Parish Magazine The new financial year has started for the parish magazine and I am writing to ask you if the parish council would consider making a contribution to the printing costs again this year. The magazine is read by 350 people and I have had many comments about how they enjoy all the articles including the minutes that you send me. It costs the parish approximately £48 a year to print an A5 page which is the minimum that the minutes cover. So we would be really grateful if a contribution of £20 could be made. Please could you make a cheque payable to Chewton Mendip Parish Magazine and send it to the address below. Many thanks Yours Sincerely Sue Cartmel Badgers Wood Wells Road Priddy Wells BA5 3AZ Item 9a Coming soon... Public Forum - Bristol Following the success of the 5 Soon communities, charities and voluntary first PCC Police Public Forum organisations will held in Frome on Tuesday, April be able to apply 16 the next Public Forum is due for grants of up to to take place in Bristol on £5000 from the Tuesday, June, 25. NEW £200,000 Commissioner's Residents in Bristol will have the chance to put questions to Community Action the Police and Crime Fund Commissioner (PCC) and Chief Constable for Avon and Somerset. The event will take place between 1800 - 2000 and is an opportunity for people to meet the PCC and Chief Constable Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner and to find out more about (PCC) Sue Mountstevens, in partnership with the Police policing in their area. Community Trust, will launch her Community Action Fund at the Colston Hall on Wednesday, May, 1, 2013. Anyone living, or working, in the area with questions about The PCC committed at her swearing in ceremony last policing in Bristol is encouraged November that she would dedicate a £200k Action Fund to to email ahead of the event. enable communities to come together and tackle issues in This will enable panel members their local area alongside the priorities set out in the Police to bring the relevant information and Crime Plan. to the meeting and give those who cannot attend an At 1600 on Wednesday, May, 1, the Commissioner will opportunity to have their explain to community groups and organisations more questions answered. about the Community Action Fund and how they can apply The location of the next Bristol for a grant.