Brympton NewslinkBRYMPTON NEWSLINK - SummerSummer 2016 2016 Serving and informing the Community www.brymptonparishcouncil.gov.ukPARISH COUNCIL ISSUES Thoughts from the Chairman PARISH COUNCIL NEWS As always with Brympton the two top topics are planning and Parish Councillors highways issues. Back in May, against fierce opposition (not), Liz Glaisher and I Highways – Apparently the traffic calming scheme for Stourton were re-elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. Way is currently going through the ‘commissioning process’ at In July we sadly said goodbye to Andy Marchant who had to retire County Hall. The design brief has been issued to the engineering from the parish council due to other commitments. We welcome in design team who are working out costs and timescale, etc. which his place Eddie Galjaard. Welcome back Eddie! will enable the commissioning process to be completed. We’ve mentioned previously that BPC are looking to increase With all the deep cutting being inflicted from “above” it`s no Councillor numbers from 11 to 12. A formal Notice to this effect wonder BPC can`t get the roads sorted and even the repair of is published on our website and responses are required by 31st Oct. pavements done in a timely manner. Flies everywhere! Our thanks go to the Speedwatch Team organised by Josh, for Fly tipping along Thorne Lane is a continuing their continued dedication to the project of speed reduction. problem and presumably occurs because either Thorne Lane/ Brimsmore Key Site - what an almighty shambles? the recycling site is closed or people don’t want to pay the charges If the original ring road had been built instead of this for disposal of hardcore, etc. or they’re just plain lazy. SSDC have squashabout, little of this disruption would be necessary but we recently introduced more punitive fines (£250) in an attempt to only live here, what could we possibly know? discourage it but the problem is identifying the offenders. I Planning. - YTFC new Yeovil Sport Centre Thorne Lane. It was imagine that the problem will increase in the near future when with some amazement that we left SSDC Area South meeting on Somerset Waste Partnership, who run the recycling facility, 7th Sept after SSDC Cllrs, by a slim majority, had voted to refuse introduce their new ‘permit’ scheme – more later. this application. It is too early to be satisfied that this is the final decision, it may not be. As we said at the meeting, the parish A very grave problem! council has nothing against the Football Club, but we are here to At Yeovil Cemetery, despite the fact that the represent the residents of Brympton, not them. Until someone majority of people opt for cremation nowadays, it looks like it may can guarantee the safety of our residents from crime/anti-social be standing room only soon as they are running out of room for behaviour, and ensure our road system is robust enough to ensure graves. We understand that they are looking for new sites. the safety of people using it, then we will continue to raise concerns. Let there be light! We remain sceptical because of the experience of the death of The parish council recently arranged for some new Liz Glaisher presenting someone and the lack of action to date from the highway external lighting for the village hall at Thorne. the Parish authority on that case. We remain unconvinced that any promises There are no street lights in the village and it’s basically pitch Award to Bill given will be met in reality. Why can`t the Football Club, SSDC black when you come out of the hall at night. BPC also bought some Higgins and possibly the Yeovil Community Trust devise a plan to develop paint for re-doing the outside of the Hall, the painting was carried the existing recreation site at the Club into a sports zone, surely out by volunteers – well done them. that cannot be beyond their capabilities. Litter Lufton Dig. - Dr James Gerrard has had a fantastic dig this year Comments on the Abbey Facebook page and other complaints at the Lufton villa. He and his team unearthed an under floor about litter at the play areas and at The Forum have been noted. heating system and a collapsed, tessellated floor section. It would All of these areas are litter-picked on a very regular basis and appear this villa has many more secrets to reveal. there are plenty of bins provided. It seems that people There were estimated to be over 400 people visiting the site on just haven’t got the hang of using them! the “open day” and more than 80 people at the evening talk. So, Playtime, is it a case of swings and roundabouts? congratulations to James and his team and “onwards and downwards” next year. Anyone interested to “get involved“ in fund The parish council is looking to update play raising would be greeted with open arms. equipment at the Higher Ream play area. Basically Boundary Review. I think our requests for half of Brimsmore Key the rocking horse needs some serious attention. We Site to be in BPC have been validated by all the fall-out from this would welcome any suggestions for an additional of build out. Our residents have been evicted from their homes due play equipment but bear in mind that this area is to a severance of a major gas pipe by the Brimsmore builders with aimed at younger children. scant apology from the Builder to our residents and absolutely no We are also looking to do something at the Oak Tree Park site but contact with BPC over this and the Thorne Lane closure. It is the from initial discussions with SSDC it will probably have to be a residents and BPC who seem to be left with this mess as we long term proposal to fit in with their aspirations. Again, any envisaged would be the case. suggestions would be useful apart from levelling the site as Liz Glaisher, suggested in one post on the Facebook page. At OTP we need to consider the different age groups that use it (some better Chairman of BPC behaved than others I hear you say!) Brympton Parish Council - Newslink Serving and informing the Community Edition 53 1 September 16 Summer 2016 Brympton Newslink MORE PARISH COUNCIL STUFF Oak Tree Park (it’s the big green open space with an oak tree in it at the northern end of Abbey Manor) A ‘Gastastrophe’ (sorry, I’m practicing for The Sun headlines) This report from Councillor Bob Brookes who attended the th You will no doubt recall the major incident back in August when a annual youth event at OTP on 10 August. contractor accidentally poked a hole in the gas main at the top end “I spent two hours at the “Youth Days” at Oak Tree Park today. of Western Avenue. Residents were evacuated (including It got off to a very slow start as it was cool, cloudy and windy. It Councillor Bob Brookes and his family) and it was panic stations all was more or less the same setup as last year, climbing wall, round. All credit to the emergency services who handled the wrecking ball etc. The burgers were good, coffee not so. situation well. A special thank you to the British Gas emergency Once again the organisers were enthusiastic and encouraged the team that came down from Manchester (I think) and worked young people. through the night (and rain) to sort it out. The weather improved at lunchtime and the crowd swelled in ‘Travellers’ response. Everything was free, except the food and drink. Panic stations again when members of the ‘travelling Talked to a few people to gauge reaction and was disappointed by community’, having stopped at various other locations in the town, many who said the event was poorly advertised and they only came set up camp at Oak Tree Park at the end of August. They moved because they saw it was taking place (perhaps contributed to the on again quite rapidly though and the gateway was re-secured. slow start). Quoting from Government guidance on the subject – I still have the same complaint as last year; Grandads are not Some parts of the country experience regular unauthorised allowed on the climbing wall.” encampments, which can cause disruption and conflict locally, and A number of comments were subsequently posted on Facebook can be expensive and time-consuming to clear. The Government’s agreed that it was good but mentioned the lack of advertising for policies on Gypsy and Traveller accommodation and enforcement this event. The parish council will be following this up along with a are set within a framework of rights and responsibilities in which review of the format of the event but there were notices on the everyone’s rights must be equally respected but where, at the parish noticeboards and it was actually advertised on Facebook. same time, equal standards of behaviour are expected from all. Not sure what else to do really. Creating and sustaining strong communities is at the heart of the Government’s Respect agenda and will have benefits for the settled and Gypsy and Traveller communities alike. ‘Big Brother’ is watching you! Hedges At SSDC’s District Exec. meeting in May they Quite a few comments have been recently made about agreed to the installation of ‘Intelligent Enforcement‘ overhanging hedges, etc. particularly where they systems in a number of their public car parks on a 2 year trial. affect public footpaths. Interesting article at This will involve installing ANPR (automatic number plate http://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/rules-on- recognition) cameras at all entrances and exits to car parks and hedges-and-roots-growing-into-your-property.html new ‘state of the art’ ticket machines that require the vehicle I quote: registration details to be entered before a ticket is purchased.