14 members of the public.

In attendance Liz Smith (clerk)

Apologies were received from Ian Parker, Adrian Flook MP, Adrian Stables, Ross Young & Barbara Berks.

Minutes of the last meeting were signed at the following parish council meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending. She introduced PC Ben Hicks, the Community Beat Officer for the village.

PC Ben Hicks said that his appointment had initially been a temporary one but is now permanent for the next two years. Part of his role is to listen to problems. He covers a wide area. He can be contacted on voice mail: 363287 7 x 2647, e-mail: benhicks@avonandsomerset.police.uk If PC Hicks is unavailable the Police Community Support Officer, John O’Connor, can be contacted on 363287 7 x9606.

Messages can also be left on 0845 456700.

He was asked about problems with young people in the village; the door of the pavilion on the playing field had been kicked in and hanging about in the pub car park. He said that North Curry have arranged a gathering point for their children – large tarmac blocks with benches and lighting. Stuart Wilkinson said that the Playing Field Committee and the Parish Council should work together to provide facilities for the young people. PC Hicks said it was important to involve the children and find out what they want.

Graham Joll asked if the police could visit the school and get to know the children. He was also invited to attend the football tournament on Thursday 23^rd June, the VE Day celebrations on 9/10 July and other village activities where there is a captive audience.

Children have been cycling on the pavements, which is dangerous for the older people in the village, who are unsteady on their feet.

In 2004 – 05 the Parish Council have met 12 times for council meetings and twice for special planning meetings. An average of 7 members have been present. She said it has been a year of fruition when plans that have been in the minds of parishioners have suddenly become reality: work on the new village hall will start in the autumn as will as five low cost houses at Polkesfield. Combining the two projects could save on costs.

She thanked the footpath officer, David Lake, and said we must have the best kept footpaths in Somerset.

The councillors had been litter picking and the bins are emptied regularly.

Taunton Deane BC has put up new street signs and the parish council had paid for new signs to be put up at the three entrances to the village. The highways authority had served the village well, although there is a problem with the edges of the road eroding due to wide vehicles.

The rising sewage main in the field behind Birch House is being replaced by Wessex Water.

The Burial Ground had been tidied, the bank in front of the Church Room as been levelled and sown with grass.

There were concerns about the behaviour of some young people around the village; she asked for ideas in helping to tackle the problem.

She had enjoyed her second year in office and thanked her fellow councillors, Rod Watson, the county councillor and the clerk for their support. She asked members of the public to attend parish council meetings as it helps the councillors to hear ideas, requests and even complaints.

There was some discussion about providing a bench outside the shop.

DH said he had been opposed to the transfer of responsibility for the footpaths from Taunton Deane BC to Somerset County Council. Dave Evans asked if SCC will pay for footpath signs.

Parish Council Accounts An abridged version of the accounts has been circulated to each household in the village along with the annual report. The precept of £6000 forms the major part of the income. Grants had been made to the CAB, the Air Ambulance, the old village hall and playing fields, the poppy appeal and a capital grant of £3000 had been made to the new village hall. The other major expenses was £850 for the new village signs.

The accounts are being audited by David Lake.

The precept for 2005 – 06 is £6000 again. The Parish Council will be paying for the memorial stone on the playing field.

Playing Field Accounts Jean House said that club fees had fallen because there is no football club. Donations had risen because they had received half the collection from Songs of Praise on the field. They had a new sponsor for the Fun Run : the Royal Oak. Work had been done on the pavilion by Stuart Wilkinson and Steve Daniels, so only materials had had to be paid for.

SW said there is a healthy balance at the bank and they could afford to put money towards providing facilities for the young people.

Village Hall Accounts Tony McKenzie circulated the financial report that had been prepared for the Charity Commissioners and passed by the independent examiner, David Blackburn.

The excess of expenditure over income on the old hall accounts had been due to a one off payment for having plans drawn to refurbish the old hall. The bank balance had been transferred to CAF bank, most of the money is held in CAF Gold, earning a higher rate of interest.

The new village hall fund had increased by £18.5k during the last year over half of this had been due to fund raising activities. The balance in the account is now £73k, a commendable amount for a village of this size.

New Village Hall Progress Report Alex Morrice said that the preferred contractor had delivered plans to him on Friday to be looked at by the steering group on Tuesday and the trustees on Thursday. There would be savings of £8.5k by combining with the low cost housing but an extra £12k of expense to accommodate the demands of the drama group for extra height over the stage. At his own risk, the builder will start work on the access in May. This raises questions of a possible bridging loan. The Parish Council will be approached to negotiate a reduction in building control fees. No one in the village has yet been found to act as a QS so a large sum has been set aside for this expense. He hoped to hear from DEFRA about the RES bid by mid-June. The school has been notified that the old hall will probably close at the end of the summer term.

Reeves Feast David House explained that the Reeves feast is a very old charity dating back to medieval times originally founded to give to the poor at Christmas time. The last feast was held in 1865. The money comes from a small amount of money that has been invested. There are three trustees: the vicar, ex-officio, and two others chosen by the parish council. There have been two changes this year: Geoff Treasure replaced Christopher Rowley; Ken Court died and was replaced by Pam Merritt. £30 was distributed in gifts during the year.

Parish Appraisal Falcon Housing had identified the need for five houses initially, planning permission will be sought for eight houses. It is hoped that work will start in September. Only the top half of the field has been purchased, the owners wish to retain the bottom half. The Parish Council will investigate the possibility of renting the bottom half of the field for use as amenity ground. Could the footpath be made up when the houses are built?

The Council are looking into transport problems, especially now that there is no longer a resident warden at Polkesfield. A questionnaire was included with the annual report that went out to every house in the village asking people if they had any difficulties with transport. Paddy Scott said that she had enquired and 8 people in Polkesfield need help collecting prescriptions. Would it be possible to ask the surgery to be more helpful with appointments. To go on to the agenda for the next meeting. Graham Joll said 4 people take advantage of the transport to Langport thanks to Ian MacNab.

David House said that the sheltered housing scheme has been replaced by a system of mobile wardens. Mary Hembrow had been successful in retaining her house on a secure tenancy.

Paddy Scott is the new local link for Age Concern; she can help people to contact various services.

The Fire brigade is offering free inspections of houses.

Emma Dadswell said that the School is collecting the Sainsburys and the Tescos vouchers and they need a lot. Stuart Wilkinson wished to apologize to the School for any remarks he had made at the last annual meeting that may have upset them.