Stoke St Gregory

STOKE ST GREGORY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on

Monday 12^th December 2005, 7.30pm in the School Staff Room.

Present Julia Clewes (Chairman), Sue Hembrow, David House, Ian Parker, Chris Pitman,

Trevor Williams & Robert Hembrow.

David Lake (footpath officer), Cllr Nobby Clarke (Somerset County Council)

In attendance Liz Hembrow (Clerk), Tony McKenzie.

Public Question Time There were no members of the public present.

Apologies were received from Irene Browning.

Declarations of Interest: Ian Parker declared an interest in planning application 36/2005/024.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

CP said that he had e-mailed his apologies for the last meeting but they had not been recorded. The minutes dated Monday 14^th November 2005 were agreed to be a correct record of that meeting and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising

Footpaths DL reported that the stile has been repaired on T25/32. He said that on T25/23, the landowner has agreed that the bridge be removed and instead the footpath should go through the gateway by a Bristol gate. This will be a big improvement.

Low cost housing JR has e-mailed that things are moving forward very well now. They are ready to purchase the site but will not do so until everything else is ready. The following things will happen simultaneously: Purchase of site, Issue of Planning approval, S106 Planning agreement , Purchase of Random strip from SW Co-op, Purchase of section of footpath from TDBC, Transfer of ransom strip into rest of field to TDBC. Being so close to Christmas that it would not be sensible to get plant on site for a few days only for it to sit dormant for 2 weeks over the holiday (at a cost of £1,800) So a start on site will take place on 3rd January with the Canadian package arriving on 13th Feb. What started as a simple project has become very complicated legally due to the number of parties involved. A small ceremony will be arranged in Jan for the PC to mark the start. Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified by the end of the week.

Highways The salt has disappeared. The clerk reported that no reply has been received from the Highways Agency and she was asked to pursue this. She was also asked to say that there had been a further accident on Denmans Hill when the road was icy. Two cyclists, a father and son, were knocked off their bicycles by a car that lost control on the ice. The Clerk said that it is very difficult to contact an officer at the Highways Agency because the telephone system does not permit transfer of calls.

Potholes: TW has reported a large pothole at Churley. The side of the carriageway is breaking up on the road at Athelney and the drain is collapsing. TW reported that the culvert under the road at Woodhill has been jetted and cleared of silt. The ditch in Huntham Lane has also been cleared of mud but the mud has been left in the road. The clerk was asked to report this. Lorries have been causing a problem in Frog Lane because they are too big to turn round.

CP reported that he had been out with the police traffic patrol; they had stopped one motorist doing 65 mph through Meare Green. Two cyclists riding without lights had been stopped and spoken to severely. Two motorists had been stopped and cautioned for driving their mopeds without ‘L’ plates.

Telephone Box The box by the Playing Field has been mended.

Planning

36/2005/018LB & 019 Conversion of store/workshop into living room,etc

at Frog Lane Farm, Meare Green.

TDBC advise that the above applications have been approved.

36/2005/022 Change of use of agricultural buildings & yard to B1 & B8 commercial use

at the Willows, Curload.

The owner proposes to convert his agricultural buildings to B1 & B8 offices and workshops. He says that there will be no heavy lorries entering the premises at night. The entrance used will the one opposite Willow House where the access is better. One barn will be retained for riverbank work. The Council agreed to strongly support this application as it will provide local employment for the village.

36/2005/023 Demolish and replace garage at Lea View, Curload.

The proposed new garage is a long way back from the road behind a gate and will hardly be visible. The Council had no objections to this application.

(NC entered the meeting).

36/2005/024 Erection of agricultural workers dwelling with access at Hancox Farm

(IP declared a prejudicial interest as the owner/tenant of Hancox Farm and left the room).

TW said that the roof will not be any more visible than the surrounding buildings. Hancox is a dairy farm and it is essential for animal welfare that someone be on site most of the time to attend to cows calving, etc. It is one of the few working farms left in the village. It was agreed that the Council strongly support this application.

(IP returned to the room).

Finance

479 Playing Field 1000.00 Contribution to BMX track

480 John Musgrove 32.50 Strimming round stiles & signs

481 SSG Church Room 25.50 Rent of church room

It was agreed that the above cheques should be passed for payment. Proposed: CP, seconded: RH, All in favour. The clerk was asked to send a letter of thanks to John Musgrove expressing the Council’s appreciation for keeping the village signs neat and tidy.

Precept Copies were circulated with the minutes showing figures for income and expenditure for the previous financial year, income and expenditure to date for the current financial year and projected income and expenditure for the next year. A note was attached explaining the position on reserves.

There was some discussion about the newsletter. It has been run by the Village Hall Fundraising Committee. It was agreed that it would be a good idea to continue a quarterly newsletter to every household in the village. The projected cost of printing is £50 per quarter. DH said he would ask the volunteers if they were prepared to continue delivering the letter. ES to find out if someone was willing to edit it.

TM said he thought the insurance premium would rise steeply once the new Village Hall is complete. It was agreed to increase the provision for assistance with the running costs of the village hall from £350 to £1,000. It was further agreed that £1,000 should be set aside to assist with the purchase of furnishings for the new Hall. £490 was set aside for reserves.

It was agreed that the Precept for 2006 – 07 should be set at £6,000.

Proposed: SH, Seconded: CP, All in favour.

Clerk

The Chairman welcomed Tony McKenzie to the meeting. She thanked him for agreeing to take on the role of Clerk, she said she was sure that his local knowledge, financial expertise and enthusiasm would be a great asset to the village. The Clerk was asked to write to the other applicants thanking them for their interest and advising them that they had not been successful.

TM can be contacted at:

19 Church Close, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton TA3 6HA,

( 01823 490932

e-mail tony@tmckenzie.freeserve.co.uk

Correspondence

(6) WRVS: The clerk to reply to the questionnaire. No donation to be made as the Council has already supported Meals on Wheels.

(13) Boundary Review: DH said that the new proposal to join Stoke and North Curry with Creech and make it a three member ward was better than the previous suggestion. However it was felt that three member wards were not ideal in a rural area. It would be difficult for an independent candidate or councillor to contact over 4,000 electors. The Clerk was asked to write to the Boundary Commission accordingly.

Feedback from Meetings

DH said that LAMP and PCP are talking of amalgamating into one organisation as Somerset County Council will not fund both. The combined organisation will have two tasks: to work with communities and water management.

At the end of the meeting, the Chairman thanked the Clerk for her work over the past five years and presented her with a climbing rose on behalf of the Council. The Clerk thanked the Chairman and Council for their kindness.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.20pm.

Date of Next Meeting: Monday 9^th January 2006 at 7.30pm in the Church Hall.

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