Corscombe, Halstock and District Parish Council
Minutes of Parish Council meeting 7.30pm on
Monday 25th January 2021
Meeting held by Zoom due to concerns about Coronavirus, with arrangements for telephone participation
Members present: Henry Lovegrove (Chair), Katharine Singleton Smith, Liz Southern, David Hallett, Roger Hallett, Grant Prior, David Clary, Nigel Clarke, Debbie Rix, Don England, Deborah Childs
Dorset Councillor Mary Penfold attending.
Report from Dorset Councillor Mary Penfold:
Gritting of roads has started due to the recent cold spell. However, an incident relating to the school bus coming up to the top of Hackney Hill was raised with MP. This is an area of road Dorset Council normally grits. MP will look into this issue. MP will also report back with numbers who have responded to the Climate and Ecology Emergency plan.
1. To receive and accept apologies and declarations of interest – No apologies. A declaration of interest was declared by councillor David Hallett in relationship to the planning application WD/D/20/003131.
2. To approve the draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 11th January 2021 (A) – Approved 11/0 subject to minor changes to the wording of items 11 and 14.
3. To discuss matters arising from the minutes not covered in the Agenda- None
4. To note the statement of expenditure to date (B) not presented at the Parish Council meeting held on 11.1.21. Approved 11/0
5. To carry out the annual risk assessment and approve a change to the risk assessment format (C) – Approved 11/0. However, topics with risk ratings above 4 will be reviewed again in March to look for further mitigation options with the aim to lower the risk rating.
6. To carry out the periodic review of all Parish Council policies, procedures, schemes, notes and documents etc. (D)
Required
Standing Orders (we use NALC Model standing orders 2018) Approved 11/0
Financial Regulations (updated 2019, two recent changes are noted but not relevant to us) Approved 11/0
Risk Assessment (see decision at minute 5)
Assets Register (updated for consideration) Approved 11/0. However, it was felt that an audit of assets should be carried out in respect to the number and location of grit bins. Councillors will locate grit bins in their areas and mark their location on a map which will be sent out by the Clerk. The app ‘What3Words” will also be used to accurately log grit bin locations. Areas will also be identified for the possible placement of further grit bins by the Parish Council.
Code of Conduct (updated for consideration LGA 2020 model). Approved 11/0
Parish Clerks contract/Job description (current) Approved 11/0
Publication Notice (updated for consideration) Approved 11/0
Complaints procedure (updated for review). Approved 11/0
Equal Opportunities Policy (significantly updated for review) Approved 11/0
General Data Protection Regulation Policy(GDPR) (updated for review). Approval deferred until the March meeting to ensure the Parish Council has a process to review where and what data is held by the Parish Council.
Accessibility Statement (adopted 30.11.20).
Other
Data Protection and Privacy Notice (updated for review) Approved 11/0
Grant Awards Procedure (updated for review) Approval deferred until the March meeting to allow time for the addition of a statement outlining the Council’s principles behind awarding grants. Clerk to liaise with GP.
Response to Planning Applications (updated for review) Approved 11/0 with addition of a statement clarifying the procedure for notifying councillors of planning applications outside of the Parish Council meetings.
Hawkins Charity Trustees (photocopy) Noted.
Should we also consider having:
Response to Consultations Procedure. This will be considered at a later date.
Training/Quality Control Procedure. This will be considered at a later date.
Community Resilience Plan. This will be considered at a later date.
Highways Monitoring Procedure. The Clerk to look at producing a draft document for the March meeting. NC to also discuss with TH.
Social Media Policy. The Clerk to look at producing a draft document for the March meeting.
Planning update
7. To consider the planning application for WD/D/20/003131 Erection of a summer house at HILL VIEW, CLOSWORTH ROAD, HALSTOCK, YEOVIL, BA22 9SZ – Planning application supported by the Parish Council 10/0, David Hallett abstaining.
8. To consider urgent matters to report from members and items for the next meeting.
The Dorset Council Plan is now out for consultation. HL will send out the relevant link. Areas to consider could be the location of new housing and inconsistency with the Climate and Ecology Emergency Plan. Comments should be sent to the Clerk for discussion at the 8th March meeting to ensure the Parish Council is able to respond before the end of the consultation period on the 15th of March. Councillors are also able to respond to the Dorset Council Plan consultation as individual members of the public.
Date of next meeting 8th March 2021
Clerk to the Council: Tessa Safadi, Tel: 01935 891068
Email: CHparishclerk@gmail.com