Minutes for the Parish Council 7.30pm on Tuesday 27thSeptember 2022
Councillors present: Elizabeth Southern (ES), Roger Hallett (RH), Nigel Clarke (NC), John White Hamilton (JWH), Richard James (RJ), Henry Lovegrove (HL), Grant Prior (GP), Debbie Rix (DR) and Jez Hodesdon (JH)
6 members of the public
Chairman Cllr. Lovegrove
One minutes silence was held to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth the second.
Public period for comments on issues on the agenda
None
Reports from Dorset Council Councillor and Police Liaison
The Free swimming initiative has been very popular over the summer.
Good news that Barn owl numbers have doubled since boxes have been put up on council farms.
Social care, food banks and cost of living are of continuing concern.
Work has started to increase in the number of charging points in Dorset.
No major issues to report from PCSO
1. To receive and accept apologies and declarations of interest.
Apologies from Cllr. Clary and Cllr. Childs noted.
Clerk to send get well soon card to David Clary on behalf of the Council
Declaration of interest from Cllr. James re point 7.2
2. To approve the draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 25th July 2022 (A).
Approved 10/10
Note corrections re dates for appendix B and C
3.To discuss matters arising from the minutes not covered in this Agenda.
None
4.To note the statement of expenditure to date and bank reconciliation (B) and to approve the schedule of payments since the last meeting. (C)
Noted and approved 10/10
5. To note/receive a maintenance update for the playground and outdoor gym (Verbal) TS/RH
Noted, no issues raised on both the playground inspection and inspection of Outdoor gym. Except for repair to rubber protection to fencing around Adult Gym area and repair to sign back board.
A working party will be arranged by Cllr. Lovegrove to clear the fence and dead tree.
5.1 To approve the Grass cutting fee increase to £65 from £45 to cover the extra land in the playground that now needs to be maintained.
Approved 10/10
5.2 Update on outdoor gym maintenance (Verbal) ES
Clerk signed off on maintenance quote as agreed at the last Parish Council meeting in June.
Outdoor gym maintenance has now been undertaken. No issues noted.
6. Highways and Rights of Way
6.1Update on fingerpost repairs provisional costing – (Verbal) NC
The Parish Council fully supported work on the finger post at Quiet Woman , Halstock which is now underway.
It was agreed that there was sufficient funding in the devolved services budget to cover the costs of repair of the Quiet Woman finger post.
An approximate cost for repair of the Fingerpost is £1000. Approved 10/10
The repair process will be documented and displayed as part of a drive to raise some funds towards the repair costs.
Action: Cllr Hodesdon to coordinate this.
A £100 grant per post will also be sought from CPRE.
The Parish Council thanked Cllr Clarke for all his hard work on this undertaking.
6.2 To note Green Pond Halstock update (verbal) TS/JH
The owner of the field abutting Green Pond was contacted. He makes no claim on Green Pond and it does not show in his deeds. He fully supports the Parish Council plans to adopt Green Pond.
A historic map land registry search has been undertaken and the results have comeback as unregistered.
Action: Clerk to look at the process of adopting Green Pond as Parish Council land.Approved 10/10
Cllr. Hodesdon has been in contact with Steve Masters, Dorset wildlife Trust regarding the Greater Crested Newt. He has suggested the pond clearing should be undertaken in two stages, half this year and half next year. A working party will be arranged to help with clearing the pond.
Action: Clerk to send draft volunteer Risk assessment to Cllr Hodesdon re pond clearing working party.
6.3 PROW report (D)
Noted.
Our thanks to John White regarding the new footpath.
Of concern was the level of livestock attracts by dogs.
Action Clerk to add notices to websites requesting owners to keep dogs on leads.
7. To consider and note planning applications and decisions. (E) TS/Planning group
7.1 Unauthorised dwellings update (verbal) TS/Planning group
No new information
7.2 Update Planning Application WD/D/20/001239 – Land at Pondsmead Farm, Corscombe Road, Halstock – Construct Private Way, Bridge and Works Hardstanding (Retrospective). Update (verbal) TS/RJ
No new information although appeal is now showing on Dorset Council planning site.
The Parish Council raised its on-going concern and frustration with Dorset Councils planning enforcement over the lack of movement in dealing with the points raised in 7.1 and 7.2 above. There is real concern that the speed at which enforcement are dealing with planning breaches is setting a bad precedent to others.
Cllr. Penfold was requested to feed this back to Dorset Council..
7.2 Planning Forum 6th September feedback (Verbal) DC
Postponed
8. To receive and note training updates (Verbal) TS
Cllr. Hodesdon’s New Councillor training has been completed.
9. Correspondence to be discussed and noted.
9.1 Dorset Deserves Better update (F) TS
Letter to Cllr Flower noted.
9.2 Defibrillator request for West Chelborough, contribution for funding (verbal) TS
The Parish Council has made the very hard decision to not fund a defibrillator at West Chelborough. This was based on the fact that there would be an ongoing cost to the Parish Council to maintain and replace the defibrillator, which would need replacing every four years, and that it was felt that such a high-cost purchase (£1800) was not in keeping with the Parish Council mandate to ensure funds are spent to benefit the wider community.
Action: Clerk to confirm with the Corscombe and Halstock first responders that they or SWASFT will definitely not fund a defibrillator in this area.
9.3 Roman Villa Site maintenance
Cllr. Hodesdon has offered to look at the Roman villa site at Betty’s Bower and clear the area if needed.
9.4 Halstock verge cutting request Enquiry 1198457 update (verbal) TS
Now closed.
9.5 River Portland obstruction update (H) TS
There has been no further feedback from Andrew Probet (Engineer, Flood risk manager) at Dorset council regarding the unconsented structure in the ordinary watercourse which has been constructed recently.
On the 27th July Dorset council sent a letter to the registered title holder of the land requesting that the structure is removed by the 29th August 2022. There has as yet been no response to this request.
Action: The Clerk to write to Andrew Probet and ask for formal enforcement proceedings to be undertaken if there has been no response back. The Tenant farmer’s name will also be passed onto Dorset Council as this may be a way to elicit a response to this request.
9.6 Request for funding from the governor of Sticklands school. Can the PC help with the upcoming school heating bill.
The Parish council agreed it would not help with this funding
Approved 10/10
10. Climate and Ecology emergency action to be noted
10.1 Update on environmental initiatives. (Verbal) HL
Cllr Lovegrove raised various matters that currently concern environmental groups:
- The proposed Retained EU Law Bill which will scrap an armoury of regulations that currently provide environmental protection
- The proposal to scrap or water down the Environmental Land Management Scheme (which rewards land management not land ownership)
- The planned new investment zones sweeping away planning and environmental controls protecting our environment
- The proposal to allow fracking for gas which is a greenhouse gas when the nation needs to decarbonise.
There is support however for proposals to reduce planning controls for onshore wind.
After a wide ranging debate, it was agreed that any planning applications received as a result of these changes would be dealt with on their own merits.
Cllr Lovegrove asked for Parish support to kick start a bulk household PV scheme whereby householders might obtain discount on PV installations due to suppliers’ savings if they can install at several properties in a locality.
Agreed: £100 to be made available for village hall hire and publicity material
Amendment approved 28th November 2022
With respect to minute 10 a parishioner has suggested that the proposal for
£100 to be made available for village hall hire and publicity material to kick start a bulk household PV scheme was invalid as it was not specified in the meeting agenda. As it is not absolutely clear that budgetary provision had been made for this expenditure it is recommended that:
- The Council ratifies its decision to make £100 available for this purpose.
- In the Council budget, the expression “devolved services s137” be changed to “non grant expenditure s137” so that such an eventuality is avoided in future.
11. To consider urgent matters to report from members and items for the next meeting.
To note that the bin in Halstock will be removed by Dorset Council as requested.
12. Date of next Parish Council meeting will be Monday the 28th November 2022 at Halstock village Hall.
Meeting finished 9.15pm
Clerk to the Council: Tessa Safadi, Tel: 01935 579783
Email: CHparishclerk@gmail.com
chdpc.org.uk