1.    Apologies: There were no apologies.

2. Declarations of Interest: There were no declarations of Interest.

ACTION

3. Minutes of the Previous meeting:

The minutes of the previous meeting, 5^th November 2008, and the amended Post Office and Shop Notes of the 11^th November 2008 were approved and signed as a true record by the Chairman.

4. Presentation by J.Grantham, ‘Homewatch’.

J.Grantham detailed what Home Watch was about, how it is valued and who people should contact. He also detailed what the controller does in terms of passing on information, attending meetings, working with street co-ordinators and liaison with the Police. During the next four months, John Grantham would be looking to recruit a successor, and finalising the Cold Calling Zone. He made the suggestion that perhaps ‘Home Watch’ could be part of the Parish Council’s remit. R.Coatsworth stated that he had not known a Home Watch be a part of a Parish or Town Council. After discussion it was agreed that the new Home Watch Co-ordinator should be invited on an annual basis to inform the Parish Council about the local situation. Thanks were recorded to J.Grantham for his presentation and in particular for his three year stewardship of Home Watch in Burton Bradstock.

5. Parish Clerks Report & Matters Arising:

• Play area & Playing Field: More palings are to be repaired in the Play area. The Playing Field belongs to the Parish Council; it was purchased for £40 by Mr Howarth from the Pitt-Rivers estate. There had been some complaints about anti-social behaviour on the Playing Field and the police had been informed.
• BB Garage: The Clerk reported that there would be a Planning Application submitted in the New Year by the Garage for storage on the Old Smithy site. The Planning Officer had been informed of car parking on the pavement near the Old Smithy. The Jet Wash facility was accessible on a 24 hour basis.
• Digital Switchover: 8 people attended the meeting and DVD’s and information packs have been placed in the Library. D.Farwig from Digital UK would also offer any further advice if required through the Parish Clerk.
• BB Drainage: A letter of thanks had been sent to P.Perkins, WDDC for his presentation, together with an invite to attend a meeting in the New Year when more details regarding costs and timescales were known.
• Christmas Tree: D.Batten had organised a tree to be delivered on the 11^th December and the Village Society would erect and decorate it.
• National Trust Village Meetings: E.Ripley reported that she had had no response from the National Trust.

6. Correspondence:

• DCA Dorset Village of the Year Competitions: It was agreed that the Council would enter the ‘Best Community Village Competition in 2009. Details to be passed on to the Community Operations Committee.

• Bridport Local Area Partnership: Details of the December Steering Group Meeting, and a variety of Training opportunities in the New Year provided by the West Dorset Community Group.
• Consultation Draft Policy Document: A.Mackie had circulated a paper regarding how the Parish Council should respond to Consultation Documents. This would be discussed by the new working party of the Council’s operations which will be set up in the very near future. It would eventually be a part of the Council’s Standing Orders. A.Mackie had responded to the consultation on Bye laws and D.Batten was responding on the AONB consultation. The Chairman stated that he had circulated a proposed response to the consultation exercise ‘Communities in control – codes of conduct for members and employees’. This consultation was due by 24^th December and as yet he had received no comments from Parish Council members. It was important that after a full consultation with all councillors a copy of the final response should be lodged with the Parish Clerk.

7. Community Operations Report and recommendations:

D.Venn stated that he was meeting with the Council’s solicitors to resolve the surrender of the Car Park Lease, and the Café Lease.

D.Venn felt that he needed guidance regarding the Playing Field Working Party, as he was not sure if the Council were in agreement to provide facilities in the area for the older young people of the Village. After discussion it was felt that professional people should be consulted on what was required and what was proven to be effective in other areas. Young people should be involved as soon as possible in any project and in the bidding process for grants etc. The Parish Council agreed to allocate £500 in this current financial year to look at some plan to bring back to the full Council. D.Batten agreed to join the Working Party.

An advert had been placed in the BVN for a Parish Council contractor; other notices would be placed around the village.

Clerk.

E.Ripley.

Com/Ops

Committee.

Playing

Field

Working

Party.

8. Planning & Development Report and Recommendations:

D.Batten reported on the Special Planning Meeting held on the 19^th November 2008. The only item on the agenda was Planning Application 1/D/08/002070 – Manor Farm, High St. Erect 12 dwellings. Convert 2 buildings into 2 dwellings and 2 business units (Use Class B1-business). Carry out alterations to vehicular access.

A presentation was given by Fry’s, and the meeting was opened to the public for debate and clarification.

The unanimous view of the Parish Council was to support the application as long as a Locality Clause was agreed for affordable housing in the initial allocation, and also at a secondary stage. If this was not agreed the Council would object to the application.

The Council also had a number of comments to make regarding the application as requested by individual councillors and parishioners.

a)     That access to the site at Barr lane and the High St needed to be looked at further with the Highways Department, with particular regard to traffic congestion in both areas. Both are dangerous areas with cars parked on a regular basis obscuring sight lines.

b)    What impact would there be on the Rosamund Properties.

c)     That this application would not be seen as a precedent for further development outside the defined building boundary, and it would not be Phase 1 of a larger development.

d)    That all possible discussions should take place with all agencies concerned regarding drainage and flooding. (There is a Village Drainage Action Group).

e)     That all sustainable features within the project should attain Code Level 3.

9. Finance Committee Report & Recommendations:

S.Pett reported on the following:

To recommend that the Clerk would be given permission to make emergency payments up to £200, still requiring 2 further signatories, and payment up to £500 could be made with the permission of two Committee Chairmen, one being the Chair of the Finance Committee. This was unanimously agreed.

The Photocopying facility at the Council would now cost 10p per copy, for none authorised use by the Council.

The Clerk has decided not to take on the extra duties of the RFO. It was agreed that the Finance committee should recommend a review of the total Council’s Structure in the light of this information and also that in future there would be very little income generation. This was unanimously agreed. A Working Party would be set up consisting of the Council’s Chairman, the three Committee’s Chairman and Cllr: K.Broad.

The Finance Committee had looked at the budget for 2009/2010 and recognised that the potential difference between income and expenditure was £27,845.00. It was agreed to recommend to the Council to set a Precept for 2009/2010 of £28,000.00. This was unanimously agreed.

P.Dutton would be looking at all of the Council’s assets and the affect on the Council’s insurance premium.

The external auditor has asked us to formally minute, ‘The approval and acceptance of the Annual return for the year ending 31^st March 2008. This was proposed by D.Batten and seconded by E.Ripley, and unanimously approved by the Council. The other areas we need to address during the year are a) Review the effectiveness of the internal audit, b) Risk Assesment, c) The correct use of grant donations, the right category.

It was decided to keep for the present moment our VAT registration.

Council

Structure

Working

Party

A.Mackie.

Clerk.

Finance

Committee.

10. Finance Update.

The following Cheques were ratified:

A.Mackie £30.00 Car Park Social, Nidram £17.04 Internet, WDDC £45.50 Wheelie Bins, BT £63.05 Landline, Concorde Copiers £85.13, Mrs Stevens £27.00 Cleaning, F.Moore £572.90 Wages, £7.24 Lights, £5.86 Postage, British Gas Business £96.51 Post Office, G.Holdcroft £100 Training, R.Symes £109.20 Eggs, Framptons £211.20 Butchers, Hanger Dairies £50.64, Punch & Judy Bakery £154.96.

DD WDDC Rates Reading Room £27.00.

The Council has been informed of the reduction of the VAT rate.

An application for grant aid has been received from the Dorset Blind Association. This will be passed on to the Finance Committee for deliberation.

11. B3157 Road Safety Update:

S.Pett read out a letter from D.Diaz, DCC Highways.

A meeting was held to discuss road markings on those sections at which maintenance works have been carried out. A schedule of lay-bys and side-roads have been drawn up with the risks associated with the current temporary unmarked conditions. The schedule was reviewed and it was agreed those locations where the risks for road users were such that road markings would be replaced immediately using 75mm width lines. Those locations with minimal identified risks would be left unmarked. Those present at the meeting agreed that edgelines, centre-lines and roadstuds were safe to be omitted provided this was in conjunction with the agreed temporary signing and speed limit measures etc remaining until completion of the design of the Partnership project. Works will be carried out as soon as possible.

R.Coatsworth reported that some work would be done in dangerous areas such as bends etc.

D.Batten proposed that the Council should write to T.Westwood with a copy to Cllr:G.Brierley, expressing the Council’s concern regarding the lack of road markings in areas of the road that are being resurfaced. This was agreed.

The minutes of the B3157 Partnership meeting 6^th November were amended to refer to the inclusion of improved pedestrian facilities in Burton Bradstock.

As there would appear to be more meetings being held reference Road Safety, S.Pett asked to resign from the Planning & Development Committee. This was accepted and P.Dutton was elected to that committee.

12. Library Update:

H.Seadon reported that the volunteers were working well with the new systems in the Library, and that more volunteers were going to be trained next year. B.Hynds had reported that the Ploughman’s Lunch event had raised £664, and that a ‘Race Night’ was being planned. The Chairman congratulated the Friends of BB Library for their ongoing work and effort for the people of the Parish and area.

13. Post Office:

The Chairman reported that G.Holdcroft had completed her security checks had done her external training and was taking on site training this week. The transfer had taken place on the 28^th November, between the two tenants, and the Post Office Ltd. An independent valuer had resolved the stock and fixtures issues. S.Pett and P.Dutton had been at the transfer to represent the Parish Council.

The Lease agreement was still outstanding and should be resolved soon.

G.Holdcroft had placed a questionnaire in the BVN asking local people what they would like to be sold in the shop.

D.Batten proposed a vote of thanks to all those on the Post Office and Shop Working Party for their hard work in such a difficult and sensitive situation.

14. Shoreline Management Plan 2:

A.Mackie had attended the recent meeting and he was pleased to see that some of the comments made reference to Burton Bradstock had been taken into account. The Shoreline Group were doing a presentation to BLAP on the 8^th December and D.Dixon will be attending. After that meeting D.Dixon and A.Mackie would be considering a further Burton Bradstock response.

15. A.O.B:

• Barrowfield Signs: The Clerk to contact Highways again on this matter.

16. Date of Next meeting: 7^th January 2009.

17. Democratic Half Hour:

• J.Grantham: Expressed concern about the lack of markings on the B3157. He suggested that as regards the Playing Field good advice could be obtained from play area equipment providers. The PACT meeting is driven by the Home Office, run by the Police and can raise any issues. The next meeting is on the 27^th January and J.Grantham will attend. Cards have been distributed to householders asking for responses or to name concerning issues.
• Manor Farm Planning Application: A number of members of the public raised issues about the Parish Council’s decision on this application. In addition concern was expressed that there had been no response to a particular letter on this subject. The Chairman reported that he had received the letter only shortly before the meeting, and that the Chairman of the Planning and Development Committee would be responding to it. There is a Planning meeting scheduled for Tuesday 9^th Dec in the Reading Room at 6.30pm and this would be the more appropriate time to raise any points on the Planning Application for Manor Farm. It was noted that a further notice board was suggested for the Charles Road area.
• J.Harding: Asked if the money for the Mill St project had been received. The Chairman stated that it had.

The formal part of the meeting closed at 9.00pm.

The Chairman on behalf of the Council and the Parish presented tokens of thanks to Margaret and Jim Harding for their work in recruiting and organising volunteers for the Post office and Shop over the recent very difficult period.

Finally the Chairman invited all those present to partake of some seasonal refreshment.

Finance

Committee.

A.Mackie.

P.Dutton.

A.Mackie.

D.Dixon.

Clerk.