BURTON BRADSTOCK PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 7^th December 2011 at 7.30pm in the Reading Room, Burton Bradstock.

Present: Cllrs: G.Moody, D.Batten, D.Venn, D.Dixon, F.Moore(Clerk), DCC Cllr. R.Coatsworth, WDDC Cllr. J.Russell and three members of the public.

1. Apologies: Cllr. K.Delves.

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

3. Minutes of the previous Meeting 2^nd November 2011.

The minutes of the previous meeting 2^nd November 2011 were approved and signed as a true record by the Chairman.

4. Matters Arising, Parish Clerk’s Report & Correspondence.

Matters Arising:

• Play area: The Parish Clerk gave an update on the work being done at the play area by Alvian Ltd and by himself. It was hoped that all repairs to equipment apart from painting and varnishing would be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Action Clerk

• Allotments: The three people on the waiting list have now taken over the three allotments that were in a poor state. We currently have one vacant allotment and are waiting to hear from other allotment holders if they wish to continue, before advertising vacant allotments. Cllr. Dixon confirmed that the new working arrangements with the Allotment Society were good and that allotment holders would be offered the option of paying for six or eighteen months in April 2012, so that the billing structure would operate from October 1^st from 2013.

Action Cllr Dixon & Clerk

• Reading Room Door & Letter Box: A Gray will be completing this work on Saturday 10^th December at a cost of £75.00p.
• Picnic Seat: No further correspondence has been received from Mrs M.Mansfield on this matter.
• Winter Weather Precautions: The Clerk reported that a tonne dumpy bag was now stored at Maydown Farm. All requests for salt to be spread in a particular area must be made through the Parish Clerk. Notices to this effect to be placed in the village. Action Clerk
• Grit Bins: The Clerk has been assisting residents of Howarth Close and Annings Lane to purchase, and install a Grit Bin. This will be numbered and regularly filled by DCC Highways.
• Diamond Jubilee: Cllr Batten would fill in the appropriate forms for the Clerk to sign in order to receive a grant from WDDC. Action Cllr Batten & Clerk
• Sign outside Burton Bradstock Primary School: S.Williams (Planning Enforcement Officer) has passed on our comments and concerns to DCC Highways to investigate the sign and has asked them to reply to the Clerk directly with their findings. The Clerk to pursue this matter in the New Year if no action has been taken. Action Clerk
• Casual Vacancy for Councillor: We have now received confirmation that we can fill the vacancy by way of resolution and co-option.

Correspondence:

Details of correspondence received prior to the agenda being posted have been circulated and are attached to the minutes.

• Letter from J & P Dillon (3 Beachcombers): After discussion it was agreed that they should be informed by the Clerk when an application from them was being discussed by the Parish Council. Action Clerk
• Letter from POPP (Partnership for Older People Programme): It was agreed to invite D. Knorpel to speak to the Council at either the January or February Parish Council meeting. Action Clerk.
• Dorset-wide Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations Joint Development Plan Document: It would appear that no site has been recommended near Burton Bradstock.
• Olympic Torch Relay: It was agreed that the Clerk find out more details regarding this issue, times, grants etc, from WDDC. It was agreed to circulate information on this matter with K.Venn. Action Clerk.

5. Democratic Quarter Hour:

• J.Harding: Stated that there had been a history of planning applications in relation to Bridge Cottage Stores.
• J.Russell: WDDC have funding available to assist with the Olympic Torch relay.
• Mr.Jones: Stated that he was very pleased with his allocation of an allotment.
• T.Coombe: Expressed concern about the state of the Ivy on the Bus Shelter, and the state of the seats between the Bus Shelter and the telephone box. There are other areas in the Village that also need attention. It was agreed to try and set up a small network of volunteers to do minor works and clearing up operations in the Village. The Clerk to post notices and put an article in the BVN. T.Coombe thanked the Council for the work currently being done in the play area.

Action Clerk.

• Shrubs near Three Horseshoes: The Clerk to speak to the Three Horseshoes on this matter, regarding car vision coming out of Mill Street.

6. Finance & General Purposes Report:

Details of the December Financial Report had been circulated by the RFO to Councillors prior to the meeting.

Cllr. Moody highlighted the details. All cheques had been authorised in accordance with the necessary internal controls.

The external Auditors have completed their report and there are no issues that the Council need to address. The accounts were formally approved, proposed by Cllr. Batten, and seconded by Cllr. Venn.

7. Refuse Collection Arrangements:

Cllr. Moody had previously circulated an extract from WDDC Website on Waste Collection Proposals, together with a report for the meeting. After discussion it was agreed to write to WDDC agreeing in principle with recycling and reducing service costs and landfill, but the practicalities of a variety of different bins in an AONB were extremely difficult. It was agreed that Cllr. Venn draft and circulate a letter that would be sent to WDDC Chief Executive and WDDC J.Russell prior to the meeting at Dorchester on the 13^th December. Action Cllr. Venn and Clerk.

8. Feedback to Dorset County Council on Road Safety works within the Parish:

Cllr Moody had circulated a report to Councillors prior to the meeting. After discussion it was agreed to write as proposed to A.Brown, DCC Highways. ( Details of the report are attached to the minutes).

9. Department for Community & Local Government Consultations:

Cllr.Moody circulated a report on the above and detailed three specific areas in particular. It was agreed that consultations should be dealt with in the following manner

1. Consultations received by the Parish Council are circulated to all Parish Council members;
2. We respond when:

a) local priorities /issues are likely to be affected. Communications among Parish Council members & the Clerk will determine whether consultations as above meet this criterion. In any event a note of such consultations will appear in the Parish Clerk’s report;

b) a Parish Council member, Parishioner, WDDC or DCC Member so requests. And puts forward a report with his/her analysis of the issue(s) and their local importance.

The Council supported in principle the three items that Cllr Moody had highlighted:

1) Neighbourhood Planning Regulations.

2) Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Reforms.

3) Community Charge Reforms.

It was felt that DAPTC should be encouraged to look at future detailed consultation documents and then issue a summary to Parish & Town Councils.

10. A.O.B.

• Cllr.Batten: Could the subject of the Village Hall Green and the Three Elms Green boundaries be put on a future agenda. It was agreed to place this on the February agenda. Action Clerk.
• Cllr.Venn: Reported that the website needed updating. It was agreed that Cllr. Venn undertake this matter Action Cllr. Venn
• Cllr. Dixon: Stated that he would pass a summary of how Climate Change might affect Tourism/Business to Cllr.Venn to put on the website.

Action Cllrs. Dixon & Venn.

• Cllr Dixon: Asked the Council for authority to investigate a Youth Event in the Spring using current Youth Club funds which might be matched by the Parish Council. It was agreed that details could be brought to the January Parish Council Meeting. Action Cllr.Dixon.
• Cllr.Moody: Cllr Delves would be bringing an update report regarding Flood alleviation to the next meeting. Action Cllr.Delves.

The Clerk to write to the owners of ‘The Rookery’ regarding possible flooding problems with the area of land in Grove Road. Action Clerk.

11. Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 4^th January 2012.

Cllr. Venn gave his apologies for this meeting.

12. Democratic Quarter Hour:

• R.Coatsworth: Stated that the Neighbourhood Plan was more about planning applications, rather than a Village Plan. Possibly a strong influence on planning could be made if the Neighbourhood Plan was extended to an area like the Bride Valley.
• Mr.Jones: Stated that not all items of waste were recycled in Dorset, and that more bins outside doors would cause a problem.
• J.Russell: Gave details of Localism in Action to the Clerk to circulate to Parish Council members. Cllr. Russell also asked for details from the Council regarding the proposed Waste Collection proposals, as he would be speaking on this subject on the 13^th December.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm, and the Chairman invited everyone to partake in Christmas refreshments.