Cranmore Parish Council

CRANMORE PARISH COUNCIL

Parish Clerk – Vickie Watts

| 07971 516916 | Gallant Hill Farm, Foxcote, Radstock, BA3 5YB

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN THE MEMORIAL HALL, CRANMORE,
ON 13th February 2017 AT 7.30PM
Present / Cllr Grant Bolton (Chair), Cllr Crowcombe (Vice Chair), Cllr Jacqui Gallo,
Cllr Alan Price and Cllr David Van Dyk
In attendance: / Vickie Watts (Clerk) took the minutes. 7 members of the public attended.
1 / Declaration of interests and dispensations
There were none.
2 / Apologies for Absence
Cllr Karen Mitchell sent apologies which were accepted by the Chair.
3 / Agreement of Minutes for the Parish Council meeting which was held on 9th January and 2nd February 2017 and matters arising
All Councilors had received both copies of the minutes prior to the meeting and agreed them as an accurate record of the meetings and were therefore both duly signed by the Chair.
Vote 5 For, 0 Against & 0 Abstained
All matters arising had been actioned or will be discussed under a later agenda item apart from:
·  The Clerk had emailed the Hallmark Award application to the Memorial Hall committee who are already undertaking tasks to help them meet the standards required for the accreditation.
·  It was reported that the street light at Dean next to the notice board is still was not working. The Clerk has previously reported but will chase up a repair.
·  Cllr Van Dyk will be speaking with Helen with respect to producing the Grapevine. / VW
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4 / Meeting Open to the Public
·  It was reported that there is an exceptional amount of litter around the village. The Clerk said that within the correspondence to be discussed tonight was an invitation to join the national event “the Great British Spring Clean”. Everyone present agreed that a litter pick should be held in the village meeting at the Memorial Hall on Saturday the 4th March starting at 10am. The Clerk to arrange collection of the litter pickers, bags and high viz tops as well as arrange collection of the litter from outside the hall on Monday the 6th March.
·  Mr Gerry Lock spoke on behalf of the Church and asked if the Parish Council was able to help with providing a demographic for the village? The Parish Council did not hold any such information but it was suggested that Mendip District Council or Somerset County Council could help. Otherwise it may that a door to door survey would need to be conducted. / VW
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5
5.1
5.2
5.3 / PCSO, County & District Councilors Reports
PCSO report - PCSO Nicola Housley did not attend and no report had been received.
County Cllr Report - County Cllr Ham did not attend and no report had been received.
District Councilor Report
District Cllr Van Dyk reported that at the next full Council meeting the 2017/18 Council Tax will be discussed and agreed.
Open Reach had won the first phase of connecting Devon and Somerset. The tender for the second phase has just been awarded to a company called Gigaclear who have huge ambition and are keen to invest in the project. They have said that they will fit fibre cabling to each house and have promised to dramatically improve internet speeds.
Shepton Mallet library is set to move to the Shape Mendip site. The old building was costing more than any other library in the county with a rent of £60K a year.
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6.1
6.2 / Planning
2016/3192/FUL - Conversion of two barns to form a dwelling including the erection of a link extension and extension to garden. Amendments to current approved plans ref 2014/23588, Land at Dalimore Lane, Dean
Prior to the meeting, Councilors had considered the plans for the application and a site visit was conducted by 2 of the Councilors. The applicant attended and explained that he was looking to build a property which would be in keeping with the other properties in Dean. Two residents of Dean attended the meeting to speak in support of the application on the basis that it would dramatically improve the way the area looked.
After discussion, it was proposed by Cllr Crowcombe that the application be recommended for approval on the basis that it will improve the visual impact of the area and will be completed sensitively using local materials to blend with neighbouring properties. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Price.
Vote 4 For, 0 Against & 1 Abstained (District Councilor)
2016/3191/OTS - Outline application with some matters reserved for the erection of detached dwelling and three parking bays
Land at Dalimore Lane, Dean
Councilors have considered the plans for the application and a site visit was conducted by 2 of the Councilors. Two residents of Dean attended and spoke in support of the application on the basis that it would improve the way the area looked.
3 neighbours attended the meeting to support the application. They believe that the area will be much improved if the application is approved and the work completed.
Another resident expressed concern for the residents that use the exit from Quarante- ans onto Dalimore Lane opposite this proposed development as their only vehicular access. 50% of those residents regularly tow either caravans or trailers. The previous builders yard stood back far enough from the roads edge to help in this matter. In addition, the regular visits by authority service vehicles and commercial delivery vehicles often use the grass verge on the boundary of the proposed development to manoeuvre into and out of Quarante-ans. The proposed parking bays adjacent to the roadway outside of the Northernmost of these 2 developments when occupied, will make any movement by goods vehicle or towing vehicle entering or exiting Quarante-ans risky if not impossible. The Applicant responded by saying that there was plenty of room for the parking bays to be moved along the site to ensure that the access was not compromised.
After discussion, it was proposed by Cllr Price that the application be recommended for approval on the basis that it will improve the visual impact of the area and will be completed sensitively using local materials to blend with neighbouring properties. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Crowcombe.
Vote 4 For, 0 Against & 1 Abstained (District Councilor)
7 / Planning updates
There were no planning updates.
8
8.1
8.2 / Finance
Financial statement
The Clerk had emailed the financial statement prior to the meeting. After discussions; all Councilors agreed that the finance statement was accurate and the Chair duly signed the statement.
Agree Bank Reconciliation
The Clerk had prepared the reconciliation and was to be checked by the Chair at the end of the meeting.
8.3 / Payments:
The following cheques were read out for payment:
Clerks salary January £162.11 plus Clerks expenses of £1.48
Donation towards heating oil for Memorial hall
Annual CCS membership renewal
/ £163.59
£200.00
£ 40.00
It was agreed that the cheques should be signed by Cllr Bolton and Cllr Crowcombe.
Vote 5 in favour; 0 against and 0 abstained
9 / Sports field – Discuss tenancy agreement and new fence
Cllr Van Dyk reported that a closed meeting for Councilors had been held when it was agreed that this would be revisited in the future.
10 / Update on potential purchase of field adjacent to Jill’s Close & funding options.
Cllr Van Dyk explained that he had not been able to meet with Tom Killen who is handling the sale for the landowner and therefore was unable to give an update at this stage
11 / Update on Neighbourhood watch
There was no update received from Cllr Mitchell. Gerry Lock who attended the meeting said that he was the coordinator for Dean. Information to be passed to Cllr Mitchell. / Ag
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12 / Highway Issues (Inc SIDS, Speeding & outstanding requests, etc…)
SIDS – Cllr Crowcombe explained that she had spoken with Andrew Turner from the Highways team at the recent Mendip Rural Forum. She expressed dissatisfaction with the service provided which is hampered by the constant changes in staff. The installation of the new post at Tansey, the brackets for the post at Dean and the new signage for Bulls Green link road are all still outstanding.
Speed watch - The Doulting speed watch team have been active in Waterlip. New volunteers are required. A request will be placed on Facebook.
The Clerk said that she had spoken with Terry Drake regarding the new speed watch signage which the Council agreed to purchase. He said that he was unable to purchase more signs until funding was received. / AC
KM
13 / Councilor Reports (Community group, Footpaths; Speed Watch; SALC; Quarry)
The first fayre meeting will take place on 21st February. The Fayre will be held on the 13th August 2017.
14 / Meetings Attended / To be Attended
The Clerk expressed a wish to attend the Regional Conference of Local Councils, which will be held at Taunton Rugby Club on the 16/03/17. The cost will be £60 which Holcombe and Coleford have agreed to contribute towards. Councilors agreed that it would be worthwhile for the Clerk to attend.
Vote 5 in favour; 0 against and 0 abstained / VW
15 / Correspondence
Avon and Somerset Policing Plan & Newsletter
Email received regarding the poor state of the footpath from Dalimore Lane to Waterlip. The Clerk to investigate and report to the Rights of Way team.
Pension Regulator – Reminding the Parish Council of its obligations which must be met by the staging date of the 1st of July. Cllr Crowcombe, Cllr Bolton and the Clerk to discuss prior to the next meeting. / VW
GB/AC
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16 / Date & Time of Next Meeting
Monday 13th March 2017– Parish Council meeting 7.30pm
The meeting ended at 20.45pm