/ Parish Council / Minutes / 4th October 2021

Cllr Annabelle Peters – Chair

AP

Cllr Neil Davidson

ND

Cllr Simon Hutchings - Vice Chair left and returned during minute 208

SH

Cllr Charlie Cudlip

CC

Cllr Yamina Guest from minute 198. Also left and returned during minute 210

YG

Cllr Margaret Gover

MG

Cllr Brenda Brighton from minute 197

BB

Cllr Sarah Elliott

SE

Cllr Paul Tucker left and returned during minute 209

PT

Chair’s welcome

AP welcomed all and chaired the meeting

To receive any apologies for absence

Cllr Guest – at work will arrive a bit later.

Cllr Brown sent his apologies as on leave.

Proposed by PT | Seconded by ND | all in favour – apologies accepted

Declarations of Interests. Declarations of Individual Members

ND – confirmed a conflict of interest - as has pecuniary interest in the Canal car park and Worthy Lane.

ND, PT and CC confirmed a conflict of interest for planning application: 14/21/0016

SH- confirmed a conflict of interest – as he is related to an employee

Vacancies on the Parish Council There are currently two Parish Councillor vacancies.

Anyone interested in becoming a PCllr is asked to contact the Clerk for further information.

Cllrs agreed and voted on co-opting Brenda Brighton

Proposed by SH | Seconded by CC | all in favour

The new Cllr BB signed the Cllr Declaration of Acceptance form and joined the Cllrs for the rest of the meeting.

The Chair informed the PC that a parishioner had applied for the other Cllr casual vacancy, but was unable to attend that evening. The application had been circulated to all members apart from newly co-opted Cllr BB. It was acknowledged that the applicant had PC experience and Cllrs agreed to override the minute 178.2 (Sept 2021) that a Cllr must attend one meeting first, before being co-opted. This proposal would allow the PC to co-opt at the November meeting, rather than the December meeting. This was taken to a vote.

Proposed by SH | Seconded by ND | 7 in favour, 1 abstained

Action: Clerk to notify SW&T of co-opted Cllr Brighton and submit Declaration of Acceptance form.

To receive County and District Councillors’ Reports

SCC Cllr Fothergill gave a verbal report, [please see appendix 1]

Action – Cllr Fothergill asked the Clerk to help publicise the Youth Parliament through CSM’s social media.

Minutes – Cllrs agreed the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2021 were an accurate record. (These had previously been circulated to Cllrs) The minutes of the 6 September 2021 meeting were agreed. It was noted by the Clerk that minute 178.2; the probation period of 1 month for new co-opted Cllrs, was not a legal resolution. The minutes were then authorised to be signed and dated by the Chair as an accurate record of the meeting.

Proposed by SH | Seconded by SE | 7 in favour, 2 abstained as not present at the earlier meeting.

Matters arising- from the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 September 2021 [Clerk’s report]

The Clerk’s report had previously been circulated to the PCllrs.

1.Regarding the Village Hall sign that a resident had asked about in the last meeting. Cllr Fothergill agreed to take another look. ND to also have a look and clear overgrown branches, as it might be that the sign is behind some tree branches that obscure it rather than needing an additional sign.
2.Clerk and SE, still to research the risks to the PC and extend insurance, if possible, for the Ham Village Flood Group

Parish Councillor responsibilities and Committees, Panels and Working groups - Cllrs agreed any updates to PC terms of reference for the individual committees, panels and working groups will be discussed at the November PC meeting.

Action: Clerk to include Cllr responsibilities, committees, panels and working groups as an agenda item to be agreed in November’s PC meeting.

Local Community Networks (LCNs) – Cllrs agreed the Planning, Developments & Transport panel to report back with recommendations after attending the Parish and Town Council Conference (7 October).

Action: Clerk to include LCNs as an agenda item for November’s PC meeting.

Planning

1.Cllrs considered the following applications and made observations.

Action: Clerk to inform SW&T Planning of the PC’s decisions.
2. Cllrs agreed to write to SW&T about the enforcement timescale for South West Cranes to leave the Mill Lane site, now that their retrospective planning had been refused. The PC were concerned that the usual 3 months could be extended to one year.

Proposed by SH | Seconded by AP | all in favour

Action: SE to find out the realistic timeframe that South West Cranes would be expected to leave the site.

Action: Planning, Developments and Transport to draft a letter to be sent on behalf of the PC to Somerset West and Taunton to ensure the timescale for South West Cranes to leave the site is enforced.

Finance 

1.To approve the monthly payments

Payments to be authorised [amount in £ including VAT]

Routine Payments- Routine Payments- since the September mtg (schedule circulated); wages and expenses for the Clerk, Caretaker and Parish Lengthsman and HMRC payments. [amount in £ including VAT]

Monies received and banked since the last meeting

Payments were agreed by the PC and signed by the Chair

Proposed by ND | Seconded by CC | 8 in favour, 1 abstained
Action: Clerk to make authorised payments

2.Annual Audit - Cllrs noted the report from PKF Littlejohn the PC External Auditors (already circulated) Cllrs discussed their disappointment that the former Clerk had not met the deadline for a second year. The Clerk confirmed that the Audit Notices and Annual Governance Statement had been published as the auditors had instructed.

3.Interim Audit – Cllrs agreed that the Clerk could arrange an interim audit to check the PC’s documents and working practices.

Proposed by CC | Seconded by PT | all in favour

Action: Clerk to arrange an Interim Audit

4.PC payment card – Cllrs agreed that the Clerk can apply for a new payment card in name of the Clerk, rather than the Chair (see minute 2021/184.4.4) with limits, safety measures and audit checks as agreed by the PC and monitored by the Finance Committee. Cllrs requested the Clerk apply for a higher limit of £2,000 so that online purchases would be easier, where invoices were not an option.

Proposed by SE | Seconded by MG | 8 in favour 1 abstained

Action: Clerk to apply for PC payment card with £2,000 transaction limit

Worthy Lane - Cllrs discussed and agreed against a budget request from residents for signage on Worthy Lane to warn vehicles to slow down in the area. It was agreed that Worthy Lane is a private road and parish money couldn’t be spent on a private road.

Proposed by CC| Seconded by PT | 8 in favour, 1 abstained

Action: Clerk to write to Worthy Lane residents that their request for signage on Worthy Lane had been denied, with an explanation of why public funds couldn’t be used for private land.

Somerset Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)
1.Cllrs agreed to write to the local MP (Rebecca Pow) and County Councillor (Cllr Fothergill) asking for support for the BSIP.

Proposed by BB | Seconded by SH | all in favour

Action: Clerk to write to local MP (Rebecca Pow) and County Councillor (Cllr Fothergill) to ask they support the Somerset Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)

2.Cllrs agreed to request BSIP support Demand Responsive Transport (Buses With No Timetables)

Proposed by SE| Seconded by YG | all in favour

Action: Clerk to contact the BSIP and request Demand Responsive Transport (Buses With No Timetables) are included in their proposals (SE)

Rec Park

1.The Rec Park Panel summarised an update (already circulated in the Clerk’s Report) that they were working through the repairs needed to the play equipment, advised in the annual inspection
Some parts can be mended in house, the panel will order other replacement parts. The money in the Rec Park budget will cover equipment replacements/repairs.

2. Cllrs agreed a budget of up to £1,000 for the Rec Park to buy equipment for the maintenance of the park and other areas across the Parish, by purchasing an electric leaf blower, strimmer and batteries.

Proposed by AP | Seconded by CC | all in favour

Action: Rec Park to buy electric leaf blower, strimmer and batteries up to the value of £1,000 max

3. Cllrs agreed the purchase of additional locks by the Rec Park Panel – already agreed minute 152.2 (PC 22.7.21)

Proposed by AP | Seconded by CC | all in favour

Action: SH to buy the locks for the Rec Park

Panel and Working Group reports –.

Cllrs agreed for panels to give a brief update if available next month (November)

Planning, Developments & Transport Panel - PB

Canal Panel- ND Locking is now at 6pm for the Autumn/Winter period, with updated signs to show this.  The access gate which is currently located across the PROW is to be relocated so that it does not impede the PROW at all.

Youth Panel- ND

Rec Park Panel- YG

Footpaths/ Rights of Way – The PC thanked the Parish Footpath Volunteers for their report

PIP working group

Comms and Website working group - Clerk

Correspondence
Cllrs agreed to support the A358 Parish Councils’ Informal Group’s mitigation proposals and respond to Peter Gregory (chairman) by the 15 October and request to be kept updated.

Proposed by AP | Seconded by SH | all in favour

Action: Clerk to respond to the A358 Parish Councils’ Informal Group by 15 October 2021.

Cllrs agreed to take the £100 compensation offered by the bank for delaying the new clerk access through a bank admin error to the CSM bank account.

Action: Clerk to confirm with the bank that the £100 compensation will be accepted

New Matters to be carried forward
Community Speedwatch - CC updated the PC about meeting the local PCSO and how to support the community to set up Community Speedwatch teams in the Parish. AP asked this include Ham. CC is happy to lead on this. YG asked that schools and Scouts/Guides are invited to get involved to raise speed awareness.

Action: Clerk to add Community Speedwatch as an agenda item for the November PC meeting.

Parish Council dates - to agree the dates for the PC monthly meetings and Committee Meetings 2021-2022 and discuss the date for the Annual Parish Meeting [1 March-1 June 2022]

To discuss the date for the Annual Meeting of the Council- taking into account possible elections in 2022. [14 days following the day on which the new councillors elected take office]
Action: Clerk to circulate the dates for 2021-2022 committee and PC meetings and add to November’s agenda.

Public meeting ended at 20:40

Council to decide to exclude Public and Press for these items

Meeting ended at 9:16pm