The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council was held
Thursday 15th May 2008, Winscombe Community Centre at 7.30 p.m.
Present: Mrs. A Brading, Mr. S Bridges, Mrs P Bushnell, Mrs. P Cram, Mr. A Forbes, Mr. R Jones,
Mr. G Lloyd, Mr. G Luckett, Mrs V McGann, Ms. D Powell, Mrs A Richmond, Miss B Roper, Mr. C Sampson, Mr. J Westlake, Mr M Williamson.
Ward Councillors: Mr T Marter
Police: PC Church
Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton
Press Representatives: Mr G Jones – freelance reporter
Members of the public: two
1. TO ELECT A CHAIRMAN (Agenda item 1)
Nominee Mr. C Sampson (1 nomination received for Mr. C Sampson)
Mr. C Sampson was unanimously elected Chairman.
2. TO RECEIVE THE CHAIRMAN’S DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE (Agenda item 2)
The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed and received by the Clerk.
The Chairman thanked the current vice-chairmen along with past and present Clerk for their dedicated service over the past nine years and considered it a privilege to once again Chair the Parish Council for the coming twelve month period.
3. TO ELECT TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN (Agenda item 3)
Nominees’ 1 nomination each received for Mr Jones & Ms Powell
Mr R Jones and Ms. D Powell were unanimously elected Vice-Chairmen.
4. TO RECEIVE THE VICE-CHAIRMEN’S DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE
(Agenda item 4)
The Declarations of Acceptance of Office were duly signed and received by the Clerk.
5. TO APPOINT PARISH COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES Annex 1
(Agenda item 5)
It was advised that all Councillors are welcome to attend the very informative ALCA meetings although two Councillors and the Clerk only are permitted to vote at a meeting. Mr Jones, as vice-chair to the NS Group may be permitted to vote in this capacity and a check of this would be made.
As it is no longer a LEA requirement to have Parish Council appointed representation as local school Governors, these should now be removed from the list of representatives. Mrs Cram will continue to provide the Parish Council with regular primary school updates for Winscombe.
The representatives to Outside Bodies named in Annex 1 were duly elected en-masse.
Proposed: Mrs A Brading Seconded: Mr R Jones All in favour
6. TO REVIEW & ADOPT PARISH COUNCIL COMMITTEE STRUCTURE Annex 2 (Agenda item 6)
a. The committee structure for 2008/09 was agreed with the following amendments:
1. The Parish Council Chairman, and in his absence, one vice-chairman act as ex-officio members on all committees of the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr Williamson Seconded: Mr R Jones 11 in favour, 2 against, 1 abstention
2. Finance Committee membership – ‘ex-officio’ should be replaced with ‘other’.
Proposed: Mr Williamson Seconded: Mr S Bridges All in favour
The necessary amendments to Parish Council Standing Orders should be made.
b. TO APPOINT PARISH COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Nominees to all Parish Council Committees were agreed en-masse.
Nominations were received, with the consent of those Councillors for Parish Council Committees and Working Party. The Chairmen’s Committee should consist of Committee Chairmen elected by their relevant Committee.
The Parish Council Committee Structure nominees for 2008/09 named in Annex 2 were duly elected en-masse.
Proposed: Mrs P Cram Seconded: Mr S Bridges All in favour
7. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE (Agenda item 7) were received from Ward Councillor Harley.
8. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (Agenda item 8) There were none declared.
9. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD 17TH APRIL 2008.
(Agenda item 9)
The minutes to the meeting held 17th April 2008 were approved as a correct record.
Proposed: Mr A Forbes Seconded: Mr G Lloyd
13 in favour, 1 abstention.
10. MINUTE UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES & CLERKS REPORTS– Annex 3 (Agenda item 10) – none other than those detailed on the Agenda to the meeting.
11. CRIME REPORT 17/04/08 – 15/05/08 – PC Church Annex 4 (Agenda item 11) office no 01934 638123
Out of 545 vehicle movements recorded on Church Road in nine separate sessions, only 15 were recorded as travelling in excess of the 30 mph speed limit. 2 vehicles were travelling above the warning limit and qualified for prosecution.
Operation Jackal continues with particular attention being paid to the elderly where a number of incidents have occurred. Our PCSO has been visiting properties in the parish advising that some companies are ‘cold calling’ in the area.
12. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (Agenda item 12) – there was none.
13. WARD COUNCILLOR UPDATE & NSC PARISH LIAISON OFFICER UPDATE (Agenda item 13)
Cllr Marter advised of a public meeting to be held in Banwell on 27th May regarding the poor state of the roads. Ward Councillors are shortly to meet with NSC Officers, a list of essential works to roads in the Ward prioritised and this forwarded to NSC Highways department for consideration. The criteria for spending s106 agreement monies was detailed for the benefit of the Council. Cllr Marter is supporting the Parish Council in efforts to ensure NSC adopts an adequate emptying schedule for the Woodborough Road Recycle Centre. Cllr Harley is investigating a 30mph speed sign installed incorrectly on Church Road. NSC is formally backing a campaign to fight the closure of rural Post Offices and Community Cafes are proving successful.
Borough Status for NSC, whilst not being progressed at present may be re-visited at a future date.
14. TO AUTHORISE BILLS FOR PAYMENT – The Clerk Annex 5 (Agenda item 14)
Cheques 102401– 102428 and direct debits payments detailed were authorised for payment
Proposed: Mr G Lloyd Seconded: Mr M Williamson All in favour.
15 ST MONICA TRUST ‘s106 AGREEMENT’ UPDATE Mr C Sampson & Mr M Williamson
(Agenda item 15) The agreement has been signed by St Monica Trust, along with The Merchant Venturers and on behalf of the Parish Council by the Parish Council Chairman. The document is now with NSC awaiting final execution. It is believed that Bristol Water have visited the Ilex Lane Cemetery under instruction of St Monica Trust to establish the actual route of the water main although confirmation of this is awaited.
16 AFFORDABLE HOUSING SURVEY REPORT & WORKING PARTY UPDATE Mr S Bridges
(Agenda item 16) Ms Davidson has advised that the report is now almost complete and should be released to the Parish Council within the next week. A meeting of the Working Party was scheduled for Tuesday 13th May, although Ms Davidson was unable to attend at short notice due to travel problems. A number of potential small sites in or abutting the settlement boundary are to be identified by the Working Party in association with ERHA should a need for Affordable Housing been proved in the shortly to be received survey report.
17. AVON & SOMERSET PROBATION SERVICE (Agenda item 17)
a.) Community Pay Back Parish Partnership Update
A second meeting had taken place on 13th May where it was agreed on a name of ‘The Winscombe & Sandford Working Partnership’. Notes of the Partnership meeting will be circulated to voluntary bodies within the Parish & they will be invited to submit requests for works for the group to the Parish Office. The relevant organisations or Parish Council committee will be invoiced quarterly (at a rate of £10 per day) for works carried out at their request. Youths are insured by the Probation Service, are supervised and supply their own equipment. The Parish Council may withdraw from this partnership at any time.
It was proposed by Mr S Bridges, seconded by Mr M Williamson, all Councillors in favour that the Parish Council form a partnership with the Avon & Somerset Police, Avon Probation Service and North Somerset Council to provide this community facility.
b.) To consider purchase of a storage container
A storage container 20ft x 8ft x 8ft has been sourced by Mr Bridges that will be paid for by sponsorship. It was proposed by Mr G Lloyd, seconded by Mr A Forbes, all Councillors in favour that this container be sited as recommended by the WMRG Committee in the committee minutes of 22nd April 2008, on the Recreation Ground.
The container will be painted green to match the containers already in situ.
18 NSC REVIEW OF MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCE SCHEME (Agenda item 18)
The Parish Council has previously decided that members would not claim for allowances with the exception of travel & subsistence. No request was made to amend this.
It was proposed that the Parish Council adopt the North Somerset Council Member’s Allowance Scheme to pay travel and subsistence allowances, as supported in the report of the independent review panel accepted by the full NSC Council on 1st April 2008.
Proposed: Mr A Forbes Seconded: Mrs A Brading All in favour
19. PRIMARY CARE TRUST UPDATE – Miss B Roper (Agenda item 19)
Miss Roper gave a very comprehensive report to the Council that is attached to these minutes as Annex 6. Concern is still being expressed about the introduction of polyclinics and everyone was encouraged to attend the public meeting to be held on 22nd May 2008. As the next meeting of the PCT falls on the same day as the Parish Council meeting, a verbal report only will be given.
20 KNOLLIS & DOOLAN CHARITY Mr C Sampson (Agenda item 20)
Mr Sampson & Mrs Brading, as Parish Council representatives for this Charity had attended a number of meetings where the future of this was considered. It was agreed by the trustees that the capital and income from this charity is no longer viable to justify its’ independent existence. Approval is being sought from the Charities Commission for the capital sum of £1,000 be held ring-fenced in the St James P.C.C accounts and the income generated from this of around £40 per annum used only for the Vicar’s Discretionary Fund which entirely meets the charity’s objective of being used to the benefit of the deserving necessitous persons resident in the Parish of Winscombe. The decision of the Charities Commission is now awaited.
21 REVIEW OF PHOTOCOPYING CHARGES & TO CONSIDER NEW LEASE AGREEMENT
(Agenda item 21)
Due to an increase in the number of quarterly photocopies being made from 5,500 to 7,800 over the past three years, the number of free copies included within our current five year contract is soon to expire and a quarterly charge estimated at £75 will be made in excess of the rental costs already paid. A number of options were considered by the council including continuing with the current lease until the expiry of this in 2010 or renegotiating the current lease to a new five year lease with an updated digital copying system for (1) black copies and (2) colour copies.
It was proposed by Mr A Forbes, seconded by Mrs A Brading that a new five year lease agreement is entered into for black copies only to include 7,800 copies per quarter
An amendment to this proposal was made, that a new five year lease agreement be entered into for black copies only to include 9,000 copies per quarter.
Proposed: Mr R Jones Seconded: Mr G Lloyd
7 in favour, 7 against. The Chairman used his casting vote and voted in favour of the amendment.
22 TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Annex 7 (Agenda item 22)
The minutes for the Finance Committee from the meeting dated 28h April 2008 were approved and signed as a correct record.
Proposed: Mr G Lloyd Seconded: Mr M Williamson
All Committee members present were in favour
The decisions of the Committee were recommended for action by the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr G Lloyd Seconded: Miss B Roper All in favour
23. WAR MEMORIAL RECREATION GROUND COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr S Bridges
Annex 8 (Agenda item 23)
The decisions of the Committee were recommended for action by the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr S Bridges Seconded: Mr M Williamson 12 in favour, 1 abstention
24. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr G Lloyd Annex 9 (Agenda item 24)
The minutes for the Environment Committee from the meeting dated 6th May 2008 were approved and signed as a correct record.
Proposed: Mr G Lloyd Seconded: Mrs A Richmond
All Committee members present were in favour
The decisions of the Committee were recommended for action by the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr G Lloyd Seconded: Mr A Forbes 11 in favour, 2 abstentions
25. AWARD LAND COMMITTEE REPORT - Mr J Westlake Annex 10 (Agenda item 25)
An application for a licence from Defra to deal with problem badger setts has been applied for, although initial indications are that this may not be granted due to the infrequency of required works.
26. MATTERS FOR INFORMATION (Agenda item 26)
Winscombe Primary School Report – Mrs Cram advised that Year 6 are taking their SATS exams this week and that Year 5 have produced the first edition of a newsletter whose layout was considered excellent. A copy would be left at the Parish Office for those wishing to see it.
With no further business, the meeting concluded at 9.55 pm
Signed................................................................... (Chairman)
Date.......................................................................
Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council acknowledges the general duty placed upon it by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The Council will continue within its functions and policies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote racial equality of different racial groups.