HINTON CHARTERHOUSE PARISH COUNCIL – BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET
HINTON CHARTERHOUSE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutesof The Meetingof the Parish Council
held on Tuesday 20thJune 2017
in the Memorial Hall, High Street, Hinton Charterhouse,
commencing at 8.00pm
Present:Cllr.C.Clemence
Cllrs:P.Williamson, P.Seek, G.Whiteley,
R.Coles
Dist.Cllr. N.Butters
Mr Geoffrey Parkes (Parish Clerk)
Mr Nick Helps (before co-option)
3 members of the public
Apologies:Cllrs, Robertson, Griebenow
- Introduction
Cllr Clemencewelcomed the members of the public.
- Apologies for Absence
Cllrs, Robertson, Griebenow.
- Declarations of Interest
The Chairman reminded Councillors of their duty to declare any interests in any items on the agenda. There were none.
- Casual Vacancy
Mr Nick Helps had applied for the casual vacancy. His letter had been circulated to all Councillors. The Chairman was aware that Mr Helps worked some of the time for B&NES as a consultant and asked what approximate percentage of his time this meant. Mr Helps confirmed that he was self-employed, that he worked for a number of clients, and that B&NES comprised some 70% of his work.
The Chairman proposed and Cllr. Williamson seconded the motion that Mr Nick Helps be co-opted as a Councillor - subject to confirmation by the B&NES Democratic Services Department that it was legal for him to both work for B&NES and be a Parish Councillor. All voted in favour.
The Clerk would contact B&NES and ask for clarification and confirmation about the rules on employment and potential conflict of interest.
The Chairman congratulated Cllr. Helps and asked him to join the meeting, but until it was cleared by B&NES that he not vote on any item.
- Minutes of The Annual General Meeting of The Parish Council 16thMay2017
The Council considered the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of The Parish Council held on16thMay 2017.
It was proposed by Cllr.Whiteley and seconded by Cllr.Seek that the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of The Parish Council 16thMay 2017 besigned and adopted as a correct record. All present agreed.
Resolved:That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of The Parish Council held on 16thMay 2017be signed and adopted as a correct record.
(The Chairman then signed the minutes)
- Financial Reports.
The Clerk had circulated to the Council the Financial Report for 1stJune 2017, complete with the requests for retrospective and advance authority for payments.
The following payments were made in May
100866G Parkes – May 370.83
100867W Palastre – May 291.05
100868Post Office Ltd – PAYE – May 72.60
100869AON Insurance 1,224.07
The following payments would be made in June
100870Auditing Solutions Ltd 192.00
100871G Parkes – June 370.83
100872W Palastre – June 286.97
100873Post Office Ltd – PAYE – June 71.60
Cllr. Coles and seconded by Cllr. Seek that this Statement be accepted. All agreed.
ResolvedThat Financial Report for 1stJune 2017, complete with the requests for retrospective and advance authority for payments be accepted.
(The Chairman signed the Financial Statement)
- Internal and External Audits – The Annual Return - Governance
The Clerk explained that he had submitted the Annual Return to the external auditors, Grant Thornton LLP (GTL), whohad been in touch about a figure for the Assets owned by the Council. The Internal Auditor (Auditing Solutions Ltd.) had pointed this out in their report – which had arrived after the Annual Return was submitted. The only mistake related to the value of the new Village Notice Board (£500) which had been included in the Council’s Assets Register by the Clerk but not on the Annual Return. The Clerk had explained the oversight to GTL and expected it would be noted by them when the Annual Return is completed.
- Planning
Not for discussion
(i)16/06132/FUL – Freshford Mill – Build 7 new dwellings. Permitted
(ii)16/06133/FUL – Freshford Mill – Demolish one building and replace with new. Permitted
(iii)17/01374/FUL – High Prospect – Alterations, changes etc. Permitted
For discussion
(iv)17/02857/FUL – Hinton House. Green Lane Revised Access Way. The Council considered this application and decided to Support it. The Clerk would inform B&NES Planning Department.
(v)A survey was being carried out on the introduction of entirely paper-less electronic Planning Applications. Hinton Charterhouse Parish Council had responded before that it does not have access to printers suitable for detailed plans, that internet connection speeds are often not good enough, and that the Memorial Hall has no wi-fi or internet connection possible. Therefore the process was not really adequate and the Council was left ‘high and dry’. The Clerk was asked to repeat this message both within the survey and to B&NES.
(vi)The Council had heard just before the meeting that Mr N Whitehead, the Agent for the Moores Family would like to attend the 18th July meeting of the Council to present a briefing on their ideas for the field to the south of Tuggy’s Lane, and to carry out a public exhibition and consultation on either the 17/18th or 24/25th August. The Agent had explained that they are carrying out pre-application discussions with B&NES about their ideas.
- Highways & Footpaths
(i)Main Roads.The Chairman adjourned the meeting and invited Bethany Jarroussie from Midford to talk about road traffic speeds in Midford.
Mrs Jarroussie read out a statement, and answered questions from Councillors, about the speed of traffic on the B3110 in Midford and the real danger to pedestrians and residents. The Clerk retained a copy of the statement for future use.
The Chairman re-convened the meeting. There was some discussion about what might be feasible and the history of B&NES progress on speed limits. The general agreement was that the Council would press B&NES to take action to make this stretch of road safer. The only proviso would be that no measures are put in place that impede legitimate farm traffic that needs to use this narrow point on the B3110.
The Clerk would contact B&NES Highways, and would liaise with South Stoke Parish Council and with Dist.Cllr. Neil Butters about progress.
(ii)Other Roads. There was nothing to report.
(iii)Footpaths. Hinton House had agreed to trim back the overhanging vegetation along the footway in Green Lane. The Clerk would ask any other residents if they could do the same.
The state of the footway between The Brambles and the end of the 30mph zone was also raised. Hedge vegetation is making the path too narrow to use. The Council agreed to take what action it could to resolve this.
- Refuse Collection Changes
The Chairman understood,via the local media,that there were still problems in Bath with residents not being given a choice between gull-proof bags and wheelie bins, and that B&NES were still giving ‘unhelpful’ responses. The Parish Council remained concerned about the change to bi-weekly collections and large wheelie bins filling up the High Street. Dist.Cllr. Neil Butters said he was only aware of a few problem cases and that if people were still having problems with B&NES then they should contact him.
- Millennium GreenTrust Committee
There was nothing to report.
- Play Area
TheRoyal Society for the Prevention of Accidents safety inspection of the play area and its equipment is due to be held in June. The Clerk would pursue RoSPA about the date they intended to do this. The Clerk had put the Play Area on RoSPA’s register for routine inspections.
- Village Facilities
(i)Broadband. A recent report from the West of England Rural Network indicated that an announcement about a commercial contractor being appointed for ‘Parcel 1 Broadband’ had been delayed by the recent General Election. The announcement was now expected at any time. It was anticipated that there would be invitations to a local workshop on broadband.
- Police Report
There was nothing to report.
- Free exchange of information not covered by any of the above
Cllr. Williamson informed the meeting that she was holding a luncheon for the Somerset Vernacular Buildings Register at Friary on the 21st June 2017.
- Correspondence
The Clerk placed the following correspondence on the table for Councillors to consult. Posters attached to this correspondence would be placed on the notice board. Any discussions about correspondence are noted below.
(i)The Chairman had received a letter about bonfire smoke nuisance in the Village. The Clerk would contact the correspondent and point out the B&NES website pages that set out the steps that can be taken. In the first place the recommendation is to talk to neighbours to work out good and bad times for bonfires and what can be done. Only if a nuisance continues can B&NES then take action.
- Date of Next Meeting & Specific Items for the Agenda
The next meeting would be on Tuesday the 18thJuly 2017 at 8pm. Specific Items for the agenda should be submitted to the Clerk by Thursday the 13th July.
One item agreed is the briefing by Mr Nigel Whitehead which would be held near the beginning of the Meeting.
Summons to the meeting, and agendas, would be issued three days before the meeting.
The Meeting Finished at 8.31pm
Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 18thJuly 2017 at 8pmin the Memorial Hall, High Street, Hinton Charterhouse
Meeting of The Parish Council
Tuesday 20thJune 2017Page1