Author: Langton Matravers PC
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Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
Minutes of a meeting of Council held in the Village Hall on Thursday, 14^th May 2009 at 7.00pm
Present Cllr N Priddle, in the Chair, and Cllrs, Mrs V Murray, J Bradford, P. Bradford, M Kirby, P Loudoun, and P White.

1.	Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Mrs P. Kwantes & M Lovell. 
2.	Declarations of interest: there were none.
3.	Election of a Chairman: Cllr P White nominated Cllr N Priddle and this was seconded by Cllr M Kirby and was carried unanimously. Cllr N Priddle said that he wished to pay tribute to his predecessor, Cllr M Kirby, who had taken on the Chairmanship at a very difficult time and it was thanks to his tenacity that the Council had received the COMMA grant, which had helped to ensure the successful set up of the allotments.  
4.	Election of a Vice-Chairman: Cllr Priddle nominated Cllr P White and this was unanimously supported.
5.	Matters arising from the Public Discussion during the APA: 
(a) Mr Ian Mckenzie’s report on the Council’s application for restricted byway status for Windmill Lane. Mr Mckenzie had suggested that, because of objections by the Wildfowlers Club to the use of the path through Leeson Wood, it might be easier to negotiate a diversion around the wood. Cllr J Bradford said that he did not agree, he felt that the Council should continue with its application. He pointed out that the Council had first applied in 1977, years before the Wildfowlers Club had even existed, and he was in no doubt that the path was a public right of way as he had walked it himself since he was a child, as had many other parishioners. Cllr M Kirby suggested that the Council could always negotiate if the application failed. The Chairman then asked if the councillors wished to continue with the current application or negotiate and they voted unanimously to continue. The Clerk was instructed to write a letter to DCC to point out the length of time since an application was first made and to insist that it should be dealt with immediately.
(b) Mr M Turner had said that the Council’s piece of land to the north of the allotments was in a very bad and dangerous state and needed the rubbish clearing out. The Chairman agreed and said that a replacement fence had been bought to go around the compound where the allotment shed would stand. He suggested that the councillors should visit the site to look for solutions. Cllr J Bradford said that children were entering the area over the fallen dry stone wall boundary with the school playing fields and that the wall needed repairing. The Clerk was instructed to write to DCC to try and discover who owned the wall.
(c)  Ms C Drayson had said that she felt that the Council needed to do more to include the public at the Annual Parish Assembly. Cllr Priddle said that when he had first become Chairman he had written a long report on the Council’s activities for the past year and had personally delivered copies to almost all the homes in the village. As a result only about 15 people had attended out of a population of over a 1000. He had continued to do this for about 3 years, but with no greater success and that as he was in his final year as a Parish Councillor he was not inclined to launch new initiatives, but hoped that perhaps next year the new councillors would.
6.	Planning Matters:
(1)	There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0202, submitted by Mr P Golob; to restore/rebuild existing agricultural barns/structures at Blacklands Barns, Priests Way, Acton.
(2)	Determine Council’s comment on Plan 0202. 
	“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(3)	There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0225, submitted by MBNL UK Ltd; to carry out alterations to existing T-Mobile base station, comprising of a replacement antenna and additional equipment cabinet within the existing compound at Nine Barrow Down, Knitson Farm, Corfe Castle.
(4)	Determine Council’s comment on Plan 0225. 
	“The Parish Council has no objection.”

(5)	There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0234, submitted by HF Bonfield & Son; to modify condition 3 of permission 6/97/692: to extend the life of Service Area until 1^st January 2015.
(6)	Determine Council’s comment on Plan0234.
	“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(7)	There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0235, submitted by HF Bonfield & Son; to modify condition 1 of permission 6/95/554: to extend the life of extraction until 1^st January 2015.
(8)	Determine Council’s comment on Plan 0235.
	“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(9)	There were no comments from the public concerning Plan0233, submitted by Miss Taylor; to erect single storey rear extension “Spyways”, Gypshayes, Langton Matravers.
(10)	Determine Council’s comment on Plan 0233.
	“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(11)	Receive planning decisions by PDC affecting this parish since the last Parish Council Meeting: There were none.
(12)	Any other planning matters.	
(a) Putlake Adventure Farm, High St, Langton Matravers.
Appeal decision: The appeal is allowed in part. Element (1) Dismissed. Elements (3) and (4) Allowed.
7.	Appoint other Officers or Council’s Representatives on other bodies: 
	(1) Parish Rights Of Way Liaison Officer. Decision deferred.
	(2) Parish Tree and Hedgerow Officer. No longer required.
	(3) Parish Emergency Liaison Officer. Cllr P Bradford.
(4) Council’s Representative on the First School Governing Body. Worth Matravers Parish Cllr Mrs W Wilson.
	(5) Council’s Representative on the Village Hall Management Committee. Cllr N Priddle.
	(6) Two Representatives on the Purbeck Association of Parish and Town Councils. Not required.
	(7) Council’s contact for PACT. Cllr P Bradford.
	(8) Parish Youth Liaison Officer. Not required.
	(9) Any other Officers or Representatives.
	(a) Allotments. Cllr N Priddle and Cllr P White.
	(b) Flood Warden. Cllr P Bradford.
	(c) Timson Trust. Cllrs J Bradford, M Lovell, N Priddle and P White.
8.	Appoint or confirm appointment of part-time employees:
	(1) Responsible Finance Officer (if not the Clerk). The Clerk.
	(2) Caretaker of the Council’s Cemetery. Mr P Newell.
	(3) Internal Auditor. Mr N Donald.
9.	Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 9^th April were confirmed and signed.
10.	Matters arising from the Minutes:
	(1)  Item 4; Signs about dog litter. Deferred.
(2) Item 9; Cllr P Bradford volunteered to help the Clerk erect the signs for the recycling bins.
(3) Item 9 (c); Overgrown bushes on Acton access road. Cllr J Bradford offered to meet Nigel Hamer on site to discuss the matter.
(4) Item 12 (2); The overhanging ash tree at the old cemetery. The Clerk said he had written to Douglas Haigh, the owner of Old Rectory, but again had received no reply. Cllr Priddle said that there was a danger that a gale could bring down the top branches and that trees had been blown down in the past and caused considerable damage to the old monuments. Cllr J Bradford agreed and suggested that the Council should ask PDC Aboricultural Officer, Jason Hasaka, for  assistance. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Hasaka.
(5) Item 15; Play Area lease. It was unanimously agreed to accept the new lease from DCC.
(6) Item 19; A car park for the village. The Chairman said that Cllr M Lovell had spoken to Alan Davies of PDC with regard to the land opposite Putlake Farm, with the idea of having a car park and a new museum there. However, it was the Chairman’s opinion that tying a car park in with a new museum would greatly lengthen the process. Cllr Bradford suggested the verge along Crack Lane, but Cllr M Kirby questioned whether a car park there would ever be used. The Chairman said that he felt it would be, but that it would not replace parking in the High Street. Cllr P Loudoun said that he failed to see why the village needed a car park as the problems with parking were very seasonal, and in his opinion what was needed were strategic “no parking” spots along the High Street. Cllr J Bradford pointed out that if the Parish wished to keep the playing fields then the Council could not use part of them as an access road to a car park on the Council’s land at the allotments. 
The Clerk was instructed to write to Rod Turner of DCC Highways Dept. to ask if they owned the verge along Crack Lane.
11.	The Clerk’s Report for the period 3.04.09 – 3.05.09. was received.
12.	Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report:
(a)  Item 16; a donation to Purbeck Film Festival. Declined.
(b)  Item 19; the Council’s insurance. It was unanimously agreed to accept and pay the new quote.
(c)  Item 20; fingerposts. Cllr J Bradford said that according to the Dept. of Transport Advisory Leaflet of June 2005; “All surviving fingerposts should be retained in situ and maintained on a regular basis. They should be painted every five years and regular repair and maintenance are essential.”
Cllr J Bradford proposed that DCC had not carried out this work and therefore were negligent in their duty and therefore the Parish Council requests that the finger post at Worth Gate be replaced. This was unanimously agreed and the Clerk was instructed to write to Rod Turner, DCC Highways Manager, with copies to Hilary Cox, Spokesperson for the Environment, and Miles Butler, DCC Director for the Environment. 
(d) The list of previous applicants regarding Windmill Lane. the Clerk was still waiting for the list to be returned.
(e) The overgrown bushes at the bus stop at 3 Acre Lane. the Clerk said he had received an email in reply to his letter of the 18^th February to say that DCC would clear the area in the “near future”. 
(f) Change to Standing Orders. The Clerk said that according to Standing Orders all Development Plans had to be on display to the public for 30 minutes before the monthly Meeting. He asked that this be reduced to 15 minutes and this was unanimously agreed. 
(g) Cascade Housing’s offer of a free survey. The Chairman said that the Parish Council had already come up with alternative sites for affordable housing, but the district councillors never saw them, because the PDC Planning Department rejected them. Nevertheless, the Clerk was instructed to write to Cascade and find out what the survey entailed.
(h) ROSPA inspection of the Play Area. Cllr P Bradford said that as last year’s inspection had not flagged up the corroded bolts on the swings he would like to attend the next inspection to ensure that it was carried out properly. The Clerk was instructed to write to Purbeck Housing Trust and find out when it would be.
13.	Chairman’s announcements; The Chairman said he was very concerned at the narrow pavements along Coombe Hill and Steppes and he hoped the proposed widening would be carried out soon.
14.	Financial Matters:
	(1) The following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting were noted:
  £5,500.00 for first half of precept.
£170.00 from James Smith Funeral Directors for interment of the late Miss Mary Ruth    Peart.
£20.00 from James Smith Funeral Directors for additional inscription to the late Doris   Alice Cart.
 (2) Note the following Payments by Cheque, already authorized, since last Meeting:
£310.50 to PA &PM Earley for manure for the allotments.
	 £142.65 to SEC to repair light at Acton.
	 £30.75 to M Lovell, ex-Nixons Hardware, for padlock and keys for cemetery.
	 £544.01 to S Electric for electricity supply for footway lights.
	 £50.00 to N Donald, internal auditor, for two audits.
	 £50.00 grant to Victim Support.
	 £2872.70 to Purbeck Hedging & Fencing for supply & erection of allotments fence.
	 £10.62 to BT for phone bill.
	 £115.00 to P Newell for 1 cut of the grass at the cemetery and Play Area.
	 £30.00 to DAPTC for Clerk’s Seminar.
	 £39.00 to J Bellucci, ex-PO, for 100 1^st class stamps.
	£115.00 to P Newell for one cut of the grass at cemetery & Play Area.
	£429.57 to J Bellucci for Clerk’s salary for April. 
 (3)The following payments by Direct Debit were noted:
 £15.65 to Nildram for broadband connection.
	£76.00 to PDC for Business Rates.
(3) Receive Annual Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31^st March 2009. This was unanimously accepted.
	(4) Matters arising from the Statement of Accounts.
The Chairman said that he thought the Council’s Caretaker was doing an excellent job, but that there was a good deal of work that needed doing in the cemetery and the Caretaker might need more visits. Cllr P Loudoun said he felt that 18 visits a year was sufficient and there should be no need to extend his visits. It was decided to see how the Caretaker managed to get on with his work over the summer.
 	(5) Appoint or confirm Signatories of Council Cheques.
	Cllr P White was added to the signatories.
 (6) Any other Financial Matters:  There were none.
15.	Cemetery Matters:
	(1) Council cemetery.
  (a) Dangerous memorials. The Clerk said that he had made an inspection of the cemetery and in his opinion 18 memorials needed attention. He had laid down 4 which he thought were dangerous and would make a list up of the rest so that perhaps a councillor with more experience would make an inspection and give their opinion.	
(2) Closed cemeteries. Nothing to report.
16.	Allotments.
(a) The Chairman said he had written to Ros Drane at PDC Planning regarding the erection of a shed and she had said that in her opinion it was a permitted development and there was no objection. 
(b) Cllr M Kirby said that some people had raised concerns about the behaviour of children on the allotments and he wished to include a ban on ball games in the Tenancy Agreement and this was unanimously agreed.
17.	Affordable housing; Cllr Kirby said that he had emailed Mr Cronk of Raglan Housing regarding his statements about the provision of a Play Area at Steppes, but had received no reply. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr M Sturgess at PDC to ask if Mr Cronk had conferred with them.
18.	Traffic management. Cllr P Bradford said that in light of the results from the SID at the east end of the village he wanted to request another SID for the west end. The Clerk was instructed to write .
19.	Malthouse trees. It was decided to leave the siting of the third tree to Jason Hasaka’s discretion and the Clerk was instructed to email and tell him.
20.	A contribution to St George’s school. Cllr P Bradford said that the school had requested a donation towards the purchase of new ribbons for the maypole. Cllr Mrs V Murray proposed a donation of £100 and this was unanimously agreed.
21.	Play Area. Cllr P Bradford said that he had given a talk to the children at St George’s First School and they had been very enthusiastic and interested. They had suggested that the balance of the Play Area Fund should be put towards the provision of a bench outside of the Play Area, that the waste bin should be replaced with a bigger one outside the Play Area itself.
22.	Cllr Mrs V Murray proposed a vote of thanks to the Clerk for his work over the past year and this was unanimously supported. The Clerk gave his thanks to the councillor.	
23.	The date of the next Council Meeting was confirmed as Thursday 11^th June at 7:00pm.
24.	Items for the next Agenda:
Street lighting.
Dog litter signs.
A car park for the village.
A bench and a bin outside of the Play Area.
25.	There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 9:25pm.
Signed……………………………..(Chairman).               Date…………………………..