1 Election of Chairman: R Neve was proposed by P Mottram, seconded by M Willy and duly elected as Chairman.

2 Election of Vice Chairman: P Mottram was proposed by R Neve, seconded by R Shutler and duly elected as Vice Chairman.

3 Apologies for Absence: K Ronaldson - District Councillor

4 Co-option to the Parish Council

Ken Dexter, Mrs Nuala Symes and Chris Willy were co-opted to join the Parish Council leaving a further five vacancies.

5 Declaration of Interests

J Purefoy declared an interest in the late planning application for the Old Vicarage at Old Vicarage Gardens

6 Youth PC

The Youth PC introduced themselves the new members of the Parish Council, explaining what they have been doing recently.

7 Village Committees

See attached list

8 Parish Council Working Parties

See attached list

9 Late Correspondence

a) Three planning applications which the planner has agreed can be deferred until the next meeting

b) St James Street will be closed from 24 May for drainage work and resurfacing. Concern expressed that businesses have not been notified of this closure.

c) The information requested under the Freedom of Information Act has again been sent to B Herrick but he is still unable to read the file.

10 Agreement of Minutes

The minutes of the monthly meeting held on 10 April 2007 were approved and signed as a correct record.

11 Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

12 New Planning Applications

a) 01103ful and 01104con Demolition of lean to shed, alterations and the erection of a rear extension to convert the cider house into a dwelling at The Cider House, Farnham House, North Street. The Parish Council recommended approval.

b) 01700ful Erection of extensions to dwelling together with a detached double garage at Sherwood, 38 Summershard. The Parish Council recommend approval only if there was no access required onto Whitfield Lane, as they were concerned about safety if an access were to be required onto Whitfield Lane for the double garage.

13 Highways Matters

Double yellow lines or hatching is recommended by the red brick houses at Stoodham as emergency vehicles are experiencing problems with access. This will be discussed with Somerset Highways

14 Recreation Ground

a) The water supply is going to be extended with some underground pipes to the south end of the cricket pitch to make it easier to water the cricket and football pitches.

b) The football pitch needs to be reseeded along the centre and the goalmouth returfed. Quotes awaited.

c) P Bussell from the Pavilion Committee is unhappy about paying his contribution to the electricity bill when the reading has been estimated and has suggested a possible change of electricity supplier.

15 Footpaths

It was reported that gates suitable for use by horse riders have been installed on some of the footpaths in Over Stratton. As these designs can also provide easier access for the disabled it needs to be clarified whether footpaths are being used as bridle ways.

16 Cemetery

Nothing to report.

17 Churchyard

Nothing to report.

18 County Councillor’s Report

a) SCC has supported the view that the Highways proposal for the A303 improvements is unacceptable

b) The Parrett Catchment Project has been replaced with the Somerset Waterways Partnership, which will be looking at quality if water and major problems with flooding. All the rivers in South Petherton are excluded from this as not being a major concern.

c) Area Local Working to be considered later on the agenda

19 District Councillors’ Report

a) Following the District Council elections, Paul Robathan and Keith Ronaldson will continue to be the District Councillors for South Petherton.

b) The District Councillors have been a £5,000 fund between them to spend within their Ward.

c) There are 24 planning applications for South Petherton where a decision is still awaited; six going back before 2005. Lightgate/St Michael’s Gardens and the seven houses in Roundwell Street have almost reached the deadline for a decision.

20 To Consider

a) Annual Parish Meeting - The format was fine but more advertising is considered necessary for next year.

b) Appointment of an Internal Auditor - Having taken up references with Sherborne and Dorchester Town Councils it was agreed to appoint Henry Lovegrove as the Internal Auditor; this to be reviewed annually.

c) Local Area Working Panels - R Neve attended the recent meeting. This has nothing to do with the change to a Unitary Authority in Somerset. £270,000 will be devolved to a local level with each County Councillor having an extra £15,000. This is a different fund to the current Divisional Fund held by County Councillors. The Parish Council has been asked to propose three short term and three long-term projects for South Petherton. The contents of Parish Plans are also being considered but relatively few parishes have completed a parish plan. Ideas for these projects should be sent to the clerk for discussion at the next meeting. Initial ideas proposed by SCC were the Lengthsman Scheme and mobile speed cameras; the first South Petherton already has and the SSDC Market Towns Initiative is covering the second. This idea is based on a model in Buckinghamshire where a substantial sum of money is now devolved to local level.

The structure of the Area Panel being proposed is different to those of SSDC but the same geographical areas will be considered. P Robathan is going to be talking with SCC on how the framework will work.

d) Changes to Library Service - The proposal for the library service is to close ½ hour earlier on Fridays and open ½ longer on a Saturday. The Parish Council had no strong views on this but felt that the addition of Monday opening would be a big advantage to the village and will be suggesting this. It was also noted that stock of books held has reduced whilst making space for computers, etc. The cost of ordering a book has increased to £1 and yet the possibility of a book being immediately available in South Petherton is slim, so it will be recommended that this change should be wavered in rural libraries.

e) Local Action Group - A meeting was held with various invited agencies to discuss the current anti social behaviour in South Petherton. Ideas for other initiatives to provide additional activities and ways of solving problems were discussed. The Youth Club only operates twice each week so the Parish Council are to consider whether they could fund another evening for additional activities. Funding will need to be sought and the support of SSDC and SCC; both the District and County Councillors offered financial support from their Divisional Funds. The Area North Community Safety Action Panel may be a possible source of funding. This idea will be discussed with the SCC Youth Service. It was suggested that Anna Elliott, might be able to help.

f) Bank Mandate - The signatories for the bank account will be R Neve, P Mottram, J Purefoy, B Sweet, C Willy and M Willy.

g) Environment Warden - This is a SSDC initiative to have someone reporting issues relating to litter, dog fouling, etc. It will be advertised on the parish notice board.

h) Parish Councillor Training - SALC have organised training courses for Chairman and Parish Councillors. The most convenient training venue for the Parish Council training is on 30 May at Seavington and Parish Councillors were asked to check their diaries and let he clerk know of they are available to attend as places have to be booked and paid for.

i) Police Post Rota - N Symes will be at the police post for the Parish Councillors ‘Surgery’ on 2 June and a new rota will be available from next month.

21 Meetings

a) SSDC Gambling Act - No one will be attending

b) South Somerset Together - the Local Strategic Partnership on 7 June 2007. R Neve will attend.

22 Annual Salary Review

A 3.5% increase was agreed for the clerk and the caretaker, with effect form 1 June 2007.

The meeting closed at 8.40pm

Chairman……………………… Date…………….

SOUTH PETHERTON PARISH COUNCIL

Parish Council Working Party Membership and Representation

- Allotments - M Wakely and M Willy

- Blake Hall - B Sweet (agreed after the meeting) and vacancy

- Cemetery - R Shutler and M Wakely

- Churchyard - J Purefoy

- Community Speed Watch - Vacancy

- Community Woodland Initiative - R Shutler and M Wakely

- Footpaths - R Shutler and N Symes

- Green Fair - N Symes, if required as there is a new venue

- Highways - K Dexter

- Hospital Reference Group - M Willy

- Internal Audit - vacancy

- Lengthsman - M Willy

- Market Towns Initiative - J Purefoy, J Broughton and N Greenleaf

- Mere Lynches - M Willy

- Parish Plan - R Neve

- Pavilion - R Shutler and vacancy

- Police Post - N Symes

- Recreation Ground - P Mottram and C Willy

- Risk Assessment - R Neve

- River Parrett Awareness Day - Vacancy

- South Petherton Arts Trust - R Neve

- South Petherton Relief in Need Charity - R Churchill and B Sweet, if required

- Stratton and District Village Hall - C Willy

- Tree Warden - K Parkin

- Twinning - N Greenleaf

- Youth Club - P Mottram

- Youth PC - B Sweet and P Mottram

Ken Dexter - Highways

Pete Mottram - Vice Chairman, Recreation Ground, Youth Club, Youth PC

Rodger Neve - SP Arts Trust, Parish Plan, Risk Assessment

John Purefoy - Churchyard, Market Towns Initiative

Rob Shutler - Cemetery, Community Woodland, Footpaths, Pavilion,

Barbara Sweet - Blake Hall, SPRINC, Youth PC

Nuala Symes - Footpaths, Police Post

Michael Wakely - Allotments, Cemetery, Community Woodland Initiative

Chris Willy - Recreation Ground, Stratton and District Village Hall

Margaret Willy - Allotments, Hospital Reference Group, Lengthsman, Mere Lynches

May 2007