1 Apologies for Absence: Mr R Palmer.

2 Declaration of Interests

a) C Hockey declared a personal interest in the planning application for 29 St James Street.

b) Advise from I Clarke, the SSDC solicitor, on declarations of interest in matters relating to a current or recent Parish Councillors was read.

3 County Councillor’s Report

a) Following a request from SP PC group for some financial help towards the cost of additional seating in the village, J Sharpe offered to purchase from his Divisional Community Fund, cast iron ends for five seats in the village, the cost of the wooden slats and the fitting to be provided by the Parish Council.

b) SCC are currently consulting about next year’s budget and response forms should be available in the library

c) Wyvern Waste has opened a new £2 million recycling facility, which will be able to separate waste. Consideration is being given to sorting at the recycling facility rather than at the roadside in future. It will also be able to sort plastic, so plastic may soon be included in the range of items for kerbside recycling.

d) There is to be consultation on a high pressure gas main going from Ilchester to Barrington, north of the village, responses by 15 December 2005.

4 Community Police Support Officer (CPSO)

Michelle Haimes introduced herself as the CPSO for South Petherton and Stoke sub Hamdon area and explained her role, which is to deal with issues that are important to the community and where the police do not have time to deal with them. So her role is a link between South Petherton residents and the police. She will be in the village regularly and was invited to attend future Parish Council meetings. She reported that there had been nine reported crimes in South Petherton during the past month and urged the community to report all incidents of crime, which she would then follow up. Non emergency calls to be made to Crewkerne Police Station. She offered to follow up on an incident reported on which there had not been the response promised.

She is aware of the vandalism on the allotments and the problems with the toilets in Prigg Lane. Also the recent concerns of landowners who are experiencing vandalism, stock being moved etc

Her phone number is 0845 456 700, which is Crewkerne Police Station and her e-mail address is michelle.haimes@avonandsomerset.police.uk Ben Savill is the new beat officer for South Petherton.

5 Late Correspondence

a) Consultation on a high pressure gas main going from Ilchester to Barrington, north of the village, responses by 15 December 2005.

b) A complaint about one of the Parish Councillors which was received late on 7 Novemebr2005. This has been brought to the attention of the Parish Councillor concerned and will be discussed at the next meeting if necessary.

6 Agreement of Minutes

The minutes of the monthly meeting held on 11 October 2005 were signed as a correct record of the meeting, after adding Ms S Wallis as being present.

7 Matters Arising or Raised by Members

a) The Christmas lights are over budget. A donation of £300 has been pledged by the Carnival Committee. Ilminster Lions have also been approached but will not be able to support the South Petherton Christmas lights at the present time, but may be able to after their next event in the village.

b) R Palmer gave his verbal resignation as a Parish Councillor at the September 2005 meeting. Following a letter from the chairman, R Palmer has now agreed to continue as a Parish Councillor until May 2006 and has withdrawn his resignation.

8 Planning Verdicts

The verdicts on planning applications received during the month were reported.

9 New Planning Applications

a) Stoodham development - green/play area. The meeting closed and C Bartlett from South Somerset Homes (SSH) explained the background to why the subject of the green/play area was being discussed. It is the only outstanding issue related to this planning application. SSH are proposing to incorporate the green area into the gardens of houses 18 and 19, which increase the value of these two properties and hence the offer to the Parish Council to then make a payment of £10,000 towards the upkeep/upgrade of existing facilities in the village. SSDC have said the current proposed green area is not secure by design as it is not overlooked and there is a sloe worm refuge on this site. It was noted that the green area in Lamprey’s Lane is regularly used by children and is maintained by SSDC. Having gone back into closed session, the Parish Council expressed a preference for a green area if it had been better situated, but agreed unanimously to accept the offer from SSH, providing there was a guarantee that the money would come back to the Parish Council for their play areas at the recreation ground.

b) 02691cou Change of use from residential flat to offices at The Flat, 29 St James Street. The Parish Council recommended approval.

c) 02851ful The removal of condition 4 of planning permission 852074 agricultural occupancy at the South Petherton Fruit Farm, North Street. Comments from the SSDC planning officer on the purpose of agricultural ties were read. The Parish Council were reminded that when SSDC Area Committee considered the original planning application for Barcroft Hall, permission was only given for the house to be built because there was going to be an agricultural tie. The Parish Council recommended refusal.

c) 02037ful Alterations and first floor extension to 7 George Lane, revised plans. The Parish Council ratified their decision to recommend approval of the revised plans, which included a lower roofline.

d) 02436ful Erection of a two story extension and new window openings at Windermere, Over Stratton. The Parish Council noted the amendments.

10 Recreation Ground

a) The MUGA has been removed, will be repainted and should be reinstalled by 11 November 2005.

b) GBS Sports have given an estimate for repairing the matting in the play area; to fill the gaps in the matting under the climber and the slide would cost approximately £800, to lift and reposition would cost £1,100. Agreed that the matting should be lifted and this will be included in next year’s budget.

c) The quote of £488 from Trim Trees to remove the four dead birch tress by the memorial garden was accepted.

d) Evans and Pearce have quoted £250 to spray the recreation ground in 2006. They have yet to quote for spraying the cemetery.

e) There will be no Green Fair in 2006.

f) There is a hole in the BMX track that needs attention.

g) Consideration will be given in future to some more benches at the recreation ground, but this is not being considered as part of the five seats being given by J Sharpe. P Stratford has researched the cost of the wooden slats and the fixtures and the Parish Council agreed to spend up to £300, subject to agreeing the siting of the seats.

h) The Football Foundation Goal Post Safety Scheme was explained, which provides up to 50% of the cost, SSDC are offering 25%. This has been discussed with R Cooper from the SP Football Club to establish whether there is a need, and he has suggested that the football clubs could find the remaining 25% of the cost. So an application will be made.

g) A quote of £240 from Mayday Reproductions to replace and repair the gutting and down pipes at the pavilion was accepted.

h) Busy Bees Pre-School had expressed concern about the safety of the tree in their play area. As this appeared to be a safety issue, Trim Tress have looked at this, removed the dead branches and raised the height of the lower branches.

11 South Petherton Hospital

M Willy reported on the recent public meeting to discuss the future SP hospital. The Primary Care Trust have now asked Tribal Sector, a health consultant to write a business plan which should be ready by January 2006. Until that is done nothing else can be progressed.

With in the reference Group, there is a clinical group of doctors and nurses and M Willy and S Dickie are part of the Environmental Group and as such have visited three hospitals, Glastonbury, Dorchester and Yeovil Hospice to consider landscaping and internal decorations.

It was confirmed that if the local doctors decide they would like to move their surgery to the new hospital, it will only be though consultation and will not form part of the initial planning application.

It is likely tat the new road will be necessary before the demolition can start, as Hospital Lane is not adequate for the demolition vehicles.

12 Highway Matters

a) A list was presented at the meeting. This includes some faults going back to June 2006 that have yet to be rectified.

b) It was confirmed that signage is being looked at by the SP PP group who have been trying to arrange a site meeting with Somerset Highways to look at this, yellow lines and discus the feasibility of a one way system.

c) It was noted that there are road closures this month in Over Stratton and Drayton.

13 Footpaths

a) SP have been successful in their application to the Community Access Fund and will be receiving £2,530 towards footpath maps for walkers and replacing the stile at y24/54 with a gate.

b) It was confirmed that there have been a number of incidents of thefts and vandalism experienced by local landowners and the CPSO will be looking into these problems.

c) Concern was expressed that the self closing gates at Mere Linches, installed earlier this year with funding from a Community Access Grant are not closing as they should. S Wallis offered to contact the contractor who installed these gates to get the problem sorted out.

14 Cemetery

a) The standard of maintenance is acceptable.

b) A site for the new bench being donated by M Robinson needs to be agreed.

15 Churchyard

R Beale has agreed to represent the Parish Council at the Remembrance Day service in the village.

16 Pavilion

a) The Parish Council have been thanked for their contribution towards the new licence.

b) P Bussell was concerned about the drainpipes, work on which is now in hand, and the damaged door. He will be contacted to clarify who is aranging for the replacement door

17 District Councillors’ Report

a) Following a number of robberies from garages in Seavington, the role that the Bobby Van can play after a break in was emphasised. There is information in the library but this needs to be advertised again in the village as it has a more general use for helping with home security.

b) Any incidents of motorbikes on the recreation ground or on the footpaths should be reported to the police and the CDSO will investigate. The police and CPSO have the powers to first issue an information notice and then to confiscate the bikes.

c) Leaflets are available from the Community Safety Group on who to contact for what type of problem. Copies were available for Parish Councillors but more are needed to circulate to appropriate places in the village.

d) Planning information leaflets were made available to Parish Councillors.

e) A proposal from Quoinstone for new toilets has been sent to P Robathan and will be made available to Parish Councillors in the correspondence box next month.

f) The South Somerset Community Action Group has pledged £2,400 towards a police post in South Petherton, subject to a full budget and obtaining the additional funding needed.

g) It was queried whether the chief executive and the newly appointed assistant were related, as was being rumoured. It was confirmed that they have worked together in the past for the same District Council.

18 Stanchester Community School Night of Achievement

Mrs K Stroud has offered to represent South Petherton

20 State of the District Council Debate

C Hockey offered to attend this meeting on 17 November 2005.

21 SCC Council Tax Consultation

No one was available to attend this meeting.

22 Out of School Hours Club

This new club will be starting on 7 November 2005. It was agreed to donate £100.

23 Approval of Cheque Payments

Approval was given for cheques drawn as indicated on the list attached to these minutes. The exception being the cheque for The Festive Lighting Company, the invoice for which was £100 higher than their published prices. J Beale was asked to investigate and report back before any payment is made.

The meeting closed 9.18pm

Minutes Approved by: Chairman……………………… Date…………….