1 Apologies for Absence – Ms N Greenleaf, Mr P Mottram and Mr K Ronaldson

Absent: Mr S Nevitt

2 Cllr Tony Shires, Portfolio Holder

a) Cllr Tony Shires, although invited to attend the SP PC meeting, had not confirmed his availability so parish councillors were not aware that he was attending and were not prepared with any questions for him.

b) He confirmed the situation with the George Lane lights, which is that they have now been ordered by Somerset Lighting.

c) He was investigating other street lighting queries that Somerset Lighting had told him about i.e. North Street, West End View. He noted that the Coles Lane sign plate is missing from one light.

d) More information is requested before the new light in Over Stratton can be considered.

e) He was asked to investigate the naming of the Persimmon site as Glebelands Court and the excessive yellow advertising signs approved by Somerset Highways.

f) The lack of a pavement in Lightgate Road was discussed. He informed the parish council that on a score card system this did not meet the requirements as accidents take priority. It was suggested that SP PC should carry out a Risk Assessment to include current usage and the potential increased usage. The parish council emphasised that for SP to continue to be a sustainable community there needs to be pavements and why was this not considered as part of the planning application for new the new houses in St Michael’s Gardens. The funding is for the whole of Somerset but it was suggested that SPPC could ask for a new assessment.

3 County Councillor’s Report

a) J Sharpe explained the new Local Initiative Budget. He will be supporting five projects at a minimum of £2000 and has allocated £6,000 of his £15,000 to SP. This year the requests will be assessed with in the ward rather than being in competition with the other wards for funds. All requests must be used to support the Local Area Agreement eg safety, social issues, health and well being, youth and security. It was suggested that SP submitted two projects for consideration, with a commitment to funding by November 2008. The request will go before a joint committee of SCC and SSDC councillors to decide.

R Neve suggested that a project to help young people to find work or get back into work might be appropriate and this will be a future agenda item.

(J Sharpe left the meeting)

4 Declaration of Interests

a) R Neve reminded parish councillors of the need to declare an interest in all aspects that were being discussed not just planning applications.

b) R Shutler declared an interest in the quotes for the memorial woodland.

c) J Broughton declared an interest in the planning application for Putt Cottage.

5 Late Correspondence

There was none that required immediate attention.

6 Agreement of Minutes

The minutes of the monthly meeting held on 2 June 2008 were approved and signed as a correct record.

7 Matters Arising

There were no matters arising

8 New Planning Applications

a) 02426cou Change of use of part of the engineering workshop to a bus depot at South West Coaches, Lopen Business Park. SP PC supports the views of Lopen PC and recommend refusal.

b) 02492ful Alterations to form rooms in the roof space and the provision of six velux windows at Field House, Lamprey’s Lane. SP PC has no objections unless the neighbours object.

c) 02108ful Erection of a single storey extension to the rear of 21 Palmer Street. SP PC recommended approval.

d) 02363lbc Internal and external alterations at Compton Farm Cottage. SP PC recommended approval.

e) 02208cou Change of use of part of the premises from residential accommodation to provide new kitchen and three letting in connection with restaurant. SP PC recommended approval.

f) 02202ful Alterations to roof, the erection of a rear extension, a glazed link and patio area at Herontye, Over Stratton. SP PC recommended approval.

g) 02286ful Continued use for the siting of one static caravan for the site manager and to store caravans on the site pitches/compound. As the two aspects have been submitted on one application and are therefore being considered together, SP PC recommended refusal of this application until they have more information. SP PC support there being accommodation on site for the site manager, but are unclear whether this is for a mobile home or a static caravan.

The storage of caravans on site pitches/compound; SP PC recommended refusal of this part of the application until their queries are resolved. Is the permission that is being sought for stored caravans in addition or instead of touring caravans? As this is an approved touring caravan site, SP PC would only support a maximum of ten stored caravans on site.

h) 02678ful The erection of an extension to south west elevation of the barn conversion at Putt Cottage, Drayton Farm. SP PC recommended approval.

9 Highway Matters

a) Serious concern has been expressed about the speed of traffic in Harp Road and the safety of local residents, following damage to parked vehicles and a further serious accident at the Over Stratton junction. SP PC is trying to arrange a meeting with Somerset Highways to find a way to address these problems. It was noted that under the Market Towns Initiative, funding may be available for flashing speed signs.

b) Resurfacing of Lightgate Road was deferred until after the St Michaels Gardens development had been completed. Now that has been delayed a request has been made for the resurfacing, to include the landing to be reinstated into this year’s programme of works. Resurfacing of Hayes End is scheduled for this year.

c) Some trees have been cut in Carey’s Hollow; K Dexter will pursue some additional tree cutting. The SCC arborist has also been asked to check the trees in Lopen Lane.

d) In response to the concern expressed about flooding between SP and Parrett Works, Somerset Highways has said that the drains are designed to take surface water from the road and not the run off from the fields.

e) Following the request for a seat in Harp Road by the bus stop, it was noted that a bus shelter has been requested form the market Towns Initiative.

f) A bollard has been installed in West Street to keep the end of the footpath clear of parked cars. There was no consultation about this from Somerset Highways with either SP PC or the neighbouring residents.

10 Footpaths

a) A temporary closure at the Persimmon site was put into place on 26 June 2008. SP PC recommends that this should only be for a limited time as they are concerned about the time that this might be closed with the slow down of the development. Also that section of Y24/53 which comes up to the site from Silver St should be improved to make it easier for push chair and wheelchair access

b) SP PC was not necessarily opposed to the proposed permanent diversion but as Persimmon appear to be gaining some land by closing this footpath, SP PC would recommend approval only if conditions for other improvements were agreed ie Y24/52 and Y24/60 from Lightgate Lane to the hospital on the SE end of the site should be improved to make these paths easy to use for bicycles as well as push chairs and wheel chairs.

11 Recreation Ground

a) C Willy summarised the SPRUG meeting.

b) The youth shelter will be installed on Wednesday with the football pitch being moved by four yards. Somerset Landscapes have been asked to do this work.

12 Cemetery

Following the tree maintenance work carried by West End Tree Services one headstone appears to have been damaged. A response from the contractor is awaited.

13 Churchyard

a) A formal application has been made by SPPC to PCC to carry out the work to the church yard perimeter wall and a reply was received from the rector just prior to this meeting. As they are Health and Safety issues it is hoped that this work can be carried out as a matter of urgency.

b) The rector has no objection in principle to the Garden of Remembrance Memorial being moved to the church yard. C Willy is proposing that the memorial stone should be alongside the existing garden, so C Willy and K Dexter will meet with the rector to discuss this.

14 Allotments

a) As there is a waiting list for allotments it was agreed to extend the allotment area and the timings of this will be discussed with P Vaux who rents the rest of the land.

b) The allotment boundary has been sprayed by the contractor who sprays the kerbs and pavements. A request was made to know how much this would cost but no work had been requested. The contractor agrees that they carried out the work without being asked to do so; so SPPC will not pay this invoice.

15 Approval of Cheque Payments

Approval was given for cheques 3711 - 3728 value £6242.87, drawn as indicated on the list attached to these minutes.

16 Donation Requests

Three further donation requests have been received; the David Hall for an additional donation, the PCC towards the PCC newsletter and the newly formed SP Pool Club. All will be considered again at the October SPPC meeting as discussed last month.

17 District Councillors’ Report

a) Hannah Strugnell has won the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award.

b) There are a fixed number of post offices due to close so if one is reprieved, another r is added to the list and Hinton St George post office is now under threat of closure. Residents are concerned about loosing their shop and post office and will be marching in London on 15 July.

c) The consultation on the removal of telephone boxes included Stembridge, Bower Hinton and Stockbridge, but SSDC has queried the date and format of the consultation, so a future ninety day consultation will start at some time in the future.

d) SCC and District Councils are now working together under a scheme called Pioneer Somerset with the aim of more co-operation and cost savings; 92% of costs are staff costs. The SW audit partnership has two new members in Dorset which should result in some savings. SW1, which is the IT organisation, is taking on the work of more counties.

e) Under the Sustainable Communities Act, there is a requirement on the government to respond to local community issues and this could become a source for possible funding www.localwork.org This is a cross party initiative to bring power back to communities.

f) The SW Waste Partnership is carrying out trials for doorstep collections of cardboard and plastic and this could be in south Somerset next year.

g) The Pitt review on flooding says that councils have a responsibility to keep gullies clear.

h) Some points from the Index of Multiple Deprivation were highlighted; ie what is not good about a parish. This information is sourced from SCC, SSDC, police and fire services and will be used to direct future funding to particular areas. Seavington is high area of transport deprivation, so perhaps the local bus depot should relocate to there. SP is identified as having neglected areas for young people and social housing.

18 To Consider

a) Affordable Housing for Local people – Following the survey carried outlast year Market Towns Investment Group there has been a meeting with R Pallister to discuss housing options fro local people who an not afford to buy at the market rate and how exception sites fro development might work. This could be parish or private land being made available below the market rate. The overriding consideration would be how to keep it in pertuity for local people in the parish and what does ‘local’ mean. P Robathan suggested that SPPC should talk to Compton Dundon who is doing something similar, with a Community Land Trust so that the land continued to be owned locally. SP PC agreed to consider this further.

b) Life Cycle UK – This is a group that offers free cycle racks. Details have been passed to both schools and the SP Youth PC has been asked for their views on where bike racks should be situated. SP PC suggested St James Street car park and the recreation ground.

c) Gleeson’s have written to SPPC asking to support for further development at Hayes end to be included in the next Local Framework Plan. SPPC are unable to support any such request until they see the plans for the whole of SP.

d) Seat at junction of St Michael’s Gardens and Lightgate Road – This is being donated by a local resident and the proposed site was agreed.

e) Western Power Consultation – This was a report rate than a consultation.

19 Meetings

a) CAB AGM, 8 July 2008. No one was able to attend.

b) Somerset Waterway Management Partnership Meeting, 7 October 2008. This will be considered later in the year.

20 Tenders for Bridge Road Steps and the Memorial Woodland

a) Bridge Road Steps - As only one quote had been received to date, this was deferred until the next meeting.

b) Memorial Woodland. – Tree Zone will be asked to carry out the work subject to confirmation that their quote does include everything that was specified.

Meeting closed at 9.05pm

Chairman……………………… Date…………….