Okeford Fitzpaine Parish
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July 5th

 

Minutes published unapproved for ratification at the meeting on 9 August 2011

MINUTES OF OKEFORD FITZPAINE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD AT THE PAVILION ON 5 JULY 2011

 

PRESENT: Cllr M Burt (Chairman)

Cllr Fox (Vice-Chairman)

 Cllr R Corben

Cllr A Frampton

Cllr M Paine

Cllr M Wood

Also present: - Mrs Sandra Deary (Clerk), Cllr Burch (NDDC) and 4 members of the public.

  1. APOLOGIES: Cllr S Corben and Cllr H Cox, DCC

2. THE MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 7 JUNE 2011 having been circulated to Cllrs and noticeboards were taken as read. It was proposed by Cllr Fox and seconded by Cllr Paine that they be signed by the Chairman, this was agreed.

3. POINTS FROM THE PUBLIC RELATING TO ITEM 6 ONLY. None

4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Cllrs Burt & Frampton as members of the Village Hall Management Committee.

Cllrs Burt & Wood as members of the DAPTC.

Cllr Burt as member of CPEND and LDWG.

Cllr R Corben & Frampton as members of Okeford United Football Club

Cllr R Corben as member of Okeford Fitzpaine Allotment Society

The Chairman requested that items 6.12 and 6.15 of the agenda be brought forward to be discussed after item 5, this was agreed by Council.

  1. District & County Councillors’ Report: Cllr Burch advised that a formal planning application for a barn on land at bottom of Okeford Hill had now been received. Cllr Burt expressed concerns regarding the reply he had received from Mr S Graeser, Enforcement Officer at NDDC and disputed a number of points. He felt that Mr Graeser’s interpretation of the Town & Country planning act differed hugely from his. Cllr Burch asked for a copy of the email and advised that she would take up the matter with Mr Graeser. She enquired if a meeting with Mr Graeser would be helpful. Cllr Burt responded that if this were to happen then great care would be needed to ensure that only matters to date were discussed and not the planning application recently submitted.

Cllr Burch enquired if a housing strategy was included in the village plan. She was advised that no strategy was included but that residents were asked for their feedback on the possibility of more housing in the village with the following results:

  • Strongly in favour 29

  • In favour 42

  • No opinion 43

  • Reservation 44

  • Against 57

Cllr Paine advised that the school were concerned about the number of children attending the school, the current total is 59 with the cut off point being 52. It was felt that more affordable housing was required in the village. Some housing was proposed for the former Facenda site and hopefully this would alleviate the problem. There was a new nursery opening in Shillingstone and this was expected to affect the number of children attending Okeford Fitzpaine nursery and then feeding through to the primary school.

  1.  
    1. Land at bottom of Okeford Hill: As reported in item 5.

6.15 School Liaison Officer: Mrs Deary informed the Council that an email had been received from Mr Berry to say that following discussions with Cllr Burch she had kindly agreed to be the School Liaison Officer on behalf of the Parish Council. Cllr Burch confirmed that she was happy to take this on to ensure a line of communication is open between the Parish Council and the school. In a recent correspondence the school had asked in what way the Parish Council intended to help the school. A copy of the school strategy had been received and copied to all Councillors. Cllr Burt felt that the Parish Council could not get involved in education matters.  Mrs Deary was asked to respond that if the Parish Council could help in any way please contact them through the clerk.

 

 

6. MATTERS ARISING

6.1 Recreation Ground/Pavilion: The chairman reported that he had had a site meeting with Cllr R Corben to assess the next stage of the work. A digger would be required and it was agreed that Goddard Landscapes be approached regarding this matter. The new doors for the garage/store had been ordered and the required 50% deposit had been paid. Cllr R Corben advised that a football club from Corwen in Wales was due to visit the area and had enquired if they could use the recreation ground and facilities. Cllr R Corben proposed allowing the Welsh team to use the recreation ground and facilities, this was seconded by Cllr Burt and agreed by Council.

6.2 Bowey Field: Cllr Fox reported that the parent group had met to discuss the project and that they were looking at alternative equipment with the possibility of altering the existing swings to junior swings and purchasing a new piece of equipment for the older children. It was agreed that there was a need to move the project forward in the near future.

6.2.1 Skatepark request: Mrs Deary reported that she had received an email from Ms J Wragg of Sturquest stating that Hugh de Iongh of NDDC had contacted her regarding our funding enquiry for a Skate Park.  She had forwarded a National Sport Funding Information document showing a number of possibilities for potential funding. Mrs Deary had forwarded this to Cllrs Fox and Paine. Cllr Paine reported that the mobile skatepark was not a viable option because it would only be available for single day use and that West Dorset District Council were reluctant to let it out of the District. A member of the public advised that the local children used BMX bikes more that skateboards. The possibility of a dirt track was discussed with the option of allowing some land at the top of the recreation ground to be used for this purpose. Cllr Paine agreed that he would look into this further.

6.3 Village Hall Extension and Car Park: N.F.T.R.

6.4 Footway – Castle Lane: Mrs Deary reported that she had written to the Chief Executive of DCC, a response had been received apologising for the difficulty we had experienced in obtaining information from the highways department. The Chief Executive had now passed the correspondence to Mr Ackerman, Head of Highways, asking him to ensure a response with a copy to him and Cllr Cox.

6.5 Community Planning: N.F.T.R.

  1.  
    1. Belchalwell & Fiddleford Items:

      1. Traffic Calming Strips at Fiddleford: Mrs Deary informed the Council that she had emailed me Bradley to establish if any of the agreed actions had progressed. A response had been received to advise that the maintenance manager had been asked to note that the bar markings should not be replaced on resurfacing, there was no update yet for the reduction in height of the strips on the Sturminster side of Fiddleford and unfortunately the Highways Inspectors have looked at the gulley grating opposite Meadowsweet and although the gulley is slightly "sunken" it is within acceptable tolerances and no action is proposed. Mrs Deary was asked to write back expressing the disappointment of the Council that the work agreed with the Council and residents would not be taking place.

    2. Actions Highlighted in the Parish Plan: N.F.T.R.

    3. Blandford PACT and Home Watch: Cllr Wood advised that the next meeting will be held on 19 July. Cllr R Corben informed him that tools had been stolen from the allotments.

  1.  
    1. Parish Grit Bins: Cllr Burt advised that the grit bins had not yet been bolted in place.

6.10 Traffic using Back Lane (including hedges at corner of Back Land & Pound Lane): Mrs Deary advised that nothing had been heard from Wessex Water regarding the hedges, she was asked to email them again. Cllr Burt advised that the Council would be happy to carry out the cutting of the hedges if Wessex Water were agreeable.

6.11 Land at top of Back Lane: N.F.T.R.

6.13 Wooden Building in field adjacent to the Pavilion: This building is subject to an enforcement notice with the owners having 4 months to comply. If we do not here anything by mid September then Mrs Deary should write to NDDC for an update

6.14 Allotments: The Allotment Group advised that they had been invited to ‘Green Week’ and that they would be showing a 10 minute video of the growth of the allotments from the start to present day.

6.16 Grass cutting around the village: Following complaints received Mrs Deary had written to signpost housing to ascertain the grass cutting responsibilities at various locations around the village, no response had yet been received. A member of the public informed the Council that the grass at the Old Orchard and the alleyway behind Nethermead were the responsibility of NDDC and were regularly maintained to a good standard. The grass as Fairfield was the responsibility of Signpost and again this was regularly maintained to a good standard. The grass at Bowey was the responsibility of Dorset County Council, this grass had not been cut. Mrs Deary was asked to write to DCC regarding this matter. A member of the public advised that brambles were overhanging the footpath between Fippenny garages and Fairfield, Cllr Paine agreed to sort this out. The Council thanked the volunteer from the village who had cut back the hedge overgrowing the footpath from the High Street to Greenhayes.

7. PLANNING MATTERS:

7.1 Applications: 2/2011/0703/PLNG – Thornhill Farm House, High Street, Okeford Fitzpaine, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 0RQ – Remove and replace soffit board on east elevation and carry out external alterations in association with this – Cllr Burt proposed supporting this application, this was seconded by Cllr Wood and agreed by Council. Mrs Deary to inform NDDC.

7.2 Decisions: 2/2010/0336/PLNG – Knoll Farm, The Common, Okeford Fitzpaine, Blandford Forum, Dorset – Restore, reinstate redundant gravel pits for agricultural use, cereal production - GRANTED

7.3 Updates: 2/2010/0533/PLNG – Land at Back Lane, Okeford Fitzpaine, Dorset – Erect 2 x dwellings form 4 x parking spaces, turning area and modify existing access N.F.T.R.

8.  CORRESPONDENCE FOR 5 JULY 2011 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

DAPTC Chief Executive Circular 09/11

9. REPRESENTATIVES’ REPORTS:

Rights of Way/Footpaths: N.F.T.R

Football Club: N.F.T.R.

Village Hall: N.F.T.R.

  1. POINTS FROM THE PUBLIC:

A member of the public advised that new bus timetable were due shortly.

  1. FINANCIAL MATTERS:

11.1 Accounts paid since last meeting:

Mrs V Jackson – Prescription Collection Service

£450 Chq No 615

Samson Industrial Doors Limited – Garage Doors Deposit (50%)

£1124.40 Chq No 616

11.2 Accounts to be paid:

Mrs Sandra Deary - Salary £289.37 Chq No 617

Mrs Sandra Deary – Office Sundries

£33.63 Chq No 617

Goddard Landscapes Ltd – Top Soil

£43.20 Chq No 618

Total Energy Services – Boiler & Water Heater Service

£236.84 Chq No 619

Total Energy Services – Boiler Service

£76.14 Chq No 620

Southern Electric - Bus Shelter Electric

£16.80 Chq No 621

British Gas – Pavilion Gas

£106.01 Chq No 622

DAPTC – New Councillor Seminar

£20.00 Chq No 623

HMRC – PAYE – Clerks Tax

£216.80 Chq No 624

It was proposed by Cllr Fox and seconded by Cllr Wood that these be paid. This was agreed by Council.

  1.  
    1. Receipts: £200 from the Allotments Group

11.4 Annual Accounts: The Clerk advised that the Annual Accounts had now been signed off by the internal auditor Mr G Weeks. They will be sent to the external auditor once the public inspection period had finished.

  1. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: NONE

13. THE NEXT MEETING will be held on Tuesday 9 August 2011 at the Pavilion, Castle Lane at 7.30 pm. The Chairman thanked all present and closed the meeting at 9.00pm.