MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BISHOP'S HULL PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE FRANK BOND CENTRE ON THURSDAY, 10th JULY 2008

Present:

Mrs S Ravenhill (in the Chair)
Mrs J Beaumont
Mr K Burgess
Mr G Everett
Mrs L Kelly
Mr R Porter
Mrs S Ravenhill
Mr N Roper
Mr M Summers (from 8.00 p.m.)

Cllr Alan Paul (SCC), Cllr Ian Morrell and David Greig (TDBC) were also in attendance.

E1972 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Rose, Mrs Lewis and Cllr Nigel Stuart-Thorn. Mr Summers apologised for lateness, and joined the meeting just before 8.00 p.m.

E1973 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

The Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd May 2008 were signed as a correct record, subject to the addition of Mrs Kelly to the list of those present.

E1974 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

E1967 - Planning

The following applications had been GRANTED:-

05/08/013- two storey extensions on north and south east sides of main house, single storey extension to rear alteration to access, construction of further parking spaces and change of use of outbuilding to manager's accommodation at Rumwell Manor Hotel;
05/08/016 - material storage racking and 12 floodlights at Bradfords Building Supplies, Wellington New Road;
05/08/017 - first floor extension at Unit 29, Parkersell, Cornishway East, Galmington Trading Estate;
05/08/018 - replacement sun room and installation of doorway at St Margaret's Hospice, Heron Drive;
05/08/021 - construction of flood storage areas and associated earthwork and surface water drainage works at land around Longrun House;
05/08/023 - two storey extension and first floor extension to form flat at 2 Wellington Road;
05/08/026 - alteration of porch to front at Frank Bond Centre, Mountway Road;
05/08/027 - two dwellings at 4 Stonegallows.

The following applications had been REFUSED:-

05/08/019 - first floor extension and dormer window to rear of 42 Mountway Road;
05/08/020 - first floor extension and dormer window to rear of 40 Mountway Road;
05/08/024LB - conversion of outbuilding to annex at Haydon House.

Mr Hunt of Ashwood Timber Ltd, Fideoak Mill, had lodged an appeal against the decision by Taunton Deane to refuse planning permission for the retention of the residential timber framed lodge. The Clerk was asked to check whether the Parish Council needed to do any more at this stage to register their objection to the retention of the timber lodge.

E1968 - Parking in Heron Drive - the Clerk passed on a message from Cllr Stuart-Thorn that the meeting with the Principal of SCAT had taken place, although he had not been able to attend. He understood that the meeting had gone well, and that representatives from both the District and County Councils had attended. Another meeting would be held in due course.

E1971 - Children's Play Area - the disturbances at the new children's play area had been reported to the Police who had now issued some anti-social behaviour letters. Things appeared to have settled down. A letter of thanks had been received from the Village Hall and Playing Fields Trust for the Council's generous donation.

Phone Box in Northfields - Mr Rose had reported to the Clerk that the phone box in Farrant Close was still there.

E1975 DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Mrs Kelly confirmed that she was a member of the Bishop's Hull Residents Group, who would be making a request for financial assistance under item 3 a) on the agenda. She intended to speak on the matter, but would not vote.

E1976 APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Applications for financial assistance had been received from the Bishop's Hull Residents Group, who were opposing the proposed development of fields west of Bishops Hull Road by Persimmon Homes, and the Village School, for their development called 'The Copse'.

The Chairman temporarily closed the meeting to allow members of the Residents' Group to make their case for assistance.

On reopening the meeting, some reservations were expressed about whether the Council should support a group whose sole purpose was to object to the Persimmon planning application, as there was no evidence that the Group represented the views of all villagers. David Greig advised the Council that they did not have specific powers to spend money in this way and that it would have to be classed as S137 expenditure, the total of which for the year, the Clerk estimated, would amount to approximately £12,500. There were also concerns expressed that if the Council supported a Group objecting, in the (given unlikely) event of a Group being formed to support the application, they would be entitled to ask for support as well. There was a danger of setting a precedent for any future pressure groups.

If financial support was given to the Group, the Council would need to be specific about what it was to be used for, and it should not be used retrospectively. The decision had already been taken not to employ a consultant to advise on this application, as it would be too expensive.

Mrs Kelly spoke strongly in favour of supporting the Group. She said it was in the interests of the village, and she was sure that most people were against the development. The consultant's report which had been commissioned had already been put on the village website, so was in the public domain.

Other members made the point that it had been the Group's decision to commission the report and the Council had not been involved at all in that, so the Group should expect to bear the cost. There were also concerns about any future costs which might be incurred as there now seemed to be some doubt as to whether the application would make it onto the July Planning Committee agenda.

It was finally agreed to defer a decision on whether to support the Group until the September meeting when the Council's position regarding S137 expenditure and the budgetary situation in general could be clarified.

Members then moved on to consider the application for financial assistance from the village school with their 'Copse' project. It was decided that, as the Council had only recently donated £5,000 to the Village Hall and Playing Fields Trust for their new play area that no more should be donated.

E1977 CHEQUES FOR AUTHORISATION AND SIGNATURE

The following cheques had been presented and signed:

A Tandy - display boards - Bells £48.71
Event Insurance Services Ltd - Bells £1,290.00
Newsquest South West - Bells £352.50
Colourtone - printing - Bells £1,410.26
G Sherring (Moving Art) - Bells £200.00
Mr T Murray - Bells £550.00
S Watts - Clerk's salary and expenses for June £518.22
The following cheques were presented and signed:-
R Dezille - street cleaning £494.31
Inland Revenue £144.00
S Watts - Clerk's salary and expenses for July £562.20
Rick Moon - strimming £242.00
Sealed Knot - Bells £916.50
Celebrate 2008 - printing - bells £595.00
Colourtone printing - bells £1,407.19
Ken Burgess - expenses - Bells £66.52
Signal Signs - Bells £141.00
Bishop's Hull PCC - secretarial - Bells £200.00
Family History Taunton Group - Bells £50.00
SCC - BH School various - Bells £200.00
Debbie Aspey - dance teacher - Bells £150.00
Skintightsamba - Bells £250.00

E1978 INTERNAL CONTROLS AND RISK ASSESSMENT

The proposed internal controls and risk assessment was considered and adopted. It was agreed that the Chairman should hold a back-up disk which the Clerk would provide and update twice yearly.

E1979 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON FIELDS TO WEST OF BISHOP'S HULL ROAD

It was noted that some recent correspondence from Jeff Copp at Somerset County Council appeared to be contradictory. His letter to Taunton Deane apparently stated that the footpath along Bishop's Hull Road to Wellington Road would be continuous, but in his letter to Peter Wren, of the Residents' Group, he said that it would not be. This raised some interesting highways issues which may take some time to resolve and may mean that the application did not go to the Planning Committee meeting on 23rd July. Cllr Morrell added that if it didn't, the whole application may to be submitted direct to the Secretary of State due to time limits on non-determination.

E1980 PLANNING

The following planning applications had been considered and no objections raised:-

05/08/030 - conservatory to east elevation of annexe, repositioning of double garage and erection of shed and car port to the east of Hillview, Bishop's Hull Hill;
05/08/032 - Erection of single storey extension to rear and double garage at Rosern, 4 Highfield, Bishop's Hull - this had been GRANTED;
05/08/033 - demolition of detached garage and erection of single storey extension with integral garage to west elevation at 60 Mountway Road - - this had been GRANTED;
05/08/034 - retention of condenser units on rear of wall of Post Office, Bishop's Hull - this had been GRANTED;
05/08/035 - erection of new sales building and forecourt to replace existing (to be demolished) and associated works including new canopy, ATM machine, storage area and fencing at Taunton West Service Station, Wellington New Road;
05/08/36A - display of illuminated and non-illuminated signs to front and side elevation of new building at Taunton West Service Station, Wellington New Road;
05/08/038 - erection of dwelling and formation of access at 50 Stonegallows;
38/08/280 - erection of construction and motor vehicle workshop, a replacement sports hall and new infant nursery building at Somerset College of Arts and Technology;
05/08/043 - proposed additional care accommodation for young adults with profound and multiple learning difficulties at Longrun Farm.

Objections were raised to the following application:-

05/08/039 - erection of two storey extension to rear of 56 Smithy - there was concern about upper windows overlooking the neighbours.
It was decided that it was not appropriate to comment on these applications as they were from a Parish Councillor -
05/08/037 - erection of 3 bedroomed dwelling at Moorlands, Hamwood .
05/08/041 - discharge of Section 106 agreement requiring the annex to be occupied as ancillary accommodation to Moorlands and not as a separate residential unit.

E1981 PARKING BY THE COMMUNITY WOODLAND

Difficulties were being experienced by the entrance to the Community woodland as people were parking their cars in the turning area. Signs which had been put up were regularly torn down. It was suggested that double yellow lines and/or more permanent signage would be beneficial. It was agreed to request both.

It was noted that the situation outside the village shops had improved since the public's attention had been drawn to the parking problems.

E1982 FOOTPATHS

The Clerk had circulated letters from Grant Turner at Somerset County Council concerning the Parish Path Liaison Officers and the SCC Councillors' Local Initiatives budget, and from Alan Paul also about the latter issue. Grant Turner said that the response to the Parish Path Liaison Officer Scheme (PPLO) had been overwhelming, and reminded members that Ken Burgess was PPLO for Bishop's Hull. The SCC Councillors' Local Initiatives scheme allocated £15,000 to each Area Panel/County Councillor (Alan Paul in our case) which they could award to address local issues and priorities, including living sustainably. (This £15,000 was in addition to the £5,000 available annually for smaller projects). This could possibly include producing a local walking guide, replacing stiles with gates, drainage or surfacing works, or installing handrails on steep paths. A lot of this had already been done in this parish, but thought would be given to possible schemes.

Cllr Paul expanded on the scheme and its possible uses. He was proposing to give half of his budget to the un-parished part of Taunton nearest Bishop's Hull and Comeytrowe, in order to 'get a seat at the table' on certain issues. He felt that the parishes had already benefited from the Restorative Justice pilot scheme and the Night Bus, for example. Cllr Paul was currently considering using some of the money to rejuvenate the Trident Centre at Galmington, for older children, but this may not happen this year as it was likely to be a complicated issue.

It was agreed to go away and think about other possible uses for this money and to report back to the next meeting.

E1983 REPORTS FROM OTHER BODIES

Police - Kelly Browning was welcomed to the meeting. She reported on Police activity in the parish in the last month. There had been 105 calls to the Police in that period and she gave a breakdown on what they were about. A Slinky bus was being used to take young people to the "Energise" disco held monthly at Dellers. Several Anti Social Behaviour letters had been issued to young people in the new play area and in the School car park. Some older children seen in the play area had been spoken to but were not causing any trouble and had been allowed to stay.

Local Action Team - Speedwatch was still going on and there had been some interesting results. It had been decided not to get a more modern speed gun as it was not necessary. Bishop's Hull Road was still a problem area. The Paintballing project was ongoing, and another session was booked in August. The success of the Bells week was noted - it was hoped to do something again next year (with the VEG) but not on that scale, maybe just a weekend. Mr Porter had met with Galmington/Comeytrowe LAT, who had assisted with the Bells week festivities. It was agreed to send a letter of appreciation to the organisers.

A clean up day was to be held in Smithy - all were welcome to attend, and there would be skips available for rubbish. Next meeting - 10th September.

E1984 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Thursday, 11th Setptember, 2008, at 7.30 p.m.

E1985 ITEMS OF REPORT

Domestic rubbish in litter bins - it was reported that there were further instances of people putting domestic rubbish into the litter bins which were soon full. This was a particular problem in the Richmond Park area. It was agreed to put letters through all doors in that area in the hope of catching the culprit.

Former United Reform Church building - it was noted that the Clerk had already written to the new owners asking what was happening about this now derelict building and grounds. She had not received a reply to her June letter yet.

Cake trays by shop - there is a large pile of plastic trays in the lane by the shop. Mrs Kelly had asked the shop owner to remove them but not had any success. It was agreed to leave it a month before writing to see whether the situation did improve.

Park and Ride - it was noted that the lights are back on in the evening, which was environmentally damaging.

Constitution Club - cigarette ends - the Clerk said she had written to the Club concerning the state of the road and pavement outside which was always littered with cigarette ends despite there being a disposal unit provided on the wall. She had had a prompt but very unhelpful response from the Club, who declined any responsibility.

Overgrown hedges - several were reported, including Silk Mills Road and by the School.

CHAIRMAN