South Tarrant Valley Parish Council

March 2020 Minutes

0270
ST03/2020

 

MINUTES OF AN ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON
TUESDAY, 10th March 2020
AT THE ANNE BIDDLECOMBE HALL, TARRANT KEYNESTON AT 7pm

Present: Councillors Beale, Cossins (Chairman), Garland, Harding, Parker, Thomson and Topliss
In attendance:  County Councillor Brown, Clerk Mrs Huck


1.  Apologies for absence
Received from Councillors Deketeleare, Eaton, Munford and Sweetland.

2.  Declarations of interest
The Chairman declared an interest in Minute 12 in that he was party to the planning application.

3.   Minutes of the meeting held on 14th January 2020
The minutes of the January meeting were approved and signed by the Chairman.

4.   Report from the County Councillor
County Councillor Brown reported on the following: current work of the Climate Change and Ecological Emergency Executive Advisory Panel; the Dorset Council Plan; Dorset Council Local Plan; budget setting and the 5G RuralDorset initiative.

Questions were asked on provisions for the Covid-19 situation, including for those in the area of care home staffing.

Insuring of refurbished fingerposts had been explored by Cllr Brown with the following being received from Highways:
“The finger posts belong to Dorset Council, they are not insured as they are outside and make up part of the street furniture (none of our street furniture is insured), meaning that if one is damaged any repairs would need to come from revenue budget, or as a recharge to whomever damaged the post (if we are given those details). 
Unfortunately our revenue budget is restricted to sign replacements for regulatory and warning signs such as speed limits, traffic regulation, give way, stop etc. and we would not be able to fund replacing a damaged finger post.” 

It was noted the directional sign at the Tarrant Keyneston crossroads had been severely damaged and there was uncertainty whether this would be replaced, given the information given above.

5.   Open discussion of up to 30 minutes: members of the public may raise issues

6. Dorset Council Parish Engagement Event – 3rd February 2020 – feedback
Cllr Debbie Beale had attended this event on behalf of the Council. It was consulting on the approach to housing development across the county in response to the need for 1600 homes overthe coming years. Discussion also followed the need for infrastructure and concern that smaller villages could become unsustainable without affordable housing provision.
Neighbourhood Plans – the Council had previously been advised this would not be necessary but it was considered and AGREED this should be revisited at the March 2021 meeting. 

7.   Mobile phone networks – provision of reliable service and apparent lack of providers
Tarrant Keyneston councillors confirmed the only reliable signal provider was Vodafone. Discussion followed on the sharing \ non sharing of masts and Cllr Brown highlighted the 5G RuralDorset initiative may provide a possible solution in future.

Finance
8.   Presentation of financial statement for January-February 2020
The Clerk had previously emailed the financial statement showing full details of income and expenditure in January-February set against budget, with copies available at the meeting.
There were no queries.

9.   To approve cheques for payment as per schedule
Council approved and instructed the signing of the following cheques, including for a grant to Citizens’ Advice as per the 2019\20 budget:

680

Clerk’s salary

At agreed rate

681

HMRC

£56.40

682

K. Huck

£85.20

683

(VE Day)

£50.00

684

North Dorset CA

£150.00

10.  To consider the allocating of grants to support funding
In response to the request for a grant and in line with the Council’s previous resolution to consider these at the end of the financial year when the reserves figure is available, it was:
RESOLVED to provide a grant of (a) £100 to Blandford Forum Town Council to support the funding of the public conveniences and (b) £100 to St John Ambulance in their work to support the Coronavirus situation.

Planning
11.  Planning Consultations
(a) Tarrant Rushton House, Rawston Road, Tarrant Rushton DT11 8SD – appeal upheld.
(b) Thistles, Valley Road, Tarrant Keyneston DT11 9JB  – Approved.

12.  Development – Hillside – correspondence
(The Chairman declared an interest on the basis that he owned adjacent land and was a co-applicant for joint planning permission. The Vice-Chairman took the chair for this item. The Chairman stayed in the meeting to provide information as requested.)
Correspondence on building work at Hillside, Tarrant Keyneston was shared with the Council. It was noted permission was granted in September 2016 and work on the Chairman’s property adjacent to Hillside had commenced within the 3 year limit.
The Clerk was asked to confirm with Planning whether granted permission is open-ended. It was also noted that concerns over development can be raised with Dorset Council and registered online with the Enforcement team. After discussion it was:
RESOLVED a letter be sent to the owners of Hillside inviting them to a meeting with Tarrant Keyneston councillors to discuss the matter further.
.
13.  Commemoration of VE Day, 8th – 10 May 2020 – update on preparations
In the absence of Cllr Eaton, it was noted preparations had continued but were now to be further considered in the light of the current Coronavirus situation which may result in either postponement or cancellation.

14.  House numbering – to discuss a proposal on the use of house numbers in villages
Cllr Garland had put this item for discussion which resulted in consideration of the mapping of
Tarrant Keyneston and this being placed on a noticeboard etc. This was debated alongside the increasing number of online navigational aids. It was generally felt the situation required no further action but AGREED this be a matter for the Annual Parish Meeting to enable wider discussion.

15.  Fingerpost directional signs
Cllr Harding updated the council on the project for the current refurbishment of the signs at Tarrant Rushton village junction and Ashley Wood Golf Course corner and reported that the Council for the Protection of Rural England were prepared to give a grant of £200 for the 20\21 financial year. Quotes for both posts were being sought, including using recycled materials as had been done previously at The Cliff.

16.  Sign cleaning
The Clerk provided an update on the community services work to clean road signs in that a response from the team was yet to be received. It was noted the Probation Service was in reorganisation.
  
17.  Risk Management and Asset Review
The Clerk explained the delay in holding the working party and would be in touch with the councillors who had volunteered to be part of the review group.

18.  Potential project in partnership with Whitecliff PPG – Cycling
Cllr Harding confirmed the project was progressing with funding have been obtained from Sports England and the British Cycling. It was agreed it would continue to be an agenda item so the council could be kept informed.

19.  Highways
There were concerns expressed with the B3082 road surface between Tarrant Keyneston and Ashley Wood Golf Course. The Clerk confirmed the work was scheduled for approximately 18 months’ time.

20.  Footpaths
The Clerk reported Highways had been unable to locate a reported rusted manhole cover alongside the B3082 and so would follow this up.
The white lining of the B3082 Blandford Hill had been raised again by the Clerk with Highways, as had the overgrown footpath near the True Lovers Knot. The Highways’ response were that both would be dealt with in priority order.

 21.  DAPTC
There was no outstanding information from DAPTC.

22.  River Tarrant

There was no outstanding information on the River Tarrant.

23.  Correspondence
Dorset Council – Town and Parish Council workshops 2nd round. Cllr Topliss agreed to attend the Durweston workshop on 18th March 2020.

24.  To decide items for next agenda
Parish Meeting – Neighbourhood Policing \ Street numbering
Council meeting

25.   Next meeting date
Set for 12th May 2020 though subject to the Coronavirus situation. (Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Council Meeting.) Further meetings set for14th July, 8th September,
10th November.

 

 

 

 

Signed ……………………………….(Chairman)        Date …………………………………….