Exmoor Parish Council Meeting
Thursday 7th February 2019 at The Exmoor Forest Inn, Simonsbath at 7.30pm
In Attendance: Cllrs B. Duke (BD - Chair), A. Vigars (AV), T. Hawkins (TH), County Cllr F Nicholson (FN) (who arrived during point 18/73) and Clerk C. Hornsby Members of the public: 0
18/65 Apologies for Absence: J. Chanter (JC), F. Schott (FS), District Cllr S. Pugsley (SP) and FN stated she would be late.
18/66 Declarations of Notifiable Interest - None
18/67 Approval of Minutes - dated 29/11/18 These were Proposed by AV and 2nd by BD as a true and correct record of what took place and the chairman duly signed them.
18/68 Matters arising from the Minutes (i) Clerk reported that the Rural Housing Survey would be hopefully out to all residents on 29th March 2019 with a return date of the Easter Holidays. There is a poster to put up in the notice board about a drop in event to inform people of the forthcoming survey – 29th March in Dulverton Library. (ii) 18/54 Laptop – this would be purchased over the next two weeks. It was agreed that the laptop purchased should be best quality that can be purchased for the money. (iii) 18/55 Clerk reported that the Highways had said they will be jetting the drains at The Sportsman Inn, Sandyway but as yet the Cllrs are unsure if this has happened. (iv)
18/57 Clerk is still looking in to the restoration of the Telephone Box.
18/69 Finance Report - To date the account has £3909.68 but still awaiting a bank statement to confirm payment of Simonsbath Sparkle Insurance. Clerk asked for a cheque to be authorised for the upgrade of website so that it can now publish more documents. Cllrs agreed and Chq No 228 for £29.95 was signed. This amount would be a yearly cost.
18/70 Highways Including salting of parish roads (i) AV reported that the recent snow of the previous week had resulted in all the salt being used from the dumpy bags that the SCC had delivered. He had hoped that they would be replaced and has asked the Clerk to email David Peake to check that this would happen. People had been cut off from Simonsbath as were unable to return to their homes for several days. (ii) AV reported that the drains below the drive of Emmetts Grange towards Kinsford and Dunmore are blocked and the water is flowing towards the Kinsford Bridge – Clerk to email Highways. (iii) AV reported that the drains below Beech Park in Simonsbath are blocked and that the water is flowing toward the village – Clerk to email Highways.
18/71 Planning (i) 6/14/18/107 Kinsford, Simonsbath, Somerset - Proposed demolition of farmhouse and annexe and erection of replacement dwelling (Part retrospective). Cllrs had no objection but requested that the render should be cream instead of white. Clerk to email ENPA planning (ii) *6/14/17/103 Wintershead Cottages, Simonsbath, Somerset - Proposed replacement of two semi-detached dwellings with a single farm manager's dwelling. (As per amended description and plans and additional information). Cllrs had no objection to the change in the plans. Clerk to email ENPA planning
18/72 Parish Maintenance - Telephone Box – TH said she was quite happy to go and give the telephone box a clean.
18/73 Correspondence - Several items were read out by the clerk but none to be actioned – Somerset Water pollution article, Somerset WW1 Wood, Somerset West Lodge Scheme, Calvert Trust Exmoor Eat Dirt Mountain Bike Event 26th May 2019.
18/74 Report from District Councillor: N/A
18/75 Report from County Councillor: FN said the SCC budget was being looked in to and that she wanted to know how the salting of the roads had be done during the previous week’s bad weather. She checked that the salt had all been used to grit the roads and once this was confirmed she asked the Clerk to email David Peake stating that none of the bags had been removed illegally and that all the salt had been used in the recent bad weather. FN stated that ¾ of the Council Tax actually goes on social services and the other quarter is on lighting, salting, schools, etc.
18/76 Report from the Simonsbath Steering Group (SG) - Clerk reported on behalf of the Cllrs that at the last meeting Rob Wilson-North (RWN) stated the consent had been requested to release £200.000 held in ENPA reserves to progress the building work at White Rock Cottage and the former Simonsbath School. The paper was approved unanimously by the committee. When this is combined with the £88,000 from the LEADER funding, there is sufficient money to carry out the build phase of the project (but not the final completion of internal fittings). Building work will commence in April 2019 and be completed by the autumn. Building work to conserve and repair the Gardener’s Store began on 21st January. The final version of the Deed of Trust was circulated and after some discussion about the document, members of the SG were then asked if they wished to become a trustee. Out of the 9 members present, 7 agreed to become trustees, and one said they wished to be more heavily involved with the Ashcombe Garden. CH and RWN gave a presentation at the Get Involved Conference and following that several people signed up to volunteer in the Ashcombe Gardens. The aim is that a regular workforce will be in the gardens from March 2019 onwards. CH said she is in the process of organising another Simonsbath community get together, this time in the Church of St Luke’s prior to Easter. This will be a cake and coffee morning and a chance to find out more about what is happening with the build and the gardens and will also include a crafts table, guess the flag and a fun way to discover more about John Knight. CH spoke to BD who represents the church, and a date of Saturday 6th April 10am -12pm was proposed
18/77 Items for next Agenda GDPR, Aims and Objectives and Standing Orders of Exmoor PC to be reviewed and approved. The re-election of councillors in May was raised and Chairman Brian Duke stated that it was his wish to stand down from the Exmoor Parish Council. He has been on the council since 1972 with a brief break to care for family. All were sorry that he was leaving but fully understood and respected his decision. It was discussed that a new councillor will need to be found and TH also raised the point that if there was someone else keen to come on the parish council she would also consider her position but would not stand down if it meant the council were without a full body of Cllrs. All have gone away to see if there is any one else within the Parish of Exmoor who would like to become a member of the council.
18/78 Date and Time of next Meeting - Thursday 28th Mar 2019 The Sportsman Inn, Sandyway - TH gave her apologies in advance. Future meeting dates: Thursday 30th May 2019 Simonsbath tbc
There being no further business the chairman close the meeting at 8.45p
Signed…………………………………………………………………………………………………..Dated………………………………….