The Meeting of the Parish Council of Withypool and Hawkridge
Hawkridge Village Hall, Tuesday 10th March 2020 at 6.30PM
Attendees: Parish Cllrs: A Howard -Chair (AH) K Branfield (KB), A Collins (AC), J Down (JD), T Lloyd (TL), W Lock (WL), P Soltau (PS) and Clerk C Hornsby; Members of the public: 0 Questions from the public. None
88/19 Apologies of Absence DCllr S Pugsley. CCllr F Nicholson would arrive later.
89/19 Declarations of notifiable interests None
90/19 Approval of the Minutes of the previous meeting on 14/01/20 These were proposed by AC and 2nd by KB and were signed as a true and correct record of what took place.
91/19 Matters arising from the Minutes of 14/01/20
78/19 KB reported that the meeting was about road damage and not salt issues. 79/19 it was confirmed that the parish council will now hear about this through any planning applications that are sent to them to consider. 80/19 SCC £35 yearly payment this was for a SCC membership which gave the PC access to newsletters, training and support. This service has now been stopped and so the PC will no longer be paying it.
92/19 Report by the District Councillor None
94/19 Highways (i) JD reported that the drain work at Landacre, which she logged with the SCC Website, has been done. PS reported that she had logged issues on the SCC website for drains at Kitridge Lane, Old Rectory and Olivers Cottage. She said that Highways had done Kitridge Lane. (ii) AH reported that a trench had been dug by Mr S Bullard alongside the moors and roadside above the Firs Bungalow and was working well to direct the water away from the road.
95/19 Finance report
Bank Reconciliation: £7320.51
Invoices to be approved and a paid
(i) Hawkridge Village Hall £15.00 Chq No 503
(ii) Withypool Village Hall £50.00 Chq No 504
(iii) SALC for clerk and cllr training events £125.00 Chq No 505
(iv) Clerks Pay and Exp for Jan, Feb & Mar 2020 £360.78 Chq No 506 (this was dated for 5th April and will go in to the next Tax Year).
All invoices were approved and agreed to be paid.
Income: Exmoor PC and Timberscombe PC have paid £25 each towards the clerk training that took place in January 2020.
96/19 Planning - 6/42/20/103 Newhouse. Proposed repairs and alterations to stables and storage buildings together with partial demolition of two garages, complete demolition of one stable building and replacement with new covered storage area, remodelling of office/tack room and installation of photo-voltaic panels on south facing roof slope of main stable building. The PC fully support the above planning application as they feel it is much needed and will improve it.
97/19 Parish Gardens (i) Clerk to remind the tenants of Plot C (OS ref OS3438) that their rent is due. It was noted that the clerk does not have to do this, however it was agreed to continue as common curtesy. (ii) The Clerk had received a letter from the solicitor of the prospective new residents of the parish that they wish to buy the land stated in (i). The Parish council all agreed not to sell the land. It will go to Tender for renting if and when it becomes available. Clerk to email a reply.
98/19 Parish Maintenance The parish council agreed to purchase a recycled plastic bench from NBB Recycled Furniture for £345.00 plus VAT. It will be delivered to KB. Clerk to organise order. Once the invoice has been sent, Clerk will organise a cheque to be paid immediately.
FN arrived and so points taken out of order.
93/19 Report by the County Councillor (i) There will be a 6th Form mini bus laid on from the Summer term for students who attend Richard Huish and the Taunton Campus of the Taunton and Bridgwater College. It will Pick up from Dulverton and possibly Brushford with no other stops making it a quicker service. (ii) FN will contact Highways about signs that have been left without road works happening. (iii) BT are replacing poles across the area and so there may be odd days of road disruptions but not weeks. (iv) Clerks were advised to sign up to One.Network which lists road disruptions nationally.
99/19 Help the elderly in the parish JD asked what was being done for the elderly in the parish and if there was anything more that could be done. There was the Moorland Bus which can be hired to take to Minehead; Voluntary Car service for the Doctors; Social events at the hall can cause problems due to the hill if they do not drive. There may be grants available to organise more help for the community. JD and PS to Consult the Village for ideas by letting the residents know what is available and to ask what would they like. They will advertise this in the Across Exmoor Magazine and the Website. They will also look at the grants that may be available for local projects.
100/19 Correspondence (i) CLOWNS donation: it was agreed that it would be better to support local childrens groups that do work for the parish as CLOWNS does not come to either Withypool or Hawkridge. (ii) Future Exmoor Panel dates were read out (iii) A parish Path Liaison Officer was required but AC said this is what the ENPA Rangers do and so one was not needed for the area.
101/19 Report from representatives of other groups:
Withypool Village Hall: None; Hawkridge Village Hall: none; Henry Leigh Trust: none; Exmoor Panel: Meeting on 12th March; Consultative & Parish Forum: last meeting spoke about TB in Deer, next meeting 19th March.
102/19 Items for January 2020 agenda Presentation of Years accounts and Audit paperwork to be approved and signed. Car park ENPA noticeboard; Kitridge Mast; VE day celebrations W&H to support and advertise Winsford Church Service and Sandyway Home Guard event.
103/19 Date and time of next meeting:
Tuesday 12th May 2020 Withypool Village Hall 7.00pm Annual Parish Meeting(TBC) The PC will invite the residents to attend and get local groups to come and share what they do. This will enable the parish residents to know what is available to them and also to find out what people would like in the village. This will add to the work that will be done in point 99/19. This will then be followed by the Annual meeting of the W&H PC.
There being no further business the Chair closed the meeting at 8.10pm
Signed .Date ..