Parish Council Meeting 4th December 2017
Please click here to see the agenda for the December meeting.
Thursday 30 November 2017
Milverton Parish Council
Report of Meeting Held on 6th November 2017
Councillors were pleased to hear that the new planter had been installed outside the Fore Street toilets and had been planted with daffodils and tulips by the Gardening Club. Mr Hutchinson of the Club would also like to improve the small area behind the noticeboards and asked if the Parish Council could seek the permission of TDBC to re-locate the salt bin into the car park.
Madam Chairman reported the outcome of the Somerset Partnership consultation into the future of the surgery. Regrettably the Partnership was going to ask NHS England for permission to close the Milverton Branch. This was mainly because the Wiveliscombe Surgery had been set up to deal with an 8000 patient practice meaning that the Milverton branch represented an over capacity which the NHS was not prepared to fund. Added to this was the fact that the previous GP partners wanted to sell the building. However the Partnership was exploring ways to assist transport and also deliver some services such as minor clinics and prescription collection in Milverton. Noting that there was a continuing desire to deliver some services in Milverton, the Parish Council resolved to contact the former GP partners to ascertain their plans for the future of the building.
Under planning Councillors approved an application for extensions at Marconnelle, Spring Grove subject to appropriate provision being made for roosting bats. They were also supportive of Listed Building applications at Cardscroft and Mansell House. Councillors were also informed that a planning application for four houses in High Street that was refused earlier this year was being appealed. Councillors reviewed their original reasons for objection and will send a short update sheet to the Planning Inspector.
Cllr Mrs Hoyle reported that the Government was offering more money to help communities draw up Neighbourhood Plans. Although this has been considered in Milverton in the past she felt that as there were several small scale applications coming forward around the village, it might be time to re-consider. After some discussion about the pros and cons of Neighbourhood Planning it was agreed to discuss the matter in greater depth at the next meeting. In parallel Councillors asked TDBC Councillor Gwil Wren to see if TDBC would conduct a Housing Needs Assessment in the parish.
Cllr Mrs Hoyle reported that there had been a serious car accident on the bypass with the vehicle colliding with a large rock on the roundabout. She wondered whether SCC should be asked to remove it. On balance Councillors felt that there was no obvious way to reduce the risk of speeding drivers to themselves and other road users. If the rock had not been there the vehicle would either have hit a tree or gone straight across into oncoming traffic or over a 4m drop into the garden beyond.
Following the resignation of Mr Cutler as a Councillor the Parish Council put out a call for a volunteer to be co-opted onto the Council. Mr Jodie Norris attended the meeting and offered to be co-opted. He gave a short presentation about why he was interested in the role and what he could bring to the Parish Council. After a short question and answer session Councillors unanimously agreed to co-opt Mr Norris to the Parish Council at the December meeting.
The Parish Council spend £1699 in October on TDBC Planning Officers, salaries, PAYE, grasscutting, the new planter and toilet cleaning.
Report of Meeting Held on 6th November 2017
Councillors were pleased to hear that the new planter had been installed outside the Fore Street toilets and had been planted with daffodils and tulips by the Gardening Club. Mr Hutchinson of the Club would also like to improve the small area behind the noticeboards and asked if the Parish Council could seek the permission of TDBC to re-locate the salt bin into the car park.
Madam Chairman reported the outcome of the Somerset Partnership consultation into the future of the surgery. Regrettably the Partnership was going to ask NHS England for permission to close the Milverton Branch. This was mainly because the Wiveliscombe Surgery had been set up to deal with an 8000 patient practice meaning that the Milverton branch represented an over capacity which the NHS was not prepared to fund. Added to this was the fact that the previous GP partners wanted to sell the building. However the Partnership was exploring ways to assist transport and also deliver some services such as minor clinics and prescription collection in Milverton. Noting that there was a continuing desire to deliver some services in Milverton, the Parish Council resolved to contact the former GP partners to ascertain their plans for the future of the building.
Under planning Councillors approved an application for extensions at Marconnelle, Spring Grove subject to appropriate provision being made for roosting bats. They were also supportive of Listed Building applications at Cardscroft and Mansell House. Councillors were also informed that a planning application for four houses in High Street that was refused earlier this year was being appealed. Councillors reviewed their original reasons for objection and will send a short update sheet to the Planning Inspector.
Cllr Mrs Hoyle reported that the Government was offering more money to help communities draw up Neighbourhood Plans. Although this has been considered in Milverton in the past she felt that as there were several small scale applications coming forward around the village, it might be time to re-consider. After some discussion about the pros and cons of Neighbourhood Planning it was agreed to discuss the matter in greater depth at the next meeting. In parallel Councillors asked TDBC Councillor Gwil Wren to see if TDBC would conduct a Housing Needs Assessment in the parish.
Cllr Mrs Hoyle reported that there had been a serious car accident on the bypass with the vehicle colliding with a large rock on the roundabout. She wondered whether SCC should be asked to remove it. On balance Councillors felt that there was no obvious way to reduce the risk of speeding drivers to themselves and other road users. If the rock had not been there the vehicle would either have hit a tree or gone straight across into oncoming traffic or over a 4m drop into the garden beyond.
Following the resignation of Mr Cutler as a Councillor the Parish Council put out a call for a volunteer to be co-opted onto the Council. Mr Jodie Norris attended the meeting and offered to be co-opted. He gave a short presentation about why he was interested in the role and what he could bring to the Parish Council. After a short question and answer session Councillors unanimously agreed to co-opt Mr Norris to the Parish Council at the December meeting.
The Parish Council spend £1699 in October on TDBC Planning Officers, salaries, PAYE, grasscutting, the new planter and toilet cleaning.
Wednesday 1 November 2017
NOVEMBER PARISH COUNCIL AGENDA
Please click here to see the agenda for the November Parish Council meeting.
Milverton Parish
Council
Report of Meeting held
2nd October 2017
The meeting opened with
an introductory presentation from the new Village Agent, Gaby
Bellamy. She explained that the key purpose of a Village Agent was to
support people to live free and independent lives. She currently
takes referrals from GPs, attends village events and other sources.
As her work is people based she principally works through home
visits. She works full time with her salary covered by Somerset NHS
Partnership and the Somerset Community Council. She also helps
Community Groups as they frequently provide opportunities for the
people she assists.
Several Councillors
were very unhappy about reports that the 2019 District Council
elections could be postponed to allow the merger between TDBC and
West Somerset more time to take place. Councillors felt this was an
abuse of democracy and Madam Chairman will write to the Communities
Secretary of State to express the Councils concern.
Councillor Cotton
reported the latest meeting with the Somerset NHS Partnership over
the future of the Milverton surgery. The meeting had been useful and
many questions had been answered. There will be another meeting on
16th October to discuss the results of the recent
consultation.
The Clerk reported that
Councillor Cutler had resigned and the process of finding a
replacement needed to be started. A notice will be displayed
advertising the vacancy and if enough parishioners request it an
election will be held. If not the Council will co-opt a new
Councillor.
The Clerk reported that
he had investigated the unauthorised fire on the allotments and
written to those concerned asking that the plots be thoroughly
cleaned. One plot holder had complied with the request and the other
had not. He would be writing again to this person and serving notice
to quit. He also noted that there were some other scruffy looking
plots which he would be keeping an eye on.
Under Matters to report
Councillors raised a variety of issues including the timetable at the
redundant Fore Street bus stop; post being collected from the Post
Office box before the scheduled time; miscanthus being shed from
loads passing through the village and blocking the drains.
Councillors were pleased that several gulleys had been cleared but
said there were still several to do.
The Council spent £1900
in September on toilet cleaning, salaries and PAYE, grass cutting and
advertising for the Deputy Clerk.
Gwilym Wren
Clerk to Milverton
Parish Council
11th October
2017
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