MILVERTON PARISH COUNCIL

REPORT OF MEETING HELD ON 3RD FEBRUARY 2014

Taunton Deane Councillor Gwil Wren reported that TDBC was proposing to close the two public toilets in Milverton (one in Fore Street and one at the Recreation Ground) with effect from 1^st April 2014. Councillors were upset that no one from TDBC had contacted them formally about this and were questioned the apparent cost of £11000 each. Councillor Wren explained that TDBC intended to close the toilets and probably demolish them unless a community group came forward to keep them open. Councillors therefore asked TDBC, through Councillor Wren, for specific costs relating to the Milverton toilets so that they could make an informed judgement about the size of the commitment. An initial estimate of £10 per toilet per day would cost £7000 or 50% of the Precept which would probably mean a significant increase in future years.

Councillor Wren expressed his dismay that valued community assets in rural areas are being sacrificed and his fear that once closed they would lost forever. He set out his intention to write to the Secretary of State to point out the folly of forcing District budgets down and expecting service delivery to be provided by Parishes who are not geared up it. This will inevitably lead to increased costs to local chargepayers whilst residents and visitors to Taunton and Wellington will continue to benefit from toilets provided by the TDBC Council Tax, in effect subsidised by those same rural chargepayers.

The meeting was preceded by a presentation by Carolyn Byl of SW Ambulance Trust about Community Defibrillators. The Trust is keen to make them more widely available because they allow immediate treatment to be given before an ambulance arrives. These machines are particularly sophisticated and monitor and record a patients vital signs so as to give the emergency services up to date information about their condition. This also means that the machine will only give a shock when a patients condition merits it making it impossible to shock someone who does not need it. Ms Byl concluded by offering the village a free defibrillator on condition that the Parish purchase a box to house it. There are two types of boxes – internal at £200 and external at £650. Councillors were very impressed and agreed to give the offer serious consideration provided that they can find an appropriate site.

The decision to invite Ms Byl came from Parish Councillor Roger Cotton who thought that the redundant phone box from Preston Bowyer would provide an excellent house for a defibrillator if relocated to the centre of the village. Councillors debated the likely cost of moving the box and concluded that, including an external defibrillator box the cost would be somewhere between £1500 and £2000. In order to pursue the idea the Clerk was asked to apply for a grant from SCC Councillor James Hunts's Health and Wellbeing budget.

Under roads Councillors were told that the following problems were being addressed:

• Collapsed wall in Butts Way – SCC is pursing with the owners of the wall.
• A blocked gulley at the Globe will be jetted..
• Houndsmoor Hill will be checked for overhanging vegetation etc. and owners asked to cut any back.
  The damaged wall at the Globe Inn will be repaired by the owners when the weather improves.
• Blocked drains bottom of Houndsmoor Hill will be cleared.
• The drainage in the Jubilee Gardens is an issue that keeps reoccurring. The only answer SCC can offer is to keep clearing or making sure the drain at the top of the urban footpath is kept clear. The drain at the start of the Jubilee Gardens goes to a soak away and as the ground is saturated at present it will only work very slowly. There is no surface water drainage in the footpath so unfortunately there is very little that can be done.
• The disabled parking space in Sand Street will be removed.

Additionally Mr Baldry of Milverton Community Speed Watch reported that operations were temporarily suspended whilst a new volunteer was found to help collate records so that letters could be sent to speeding motorists.

Councillors also discussed the likelihood of St Michaels churchyard becoming full and the need to find an alternative Burial Ground. The Chairman gave a clear explanation of the legalities and responsibilities surrounding this issue and will attend the next Parochial Parish Council meeting to discuss it further.

Councillors voted to approve the release of S106 funds for the refurbishment of the Recreation Ground play area and the changing facilities in the Cricket Pavilion. The Play Area refurbishment is a joint project between the Recreation Ground committee and the Parish Council. Councillor Mrs Hoyle is leading the fund-raising and grant applications.