PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 1^st December 2014

7.30pm in the Victoria Rooms Fore Street

AGENDA

Questions from the Public.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and address the Parish Council to provide information and raise matters of concern.

1. Apologies

Members will be expected to provide reasons for absence. Members are reminded that absence for 6 consecutive meetings without approval could lead to disqualification.

2. Declarations of Interest

The Code of Conduct requires that Members disclose interests of a

personal, prejudicial and pecuniary nature that may be pertinent to tonight's business. A prejudicial or pecuniary interest will require the member to leave the room during the discussion of the relevant item.

In cases of uncertainty members are recommended to consult the Clerk.

3. Minutes and Matters Arising from minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6^th October have been circulated with the summons to this meeting. Members will be asked to consider them for accuracy and if satisfied pass a resolution of approval that they be signed by the Chairman as a true and accurate record.

The Actions from the last meeting will be considered unless elsewhere on the agenda.

4. Planning

THERE ARE NO PLANNING APPLICATIONS THIS MONTH

The Clerk will provide a report about other general planning matters including the TDBC response in relation to the wall at Lancaster House and suggest a date for the next site visit.

5. Creedwell

The Chairman will provide a report on the present situation.

6. Crime

Members will receive and comment on the monthly crime report.

7. Roads and Footpaths

a) Monthly Footpath Report

Mrs Lumby will report on the footpaths.

b) Roads

1. Speed Indicator Devices in Butts Way and Wood Street
2. Monthly Road Report

8. Street Light reductions

Councillors will be asked to approve the survey process

9. Honouring Beth French

Councillors will be asked to approve the arrangements

10. Parish Magazine
11. Preston Bowyer Phone Box

The Clerk will report on the progress of negotiations with the school.

12. Milverton Website

Mr Hendy will report on the latest Milverton Trust meeting and what support the Trust is offering to the Milverton info website.

13. Correspondence
14. Finance

a) Monthly report

The monthly report will request payments for Salaries, PAYE, and gardening

b) Estimates and Precept 2015/16

The Clerk will introduce the Estimates for 2015/16

15. Matters to Report

Members are invited to report matters of interest and raise matters of concern for future consideration by the Council, including items from the following external bodies:

Twinning; Victoria Rooms; Milverton United Charities; SALC; Traffic Working Party; Youth Project; Milverton Trust; Milverton Action Group and 10 Parishes.

County Hall

PP C302

Taunton, Somerset
TA1 4DY 29th October 2014

CONSULTATION ON REVIEW OF SUBSIDISED LOCAL BUS SERVICES AND DEMAND RESPONSIVE TRANSPORT

Due to a continuing reduction in the amount of funding the Government provides the Council to run local services, and to manage competing demands for services that the Council is legally obliged to provide; Somerset County Council needs to review its allocation of funds for supported bus services. We are now seeking your views on potential changes to these services.

We are changing the way we provide Demand Responsive Transport in Somerset and will be routing the vehicles into areas where, due to previous withdrawals of conventional public transport, there is currently no timetabled public transport provision.

As a general principle it is our view that demand responsive services should be retained but as a routed services to provide access for rural communities with particular regard to the needs of our elderly population and people with disabilities along with those who may not have access to a car.

Increasingly difficult choices will need to be made about where we provide support in the future. Routes have been identified by the Council for possible reductions in financial support due to:

• Availability of services on other days of the week or proximity of alternative services;
• Low passenger use;
• Possible Commercial replacement.

We are also proposing that some services will operate at a reduced frequency rather than our support being entirely withdrawn, to retain the ability for people to make journeys by public transport.

The affected services are listed at the website mentioned below and include No 10 – Langley Marsh – Wellington (First). SCC would like to consult with as many Somerset groups and residents as possible and we would be grateful for your views on these proposed changes before a final decision is taken by the Council in 2015.

If you would like to complete our online survey please go to the following website for full details:

www.somerset.gov.uk/bussurvey

Deadline for responses is 29th December 2014

Yours sincerely

John Perrett/Jane Newell

Service Managers - Transporting Somerset/Highways & Transport Commissioning

Milverton Parish Council Monthly report

November 2014

The Council met on 3^rd November

Under Planning Councillors support applications for a swimming pool at Bickley and rendering works to a house in North Street.

The Chairman reported no progress on getting the Creedwell planning application to the TDBC Planning Committee. There appear to be many unanswered questions about how the site will be drained and further detailed information from the applicant was awaited. However, it appeared that one issue had been resolved in that Notaro had accepted that the development would be subject to a Community Infrastructure Levy payment of approximately £1.4m.

The Clerk reported that the company proposing to install a mobile phone mast north of the village had been unable to secure a site but was continuing to search. This meant that there would be an unspecified delay in providing improved mobile phone reception.

The Clerk also reported that he has been in contact with TDBC about the scale of the works at Lancaster House. He was expecting a reply from the Enforcement Officer which he would pass on.

In view of the possibility of the Vicarage coach house being used for the archive the Clerk was asked in investigate whether or not it was Listed.

Members gave the Vice Chairman Mrs Hoyle a Formal Vote of Thanks for her sterling work in delivering the new play area at the Recreation Ground. The installation is now complete and was formally opened by the Mayor Cllr Dave Durdan on 21^st October. The Clerk reported a donation from Milverton WI towards the project and will pay the final invoice when he receives the promised funds from TDBC.

Councillors were concerned that crime within the Parish seemed to be at increased levels with reports of burglaries and criminal damage being made by the Police.

Councillors discussed the kissing gate between High Street and Wood Street. There is pressure to have it removed to accommodate motorised and children's buggies. The Chairman observed that the kissing gate was no longer consistent with the principle of widening access for all. However, he acknowledged that the last time the gate was removed it had to be replaced because because of cycle use. As a result any change ought to be accompanied by a Risk Assessment. The Council therefore resolved to ask SCC to deliver a solution that increased accessibility for users but without increasing the risk of using the path.

Councillors have been discussing the potential options for reducing street lighting in Milverton which is very bright and intrusive in places. Following informal soundings there appeared to be some support for a reduction and Councillors agreed to follow this up with a formal survey of residents away from the main roads.

Councillor received a report that the Editor of the Parish Magazine was moving and a replacement being sought.