The Parish Council convened a Special Council on 11th January 2016 following a request from the Milverton Trust 

The sole agenda item was to  discuss the Trust's request that the Parish Council's takes up the role of Ex Officio Trustee to assist in the future development of the Trust.

Councillors voted unanimously to take on the role through its current Chairman, Dr Russell Jenkins.

Milverton Parish Council

24^th January 2016

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 1^st February 2016

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 4^th January have been circulated. 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

1. For Parish Council Comment

23/15/0031 REINSTATEMENT AND WIDENING OF AN AGRICULTURAL ACCESS AND CLOSURE OF THE EXISTING PRINCIPAL ACCESS (RETENTION OF WORKS ALREADY CARRIED OUT) ON LAND TO THE NORTH OF THE B3187 AT MILVERTON.

2. Other Planning Matters

The Clerk will propose a date for the next planning meeting.

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)Footpaths

Mrs Pine and Mrs Richardson will report on the footpaths.

b)Roads

8. Recreation Ground Toilets

Councillors will discuss how these will be maintained after 31^st March.

9. Street Lighting

Mrs Richardson has asked to raise this matter,

10. Grant Applications

• EuCAN Milverton Conservation Volunteers

11. Milverton Trust

The Chairman will provide an update.

12. Correspondence
13. Finance

The monthly report will request payments for Salaries, PAYE,

14. 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.

Milverton Parish Council

Report of Meeting held 4^th January 2016

At its January meeting Milverton Councillors agreed to keep the Precept unchanged for 2016/17. There was considerable debate about what figure should be agreed with a proportion of Councillors advocating a rise to accommodate future commitments such as the public toilets. There was also a worry that the Government may impose a cap which would seriously limit the Councils ability to respond to future calls on its finances. For example a 5% cap would limit any future rises to £700 per annum which would only really cover inflation on existing expenditure. In the end the Chairman proposed that the Precept be frozen at £14000. This was seconded by the Vice Chairman and passed on a vote 5-4.

The meeting of 2016 started with a request from the Milverton Trust that the Parish Council, through its Chairman, formally took up the position of Ex Officio Trustee.

The Clerk reported that SCC would be installing Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) in Milverton on the B3187 near the school on 18^th April and the 5^th September 2016; in Wood Street on 16^th May and the 3^rd October 2016 and in Butts Way on 2^nd May and the 19^th September 2016. The SIDs will remain in place for two weeks.

Councillors expressed concern at the delays in the negotiations to transfer the toilets. However, the Clerk reported that progress would be slow until TDBC had formally adopted its Community Asset Transfer policy.

Councillors also discussed the storage of Council records and minutes. Currently they are held in the Clerks house but this is deemed unsatisfactory. Attempts to agree storage in the Victoria Rooms had been unsuccessful due to lack of space and the Milverton Archive does not have a permanent home. Under the circumstances the Clerk was asked to contact the County Record Centre to see if it would take the records. He was also asked to enquire whether records could be returned if a permanent village archive became established.

In December the Council spent £856 on salaries, PAYE and subscriptions.

MILVERTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 

4^th January 2016

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 7^th December have been circulated. 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 propose a date for the next planning meeting.

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)Footpaths

Mrs Pine and Mrs Richardson will report on the footpaths.

b)Roads

8. TDBC Asset Management Strategy Consultation

The Clerk will lead the discussion.

9. Public Toilets

The Chairman will report on TDBC's response to the Parish Council's counter offer.

10. Post Office
11. Parish Council Record Storage
12. Correspondence
13. Finance

1. Precept 2016/17

Councillors will discuss the Draft Work Plan and Estimates for next year and decide a figure for the Precept.

2. Monthly Finance Report

The monthly report will request payments for Salaries, PAYE,

14. 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.

Milverton Parish Council Report

December 2015

The Chairman gave a report on a meeting with the SCC Highways Traffic Engineer to discuss speed in the village and how to control it. The meeting focussed on the Wellington Road/Sand Street and Wood Street. Unsurprisingly there are no easy answers and options for traffic calming are limited, it was also pointed out that traffic calming measures like chicanes and priority arrows had to be accompanied by an array of signs and lights that were likely to be quite intrusive in the Conservation Area. Overall the Wellington Road was not felt to be wide enough to support a scheme although the roundels on the road would be repainted and SCC were amenable to the Parish Council's suggestion a flashing speed sign and the installation of Village Gates. These are verge mounted fence sections which are painted white and provide an 'entrance' to a village. In other parts of the country they have been successful in reducing entrance speeds. In Wood Street too options were limited. The Traffic Engineer felt that the parked cars acted to calm speeds but acknowledged that there was often a difference between residents perceptions and reality. He agreed to install a loop to measure speed so that an accurate picture could be built up.

Under planning Councillors approved an application for a pedestrian entrance onto Wood Street and commented on the creation of a menage at Screedy and the construction of a first floor to the Cobbleside annex.

Councillors also considered a series of consultations from TDBC and SCC. These include the TDBC Asset Transfer policy which will be debated in full at the next meeting. There were also two serious consultations from SCC relating to a reduction in funding for rural transport. Councillors voted unanimously to oppose further cuts in bus services. With traffic congestion in Taunton and Wellington growing daily it seems very odd to be cutting public transport and forcing more people into cars. Similarly SCC is consulting on cutting subsidy to Community Transport like Wivey link. This service is a lifeline for many elderly and vulnerable residents and Councillors again voted unanimously to oppose these cuts.

It was reported that Vodaphone had successfully installed four mobile phone signal boosters in the village. Councillors were also relived to hear that most of the village was now able to access Superfast Broadband although this was 16 months after the exchange was upgraded. However, there is no news on when, if ever, outlying areas and Fitzhead will get connected.

In November the Parish Council spent £1305 on grasscutting, salaries, election expenses, a wreath and repairs to play equipment.