Allington Parish Council

PRESENT Cllr P.J. Lathey [Chair] M. Wrighton [Vice-Chair]. Cllrs. T. Gruitt, I. Gay. G Stansfield, D&K Hitt. Andy Lloyd Housing Enabling Officer. District Councillor A. Alford and 2 members of the public.

The Clerk Mrs Stansfield recorded the minutes.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Mrs Wrighton for chairing the previous meeting.

1. Apologies had been received from Susan Anders Bridport Community Development Officer. Mr Boorne and Mr Newitt [2 members of the public]

2. Declaration of Members Interests Councillor Stansfield on item 7c Cllrs D & K Hitt in item 7b

3. The Chairman asked councillors if, they had received and read the minutes and if so was it their wish that he sign and date the records as such? ALL AGREED. The minutes were duly signed.

4. Matters arising The Clerk explained we were still waiting to hear from Bridport Community Hospital regarding responsibility for the gulley that is broken at the entrance to the private road leading to Hospital. Also as yet no signs where in place in the new parking area regarding warning traffic of speed or the fact it is staff parking only. The Chairman commented that since the extra parking spaces were created no cars were reversing into them they were driving in and thus reversing onto a narrow busy road, this council told Mr Rimmer of the West Dorset Health Design Practice about. The Council for the Protection of Rural England had written to the clerk apologising for not providing a venue for important meeting with disabled access 17 days after the advent of the DDA . – All other items have their own heading.

5. Andy Lloyd the Housing Enabling Officer gave a talk on how the Housing Survey commissioned by Allington council had proceeded. All councillors and members of the public received a copy and this was too explained to us. Further copies were left to be given to the Way Ahead Group members. This in depth report showed the housing need in Allington in April and would require to be updated in 2 years. Council thanked Mr Lloyd for his hard work. The Chairman asked for Mr Lloyd’s approval to go to the newspaper informing the people of Allington about the report and thanking him for all his hard work. Everyone who put their names on the reply survey form would, receive a copy of the report.

6. There are three items in this section. [a] The Pot holes in Hospital lane pavement have been reported to Clarence. Ref; 139893 [b] 14 Broadmead Avenue Bridport. This is technically not in our area however, because of the volume of complaints regarding overhanging branches adjacent to this property clerk to notify the Highways Authority as the gentleman owner of the property is apparently in a nursing home. [c] Light outside 9 Cherry Tree, Council were informed this had been reported to Magna by the clerk since June 2004, various reasons given for it not being repaired. Clerk to contact Tony Hatch with a view to ascertaining why it is still not working. Dropped kerbs, Cherry Tree Pavements have not sufficient dropped kerbs, this to be reported to correct department at County council.

7. FINANCE
[a] The clerk report to council that the audit signing off certificate has now been received; the only matter to bring to council’s attention was the insurance value of our assets should be quoted and not the value with depreciation taken into account. The auditors once again gave us a choice of audit dates, however council wished audit date to remain same each year. The account for the audit was £164.50p of which £24.50p was v.a.t. [reclaimable] Permission to pay via bacs system granted. Plus Publishing who send us the vital updates to Local Council Review have tendered their account £60 for 12 issues. Cheque signed by P.Lathey and M Wrighton. We had received a summary of the legal costs for the Woodland Trust to date, this now stands at £1,163.25p of which £173.25 we can reclaim v.a.t. Clerk explained this would seriously damage our finances leaving us with virtually nothing in the account until May.

[b] Account Balances. Precept received of £4,250 £4,000 of which was transferred to savings account to accrue more interest. Play Area Account now stands at £10,569,91p interest received £14.78. Ordinary Account £2,423.66p interest for October is £2.47. V.A.T. claim form been sent off for £139.32 for this year. Clerk reminded council that before financial year end the following has to be taken from the accounts. S215 Dottery Church £315.00. Dorset Association of Parish & Town Councils subscriptions £120.54p. Society of Local Council Clerks £33.00 Petty Cash £50.00. Solicitors Account £1,163.25.My 2nd half of home working expenses £100.00.Guillotine purchase £46.98p. Play Area Account expenses £5809.00 plus 1016.57. W.T. Play Area £9990.00 plus Goal Posts £211.50. Councillor K Hitt told council that TMH Fencing would have now to charge v.a.t. approx another £780.00 in v.a.t. We also will have a large postage bill of around £110 for the questionnaire even if we deliver the questionnaires. [the latter comes out of Parish Plan account] but this will still leave us with little in reserve. plus we have not yet received a quotation for the play area sign at Coopers Wood.

[c] Cllr Stansfield took no part in the following. Clerk’s Gratuity Fund. It is recommended by the Soc. Of Local Council Clerks that councils in order to find themselves paying out a large amount on retirement of their clerk should put aside some money regularly. Council should now decide what they wish to do. Cllr Lathey suggested the clerk contact the SLCC to ascertain the correct amount ALL AGREED. Clerk to report back next month.

[d] Way Ahead Group Finance. A guillotine was purchased for £46.98p and vat reclaimed of £6.99. Paper purchased cost £8.99 and extra toner needed for printer. Total cost of Way Ahead Group expenditure to date £157.67. Council was reminded they are committed to providing a minimum of £150 and Bridport Town Council giving us £50 plus in kind contributions.

[e] Cherry Tree Public Liability Insurance is now £10 million. The extra increase on premium paid by bacs system of £32.16. Stationery came to £126.18p.

[f] PRECEPT. With the expenditure for the present year to be paid and the need to ensure we had a cushion for the future a discussion ensued as the amount needed to be requested from West Dorset District Council for next year’s precept. The budget agreed by Council had been £9000.00 we would require more than this the clerk explained to recoup the solicitors fee and also the on going cost of repairs to play surface equipment and bus shelter due to vandalism. Cllr Gay proposed 10% making a total of £9,350.00 [our present precept is £8,500.00] Proposed by Cllr Gay seconded by Cllr Stansfield ALL AGREED. Clerk to notify WDDC.

8. PLANNING Clerk explained to Council that we had received notification of Seymour Farm going to committee, as Council had received in December 2003 notified that this application had been removed from Land Registry this was a surprise. Further investigation revealed that this was an error; we should have NOT received notification in December 2003 this was a computer error. Complaint to go to John Greenslade at the District Planning Department (see below). The clerk attended a meeting in Beaminster regarding the new rules on planning, this was interesting and as a result a complete list of our council meetings for 2005 had been sent to planning in order to facilitate planning applications arriving before a meeting and not after.

9. WOODLAND TRUST PLAY AREA We received the map showing the boundary of play area we are however still waiting for the Lease, this will have to have two councillors sign it. As soon as the lease has been signed we can then order the sign from Dorset County Council for the roads “Warning Children playing” Council were informed that yet again the marker posts had been removed. Edweards Sports Equipment quotation for Goal posts £211.50 was accepted on condition that they could not be installed until lease signed and fence up. TMH Fencing to complete after Christmas 2004.

10. CHERRY TREE PLAY AREA Wicksteeds are to install the equipment after w/c 18the October they have been delayed due to weather conditions. Wicksteeds wanted to charge us £300 for a container to leave equipment etc., in whilst they worked, as this had not been included in the budget payment we were unable clerk told council to pay this. The company agreed to take home the equipment each evening. Whilst equipment is being installed a notice will be displayed informing everyone play area closed for safety reasons whilst work in progress. TMH Fencing to complete new fencing after Christmas 2004. Play area Supervisor had seen the safety surface being pulled up by a child, culprits parents to be notified. Tiles cost £35 per tile plus adhesive and delivery plus vat. Clerk informed council we could not keep replacing these.

11. CLERK’ S REPORT We have this year accomplished a lot. We are on course to be a Quality Parish Council and the website is almost complete. Clerk’s Appraisal due in December. All magazines and newsletter put before council. The Council requested that the Clerk and Cllr Hitt represent to Council at the meeting of The Bridport Medical Alliance 7pm November 10th. The Clerk gave Cllr Gruitt the information on footpaths and he would collect the new map copy of which was displayed to council. It was requested that Cllr Gruitt gave an update on all footpaths and their condition.

12. BRIDPORT AREA PARTNERSHIP Protocol explained and Council agreed to clerk continuing as the representative.

13. PARISH MAINTENANCE UNITS The log sheets for work being required were given out to Pymore and West Mead resident representatives and asked to notify clerk.

14. BOURNEMOUTH AND DORSET PLAN This was discussed

15. TRANSPORT STRATEGY the strategy was read out and questionnaire filled in.

16. All correspondence read out

17. Next meeting December 7th 2004 7. 30pm

Chairman thanked everyone for coming – meeting closed 9.25pm