Given below are the minutes of the Annual Meeting of the above parish council held at Cherry Tree Communal Room, Allington on 9 May 2017. The meeting commenced at 7.35pm.
PRESENT: Cllrs Trott, Bowditch, Wrighton, and Beer, Don McAllister, 3 members of the public. Mrs A Stephenson recorded the minutes.
1. APOLOGIES
Cllr Lathey, Cllr Gay
2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The current Chairman stood down whilst the read out the below:
a) CHAIRMAN – As there had been no applications received for Chairman, Mr. Lathey had been asked to be re-elected for another term of office. Cllr. Bowditch proposed Cllr. Lathey be re-elected as Chairman, Cllr. Beer seconded the proposal. ALL AGREED. Cllr. Lathey will therefore duly sign the Declaration of Office notice.
b) VICE CHAIRMAN – As no-one had come forward to be Vice Chairman for the following year, Cllr. Wrighton said she would be happy to stand for another year. Cllr. Bowditch proposed Mrs Wrighton be elected as Vice Chairman. Cllr. Trott seconded. Cllr. Wrighton duly signed the Declaration of Office notice.
c) Councillors in other roles agreed to carry these on for another year (Ancient Monuments Officer – Cllr. Lathey, Trees & Footpaths Officer &Woodland Trust Play Area Rep – Cllr. Bowditch). Don McAllister was happy to carry on with his role as Cherry Tree Play Area Supervisor.
All Councillors present signed the Declaration Of Office notice.
3. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS INTERESTS
Cllr Bowditchand Cllr Trott in item 9 and 7b
4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Chairman asked if everyone had both received and read the minutes of last years annual meeting, if so, were they a true record. ALL AGREED. The minutes were duly signed and dated.
5. MATTERS ARISING
None
6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Wessex Water will be closing North Allington for 2 day next week to work on the drains.
Behind Hibernia there is lots of mounds of eath that have been dug up which could cause an issue as it is in the face of Allington Hill. Clerk to inform Bridport Town Council/Planning Enforcement.
7. FINANCE REPORT
The account balance was read out to Councillors and as usual all books were on the table for any member of the public to read.
a) The balance of ordinary account now stands at £9,190.30 as the first half of the Precept had also been received at £5,500. The savings at £14.598.09 with interest of £4.91
b) .The following donation requests were approved: Donation to Allington Hillbillies £1,000, Proposed br Cllr Wrighton and Seconded by Cllr Beer. Donation to Loders School PTFA £100, Proposed by Cllr Wrighton and Seconded by Cllr Bowditch. Donation to Bridport CAB (S142) £1000, Proposed by Cllr Wrighton and Seconded by Cllr Bowditch,
c) Cheques for approval and signing were for £287.40 for Clerks wage, HMRC £3.40, Leigh Hansford for internal audit £10, Community First for insurance £528.53, Playsafety Ltrd for play area inspections £239.40 , Paul Bowditch reimbursement for fuel £13.65, Magna (garage rent) £688.48, Tom Newton (refurb of benches) £220, Vking £93.52, Viking £25.19, and cheques as above.
d) Internal Audit had been undertaken. All was found to be present and correct. It was proposed to accept this by Cllr Bowditch and seconded by Cllr Beer.
8. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
WD/D/17/000986 – Land at Vearse Farm – Outline application for the development of up to 760 dwellings, 60 unit care home (Use Class C2), 4 hectares of land for employment (Use Classes B1, B2, B8), mixed use local centre (Use Classes A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, C3 and D1), primary school and associated playing fields (Use Class D1), areas of public open space and allotments, drainage works, the formation of new vehicular accesses to West Road and the formation of new pedestrian and cycle l (Outline)
Parish Council Object – Issues discussed were flooding issues – not dealt with them in our view on the site, all they are going do is push them slightly further away. Haven’t dealt with issues of access when those fields are in flood the site will be cut off. They haven’t raised the roads (but if they do do that and then they put a bridge in, then that will hold water back further). they have put 3 key buildings i.e the care home, village shop and pub in an area that will flood more than it does now. This year alone it has flooded 3 times right up to the valley, so if they push flooding back then they will push flooding to the houses on the other side of the road (other side of simene – red brick ones) also the 4 houses in the right before crepe farm business park entrance – so would cause more issues back further. still no/cant find any roundabout for miles cross. with industrial unit where west road houses are – of they are brought up to a high level then this will impede views/outlooks for everyone else but will also increase noise levels to the properties. re the green and environmental walks/footpaths into the towns (which they need for pedestrian access, school routes, cycle routes) the plans still dont show good green accesses and cycle routes that we are satisfied with. not saying how they are going to implement them or what they are going to be made of e.g. mud paths of gravel paths etc. still view it as over development of site.
9. COOPERS WOOD
All is well with Cooper’s Wood and Field. We do seem to have a few local residents/ dog owners who are complaing about Cooper’s Wood being used by children as a play ground and want all the brash, dens, play equipment removed as it is not welcoming for visitors.
This is a small 4 acre area with 40 acres of the whole site and is much valued by local residents with children and we will continue to encourage outdoor play in this area. Fake news has also appeared on our Facebook page about police being called to the area, which unknown by the complainant, my self and Jon were in the area when said incident was happening and we saw nothing and were actually talking to the people that the police supposedly had been called about.
We have received our first three bookings for the Cooper’s Circle. Our next events will be on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th of June linking in with the Bridport Heritage Events and the Food Festival.
We have a new Woodland Trust manager Paul Allen who has given permission for Jurassic safaris, at our request to do trips up to the top of the hill, for the elderly and those with mobility problems. We believe these would be very popular and seek permission from A.P.C to use the field as an access point for the event. Risk assessment and insurance documents would be forwarded to A.P.C. The Parish council felt this was a good idea, or could go up green lane and up The Drive.
10. DONKEY LANE
No further updates.
11. NOTICEBOARD
SHould be erected by TMH Fencing shortly.
12. CHERRY TREE PLAY AREA REPORT
Don got some of the children to pick up some litter and put in sacks. Being well used. Grass has been cut.
13. WOODLAND TRUST PLAY AREA
Grass cut, awaiting fence replacement.
14. CORRESONDENCE
Various correspondence which were all available to read.
15. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The date of the next meeting will be 13 June 2016
Meeting closed at 8.28pm.