Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
Minutes of a meeting of Council held in the Village Hall on  Thursday 12th April 2006 at 7.0 p.m.
(Present: Cllr N E Priddle (Chairman) in the Chair; Cllr P E Loudon (Vice-Chairman); Cllr Mrs V C Murray, Cllr Mrs P M Kwantes and Cllrs. J Bradford, P White, P J Bradford and M W J Lovell (County and District 				       Councillor as well as Parish Councillor).
1.	There were no apologies for absence, all members being present.
2.	Public Discussion Period. The Meeting was adjourned for the discussion. Mrs J Greave spoke on the 	urgent necessity of Bins for Dog Litter. Mr Kirby asked about the promised Play Area at Steppes as 	part of the Ragland Housing Association’s plan, whether the residents would be consulted as to what 	was required, and whether the funding would have to come from the Parish. The Meeting was then 	reconvened.
3.	Matters Arising from the Public Discussion:
	(1) It was explained that only bins along highways would be emptied by the District Council. The 	National Trust was not in favour of bins on its land because they would not be emptied. They 	favoured notices explaining to dog-owners that if their animal were wormed there would be no 	necessity to bag the litter. It was decided that this matter should be placed on the Agenda of the May 	Council Meeting.
	(2) Cllr Lovell explained that the proposed Play Area at Steppes was part of the Raglan Plan. It was 	his understanding that the funding would also be part of that Plan. A somewhat heated argument then 	ensued as to the actions of Mr Andy Lloyd, the Housing Enabler, who had requested Raglan to 	submit an outline plan for affordable housing at Steppes before any consultation with the Parish. It 	was further claimed that the District Council Officers had proceeded with the scheme, although the 	outcome of the meeting between the Council and those Officers to discuss the site of further 	affordable housing was recalled by six of those present as that the District Planning Officer would 	look as several other possibilities, including National Trust land. Cllr Lovell said that the National 	Trust had been contacted, but had not replied. His recollection had been that everyone knew that the 	Steppes site was the only feasible one. The two viewpoints could not be reconciled, so the Chairman 	ruled that discussion on the matter should cease and Council should pass on to other business.. 
4.	Co-option of a Parish Councillor.
	The Clerk explained that the Casual Vacancy had been declared on March 23rd and the District 	Returning Officer notified on March 23rd. Mr Aston had explained that c-option could go ahead as 	long as there had been no claim for an election within fourteen days of the declaration, not counting 	Saturdays and Sundays. The fourteen days had elapsed on April 11th. Cllr Lovell intervened to say 	that Bank Holidays were also to be excluded from the fourteen days. This would mean that the 	fourteen days elapsed on April 12th. The Clerk said that an email from Mr Aston had instructed him 	that the fourteen day period did not end until Monday 16th, which he (the Clerk) did not really 	understand.
	Chairman announced that only one letter had been received asking for consideration to fill the 	vacancy, and that was from Mr Michael J Turner of Acton. He therefore proposed that Mr Turner 	should be co-opted as from Tuesday April 17th. This was agreed (For 7; Against 0; Abstention 1; 	Absent 0). Cllr Lovell stated that in his opinion the co-option was illegal.
5.	Planning Matters:
	(1) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0165, submitted by Mr W T Haysom, 	to regularize the overburden storage at Turnpike Quarry during continued quarrying operations there.
	The Clerk reminded Council that its comment to the County Council on this plan had been “The 	Parish Council has no objection.”
	(2) On the proposition from the Chair, it was unanimously agreed that Council’s comment to the 	District should also be “The Parish Council has no objection.”
	(3) There had been no comments from the public concerning Plan 199, submitted by Mr R Sheppard, 	to erect rear conservatory and decking and insert two new dormers at ‘Treetops”, Durnford Drove.
	(4) On the proposition by Cllr Mrs Murray, it was unanimously agreed that “The Parish Council has 	no objection.”
	(Cllr Lovell abstained from all the voting on plans, as usual, being a member of the District Council’s 	Planning Board).
	(5) District Planning decisions affecting this parish were noted:
	a. Agricultural Building adjacent The White House, refused.
	b. Two detached cottages off Old Malthouse Lane; approved.
	c. Garden shed at ‘Stigs’; approved.
	d. Ground floor extension and internal alterations at The Old Rectory; approved.
	e. Extensions and amalgamation at ‘Pinhoe’/’Ponsonby’; approved.
	f. Ragland Plan at Steppes; approved.
6.	Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Thursday March 8th were confirmed nem con and signed.
7.	Matters Arising from the Minutes:
	(1) Item 4(2). It was reported that the vehicles dumped at Acton had been removed.
	(2) Item 4(4). It was reported that nothing had as yet been done to the trees in Twoleas meadow 	which were threatening the north wall of the Closed Cemetery.
	(3) Item 7(1). Cllr Loudoun reported that the notices to dog-owners had still not arrived.
	(4) Item 7(3). It was reported that the work on the trees at the Council’s Cemetery had been 	completed by Cllr J Bradford and Cllr P J Bradford. These Councillors were sincerely thanked.
	(5) Item 7(6). It was reported that a better but slightly smaller example of the Union Flag was now 	flying over the Parish Council Office. Cllr Priddle was thanked for this.
	(6) Item 10. The Clerk reported that the new play equipment had been installed and the fence erected 	around it. A cheque for the Grant of £1,000.00 had been paid to the Langton Matravers Play Project.
	The invoice for £1,412.00, for the fencing had been received and paid by the Council, and a cheque 	for £23,828.00 had been received by the Council from the Play project. The invoice for the actual 	Play Equipment had not yet been received, however. Several Councillors who had inspected the 	extended play area expressed concern at the many sharp edges on the fencing, which, they thought, 	could easily damage youngsters. The Clerk was asked to alert Mrs Stone about this problem without 	delay.
	(7) Item 12(1). The height of the proposed new stone wall at the western boundary of Council’s 	Cemetery was agreed as 3 ft. 6 ins. Cllr Priddle said that he hoped no cut stone would be used in the 	work.
	(8) Item 14. The County Council Officer had so far not been in touch, but it was reported that recently 	several cars and vans had been parked on the grass verge near the top of Crack Lane.
	(9) Item 16. Cllr Mrs Kwantes reported that a lady had offered some paving stones to make the access 	to the plastic-bottle-bank more commodious in very wet weather. Councillors thought that a little 	gravel would be better, as, if anyone fell on the paves, the provider would be responsible.
8.	The Clerk’s Report for the period from 2.3.07 to 5.4.07 was received.
9.	Matters Arising from the Clerk’s Report:
	(1) Item 20. The Clerk reported that the 2-drawer A4 cabinet for stationery had proved to be exactly 	what was required.
	(2) Item 28. It was generally thought that to achieve unanimity on the filling in of the questionnaire of 	local housing needs would be difficult. It was agreed that this should be circulated again quickly, with 	blank sheets for each councillor to note his or her answers to those questions to which he or she 	wished to comment. The Clerk would then do his best to collate theses answers.
	(3) Item 32. It was agreed that no Grant should be made to the Tadworth Children’s Trust.
10.	Chairman’s Announcements: None.
11.	Financial Matters:
	(1) The following additions to Council funds were noted:
	     £125.00 from Mr & Mrs P Barnes for Cremation Burial Plot.
	     £170 from James Smith, Undertakers, for burial of the late Mrs Maisie Hardy.
	     £395.00 from James Smith, Undertakers, for path-side plot J7 and Burial of the late Mrs 				Jacqueline Humphrey.
	 (2) The following payments by cheque, already authorized, were noted:
	     £14.85 to M W J Lovell (ex Staples) for 5 reams of Copy Paper for Parish Office,
	     £50.00 to South Purbeck Task Group towards transport of local children to ’Streetwise’.
	     £46.99 to neat Ideas (£39.99 + VAT) for 2 drawer A4 cabinet for office stationery.
	(3) The following payments by Direct Debit were noted:
	     £73.57 to PDC as Rates for April 2007 on the Office/Toilets Block.
	(4) Authorization was given to pay the Annual Subscription of £207.81 to DAPTC.
	(5) Cllr Lovell reported that payment for the Council’s Website was due. It was unanimously agreed 	that as soon as it had been paid, the Councillor should be reimbursed.
12.	Cemetery Matters:
	(1) The Council’s Cemetery:
	Cllr Loudoun reminded Council that the Cemetery Caretaker had been maintaining the original Play 	Area in St. George’s School Field. Now that this would entail much more work, he thought that a 	separate Contract might be necessary. It was agreed that Mr Travers should be asked for his opinion 	on this, but that it should be placed on the Agenda of the May Council Meeting.
	(2) The Closed Cemeteries:
	Cllr Priddle reported that Mr W T Haysom had repaired the Frank Burt memorial most expertly. It 	was agreed that a letter of sincere thanks should be sent.
	Council agreed that thanks should be expressed to Cllrs Priddle, Loudoun and Turner for their work 	on these cemeteries.
13.	Additional Cemetery Regulations.
	The Clerk reminded Council that there were two controversial items:
	(1) The wording of the onus placed on the provider of a memorial for its safety.
	(2) The permitted height of a memorial.
	It was agreed to support Cllr Loudoun’s recommendation that on item (1) the wording should be 	“All 	standing stone monuments must be secured in accordance with the current recommendations of the 	Association of Burial 	Authorities.”  It was also agreed that the permitted height of a memorial should 	remain as “not exceeding 3 ft.” The additional Cemetery Regulations could now be implemented.
14.	The date of the Annual Parish Assembly, followed immediately by the Annual Parish Council 	Meeting were confirmed as Thursday May 10th in the Village Hall commencing at 7.0 p.m.

There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 8.25 p.m.

Signed………………………………...(Chairman)       Date…………………………….