Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held in the Village Hall on Thursday 10th April 2014 at 7 pm.
Present: Cllr P White in the Chair, Cllrs M Turner, P Loudoun, W Knight, C Drayson, M Kirby, M Lovell.  
There were 3 members of the public present.
1.	Apologies for absence.  Cllr Tizard, Cllr Bradford. 
2.	Declarations of interest / Grant of Dispensations.  Cllr Turner (Item 15, Housing).
3.	RoWLO Report. Mr Vaughan-Arbuckle reported that, having written to the CEO, he had been successful in getting DCC to apologise and to pay contractors outstanding sums owing for their work on the Priest’s Way Project. The extra work is now almost all complete, and the PW website has gone live: users can download copies of the brochure for walkers. www.priestsway.co.uk . Mr V-A has been contacted by Mr Peter Cooper, who wrote a song about the Priest’s Way in 2003. The Chairman thanked him for his report. 
4. National Trust Report. Jon Kershaw reported that St George’s School had been on tractor and trailer rides to explore the dinosaur footprints at Keates’ quarry. Farmers have finished scrub clearance for the season and there has been more work on quarry restoration. Toby Hoad has been working with the Trust to clear timber at Langton West Wood. Further to his attendance at the LMPC housing meeting on 7th April, he had spoken to the Land Agent about possible sites discussed for Local Needs Housing belonging to the NT, and will report back when he knows more. He noted that SEB have applied to straighten the cable line from Abbascombe to Acton.
5. Public Discussion Period. There were no comments from members of the public.
6. Matters Arising from the Public Discussion. None.
7.  Planning Matters. 1. No Comments from members of the public.
2) a) 6/2014/0138 P.A.and P.M.Earley, Durnford Drove (Spyway Farm), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HG. Erect agricultural building over existing cattle handling area. No Objection.
b) TWA/2014/0060 Mr. David Duncan, High Street (85 - West Drove), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HA. T1) Horse chestnut - fell - Langton Matravers Conservation Area. The Council voted to leave the decision to the Tree Officer.
3) Planning decisions since the last Parish Council Meeting: a) TWA/2014/0041Miss Charlotte Ryce, High Street (Leas Wood House), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HB. (T1) Beech - fell to ground level & treat stump, (T2) Pine - fell to ground level & treat stump - Langton Matravers Conservation Area. Refused. TPO put on trees.
4) Other planning matters: None.
8. Minutes of the Meeting held 13th  March 2014. The Minutes were agreed as a correct record and signed.
9. Matters Arising from the Minutes.
a) Item 9a. New road markings outside school. Cllr Knight confirmed that the new eastern school entrance will be in use after the Easter holiday. ACTION: Clerk to inform DCC Traffic Engineering. 
b) Item 9b. Old Bakery Drain. No action by DCC had been noted. ACTION: Clerk to ask DCC Highways.
c) Item 18. The new picnic bench, presented by Mr Ray Beck, is in place outside the Parish Office, and is already well used. Cllrs expressed their thanks.
10.  The Clerk’s Report for the period  8.3.2014 - 4.4.2014.  Report received.
12.  Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report. 
a) Item 24. Mrs J. Cattle had written to ask that the NT gate at the South end of Garfield lane be re-hung, as it was hard to open and shut. ACTION: Jon Kershaw agreed to deal with the matter.
 b) Item 30. Report on Spring Litter Pick. Mrs Mayes was warmly commended by Cllrs for her hard work, and for encouraging others to care for the local area. ACTION: Clerk to pass on Council’s thanks. c) Item 33. Proposed Community Right to Bid article –permission to feature LMPC toilets. After discussion, it was agreed to allow permission.
d) Items 10, 16. Cllr Drayson noted that the recent ‘Chalk and Cheese’ and Dorset Community Action meetings had both been very useful. Both groups were supportive and forward-thinking. Purbeck would like more links with West Dorset.
12.  Chairman’s Announcements.  Cllr White informed the meeting that the EU are doing a five-year Europe-wide project on soil eco-diversity, with Purbeck one of the featured areas. He will put the researcher in touch with local farmers and the National Trust. 
13.  County and District Councillor’s Report.  Cllr Lovell had spoken to other local residents about proposed parking on St George’s School Field, and as there was no consensus, he suggests that the effects of the new traffic markings are monitored before taking any further action. DCC have been given £6 million to mend potholes, which has to be used immediately: other works may therefore be held up. 14. Harman’s Cross and Speed Limit Sign. Worth Matravers PC had asked LMPC if they would be happy that a the new ‘gateway’ sign for Harman’s Cross, to include a 30mph speed limit sign, be put on the A351 by Pondarosa Farm, in Langton Matravers parish. After discussion, it was RESOLVED: Though the Council supports WMPC’s attempts to reduce speeds on the A351 from Pondarosa Farm through Harman’s Cross eastwards, they object to the proposal to move the ‘gateway’ sign from the parish boundary to this position. ACTION: Clerk to inform WMPC. 
15. Housing Needs Survey: Allocation Policy and Meeting 7.4.2014. Cllr Kirby reported that 13 people had attended a very useful meeting on 7th April to explore ways to meet Langton’s housing need, with representatives from PDC housing, Aster Homes (Housing Association), Worth Community Property Trust, local landowners (the National Trust and Mr Robbie Turner), and several Councillors. Different models for ensuring Langton allocation had been discussed, and the meeting had looked at possible Exception Sites adjoining the settlement boundary. Mr Turner and his agent, Mr Mike Holding, had brought an outline plan for the meeting’s comment; this will go to pre-planning on 1st May. Cllr Drayson, who had attended this meeting, said that she felt that it was good to have real dialogue with developers: Cllrs hoped that this will continue. After discussion of Mr Turner’s proposals for Spyway orchard, it was RESOLVED: The Parish Council supports the consideration of Spyway Orchard as a Rural Exception Site for a mixed Housing Development of Socially Rented and Open Market housing with Community Workshop facilities. This support is based on the discussions of the Preliminary Site Layout (Dated: March 2014), as presented at the Parish Housing meeting on 7th April, where the proposed provision of Socially Rented housing reflects the local need as identified by the recent Housing Needs Survey which is predominantly for smaller homes of one/two bedrooms. Cllrs stressed the importance of keeping other possible sites under consideration too, to ensure the best outcome, and Cllr Knight suggested that the Council act as ‘facilitator’ to keep parishioners actively informed and involved throughout the process.
16. Plans for Parish Assembly. Invitations have gone out and the usual plans are being made. RESOLVED: To allow up to £100.00 budget for refreshments for the Parish Assembly. 
17. Parish Council Elections. The Clerk has copies of the application forms for Cllrs in the office, to be filled in by interested parties by 24th April. 
18. Financial Matters.
(1) 	Note the following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting:
       £ 10.00    Monument fee – the late Irene Elford, Plot E 10.
       £ 50.00    Monument fee – the late Eva Ricketts, Plot Zb) CR.
       £ 10.00    Monument fee – the late Sybil J.Jenkins, Plot R6.
       £ 445.00  Burial plot and Interment fee, the late Harry Tatchell, Plot E1.
       £ 58.50    Allotment rent and water charges (half as cash payment).
(2) 	Note the following Payments by cheque or cash to be made since last Meeting:
       £ 270.00   Ian Bugler, Grounds Maintenance (March).
£ 513.51   Clerk’s salary (March). 
£ 132.75   Elliott’s Cleaning Co. Public Toilet. (March).
£ 43.92     Public Notice in ‘Advertiser’ for footway light tenders. (Cheque to Clerk).
£ 342.00   National Trust. Allotment site rent 2014-15.
£ 78.29     Wessex Water –supply to Public Conveniences 06/09/13 to 11/03/14.
£ 14.40     Wessex Water –supply to allotments 07/09.2013 to 11.03.14.
£ 60.00     Introduction to Excel 2010 Training (Clerk) – DCC.
 (3) Payment by Direct Debit:
£ 36.71 to XLN Telecom for phone and broadband.
4) Any other Financial Matters.  a) Quotation for work on Footway Lights. Despite advertising, the Clerk had received no tenders for the work, but is awaiting one for supply and fit (not disconnection, which can only be done by SSE Contracting). RESOLVED: To allow Chairman and Clerk to decide how to award the contract up to a total spend of £7,293.01.
b) Village Hall fee for Minerals meeting 22nd Jan. 2014. RESOLVED:As LMPC had asked DCC to hold the extra evening meeting, to pay the fee. ACTION: Clerk to send cheque to LMVH. 
19. Cemetery Matters. (1) Council’s Cemetery. The Clerk reported that Mr Bugler had moved the fence in the top section on the North side, as requested by Cllrs. Cllr White noted that the gravedigger was leaving spoil from graves in heaps in the ‘new’ part of the cemetery, rather than spreading it evenly. Cllr Loudoun suggested that preparation of the new part will take at least five years, and the Council should consider getting the land levelled in preparation for use. Cllrs agreed. ACTION: Cllr Loudoun to explore costs of levelling.
(2) Closed Cemetery. No points for discussion.
21. Allotments.  Two tenants still have not paid, but have promised to do so. Cllr Kirby will offer verbal reminders.  
22. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 8th May, 2014 at 7pm
23.Additional items for the Agenda of the next Council meeting: 

Closed 8.42pm.

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