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

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held in the Village Hall on Thursday 12th January 2012 at 7.00pm
Present: Cllr P White in the Chair, Cllrs C Drayson, P Loudoun, H Tizard, M Turner, M Kirby,
W Knight, J Bradford, M Lovell.

There were 4 members of the public present.

1.	Apologies: There were none.
2.	Declarations of interest.  Cllr Kirby declared a personal interest as his wife has an allotment. Cllrs Drayson, Tizard and Turner each declared a personal interest as allotment tenants.
3.	Reports. a) David Hodd and Jon Kershaw of the National Trust reported on the Trust’s work in the parish within the last month. Rangers have been working with Alternative Curriculum students from Bournemouth on Coastal Path clearance. There is a new gate at Acton ready for a new electric fence at the quarry field. Working with Ian V-A (see 3b), there are plans to survey and repair sections of the Priest’s Way, linked with a possible grant from DCC. Some EU funding has been obtained to repair steps at Guillemot Ledge, and more is being bid for for interpretation at Spyway barn. The Council will write a letter of support for the bid. ACTION: Clerk.
b) Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle, PC Footpath Liaison officer, informed members of a useful meeting with  Steve Kourik, DCC footpath officer. The working group will meet soon to look at ideas to improve footpaths within the parish, and apply for available DCC funding. Mr. V-A advised that there was funding available from DCC for a Lengthsman scheme for path clearance, whereby e.g. a local farmer might be contracted to do the work; however, the council did not take this up at the meeting. He made a proposal to alter the footpath access between New Barn and the corner of Crack lane along the A351 as the road is dangerous at that point. DCC would pay the costs of establishing the new path. Members expressed support for the proposal, particularly as it is one of the recommendations on the revised Parish Plan. Mr. Vaughan-Arbuckle was warmly thanked for his work on the Council’s behalf.                                   
4.	Public Discussion. 
a) Dr. C Spilling reminded the Council of a missing footpath sign at the end of Garfield Lane. ACTION: Clerk/Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle.
b) Mr.John Wootton drew members’ attention to the current appeal against Purbeck District Council’s refusal for replacement windows at 1 Serrell’s Mead, LM. He emphasised the innovative nature of the proposed replacements, asking the Council to affirm its support for energy-saving projects such as this.     
5.  Matters Arising from the Public Discussion. There were none. The Chairman thanked Jon 
         Kershaw and David Hodd for their contributions.                                                                                6.   Planning Matters. 
       2) To make comments concerning the following plans:-
       (a) 6/2011/0790    Application for :- Full Planning Permission, Minor Devt. National Trust. Site freestanding contained unit to provide welfare and toilet facilities for staff and volunteers. Castle View (Albi’s barn) Langton Matravers. Observation: The Parish Council is in favour of the plans on condition that the unit has appropriate natural screening to minimise the visual impact on the surrounding environment.
       (b) TWA/2011/0203. Fell Monterey Cypress, Lane End Cottage, Acton. BH19 3JY. Dr.J.Laycock. The Clerk informed the council that the application had already been approved by the Tree Officer at PDC, owing to the delay in the initial paperwork getting to Council members. Cllr Lovell suggested that Cllrs should be e-circulated with details as soon as the paper application comes through, for immediate comment.
    3) The Council received planning decisions by PDC since the last meeting: 
     a) 6/2011/0668,0669, Serrells Mead Cottages (2), Langton Matravers. Demolition and re-instatement of 2 chimneys. Approved.
     b) 6/2011/0640 High Street (23), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HA. Erect single storey side extension. Approved.
     c)6/2011/0681Durnford Drove, (Gara), Langton Matravers. Erect single storey rear extension Approved.
   4) Other planning matters: -
    a) Members discussed Mr.Wootton’s request re: Item 4b) above. It was proposed that a letter be sent from the Council strongly supporting the appeal against the refusal decision, on the grounds that it was important to encourage thermal insulation in buildings. All in favour.  RESOLVED: That the Clerk write to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol expressing Council’s support.
     b) Cllr Kirby noted that one of the trees in Old Malthouse Lane was dead and needed to be replaced. ACTION: Clerk to inform PDC Tree Officer.
     c) Worth Matravers PC had asked the Council if it would endorse an independent report by local expert Dr Andrew Langley on the visual impact of the proposed Navitus wind farm off Swanage Bay. After assurances that this would neither indicate the Council’s views on the development nor involve it in any expense, it was agreed that the Council would endorse the report. ACTION: Clerk to inform WMPC.
7.  Minutes of  Meeting held 8th December 2011. The Minutes, having been circulated previously, were agreed as a correct record and signed.
8.  Matters Arising from the Minutes.
a) Item 7.c. Putlake Orchard. Cllr White informed the meeting of the recent death of the owner, Mr Gordon Foot, and expressed condolences to his widow and the family on their sad loss. In the circumstances, the matter will be held in abeyance until a future meeting.
b) Item 12.a.Crack Lane Cemetery. The clerk reported that the groundsman had been unwell in November and had now brought the cemetery up to its normal tidy condition.  
c) Item 17. Annual Parish Meeting. Cllr Kirby suggested that there should be a topic as a focus for the meeting. Cllr Drayson advised members that the proposed date of 19th April clashed with another village event. Plans and date will be put on the agenda for the next meeting.
d) Item 20. Village Car Park. Cllr Lovell had been in touch with the Property Division at DCC      regarding proposed access to the PC’s car park site south of the school field. Cllr Knight advised that School parking was on the St.George’s Governors’ agenda for the next meeting.
9.  The Clerk’s Report for the period 2.12.2011 to 6.1.2012: Report received.
10.  Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report.
a) Item 27. Cllr Drayson had submitted an article for the DAPTC newsletter about the Parish allotments. Members thanked her for her efforts on the Council’s behalf.
b) Items 12,30,32,37. (Ian Mackenzie)The Windmill lane claims are in progress.
c) The clerk reported that part of a street lamp in the Hyde which belongs to the Council has been removed by SSE as it is dangerous. RESOLVED: That a replacement be ordered as long as the total cost is less than £400.00 ex. VAT.
11.  Chairman’s Announcements. There were none. 
12.  Financial Matters.
(1)   Note the following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting:
       £ 806.00 Allotment rents.
       £  270.00 Worth Parish Council (Grit bins).
(2)   Note the following Payments by cheque since last Meeting:
       £ 12.00     Langton Matravers Village Hall Committee for January Council 	chamber.
       £ 480.14 	  Clerk’s Salary – December, plus tax rebate.
       £121.30 	   Mr. O.Wiste - Grounds Maintenance, December. 
      £ 68.90	       Bluefin Allotment Insurance.
      £ 98.92       Southern Electric (Toilet Block)	 
 (3) 	Payments by Direct Debit:
      £ 36.00 to XLN Telecom for phone and broadband 
 (4) 	Other Financial Matters. 
a) Budget and Precept. After looking at the figures, members discussed raising the Precept for 2012-13. Cllr Kirby noted that cemetery income was decreasing each year and the Council will be responsible for increased running costs such as the Public Toilets and Broadband in the future. The Precept had remained at £ 11,000.00 for c.10 years, and members agreed that it would be wise to increase it in order to meet the new financial challenges. RESOLVED: That the Precept be increased by 20%, subject to agreement by PDC. (Note: This equals c.£ 4.20 per year on a Band D property)
b) Cllr Kirby asked that dog/litter bins agreed by Council 10.11.2011 be ordered. ACTION: Clerk 
13.  Cemetery Matters:
(1) Council’s Cemetery. 
a) Purchase of National Trust land at Crack Lane to extend the cemetery. The Council agreed that no searches were required. ACTION: Clerk to inform Craig Wells of Ellis Jones.
(2) Closed Cemetery. The Memorial Fund has received £ 60.00 to date, and the Clerk was asked to follow up the suggestion of Mr. Norman Priddle that previous donors be approached to see if they would like to support the appeal again. ACTION: Clerk.
The Clerk had instructed Mr.C.Lander to carry out the work on the Saunders memorial.
14.  Allotments.  Cllr Kirby reported that there were no vacant plots and no waiting list.
15.  Parish Plan – Neighbourhood Plan 
Following discussion about how the Parish Plan should be carried forward, Cllr Kirby encouraged members to address the recommendations made by parishioners and put forward by the Council’s Parish Plan Working Party in September 2011. These were considered point by point and with the exception of retaining the proposal for a car park, members were in agreement that they should be adopted .  Items were selected for consideration at the next meeting of the Council.
16. Toilet Contract.  The Clerk reported that PDC had been informed that LMPC could not proceed further with the proposed contract for future maintenance of the public toilets at Putlake until the matter of the water bill had been settled by the District Council. Richard Conway (PDC) is dealing with this.
17. DAPTC Councillor/Clerk training. The Clerk circulated a list of training opportunities and asked councillors to let her know what courses they would like to attend. She will be attending sessions on the Localism Bill.
18.   Lease on School Field : RESOLVED:That the revised lease on the play area received 17.10. 2011 be signed. Cllr Bradford asked that it be recorded that the village has used the school field continuously without any licence or lease between 1942 and 1984, when the first licence was introduced.
19.  Village Car Park: See 8d) above.
20.	 The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 7pm on Thursday 9th February 2012. The March monthly meeting will be at 7pm. on Thursday 12th January 2012.
21.	Additional items for the Agenda of the next Council meeting:  Village Car Park/Traffic management/ SEACS/ Annual Parish Meeting date and topic/Jubilee/Solar panels on Office.

Closed 8.55pm 

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