Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
Minutes of a meeting of Council held in the Village Hall on Thursday, 11th June 2009 at 7.00pm
Present Cllr N Priddle, in the Chair, Cllr P White (Vice-Chairman), and Cllrs, J Bradford, P. Bradford, M Kirby, P Loudoun and M Lovell. 

1.	Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Mrs P. Kwantes and Mrs V Murray,
2.	Declarations of interest: there were none.
3.	Public Discussion period:
 The Meeting was adjourned for discussion.
Ms Sue  Spilling asked if the Parish Council would be interested in taking part in the DCC initiative to turn out the lights in rural villages at midnight and turn them on again at 6:30am. She said that studies had shown that crime actually dropped as did the speed of cars when the lights are switched off. She added that there was also the matter of light pollution, which was a problem for many people living on the High Street, and switching the lights off would save energy.
 The Chairman read out a letter from the Swanage Rural Safer Neighbourhood Team. They warned residents of the increased dangers of theft during the holiday season. A Street Corner Meeting was held on the 9th June at the Post Office, but due to low attendance future dates will be advertised in The Dubber and by a poster in the Post Office window. They are aware that inconsiderate parking is still an issue.
4.	Matters arising from the Public Discussion: 
	The Clerk was instructed to find out more about DCC’s street lighting initiative.
Cllr J Bradford raised the matter of a car parked with two wheels on the pavement in the High Street. He said it had been in the same spot for 10 days and had a “For Sale” notice in the window. The Chairman said he didn’t think the Council should get involved in issues like that. Cllr Loudoun said that he agreed with Cllr J Bradford that the car was parked in a dangerous spot and that he would be in favour of double yellow lines in some places on the High Street. He added that he did not think the village needed a car park, but in his opinion it needed a Traffic Management plan for the High Street, although to talk about it being from Capston Field to Coombe was too big a project for just the Council alone. Cllr Lovell disagreed and said that he felt the village did need a car park, because people were parking everywhere.  
5.	Planning Matters:
(1) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0301, submitted by HM Coastguard; Install one folded dipole on existing mast. 
(2) Determine Council’s comments on Plan 0301;
On the proposition of the Chairman it was unanimously agreed that; 
“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(3) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0257, submitted by Cothill Educational Trust; Demolition of two storey extension and erection of new entrance lobby and access corridors. Old Malthouse School, High St, Langton Matravers.
(4) Determine Council’s comments on Plan 0257;
On the proposition of the Chairman it was unanimously agreed that;
“The Parish Council has no objection.”
(In all the above voting Cllr M W J Lovell abstained as a member of the Purbeck District Council’s       Planning Board).
(4) Planning Decisions that affected the parish this month.
There were none.
 (5) Any other Planning Matters;
There were none.
6.	Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 14th May were confirmed and signed.
7.	Matters arising from the Minutes:
(a) Item 5 (a) Windmill Lane. the Clerk said that Mr I Mackenzie had reported that he had received 6 more statutory declarations and was hoping to obtain a 7th.
(b) Item 5 (b) The Clerk said he had contacted Mr RJ Walker at DCC about the ownership of the southern boundary dry stone wall at the playing fields and Mr Walker had said he would get back to him.
(c) Item 7 (1) Cllr M Kirby offered to be the Rights Of Way Officer and this was unanimously accepted.
(d) Item 10 (3) Acton access road. Cllr J Bradford said that Nigel Hamer of PDC had not yet been in touch. Cllr Lovell said that he had raised the matter with Andy Ackerman, Head of Highways at PDC.
(e) Item 10 (4) The Clerk said that Jason Hasaka had replied to the Council’s request for assistance in having the overhanging ash tree at the Old Rectory lopped. He said he was meeting the owners and would mention it to them, but there was otherwise little he could do. The Chairman said that the Council must accept that and would try again in autumn.
(f) Item 10 (5) The Chairman and Clerk signed the DCC lease for the Play Area and it was witnessed by Cllr P White.
(g) Item 10 (6) The verge at Crack Lane. Cllr Kirby said that this issue should be raised during the item about a car park. The Clerk said that all he wanted to do was report was that he had written to DCC about ownership of the land and they had said that they did not own the verge and had suggested he write to the Land Registry, which he had done and was awaiting a reply. Cllr Kirby then said that as the Clerk had opened up the subject of the car park he wanted to know from Cllr Lovell what Alan Davies of PDC had to say about a car park. Cllr Lovell said he was in favour of one at Putlake Farm with the addition of a museum.
(h) Item 12 (g) Cascade housing. The Clerk said he had written to them, but received no reply.
(i) Item 15 (1a) Dangerous memorials. The Clerk said that when he had time he would provide a list for Cllr J Bradford who would then make an inspection and give his opinion.
(j) Item 17.  Affordable  housing. Cllr Kirby complained that he had said that Mr Cronk had claimed to be in discussion with the Council and PDC regarding a play area for older children, but that the Minutes and the Clerk’s letter to Mr Sturgess had not specified that the play area was for older  children.
The Chairman said that Mr Cronk had said at the public meeting that the new development must start very soon, but there had been no action since. Cllr Lovell said that there had been no planning application as yet.
8.	The Clerk’s Report for the period 8.05.09 – 4.06.09 was received.
9.	Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report:
(a) Item 11. A letter from the Chair of Governors and the Headteacher of St George’s First School requesting the Council’s support for a road crossing between the school and the playing fields.
The Chairman said that he thought the Council must support the request and this was unanimously agreed.
(b) Item 45. A sign to the NT car park at the top of Durnford Drove. The Clerk said that a parishioner had asked for this matter to be raised as the residents of Durnford Drove had problems with visitors not knowing where the car park was and some of them parking in the turning circle. Cllr Loudoun said that despite that the car park was overused and that the NT should be made aware of the problems and the Clerk was instructed to write to Mr D Whyte to inform him.
(c) Item 41. A request from Bagitup for a meeting with the Council to discuss the provision of a recycling bin in aid of Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance. The Clerk said that there was already such a bin at Putlake Farm, next door to the Council’s mini recycling centre, and therefore no need for another. This was unanimously agreed and a meeting was declined.
(d) Item 49. B Glassock’s quote of £220.00 plus vat to supply and fit a letterbox and metal box for the office. This was unanimously accepted.
10.	Chairman’s announcements;
The Chairman read out the letter from the Swanage Safer Neighbourhood Team and the issues raised were referred to in the Public Discussion period and in Matters arising from the Public Discussion. 
11.	Financial Matters:
	(1) The following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting were noted:
£890.00 from James Smith Funeral Directors for the purchase of a burial plot and the interment of the late Albert Notley.
£200.00 from James Smith Funeral Directors for the purchase of a cremation plot and the interment of the late Diane Rietdyk. 
£80.00 from Mr David Rietdyk for the erection of a memorial to the late Mrs Diane Rietdyk.
£420.00 from James Smith Funeral Directors for the purchase of plot E18 and the interment of the late Mr Geoffrey Peart.
	(2) Note the following Payments by Cheque, already authorized, since last Meeting:
	 £25.00 to N Donald for end of year internal audit.
	£524.95 to M Kirby, ex- Garden Buildings Direct, for a shed for the allotments.
	£115.00 to P Newell for one visit to Play Area and cemetery.
	£265.55 to Lewis Quarries for the hire of a mini digger for the cemetery.
	£901.04 to Allianz Insurance Plc for the Council’s insurance.
	£71.29 to M Lovell, ex – UK-2 Ltd, for 1 year’s webspace rental.
	£100.00 donation to St George’s First School.
£429.57 to J Bellucci for Clerk’s salary for May.
£10.00 to Langton Matravers Village Hall Committee for May Council Chamber. 
(3) The following payments by Direct Debit were noted:
£5.22 to Nildram for broadband connection.
£76.00 to PDC for business rates.
£110.29 to XLN for set up fee and 2 months broadband and phone.
 (4) Section 1 of the Statement of Accounts for the District Auditor was approved and signed.
(5) Section 2 of the Statement of Accounts for the District Auditor was approved and signed.
(6) Section 4 of the Statement of Accounts for the District Auditor (Internal Auditor’s Report) was noted.
(6) Any other Financial Matters: 
Cllr Kirby said that he knew interest rates were very low, but he didn’t see why the Council hadn’t put the money in the Cemetery Endowment Fund into a deposit account. Cllr Lovell said he thought that they would get a better return if the money was put into bonds. The Chairman, Cllr Priddle, said that he wished there was some way the money could be ring fenced. Cllr Kirby said that he didn’t think it should be. The Chairman said that people had always been told that the Fund was for the future maintenance of the cemetery and that the Council should stand by that. It was unanimously agreed that councillors should look into what would be the best way to invest the money.
12.	Cemetery Matters:
	(1) Council cemetery.
The new wall at the cemetery. Cllr Lovell said that he was sure that the Council would lose the AONB grant money because the work would not be finished in time for receipts to be provided before the end of AONB’s budgetary year. Consequently, he asked that the Council consider having the wall built only at the west end of the existing cemetery rather than , as planned, extending it to include the new land the Council had acquired. If this was done it would cost £1300.00 in total. The Council had already committed £1000.00 and so if it would agree to a further £300.00 the wall could be finished. The Chairman said that he thought the wall looked good so far and suggested the Council should pay the extra £300.00. This was unanimously agreed. 
13.	Allotments. 
(a) Tenancy Agreement. The Draft Tenancy Agreement was discussed and finalised.
(1)  The Chairman had included a provision for a new tenant to pay half a year’s rent if they took over an allotment on or after the 1st of July. Cllr Kirby disagreed and said that the rent should be dependent on the condition of the allotment. After some discussion this was accepted, although it was not specified who would decide what condition an allotment was in nor how or on what basis they would then judge how much rent should be paid.
(2) The Clerk had removed the rule that all children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Cllr Kirby insisted that it be put back in. The Clerk said that he felt that the children of allotment holders should be encouraged to use their family’s allotment not discouraged. He added that you could not have such a rule without a definition of what constituted a child and asked Cllr Kirby to define a child, but the councillor declined to, however, he said that the Langton Matravers Allotments Assoc. wanted the rule and insisted that it be reinstated. This was unanimously agreed although there was no definition of what would constitute a child.
(3) The Clerk had inserted the rule that there should be no radios or music played. This was questioned by Cllr Kirby. The Clerk pointed out that it was a condition of the NT’s lease to the Council and therefore had to be included. This was unanimously agreed.
(4) The Chairman had suggested that allotment holders whose plots bordered the central pathway should be responsible for the upkeep of the path. Cllrs Kirby and Loudoun said that they felt that people would do this anyway and so it was agreed not to include this.
(5) The Chairman said that these conditions might need to be changed in the future and it was agreed that they should be subject to an annual review. 
(6) It was unanimously agreed that this should be the finalised version of the Tenancy Agreement and the Clerk was instructed to make the necessary alterations to the draft copy and prepare it for distribution to the allotment holders.
(7) The Allotments Assoc. had written to the Chairman to say that they wanted to have a sign at the entrances to the allotments regarding children and dogs and they wanted to have an opening ceremony. It was agreed to defer these matters until the next Meeting. The Clerk was instructed to find out about insurance for any opening ceremony.
(8) The Allotments Assoc. had also written to assure the Chairman that they had no intention of using the Council’s land beside the allotments as a children’s playground, as had been reported by a member of the public. The Chairman reiterated that there was no way it could be used for that, but the fencing was a problem and he would like to get a small contractor to replace the barbed wire with plain wire. Cllr Loudoun said that in a couple of months time he would be re-fencing the southern boundary of Coles Ground and he would see what the job involved.
(9) Cllr Kirby reported that the mower had been bought. He said that the Council could change the items in the ACRE COMMA grant as long as a reason was given. It was agreed that a strimmer  should be purchased and put into storage until  the issues of insurance and liability had been resolved.
(10) The Chairman said that he had received a letter from Mr D Stevens regarding the allotments and the Clerk was instructed to circulate it to councillors.
14.	Affordable housing; already dealt with.
15.	Street lighting: Already dealt with.
16.	 Dog litter signs. Councillors agreed that the matter should be deferred until the next Meeting and in the meantime they should consider suitable sites for the signs.
17.	A car park for the village. Cllr Lovell said that Mr M Sturgess of PDC was drawing up a plan. He added that he had asked for a suitable site for a car park and a museum, because they were two things still left undone in the Parish Plan. The Chairman pointed out that they were not linked together in the Parish Plan.
18.	A bench and a bigger litter bin for the playing fields. Cllr P Bradford said that the pupils at St George’s had suggested that these be placed outside the Play Area, near to the entrance into the playing fields. He said that the money to pay for them would come from the Play Project Fund. This was agreed in principal and Cllr P Bradford said he would inform the school.
19.	Cllr J Bradford raised the issue of blocked drains and gullies in the High Street and the Clerk was instructed to write to Mr N Hamer of DCC with a copy to Cllr Lovell
20.	 The date of the next Council Meeting was confirmed as Thursday the 9th July.
21.	Items for the next Agenda;
	Car parking in the village.
	The Cemetery Endowment Fund.
	Dog litter signs.
	The railings at the entrance to the playing fields.
	The Play Area.
22.	There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 9:45pm.

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