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

1.	Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Mrs P. Kwantes and Mrs V. Murray and N Priddle. 
2.	Declarations of interest: Cllr Kirby declared an interest as his wife has an allotment.
3.	Public Discussion period:
 The Meeting was adjourned for discussion.
(a)	Ms C Drayson spoke on behalf of Purbeck Environmental Action Team (PEAT) in support of the proposed wind farm at East Stoke. She said that PEAT believed very strongly that alternative sources of energy would be needed in the near future and they fully supported wind farms in Purbeck. 
(b)	Mrs S Painter spoke as Chair of the Board of Governors for St George’s school. She asked that the Council give its support in rejecting DCC’s plan to reduce the number of pupil admissions from 20 to 15. If it was reduced to 15 this cause problems maintaining class levels , which would mean more mixed aged classes and could result in the future closure of the school.
(c)	Mrs Painter also introduced Val Lynch, who will be the Council’s representative on the Board of Governors.
(d)	Mr I Curtis thanked the Council for taking an interest in the problem of the frequent road accidents at Coombe Orchard.  He agreed that there were too many signs at the junction. 
The Meeting was reconvened.
4.	Matters arising from the Public Discussion: 
(a) The Clerk was instructed to write to DCC in support of the Board of Governors.
(b) The Clerk read out 4 letters, which he had received from Steve Howard of DCC Traffic Management. Mr Howard planned to create a new section of footway at the junction of Coombe hill and Valley Road to give pedestrians better visibility when crossing Valley Road. He also hoped to have the 30mph signs at the junction moved a few yards further up Coombe hill. He has already produced plans to erect kerbing alongside Coombe Orchard and, because it is a collision problem, ordered the work. Finally, he agreed in principal to remodelling the junction. However, all of these works would be dependent to some extent on budget considerations and so he could not give any definite commencement dates.
5.	Planning Matters:
(1) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0082, submitted by Purbeck Wind Farm LLP: Erection of 4 wind turbines (up to 125m high to the tip of a rotor blade in a vertical position). Provision of crane hardstandings, substation building, underground cabling, temporary construction compound, new site access tracks and permanent 89.5m high anemometer mast. Form new vehicular access. At Masters Pit (Land at), Puddletown Road, East Stoke.
 (2) Determine Council’s comments on Plan; 
On the proposition of Cllr J Bradford it was agreed that; 
“The Parish Council opposes this wind farm.”
	(3) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0085, submitted by Mrs Suttle: Erect first floor extension over existing double garage and convert into one bedroom annexe at Gully Coombe (Springdale), Langton Matravers.
 (4) Determine Council’s comments on Plan;
On the proposition of Cllr J Bradford it was 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).
(5) Planning Decisions that affected the parish this month.
	(a). Plan 0727, submitted by MR & Mrs Dyer: Erect agricultural buildings comprising of a straw storage barn and covered feed store. Approved. 
 	(6) Any other Planning Matters: There were none. 
6.	Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 11th February 2010 were confirmed and signed.
7.	Matters arising from the Minutes:
	(a)  Item 7 (a); Parish Council elections. The Clerk reported that if the General Election was called for May 6th the Parish Council election would be postponed until the 27th May. If this did happen then the Council should be aware that it might be liable for the cost of the separate election, which would be in the region of £1,500.
	(b) Item 9 (a): Windmill Lane. The Clerk reported that Mr I Mackenzie had contacted him to say that in his opinion the photos supplied by Cllr J Bradford of the signs removed from the railway crossing on Windmill Lane, which said “Beware of the trains.” were very useful and proved that the Lane was a public right of way. 
	(c) Item 9 (b): The land at the allotments. Cllr Lovell reported that John Hart of PDC was prepared to register the land with the Land Registry on the Council’s behalf. It was agreed that Cllr Lovell  should find out how much Mr Hart’s fee would be.
	(d) Item 12 (a): Cemetery paths. It was agreed that Minster Macadams should commence work on the 19th April.
	(e) Item 12 (b); The vehicle track at the north gate. The Clerk read out an email from Mr Laurie Clark of the NT agreeing to carry out repairs to the trackway. However Cllr Loudoun reported that he had filled in the ruts with crush and run that afternoon.
	(f) Item 12 (c); The new seat at the cemetery. On the proposition of Cllr Lovell it was agreed that the new seat should be positioned in front of the west wall.
8.	The Clerk’s Report for the period 4.02.10 – 4.03.10. was received.
9.	Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report:
(a)  Item 7: The Clerk read out an email from Mrs B Mayes, requesting that the Council contact BT to ask them to repaint the telephone box in the High Street. The Clerk was instructed to contact BT.
(b) Item 24; Purbeck school review consultation paper. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to DCC in support of a Secondary School in Swanage.
10.	Chairman’s announcements;
	There were none.
11.	Financial Matters:
	(1) The following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting were noted:
	£155.00 received for the rent on 5 allotments.
	 £500.00 received from Mrs J & Mr T Cattle for the purchase of burial plot A15.
	 £80.00 received from Mr W Wilson for a memorial to the late Mrs H Wilson.
	 £340.00 received from James Smith Funeral Directors for the interment of the late Mr 	Gordon Audley.
	 (2) Note the following Payments by Cheque, already authorized, since the last Meeting:
	£450.00 to Mr N Read for 10 metres of stone walling at the cemetery.
	£9.96 to J Bellucci, ex-Printcartridgedirect, for 3 ink cartridges.
	£2.95 to J Bellucci, ex Swanage Post Office, for one receipt duplicate book.
	£10.95 to J Bellucci, ex-Printcartridgedirect, for 3 ink cartridges.
	£133.27 to SEC for repair of footway light in East Drove.
	£10.00 to Langton Matravers Village Hall Committee for January council chamber.
	£481.90 to J. Bellucci, for Clerk’s salary for January.
	£1.58 to HMRC for employer and employee’s NICS for January.
	£35.00 to Fields in trust for annual subscription.
	£279.58 to J Bellucci, ex-Scats, for rabbit proof fencing for allotments.
	£37.29 to J Bellucci,ex-AVG, for 2 years renewal of AVG Anti-Virus.
	 (3) The following payments by Direct Debit were noted:
  £31.68 to XLN Telecom for phone and broadband.
(4) Any other Financial matters.
There were none.

12.	Cemetery matters:
	(1) Council cemetery. 
(a) Cremation remains in double depth graves. The Clerk reported that there had been an enquiry as 	to whether it was permissible to have cremated remains included as well as two interments. It was 	agreed that this was allowed.
(b)  The Clerk reported that Mr N Read, who is building the dry stone wall on the western 	boundary, was available for the next month and if a delivery of stone could be arranged he could 	finish the job. Mr Read also asked that future deliveries of stone be dumped up by the wall rather 	than at the bottom of the cemetery. Cllr Lovell agreed to speak to D & P Lovell Quarry.
 (2) Closed cemeteries: 
The Clerk was instructed to write to Bill Davidson of Environmental Services for PDC with regard to the overhanging ash tree.
13.	Allotments. 
	(a) It was agreed that the water should be turned back on on March 1st. 
14.	Affordable housing update. 
	Nothing to report.
15.	Parish Lengthsman. The Clerk reported that DCC’s idea was that two or three parishes would get together to employ a Parish Lengthsman to take over such work as cutting and spraying overgrowth and weeds, repairing signs, minor repairs to footways, etc. The matter was deferred for further investigation.
16.	Bus shelters at Steppes and Capston Field. It was agreed to defer the matter for a month to allow for site inspections.
17.	Fingerpost at Leeson House. The Clerk was instructed to write to Andy Ackerman to report that it 	was broken and to request that it be replaced with like for like.
18.	The date of the next Council Meeting was confirmed as Thursday the 8th April 2010.
19.	Items for the next Agenda;
	Bus shelters.
	Parish Lengthsman.
20.	There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 8:55pm.

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