Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
Minutes of a meeting of Council held in the Village Hall on Wednesday, 12th May at 7.00pm
Present Cllr P White, in the Chair, Cllr M Turner (Vice-Chair), and Cllrs, Ms C Drayson, J Bradford, M Kirby, W Knight, P Loudoun, M Lovell and H Tizard. 

1.	Apologies for absence. There were none. 
2.	Elect a Chairman of Council. On the proposition of Cllr M Turner, Cllr P White was unanimously 	elected as Chairman.
	 Cllr White said that he wished to thank Cllr Priddle who he felt had been a great Chairman for the 	Parish and had achieved an enormous amount. Cllr M Lovell said he wished to formally thank Cllr 	Priddle on behalf of the village and the Parish Council for all the work he had done over the years. 	This was unanimously supported and Cllr Priddle left the Chamber to a round of applause from the 	councillors and public.
3.	Elect a Vice-Chairman. On the proposition of Cllr White, Cllr Turner was unanimously elected as 	Vice-Chairman.
4.	Co-opt a councillor. Mr. J Bradford was unanimously selected for co-option. Cllr Drayson said that 	she thought this was the best option for continuity.
5.	Declarations of interest: Cllrs Drayson, Tizard and Turner all declared an interest as allotment 	holders. Cllr Kirby declared an interest as his wife has an allotment.
6.	Matters arising from the Public Discussion at the Annual Parish Assembly.
	Evan Read and Dan Deamer had requested help from the Council to get a set of goalposts erected in 	the playing fields so that local children had somewhere to play football. They had pointed out that the 	school goalposts were too small as they were intended for young children and were taken down 	during the summer holidays. The Council fully supported their request and the Clerk was instructed 	to find out prices for portable goalposts. Cllr Knight agreed to raise the issue with St George’s 	school.
7.	Planning Matters:
	(1) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 0236, submitted by  Mrs. J Barrell: erect single storey extension at 3 Alma Cottages, Acton.
	(2) Determine Council’s comments on Plan 0236.
	On the proposition of Cllr M Turner 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).
(3) Planning Decisions that affected the parish this month.
	(a) Plan 0126, submitted by Mr. N Streams: Insert 6 new rooflights to facilitate loft conversion. Mr. Streams has agreed that the 3 rooflights on the south side shall be fixed closed and of obscure glass. Approved.
	(b) Plan 0131, submitted by Mr R Turner: Variation of condition 4 of PP 0402, to remove 1 metre section of boundary wall to enlarge vehicular access at Durnford Drove (Plot adj. 1), Langton Matravers. Approved.
	(c) Plan 0143, submitted by Mr J Cooper: Erect two storey side extension and single storey rear extension ( Extend time limit to implement existing approval 0183). “Hedbury House” Blacklands, Acton. Approved.
 	(4) Any other Planning Matters: There were none. 
8.	Appoint other Officers or Council’s Representatives on other bodies: 
	(1) Parish Rights Of Way Liaison Officer, Clerk.
	(2) Parish Tree and Hedgerow Officer, Cllr Drayson.
	(3) Parish Emergency Liaison Officer, Cllr Kirby.
 	(4) Council’s Representative on the First School Governing Body, Mrs. V Winch.
	(5) Council’s Representative on the Village Hall Management Committee, Cllr H Knight.
	(6) Two Representatives on the Purbeck Association of Parish and Town Councils, Cllr Drayson.
	(7) Council’s contact for PACT, Cllr Kirby.
	(8) Parish Youth Liaison Officer, Cllr Tizard.
	(9) Any other Officers or Representatives.
	Allotment liaison officers, Cllrs White & Kirby.
	Timson Trust, Cllrs Bradford, Lovell, Turner & White.
9.	Appoint or confirm appointment of part-time employees and contractors:
	(1) Responsible Finance Officer (if not the Clerk), Clerk.
	(2) Caretaker of the Council’s Cemetery, P Newell.
	(3) Internal Auditor, N Donald.
10.	Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 8th April 2010 were confirmed and signed.
11.	Matters arising from the Minutes:
	(a)  Item 7 (a); The paths at the Council’s Cemetery. The Clerk reported that the work had been completed and was paid for.it was agreed that the contractor’s, Minster Macadams, seemed to have done a good job.
	(b) Item 9 (b): The parcel of land at the cemetery. The Clerk reported that he had written to Amy Jeenes of the NT to confirm that the Council agreed to the NT’s Heads of Terms.
	(c) Item 17; The bin in the Play Area. The Council declined PDC’s offer to contribute towards a novelty bin, which would cost between £400 - £600 and agreed that the Council would try and re-site the one that had been removed a few years ago. Cllr Knight agreed to speak to the school about siting it in the playing fields by the wall at the entrance gate.
	(d) Item 18. The date of the Council Meeting. Cllr Kirby felt that councillors should have been consulted before the day of the Meeting was changed.  Cllr Lovell asked whether the Meetings could be held on a Wednesday in future to avoid clashes with PDC Meetings. It was agreed to discuss this at the next Meeting.
12.	The Clerk’s Report for the period 1.04.10 – 5.05.10. was received.
13.	Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report:
(a)  Item 8: The Clerk reported that the quote for Council’s insurance had been received. Despite having made no claims it had increased by £120.00 and was now £160.00 more than in 2008. It was agreed the Clerk should seek another quote and it was unanimously agreed that due to the constraints of time the Chairman should be delegated to accept the lowest quote on a like for like basis.
(b) Item 21; Topsoil for the cemetery. The Clerk reported that it had finally been delivered, but had been dumped at the bottom of the cemetery rather than halfway up as requested. The cemetery caretaker had asked whether Cllr Loudoun would be able to move it when he had the time.
(c) Item 17: Bus shelters for Steppes and Capston Field. The Clerk was instructed to contact Queensbury and Garrick to ask them if they would do a site survey.
(d) Item 29: Community self help. The Clerk reported that DCC had asked if parish councils had any formal arrangements for such things as spreading grit in winter etc. The Council has no formal arrangements, but the work is done by the community as and when needed.
(e) Item 45: Signatories for the Council’s bank account. Cllr Lovell had agreed to deal with this.
(f) Item 54: A donation to Open Spaces Society. On the proposition of Cllr Bradford it was unanimously agreed that the Council should make a £25.00 donation and ask how the Society were coming along with the claim to make Windmill Lane a restricted byway.
14.	Chairman’s announcements;
	There were none.
15.	Financial Matters:
	(1) The following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting were noted:
	 £5,500.00 received from Purbeck District Council for first half of precept.
	 £118.97 received from the LMAA for rabbit proof fencing.
	 £160.00 received from James Smith Funeral Directors for a memorial to the late Donald Porter.
	 £160.00 received from Alan Davis, stonemason, for a memorial to the late Mrs. Queenie Smith.
	 £170.00 received from James Smith Funeral Directors for the interment of the late Mrs. Pam Kwantes.
	 (2) Note the following Payments by Cheque, already authorized, since the last Meeting:
	 £115.00 to P Newell for one cut of the grass at cemetery & Play Area.
	 £481.90 to J Bellucci for Clerk’s salary for March.
	 £1.58 to HMRC for NICS.
	 £169.04 to Southern Electric for supply to office/toilet block.
	 £10.00 to the Langton Matravers Village Hall Committee for March Council chamber.
	 £450.00 to Neil Read for 10 metres of dry stone walling at the Council’s cemetery.
	 £6638.75 to Minster Macadams for relaying the paths at the Council’s cemetery.
	 £983.25 to Brian Glassock Builder removing and supplying and replacing fencing at 	 the 	drainage gully by the toilets and for erecting shelving in the office.
	 £115.00 to P Newell for one cut of the grass at the cemetery and Play Area.
	 £544.00 to Southern Electric for supply to footway lights.
	 (3) The following payments by Direct Debit were noted:
  	 £65.00 to PDC for Business Rates.
 £34.25 to XLN Telecom for phone and broadband.
 (4) Appoint or confirm Signatories of Council Cheques. It was agreed that Cllrs Drayson & White 	should be added to the list of signatories and that Mr. Priddle and the late Mrs. P Kwantes should be 	removed.
(5) Any other Financial Business. There was none.
16.	Cemetery matters:
	(1) Council cemetery. 
	(a) A temporary monument to Baby Iestyn Thomas. It was agreed that a temporary monument should 	be allowed as long as it did not exceed the normal conditions for memorials. There would be no fee.
(2) Closed cemeteries: 
Nothing to report.
17.	Allotments. 
	(a) The Clerk reported that the mower and strimmer had both been broken. Cllr Kirby reported that 	under the condition of the Comma grant the Council were required to retain ownership of the 	equipment, but were not obliged to maintain or repair it. It was agreed to pay for the repairs on this 	occasion, but not to do so in future.
	(b) The Clerk was instructed to place a notice in The Dubber to say that as there are now only 2 	people waiting for an allotment the Council invited further applications to go on the waiting list.
	(c) The Clerk reported that Richard Simpson planned to lay slabs at the entrance to the shed to make 	it easier for people to move the mower in and out.
18.	Affordable housing update. 
	Nothing to report.
19.	The new planning delegation. 
	The Clerk reported that under the new arrangements the Council might in future only have 2 weeks in which to reply to some new planning applications. It was agreed that a notice of all applications should be put in the 3 Council notice cases as soon as possible. The Clerk will inform all councilors by email and any plans that can be dealt with at the monthly Meeting will be discussed in the normal way. In the case of plans that require a response before the next Meeting of the Council there will only be a special Meeting called if there are objections from either the public or councillors. The Meetings will be held during the day in the Parish Office and will be open to the public. If there are no objections the Clerk will inform PDC that the Council has no objection. It was also agreed that a note should be put in The Dubber requesting that parishioners inform the Parish Council as well as PDC if they object to any plans.
20.	Cemetery caretaker’s fee. The caretaker had asked for an increase in his fee from £115.00 per visit to £120.00, because of the rise in fuel prices. It was agreed to pay the increase, but to end the current contract on March 31st 2011 and put it out to tender again.  
21.	Standing Orders. The Clerk was instructed to download a copy of part 2 of the model Standing 	Orders 	from the DAPTC website and to buy a copy of part 1.
22.	BT phone box at Acton. Deferred.
23.	The condition of the dry stone walls bordering the High Street. Deferred. 
24.	The date of the next Council Meeting was confirmed as Thursday the 10th June 2010.
19.	Items for the next Agenda;
	BT phone box at Acton.
	The condition of the dry stone walls that border the High Street.
	The day of the monthly Meeting.
	The condition of the Council’s land, which adjoins the allotments.
20.	There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 10.00pm.

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