Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
 
Minutes of a Meeting of the Council, including the Annual Parish Meeting, held in the Village Hall on Thursday 14th May 2015 at 7 pm.
Present: Cllr W.Knight in the Chair, Cllrs P Loudoun, C Drayson, R Sheppard, M Turner, P White, M Lovell, P Christie.
There were 14 members of the public present. 
The Clerk announced that the meeting was being (audio) recorded. There were no objections from members of the public. The recording is incomplete.
Cllr White was in the Chair at the start of the meeting.
1. Apologies for absence. Cllr Lucas, Mr Vaughan-Arbuckle, RoWLO. 
2. Election of Chairman. Cllr White announced that he was standing down as Chairman. He thanked Cllrs for support in past years. Cllr Turner (Vice Chairman) took the Chair. RESOLVED: That Cllr Knight be elected Chairman. Cllr Knight took the Chair and thanked Cllr White for his dedicated service to the community.
3. Election of Vice-Chairman.  RESOLVED: That Cllr Christie be elected Vice-Chairman.
4. Declarations of Interest / Grant of Dispensations. None. No Cllrs declared changes to their Register of Interests forms.
5. Appoint or confirm Council Officers, Representatives and Part-time employee. After discussion, it was RESOLVED: To accept the list as follows:
Rights of Way Liaison Officer – Ian Vaughan-Arbuckle
Tree and Hedgerow Officer – Cllr Loudoun
Emergency Liaison Officer – Cllr Christie
Representative on St George’s School Governing body – Mrs Valerie Winch.
Representative on Village Hall Management Cttee – Cllr Knight
Representatives on Purbeck Association of Parish and Town Councils – Cllrs Drayson and Christie.
Contact for PACT – Cllr Sheppard
Allotment Liaison Officers – Cllrs Sheppard and Christie
Representatives on Timson Trust – Cllrs Loudoun, Turner and White.
Youth Liaison Officer – Cllr Lucas.
Dancing Ledge Representative – Cllr Sheppard
Transport Liaison Officer – Cllr Christie
Internal Auditor – Mr John Kennedy
Clerk, Responsible Financial Officer and Clerk to the Burial Board - Dr Mary Sparks
The Chair will attend PDC Chair’s networking meetings on the Council’s behalf.
6. Annual Review of Standing Orders, Risk Register and policies. RESOLVED: To accept Standing Orders with revision to add new Clause B8. To accept the Risk Register and Dubber policy without change. To accept Complaints procedure with revision of Clause 3 (Council Actions) to read: ‘The complaint shall be read out in full by the Chairman at the next full Council meeting’. The Clerk will re-draft the Dubber/media policy when the new website is in place. ACTION: Clerk.
7. Receive annual St George’s School report. Report received. There were no questions on the report.
8. National Trust Report. Jon Kershaw first reported on footpath matters. The DCC Countryside team is again being restructured, with less funding and people available for footpath work. The new path to Dancing Ledge has been mapped. There are more minor repairs necessary on the Priests’ Way: Tara Hansford (DCC) is dealing with these. The two new bridges are now in place at the bottom of Durnford Drove, ready for the permissive path to go in N of the lane up to the Spyway car park. 
Mr Kershaw then explained about the NT’s licensing system for activity groups along the coast. The official launch was held on 12th May, and as from 1st June, groups will have to use a booking system. He produced maps showing the areas where climbing and coasteering may and may not take place, including seabird protection areas. The NT have put in a bid for funding to research the effect on seabirds of coastal access. The project would evaluate the effects of disturbance and seek to educate the public in environmental awareness. He explained the booking system, for Dancing Ledge: this will be reviewed annually. Spot checks will be made by a team headed by Colin Daborn to ensure that groups are respecting the terms of the license. He asked if the Council had any comments to add to the Trust’s press release on the new system, which will be going out shortly. It was decided not to comment. The Chair thanked Mr Kershaw for his report.
Cllr Drayson asked about car parks signs, and Mr Kershaw said that the NT are intending to put one at the end of Durnford Drove which makes clear that the car park is not suitable for coaches, and another in the turning circle. He also explained that the purpose of the licensing system is to control numbers, and said that the reason for including the 4 sites is to ensure that groups don’t just move to an area not controlled by the system. Cllrs expressed concern that only Dancing ledge at present has a cap on numbers, and it was RESOLVED: That this Council is disappointed that there is no cap on numbers at East Man, Hedbury and Seacombe, and ask the National Trust to impose such a cap as soon as possible. Cllr Lovell asked if the NT were working with the World Heritage Site team: Mr Kershaw explained that seabird survey work has been done in alternate years in conjunction with the MoD, Durlston Country Park, DCC and the Lulworth estate.
9. Public Discussion Period. The meeting was adjourned for this agenda item.
a) Dr Chris Spilling advised that seabird restriction zones on the NT maps should be kept closed all year, not just in the breeding season. JK responded that these zones have been in place since 1975, and statistical research is needed to justify any changes. Dr Spilling also asked if the Council had been informed about the recent cycle ‘sportive’, involving c.2,000 cyclists going down through Langton.  
b) Mrs Jasmine Cattle also expressed concern about the recent cycle event, saying that the cyclists must be slowed down.
c) Mrs Maggie Sutton complained about the behavior of 2 minibus drivers who had challenged her when she explained that there was no vehicular access to Dancing Ledge from Acton: she is concerned that this situation will only get worse.
d) Mr Richard Simpson noted the increase in human excrement and paper in the verges and hedges, particularly in the area around Spyway car park. 
Jon Kershaw (NT) said that the NT is working with the RoW team on ‘No vehicular access’ signs at Gully, Acton and as necessary near the Priests’ Way. They are planning to re-open the composting toilet at Spyway, and looking at provision of further facilities there. 
The meeting was reconvened.
10. Matters Arising from the Public Discussion. 
 Cycling events. After discussion of the issues and concerns, including that the village had not been informed and cyclists were not following the Highway Code in many cases, it was RESOLVED: To send a strong letter to Cycling UK, complaining about these matters. Copies to be sent to Richard Drax, MP, DCC’s Environment Director, PDC Chief Exec., the Police and Sustrans. ACTION: Clerk.
11.  Planning Matters. 
1) There were no comments from members of the public concerning the plans (2 a-b).
2) To make comments concerning the following plans:- 
a) 6/2015/0255 Mr and Mrs I Saunders, Arundel Terrace (Land adj. to 8), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HN. Erect detached single storey dwelling. No Objection
b) 6/2015/0218 Mr Peter Curtis, Serrells Mead Cottages (1), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HU. Repointing to external areas, repairs to chimney - Internal alterations and floor strengthening, internal structural repairs to fire place, plastering and ceiling replacement. No Objection
For information: TEL/2015/0011 Harlequin Group. Opp Burngate Stone Centre, Kingston Road, Worth Matravers, BH19 3BE. Openreach Broadband Cabinet - PCP003.
3). Receive planning decisions affecting this parish since the last Parish Council Meeting: 
  a) 6/2015/0138 Mrs Bibra, High Street (66 - Flagstones), Langton Matravers, BH19 3HB. Changes to PP 6/2013/0413 Erect       replacement artists studio and remodelling of existing outbuildings (to retain the building as constructed with steel coated raised seam sheet roofing, remove sculpture studio from development scheme and retain west boundary wall at existing height).  Approved.

b) 6/2015/0110 Dorset County Council, Knitson Lane (Knaveswell Farm), Corfe Castle, BH20 5JB. Repair and replacement of windows and doors. Approved. 
  4). Other planning matters. Pre-Planning meetings. Following concerns expressed by Cllr Drayson about the lack of pre-planning consultation with Parish Councils by PDC, it was RESOLVED: That in future, if there is a consultation on significant development which affects our village, PDC officers should advise the Parish Council 
12. Minutes of the Meeting held 9th April 2015.These were agreed to be a correct record and signed.
13. Matters Arising from the Minutes.
a) Item 9b). Update on SID pole and School Lights. The pole is still not fitted. DCC’s Clare Marshall is awaiting work by SSE Contracting to move the W school flashing lights. Concern was expressed about the non-remote method which has to be used to switch them on, and it was agreed that this is a responsibility for the school to sort out. ACTION: Clerk to feed back to school.
b) Item 15). Redesign of website. The Clerk had been in touch with Mrs Arnold and Mr Kirby. She will follow up advice and contacts suggested, and bring to the next meeting. ACTION: Clerk. It was agreed to pay for website hosting for the next 2 years while work is done to develop the new website. ACTION: Cllr Lovell, Clerk.
c) Item 8c). Ownership of St George’s School Field. Following a question from Cllr Christie, the Clerk explained that DCC are the people who have to ask the Secretary of State for permission to dispose of the field, and they have no intention of doing so. 
d) Item 13). Parish Assembly. Cllr Drayson thanked all Cllrs for their support and donations of refreshments, and Cllr Lovell proposed a vote of thanks to her and the Clerk for their work in arranging this popular local event. 
14. The Clerk’s Report for the period 2.4.2015 – 8.5.2015.  Report received.
10.  Matters arising from the Clerk’s Report. 
a) PC Notice Cases at Acton/Langton. These are in need of refurbishment or replacement. It was agreed to get quotations for both. ACTION: Cllr White, Clerk. 
b) PDC Planning Training. It was agreed to pay £50 for the Council for the year. The Clerk will attend Neighbourhood planning training in July.
c) DAPTC training. The Clerk recommended new Cllr training at Wareham on 16th June. Cllr Christie to attend. Cllr Knight to attend new Chairman Training.
d) ‘Adopt a Footpath’ scheme. It was agreed to promote this in the Dubber report.
e) Item 29. SSE Contracting – Unmetered electricity costs for footway lighting at Langton and Acton. With the new lights, these will reduce from £511 p.a. to £236 for the next year. The Chair expressed the Council’s appreciation of the Clerk’s work in the matter.
f) Item 42. Concealed Entrance signs. DCC had advised that these are a private matter. The new yellow lines should improve the situation for Mr and Mrs Duncan.  ACTION: Clerk to update the Duncans.
16.  Chairman’s Announcements. The Chair paid tribute to the work in the community of Mr Maurice Suttle, previous Chairman of the Council, who passed away recently. The meeting kept a period of silence in his memory. 
17.  County and District Councillor’s Report. Cllr Lovell has asked to see DCC’s draft 20mph speed limit policy for rural areas as soon as it is complete.
18. Proposals from Parish Assembly, 22nd April. 
a) Village car park. Deferred to next agenda. ACTION: Clerk. 
b) Notes to holiday homes re: rubbish and parking. As most owners already advise tenants about this, it was agreed not to take the matter further.
c) Yellow Lines. RESOLVED: To ask DCC for new yellow lines between the Hyde and Putlake. Cllr Lovell advised that the painting team have been instructed to refresh the old lines.
19. Allotments. Cllr Christie thanked Dr Spilling for his help in covering the much of the recently-strimmed and tidied vacant plot area with the available black plastic sheeting. RESOLVED: To buy sufficient further plastic sheeting to cover the rest. Cllr Turner suggested that further work be done on the vacant plots to get them back into easily-cultivatable condition. ACTION: Clerk to put on next agenda and ask groundsman for rotovating costs
20. Financial Matters:
(1) 	Note the following additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting: 
       £ 934.09   PDC CIL payment.
              £ 7,910.00 1st Half-year Precept and £ 435.00 Council Tax support grant.
(2) 	Note the following Payments by cheque or cash to be made since last Meeting:
       £ 195.00   Ian Bugler, Grounds Maintenance (April) + work at allotments.
£ 570.83   Clerk’s salary (April). 
£ 483.29   Elliott’s Cleaning Co. Public Toilets + Bus shelter + toilet rolls. (April).
£ 108.00   Drainability – work at Public Conveniences.
£ 511.81   Southern Electric – unmetered supply to footway lights.
£ 336.00   Purbeck Hedging and Fencing – 4 x allotment gateposts.
£ 10.78     Website domain name – cheque to Cllr Lovell.
£ 200.00   John Kennedy - Internal audit fee. 
£ 43.72     Ms B. Mayes – Long litter picker.
£6,867.61 SSE Enterprise. Supply and fit new footway lights at Langton and Acton.
£ 50.00     Broxap  - VAT part of payment for repairs at Play Area.
£ 42.68     Parish Assembly Refreshments – CASH payment to Cllr Drayson.
(3) Payment by Direct Debit:
£ 43.28 to XLN Telecom for phone and broadband.
4. Approve Accounts and Financial Governance Statement. a) RESOLVED: i)To approve the LMPC Accounts 2014-15; ii) To agree the Financial Governance Statement; iii) To approve the reviewed Finance Regulations; iv) To approve the updated Assets Register. 
b) CIL payment. It was agreed to defer this to the next agenda. ACTION: Clerk.  
21. Cemetery Matters: (1) Council’s cemetery: None. (2) Closed cemeteries. None.
22. The date of the next full Council meeting was confirmed as Thursday 11th June, 2015 at 7pm.
24. Additional items for the Agenda of the next Council meeting: New website and policy. Reviewing Community Assets Register. Stiles and Gates. CIL funding. Rotovating allotments. Village Car Park.

Closed  9.00 pm.

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