Parish Council of Langton Matravers
www.langtonmatravers-pc.org
Minutes of a meeting of Council held in the Village Hall on  Thursday 8th November 2007 at 7.00 pm.
Present: Cllr N E Priddle (Chairman) in the Chair; Cllr P E Loudon (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Mrs P M Kwantes and Cllrs. J Bradford, P J Bradford, P White, M Kirby and M W J Lovell.
1.	Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs V C Murray via the Clerk’s Answering Service after the Meeting.
2.	The Meeting was then adjourned for public discussion.
	Mr C Kwantes reported that he had paid for a visit by the Planning Officer to discuss the plan for an extension and new garage at ‘Leat Cottage’, had submitted the plan in accordance with her recommendations and had then, before the Parish Council had considered the application,  been told that she would recommend refusal, though she was not prepared to divulge the reason. He considered this unfair and asked that the District Councillor, who was a member of the Planning Committee, should refer the plan to the Committee.
3.	The Meeting was then re-convened and Matters Arising from the Public Discussion period were discussed. Chairman ruled that Mr Kwantes’s remarks should be considered under the relevant Plan.
4.	Planning Matters:
	(1) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 719, submitted by Mr & Mrs Kwantes, to demolish existing extension and erect a two-storey extension, demolish existing garage and erect new detached garage at ‘Leat Cottage’, No. 12 High Street. Mr Kwantes’s remarks were repeated and the District Councillor noted them.
	(2) Cllr Mrs Kwantes declared Interest and left the chamber. On the proposition by Cllr J Bradford, it was unanimously agreed that in respect of Plan 719 “The Parish Council has no objection.” Cllr Mrs 	Kwantes then returned.
	(3) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 733, submitted by Mr & Mrs Garrett, to 	strip and re-lay stone roof, rebuild chimney-stack, install dormer window and roof light at rear, remove and replace rainwater down pipes and renew guttering and make internal alterations to bathroom at No. 2 Serrell’s Mead Cottages (A Listed Building).
	(4) On the proposition from the Chair, it was unanimously agreed that in respect of Plan 733 “The Parish Council has no objection.”
	(5) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 738 (Retrospective), submitted by Mr & Mrs Varney, to erect timber summer house at ‘Bower Cottage, Coombe.
	(6) On the proposition from the Chair, it was unanimously agreed that in respect of Plan 738 “The Parish Council has no objection.”
	(7) The Clerk read three letters of objection to Plan 768, submitted by Mr R Turner, to erect an agricultural building on land of the former Spyway Orchard.
	(8) Cllrs J Bradford and P J Bradford declared non-prejudicial family interest, but did not leave the chamber. After some discussion, in which Cllrs J and P J Bradford did not take part, on the proposition from the Chair, it was agreed (For 4; Against 1; Abstentions 3 (including Cllrs J and P J Bradford and Cllr Lovell who is a Member of the District Planning Board); Absent 1) that “The Parish Council supports the agricultural use of the land, but does not accept that such a large building is necessary for such a small area of land. It suggests that a qualified agricultural opinion be obtained to determine the viability of the project and the building, if any, necessary for such a project.” 
	(9) There were no comments from the public concerning Plan 779, submitted by Dorset County	Council Land & Mineral Management Ltd to vary Condition No. 2 of Plan 6/96/641 to extend the time to extract the remaining limestone in Plot 18 and to retain Keats Quarries Service area to store 	and process extracted limestone, and to extend the time for the restoration of the Acton field quarries.
	(10) On the proposition from the Chair, it was unanimously agreed that in respect of Plan 779 “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).
	(11) The District Council’s approval of the plan for 57 High Street was received.
	(12) A Plan to fell three Ash Trees bordering The Old Malthouse Lane, because they were disturbing the road surface and the car park, was received. After some discussion, on the proposition by Cllr J Bradford, it was unanimously agreed that the Tree Officer should be informed that the Parish Council could see no good reason why these trees should be felled.
5.	Minutes of the last Council Meeting, held on October 11th 2007, after two amendments concerning references to Cllrs J and P J Bradford, were confirmed unanimously and duly signed.
6.	Matters Arising from the Minutes:
	(1) Item 6(1). There was nothing to report on DCC’s reply to the feasibility of parking on the wide verge at the south end of Crack Lane. 
	(2) Item 6(2). A reply had been received from Mrs Stone of the Play Project Group. It was agreed that Mrs Stone should be asked to contact Mr Bray to provide the wooden part of the proposed new seat in the Play Area.
	(3) Item 6(3). Chairman reported that Mr Watkins had not yet visited the Cemetery.
	(4) Item 6(4). The Clerk reported that the article had been inserted in the ’Dubber’, but so far there had been no response. Chairman suggested that a higher profile repeat of the article should be requested in the December edition of the ’Dubber’.This was agreed.
	(5) Item 6(5). The Rights-of-Way Officer reported that work on the Windmill Lane submission was 	still on-going.
	(6) Item 6(6).The Clerk reported that Mr Burden had been asked to provide the additional fence.
	The quotation received from Hand Made Places for supplying and installing the safety surfacing was 	£2,718, excluding VAT. The Parish Plan Account currently stood at £4,013.17. On the proposition from Cllr Mrs Kwantes, it was agreed that a second quotation should be obtained from Safe & Sound 	Playgrounds Ltd.  
	(7) Item 6(8). The Clerk reported that the foliage projecting into the footway at the NW corner of  Putlake Adventure Farm’s property had still not been cut. It was agreed that a second letter should be 	sent to the Manager.
	(8) Item 6(10). The Clerk reported that he had visited Acton approach Lane and found that there were 	two passing-places on the west side and a third outside ‘Ferndale’, so had written to cancel the 	request to provide passing-bays by DCC. The foliage would not be cut back by DCC until next 	March, when the Maintenance Team next visited this parish. 
	(9) Item 6(11). Cllr White reported that he had talked with Mr G Foot about the verge at Crack Lane, 	and he was sure that it still belonged to him. This meant that the next step in the procedure 	concerning the possibility of parking there would be to ask Mr Foot if he had any objection.
	(10) Item 8(3) The Clerk announced that he had found out that the is an OPC (‘Online Parish Clerk‘)
	for each parish, to whom queries concerned with genealogy can be addressed.
	(11) Item 8(4). Cllr Kirby reported that application had now been made for Council to be included in the ‘Connecting Dorset’ Scheme. The Clerk added that Mr Webb of DAPTC had said that the initial confusion within the Scheme between Parish Councils and Village Halls had been the result of the wording in the original advertisement.
	(12) Item 9(1). The Clerk asked members to write down and hand in items of work to be done by the County Maintenance team when they next visited in March 2008. Cllr J Bradford had already 	prepared a list, which he handed in.
	(13) Item 11(1)b. Cllr Lovell reported that he had written to several builders of dry stone walls to ask 	for an estimate for 45 metres of walling 1.2 metres high, built on ’flatteners’, at the Council’s 	Cemetery. Only two had responded by the dead-line given: Mr M Glassock £80 per metre run; and Mr N J Read £45 per metre run. It was agreed that Mr Read’s estimate should be accepted. Cllr 	Lovell said he would make enquiries 	concerning possible Grants towards the cost of the scheme.
	(14) Item 14. The Clerk reported that the letter had been sent to Cllr Lovell. Cllr Lovell said that he had spoken with Mr Bastow of DCC, who had promised to send a letter concerning the possibility of 	a footway on the A351 to the north of its junction with Crack Lane.
7.	The Clerk’s Report for the period from 5.10.07 to 1.11.07 was received.
8.	Matters Arising from the Clerk’s Report:
	(1) Item 4. It was agreed that Mr Webb of DAPTC should be asked if anything further could be done 	to recover the money taken as Income Tax from the Bonus received on the Cemetery Endowment Account.
	(2) Item 6. Mrs Stone had not mentioned in her letter the addition of the word ‘Partnership’ to the 	title of her Group. It was agreed that she should be asked for a formal acceptance of the idea before 	the proposed notice were made. Council also agreed that there should be no boulders within the Play Area, even if they were cemented in, on grounds of safety.
	(3) Item 24. The Clerk apologized for the inconvenience to Members in having to fill in the List of Interests twice, but no forms were sent, so he had assumed that the previous list could be amended and updated.
	(4) Item 25. It was agreed that DAPTC should be asked about Parish Councils being responsible for 	newspaper announcements of their acceptance of the Revised Code of Conduct, in case Mr Aston of PDC had got that wrong too.
	(5) Item 26. It was unanimously agreed to accept the Clerk’s offer to put the Burials at the Council’s Cemetery on line.
	(6) Item 28. The letter from Fiona Brown concerning PDC’s allocation of new Council Housing seemed to negate the undertaking which had been given that local people would be given preference. Cllr Lovell was asked to find out whether or not this was the case. He asked to be given a copy of the letter.
9.	Chairman’s Announcements: None
10.	Financial Matters:
	(1) There were no additions to Council funds since the last Council Meeting. This was noted.
	(2) The following cheque payments, already authorized, since the last Council Meeting, were noted:
	     £25.00 to Mr Haydn Arnold for Quarterly Internal Audit,	     
	     £10.00 to Village Hall for use of September Council Chamber,
	     £400.00 to Caretaker for 4 visits to the Cemetery and the Play area,
	     £160.00 to Ian Travers for work at the Closed Cemeteries,
	     £70.50 to Mitchell Hire & Sales for work at Closed Cemeteries.
	(3) The following payments by Direct Debit since the last Council Meeting were noted:
	     £69.00 to PDC for November Rates on Toilets/Office Block.
	(4) A letter was received from the Editor of the ‘Dubber’ Magazine, requesting a Grant in Aid of the cost of production. On the proposition from the Chair, it was unanimously agreed that a Grant of  £100.00 should be made.
	(5) A Bill for the recent Bye-Election had been received after the Agenda had been sent out. It amounted to £1,485.22. It was agreed that this should be paid, but that an itemized account should be requested, as recommended by NALC..
11.	Cemetery Matters:
	(1) The Council’s Cemetery:
	Cllr M Lovell said that graves were being badly placed and not in straight lines. He was of the 	opinion that the marker numbers and letters, which had been stored in the shed, should be taken out and used again. Chairman asked Councillors to visit the cemetery and see what they thought. It was 	agreed that the Clerk should bring the large plan of the graves to the next Council Meeting.
	(2) The Closed Cemeteries:
	Cllr Priddle reported that his band of volunteers would make one last effort to remove the large pile 	of spoil at the north end of these cemeteries.
	The Clerk reported that the Internal Auditor had intimated that he hoped the work would be finished and the donated funds spent by the end of the current financial year, to make the accounting less complex.
12.	Affordable Housing:
	Cllr Kirby reported that Mr Cronk of Raglan had asked for a meeting to discuss possible sites.
	Cllr Lovell expressed reservations on this. However, after some discussion it was agreed that Cllr Kirby should arrange a meeting with Mr Cronk, but that there should be no discussion on the former 	Spyway Orchard site.
13.	The Play Area:
	After some discussion, it was agreed that there should be no notice restricting age-groups using the equipment, on the grounds that this might serve only to provoke other age-groups.
14.	Council’s Website:
	Cllr Kirby reported that the errors had been rectified, and that further enhancement of the Website was continuing.
15.	The ‘Connecting Dorset’ Project:
	Cllr Kirby reported that the Entry Form had been completed and sent. He said that the only lay-out for Council would be the fee of £13.63 per month for broadband, which would make work on the computer much quicker.
16.	Allotments:
	It was agreed in principle that the Chairman should pursue enquiries as to possible sites, and that a notice of intent should be inserted in the ‘Dubber’ Magazine, asking anyone interested in the proposal to contact the Clerk.
17.	Footway Lights:
	It was agreed that Southern Electricity should be contacted to see if there was any possibility of any of the 13 lights being improved in any way, such as the original one at Coombe.
18.	Broken Public Footpath Sign at the north end of Durnford Drove. 
	It was agreed that the Parish Rights-of-Way Officer should contact Mr Penny. 
19.	The date of the next Council Meeting was confirmed as Thursday December 13th at 7.0 p.m.

There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 9.05 p.m.

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