Present: Cllr D Hayward (Chairman), Cllr L Bennett, Cllr D Coffin, Cllr I Houston and Cllr T Hunt
In Attendance: Cllr M Lawrence (District Councillor), Mrs. T Chapman (Parish Clerk) and 20 members of the public.
- Apologies for absence: Cllr S Longdon.
Mr D Hayward welcomed the members of the public to the Annual Parish Meeting and summarised the Parish Council procedures. Mr D Hayward introduced each Councillor noting their role within the Parish Council.
- Minutes of the Meeting of 07.04.2015
The minutes to the meeting were provided to each member of the public in attendance to review. It was resolved the minutes were an accurate account the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
- Chairman’s Annual Report:
It has been a particularly busy year for the Parish Council. There have been a number of changes imposed by central government in way that councils operate, including the removal of the Audit Commission which requires us to change the way we manage and account for our finance. Much time has also been spent on some larger planning applications, the Peel Centre for example, although it has not necessarily been the larger developments that have required the most effort.
Planning
The council dealt with sixteen planning applications in the year, which is about the same as last year, and four applications for work on trees in the Conservation Area. Two applications were particularly controversial and resulted in a large number of objections from the community and a lot of work for the Parish Council: these being the use of The Grange as a venue for weddings and the erection of a new bungalow in the garden of No.7 Wessex Drive.
The application for The Grange was withdrawn in November with the applicants apparently believing that WDDC had told them they could hold up to six weddings a year without planning permission, but under the same conditions set out in the application. The District Council has denied that they told the applicant this and no formal planning permission exists, despite the impression of some in the village. At the moment we believe that that Mr and Mrs Moore are proceeding in the belief that they can hold up to six weddings a year under Permitted Development rules. This allows for an aggregate of 28 days of event activity, but normally does not allow this to be in the grounds of a residential property, so for example, it might be permissible if the weddings were held in the field behind The Grange but not in the house grounds. We believe they are planning to cover the supply of alcohol and music under a Temporary Event Notice, i.e. the same as you would have for an event at the Village Hall and WDDC Licencing Department has confirmed this. We also believe that they have a financial arrangement with the Bradford Abbas Sports and Recreational Club for parking on their site. We have been in touch with the Head of Planning at WDDC and the Enforcement Officer is now investigating this.
The current application to build a bungalow in the grounds of No.7 Wessex Drive continues to attract considerable opposition; both from immediate neighbours and more widely. It is rare, in our experience, for an application to be so riddled with technical and legal inaccuracies and false claims, although some of the issues, such as the size of the proposed dwelling, were addressed in a subsequent resubmission. Currently there is no reliable date for a decision.
Whilst WDDC Planning Department is under significant pressure it has, in our view, not handled either of these applications well – transparency and good communication have been at sadly lacking. In the case of No.7 Wessex Drive they appear to show a clear bias to the applicant even to the point of allowing his Agent to post inaccurate, wholly unsubstantiated and defamatory accusations against our Clerk and one of our councillors on the WDDC planning website. Not only did the District Council fail to notify the Parish Council of the accusations, but they complied with the Agent’s request that the council personnel be referred to the Legal Departments Monitoring Officer. The District Council has refused to redact the accusations but the Agent has now been asked to submit them formally. It seems unlikely they will do so as they surely know that they can be easily disproved.
Affordable Housing
The Parish Council in cooperation with WDDC and the Housing Association Hastoe has again been exploring the possibility of building a small number of affordable homes in the village. We have got to the point where Hastoe is in discussion with a local landowner regarding release of land and some consideration is being given to increasing the original number of six dwellings up to eight or ten, possibly split into two locations.
Litter
As ever we are grateful to all who make an effort to keep the village looking tidy. We are particularly indebted to Chris Williams who has been doing a great job litter-picking throughout the village, to Alan Martin who keeps the road between Underdown Hollow and Park Lodge litter free and Tom Sugrue who clears the litter in the Playing Field on a weekly basis; and of course the children of St Mary’s School who litter pick on Church Road and Mill Lane.
Road Traffic and Safety
Although last year we finally managed to get new signage on the A30 to deter HGVs from using Old Compton Lane as a route to the village, it is evident that some still are following their SATNAVs down the lane and then entering Back Lane. Our request to have a 7.5t weight restriction placed on Old Compton Lane has again been refused by Dorset County Council. The fingerpost at the junction of Back Lane/Underdown/Old Compton Lane refurbished last year by the Parish Council has also been recently damaged by a vehicle impact.
Following our appeal for volunteers to help refurbish the remaining fingerposts around the village several people have come forward and we hope to continue the work over the summer months.
Bradford Hollow remains officially closed to traffic and DCC Highways are intending to do some further work to the surface. However, the concrete blocks at both entrances have been moved on several occasions and some further trees have been damaged or felled by the biking/4X4 community.
Website
A new Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities requires Parish Council information to be openly available, not only by traditional means such as the Parish Council noticeboard, but also online. We have therefore taken the decision to implement and have full control of our own website, and Iain Houston is generously giving his time and professional expertise to create this. The basic website is now being launched and populated. At first it will contain Parish Council specific information, but gradually will grow to take in broader aspects of community life and information from other organisations. You can view its progress so far by going to www.bradford-abbas.uk
Babylon Hill Roundabout
After much effort, and support from our County Councillor, we have been successful in getting some improvement to the planting scheme on the Babylon Hill roundabout. The roundabout had become so overgrown that the sponsor whose advertising it displayed had withdrawn. A new sponsor rapidly became disenchanted with the state of it and with photographs and encouragement from the Parish Council took issue with the DCC Highways. We now await the summer months to see if the promises on improved maintenance are carried through.
Playing Field
We have continued our policy of replacing woodchip in the play areas with synthetic impact absorbing material to reduce the high level of maintenance previously required. Over the coming months the enclosed toddler area will have the fence removed and new impact absorbent grass mats and turf installed. The Churchwell Street entrance rails will be replaced with a footpath style gate and the boundary with Churchwell Street and Churchwell Close will be cleared and reseeded. During the past year many of the pieces of apparatus have been repainted and the refurbishment of others is planned during this year.
Footpath Through East Farm
I reported last year that after a seven year battle we had been successful in getting approval by the Regulatory Committee for a change in the Definitive Map to allow a formal footpath through East Farm. A year has now passed since that decision but the County Council will publish the official order in late summer and a notice will posted at East Farm. If there are no objections this will come into force after six weeks, but if as is likely there are objections, from Charteroak Estates for example, then it will go to the Secretary of State for determination, either by written representations or a public enquiry.
Summary
In closing, on behalf of the parish I would like to thank the Councillors for their efforts during the last year. We are also grateful for the support given by Robin Legg and Margaret Lawrence our District Councillors and Michael Bevan our County Councillor, both to our meetings and for helping resolve issues at district and county level. I would also like to thank Tricia, our Clerk, for her continued hard work and the efficiency with which she manages the council’s affairs.
Cllr M Lawrence delivered the following report:
County Council’s rural bus review: DCC proposing to save £500.000 from its subsidised bus network. To prevent rural isolation DCC will be encouraging the development of more community based transport schemes for social or leisure purposes which can be more responsive to local people’s needs and which will also enable it to work with health partners to support its Health 7 Wellbeing priority. Which routes will be effected will be taken to the DCC’s Cabinet meeting. More info: https://www.dorsetforyou.com/travel-dorset/2016-bus-review
Online Booking launched: The visit Dorset tourism team have recently launched a new online booking platform for accommodation on the www.visit-dorset.com website a 10% commission on all bookings made through the Visit Dorset online booking platform will directly support tourism promotion for Dorset.
The tourism team are working with Visit England to support the South West Tourism Growth Fund overseas marked initiative. Tourism Week 5—12 March.
With the tri-partnership North Dorset, West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland in total 111 members. North Dorset District Council Offices are to be sold and the staff move to South Walks House. Each council have their own sovereignty. Weymouth & Portland will have new smaller cheaper to run town centre Council offices
Right stuff, right bin: with kerbside recycling now available across Dorset, residents are recycling more of their waste, which is good. But now the DWP is encouraging everyone continues to use the service properly, by launching a brand new awareness campaign. Officers will be going out to speak to local communities about how they are using their recycling service it is said if we put the right stuff in the right bin we could save up to £1 million pounds per year, the savings made by councils can avoid paying as much landfill Tax.
Dorset Resident’s Week 18—24th April: To encourage local residents to get out and about and explore the attractions on our doorsteps.
Polling Day 5th May: An election of the Police and Crime Commissioner and a Referendum on how west Dorset District Council is run? This has come about of the localism Act 2011. The council at the moment is by a leader who is an elected Councillor’s chosen by a vote of the other members. Or By one or more committees made up of elected Councillors.
Dorset County Council lead: Members have been discussing ways of saving money one way to have *One unity council for the current county council area and one for Bournemouth & Poole *or one unitary council for the east Dorset, North Dorset, Purbeck West Dorset and Weymouth & Portland, and one for Bournemouth Poole and Christchurch.
Members have rejected a single plan Dorset unitary authority for Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole and of making no change to the current structure, echoing opinions of members of Dorset County Council.
Our councils have already joined up staffing and services to make significant savings. We are now looking at a number of possibilities to streamline services, to make further savings and increase income, in the councils aim to reduce costs by £11 million by 2020
- Any Other Information to include questions from the public
Members of the public mentioned the following items:
Affordable Housing: A member of the public queried the locations of the affordable housing intended for the village. Cllr D Hayward noted the area the Parish Council found most suitable is near Pettitts Close / Queens Road. The landowner has some concerns and was keen to ensure all other sites were considered and thoroughly discussed by the Parish Council. Cllr I Houston has represented the Parish Council on many of the Right to Buy meetings and felt there was assurances that communities under 3,000 residents will have more control over the sustainability of the community.
Cllr D Hayward reported the Parish Council is in the process of formulating a Village Design Statement. This will look at the environment and style of the area and could develop into a Neighbourhood Plan (NP). A NP is produced by a community and requires a community committee / working group. The idea is for the community to have a say in the future development in the village. Cllr T Hunt noted there is not as much support from WDDC due to budgetary cuts as previously available.
Roads: The wear and tear of the roads was mentioned, numerous potholes in the village and the unfortunate tarmac covering the cobblestone at the top of North Street. Cllr D Hayward assured the public work completed at the top North Street was not requested by the Parish Council.
Planning: A member of the public directed a query to the District Councillor noting the WDDC Planning Officers have numerous conversations with an applicant and members of the public have restricted access to the Officers when voicing their objections. The member of the public requests the same right as the applicant and agent receive when it comes to discussing applications. Cllr M Lawrence noted the immense pressure WDDC planning officers are under at the moment.
Cllr D Hayward discussed DCC is changing the bus services available after the 11th April. The Parish Council was not made aware of the upcoming changes and did not respond to the consultation in January. The bus 74 will no longer arrive in the village from Yeovil approximately at 3pm during term time, the service will only run during school holidays.
Back Lane: A member of the public queried if the top of Back Lane is now named Old Compton Lane. Cllr D Hayward noted the issues with WDDC / DCC concerning naming the part of the lane from Underdown to the A30 that mistakenly included the section of unnamed road between Cross Road the Underdown, locally known as the top of Back Lane. The Clerk will proceed with the request renaming the section of the road to Back Lane.
Cllr D Coffin thanked Cllr D Hayward for his hours (and hours) dedicated to the Parish Council no matter how large or small the issues may be.
Cllr D Hayward thanked the public for attending the meeting and showing their support.