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SHIPTON GORGE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 13 July 2011 at 7.30pm in Shipton Gorge Village Hall |
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Present |
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Councillors |
Areas of Responsibility |
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Richard Cunningham (RC) Peter Gates (PG) Duncan McShee (DM) Barbara Chambers (BC) Stephen Young (SY) Keith Sorrell (KS) John Russell (JR) Ron Coatsworth (RCC) |
Chairman
County Councillor |
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There were 5 members of the public present |
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Item |
Action |
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Open Forum The Chairman welcomed the new Councillors and the members of the public. It was asked when it was appropriate for members of the public to speak. RC confirmed this was at the beginning of the meeting, but no items were brought up by the public. |
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11.59 |
Declarations of Interest/Acceptance of Office RC explained Declarations of Interest to new councillors and there were no declarations of interest made. |
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11.60 |
Apologies There were none |
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11.61 |
To co-opt three new members to the Parish Council Jan Sorrell – Proposed RC, Seconded DM Mary Boughton – Proposed RC, Seconded KS Joe Adams – Proposed RC, Seconded BC These members to complete Acceptance of Office and Declaration of Interest forms for lodging with WDDC. RC welcomed the new members and confirmed the council now had nine full voting members. Should there be vacancies in the future these would be filled in the required way and notices published in the Village. He explained the Code of Conduct and there were no personal interests declared. RC then declared his resignation as Chairman of the Parish Council (see also Item 11.45 of previous meeting when RC explained difficulty with expectations of new Councillors for posts of responsibility.) He proposed Mary Boughton as Chairman. Seconded Barbara Chambers. Agreed unanimously. MB took the chair. She thanked Richard for keeping the Council “going” during some unfortunate circumstances, issues with previous clerk and loss of paperwork and parish records etc. She was pleased to welcome new Council members, including some new to the village and some who had lived locally for many years – there is a good spread of ages, retired/working people and people with good knowledge of the area. She hoped her knowledge and previous experience on the Council would enable her to lead the Council to success in helping the community. It is an exciting time with Central Government slowly giving local areas more power, ie Localism Bill - Planning decisions, licensing of public houses etc. She said it should be remembered that councillors were volunteers and must not be overburdened and stressed that opinions and comments on matters raised at meetings should be expressed at the time and not after the relevant meeting. The chair requested all councillors give a brief account of their “strengths” and stated the need to raise the profile of the Council: RC – Councillor for 4 years. Chairman for 1 year, 3 months. Good at presentations. Planning Chair for 18months. Army experience. PG – Councillor for 1 year. Responsible for Highways, practical person, hands on, worked on study room in village hall. DM – New to the village, practical person, building experience, not a “computer” person. BC – Back room person, research experience, not front of house or a “talker” KS – Local farmer, long term villager, knowledge of village, practical person who likes hands on. JS – Runs husbands business, office and admin experience. MB – Previous member and chair of council, business skills, organisation/presentation experience, not a practical person JA – Impractical but used to working with community/groups, and in publicity. The Chair asked that a list of contact names, addresses/other organisations/WDDC/DCC/Dorset For You etc be sent to all Councillors with a list of Acronyms for information. She also asked that everyone receive a detailed map of Shipton Gorge. RCC offered to obtain the maps. MB touched briefly on things that she felt needed to be done and importance of making sure that basic requirements were being undertaken - checking insurance details, ie weekly check of Playing Field, Finance procedures, best day for councillors to attend meetings (Clerk to check availability of hall on other evenings) and frequency of meetings [RCC asked that he and John Russell be consulted if there were to be changes in dates and times – he also took this opportunity to congratulate all the new Councillors], presentation of Correspondence Log and Planning Sheet (there is a link to WDDC on the Website), Winter Issues and Precept - all which would be addressed in the near future. She would aim for all meetings to last not longer than 2 hours. |
Clerk/RCC
Clerk/MB |
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11.62 |
To appoint members to fill positions of responsibility: - |
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Position |
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Pro |
Sec |
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Chairman Vice Chairman Chairman of Planning Vice Chair Planning Members of Planning Lay Members of Planning Chair Playing Field Committee Highways
Village Hall Trust Rep BLAP (RCC confirmed this will continue) DAPTC
Parish Plan
PACT Community Resilience Officer Deputy Resilience Officer
Web Manager *All agreed unanimously |
Mary Boughton Richard Cunningham Richard Cunningham
All Councillors Grayham Rosamund
Keith Sorrell Barbara Chambers Vacant at present. Clerk to obtain details Parish Councillors to attend training day in Dorchester on 22 September to evaluate – it was agreed Council should pay £20.00 per councillor Richard Cunningham/Simon Cleveland Richard Cunningham Jan Sorrell
Ernie Thomas |
*RC *MB *MB
Vol
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*BC *DM *JA
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Clerk
MB/Cllrs |
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11.63 |
To confirm appointment of new Council Members as signatories to PC Bank Account Confirmed. New councillors to sign Lloyds Bank paperwork. MB stated that there would be a review of Bank Accounts as soon as was practicable. |
New Cllrs |
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11.64 |
Chairman to sign Minutes as correct record of meeting held on 11 May 2011 The new Chairman signed the minutes as correct having consulted with RC and members attending previous meeting. |
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11.65 |
Clerks Report Approval given for issue of cheques nos: 582 - £483.12 – AON – Insurance Renewal 583 - £120.15 – DAPTC – Annual Subscription 584 - £79.20 – Playsafety – Annual Inspection Port Lane Recreation Ground Clerk requested that councillors pass any reports to her in electronic form wherever possible Planning Permission just received for Lower Lynch, Brook Street, Shipton Gorge. |
Cllrs submitting reports |
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11.66 |
Other matters Arising from Minutes Declaration of Interest in accordance with Code of Conduct for new members received from BC, KS, DM, SY. |
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11.67 |
Annual Return for Audit - completed |
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11.68 |
VAT Claim - completed |
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11.69 |
Reports Chairmans Report – RC Various old planning documents had been destroyed and some of interest kept. (Confirmed PG). New filing cabinet would be available for use in Village Hall for these and future papers. New filing strategy required. MB to check retention of documents with DAPTC.
Finance Report – RC felt there were too many accounts held in the Council’s name bearing in mind the interest available in the present financial climate. MB felt there should be monies set aside for replacement of Playing Field Equipment. MB to consult with P Varney and agreed to review finances as soon as possible. Retention times for paperwork to also be checked. Parish Plan - RC commented that he was aware that the production of the final plan was outstanding. Simon Cleveland had promised Plan (based on Village Appraisal) would be ready for printing, together with distribution list by middle/end of August. Simon to attend next meeting to do joint presentation with RC. MB gave brief history of Parish Plan and its aims for the benefit of the new councillors. Website Report A written report had been received from ET as follows: Since the last Parish Council Meeting on 11 May, the draft minutes of that meeting have been placed on the web site. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of newly appointed Parish Councillors (and the new District Councillor), together with their photographs where provided, have also been placed on the site. Following the July meeting, I look forward to receiving details of newly co-opted Parish Councillors and also positions of responsibility, so that I can update the information about members on the web site. New Councillors will be asked to agree to their photographs being displayed on the site, although if any Councillor does not want this to happen, their wishes will be respected. Ernie Thomas - 12 July 2011 PACT – RC Police visit village on regular basis and hold surgeries in RC’s house. Any resident can speak to the police on any issue (not necessarily a police issue). These comments can also be put on cards (RC has some and will let councillors have some). Cards/comments are recorded by police and when there are a sufficient number of comment/complaints on a particular issue the appropriate authorities are noted and the issues are addressed. This is a useful scheme for villagers and it was agreed RC would ask the Police to advertise the dates in the BVN and maybe village notice boards. Clerk to produce sign “PACT Meeting here today at.....” for RC to put outside his house as appropriate. Village Hall – BC – Nothing to report Highways – PG –Salt bins plans to be re-addressed, and if he leaves before this is done he will pass information on to Council. PG awaiting permission from WDDC for siting of the bins. Shipton to BB Road is on The Allocated Communities Access List and will be automatically salted as necessary. Costs for this have been approved and allocated by the County Council. Roads in Shipton generally in good condition. MB thanked PG for his work in this respect. |
Clerk/MB
Clerk/MB
Clerk -Agenda for Sept Meeting
RC
PG |
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11.70 |
Planning Application - Lower Lynch – 11.65 above |
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11.71 |
Correspondence Log Nothing to action |
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11.72 |
Any Other Business – MB stated this should not be an Agenda item as Councillors are not expected to make decisions on matters they haven’t been made aware of before the meeting (the Chair should be notified of any items that a councillor wishes to add to the agenda well before the next meeting). There was some discussion about where “Open Forum” should come on the Agenda. JR stated that some other councils had this forum after Matters Arising and again at the end of the meeting. No decision made on how best to address this, but it would be considered for future meetings. |
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Date and Time of Next Meeting It was confirmed that the next Shipton Gorge Parish Meeting – 7.30pm 14 September 2011 unless otherwise notified bearing in mind notes in 11.61 above. |
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Meeting closed 21.10hrs |
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