Draft Minutes of Lympsham Parish Council Meeting, 9 May 2007

Councillors Present: Mr. J. Hinton (Chairman), Mrs. P. Guess, Mrs. E. Male & Mr. K. Hart*.
Also in attendance: Mr. A. Ham (County Councillor) & Mr. A. Gilling (District Councillor).

Minutes were taken by the Clerk.

41/07 Election of Chairman: Mr. J. Hinton was proposed by Mrs. E. Male & seconded by Mrs. P. Guess: carried unanimously.

42/07 Apologies: Mr. B. Gooding

43/07 The Chairman paid tribute to Capt. R .G. Evans and a presentation was made on the PC’s behalf.

44/07 Vice Chair: Following discussion Mrs. P. Guess was unanimously elected to the post.

45/07 Declaration of Acceptance: *completed by Mr. K. Hart following proposal for co-option by the Chairman, seconded by the Vice Chair: carried unanimously.

46/07 Minutes of Previous Meeting (23.4.07): were confirmed and signed.

47/07 Matters Arising / for report from previous meetings

• Elections: All appropriate forms duly signed; other forms highlighted by Clerk. Code of Conduct to be discussed with the Chair in readiness for a future meeting.
• Lympsham School: Nothing to report.
• Lympsham Pre-school: Nothing to report.
• Parish Plan: Response from Rural Housing Enabler: Clerk will be contacted when survey can be arranged.
• Highways report: Road signs in Accommodation Road need checking; Capt. Evans & Clerk commended for effective response to appearance of graffiti. Following communications from several concerned parishioners, discussion followed re the safety of routes to and from Lympsham School.
• Playground report: Clerk still contacting Wessex Water re box; Mrs. Guess volunteered to rake the bark: edges of path need attention; new planting by Tennis Club may need more staking. Following successful application by Mr. & Mrs. Carr to the Nuttall Trust, the PC have an initial sum to consider new play apparatus: Clerk to seek other funding to supplement the project and liase with the originators of the project and suppliers as to the design and cost, inc. appropriate base.
• General Maintenance Issue: Clerk still pursuing allotments issue.
• Footpaths: Chair to see Capt. Evans with a view to overseeing footpaths. Mrs. Guess to check a footpath.
• Manor Hall Report: Following investigation re Wessex payment, Clerk to contact WW.
• Memorial for Henry Counsell: Clerk has received donation from the family.
• Churchyard: Ongoing.
• Grounds Maintenance: Regular cutting, mowing, etc. carried out successfully the day before. SDC were seen collecting rubbish.
• Village Events: Many Councillors attended the Sports Club May Day anniversary celebrations and deemed it very successful: an excellent collaboration between local clubs & societies raising money for a variety of concerns; Clerk to convey appreciation to Mrs. A. Coles & helpers. The Royal British Legion enjoyed their usual annual lunch; the canal trip is fully booked.
The WI is arranging another coffee morning / ‘bring & buy’ on Wednesday 18th. July – money raised to go to an appropriate local project.
• Clerk: Revisions to Model Contract of Employment to be discussed with the Chair in readiness for a future meeting.

48/07 Planning Applications:
663 Mr. J. Barnes, Green Meadows, Bridgwater Road: Erection of single storey side extension on site of garage
& car park (to be demolished), demolition of rear conservatory: No observations pending Chair’s enquiries.
664 Mr. R.J. Wall, OS Field No. 7814 to the south of Batch Lane, Lympsham: Erection of agricultural building:
No observations pending Chair’s enquiries.

49/07 Correspondence of note: Previously circulated and noted. Discussion re Somerset’s application to become unitary authority: PC not in favour.

50/07 Finance Report: PAYE return completed on line; Clerk had received increment; Clerk submitting financial records to Mr. Edworthy prior to official audit.
C/A: £769-64 (inc. cheques to be paid in) S/A: £4,105-93
Player-Mason A/C: £2,158-66 Petty Cash: £105-19

51/07 Cheques issued this meeting: 100875 Clerk £667-52 (April & May less PAYE) plus 100876 £169-40 repayment of PAYE.

Items for discussion / Report at next meeting on 20th. June 2007: Revisions to Model Contract of Employment, Code of Conduct, new apparatus for Play Area.

The meeting ended at 9.23 p.m.