Minutes of Lympsham Parish Council Meeting, 18 February 2008

Councillors Present: Mr. J. Hinton (Chairman), Mrs. P. Guess, Mr. K. Hart, Mrs. E. Male & Mr. G. Tuttiett.
Mr. A. Gilling was also present.
Minutes were taken by the Clerk.

8/08 Apologies: Mr. B. Gooding (another meeting) & Mr. A. Ham.

9/08 Minutes of Previous Meeting (21.1.08): after Clerk suggested corrections, minutes were confirmed and signed.

10/08 Matters Arising / for report from previous meetings: Chair raised issue of vacant seat: he would ‘sound out’ possibilities.

• Lympsham School: New building stonework looking good & work going to plan.
• Lympsham Pre-school: No report.
• Parish Plan: Questionnaire going out with March issue of Lympsham News with letter from Chair.
• Highways report: Clerk to check with Highways re drains by Tara & Blakeney. Re Lympsham Road / Boundaries: Sedgemoor unable to prioritise due to cost; A. Gilling to see whether PC could jointly fund kerb. Clerk to investigate whether it would be possible to move the bus stop along the same stretch of road and / or install a shelter.
• Playground report: £500 gratefully received from Harvest Home Committee re train. After discussion re surfaces, Clerk tasked to order train & grass matting [Proposed: G. Tuttiett, seconded: K. Hart: all in favour] & to ascertain delivery date.
• General Maintenance Issues: Notice board due for replacement soon.
• Footpaths: Clerk to meet with Dog Warden in a few days.
• Manor Hall Report: Youth Club had started.
• Churchyard: Rev. Lee had discussed issue with Diocese; landowner seeking quotes for fencing; two suggestions re stonework contractors. Clerk to seek further joint consultation meeting.
• Grounds Maintenance: Clerk to check with current contractors re new year’s work.
• Neighbourhood Watch: Clerk to email PCSO to suggest two or three Wednesdays for inaugural meeting to be held in the Pavilion starting at 7.30 p.m.
• Village Events: Recent WI coffee morning a success raising £150 to go towards a future event involving a meal.
• Village History: Still awaiting publication cost quotations.
• County / District Issues: A. Gilling reported some of the issues that made balancing the budget difficult & possibly putting some discretionary items under threat. Mrs. Male sought clarification of commodities collected by Somerset Waste Partnership.
• Clerk: Issues minuted elsewhere.

11/08 Planning Applications:

690 Lemonstone Ltd., on land to SE of Heroncroft, South Road, Lympsham: Erection of bungalow. Objection on the grounds of impact the building would have on neighbouring premises, i.e. overshadowing and overlooking neighbouring properties therefore affecting privacy. [Proposed: J. Hinton, seconded: Mrs. Male; all agreed.] (Concern to be expressed re the proximity of the building to the bank of a viewed rhyne.)

691 Mr. Hayley & Miss Wright, 8 The Boundaries, Lympsham: Erection of rear conservatory. No observations.

692 Mr. A. Carter, Stacre, South Road, Lympsham: Conversion of loft to living accommodation inc. installation
of dormer windows to SW & NE elevations. No observations.

Amended plan re 687 Mr. & Mrs. Nichols, 9 The Crescent, Lympsham: Balcony removed from front elevation. Noted.

12/08 Correspondence of note: Previously circulated and noted. Clerk brought to the PC’s attention recorded minutes from previous meeting referring to Wessex Water.

[N.B. K. Hart left meeting.]

13/08 Finance Report: C/A: £2,717-96 (inc. payment of cheques itemised below plus donation from Harvest Home
re Play Area Project)
S/A: £9,224-29
Player-Mason A/C: £2,185-81 Petty Cash: £86-23

14/08 Cheques issued this meeting: 100722 J.K. Gardening £210-02 (Bark for Play Area);
100723 Maxwell House Printers £318 (Lympsham News); 100724 Clerk’s Salary & expenses £412-70;
100725 SALC £115 (Training).

15/08 Items for Discussion / Report at next meeting: Chair raised awareness of future changes to Doctors’ surgeries (‘Poly-surgeries’); concern expressed re loss of direct contact with particular doctors.
Chair suggested consideration be given to the provision of a defibrlllator; details to be investigated.

The meeting ended at 9.07 p.m.