MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING

OF SHOCKLACH OVIATT AND DISTRICT PARISH COUNCIL

HELD IN SHOCKLACH PRIMARY SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, 8 JULY, 2010

 

PRESENT:

Cllr Kathy M^acKenzie (Chair)

Cllr Jim Blake

Cllr Marcus Chaloner

Cllr Lou Macchi

Cllr Mark Piggott

1. APOLOGIES: Cllr Jo Shone (on a training day for work).

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Cllr Kathy M^acKenzie declared a personal interest in item 7i) because of being a neighbour living next to the proposed development site.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE AGM and ORDINARY MEETINGS held on 13 MAY, 2010 AND THE PARISH MEETING HELD ON 24 MAY, 2010: Cllr Jim Blake proposed that the minutes of both the AGM and Ordinary meetings be accepted as a true record. Cllr Kathy MacKenzie seconded the proposal and all were in favour. Cllr Lou Macchi proposed that the minutes of the Parish Meeting be accepted as a true record. Cllr Mark Piggott seconded the motion and all were in favour.

4. MATTERS ARISING:

i) Poppy Cottage: following numerous telephone calls by the Acting Clerk, a final email dated 8 July, 2010 had been received from Kevin Carroll in which he stated that the licence issued by CWAC Legal Department simply superseded any agreement which had been reached between the Parish Council, Cllr Neil Ritchie, Colin Stredder and the owners of Poppy Cottage. The contents of the email were noted by councillors and it was resolved, with regret, to remove this item from the agenda since further action was now impossible. Cllr Lou Macchi and Cllr Jo Shone were still willing to meet the owners of Poppy Cottage to try to resolve matters in this way.

ii) Weight/width restriction/damage to hedges: the Chair of the Highways and Transportation Committee had still not replied to SODPC’s letter. Stephen O’Brien MP had failed to nominate a date "in the foreseeable future" when he was available to attend a Parish Council meeting. Neither he nor Cllr Neil Ritchie had replied to the Parish Council’s petition. Councillors asked Cllr Lou Macchi to write to David Cameron MP, sending him a copy of the letter to Stephen O’Brien and informing him that the Parish Council had been asking Stephen O’Brien to come to the Parish Meeting since January, 2010 and had since asked him to nominate a date when he could attend an ordinary council meeting, all without success. Councillors also asked Cllr Lou Macchi to inform David Cameron that the only meeting Stephen O’Brien had arranged had been in the Bull Inn with less than 24 hours’ notice, one week before the General Election in May. Stephen O’Brien had implied that this was a Parish Council initiative but the Parish Council is not permitted to hold meetings in a public house unless no other venue is available and is also obliged to give several days’ notice of any meeting. Stephen O’Brien had arranged the meeting for 6.30 p.m. when many residents and councillors were either still at work or were on their way home. Leaflets had been distributed by Stephen O’Brien just over two hours before the meeting was due to start. It was understood that approximately six members of the public came to the Bull Inn whilst Stephen O’Brien was there.

Chief Inspector Julie Westgate had replied to the Parish Council’s letter to Chief Constable David Whatton. This failed to address the Parish Council’s concerns but it was felt that it would be a waste of time to pursue this line any further.

iii) Speed gun: a rota still had not been drawn up and Cllr Marcus Chaloner said he would try to do this on Monday and Tuesday 12/13 July, 2010.

 

5. CORRESPONDENCE:

i) New Waste Strategy for 2012: Shocklach had not been included in the distribution of consultation leaflets for this and the Acting Clerk was asked to inform CWAC of this in a letter which would also record councillors’ concern that there would be no second phase of consultation on the new strategy, once this had been decided between CWAC and the waste companies. The current system had been in place for only one year and seemed to be working well.

6. FINANCE:

i) Book tokens for Shocklach Primary School: Cllr Lou Macchi proposed that this arrangement be cancelled, due to the current financial constraints faced by all. There was no seconder for this motion which, therefore, failed. Cllr Marcus Chaloner proposed that the book tokens be donated for one more year only. A letter should be sent explaining that, due to the lack of public resources, this would be the last year such a donation would be made. Cllr Mark Piggott seconded the motion. There was one abstention, one vote against and all others in favour. This motion was, therefore, carried. The Acting Clerk was asked to place this matter on the agenda for the September meeting with a proposal that £50.00 of book tokens be donated to the School.

ii) Audit: this had been completed.

7. PLANNING:

i) Chicken Farm, Little Green (reference: 10/10427/OUT): all previous comments made at the Parish Council meeting on 11 March, 2010 and submitted by email on 15 March, 2010 still stood and were reiterated in full.

In addition, councillors noted from the Great Crested Newt Survey (which was not available when the original plans were considered on 11 March, 2010) provided by CWAC by email on 6 July, 2010 that most ponds were considered to be poor or below average in terms of suitability. These interpretations did not accord with local knowledge which recognized the ponds as being valuable local habitats. The Acting Clerk was asked to convey these views to CWAC.

8. OTHER MATTERS:

i) Possibility of painting white lines along the carriageway in an attempt to protect verges (Cllr Marcus Chaloner).

ii) Community event to be considered at the next meeting in September (Cllr Kathy MacKenzie).

9. RACE RELATIONS (AMENDMENT) ACT 2000/CRIME AND DISORDER ACT, 1988: the decisions made during the course of the meeting were duly considered and it was decided that there were no resulting direct or indirect implications in respect of crime and disorder and in respect of racial equality.

10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: 9 September, 2010 at 7.30 p.m. in Shocklach Primary School.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 21.00.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE MINUTES ARE IN DRAFT FORM UNTIL APPROVED AT THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL