Minutes
Monday 8th October 2024 7:30 pm in Othery Village Hall
1 – Apologies:
Cllrs Jones and Selway:
2 – Present:
Cllrs Tizzard: Jennings: Atherton: Betty: Wright: and Cllr Martin from Somerset Council.
3 – Declarations of Interest:
These will always be declared at the agenda item when appropriate.
4 – Certifying the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 9th September 2024:
Agreed as a true record of the meeting proposed by Cllr Betty seconded by Cllr Wright.
5 – Public question time and Neighbourhood Watch/Crime report and an update from Cllr Matthew Martin:
Cllr Martin reported that there had been a meeting between Somerset Council councillors and the presenters of the petition from East Lyn relating to the A361. As a result of the meeting Cllr Wilkins the portfolio holder has commissioned an inspection of the road which is an imperative requirement as there have been two fatalities along the road. Cllr Martin said that the police have to be involved. Cllr Tizzard voiced the concerns of the Parish Council and the residents of Othery saying that the police need to be seen along this main road which is regularly used by motorists using it as a diversion when the motorway is closed. He cannot recall the last time he saw a PCSO or police officer in the village and although the village is a low crime area the police should be visiting the village to reassure the residents that they are around for them.
6 – Matters Arising:
Village signs: A way forward still to be resolved.
Emergency Plan: Cllr Jones was unable to attend the meeting so the update of the plan will go to the next meeting.
7 – Playing Field:
Cllr’s Selway & Tizzard Inspection Update; Cllr Selway attended the SPFA meeting and collected the playing field award which is well deserved. Cllr Selway and Cllr Tizzard met and reviewed the inspection and there are one or two matters that need to be discussed at the next meeting with Cllr Selway leading the debate.
8 – Cemetery:
Cemetery wall damage: Towens report that they are not getting any co-operation from Mr Burbidge and request that the Parish Council send a letter to him about this issue also sending the letter as an attachment to an email. This was proposed by Cllr Wright and seconded by Cllr Betty.
New access through car park to ext. area: This is to be discussed at the next meeting when more information is available.
9 – Highways:
The pavements in Othery have not been swept and they are all in a poor state needing attention from the highways team. The clerk will request a sweep from clean surroundings and Cllr Martin will meet with councillors to have a walk through the village to see the problem for himself and prepare a report. Not all the signs have been replaced or repaired by Somerset and Cllr Martin was shown the most important one at Townsend on and online map so that he can follow it up.
10 – Community Speedwatch:
Cllr Atherton has now three more volunteers who have filled in and returned the police form but have still not had any communication from the police. The clerk will see if he can speed up the process. Last Friday’s speed watch reported on 400 cars an hour through the village with an average speed of between 35 and 40 mph. The speeding vehicles have had the VRN and speed submitted for letters to be sent out. Cllr Atherton also reported that they are not permitted to operate if it is raining, and he does not know why. He has 4 on the books with 3 pending. Both SIDs are fully functioning after one needed minor attention. Cllr Atherton asked of the road was definitely going to be resurfaced this year and Cllr Martin believed that the work would be undertaken.
11 – Planning notice:
Application No.: 34/24/00009 (Full Planning Permission): Proposal: Erection of an agricultural building. Location: Land to the South of, Smallmoor Nurseries, Glastonbury Road, Middlezoy, Somerset TA7. Comments by: 01/11/2024. No-one attended the meeting to explain the application so there are unanswered questions. The location plan shows and existing building where the new building is to be constructed. With such a small landholding with other land rented there are questions over the viability of the project. These questions need to be addressed but in principle the Parish Council have no planning grounds to object to the application. They would expect the building to have an agricultural tie which should be binding.
12 – Additional:
Proposal by Cllr’s Wright & Tizzard regarding frequency of OPC meetings; The Parish Council debated this issue and an amendment to the original proposal which was to go to meetings every other month being that The Parish Council do not meet in January and August proposed by Cllr Betty and seconded by Cllr Jennings was passed.
13 – Financial Matters:
The Parish Council wish to have and update on the work of Martin Pring as during the hot summer his work would not have been as great as normal.
The Charity is The British Heart Foundatio
Expenditure:
- Salary £ 268.24
- Salary administration £ 14.40
- Marie Curie £ 25.00
- Alzheimer’s £ 25.00
- Web Hosting £ 240.00
- G Wagen James £ 314.10
- G Wagen James £ 611.70
Income
- Memorial £ 300.00
All the above approved.
14 – Correspondence:
N/A
15 – Correspondence for Circulation:
Already circulated by email:
16 – Urgent Matters at the discretion of the Chairman:
The Parish council are invited to the November memorial church service to lay the wreath with the November charity being the Royal British Legion. The October charity is St Margarets Hospice. Extra planning meeting Monday 21st October at 19:00.
CLOSE
Date and time of the next meeting: Monday 11 th November 2024 7:30 Parish Council Meeting.