MINUTES OF COMPTON MARTIN PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD REMOTELY ON 8 JUNE 2020 AT 7.15 P.M.

Present

Councillor C Craig (CC) – Chairman

Councillor J Halling-Brown – (JHB)

Councillor L Livingstone – (LL)

Councillor T Maggs – (TM) – Vice Chairman

Councillor P Shipman – (PS) – Vice Chairman

Councillor J Thomas – (JT)

Councillor P Walton – (PT)

Clerk Jane Griffiths

The Chairman opened the meeting by confirming The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”) came into force on the 4 April 2020.

The 2020 Regulations enable parish councils to hold remote meetings (including by video and telephone conferencing for a specified period until May 2021)

Compton Martin Parish Council will be using ZOOM.

1.         To receive and accept apologies for absence

            Apologies were received from District Councillor Victor Pritchard.

2.         Receive declarations of interest in the agenda

            There were no declarations of interest.

3.         To consider items put forward by members of the public

There were no requests from the members of the public to bring queries forward to a public participation session.

4.         To approve the minutes of the previous meetings (Minutes to be signed at a later date)

·         It was proposed and seconded that the minutes of the remote meeting which took place on the 11 May 2020 be approved and signed by the Chairman at a later date.  All in favour.

5.         Payments

It was proposed and seconded that the following payments and signing of cheques be made:

6.         Councillor Duties

Further amendments were made to this document.  It was then formally proposed and seconded that the document be approved.  All in favour.  Updated document to be circulated to all councillors

7.         The General Power of Competence

It was confirmed that Compton Martin Parish Council meets the criteria to adopt the General Power of Competence.  This allows the Parish Council to more effectively meet the needs of the community.  It was proposed and seconded to formally adopt The General Power of Competence. All in favour.

8.         To receive further updates regarding:

1. The cutting of the pond weed

Burley Aquatics are catching up with back log but will hopefully be able to work on the pond by the end of June. They will confirm a date in order for arrangements to be made for the disposal of the materials

2. The response received regarding the cutting of the hedge and verge at Mendip Orchard.

A response to the Parish Council’s letter to the Case Officer has been received.  It confirmed that as the hedge is within the ownership of Freemantle, it will be their (or future owner/management company) responsibility to maintain the hedge.  If there was a future issue, B&NES would be able to serve a notice under the highways act to get the owner to remove any obstruction.

It was confirmed that a small section of the hedge and the wall will remain the responsibility of the Parish Council to maintain. 

8.         To receive further updates regarding:

3. The treeworks at Coombe View

Nothing further to report

4. The Climate and Nature Emergency Working Party

Sub-groups have been formed and relevant information supplied.  Time lines are still to be agreed.

5. The Coronavirus Support Network in Compton Martin

It was agreed that the recent information regarding scams distributed to parishioners on the parish council email list should be shared with volunteers.

6. PCAA

Due to the pandemic it has been agreed that all committee members will remain in post until next year.

7. To consider the 2020 Footpath Walk

Issues have been received from parishioners regarding footpaths.  One issue has been resolved and the other issues are to be inspected shortly with a view to resolving. 

The Footpath Working Party will meet to consider how to manage the footpath walk.  The Clerk will place this item on the agenda for the July meeting.

9.         Planning

1.         To consider and comment on the following B&NES Planning Decisions received:

·         20/01218/FUL – Greenacres Farm, Bristol Road, Compton Martin, Proposal for a retrospective stable conversion to a garage/granny annex following extant planning permission re 04/00747/FUL – Mr Hanna - PENDING CONSIDERATION

The Case Officer confirmed that a change had been made to this planning application.

It had been agreed with the applicant the word ‘Conversion’ should be removed from

the description of the application.   It was proposed and seconded that the Parish

Council should respond confirming their original response to this planning

application remains unchanged.  All in favour

2.   To receive a report from the Planning Working Party and consider their recommendations regarding the following Planning Applications.

·         None received at the time of publishing the agenda

9.         Planning

3.  Local Plan Partial Update and Draft Statement of Community Involvement – submitted as agreed, 1^st June 2020.

Thanks were passed to Councillor Walton for the huge amount of work which she put into this document. The parish council submitted the documents meeting the deadline of the 1^st June.

4. HELLA – To consider the B&NES current call for sites – open until 15^th June 2020  

It was proposed and seconded that the Parish Council formally write to B&NES confirming they would not be proposing any sites from Compton Martin. All in favour.

10. CIL Payments

Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan Standing Committee had regretfully come to the conclusion that it was not possible to run joint projects between the 7 parishes involved in the Neighbourhood Plan.  

No further payment due to be received until June/July 2020

11. Date of the next Remote Parish Council Meeting – Monday 13 July 2020.