BURNHAM-ON-SEA AND HIGHBRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY 5 DECEMBER 2011

Transcription

1 BURNHAM-ON-SEA AND HIGHBRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL MONDAY 5 DECEMBER 2011 Minutes of the Town Council meeting held this day in the Old Courthouse, Jaycroft Road, Burnham-on-Sea at 7pm Present: Cllr Clarke (Chairman) Cllr Mrs Burge Cllr Cox Cllr Harvey Cllr Davey Cllr Miss Groves Cllr Hancock Cllr Miller Cllr Jones OBE Cllr Ms Lawson Cllr Mansfield Cllr Williams Cllr Nicholls Cllr Mrs Pollard Cllr Smout Mrs Shaw (Town Clerk), Mrs Brewer (Admin Assistant) 224/11/TC 225/11/TC 226/11/TC Apologies Apologies were received (and approved) from: Cllr Burridge-Clayton (family) Cllr Young (business) Cllr Miss Parkin (holiday) Also from Mr Doug Bamsey (Sedgemoor District Council) Declarations of Interest Members NOTED the following Declarations of Interest: Cllrs Davey, Jones, Mansfield and Smout as members of the Development Control Committee at Sedgemoor District Council. Cllrs Clarke and Smout on licensing matters as members of the Licensing Panel at Sedgemoor District Council. Cllr Harvey on Policing Matters as a family member was employed by Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Cllr Miller on EDF matters as an employee of EDF. Hinkley C Mr Granville Roberts, a nuclear regulator with the Environment Agency gave a summary on the environmental issues raised by the EDF, Nuclear New Build at Hinkley C. The Environment Agency s consultation on an application from EDF for an environmental permit was to close on 15 December (i) (ii) Response to the application for environmental permit to discharge cooling water and liquid effluent discharge into the Severn Estuary: Members considered the impact on water quality and the perception this would have on the tourism industry, the potential impact on habitat in the Estuary. The new build would be twice the size of Hinkley A and B, but the radioactive discharges would be less because of new techniques used in treatment of the cooling water. Action: Clerk to write to the Environment Agency to express the concerns outlined above. from the Burnham boat owners and their concerns about a temporary jetty: Following a statement from Pete Nicholson, Cllr Williams suggested the boat owners should write to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) with these concerns. Action: The Town Clerk should also write on behalf of the Town Council to support their concerns, after consultation with Minehead Town Council. 1

2 (iii) (iv) Members NOTED the from Sedgemoor District Council confirming they had adopted a Supplementary Planning Document in respect of Hinkley C. Members NOTED the from Victoria Banham at Sedgemoor District Council about the application to the IPC and series of drop-in events in December. Members were disappointed an event had not been arranged in Burnham-on-Sea or Highbridge. Actions: A small working party would be formed to deal with the large amount of information about this application. The Clerk would also contact Paul Wheatley and Doug Bamsey at Sedgemoor District Council to ask for a brief monthly summary to be available for all members in good time to be sent with the agenda papers. 227/11/TC 228/11/TC 229/11/TC Public Correspondence Members NOTED the following letters from residents: Suggestions for Improvements in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge:- Members NOTED this letter and agreed that the Clerk should respond to this to advise that the Town Centre Improvements Group was looking at most of the points of the points raised in the letter. Other actions: Clerk to look into improved signage for the footpath/cycle path from the Yacht Club to Apex Park and Highbridge along the River Brue, at both ends of the path. Litter from the fishermen and dog fouling on the Esplanade: Actions: The Clerk would write to Sedgemoor District Council about the missing litter bin, and to ask once again that the dog warden pays particular attention to this area. The Clerk would also ask the press to highlight these concerns. Chairman s Announcements The Chairman thanked the Rotary Club for planting four sacks of daffodil bulbs on Queen s Drive and the Frank Foley Parkway, Clr Davey would pass this on. Minutes of the Last Town Council Meeting The Chairman presented the minutes, which members AGREED should be signed as true and accurate record of the meeting. 230/11/TC Minutes of the Policy & Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday 16 Cllr Williams presented the minutes and members AGREED the following Recommendations: To pay the grants as listed in the minutes. Joint Funding of Local Services with Sedgemoor District Council: whilst the funding was agreed in principle there were still some details to be ironed out. To adopt the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Policy as outlined in the minutes. To accept the changes to Subsistence and other Allowances, as detailed in the minutes. Members of the Committee AGREED that the minutes be signed. 231/11/TC Minutes of the Jubilee Projects Committee held on Wednesday 16 Cllr Jones presented the minutes and members considered the following Recommendations: 2

3 The order be placed for Commemorative Mugs. Cllr Jones proposed this be done, seconded by Cllr Davey. The proposal was carried by 10 votes in favour, with three votes against and two abstentions. Funding for the Jubilee Flower Beds: This was carried by 13 votes, with one against and one abstention. Action: The Clerk would Dave Aggett at Sedgemoor District Council to confirm he could place the order. Cllr Jones thought than an English Oak tree would be more likely to cost in the region of 500 including a commemorative plaque. Action: Clerk to include this information in the press release. Members also NOTED that this Committee would review its expenditure at its first meeting in Members of the Committee AGREED that the minutes be signed. 232/11/TC Minutes of the Property Committee held on Wednesday 16 Cllr Davey presented the minutes and members AGREED they should be signed. It was NOTED that the Commitee s proposed budget for 2012/13 would be 233/11/TC Minutes of the Town Improvements Committee held on Wednesday 16 Cllr Smout presented the minutes and members considered the following recommendations: Highbridge Clock funding: A shortfall of up to 3500 to be requested to be taken from reserves at the Policy and Finance Committee. Cllr Smout thanked Cllr Mansfield for his hard work in collecting funds received. Funding for SIDs, (Speed Indicator Devices): To make a budgetary provision of 1,450 for 2012/13 to renew two existing devices, and to fund a new one (Location to be agreed). Cllr Harvey asked that the SeaView Road toilets be erased from the You are Here Boards as he had received several complaints about this. It was NOTED that the Commitee s proposed budget for 2012/13 would be Members of the Committee AGREED the minutes should be signed. 234/11/TC Minutes of the Staffing Committee held on Wednesday 16 Cllr Smout presented the minutes. It was NOTED that the recommendations regarding staffing matters would be Members of the Committee AGREED they should be signed.. 235/11/TC Minutes of the Planning Applications Committee meetings held on Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 23 Cllr Miller presented the minutes and members of the Committee AGREED they should be signed. 3

4 Members discussed the bid by the Planning Committee to the Policy & Finance Committee for 1,500 for the cost of the necessary IT equipment to be able to receive and present planning applications electronically at Town Council Planning Committee meetings. It was proposed by Cllr Davey, seconded by Cllr Jones, that the Clerk should contact Sedgemoor District Council to ascertain if they would be prepared to supply the necessary equipment at the District Council s expense. 236/11/TC Minutes of the Princess Management Committee held on Wednesday 30 Cllr Williams presented the minutes and members considered the following Recommendation: PV Cells: It was proposed by Cllr Williams, seconded by Cllr Harvey, that Robin Mewes be instructed to submit a planning application at the earliest opportunity. This was carried by 14 votes, with one abstention. Members of the Committee AGREED the minutes should be signed. 237/11/TC 238/11/TC Matters Arising From Previous Meetings Members NOTED the following: Highbridge Library: Members considered the letter from Somerset County Council confirming that funding for Highbridge library would not now be withdrawn at the end of March 2012 following the judgement of the recent judicial review. The County Council s leter also ofered to continue its dialogue with those Councils that had expressed an interest in getting involved in library services. Action: Following a proposal from Cllr Ms Groves that the Town Council should not continue this dialogue, it was agreed that the Clerk should write accordingly to Somerset County Council. The Clerk, in consultation with Ms Groves, would write to those members of the public who had expressed an interest in volunteering. The letter from Sedgemoor District Council confirming that car parking charges would be frozen for 2012/13, and that the question of Christmas parking for 2012 would be looked at next September. The leter from Steve Atkinson, about Sedgemoor District Council s Scheme of Delegation. The from Tom Dougall at Sedgemoor District Council updating on progress to date on Burnham Town Centre Improvements. Cllr Harvey would attend meetings in the place of Cllr Hancock, who could not attend morning meetings. The update on the High Contact Families Project. The letter from Somerset County Council about the Somerset Electoral Review, confirming that there would be further consultation in February The letters of thanks from Burnham-on-Sea Chamber of Trade (for the Christmas lighting grant) and Burnham Dreamscheme. (for their share of the collection at the annual Civic Service). Correspondence Members NOTED the following: s from the National Association of Local Councils about political proportionality on Town Council Commitees and the Clerk s response. The Clerk anticipated that there would be formal consultation next year. s between the Clerk and Area Highways office about Links Gardens/Saxondale Road, confirming that some minor repairs would be undertaken but that there were no plans to re-surface these roads. 4

5 The suggestion of a potential project to generate solar power for the community, using land at the Brue estuary. Members felt that this could not pursued at this time, since the land was not in the Town Council s ownership, the area was considered an important wildlife habitat and that there was a risk of putting a great deal of effort into this project, only to fail in obtaining planning permission. The consultation on Waste Core Strategy from Somerset County Council. Somerset County Council s consultation on potential increase in the charge for renewal and application for a new Blue Disabled Parking Badge from 2 to 10. Cllr Cox said that he understood that the consultation included a proposal that badges issued would be valid for a period of three years but proposed that the Town Council should ask for this to be extended to 5 years. Cllr Harvey proposed the subject be deferred to the next meeting as there was inadequate information on the letter, seconded by Cllr Williams. This proposal was carried by 11 votes, with four abstentions. Action: The Clerk would write to request more information, e.g. clarification on eligibility. This matter would then be considered again at the 9 January full Council meeting. The application for RLT3 funding for the East Hunstpill Sports Pavilion. It was proposed by Cllr Mansfield, seconded by Cllr Harvey, that the Town Council should support this application. This was carried by 12 votes, with three abstentions. Action: The Clerk would inform Sedgemoor District Council accordingly. The letter and brochure from Network Rail about plans for the modernisation of the Great Western Railway. 239/11/TC 240/11/TC 241/11/TC Newsletter Members suggested the following item for the next edition of the newsletter: Winter Services Accounts Members NOTED details of the invoices paid for October and the Committee reports for income and expenditure to the end of October Information Available from the Clerk s Ofice Members NOTED: Open Spaces Magazine Autumn 2011 Somerset Age UK Update letter of services 242/11/TC Forthcoming Dates DECEMBER 2011 Members NOTED the meeting dates for December as detailed on the Agenda for this meeting, also that the next Town Council meeting would be held on Monday 9 January /11/TC Timetable of meetings for 2012 Members NOTED this, and suggested a copy be forwarded to Sedgemoor District Council. There being no further business the Chairman closed the meeting at 21.15hrs. 5