Peasedown St John Parish Council
Minutes of a meeting of the Amenities Committee held on the 4th December 2006 held at Peasedown School
Present: Cllrs A Spiller*, J Bolwell#, C Rich, Mrs F Butt, (to speak about Wellow Lane) J Rich (acting SO43 as Cllr RWG Butt left early. )
Cllr RWG Butt (SO43)
Mr P Provest - Lay Member
Public Session
None
Cllr RWG Butt addressed the committee with regard the proposed Tesco supermarket and urged all present to send in letters of protest to the Planning Authority as it is the individual letters that count. He also reminded those present that there is to be a village meeting at the Beacon Hall on 7th December 2006 regarding the change of building boundary at Wellow Lane thus allowing housing to take place on the swathe of land opposite the bungalows. Mr Aubrey Chegwyn is to chair this meeting.
Cllr Butt had to leave the meeting to attend a function.
PCSO Sam Grange was welcomed to the meeting along with her beat manager PC Matt Bendle. Sam said she wishes to be proactive rather than reactive and her aims would be to help provide a stronger, safer neighbourhood. She would not be confrontational and will be visiting the school and youth club and with the specialist knowledge she brings with her from previous posts will be able to provide appropriate assistance to those most needing it. Sam feels that a high police profile within the village will be help to prevent lower level crimes.
Cllr Bolwell said that as Peasedown St John is the largest village within B&NES he felt that we needed to have a PCSO present in the village for most of the time, and he also mentioned the hours of work as the village is quiet during the day but problems occur when the public houses close. Sam confirmed that works shifts and will be in the village in the evenings where shifts allow.
These minutes, which had been previously circulated were taken as read, agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
The bus shelter is to be bought at a higher cost than the insurance claim. Finance have given the go ahead for this. Amenities committee will continue to monitor the progress
Lighting Maintenance within B&NES has been contacted and the clerk is trying to get some help in establishing ownership of lighting poles.
The chairman has requested that the chair of each committee deal with press releases on items that affect their committees directly. They will then pass the copy to Cllr Mrs M Kennedy for her to contact the press.
The clerk has managed to establish a contact with an officer employed by B&NES to deal with the parcels of land on the new estates which appear to have no ownership.
Any problems which are deemed to be dangerous have to passed to B&NES and they will deal with them directly and and the less vital problems can be passed to
Persimmon Homes.
Full council have asked that each committee come up with ideas as to how best honour and remember the achievements of the late Cllr J Derrick.
On going emails from Stuart Barnes regarding the seat at Frenchfield Road
The clerk also read an email that had come from Mrs L Anstice about the same problem. It was felt that the matter of the bench had been dealt with by the council some months ago, but that they would notify the new PCSO Sam Grange about the anti-social behaviour occurring in the vicinity.
The council decided to stay with EDF as they had frozen their charges for a year.
It was decided to pass this item to the Environment committee.
It was decided to precept for Christmas Lighting to go through the village for Christmas 2007 and to upgrade the lights on the Christmas Trees at both village entrances/exits. The bus shelter upgrade needs to be precepted for also.
The Chairman welcomed Mr Francis Hillier from the Somerset Miners Welfare District Trust to talk to the committee about the ownership of the recreation field, and the matter of a lease for the football club. Mr Hillier has stated that the football club will need a 10 year lease in order to obtain funding from the FA, Government and Premier League.
Mr Hillier explained that up to 75% of the sum needed to build changing rooms may be available. He was asked about what would happen if the charities commission deemed the land to be no longer of use to the village and he said that it would revert to CISWO (Coal Industry Social Welfare Association)
The land at the Whitebrook Lane end of the field was given to the village by Sir Frank Beauchamp for the children and youths of the village and as such this land may actually belong to the Parish Council. Len Morris would be a help in this matter.
The football club should be paying a rent for the use of the field and this can be determined when the lease is completed.
Cllr F Butt put the question to Mr Hillier ‘How would it be viewed if the parish council were to pay 25% towards the building of the changing rooms to have a building fit for purpose to be used also as a parish office and meeting room’
Mr Hillier was in some doubt about this idea but suggested that the clerk might ring Simon Wood on 07984 003460 as he may be prepared to come and meet at the field to discuss the way forward.
Capital Projects
War Memorial
Identify and decide an action plan for dealing with land that is not claimed by anyone i.e. on Orchard Way.
Cllr Butt to inform the committee re the progress of the ALCA double taxation working party of which he is a member.
The meeting closed at 20.15 – Cllr J Rich suggested a 15 minute extension to the meeting to complete the business.