Present: Cllr. E J Derrick (Chairman), Cllr. Mrs. E V Latchem (Vice-chairman)

There were no questions or comments.

Before the commencement of the formal agenda the Chairman asked all present to rise and stand in silence in remembrance of the life and work of Cllr. Bill Dixon.

The Chairman then read a card from Mrs. Dixon thanking all members of the Council for their kind thoughts over the past few weeks.

1. To elect a Chairman for the year 2004/2005

There was one nomination, that for Cllr. Derrick. He was duly elected.

2. To elect a Vice-chairman for the year 2004/2005

There was one nomination, that for Cllr. Mrs. Latchem. She was duly elected.

3. To appoint Standing Committees, delegates to outside bodies and signatories to cheques

Committee membership was reviewed and it was agreed that the numbers on the Magazine Committee and delegates to the Police meetings should be increased by one.

The following appointments were made:

Burial Committee(6)

Cllrs. Derrick*, Mrs. Button, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Lewis-Mason, C Rich and J Rich.

Lighting Committee(6)

Cllrs. Gregory*, Bolwell, Derrick, Mrs. Lewis-Mason, Mrs. Matthews and Mrs. Thomas.

Environment Committee(7)

Cllrs. Butt*, Mrs. Butt, Day, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Latchem, Mrs. Matthews and Mrs. Thomas.

Finance Committee(6)

Cllrs. Mrs. Butt*, Mrs. Button, Graham, Mrs. Latchem, J Rich and Mrs. Thomas.

Recreation Field Trustees Committee(7)

Cllrs. Derrick*, Bolwell, Butt, C Rich, Mrs. Latchem, Mrs. Lewis-Mason and the Clerk.

Magazine Editorial Committee(8)

Cllrs. Mrs. Thomas*, Bolwell, Butt, Mrs. Button, Day, Mrs. Latchem, Mrs. Lee and C Rich.

Personnel Committee(4)

Cllrs. Mrs. Latchem*, Butt, Mrs. Butt and J Rich.

Planning Committee(6)

Cllrs. Derrick*, Bolwell, Day, Graham, Gregory and Mrs. Kennedy.

*Denotes Chairman 2003/2004

Delegates to the Avon Local Council Association(2) Cllrs. Butt and Mrs. Thomas.

Delegates to Police Liaison Meetings(2) Cllr. Bolwell and Mrs. Lewis-Mason

Delegate to RDA Market and Coastal Towns Initiative Cllr. Butt.

Delegate to Peasedown St John Safety Action Group Cllr. Mrs. Button

Signatories to Council Cheques

Cllrs. Derrick, Bolwell, Mrs. Butt, Mrs. Latchem and the Clerk.

Signatories to Recreation Field Cheques

Cllrs. Derrick, Bolwell, Mrs. Latchem and the Clerk.

4. Minutes of the Council meeting held on 29^th March 2004

These minutes, which had been previously circulated, were taken as read agreed a true record and signed by the Chairman. There were no matters arising.

5. Correspondence

a). Cllr. Paul Crossley, Leader of B&NES Council

Letter explaining the B&NES Council policies for supporting Fair Trade practices in the District and asking if towns and villages would like to set up local Fair Trade groups. Members felt that the village was well represented already with the Co-op taking the lead. Agreed to reply to Paul and then place an article in the August Newsletter.

b). Home Office - changes in the law on preventing illegal working

Letter explaining the recent changes - refer to the next Personnel Committee meeting.

c). B&NES. Household and Warden Waste Recycling

This letter was prompted by the Clerk's letter sent from the Annual Parish Meeting asking for something to be done about rubbish being tipped on urban footpaths and turning hammerheads etc. A B&NES gang has now cleared one footpath but members were not satisfied with the standard of the work as much rubbish was left to form a foundation for even more. Clerk also reported two phone calls from the public with the same complaint. Chairman also remarked on the haphazard collection of green boxes. Clerk was asked to write to Simon Memory to ask for his comments on both problems.

d). B&NES. 2001 Census information - Parish by Parish

Agreed that this information is not copied to all members but left in the Parish Office for information as and when required.

e). B&NES. Equality Policy Consultation

This again is a large document running to 18 sides. Agreed to print from the e-mail attachment and send to the Chairman of the Environment Committee for his perusal and recommendations.

6. Accounts

a). The following accounts were presented by the Clerk for payment. The Chairman, following a recommendation from the Internal Auditor, asked that they be agreed by recorded vote.

Fosseway Press Ltd. £44.97; M J Whittock (Salary and Expenses) 1615.13 & 1411.25; Inland Revenue 839.23 & 552.14; Rev. B Sutton 2; J Beck 14 & 28; SWEB 791.84 & 11.50; N/R Journal 39.20; SEC 2420.84 & 818.05; T&K Cook 113.83; 1^st Peasedown Scout Group 121.50; B&NES 559.66; Peter Davies 64 & 240.60; SWBSL 127.91; BT 138.27 & 35.25; ALCA 1126.24; Norton Garden M/C 21.45; C Champion 691.28; R Mannings 83.85; C Chivers 72.99; Avon Door and Lock Co. 13.75; Landscape Co (SW) Ltd. 818.32 (VAT); Bath Road Service Station 15.58 & 16.78; Fr. Duncan Ferguson 4; Cradock and Son 1368.88; Allianz Cornhill 1007.67; C Mitchell 310, Information Commissioner 35 and Landscape Co (SW) Ltd (final payment on POS Nett) £4676.13

Members as recorded below agreed the payments: -

Cllrs. E J Derrick, Cllr. Mrs. E V Latchem, J S Bolwell, Mrs. F M Butt, R W G Butt, Mrs. M A Button, F J Day, J W Graham, M J Gregory, Mrs. M Kennedy, Mrs. S B Lee, Mrs. J Lewis Mason, Mrs. C E Matthews, J P Rich and Mrs. K M Thomas.

There were no votes against.

b). To receive the un-audited Accounts for 2003/2004.

It was agreed to receive the Accounts as put to the Internal Auditor. A recorded vote was again taken and the following members agreed to receive: -

Cllrs. E J Derrick, Cllr. Mrs. E V Latchem, J S Bolwell, Mrs. F M Butt, R W G Butt, Mrs. M A Button, F J Day, J W Graham, M J Gregory, Mrs. M Kennedy, Mrs. S B Lee, Mrs. J Lewis Mason, Mrs. C E Matthews, J P Rich and Mrs. K M Thomas.

There were no votes against.

c). Internal Auditor for 2004/2005

It was noted that Mr. Peter Provest had already agreed to act as IA for the year 2004/2005 at the Annual meeting held in 2003. He was thanked for his previous meticulous work and for his continued support.

7. To receive the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 5^th April and 10^th May 2004

Cllr. Derrick presented these minutes and asked for questions. There were no questions so he asked that all members note the item on the first detailed plan seen for the new commercial land. He hoped all members would back this development, which would surely be a great fillip for other firms who might want to come to the site. He hoped that the Council would back his Committee when requesting B&NES to allow the small amount of retail required by Mercedes to make the site efficient and viable.

Cllr. Butt reported briefly on the alleged illegal selling of cars at 25, Ashgrove. By all accounts the applicant did submit plans as required on the last day of the allowed period. However Cllr. Butt was still very disappointed because, with a further delay of 14 days agreed by B&NES to allow the site to be re-measured and new plans submitted, it was now looking inevitable that the firm would get their full year's trading without permission. Members made their feelings known concerning the poor performance of the planning enforcement department. All other decisions were endorsed.

8. To receive the minutes of a Magazine Committee meeting held on 17^th May 2004

Cllr. Mrs. Thomas presented these minutes and asked for questions or comments. Cllr. Mrs. Thomas again asked that all members make sure that they submit their pictures and brief bibliographies for the next Newsletter. All decisions were endorsed.

9. The receive a verbal report from Cllr. Butt, the Chairman of the Transport Issues Working Party

Cllr. Butt reported that they had now met twice, the last time with Neil Terry, the B&NES Highway Engineer who had reviewed the agenda and helped the Party to prioritise the various aims in the different parts of the village. Mr. Terry was able to announce that he had a couple of solutions since he met the Environment Committee back in March. He would be recommending a pavement adaptation outside the coach garage, which would assist the access and egress of coaches and he said that it is possible that the raised platform at Huddox Hill would be "blacked" very shortly before the Sec. 106 Agreement was signed off.

Mr Terry said that a roundabout at the Radstock end of the by-pass could cost over £120,000 but he thought, after some investigation, traffic lights might be the economic and efficient answer.

He also said that it is possible that the roundabouts would have to be put into 30 mph limit zones as legislation had changed since the original Avon CC specification.

Speed in Wellow Mead still poses problems as well as the safe crossing of Orchard Way but and items would be looked at again later.

It is hoped to meet again in June. Members and the Chairman thanked Cllr. Butt for his enthusiastic work on this Party and he was praised for involving the public. Cllr. Butt said that the Working Party had agreed unanimously to invite Cllr. Mrs. Bevan (B&NES) to join the Working Party and that she had agreed.

10. Reports

a). Police Liaison

Cllr. Bolwell reported on the last meeting held on 21^st April at Clutton Youth Centre. He said that the meeting threw up several interesting facts. It seems that Combe Hay is now having problems with underage motorcyclists. Bath Police have told Somer Housing to be careful whom they allot to this village, as the Police are unable to cope with more problem families. It seems that the group will need a new Chairman as Terry Webber wishes to stand down. Cllr. Bolwell said that he hoped a member of a Council took the job as he could see that if a Policeman sat in the Chair the meetings would lose their present effective form.

Next meeting will be on 21^st July.

b). Safety Action Group

Cllr. Mrs. Button reported on the last meeting held on 4^th May in the Methodist Hall; there was not a single member of the public present! The meeting had an update report on the Play Project in Frederick and Albert Avenues and later PC Shaun Roberts confirmed the fact mentioned above in the Police Report - reference problem families. Next meeting 6^th July, hopefully in the Youth centre.

c). Parishes Liaison Meeting 31^st March

A written report by Mr. McInnes sent out with the agenda was noted with thanks.

11. Casual Vacancy

The Chairman proposed that the Council formally declare a vacancy for a member due to the death of Bill Dixon. The Clerk was asked to inform the Returning Officer and, in the event that an election is not called, to advertise the vacancy in the notice boards and Newsletter for a possible co-option at the Council meeting on 26^th July. All agreed.

12. Election of Committee Chairmen

Brief meetings of all committees were held and all sitting Chairman returned.

13. Dates of next meetings

7^th June - Planning Committee: 21^st June - committees as required.

5^th July - Planning Committee and Finance Committee (Audit to be scrutinised and agreed for putting to full Council meeting)

19^th July - Magazine and other committees as required

26^th July - FULL COUNCIL.

Meeting closed at 8.30 p.m.