PEASEDOWN ST JOHN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Magazine Committee meeting held on Monday 17th January 2005 at 9.15 p.m. in the Cricket Clubhouse
Present: Cllrs. J S Bolwell, F J Day, Mrs. E V Latchem and C Rich.
Also present: Cllrs. Mrs. R M Rich, J P Rich and the Internal Auditor.
Apologies were received from Cllrs. Mrs. M A Button and Mrs. K M Thomas (Chairman).
Public Session
Mr. Provest remarked on the lack of minutes on the Council's Web Site.
Cllr. Mrs. E V Latchem was asked to be the Chairman.
These minutes, having been previously circulated were taken as read, agreed a true record and signed by the Chairman. There were no matters arising.
The Clerk commented that North Meadows, Church Road and Eckweek Lane were poorly covered. It was agreed that the Clerk should mention these problems to the co-ordinator for the Scouts.
The problems raised by Mr. Provest were debated at length and eventually it was agreed that any decision should be left until the Chairman was present. It was suggested however that the QC qualifications be re-visited as perhaps the Council is trying to put too much on the site.
The Chairman had received a letter from Cllr. Butt, which questioned the committee's judgement when they allowed an advert in the December issue for adult learning at the new centre by the school. He suggested that if B&NES wanted to sell more courses it should do its own advertising and also the advert was not strictly public information for the village as it mentioned other adult learning centres all around the district.
Members had mixed feelings about the complaint and arguments both for and against this type of insertion were aired.
The Clerk said that if he had to make the final decision he would like some clear guidelines as he was not able to wait for this committee or even Council to decide on each and every "advertising" article received. He said that there were so many grey areas.
It was finally agreed that full Council should debate the issue and give the Clerk advice for the future.
The question of making the Newsletter fund itself with paid advertising was again discussed. The Clerk had recently telephoned the C&E office in Bristol and had his adjudication of the ruling confirmed. Cllr. J P Rich asked if the Clerk would try again as he thought that other Parishes got round the problem by taking one-off payments for a year's adverts. The idea he said would also cut down on any money chasing required.
It was decided to take a photograph of the Chairman presenting the Clerk his CiLCA at the Council meeting - it would make a good front cover picture. As well as the usual regular features it was decided to follow up the front cover picture with an article on QC.
Meeting closed at 10 p.m.
Signed …………………………………………….Chairman Date …………………………..