EASTON IN GORDANO PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Committee meetings on Monday 8 December 2003

Playing Fields Management Committee

Present:

Cllrs Duck, Hunt, Baker, Ridley, Stowers, Waters, Mr J. Norval (Junior Football Club, Mr P. Strother Smith (Clerk).

Apologies:

None.

Nothing to report.

Open Spaces & Amenities Committee

Present:

Cllrs Duck, Hunt, Baker, Belcher, Clegg, Ridley, Stowers, Waters,

Mr P. Strother Smith (Clerk).

Apologies:

Cllr Jones.

1.

Play Area:  The Clerk and, hopefully, Cllr Duck would be attending a site meeting with a representative of Wickstead on 9 December to discuss faults raised in the annual ROSPA report.

2.

Footpaths:  The minutes of the recent Footpaths Committee meeting had been received and were noted by Councillors.

Finance & General Purposes Committee

Present:

Cllrs Duck, Hunt, Brooks, Burchell, Pritchard, Waters, Whiting,

Mr P. Strother Smith (Clerk).

Apologies:

Cllrs Jones, Langton.

1.

Community Centre:  A discussion took place on the request at the last Council meeting for a long term lease to be granted which would open up new funding sources for repairs to the Centre.  Cllrs Ridley and Robinson were concerned about handing over the community’s biggest asset.  Cllr Hunt said that, now the precinct project was closed, a lease arrangement with suitable let-out clauses should be considered; also it was an issue that the Parish Plan should be addressing.  Cllrs Brooks and Waters thought that the budget figures submitted were too modest.  Cllrs Duck and Stowers supported the idea with safeguards.

Proposed by Cllr Whiting and seconded by Cllr Hunt it was agreed to set up a working party to explore with the Community Centre Management Committee the possibility of negotiating a lease with appropriate conditions laid down.

2.

North Somerset Agricultural Society:  A request for a donation was discussed and it was decided to ask for more information.  Action PSS

3.

Photocopier:  The Clerk presented his proposal for replacement of the photocopier.  Rental would be £86.25 per quarter with copying at 1p per copy.  Proposed by Cllr Hunt and seconded by Cllr Stowers it was agreed to proceed.

4.

Budget for 2004/05:  Budget figures were discussed and submitted to Cllr Whiting for Open Spaces & Amenities and Finance & General Purposes Committees.

5.

Street Lighting:  It was agreed to discuss further improvements at the January or February meeting.  The Clerk was asked to distribute a map to all Councillors showing which lights belonged to us and which to NSC.  Action PSS

Planning Committee

Present:

Cllrs Duck, Hunt, Belcher, Brooks, Burchell, Clegg, Pritchard, Robinson, Whiting,

Mr P. Strother Smith (Clerk).

Apologies:

Cllr Langton.

1.        

The following applications have been approved:

03/P/2584/LB

St Georges Hall, EIG

Repairs to external elevations.

03/P/2592/F

50a Westward Drive, Pill

Conservatory.

2.          

New Applications – there was no objection to the following:

03/P/2907/F

6 The Lovells, EIG

Front & side extension.

03/P/2939/F

The Tynings,

Martcombe Road, EIG

Polytunnel.

03/P/2953/F

34 Stoneyfields, EIG

Front extension.

03/P/2956/F

Railway Inn, Pill

Rear extension.

3.          

New Application:

03/P/2959/F

Sunnyside

Martcombe Road, EIG

Conversion of agricultural building to dwelling.

Although there was no objection to the design aspect of this application, Councillors wished to object on the grounds of precedent with regard to use of the green belt.

4.

Skateboard Park:  Formal notice of withdrawal of this application had been received from NSC.

5.

Planning Appeal:  An appeal by Mr C. Allcock will be heard on 21 January 2004 at 10am at the Town Hall, Weston-super-Mare re land at Cross Lanes Farm, Pill.