South Tarrant Valley Group Parish Council

0363
ST03/2024

SOUTH TARRANT VALLEY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF AN ORDINARY MEETING ON TUESDAY, 12th March 2024 at 7pm at The Anne Biddlecombe Hall, Tarrant Keyneston

Present: Councillors Cossins (Chairman), Beale, Eaton, Garland, Parker, Sweetland, Thomson and Thompson.
In attendance: Clerk Mrs Huck, 4 residents

1. Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Deketeleare, Harding and Munford. County Councillor Brown also gave apologies.

2. Declarations of Interest and Dispensations Granted
Councillors Eaton and Sweetland declared an interest in Item 9. The Chairman declared an interest in Item 19.

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 9th January 2024
It was:
RESOLVED the minutes of the previous meeting be accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

4. Report by County Councillor
Councillor Brown had given apologies for this meeting.

5. Highways – traffic speed – B3082 past Ashley Wood Park
The Clerk reported a site visit had been made by the Highways Community Team Leader to review the situation on 20th February 2024, following application from the Parish Council for a speed limit reduction. His report was as follows:
‘There is a lack of empirical evidence based on the last five years injury collisions given to us by Dorset Police, in that no collisions were reported and that the request to lower the speed limit to 30mph from 40mph would also not meet with Department for Transport guidance. In fact DfT guidance states that other measures should be used before any reduction in speed limits, and
I am therefore suggesting the following.
I have offered to install a new junction ahead sign on the elderly persons sign post and install a slow road marking alongside it in the carriageway. I also noted that one of the 40mph signs was dirty and this will be cleaned, and that the bend sign was of the incorrect size for the 85 percentile speed of the road and I will be replacing it with a larger one.’

Vegetation either side of the Ashley Wood Park entrance would also be cut back further.

6. Community Speed Watch (CSW)
Team members provided an update, including that they would be taking part in a Road Safety Day on 20th March which would result in 4 sessions being carried out by the CSW group.
Tarrant Keyneston would also be a venue for a new camera trial by Dorset Road Safety.

7. Speed Indicator Device – update on funding
A Winter Barn Dance had been held on 10th February, successfully raising £700 towards the fundraising for a device. The total raised so far was reported as £3700. A further four fundraising events were planned for the coming months.
CSW asked if the Parish Council would ‘frontload’ the purchase of the device to move the project forward and it was AGREED this be put on the May agenda.

8. Open discussion
(Item 17a was brought forward with the Council’s agreement)
(a) A resident suggested the Parish Council apply for a grant to the Dorset Community Tree Fund which aims to provide support with plans for planting and caring for trees locally so they can help ensure that both old and new trees are managed to benefit wildlife, climate and communities. The project is funded by Dorset Council and coordinated by the Dorset National Landscape team. The Council AGREED the Clerk investigate this.
(b) Cllr Garland expressed disappointment in the withdrawal of funding and so closure to the public of the Queen Elizabeth Leisure Centre in Wimborne. Councillors concurred and it was AGREED the Clerk write to the County Councillor expressing their views.
(c) A local bird watching group had been formed and had met for the first time.

9. Shepherd’s Hut, Tarrant Keyneston
(Cllrs Eaton and Sweetland left the meeting at this point, having declared an interest earlier)
The Clerk reported the resident had agreed to contact the Planning Department at Dorset Council to get written confirmation of the verbal advice previously received, i.e., permission was not required for a shepherd’s hut.
An option for the Clerk to contact Planning if the resident did not gain a response was also provided and could be taken up if required in the coming weeks in order to gain clarity around when permission was and was not needed.

(Cllrs Eaton and Sweetland returned to the meeting)

10. Financial statements for January and February 2024 and approval of cheques scheduled
The Clerk had previously emailed the financial statements showing full details of income and expenditure set against budget, together with a bank reconciliation. It was:
RESOLVED (a) the January and February statements be approved and signed; and,
(b) the cheques shown in the schedules be approved and signed.

11. Grant funding – to consider applications
After discussion and a show of hands, it was:
RESOLVED the following grants be made: (a) Blandford Town Council (conveniences) £100; (b) Blandford Youth and Community Centre £50, and (c) Citizens Advice £100

12. Recruitment of Clerk \ RFO
The Chairman provided an update from the working party confirming an advert had appeared in the Tarrant Times, on the noticeboards and website and on the DAPTC website. Three applications had been received and a further update would be provided to the next meeting.

13. Emergency \ Resilience Plan
Cllr Thompson reported a power cut in January in Tarrant Keyneston had resulted in a good community response without the need for the Plan to be instigated. He considered the Plan to be as complete as reasonably possible and it was:
RESOLVED the Community Emergency and Resilience Plan (a) be published on the Council website, and, (b) be held in hard copy by each councillor in case of power cuts restricting internet access.

14. D Day 80 National Commemoration
The Clerk confirmed this was to be held on 6th June 2024.
(a) Review of local events – councillors were currently unaware of events. They requested the council owned Tommy Silhouette be placed at the Tarrant Keyneston War Memorial.
(b) Lamp Light of Peace – the Clerk advised these paraffin lamps were available to purchase and were for use in restaurants, care homes, etc where a beacon was not an option. The Council felt this was not relevant for our Parish.
(c) Ringing Out for Peace event – church bells are to ring out at churches across England at 6.30pm on 6th June. The Clerk asked if local groups were aware. Cllr Thompson would contact a resident on this matter.

15. Council Risk Assessment
Cllrs Cossins, Eaton and Thomson together with the Clerk had reviewed the document, which had been emailed to councillors ahead of the meeting. The Clerk explained it would form part of the Annual Governance and Audit Review documents which the Council would be required to sign at the May meeting. It was:
RESOLVED to accept the 2024 Council Risk Assessment.

16. Council and Villages website
The Clerk had provided councillors with a temporary link to the offline website to allow for feedback. Amalgamation was progressing well and it was envisaged the site would be live by the May meeting.
Cllr Thompson asked a pdf file of the Tarrant Keyneston Conservation Area be put on the site as an important part of the village heritage.

17. Green Canopy Project:
Cllr Beale reported she and a volunteer had planted saplings on the verge opposite the Queen’s Copse in February. The Clerk confirmed Highways had not raised any objections to the site.
The Council thanked them both for their work.
(b) Queen’s Copse – wildflower area
Cllr Munford was not able to be at this meeting. The Clerk highlighted rattle grass had
been planted to provide support for wildflower germination and it may be some years for that to happen.

18. Dorset Community Tree Project – Volunteer Tree Warden
Cllr Thompson had volunteered to receive training under the Dorset Community Tree scheme (minute 8a refers). He would report back to the May meeting.

19. Planning application updates on the following (Dorset Council reference numbers):
01700 Kings Ransome, Tarrant Keyneston Awaiting sign off
05575 Dorset House, Tarrant Rushton Granted
00040 Down Barn Farm, Tarrant Rawston Information only
00934 Barn At Ferals Farm, Tarrant Keyneston Information only

20. DAPTC
The Council’s representatives reported there no updates.
The Clerk confirmed the Association were implementing charges for mailbox accounts from the beginning of the 24 25 financial year and that this had been included in the budget.

21. Footpaths
Cllr Thompson stated footpath E22/15 crossing a field required reinstating, especially as the distance\topography made it unclear where it started and ended. Markers were suggested and the Clerk advised that, once paths left the highway, then markers would be at the expense of the Parish unless provided by the landowner.

22. Two Rivers Benefice
Cllr Parker provided an update. The Benefice reorganisation had been formally approved and so would be effective from March 2024. A celebration of this was being organised to which Parish Councillors would be invited.

23. Council Elections May 2024
Cllr Beale, Cllr Harding and Cllr Munford had confirmed they would not be standing for re-election. The Chairman thanked them for their voluntary service over the years and their contribution to village life which had been much appreciated.

For those standing again, the Clerk highlighted the need for hard copy forms to be completed and these to be taken to either Blandford or Wimborne to be handed in, with appointments for this required. Further discussion time on this had been set aside following the meeting.

24. To decide items for next agenda
Recruitment of Clerk \ RFO
Digital switchover of landlines
Shepherd’s Hut, Tarrant Keyneston
D Day 80 Commemoration
SID fundraising
River Tarrant
Highways
Footpaths
Asset management – bus shelter
Council and village website

25. Date of next meeting
This is currently set for 14th May (Annual Council Meeting and Ordinary Meeting), followed by 9th July, 10th September and 12th November 2024.
The Annual Parish Meeting has yet to be scheduled, with the Council having voted to hold it on a separate evening to the Ordinary Council Meetings following a successful trial of this in July 2023.

Signed ……………………………….(Chairman) Date ………………………