Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 July 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sue Steele.

In accordance with the Council’s current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also “prejudicial”) in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting. 

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  Where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council. 

Planning Applications Referred to the Regulation Committee

The following members of this Committee are also members of the Council’s Regulation Committee:

Councillors Clare Aparicio Paul, Neil Bloomfield and Sylvia Seal.

Where planning applications are referred by this Committee to the Regulation Committee for determination, Members of the Regulation Committee can participate and vote on these items at the Area Committee and at Regulation Committee.  In these cases the Council’s decision-making process is not complete until the application is determined by the Regulation Committee.  Members of the Regulation Committee retain an open mind and will not finalise their position until the Regulation Committee.  They will also consider the matter at Regulation Committee as Members of that Committee and not as representatives of the Area Committee.

The following declarations of interest were made:

Councillors Tiffany Osborne and Derek Yeomans – personal interest in Agenda item 16 (Planning Application 17/01089/COU) as members of Curry Rivel Parish Council.

Councillors Stephen Page and Dean Ruddle – personal interest in Agenda item 8 (Grant application for Compton Dundon Parish Council)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area North Committee meeting is scheduled to be held at 2.00pm on Wednesday 25 October 2017 at a venue to be confirmed.

Members noted the next meeting of Area North Committee was scheduled for 2.00pm on Wednesday 25 October 2017, at a venue to be confirmed.

There were no questions from members of the public present at the meeting.

The Chairman advised that the Area North Regeneration Board had recently met and considered 2 proposed initiatives but had decided not to progress them.  He asked Members if they had any further economic development initiatives to propose to let him know in order that they can be taken to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Councillor Gerard Tucker asked that his appreciation be recorded to the Somerset Waste Partnership for their continued waste and recycling service in Aller during the road closure.

He further noted that:

·         He was pleased to receive a copy of the SSDC brochure promoting local businesses and tourism in the area.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

(voting: unanimous in favour)

The Neighbourhood Development Officer advised that an application for grant funding had been received from Compton Dundon Parish Council to provide a bus shelter in the village.  It was proposed to remove the nearby phone box and relocate two parish noticeboards within the bus shelter.  The request was for 40%  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

The Community Office Support Manager introduced the report and advised that there had been a decrease of 11% in footfall to community offices across the district, but, a rise in web transactions from 20% to 29% compared to the previous year.  The footfall at the Langport Community Office had reduced  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

The Environmental Health Manager introduced the report and outlined the work of the 3 teams (Food and Safety, Environmental Protection and Housing Standards) within the service.

In response to questions from Members, the Environmental Health Manager advised that:-

·         Dog fouling was an ongoing problem and additional patrols could be arranged  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

The Communities Lead advised that there would be two community grant applications presented to the committee in October and the half yearly update on the Area North Service Plan would be presented in November 2017.

With these updates Members were content to note the report. 

Members noted the report that detailed planning appeals which had been lodged, dismissed or allowed.

Members noted the schedule of planning applications to be determined at the meeting.

Proposal: The use of land to form 2 No. pitches for mobile homes and the erection of 1 No. utility / washroom block per pitch.

The Development Manager introduced the report and advised that the proposed mobile homes and utility blocks were outside the development boundary, they were ancillary to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

Proposal: Replacement balcony and stairs (retrospective application).

The Planning Officer (North) introduced the report advising that although the application was retrospective, permission already existed to use the flat roof area as a balcony/terrace area.  It was proposed to extend the height of the new railings to protect the amenity of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

Proposal: Application to permit use of gardens of the manor and the potting shed adjacent to gardens to hold events for up to 150 people.

The Planning Officer introduced the report and outlined the proposal.  He said the Environmental Protection team had significant input into the application and although the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

Proposal: Application to vary S106 agreement between South Somerset District Council and Melanie Anne Quantock Shuldham dated 11^th July 2014 relating to affordable housing.

The Section 106 Monitoring & Compliance Officer introduced the report and advised that the applicants were seeking to discharge the planning obligations within the s106 agreement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

Proposal: Outline application with all matters reserved except access for the development of 3 bungalows including associated landscaping and parking.

The Development Manager introduced the report and advised that the principle of housing had been established in a neighbouring property where a similar permission had recently been granted.  The key  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

Proposal: Demolition of existing garage, erection of a dwelling, formation of access and creation of parking area for existing dwelling (outline).

The Planning Officer introduced the report and advised that the proposal was backland development which if agreed, would open the area to further backland development in the future.  Because  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

Proposal: Outline application for erection of two dwellings.

The Planning Officer advised that there were significant historical issues with the location.  It was beyond the development area of the village and so if approved it would be difficult to defend other applications on an adjacent site, where 7 previous applications  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.