Agenda and minutes

The Conservation Manager and Conservation Officer updated members on current cases of historic buildings at risk in Area North.

The Conservation Officer, with the aid of photographs, detailed the historic buildings at risk in Area North and provided Members with an update on the current position of each building.

Following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 October 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Stephen Page and Jo Roundell Greene.

In accordance with the Council’s current Code of Conduct (adopted July 2012), 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.  A DPI is defined in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2112 (SI 2012 No. 1464) and Appendix 3 of the Council’s Code of Conduct.  A personal interest is defined in paragraph 2.8 of the Code and a prejudicial interest is defined in paragraph 2.9. 

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.  As a result of the change made to the Code of Conduct by this Council at its meeting on 15^th May 2014, 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.  If you have a prejudicial interest you must comply with paragraphs  2.9(b) and 2.9(c) of the Code.

In the interests of complete transparency, Members of the County Council, who are not also members of this committee, are encouraged to declare any interests they may have in any matters being discussed even though they may not be under any obligation to do so under any relevant code of conduct.

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, Shane Pledger, Dean Ruddle and Sylvia Seal.

Where planning applications are referred by this Committee to the Regulation Committee for determination, in accordance with the Council’s Code of Practice on Planning, 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.

Councillors Neil Bloomfield and Graham Middleton declared a personal interest in agenda item 16: Planning Application 14/04723/FUL Land OS 6375, Ringwell Hill, Bower Hinton, as members of Martock Parish Council, who had submitted comments on the application. 

Councillor Clare Aparicio Paul declared a personal interest in agenda item 16: Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area North Committee meeting is scheduled to be held at 2.00pm on Wednesday 16 December 2015 (a week earlier than normal) at the Edgar Hall, Somerton.

Members noted that the next meeting of Area North Committee was scheduled for 2.00pm on Wednesday 16 December 2015 at the Edgar Hall, Somerton.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman said he was pleased to see 7 members of the Area North Committee at an important briefing on the future of waste collection in the area, earlier that week. 

Councillor Sue Steele said she had recently attended the Langport doctors surgery and although it had recently doubled its car parking spaces, she had difficulty parking.  She felt this type of issue should be addressed in future planning applications.

Councillor Clare Aparicio Paul expressed her thanks to Chris Cooper, Streetscene  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.

The Conservation Manager, with the aid of photographs and a power point presentation introduced his report to Members. He explained the functions and aims of the Conservation Team to provide specialist advice, in particular to the Planning Department but also to others including members of the public and Parish/Town Councils  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

The Welfare Advice Team Leader provided Members with a power point presentation on the work of the Welfare Advice team during 2014/15.  She advised that their clients were referred by either word of mouth or from other agencies and the additional welfare benefit income which they helped clients to claim  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

The Careline and Welfare Manager provided Members with a power point presentation on the Careline service.  She noted that it had been operating since 1992 and now had 2,100 customers.  She described the services provided and the benefits to customers and she said that a Business Plan and marketing strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

The Area Development Manager (North) advised that the report on the Licensing Service would be delayed until the January or February meeting of the Committee.  It was also noted that a brief update on the building at risk as discussed in the confidential session earlier in the meeting would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

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

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

Proposal: Proposed residential development of 49 dwellings, public open space and associated infrastructure, including drainage attenuation pond.

The Area Lead Planning Officer provided the Committee with a comprehensive presentation of the proposal with the assistance of a power point presentation of drawings and photographs of the site.  Since writing his  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108.

Proposal: Application for change of use of land to provide 2 additional Traveller pitches comprising 2 No mobile homes; 2 No Touring Caravans and associated hardstanding.

The Planning Area Lead Officer advised that it had transpired they had not consulted the adjoining parishes of Hatch Beauchamp and North Curry  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

Proposal: proposed conversion and extension of former waterworks depot into residential dwelling including the erection of a double garage.

The Planning Officer introduced the application with the assistance of a power point presentation of drawings and photographs of the site.  He advised that a previous application at the site had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.