Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 November 2016.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 November 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no apologies for absence.

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, Tiffany Osborne 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.

Councillor Dean Ruddle declared a personal interest in Agenda item 9: Area North Committee Review of Arrangements, as a member of Somerton Town Council who hired the Edgar Hall to the Area North Committee.

Councillors Adam Dance and Crispin Raikes both declared a personal interest in Agenda item 14: Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area North Committee meeting is scheduled to be held at 2.00pm on Wednesday 25 January 2017 at the Village Hall, Norton Sub Hamdon.

Members noted the next meeting of Area North Committee was scheduled for 2.00pm on Wednesday 25 January, at the village hall, Norton Sub Hamdon.

There were no questions from members of the public present.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Gerard Tucker to his first meeting as the new District Councillor for the Turn Hill Ward.

The Chairman also reported that Langport had been a runner up in the village category of the Great British High Street Awards 2016.  She said although they had not come  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116.

Councillor Adam Dance referred to District Councillors from other areas in the audience and asked if he should be attending other Area Committee meetings?  He asked that a written response be provided to him. 

Sgt. Dean Hamilton introduced the report and advised that although the Beat Managers for the area remained the same, there were two new PCSO’s: Fiona Wilson and Amy Douche.  He said that although phone calls to the service were about the same as the previous year, the recorded number of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118.

The Assistant Director (Communities) advised the report was a periodic review of the Area Committee working arrangements.  Based upon the responses to a member survey, although there was consensus on the start time of the meetings and the order of the agenda, there had been a diversity of views on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

During a brief discussion, Members requested that the District Valuer be invited to attend a future meeting of the Committee to explain the method for viability testing and also that a member of the Economic Development team be present at the Economic Development and Regeneration update report, due to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120.

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.

The Planning Officer introduced the report and advised that the application was for a single dwelling on land to the rear of existing developments.  It was before the Committee as the access arrangements did not accord with standard Highway Authority advice.  He advised that the existing access onto the A378  ...  view the full minutes text for item 123.

The Area Lead Planning Officer advised that a member of the public had made third party representations to the Secretary of State regarding the Council’s non-requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment for the application.  He had sent his screening opinion to the Secretary of State but he had not yet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 124.

The Planning Officer introduced the report, advising that the solar park already had planning permission for 25 years of operation, obtained on appeal, and the proposal sought an additional 5 years of operation.  The site was one field away from the Langport Civil War battlefield which could be open to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125.