Agenda, decisions and minutes

The minutes of the meetings held on 17^th May 2017 and 18^th May 2017, copies of which had been circulated, were taken as read, and having been approved were signed as a correct record of the proceedings.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jason Baker, Jenny Kenton, Paul Maxwell and Martin Wale.

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 Mike Best, Angie Singleton and Martin Wale.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

Councillors are requested to note that the next Area West Committee meeting is scheduled to be held on Wednesday 19^th July 2017 at 5.30pm at The Guildhall, Chard.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Area West Committee would be held on Wednesday 19^th July 2017 at 5.30pm at the Guildhall, Chard.

This is a chance to ask questions, make comments and raise matters of concern.

Parish/Town Councils may also wish to use this opportunity to ask for the District Council’s support on any matter of particular concern to their Parish/Town.

Anyone wishing to raise matters in relation to items on the agenda may do so at the time the item is considered.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman made no announcements.

The Assistant Highway Service Manager presented the report which informed members of the highway works carried out last financial year in Area West and the proposed works programme for 2017/18.

During the ensuing discussion, the Assistant Highway Service Manager responded to questions regarding issues within Area West which included the following:

·         With regard to concerns over overgrown road signs, members were informed that a new contract had recently commenced.  Contractors now have a 30 day window to strim around the signs following hedge cutting;

·         A member made a request for a second grass cut at the following junctions: Burrows Hill out onto Haselbury Plucknett and at Chiselborough  onto the A38;

·         A member expressed his thanks for the works undertaken in Chard;

·         A new 7 year surface dressing contract had commenced.  The previous issues with surface dressing failure would be addressed by the introduction of a new process;

·         A member reported an issue with potholes along Severalls Park Avenue and Court Barton in Crewkerne.

The Chairman and members thanked the Assistant Highway Service Manager for attending the meeting.

The Streetscene Manager presented his report, as detailed in the agenda, which provided an update on the performance of the Streetscene Service for the period April 2016 - May 2017.  He summarised the works which had been carried out by the team which included:

·         Two applications of herbicide were delivered as programmed through the highway weed killing operation;

·         The Parish Ranger Scheme continued to run successfully with a number of parishes using the scheme;

·         Unfortunately there was an increase in the number of flytipping incidents due to the introduction of the ‘vehicle and trailer permit scheme’;

·         Christmas tree shredding had been a great success with over 3,500 trees shredded;

·         The Clean for the Queen initiative has been taken up by a number of parishes;

·         A Health and Safety review of working alongside the highway had been undertaken and new flow-chart type guidance produced.

In response to comments made by members during a short discussion, the Licensing Manager briefly provided further information about the following:

·         The development of the workshop as an MOT station;

·         Working with the charity Key4Life;

·         The possibility of providing new equipment for gum removal and making it available to town and parish councils.

Members thanked the Streetscene Manager and his service for the excellent work that they had carried out and noted the report. 

RESOLVED:  That the following appointments be made to Area West Working Groups and Outside Organisations for the municipal year 2017/18:

(Resolution passed without dissent)

Reason: To appoint members to working groups and outside bodies for the municipal year 2017/18.

RESOLVED:  That the following appointments be made to Area West Working Groups and Outside Organisations for the municipal year 2017/18:

(Resolution passed without dissent)

Reason: To appoint members to working groups and outside bodies for the municipal year 2017/18.

(Resolution passed without dissent)

Reason:  To appoint two members to act as substitutes for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the exercising of the scheme of delegation for planning and related applications for the municipal year 2017/18.

(Resolution passed without dissent)

Reason:  To appoint two members to act as substitutes for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the exercising of the scheme of delegation for planning and related applications for the municipal year 2017/18.

The Area Team Lead advised that a Town Centre Events Programme report would be submitted to the August Area West Committee.

Members noted the report which outlined the details of an appeal allowed at land to the rear of the Bell Inn, Broadway Road, Ilminster.

Members noted the schedule of planning applications to be determined as outlined in the agenda.

Application proposal: External alterations to windows and doors, replacing soil pipes and rebuilding of east chimney.  Various internal alterations to include removal of staircase (part implemented)

The Planning Intern introduced the report and briefly summarised the details of the application.  She explained that the application was part retrospective as many of the works had been completed.  She advised that the three main issues of contention with the application were:

·         The removal of the staircase

·         Insertion of new staircase and removal of floor

·         Removal of ground floor partition

With the aid of slides and photographs, the Conservation Officer explained in further detail about the internal works undertaken to the building and how they were harmful to the significance of the listed building.  He recommended that the application be refused.

In response to questions from members, the Conservation Officer informed members of the following:

·         In terms of sufficient features being left to echo what was in the building, members were informed that only a curved wall and window remained nothing else had survived;

·         Originally there had been two houses and two winder staircases.  The winder staircase on the other side of the building had been removed over 40 years ago;

·         Further details of the alterations undertaken in the 1970s and the works completed more recently;

·         Any 14^th century building would be listed.

The Committee was addressed by Michael Hicks in support of the application. He advised that the proposals were justified to support family living and if the works were to be reversed the building would not be fit for the future. 

Ward Member, Councillor Andrew Turpin advised that the application had full support from the Parish Council.  He did not understand the benefits of reinstalling the staircase and commented that it was not an original structure and had been removed prudently.  He believed that it was vital for the central staircase to be kept as it made practical sense.

During discussion, views expressed in support of the Officer’s recommendation included the following:

·         If the application were to be agreed it would set a precedent for anyone to remove anything from a listed building;

·         Not able to support removal of the winder staircase;

·         Critical features of a building should be respected;

·         The applicant should not of undertaken works without consent and should of contacted the Council;

·         The Council had a duty to protect listed buildings.

At the conclusion of the debate, it was proposed and seconded to refuse the application as per the Officer’s recommendation.  On being put to the vote the proposal was carried by 7 votes in favour and 3 against.