Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of Area East Informal meeting held on 10th November 2021.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 10 November 2021 were approved as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Kevin Messenger, Lucy Trimnell and Charlie Hull.

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 Sarah Dyke, Paul Rowsell and William Wallace.

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.

Members are asked to note that the next scheduled meeting of the committee will be held virtually using Zoom virtual software on 9^th February 2022.

Members noted the next meeting of Area East Committee was scheduled for Wednesday 9th February at 9.00am and would be a virtual meeting.

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

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

There were no reports from members.

The Chairman introduced the report that asked members to consider awarding a grant of £12,500 towards replacement play equipment at Jubilee Park in Bruton. He invited the clerk of Bruton Town Council to speak.

The clerk of Bruton Town Council explained that last year a number of existing play equipment that was beyond repair were removed. Since then a number of public consultations had taken place with parents and children in and around the local area to get their thoughts on what they would like to see in the park. Six or seven quotes were obtained and the choice was made to go with Hags, who recently put in new equipment at a play area in Henstridge. Funding had already been made available from the Town Council, S106 funds and a lottery grant. The play area itself was situated at the recreation ground and was a popular destination for many.

In response to questions from members, the Town Council representatives explained;

·         That old equipment inspections had been reviewed, and it was decided the money would be better spent replacing equipment rather than trying to repair them.

·         The remaining equipment could be repaired and some money is set aside to complete that work, until a time that eventually, all the equipment could be replaced.

·         There was still some 106 money due to Bruton Town Council, and some from an ongoing site had not yet been triggered.

A supporting statement was read out on behalf of the ward member, Councillor Lucy Trimnell. She highlighted the extensive use of the play area by those in and around Bruton as well as the children attending Bruton football club matches. The decision to remove the old equipment due to its poor state had left the park looking bare. The play park was so important for children’s mental and physical health and she fully supported the application being presented.

There were no further comments and it was proposed and seconded to award the grant of £12,500 towards replacement play equipment at Jubilee Park in Bruton. The decision was approved unanimously.

Members were content to note the forward plan, and The Chairman asked if an officer from the planning department involved with the phosphates could attend the next Area East meeting with an update.

Members noted the list of Planning Appeals.