2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were none.

3 APPROVAL OF LAST MONTH’S MINUTES
The Minutes were approved and signed by the Vice Chairman as a true and accurate record of last month’s meeting.

4 QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM PARISHIONERS
Mr Westcott asked if there was any way to enforce the 30mph speed limit in the village. He reported that children were walking down the High Street to catch the bus and there is no pavement from the Caravan Park to the Sparkford Inn. Cars were speeding past these children with no thought of their safety. Mr Tuck said when we requested repeater plates and yellow backing boards from Highways they said they would mark the road from both sides first to see how effective that would be. Mr Westcott said you could barely see the 30mph signs without the backing boards. Mr Tuck said it may be a good idea to have another word with Highways as every other village in the locality has yellow backing boards and also repeater signs in thermoplastic on the road with rumble strips either side. Mr Piper asked if we should have something on the Cary Road. Mr Tuck said we were still waiting for the 30mph sign to be lit but that repeater signs should be put in The Avenue, round the corner by Haynes and up the High Street. Jane Piper said the resident of Hazelgrove Lodge had been to see them advising of three accidents by them recently and asking if signs can be put up near their property opposite Wolfester Terrace. Mrs Goodland asked if the electric speed limit monitoring had been carried out yet. The answer to this was no and when the County Councillor arrives at the meeting he will be asked to organise this.

Mr Singer asked if the road by the church be widened on the corner. Mr Tuck said he had spoken to Highways about this but they said they would look at this after the church renovations have been completed. This needs to be monitored. We will wait until the work on the church tower is finished and if things do not improve we will put this item back on the Agenda to discuss further.

5 COUNTY/DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
The reports from both the County and District Councillors are given between items 13 and 14 of these Minutes.

6 HIGHWAYS
a) Flooding/Drainage
Mr Tuck reported that after his comments on BBC Radio Somerset recently we did get some action and he met two Highways Inspectors with Justin Crawford. They walked round the village and from the amount of spray paint in the areas highlighted we may get some work done. The Clerk reported that the gulleys were being emptied in March. Highways are going to investigate the drainage from the back of the Village Hall to Cam Cottages and the corner of Manor Close to Sonlie and from Sonlie into the ditch they dug approximately one year ago. Mr Tuck reported they were told that Highways are going to replace the drainage south of Joss Cottage and investigate the problems by Konkers. Hopefully we will get some results.

b) McDonald’s crossing
Mrs Edwards brought this matter to our attention last month. The Clerk reported that she had received a telephone call from Highways who had been out to look at the problem themselves. They said they thought the dropped pavement was in the correct place to safely see any traffic coming from the right and left. Unfortunately there is absolutely no budget for dropped pavements any more and they would not be able to move it. However, it was suggested that they may be able to provide a "pedestrians crossing" sign. They were quite appalled at the fact there were absolutely no footpaths within the garage/McDonalds site and said our first port of call should be to the owners of the site to ask for footpaths to be provided. Mr Lewis will be asked who owns the site so we can make contact.

7 LOCAL PLAN/VILLAGE DESIGN
There was nothing to report.

8 CRIME/NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
PCSO Thelma Mead gave Dave Pepper’s apologies. She said there were problems at the moment for the residents of Cherry Pie Lane. Thelma said she would keep an eye on the situation and would pop in to speak to Mrs Hemborough.

Mr Westcott said things had been relatively quite lately.

9 PLANNING DECISIONS
There were none.

10 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
One planning application had been received:
08/00947/FUL & 08/00951/LBC – Change of use of garage to recreation room, erection of garage, store and greenhouse. Mr & Mrs C Franke, Little Weston House, Little Weston Road, Sparkford.
Councillors had the chance to look at the application and plans after the meeting.

11 MATTERS ARISING
a) Reminder about SSDC Annual Parish Meeting
The Clerk reminded the Council of this meeting on 19^th March at 7pm at the Council Offices in Wincanton. She asked that anyone interested in attending let her know so she could book places for them.

12 PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS
a) Clerk’s Salary & Expenses
The Clerk’s salary of £106.99 and expenses of £8.50 were approved.
b) Clerks & Councils Direct subscription renewal
This was approved.
c) SALC affiliation fee 2008/09
This was approved.

13 CORRESPONDENCE
a) Postwatch letter re closure of post offices (including Sparkford)
A discussion took place regarding the proposed closure of Sparkford post office. It was agreed that we produce posters to put up around the village and outside the Pipers. Thelma offered to distribute letters to all parishioners. Mr Hobhouse said that Dan Shaw at David Heath’s constituency office in Frome would help with the posters. The Clerk would organise this. It was also agreed the Council would write a letter opposing the closure.

b) Letter from LELEKA
The Clerk reported she had received a letter from the charity LELEKA based in the Ukraine who organise holidays for children affected by Chernobyl. Mr Tuck asked for a copy of the letter so he could pass it around at Scouts and it was agreed to place an item in the Parish Newsletter.

5 COUNTY/DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
As both the County and District Councillors had been delayed at another meeting Mr Tuck recapped on Highways matters and Mr Hobhouse was asked to look at the question of no footpath between the Caravan Park and the Sparkford Inn.

Mr Hobhouse said he had been to see the Postmaster at North Cadbury. The replacement vehicle being offered is not guaranteed if they do not make any money. The Postmaster at Queen Camel PO runs a service at West Camel once a week and it may be worth asking if he would run a similar service in Sparkford and there is always the possibility of asking for a mobile service which is going to North Cadbury, Charlton Horethorne and two other villages. Mr Bourke asked if we could prioritise this as:
1 Try to keep the existing Post Office open if we can
2 Some form of travelling facility
3 Ask the Postmaster at Queen Camel for the same service as West Camel

Mr Lewis said it was worth popping over the West Camel on a Thursday from 10am to 12 noon to see how it works. They also hold a coffee morning, a police surgery and a prescription delivery service.
Mr Tuck asked Mr Hobhouse if he could arrange the traffic flow monitoring at the junction of Church Road and also the speed of vehicles travelling on the old A303. He agreed to organise this.

Mr Lewis reported that he had been asked by residents of Wolfester Terrace to organise a meeting with McDonalds – this involves various department including Enforcement, Planning and Street Scenes. Mr Lewis was asked if he could find out who actually owns the McDonalds/garage site.

Mr Lewis advised that the District Council are going to open a Contact Centre between 9am and 12 noon on a Saturday morning for a period of 3 months. This is a trial to see whether these services are required. In answer to a question regarding dates for wheelie bin and recycling collections Mr Lewis said that these had not been printed yet as the days for recycling may be changed in May. Mr Tuck gave Mr Lewis a leaflet that Wiltshire provides to all their residents regarding collections and contact numbers etc.

14 ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The Clerk reported she had received a letter from Stella Braithwaite complaining about the amount of litter in the car/lorry park at McDonalds and Wolfester Terrace. Mr Lewis said this should be documented. The Clerk asked if Mr Lewis knew who the Manager at McDonalds was and he said he would find out. She will then write to the Manager and send a letter to Chris Cooper, Head of Street Scenes at SSDC.

The Clerk had received notification from BBC Radio Somerset who are trying to arrange their tour of Somerset for 2008 in their mobile radio studio. They are asking for community events they can attend. It was agreed to put this in the Parish Newsletter.

The Clerk reported that Haynes Museum are proposing a new extension to the Museum and would like to make a presentation to the Parish Council. Marc Haynes is organising an evening where the plans will be on display and will let us know the date.

15 QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM PARISHIONERS
There were none.

16 QUESTIONS/COMMENTS FROM COUNCILLORS
Larry Piper asked for the planning item in the new Code of Conduct to be put on the Agenda for discussion next month.

Lorraine Robinson asked if the only parking for the Village Hall was the small area outside as on many occasions there were cars parked in Church Road. Mr Tuck confirmed that the large overflow car park was available and this information was given to everyone who books the hall so there is no reason to park in the road.
Mr Tuck reported that the Village Hall Committee had agreed to move the Parish Noticeboard to the front on the building and were also erecting a Scouts Noticeboard.

· Old Coal Yard
· Broadband provision in the village
· Code of Conduct
· Annual Parish Meeting

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.15pm

KB/04.03.08