2024-11-12 Agreed Mins JN V1

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BRADFORD ON TONE PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk: Joy Norris
Email: hello@bradfordontone-pc.gov.uk

Minutes of a meeting of Bradford On Tone Parish Council held on 12th November 2024,
commencing at 7.30pm in Bradford on Tone Village Hall, Bradford On Tone.
Present
Chair: Councillor Georgina Robarts
Councillors: Jim Leaney, David Smith, Dean Smith and Dennis Venn
In Attendance:
Cllr G Wren -(Somerset Council)
Miss J Norris (Parish Clerk)
6 Members of the public attended the meeting.
104/2024
Chair’s Announcements
The Chair gave a round up of recent activities and matters impacting upon the parish
which included:
• The questionnaires about road safety in the village are now available
• Somerset Council leader, Bill Revans, has written to all local councils saying that
the Government is expected to publish details of the 25/26 finance settlement in
late December; Somerset Council are intending to continue working with local
councils and devolve some services so the advice is to build contingency sums for
devolution into local budgets
• All the parish council paperwork is up to date and where appropriate has been
passed to the website manager for publication.
• Leigh Sidhu has decided to resign from the Parish Council. The Chair said that Mrs
Sidhu has worked hard for the Council and highlighted the patient and persistent
way she undertook the footpath liaison role. Councillors wished their thanks to be
recorded.
• Footpath liaison work will be shared between all the Councillors for the time being
– if anyone sees a problem please let a Councillor know.
• Airband have withdrawn from the Connecting Devon and Somerset project.
105/2024
Apologies for absence
There were no apologies for absence as all Councillors were present.
106/2024
Declarations of Interest/Dispensations
No Declarations of Interest were made at this stage of the meeting.
107/2024
Minutes
To approve the draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 10
September 2024

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Chair’s initials

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RESOLVED to approve the draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 10
September 2024 as a correct record.
108/2024
Public Participation
This agenda item allows members of the public present at the meeting to raise matters
which are relevant to Bradford on Tone and / or the work of the Council.
Speaker 1
The speaker asked if there was any progress on resolving the footpath - the response was
given that the Parish Council has not had any correspondence or message on any footpath
matters from Somerset Council.
Speaker 2
The speaker said they were attending in order to get an update regarding the dog bin
which was an item on the agenda for the meeting.
109/2024
Reports from Somerset Council Councillors
Councillor Wren’s report included:
• The staffing re-structure continues but the impact on particular services is not yet
known e.g. on footpaths
• The Council is currently at the consultation stage of the redundancy process
• Contact with the Council through on-line reporting is being encouraged as the
most effective way of communication
• Connecting Devon and Somerset project. There is a lot of concern about Airband
withdrawing from the project. Councillor Dave Mansell is leading some work on
this but at the moment there is no clear indication 0f how the void left by Airband
will be filled.
• The Enhanced Highways Pilot information includes the cost of purchasing services.
110/2024
Police Reports for September and October 2024
The police reports were noted. It was reported that the Bradford on Tone Neighbourhood
Watch scheme is continuing and their records are currently being updated.
111/2024
Financial Matters
(i)
Bank Reconciliations
RESOLVED
(ii)
To note the bank reconciliations as at 30 October 2024
(iii)
To approve the payments detailed in the table below
(iv)
To implement the 2024 pay award backdated to 1 April 2024
(v)
To note the budget monitoring report
(vi)
To request Nigel Richards to tidy up the former telephone kiosk which is home to
the defibrillator
(vii) To agree the recommended electrical work for the supply to the defibrillator
(viii) Adrian Gaines to be asked to paint the former telephone kiosk which is home to the
defibrillator.
Chair’s initials
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Payee

Items

Invoice
Date

Bradford On Tone
Village Hall
Somerset
Association of Local
Councils
*Somerset
Association of Local
Councils
*Somerset
Association of Local
Councils
Mr N Richards,
Home and Garden
Maintenance
Society of Local
Council Clerks

Hall Hire 10.09.2024

Net

VAT

Total

14.10.2024 27/2425

£19.00

0

£19.00

Affiliation Fee

07.08.2024 1012

£188.67

0

£188.67

Councillor Training –
Councillor Essentials
Part 2
Councillor Training –
Councillor Essentials
Part 1
Tidy up and
weedkiller around
war memorial
Membership

03.02.2023 Inv-1996

£15.00

0

£15.00

03.02.2023 INV-1970

£25.00

0

£25.00

30.10.2024

£60.00

0

£60.00

12.11.2024 MEM252203- £37.70
2
£895.77

0

£37.70

Salary and
associated costs
September &
October

Invoice No

112/2024
Review of Financial Regulations
The Parish Council’s Financial Regulations were reviewed in the light of the new model
published by the National Association of Local Councils.
Matters discussed during consideration of this agenda item included:
• Clause 4.3 – budget cycle should refer to setting the budget and precept in January
• There are no proposed material change in values e.g. expenditure levels that are
delegated to the Clerk for decision
• Values for decision making / delegation levels should be proportional to the
precept
• Clause 7.1 – insert “2”
RESOLVED that subject to the changes to clauses 4.3 and 7.1 referred to above that the
Financial Regulations be approved and implemented.
113/2024
•
•
•

Update Report
Details of the Enhanced Highways Maintenance Pilot includes work to drains and
gullies, grass verges, footpaths and road signs
Road Safety Survey – the questionnaire can be returned to the village shop, the
Parish Clerk or the Parish Council Chair (note: return date needs to be amended
from 2024 to 2025)
Prices have been obtained for the purchase and installation of a dog Chair’s initials
waste bin at the southern end of Back Lane
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•

The hedges which had been causing concern from The Worlds End to Three Elms
have been cut; details of the registered land owners have been obtained from the
land registry website for future reference.

RESOLVED that the Parish Clerk is given delegated to authority to purchase a dog waste bin
subject to a maximum cost of £300 (for the bin and fixing post) and to place an
order with Somerset Council for the installation at the southern end of Back
Lane.
114/2024
Draft 2025/2026 Budget
Councillors provided suggestions and guidance to the Parish Clerk on projects and work to
be included in the 2025/2026 budget together with guiding principles for compiling the
budget and thus calculating the level of the precept.
Matters discussed during consideration of this agenda item included
• There are some costs that are essential e.g. insurance, clerk’s salary
• Keeping the bus shelter clean
• Grant to Council for churchyard
• Defibrillator maintenance
• Maintenance of the war memorial and the surrounding area
• Website
• Insurance - need to review carefully to make sure it covers everything that is
needed
• Potential for future projects / earmarked reserves for car parking, memorial
wood, land acquisition fund, provision of community facilities / buildings
The meeting closed at 21:30hrs

Chair’s Signature & Date

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