WEDMORE PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the meeting of WEDMORE PARISH COUNCIL held at The
Council Rooms, Grants Lane, Wedmore, on Wednesday 15th September 2021 at 7.30 p.m.
Present: Councillors:, Mr D Kirley (Vice – Chair), Mrs I Beecom, Mrs J Candy, Mr D Cox,
Mrs G Cousins, Mrs J Farley, Mrs B James-Lloyd, Mr A Landers, Mrs E Mulliner,
Mr A Reeson, Mr A Smith, Mr P Tinney.
In Attendance: Mr. R Pring (Clerk),
21.09.1. TO RECEIVE ANY APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Cllrs. P Costello, J Newton, S Thorogood,
S. Worrall, D Huxtable (SCC)
21.09.2. Cllr Kirley welcomed Cllr Andy Reeson to the Council and invited him to sign the “Acceptance
of Office” Register
21.09.3. REPORTS FROM COUNTY ANDS DISTRICT COUNCILLORS – Nil.
21.09.4. TO RECORD ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Nil.
21.09.5. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18TH AUGUST 2021 – The minutes had previously been
circulated.- RESOLVED: that the Chairman be authorised to sign the minutes as a correct
record of the previous meeting.
21.09.6. MATTERS ARISING – Cllr Smith said that the Grants procedure and guidelines had been
amended and was on the Council’s website.
21.09.7. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – Nil.
21.09.8. FINANCIAL MATTERS
a) Audit of accounts – 22nd July 2021- 24th August – Cllr Beecom and Cllr Mulliner
reported that all was in order.
b) Accounts for Payment – as per the following list
Payment Payee Details Amount
DD Mainstream Line Rental £62.53
BACS W Jackson Grass cutting, cemetery and highway works £951.00
BACS R Pring Clerk’s expenses £21.42
BACS D Summers-Cooke Clean and lock toilets £220.00
BACS Mrs R Stevens Clean Council Rooms £25.00
CARD Cleverbridge Computer security software renewal £49.99
BACS Rapide Supplies Amended invoice £4.88
BACS Peter Smith Drain inspection and report at toilets £60.00
BACS Rapide Supplies Toilet rolls public toilets £34.16
BACS Aquablast Clear blockage at toilets` £114.00
BACS Masonic Hall Hire charge for Well-Being event £95.00
DD Sedgemoor DC Clerk’s salary £1756.79
BACS M Isgar Refurbish bench at Mudgley Cross £105.00
BACS EDF Energy Electricity at toilets £9.85
BACS PKF Littlejohn External auditor’s fee £480.00
21.09.09 TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON “WEDMORE BY LAMPLIGHT”. – Cllr Cox updated members on
a meeting he had attended earlier with other Councillors and committee members of
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“Lamplight”. He said that previous events had been funded mainly by traders and it had been
a large, successful community event. The rules regarding street closures had since changed
and there had been a significant cost in this as well as safety requirements and assessments.
Basic costs were in the region of £3000 with the traders pledging to raise £1000. Cllr Kirley
felt there was a genuine desire to press ahead this year and Cllr Cousins noted that the event
would be beneficial to the newer members of the parish as well as existing residents. The
next meeting was on 28th September. Proposed by Cllr Landers and seconded by Cllr
Beacom that the Council should support the festivities in principal. This was agreed.
ACTION – ALL
21.09.10 TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM A RESIDENT FOR THE PROVISION OF LAND FOR DOG
OWNERS TO USE – Cllr Kirley had been exchanging emails with the complainant who seemed to
suggest that he wanted to let his dogs run loose on the Playing Fields. It had been pointed
out that the Council had no jurisdiction over this land and that it was managed by its own
Committee. Cllr Candy said there was a field in Badgworth which the owner rented out by the
hour for dog exercising and apparantly it was successful. Cllr Tinney noted that dogs ran
loose near his home in Stoughton and owners were generally very responsible. It was felt that
the PC were not landowners and had no legal responsibility to provide such land. Cllr Kirley
said he would write to the complainant accordingly. Cllr Costello had suggested placing a dog
waste bin in Combe Lane near the stile leading onto the Cross Farm development. It would
cost £140 to instal. Members were infomed that the village currently had 6 bins and the
emptying cost was in the region of £900 p.a. It was agreed to go ahead with the proposal –
ACTION – DK/CLERK.
21.09.11 TO CONSIDER A COMPLAINT OF A DANGEROUS DOG ON A FOOTPATH IN THE
VILLAGE – Clr Beacom reported that a resident had been subject to agression by dogs
running loose on the footpath from Sand Road to Pilcorn Street. The Clerk said he had
received a similar complaint earlier this week. It was believed that the dogs belonged to the
landowner. He had advised the latest complainant to contact the Police who had power to
deal with dangerous dogs and he urged others to do the same. He had also contacted the
Dog Warden at Sedgemoor who also had enforcement powers. It was agreed that the Clerk
should write to the owners of the dogs informing them of the complaints and advising them
that the Police would be informed and also the Dog Warden and any further complaints would
be passed on accordingly. ACTION – CLERK.
21.09.12 ISSUES AND QUESIONS RAISED BY COUNCILLORS – Cllr. Beacom said she had received
correspondence from Rupert Bullock of Green Wedmore concerning street lighting and light
pollution. It needed a full village consultation but there were no funds available for this at the
time being. She also said that the Brook was blocked by a fallen branch in Glanville Road.
Councillors complained of broken or damaged stiles within the parish and were informed by
Cllr Farley that these could be reported online via the County Council’s interactive website.
Cllr Farley noted that the yellow lines outside the village hall should have been repositioned by
now and other yellow lines needed re-painting. The Clerk said he would contact Cllr Huxtable.
Cllr Kirley had been asked about the current position regarding the proposed cycle path to
Blackford School. Cllr Mulliner said that some feedback from local landowners had not been
positive so the team looking at this need to decide on the next steps to take.
21.09.13 CORRESPONDENCE
Item From Whom Subject
ALL CIRCULATED
21.09.14 COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Cemetery – Contractors on site tomorrow to carry out demarcation work near the bottom car
park.
• Facilities Allotments, Footpaths – Allotments now available to let and hedges needed cutting.
• Finance & General Purposes – Nil
• Housing – Nil.
• Highways – Meeting 29th September.
• Planning – Meeting 6th October
• Human Resources – Number of policies and procedures currently under consideration.
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REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES ON COMMITTEES
• IOW News – Accounts had been audited. Allotment availability to be inserted next
time.
• Play Areas – Fencing at Blackford not yet done
• SALC – Nil
• Wedmore Playing Fields Management – New toilet cleaner appointed by
Management Committee and all looked very clean.
• Village Halls – Blackford and Wedmore bookings looking good.
• Twinning – Nil
• Green Wedmore – AGM 27th September. New Chairman required.
21.09.15 MATTERS OF REPORT AND ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING –
(a). Chairman – Terms of Reference etc would be circulated prior to next meeting
(b) Clerk – Nil.
(c) Members – Nil
There being no further business the meeting was declared closed at 8.17 pm
