Present: G. Willcox (Chair), M. Colman (Vice Chair), D. Creed, J. Gane and M.Heal.
Apologies: T. Holley and A. Creed.
Minutes of the last Annual Parish and Parish Council Meeting were approved and signed.
Election of Chair.
Proposed by M. Colman, seconded by J. Gane and passed that G. Willcox be re-elected.
G. Willcox accepted and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office book.
Election of Vice-Chair.
Proposed by D. Creed, seconded by M. Heal and passed that M. Colman be re-elected.
M. Colman accepted and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office book.
Chair's Report.
Since the last Annual Meeting there has been a change of District and County Council to One Somerset commencing April 2023.
This is very new and still evolving.
Planning will be decided by Planning Committees, our parish being under Planning East.
Each committee will consist of 13 elected members from across the county.
There is also a sub committee of the Executive called the Planning Policy Sub-Committee consisting of executive/cabinet members who will progress the Local Plan and other policy documents such as the Statement of Community Involvement, Supplementary Planning Documents etc.
Planning Committee Guidance says notification of the planning committees will be notified at least 5 days before the meeting. It is possible for people to speak at such meetings with a time-limit of 3 minutes each. Attendance at such meetings would need to be booked beforehand with One Somerset.
In 2022 the parish council deliberated 24 planning applications. To date this year it has been 4.
Iron signposts.
Two are currently being refurbished.
The Parish Council is in talks with One Somerset Traffic Management looking at ways to improve road safety for pupils to and from the school.
We continue to support the Village Hall Management Committee and Parochial Church Council with donations for upkeep of the Hall and use of and upkeep of the churchyard.
I would like to thank my fellow parish councillors for their unfailing assistance over the year and welcome T. Holley our newly co-opted parish councillor.
As always, our work remains 'for the good of the village'.
Notices of meetings and agendas are on our website westpennard.org.uk and on our noticeboard on the left of the entrance to the Village Hall. It is always good to see parishoners at our meetings.
G. Willcox.
Chair.
Finance: Accounts and AGAR (Annual Governance and Accountability Return) 2023 presented, signed, to be published on 3rd June 2023.
There being no further business the meeting was closed.