To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.
Note: A maximum of 30 minutes is allowed for this item.
Minutes:
Referring to item 5 on the agenda Mr Grantham said that this Committee has before it a very comprehensive report by consultants which, if recommended in its present form, can have far reaching effects on local communities in relation to future planning decisions. Are Members aware that there is a part 2 to the report which is not attached to your report, has not been published to date and contains a number of area profiles?
Your Officer kindly supplied the Willand area profile when asked for it but are you aware that the key maps are not very clear and contain errors of designation which lead to misleading information in the main report?
Are members satisfied that such an important decision can be made from a report where the authors do not appear to have visited and inspected the locations?
Referring to item 5 on the agenda Mr Ursell asked are Members aware that the report before you indicates that Willand has sufficient supply of allotment space? The Parish Council administer those allotments on behalf of the landowners, a local charity. They are all allocated and there is a waiting list. Which is to be believed those who operate it or the authors of the report who have not visited the site?
A further example is that it is stated that there are two sites for teenage facilities but only one can be seen on the map supplied. The Parish Council recognise this area as a mound of grass and weed covered earth which was constructed for BMX use. Can members define ‘teenage facilities’ please?
Are members aware that three of the ten play areas are being considered for removal?
Referring to agenda item 5 Mr Warren said that currently there is a survey being conducted into play area provision and Parish and Town councils are being asked to consider taking over control of some or all of the play areas within the Parish and the removal of some. The outcome of this will affect the report before you. Is there any process in place to have some ‘joined up’ thinking and decision making on this, as it will affect the planning process?
Is it the right time of year to be asking us to monitor the use of play areas with the dark evenings and adverse weather?
If the Parish take over control and spend Parish money on maintaining the play areas will the ownership of the land pass to the Parish in order that they may have security of tenure to retain the site as a play area or public open space for the future?
Willand Parish Council has offered to take over a large open space from MDDC in the centre of the village in order that it may be properly maintained, as MDDC have not done so, as publicised in the local press. The offer was discussed by MDDC and a decision made but we were not advised of the outcome until the matter was pursued by one of our District Councillors. We have been denied sight of the minutes where a decision was made and we have been told that it would be transferred to the Parish if we supported MDDC selling off part of the land for market housing. Do Members consider this stance likely to encourage Parishes or Towns to take over the maintenance of sites? Is this a sensible decision when the report before you shows that Willand has a considerable shortfall of some open public space?
Finally one of the sites recommended for removal at Willand is well used and has had some items of equipment removed from it. The rest has been repaired and painted to the extent that some thought it had new equipment. This is the nearest play area and open space to a recommended new development under the currently discussed local plan. Do the two departments consult on such issues?
The Chairman indicated that the answers to the questions raised would be provided at the appropriate agenda item.