DCC Cllr Mr D Crowhurst and WDDC Cllrs Mrs T Seall and Mr D Smy also attended.

No members of the public were in attendance.

Nominations were called for the post of Chairman. Cllr Cdr W Norman was nominated and proposed by Cllr Hart, seconded by Cllr Pratt and the motion carried unanimously. Cllr Norman accepted his election to the post of Chairman of the Parish Council.

The Chairman proposed, seconded by Cllr Seall and carried unanimously, that all previous appointments be reinstated as follows:

Cllr Hart - Vice-Chairman

Cllr Hart - Parish Transport Officer

Cllr Squibb - Village Field Officer

Cllr Hales - Highways & Rights of Way Officer

Cllr Pratt - Parish Council’s representative on the Village Hall Committee

Cllr Seall – Central Area DAPTC representative

All nominated Officers accepted their appointments.

The post of Ancient Monuments Liaison Officer (AMLO) is retained by the Clerk.

Mr Crowhurst apologised that there was no formal report available on account of the elections. He did mention some of the issues high in the priority list as follows:

Cllr Mrs T Seall gave a short briefing on the following topics:

Cllr Mr D Smy covered the following:

There were no declarations of interest.

Application No: 1/E/05/000424 to demolish dwelling and replace with cottage and detached garage at Chavally, Main Road, Osmington, Weymouth DT3 6PH – approved by WDDC.

4. MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD

Minutes of the meetings held on 7^th and 29^th March and 4^th May were accepted as true records and duly signed by the Chairman.

a. Repairs. The new fencing has now been fitted. Cllr Hales confirmed that he would attend to the teenagers’ meeting place roof repair once he had completed the church boiler house roof. A vote of thanks was accorded to Cllr Hales for all his good work.

ACTION: CLLR HALES

ACTION: CLLR SQUIBB

Parish Field Grass Cutting. It was reported that Mr T Miller now has the requisite insurance cover for village field work. This would have the effect of raising the cost per cut by £5 to £45, amounting to an additional £75 for the year. The Chairman proposed, Cllr Seall seconded and Members voted unanimously to accept this new cost. Clerk to redraw contract and submit to Chairman for endorsement on behalf of the Council.

ACTION: CLERK

Notice Boards.

a. Locks for the first three notice boards are now fitted.

b. The PCC has agreed to sponsor the lychgate notice board. Other sponsors identified are Mr J Russell (Ringstead) and, potentially, Osmington Mills Holidays, The Osmington Society and, again, the Sunray. Cllr Seall undertook to continue progressing the second phase.

ACTION: CLLR SEALL

.

Waste re-cycling notice. The request to replace the redundant waste re-cycling direction sign opposite the entrance to Shortlake Lane with a ‘brown notice’, indicating the way to the Village Hall, has been passed by Doug Chalmers, of Traffic and Safety Management, to West Area Highways Office for action. Clerk to monitor.

ACTION: CLERK

Parish Field Hedgerow. Progressing. Ongoing.

ACTION: CHAIRMAN/CLLR SQUIBB

Lych Gate flower tub(s). Cllr Lockwood has acquired two suitable flower containers, at a total cost of £112.40, for the lychgate pavement. These have been selected carefully to be less prominent than the existing bin and bench, both sited by ‘Highways’. Clerk to obtain final clearance from ‘Highways’. Cllr Lockwood to establish anchorage fittings options and to contact Mr C Simmonds about the provision of appropriate bedding soil/compost. It was reported that Mr Simmonds has already acquired the plants. Cllr Lockwood undertook to continue progressing this project, within the £160 budget limit.

ACTION: CLLR LOCKWOOD and CLERK

OSBUS. Existing cash flow ends in October. The grant runs out before then. Thereafter the service is expected to cease. A local vehicle, sighted at Glebe Close, or a minibus from a local firm may offer a way ahead.

ACTION: CLLR HART

A353 Safety. The meeting arranged by the Chairman with Doug Chalmers, of Highways, took place on 6^th April as planned. Safety issues addressed included the Shortlake Lane crossing options, traffic speed and the Church Lane turn off. Subsequently, a letter in answer to matters addressed had been received from Mr Chalmers. The controlled pedestrian crossing or central island options for Shortlake Lane are not legally feasible without widening the roadway, following compulsory purchase of the adjoining land. Additional ‘Slow’ carriageway markings are to be laid on the eastbound approach and provision of a Speed Indicator Device (SID) is being pursued. New road markings have now been laid at the White House corner of Church Lane. The effect of these will be monitored before deciding if any further measures are justified.

Highway Maintenance. The white line formerly painted adjacent to the southern side verge of the A353, above the Shortlake Lane turning, has been reinstated and extended to both sides of the rest of the main road.

Right of Way Safety Issue. The excessive amount of mud which was being deposited along the made-up section of the Church path, in and around the Lychgate and on the pavement in the immediate vicinity of the Lychgate, such as to present a significant potential hazard had been attributed to, principally, transiting parties of children from 3D Education & Adventure Camp. The Clerk has spoken to management at 3D who readily agreed to divert to other routes until dry weather prevails.

Stone Lane. The Order for ‘Highways’ to formally accept responsibility for the footpath between Church and Chapel Lanes is expected within 1 month. Cllr Hales to monitor.

a. The overgrown footpath, alongside the stream leading to the Smugglers, the condition of which had been reported to ‘Highways’, has attracted little, if any, interest and this issue will no longer be pursued.

b. The landslip, above the slipway, was reviewed some two or more years ago and a decision taken to wait until it had stabilised before taking any action to reinstate the footpath. Although a local landowner has generously consented to use via a temporary alternative route across his land to the beach, this path presents certain difficulties to some pedestrians. The original path provided the only access to the shore, directly from a public highway, between Bowleaze Cove and Lulworth Cove. Clerk to reinstate this issue with ‘Highways’.

Osmington Village Hall Show. The performance of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, planned to take place on the village field in July, has now been postponed until next year.

Nil.

Parish Plan. In abeyance.

Annual Parish Meeting. This is confirmed as 7.30pm Friday 20^th May in the main room of the village hall. Coffee/tea and biscuits will be available from 7.00pm. A member of the Dorset Constabulary has been asked to give a brief talk on Law & Order locally and to answer questions from those attending the meeting.

ACTION: CHAIR/CLERK

Dorset County Training Partnership – attendance. There were no takers for the Planning Briefing in Blandford (North Dorset DC). The Clerks’ Seminar, intended for first year appointees only, will not be attended by the Clerk, who will now attend, instead, a Quality Council Roadshow in June. Ongoing.

Annual Return. Clerk to complete Annual Return, following Council’s endorsement, for signature by Chairman in time for public inspection period 16 May to 13 June.

ACTION: CLERK

Annual Report. The Chairman provided a draft annual report covering Fiscal Year 04/05, for presentation at the Annual Parish Meeting. Following some amendments in the light of Mr Chalmers recent letter, the draft was approved by the Council.

Forecast Expenditure. The Clerk’s assessment of ‘Actuals’, including forecast of outturn for the first half of FY2005/2006, against Budget as at 1^st May 2005 was reviewed. This was accepted as presented.

Endorse cheques. Nil.

Cheques. One cheque only was presented for signatures: