MAY 2019
MARK PARISH COUNCIL
PUBLIC AREAS PORTFOLIO
IDLING VEHICLES: The rumbling of ticking-over vehicle engines and vehicle exhaust pollution can be intrusive. Under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002, it is an offence for drivers to allow their vehicle engines to idle (‘tick’ over) unnecessarily when stationery. ‘Unnecessarily’ generally includes waiting for long periods and allowing the engine to generate heating or cooling. Hotspots in Mark are the Village Shop area and along Mark Causeway during term-time. Representation has been made to Mark School requesting parents and guardians to turn off their vehicle engines. If you fail to turn your engine off after formally being spoken to, you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £20. Rule 239 (Highway Code) also states you must switch off the engine when stationery.
WASTE DISPOSAL – BULKY WASTE COLLECTION: In addition to the regular waste collection, you can make arrangements for Sedgemoor District Council to collect large household items. A brief definition of an item is A non-hazardous household item, that is either over 25kg in weight or too big to fit in a wheelie bin. Such items include fridges, freezers, washing machines, cookers, settees, beds, furniture, bathroom suites and other similar-sized household items. A bed is graded as one item and the mattress and headboard are counted as two separate items. Storage Heaters can be collected if supported by a certificate from the manufacturer stating that it does not contain asbestos. Mower and other fuel driver machinery should be drained of fuel and made safe and fuel tank and containers should be emptied. Unfortunately, the Recycling Centre charges for the disposal of paving slabs, bags of rubble, plasterboard, car parts and tyres, gas bottles and any type of commercial waste - which probably explains the surge in fly-tipping. Charges currently are £43.00 for the collection of up to three single items and £11.90 for each additional item, up to a maximum of 5 items collected per visit. Payment is in advance of the collection. Contact Sedgemoor District Council on 0300 303 7800 (0800 917 6520 in an emergency) or email: customer.services@sedgemoor.gov.uk
The Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 & the Environment Act 1995 places the duty of care on the producers of waste to store, transport and dispose of waste legally in a method does not harm the environment. Fly tipping is not a method! A person/company delivering waste to a recycling site as part of their normal business (whether it's their waste or someone else's) must register for a Waste Carriers Licence. It is worthwhile that those residents and businesses who employ or sub-contract such businesses as builders, artisans and gardeners who will or might need to remove waste should ask to see a Waste Carriers Waste Licence. Otherwise they are likely to be held responsible for the content of all or some of a fly tip should their details emerge.
TRIMMING HEDGES: As we emerge from the gloom of winter and slide towards spring and the
long days of summer, gardens wake up. Remember, in general terms:
- Occupants are permitted to trim overgrowing branches straying into their property back to the common boundary.
- Occupants and those responsible for public spaces are expected to trim hedges overhanging and encroaching border public rights of way and spaces, for instance public roads or pavements.
Such have been the disputes about ‘high hedges’ that these are now defined under the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act as a hedge that is 2 metres tall (6¾ft) of two or more trees formed from evergreens or semi-greens that affects light, a view and is overbearing in nature.
PLANNING
33/19/00004/LR. Display of 2 No. pole mounted signs. Trevenna Farm, Harp Road, Mark. No Observations.
NEXT PARISH MEETING
The Annual Meeting of Mark Parish Council will be held at the Church Hall beginning at 6.30pm on Thursday 9 May 2019 at which appointments to the new Mark Parish Council will be made.
Nick van der Bijl
Mark Parish Council
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