Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 16.07.15
in the Village Hall, Castle Combe
Cllr’s: F. Winup (Chairman).
A. Bishop (Vice Chairman).
Mrs. J. Halliday
J. Mackelden
J. Prior.
G.Ruggles.
G. Thorn
D. Ryall (Clerk)
Unitary Cllr. Mrs J. Scott
6 Parishioners.
1. Apologies for absence:
There were no apologies for absence
2. Declarations of interest:
Cllrs Halliday and Prior declared an interest in item 7, erection of conservatory and erection of cow building respectively.
3. Minutes of the meetings held on 21.05.15
These were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters Arising:
6A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum
Area Board
Cllr Mackelden was unable to attend the last meeting. Cllr Winup agreed to attend the next meeting on 7th September at Langley Burrell.
Parish Forum.
Cllr Halliday agreed to attend the Area board meeting on 20.07.15 at which highways, sat.nav. and broadband are to be discussed.
6B.Parking Review
The Chairman said that he and Cllrs Bishop and Ruggles had a useful meeting with Unitary Cllr Whitehead to discuss parking problems in the village particularly at bank holidays. Cllr. Winup will discuss with Martin Rose proposals for new signage for car parking, restrictions in the lower village and pedestrian warning signs on the hill for cyclists. He will also discuss revising the white lines outside the Castle Inn to retain the present number and improve health and safety.
Cllr White head also promised that there would be some evening, weekend and bank holiday visits of parking attendants.
6C. Neighbourhood Policing
The Chairman said that the police did not attend the May Parish Forum. He said that there had recently been oil thefts and illegal use of drones in the village.
6D. Footpath School lane to Whitegates
Cllr. Ruggles said he would check whether the Golf Club had successfully laid the additional hard core supplied by Wilts Council. The provision of a hand rail at the Park Lane end was still being pursued but any further improvement would need a PIGS grant.
6E. Village Flooding
The Chairman said the first draft of the Environmental Agency’s Bybrook modelling report was now available and the Council will liaise with Nettleton PC to ensure consistency of response. Mike Roberts will attend a meeting with the Agency at the end of July.
Cllr Winup confirmed that gully jetting had been carried out through out the lower village
6F. Highways & Street Scene
Cllr. Halliday reported that the building gang had completed all of the work with the exception of the damaged wall near the Roman Bridge. She said the completion of the other outstanding work would be carried out by highways when the new finger post has been delivered. The Chairman said this will be further delayed as the manufacturer has been seriously ill. Cllr Scott said she would speak to Richard Dobson to get the work started earlier. Cllr Halliday said that Richard Dobson is on attachment for two months with a deputy in his absence.
6G. Defibrillator.
Cllr Winup said that this and First Aid training is deferred pending a village meeting to discuss the use of the Solarfields donation and an indication of the cost of village cross repairs.
6L. Market Cross
The Chairman said he is expecting a report from Historic England after their recent meeting with the Council. As the cross is a scheduled monument any repairs will require scheduled building consent unless Historic England can provide some grant aid in which case consent is automatic.
He said Solarfields had also indicated there was a possibility of a further donation for the repairs which would be completely separate from the £25000 already agreed.
6M. Village Tidy
It was considered to be reasonably successful although the turn out was low. The problem of the Manse was discussed and it was agreed that a day should be set aside to assist clean up the garden etc. This is to be advertised in the newsletter with Cllr Mackelden the liaison contact.
5. Finance- £
Income
Solafields donation 25000.00
Expenditure
The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:
Southern Electric – quarterly bill 176.50
WALC subscription 126.55
Zurich Insurance 975.86
Bobby Van donation 20.00
Dorothy House – donation 30.00
Wilts Teak & Nursery Supplies – benches 1185.00
Cllr Winup – AGM expenses 49.40
Cllr Halliday – plants 10.00
Liz Taylor – plants etc 39.00
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 21.60
J C Bruce Scott – maintenance 142.50
Nolen Fuel Oils 179.02
Cllr Ruggles – plants 19.94
Lloyds Bank account @ 30.06.15 29807.54
Deposit account 20000.00
5A Audit 2014-5
The Clerk reported that the external audit had been completed successfully with the only comment by the auditors that the Council had too much money in reserve. This should be no more than three times the precept. (£14250).The Chairman said that in our case it was necessary to retain sufficient contingency funds for the repair of our historic monument and other assets.
6. Correspondence.
A. CPRE – membership renewal.
The meeting agreed to renew membership (£36.00)
B. Community First – membership renewal.
The meeting agreed to renew membership (£36.00)
C. SSE contract renewal
The meeting agreed to renew the electricity supply contract.
D. Wilts Council – village toilet consultation.
The Council agreed that they would not take over maintenance & cleaning of the public toilets in the lower village. They considered that the toilets are only used by visitors and therefore should continue to be controlled by the County which benefits most from the large visitor numbers (60000/year) attracted to the village
E. War Memorial Trust – request for donation.
The meeting agreed to donate £30
7. Planning applications
P.C. Approved:
Solar Farm –high voltage grid cable.
53, Whittegates – 2 storey side extension.
9, Westway Close – conservatory
Park Lane Cottage – underground extension etc
P.C. Under Consideration:
Upper Combe Farm – cow building
Unitary Council Granted:
St Andrews Church – side extension for kitchen etc.
The Paddocks – certificate of use.
Solar Farm – high voltage grid cable
Unitary Council under Consideration:
53, Whitegates – 2 storey extension.
Park Lane Cottage – underground extension etc.
8. Unitary Councillor
Cllr Scott said she had recently attended a meeting to discuss combined authorities all of which had already been implemented in Wiltshire. She said Wilts Council was considering the next enforcement action to be taken against Circuit Motors who were continuing to encroach on Council land and the lay by opposite the garage.
9. Playing Field & CC Circuit
Cllr. Mackelden reported that CC Colts continue keep the playing fields in good condition and the recent football tournament was very successful. It was noted that the hedges still have not been cut.
He said the Circuit Liaison meeting had again been postponed and not rearranged. The Chairman asked Cllr Scott to pursue the matter and said he had provided a list of the items for discussion to the Unitary Council. She said Yatton Keynell PC were also concerned and had requested that the liaison meetings recommence. She said that recent noise checks at the circuit were all with the agreed levels.
10. Play Areas
Cllr Makelden said that the new play equipment was easy to check and maintain and that the grass cutting rota appeared to be working well. Cllr Prior said he would check the Whitegates play equipment.
11. Highways
Cllr Halliday said the list of outstanding work was as item 6F and she was trying to arrange a meeting with Wilts Council about the White Hart A Board problem. Cllr Scott said there needs to be a flexible approach to the problem as if imposed rigidly all tables and chairs would also have to be removed from pavements and could be detrimental.
12. Village Environment.
Cllr Ruggles said there was very little fly tipping in the village at present and confirmed Mr Bruce Scott had carried out the work as per the maintenance contract in a satisfactory manner.
Cllr Bishop said the Lady Well was badly over grown and asked for maintenance of this to be added to the contract.
13.Whitegates
Cllr Prior said the golf course management still have not cut back the hedge and that a number of street lights were still not working. A number of residents have now complained about the hedge as is now growing over telephone lines and street lamps. The Chairman said he would speak to the golf course senior management. Cllr Scott confirmed that if necessary the Unitary Council could arrange for the hedge to be cut and charged to the golf course.
14. TV. Committee.
Cllr Winup said there have been a number of problems recently which required the engineers to be called out at the weekend, a new amplifier fitting and some system retuning at the Upper Manor House.
15.Village Hall
The Chairman said the wall had been repaired again by Mr Wheeler and the internal redecoration and radiator re hanging are held dependent upon the cost of the village cross repairs.
. Date of next meeting.
This was confirmed as Thursday 17th September 2015 at 7.15 p.m. in the Village Hall.