Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 17.11.2016
in the Village Hall, Castle Combe
Present:
Cllr’s: F. Winup (Chairman).
J Mackelden. (Vice Chairman).
B. Blair
Mrs. J. Halliday.
J. Prior
G. Ruggles
G. Thorn
8 Parishioners.
1. Apologies for absence:
Unitary Cllr. Baroness J. Scott and D. Ryall
2. Declarations of interest:
All councillors declared an interest in item 5 (precept).
Cllr. Mackelden declared an interest in item 18 (Social Committee donation request).
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 08.09.16
These were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters Arising:
4A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum
Area Board
The Chairman and Cllr Ruggles attended the 7th November meeting at which future Area Board priorities were debated for follow up at the January meeting
The Area Board declined a grant application from Langley Burrell VH where the PC was unable to contribute due to lack of funds. The Area Board’s view was that the PC precept should be raised to enable a contribution of 25% to be made. A similar approach is being adopted re CATG (Chippenham Area Transport Group) where a 25% contribution will normally be expected unless exceptional circumstances exist.
Parish Forum.
The Chairman and Cllr Ruggles attended the 21st September meeting at which the main discussion related to the need for its continuance as a medium for rural parishes to discuss and resolve common issues.
The Chairman and Cllr Prior will attend the next meeting on 23rd November at Goss Croft Hall Upper Seagry. This is likely to include a session with Planning Enforcement.
4B.Parking Review
New signs re parking and cyclists
The Chairman said a response is due shortly from Unitary Cllr Jane Scott about who pays for the proposed additional signage for car parking etc.
Cllr Halliday said Wilts Council have agreed to reduce the length of the bar hatching outside the White Hart by painting out the white lines and repositioning correctly. She will discuss with the Parish Steward prior to his next visit.
Parking Statistics.
There were 14 bookings in September but only 1 in October. Figures continue to be received monthly.
4C. Footpaths
The Golf Club has begun to cut back vegetation on both sides of their Whitegates boundary . It appears to be an excellent job so far.
The Unitary Council was unable to supply the promised 5 tons of gravel as they have “run out of budget”. This was despite being given several months’ notice. We therefore approached Major Highways who have confirmed that they can supply and deliver large quantities of road scalpings which will in fact be much better but not available until January. The Chairman will liaise with Martin Rose (Highways) and Rob Preston (Golf Club).
A response is awaited from Highways re ownership and responsibility for the Whitegates footpath. In the short term Cllr Prior will liaise with Sam Bettles if cutting back of vegetation becomes necessary.
4D. Village Flooding
The Chairman attended the Operational Flood Working Group on 16th November and received confirmation that the Environment Agency is at last to receive the final modelling from their external contractors on 25rd November and will be in a position to debate with us and Nettleton in the early New Year.
4E. Defibrillator.
This and first aid training continues to be deferred until the village cross repair costs are known. Once this is known grant aid will be sought.
4F. Market Cross
The three fixed tenders (which exclude any subsequent monitoring work on movement of the corner pillar) were reviewed as follows:
£54689.25 Minerva Stone Conservation Ltd
£56065.54 Sally Strachey Historic Conservation Ltd
£85044.75 Carrek Ltd
After discussing the relative merits of each tender the Chairman proposed that Sally Strachey Historic Conservation Ltd should be selected, seconded by Cllr Mackelden and agreed unanimously.
The fixed date for all tenders is 31st January 2017 which will be a tight timescale bearing in mind the likely period required by the Heritage Lottery Fund to review the grant proposal.
The grant application has been drafted pending confirmation of the additional costs to produce an “app” for visitors to learn more about the heritage aspects. Cllr Mackelden will liaise urgently with our consultant David Newton.
Once residual funds are known following completion of the Market Cross works, a village meeting will be held to debate usage of the £25000 Solar Plant grant or elements of it.
There will be a need to retain sufficient funds to establish an informal amortisation fund for future repairs and restoration of Parish Council assets.
17. Conveyances and Licences.
The agreement re access of access rights across the Estate Yard is in course of renewal and will include two parking spaces outside the village hall entrance for Parish Council use. Village hall hirers will continue to be able to unload goods etc but will then need to move their vehicles elsewhere as at present.
5. Finance- £
Income:
Nil
Expenditure:
Liz Taylor – plants etc 19.99
BWBSL – water rates half year 77.41
Cllr Winup – bin lids & liners 23.76
Clerks salary 264.05
HMRC- tax 141.20
Cllr Winup – bolts, plugs, spindle 35.43
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 35.28
Play safely Ltd, -audit play areas 159.60
Liz Taylor – plants etc 26.00
Mr. Bruce Scott – maintenance 167.50
SSE – electricity – quarterly bill 205.11
Cllr Ruggles – plants 7.94
Lloyds current account @ 19.10.16 38111.29
Deposit account 20000.00
5A. Cheque Signatories
The revision to the Lloyds Bank signatories is now complete – Cllrs. J Halliday & J. Mackelden added,
Mr P Dowell, Mrs .E. Clegg, Mr A.P. Bishop deleted.
The revision to the Shawbrook Bank signatories is still in course – Cllrs J. Halliday & Cllr J. Mackelden to be added, Mr A.P. Bishop to be deleted.
The Village Hall signatories are to revised – Cllr Ruggles to be added, Mr W.M. Middleton to be deleted. The Chairman will obtain the necessary forms.
5B. Precept
In accordance with section 33 of the 2011 Localism Act, the Parish Council needs to confirm that councillors may vote on the level of precept notwithstanding that they are themselves parishioners and thus affected. The Act provides this dispensation on the basis that otherwise business could not proceed. Such confirmation was proposed by Cllr Halliday, seconded by Cllr Mackelden and unanimously agreed.
In the light of the comments at Area Board, Cllr Ruggles proposed that the precept for 2016-2017 be increased from £4750 to £5000. This was seconded by Cllr Prior and unanimously agreed.
6. Correspondence.
A thank you letter from our former Chairman A.P. Bishop was much appreciated.
BT will be de-commissioning numerous telephone boxes throughout Wiltshire but not here.
A donation request from HELP was discussed. The Chairman proposed a donation of £30, seconded by Cllr Halliday and unanimously agreed.
A donation of £50 to the Royal British Legion was proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr Halliday and unanimously agreed.
7. Planning applications
P.C. Approved:
Hill House – remove cement render
Molecroft UCC – tree surgery
Bramley House – tree surgery
Upper Manor House – tree surgery
Hans Farm UCC – tree surgery
Palm Cottage – tree surgery
P.C. – Under Consideration:
1, Park Lane – internal & external alterations & change of use
Riverside House – reinstate dovecote
Riverside House – move garage & reuse as workshop
P.C. – Rejected:
The former Museum – convert to holiday let
Unitary Council Granted:
Bybrook Lodge – single storey extension & replace garage
South Cottage _ rebuild dry stone walls and flood resilience etc
South Cottage – restore roof & chimney.
The Cottage, Lower long Dean Mill – internal & external alterations
Hill House – remove cement render
Molecroft UCC – tree surgery
Bramley House – tree surgery
Upper Manor House – tree surgery
Hans Farm UCC – tree surgery
The former Museum – convert to holiday let.
Unitary Council – Under consideration:
Palm cottage – tree surgery
8. Unitary Councillor
The Chairman reported that no comments have been received from Cllr Jane Scott.
9. Playing Field & CC Circuit
Playing fields
Cllr Mackelden will mention to the organisers that occasionally the gate is not opened sufficiently early as a result of which traffic backs up past the Congregational Church and on to the B4039.
Circuit
Cllr Mackelden said that the liaison meeting was postponed but that there are no new major issues.
10. Play Areas
The ROSPA safety inspections were satisfactory. Cllr Mackelden will examine a small crack in the side of the lower playground slide (identified as low risk) and Cllr Prior will tidy the surface of the Whitegates playground when conditions allow. The Chairman will fix a chain across the two posts by the turning circle to prevent encroachment by vehicles.
11. Highways
The Parish Steward (Adrian Wyatt) has now started work and early signs are very encouraging.
A list of tasks falling within his remit was circulated and Cllr Halliday will retain close contact. The next two visits are 14th/15th December and 18th/19th January, and councillors were requested to let her know of any issues at least seven days beforehand. Current priorities are Whitegates, drains on the hill and clearance of compacted leaves, all of which the Steward has been actioning.
The Chairman and Cllr Halliday had prepared a schedule showing Wiltshire Council’s perceived Highways priorities (those beyond the scope of the Parish Steward) which would be useful in determining which tasks should be put forward for early rectification. The existing tasks were reviewed against this list and Cllr Halliday will revise existing priorities accordingly for submission to Highways. The schedule’s format will be shared with other parishes at the Parish Forum.
We have been informed that the deficiencies in the Highways “app” whereby tasks are logged as closed when passed to the contractor (rather than actually completed by them) are being resolved and tasks will be trackable by users.
Wessex Water have still not fully repaired the broken gully at the top of Dunn’s Lane and will be chased.
The Chairman said he had still not received a reply from Paul Bollen regarding the agreement with Wilts Council to fund the cost of the finger post and he will therefore escalate this. The protective bollard by the Roman bridge has still not been repaired but may be within the Parish Steward’s capabilities on his next visit. Cllr Halliday will discuss with him if still outstanding at that stage.
12. Village Environment
Cllr Ruggles reported that the extra bin capacity in the Car Park has proved to be essential and is sufficient most of the time provided Unitary Council visits to empty are on schedule.
Richard Neale confirmed that he will continue to monitor the walls at Old Werretts but that major expenditure is unlikely at present.
The owner of the Gates has dealt with the excess vegetation at the front and rear of the property.
Cllr Prior agreed to investigate the feasibility and likely costs of adapting existing machinery to enable wet and compacted leaves to be removed from the hill when essential, since the Unitary Council visits remain few and far between.
13. Whitegates
Cllr Prior reported that the weeds had been sprayed and welcomed the recommendation that regular visits by the Parish Steward should be a priority. Cllr Halliday is liaising with Tara Weir-Williams and Hayley Gough regarding their proposal to form a working party to clear the estate road gutters now that the weeds have been treated.
14. TV. Committee.
Issue of the annual invoices has been delayed until the New Year in the Treasurer’s absence. There have been no recent technical problems.
15. Village Hall
The quarterly checks have been carried out satisfactorily as have the external safety and maintenance visits. Hirings have increased significantly since the redecoration.
16.Ladywell
Cllr Halliday reported that she and Anne Chapman were arranging for repairs to The Ladywell to be undertaken at their own cost, a gesture which was gratefully acknowledged by the Council and attending parishioners.
17. Holiday Lets and Second Homes
Cllr Halliday expressed considerable concern at the number of properties in the lower village which are now second homes. hotel accommodation or holiday lets with a consequent reduction in permanent residents. She provided examples of councils elsewhere in the country where attempts are being made to reduce the impact on local communities, although none as yet have been successful for a variety of reasons in the absence of a national policy. After considerable discussion for and against the concept of limiting future acquisitions of this nature, it was agreed that as a first step the Chairman would ascertain the views of the Unitary Council in discussion with Baroness Scott.
18. Mulled Wine night
The Chairman proposed that we should again support a request from the Social Committee to donate £125 towards the annual village mulled wine get-together. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Ruggles and agreed unanimously.
19. Elections 2017 : Co-option
The Unitary Council has advised that in accordance with recent legislation, there is no longer a requirement for an intermediary election in the event of a councillor resigning in the six months prior to the next election date (May 2017). In such circumstances the Parish Council co-opts a new councillor directly.
16. Date of next meeting.
This was confirmed as Thursday 19th January 2017 at 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall.