Draft Minutes of the Castle Combe Annual Parish Council Meeting
On 18th May 2023
Present: Cllrs:
F. Winup (Chairman)
J. Mackleden
J. Prior
G Clegg-Littler
B. Blair
Mrs. J Halliday
S. Bettles
Mrs S. Parker (Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer)
Unitary Councillor N. Botterill
1 member of the public
1. Apologies for absence None
2. Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman. The clerk asked for nominations for the chairman. Cllr. Blair nominated Cllr. Winup, seconded by Cllr. Halliday. All approved.
Cllr. Winup proposed Cllr. Mackleden as vice chairman, seconded by Cllr. Bettles, all approved.
3. Cllr. Winup and Cllr. Mackelden signed their acceptance of office forms, and the clerk countersigned them.
4. Declarations of Interest. None.
5. To Approve Minutes of the meeting on 16th March 2023. Cllr. Halliday proposed them as a true record, seconded by Cllr. Bettles. All agreed.
6. Matters arising
4a Area Board and Parish Forum meetings.
(i.) Area Board,
There has not been an Area Board meeting since the last CCPC meeting. The next one is on 27th June, 6.30 at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Cllr. Winup is unable to attend, Cllr. Prior said he may be able to attend.
(ii) Parish Forum. There is still no news of when these meetings will be starting, Cllr. Botterill said he has discussed it with Cllr. Greenman and talks are in place to start them again.
4b Parking Review.
Cllr. Winup said there have been 236 visits by traffic wardens in March, most of them were for less than 1 minute. They made 21 bookings, 9 were on cars parked in the car park.
In April, there were 293, with 50 bookings and 20 of them were in the car park. There were only 6 on Easter Sunday, the worst day for illegal parking. Discussions are still on going with WC about this issue.
Cllr. NB gave out the figures on the income from the carpark, £29,072 has been taken in 7 months, £13,731 in cash and the rest via the parking app. Cllr. FW and NB will have a meeting to discuss the car park.
Cllr. NB said WC will be installing cameras on the hill to monitor cars and walkers, there was a short discussion on the parking issues and the need for an external review.
4c. Footpaths. We are waiting to hear about the proposed improvements to footpath 5.
4n Congregational Chapel car park. The playing fields and car park are now registered with the land registry. The titles need to be separated and we have to arrange the removal of the restriction on the latter, re the limitation to recreational use. Cllr. FW has discussed it with Damian Bettles who will discuss it with the trustees.
4q. Ultrafast Broadband. As per the chairman’s report at the APM
6B. Community Governance Review. Cllr. Blair said that the review is in line with the parish councils request for the boundary changes.
7. Finance. All approved the payments
7a. Appointment of internal auditor. Cllr. F. Winup proposed Claire Fawkes, seconded by Cllr. J. Halliday, all approved.
8. Correspondence.
8a Zurich insurance renewal. The clerk will check to see if this is the last year of the three year agreement, if it is it was agreed to renew it with them.
8b. Request from the Seafarers Charity, who had send a magazine with their request for a donation. It was agreed not to support their request.
8c. Grittleton PC, have received a new planning application for the land at Littleton Drew for use as a traveller site. Most parishes around the area have objected. Cllr. N Botterill has said he has called it in, for the WC planning committee to make the decision.
9. Planning Applications.
P.C. Approved:
PL/2023/01404 – MANOR HOUSE GOLF CLUB,: No Objection
Unitary Council. Granted: No Objection
Planning Applications Received. PL/2023/00754 -: 4 The Old Dairy Drive, Upper Castle Combe, Proposal: Installation of Solar Panels to House and Garage Roofs, Install a Wood Burner with a Metal Chimney and Removal of the Existing Redundant Solar Tubes.
PC comments No Objection. (Application subsequently withdrawn)
PL/2023/02394 The Bridge House. Fell trees PC comments No Objection
PL/2023/02311 & 02351 LBC Brookside. Proposed new en-suite bathroom to existing first floor master bedroom and minor internal alterations to form larger bedroom..
P.C. comments No objections.
10. Unitary Councillors Report. Cllr. N. Botterill reported that WC are working to get the roads repaired, and they are looking at a long term plan to sort it out.
The budget has been balanced for the next three years.
Cllr. J. Halliday mentioned the protected verge on the road to Ford, as the signs have disappeared. Cllr. N. Botterill made a note and will look into it.
Cllr. F. Winup asked about Allan Brown the enforcement officer who has retired, and who the replacement for him was.
The new parish stewart is Adrians son-in-law, cllrs all agreed how good Adrian was and they would miss him.
11. Playing Fields and Circuit. These were reported on at the APM. Copies are available if anyone would like them
12. Play Areas. Reports from Cllr. J. Mackelden and J. Prior on the lower and Whitegates play areas. The grass needs cutting around both areas, it is difficult for the children to play ball games and run around in it. Cllr. J. Prior said someone had sprayed the moss at Whitegates. Cllrs. discussed the springer horse the tail needs planning as it is very rough.
13. Highways. Cllr. J. Halliday presented her report.
The full report is available on request.
There are still plenty of potholes around the Parish which are causing problems.
Some of the newly painted 20mph roundels on the road have faded or even one, disappeared altogether.
More areas of subsidence have occurred on the river bank with the recent heavy rain and high water levels. David Arnup is chasing now the levels have receded to put a plan of action in place.
14. Village Environment. Cllr. Clegg. Littler. The full report is available on request.
Helpful discussions have taken pace with the Manor Hotel regarding their recycling researches
Wiltshire Council have twice circulated householders with their own kerbside recycling instructions in order to help the council achieve its recycling goals.
We are keen to develop other sustainability initiatives following on from the PCC’s work on achieving a silver eco- church award.
All councillors are welcome to attend a meeting with David Newton for the annual maintenance review of the Market Cross.
15. Whitegates, Cllr. J. Prior said the grass needs cutting as it is too long.
16. Village Hall, There are a lot of problems with electrics as the trip keeps going. Cllr. F. Winup said he would look at replacing the strip lights for modern ones or removing them altogether.
17. TV committee. The full report is available on request.
There have been no major problems in the last year.
18. Approval of annual Governance statement. This needs to be done before 12th June, clerk will set an Extra meeting to discuss it.
Meeting closed at 9.05.
Date of next meeting is 20th July 7.30 in the village hall.