Minutes of the Annual Meeting held on Thursday 19th May 2022 held in the Village Hall
Present:
Cllrs: F. Winup (Chairman)
Mackelden
Prior
Mrs. J. Halliday
Bettles
Unitary Cllr. N. Botterill
Ryall (Clerk)
7 Parishioners
- Apologies for absence –
Cllr B. Blair, Cllr. G. Clegg – Littler.
- Election of Chairman & Vice- Chairman –
Chairman: Cllr. F. Winup – Proposed by Cllr. J. Prior
Seconded by Cllr. S. Bettles
Vice-Chairman: Cllr. J. Mackelden – Proposed by Cllr. Mrs J. Halliday
Seconded by Cllr. F.Winup
There were no other nominations and Cllrs Winup & Mackelden were unanimously elected to serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively for 2022 – 23
- Acceptance of Office–
Cllr. Winup and Cllr Halliday duly signed letters of acceptance documents.
- Declarations of interest –
There were no declarations of interest.
- Minutes of the meeting held on 10th March 2022.
It was proposed by Cllr Mackelden and seconded by Cllr Mrs Jane Halliday that the minutes were accepted as a true record which was unanimously agreed by the meeting.
- Matters Arising –
4A. Area Board meeting.
Cllr Bettles attended the meeting held on 14.03.22 and reported that there was nothing discussed which affected the Parish Council.
4B. Parking review & statistics.
There were 15 bookings in March (14 in the car park) and 79 in April (53 in the car park).
The Chairman said the main issue is the proposal to implement charges in the car park which the Council strongly resists on the grounds of health & safety. He said it is based on invalid data and contravenes the principle of a traffic regulation order (TRO) namely the safety of the public. The previous introduction of charges, which was withdrawn, resulted in chaotic parking in the village which was dangerous to pedestrians and would have prevented emergency vehicles entering the village.
There is a public consultation which from previous experience is a cosmetic exercise and to which he proposed that a formal objection is made. It was proposed by Cllr Prior & seconded by Cllr Halliday that an objection is made which was unanimously agreed by the meeting. The Chairman said the Wilts Council response to Freedom of Information Request was so heavily redacted (blocked out) as to be almost useless and that an independent review has been requested of the withholding of so much information. A meeting is being arranged with Wilts Council to discuss this further.
He thanked Unitary Cllr Botterill for his support and asked that the car park charging proposal etc be included on the web site and Combe Watch.
4C. Footpaths
The Clerk said that he has discussed CCOM5 footpath with Stephen Lennard, Wilts Council who said they are still investigating the village end of this footpath as the 1921 ordinance map is unclear. He said the rebuild of the wall on the Long Dean foot path is on the Cotswold Wardens work list.
Cllr Halliday said she would contact the village steward about obtaining 20tons of scalpings for various repairs and if available Cllr Bettles will arrange the transport and store in his yard.
4F. Market Cross
The Chairman said photos and final documentation are still outstanding from David Newton, The Clerk said he would contact Mr Newton.
4N. Congregational Chapel Car Park.
The Chairman said the solicitors are progressing the Land Registry for confirmation of the registration of the car park & playing field.
4P. Queens Green Canopy
Cllr Bettles said he had been unable to discuss the tree planting at the playing field with Castle Combe Colts but assured the meeting the samplings are still alive,
and that he will arrange planting immediately.
4Q. Gigaclear
The Chairman reported there has been no future contact and Unitary Cllr Botterill confirmed that Gigaclear have defaulted on their contract and the Castle Combe installation will be delayed until another contractor is obtained.
- Queens Jubilee Celebrations.
The Clerk said he has 100mugs and the meeting agreed that these would be free to children under 16 and cost price to others. Cllr Halliday agreed to distribute the mugs to the village children and sell any others at £3.50 each with proceeds going to the Village Hall.
The Charman said that 180 metres of bunting has been bought for the village events and he will liaise with Sally Constable & Hayley Reeves.
- Finance
Income
Wilts Council Precept – full year 5750.00
Expenditure:
The Councillors checked and approved the following invoices:
- Ryall – printer cartridge 28.99
- Newton – village cross maintenance plan etc 2456.75
Mr. Y. Vaughan – Whitegates bus shelter repairs 63.58
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 29.76
Water 2 Business – half year invoice 96.23
Cllr Winup – War Memorial wall repairs 540.00
Mrs. H Reeves – Whitegates platinum jubilee donation 250.00
St Andrews Church – Platinum jubilee events 250.00
Mrs H Reeves – defibrillator annual electricity 12.00
Mr. J Roberts – defibrillator annual electricity 12.00
WALC – annual subscription 136.43
Dash(UK)Ltd – 100 Platinum Jubilee mugs 354.00
Zurich Municipal – insurance 1234.00
SSE – quarterly invoice 131.04
Cllr Winup – Jubilee bunting 42.72
Lloyds Current Account @ 29.03.22 29380.10
Shawbrook Investment 15000.00
7A. Internal Auditor
The Chairman reported that Mrs. Hermina Fleming had kindly agreed to act as the Council’s internal auditor for the 2022-23 accounts.
7B. Shawbrook Bank
The Clark said that the £12000 will be transferred from the Lloyds account after the internal audit is complete.
- Correspondence –
8A. Zurich Insurance — premium paid for 2022-23. This is the last of a three-year deal and will need renegotiating or a new supplier found for 2023-24.
8B. Wilts Council – Solar Together scheme.
The Clerk explained that this was a group purchase scheme which enables house holders to install solar panels and batteries at a considerably reduced cost. It is already operating successfully in many other counties. Unitary Cllr Botterill said there has been a very large take up with the entry closure date being 14th of June. The meeting agreed that the scheme should be included in the newsletter and Combe watch.
8C. WALC – the annual subscription has been paid.
8D. Grittleton Council – planning application for the use of land at Littleton Drew as a Traveller’s site for up to 4 caravans. The Clerk reported the residents and adjacent landowners of Littleton Drew are very concerned that this will expand and a village meeting is take place to decide a course of action. As the Council parishioners at the Gibb could be affected the Council agreed to review their position after the Littleton Drew meeting.
- Planning applications
PC Approved
Eastcombe Farm – change of use of one building from class R to flexible.
Colham Mill – convert disused barn to holiday accommodation.
Upper Combe lodge – fell 1 Ash tree.
Manor House Hotel – tree surgery.
PC – Under Consideration:
Brookside Cottage – reroof & external & internal alterations.
- – Object
4, Woodbury Hill – replace workshop/garage with carport, games room etc.
Unitary Council granted
Eastcombe Farm – change of use of one building from class R to flexible.
Church Cottage – refurbishment & internal alterations.
Unitary Council under consideration.
Court Cottage – single storey rear extension.
Paddock Barn, The Gibb – replace porch, internal & external alterations, convert outbuilding.
Woodbury Hill – replace workshop/garage with carport, games room etc
Brookside Cottage – reroof & external/internal alterations.
Upper Combe Lodge – fell 1 Ash tree.
Manor House Hotel – -tree surgery.
10 Unitary Councillor
Cllr Botterill said there was nothing to add to his previous comments.
11.Playing Field & CC Circuit reports.
Cllr Mackelden said the draft of the new lease with CC Colts is almost ready to issue and that the boundaries of the field will be audited before the lease is signed. He reminded the meeting that the annual football competition hosted by the Colts will take place in July.
He said he was continually progressing the Circuit management to arrange a further liaison meeting and other than the usual anti-social driving there were no problems. The planning application for the new entrance has not been raised.
- Play Areas
Lower play area – Cllr Mackelden said he would obtain further chippings to refurbish the surface and arrange to clear the weeds etc from the site. Cllr Bettles said he would mow the grass over the weekend.
Whitegates – Cllr Prior agreed with the Chairman that £1755 to repair the edges of the play area surface is expensive and that possibly repairing the springers should be considered. He said he would review the most cost-effective way of carrying out repairs or replacing the defective units. The Chairman asked Cllr Prior if he could reattach the top of the goal post netting.
- Highways
Cllr Halliday reported that:
The closure of the Hill was due to replacing a leaking broken water pipe..
Completion of the yellow line painting and road markings is still outstanding.
Long Dean hill roadside be cleared after the roadworks are completed.
The village Steward has cut back roadside weeds and is now on a training course.
Corner at the bottom of Woodbury hill has numerous potholes requiring filling.
The riverbank erosion is to be re inspected by Wilts Council.
- Village Environment
The Clerk reported that no date has yet been given by Wilts Council for inspecting their Ash trees alongside Cllr Clegg- Littler’s property.
The Chairman said the War Memorial wall has now been repaired but a litter bin & marker post have been damaged for which replacements and repairs will be required.
15 Whitegates
Cllr Prior said the moss killer has worked well and the footpaths are clear. Cllr Halliday said she would ask the Village steward to spray the footpath to School Lane.
16.TV Committee.
Covered in the Parishioners meeting
17.Village Hall Committee
Covered in the Parishioners meeting
- Date of Next Meetings
Confirmed as16.06.22 – extraordinary meeting to agree budget and financial statements & 21.07.22 – usual Council meeting
Both meetings to be held in the village hall starting at 7.30pm
The Chairman emphasised that meeting attendance is a legal requirement and non- attendance must have a justifiable reason.