Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 19, 11.15
in the Village Hall, Castle Combe
Present:
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
3 Parishioners.
1. Apologies for absence:
Nil
2. Declarations of interest:
Cllrs. Winup & Mackelden – item 18, village social event.
3. Minutes of the meetings held on 17.09.15
These were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters Arising:
4A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum
Area Board
Cllr. Winup reported no one attended the meeting on 9th November. Cllr. Mackelden agreed to attend the one to be on 18th January 2016 at 7pm in the Neeld Hall.
Parish Forum.
Cllrs. Ruggles and Winup attended the meeting on 18.11.15 at which there was complete agreement that the new Street Scene arrangements are a retrograde step, impractical and not thought through. Cllr. Winup said the system appeared to be designed to cut out the Parish Council as they were now not allowed to speak to the coordinators and had to communicate their requirements through the App. Cllr Scott said this was incorrect and she would speak to Cllr Whitehead. Cllr Winup said he had discussed the problem with Cllr Whitehead who had confirmed that the only route for communication was via the App and that he did not recognise the Parish Forum as an official organisation. Mr Bill Parkes is to attend the next meeting.
4B.Parking Review
The Chairman said that he still did not accept that the Parish should pay for village signage which was really for the tourists and of no benefit to the village. Cllr. Scott supported this view and recommended that this was discussed at the next Area Board Meeting.
Cllr Winup said the revised white lines in the lower village are now on the ‘implementation list.’
Cllr Winup said no one was booked in August and 5 in September..
4C. Footpath School lane to Whitegates
The Chairman said additional hard core had been provided in October but it has not been laid by the golf course. He said he is continuing to progress them for a completion date.
4D. Village Flooding
The Chairman said the Bybrook modelling report was flawed and Nettleton Council had asked the Environmental Agency to investigate possible holding areas.
4E. Defibrillator.
Cllr Winup said that this and First Aid training continues to be deferred until the village cross repair costs are known.
4F. Market Cross
The Chairman confirmed that the grant application had been sent and a reply was expected within the next 2 weeks. This includes the £6000 agreed as the Council’s contribution towards development cost with the renovation/repair costs being the subject of a further application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
He said that as an alternative to permanent barriers around the Cross he had investigated Mike Constable’s suggestion to suspend plastic netting over the roof to prevent loose tiles falling onto the public. Brookmans have agreed to carry out the work at nominal cost.
4G. Filming in the village
The Chairman said this had been successful with a minimum of disruption in the village.
5. Finance- £
Income
Nil
Expenditure
The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:
D. Ryall – printer cartridge 13.09
Wessex Water – half yearly bill 76.94
Cllr Winup – auditors gratuity 29.96
Liz Taylor – plants etc 21.99
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 32.40
S.M. Harris – village cross inspection 630.00
CC village Hall – donation 300.00
Mr. Bruce- Scott – maintenance 187.50
Cllr Halliday – plants 12.70
SSE – quarterly bill 196.30
Play Safety – audit fee 156.00
Lloyds Bank account @ 31.10.15 37255.88
Deposit account 20000.00
6. Correspondence.
A. Dorothy House – news letter.
B. Wilts Council – flood risk etc – advice literature
C. Wilts Council – Public Conveniences Cost Information.
The Chairman said this confirmed the correctness of the Council’s decision not to be involved as the costs were significantly higher than the Parish precept. Cllr Scott said she had instructed the department concerned (Tim. Woolford) to leave Castle Combe out of the survey.
7. Planning applications
P.C. Approved:
Riverside House – creation of downstairs cloaks etc
The Sycamores – tree surgery
P.C. Under Consideration:
Nil.
Unitary Council Granted:
The Paddocks – replacement building
The Sycamores – tree surgery.
Unitary Council under Consideration:
Park Lane Cottage – underground extension etc.
Upper Combe Farm – cow buildings.
8. Unitary Councillor
Cllr J. Scott said the Wilts Council budget was extremely tight but they had managed to retain the £62M for road repairs within it. She was concerned how tasks like street cleaning etc would be possible in the next year with the extreme financial restraints.
9. Playing Field & CC Circuit
Cllr Mackelden said the playing fields continue to be used regularly by the Colts and he would question them again about hedge cutting. He said the Circuit had again failed to arrange a liaison meeting. Cllr Scott said that ideally this should be in the same format as the Japfest.
10. Play Areas
The Chairman said ROSPA had given a good report with the exception of a fault with the slide at the lower play area. Cllr Prior said the repair was in hand now that a welder capable of welding stainless steel had been found. He said the surface of the Whitegates area was slippy due to moss and he would arrange to treat it.
11. Highways
Cllr Halliday said Circuit motors were again parking in the layby. Cllr Scott said the County Council were considering the legality of putting a waiting time limits on the lay by and that a large part of the forecourt was on Council land.
Cllr Halliday said she would try the App system by photographing a few pot holes and monitoring the response.
The Chairman said the finger post had been promised for early November but had still not appeared. He is continuing to progress delivery.
12. Village Environment.
Cllr Ruggles said the turning circle at Whitegates was in very poor condition. The Clerk said this was the property of Wilts Council and one of the outstanding jobs on the old Streetscene work list.
Cllr Ruggles said the both the trees and stone wall around Old Werrets needed attention and Cllr Halliday agreed to contact Mr Neale who carries out maintenance at the property.
The Chairman said the repair to the wall had been ineffective as it fell back into the river a few days later. Paul Bolland has now promised it will be repaired in the first week of December withtwo cast iron bollards installed in front of it.
Cllr Prior said the Dunns Lane car park was again being used as a race track. The Clerk said hewould contact the police.
Cllr. Halliday said she would ask Mr Wheeler to repair the stonework at the Ladywell.
13.Whitegates
The Chairman said he had again asked the golf course to cut back the hedge. They said this is a big job which they will do when they have the labour available.
Cllr Prior said he would check if the street lights have been repaired.
14. TV. Committee.
Cllr Winup said there have been major problems in the last few weeks with one end of the village cut off due to major problems with amplifiers and cabling which has been expensive.
15.Village Hall
The Chairman said all of the mandatory checks have been carried out successfully and a number of the radiators re hung more securely. There are still problems with the water heater which he thinks might need replacing in the near future. He asked the meeting for the names of any decorators as it was now appropriate to consider re decorating the hall.
16.Precept 2016-17.
The Clerk reported that he had received the usual complex precept paperwork from Wilts Council with a dead line for reply of 22nd January 2016. The Chairman said he and the Clerk would prepare a draft budget for consideration at the January meeting. Last year it was £4750 including the Wilts Council grant.
17. War Memorial
The Chairman thanked Mrs Meakin and Mr Wheeler for cleaning and repainting the War Memorial railings
18. Christmas Social Event
It was proposed by Cllr Halliday and seconded by Cllr Bishop that the Council again donate £125 to the village social committee towards the organisation of this event. This was agreed unanimously by the Council.
19. Queen’s 90th Birthday.
The Chairman asked if the Council thought it should be organising a celebratory event. Cllr Scott said Street parties were being encouraged nationally and Wilts Council was preparing safety guidelines for such events across the County. Mrs Constable said the Church is organising a service followed by celebrations on 12th June which is the official date. The Chairman said the Council would be only too pleased to assist and support.
20. Date of next meeting.
This was confirmed as Thursday 21st January 2016 at 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall.