20th January 2022

Minutes of the  Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 20.01.22

                                       In the Village Hall, Castle Combe.

Present:

Cllr’s:  F. Winup (Chairman).

  1. Mackelden.
  2. Blair
  3. Bettles
  4. Mrs. J Halliday
  5. Clegg Littler

Unitary Cllr. N. Botterill

Ryall (Clerk)

Members of the public – 1

  1. Apologies for absence

Cllr J. Prior.

  1. Declarations of interest:

None

  1. Minutes of the meeting held 18.11.21

The Clerk said that Item 5 Finance was incorrect as the donation from Jackson Rivers for Mr Guise has not been received and he amended the minutes accordingly. It was then proposed by Cllr Halliday and seconded by Cllr Mackelden that these were accepted as a true record. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting and duly signed by the Chairman.

  1. Matters Arising:

4A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum.

Area Board.

The Chairman said that the meeting on 13.12.21 was largely devoted to Chippenham Town matters particularly crime. A number or arrests were made relating to class A drug distribution via “County Lines” The next meeting will be held on 14.03.22 which he will attend if there is anything affecting the Parish.

Parish Forum.

All meetings cancelled until further notice.

4B. Parking Review.

Parking statistics

Cllr Winup said there were only 4 bookings in November and 2 in December. There were major on street parking problems after Christmas with no warden visits between 22-27th December despite assurances that there were.

4C Footpaths

Cllr Winup said the Cotswold Wardens have installed posts for the new barrier at the top of the Trim Tram footpath and Wilts Council will now fix the cross members. The Crippleshard bridleway is being used by horse riders now the safety aspects have been improved. The Cotswold wardens are planning further work on other footpaths in the Parish.

The Chairman proposed a donation od £100 to the Cotswold Wardens which was seconded by Cllr Halliday and unanimously agreed by the meeting.

Cllr Bettles said he had about 1 ton of scalpings in the yard and would progress Wilts Council for further supplies.  He estimated about 20 tons were required for footpath repairs and the Whitegates turning area.

4F. Market Cross

Cllr Winup said a meeting was arranged with David Newton at 11.30am on Tuesday 25.01.22 to review the maintenance plan etc. He and the Clerk would attend but anyone else would be welcome to gain knowledge of the monitoring requirements

4N. Chapel Car Park

The Chairman said he has signed the statutory declaration for the Land Registry which the solicitors will now submit. This registers the land as one title which will then be split into playing fields and car park.

He said professional valuations of the land have been obtained which remain confidential until the land is registered and pending arrangements for bids.

4O. Financial Standing Orders.

To be reviewed by the Chairman & Clerk.

4P. Queens Green Canopy

The Clerk reported that these would be delivered in March and were intended to fill gaps in the playing field boundary and corners. He had received a recent e mail saying further trees were available which could be use on the proposed Whitegates nature area.

4Q. Gigaclear

The Chairman said no installation information has been received and Cllr Botterill said that Gigaclear are behind schedule with the contract potentially not being fulfilled.

  1. Finance.                                                                                                  £                                                                                                        

Income                                                                                                           Nil

Expenditure

The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:

Royal British Legion – donation                                                                 50.00

Cllr Winup – sanitiser dispensers                                                                16.99

‘’        – sanitiser pump etc                                                                  41.98

HMRC – tax                                                                                              239.20

  1. Ryall– salary                                                                               410.80

Cllr. Winup – Glasdon waste bin                                                              547.31

‘’          – newsletter printing                                                               33.50

Cllr Mackelden – Xmas village get together                                              78.18

  1. Ryall – printer cartridge            10.17

 

 

Lloyds Bank current account @ 27.08.21                                         £34303.65

 

Shawbrook Bank deposit account.                                                    £15000.00

  1. Correspondence

6A. YKPC – Quire woodland car park application.

The Clerk said he had attended the Yatton Keynell PC meeting at which this application was discussed and had issued a short report of the 1- 2 hour meeting. The applicant said during the meeting that there was no intention to develop the woodland into a glamping site. The YK Council agreed to oppose the application. Unitary Cllr Botterill agreed that the presentation by the applicant was vague and inconclusive and that it would not be necessary to call the application in as he expects it to be rejected.

6B. Wiltshire Council – traffic survey requests.

Cllr Halliday said she was continuing to progress the outstanding requests.

6C. WALC – Katie Fielding’s departure from WALC

The Chairman asked the Clerk to send a letter of thanks to her.

  1. Planning applications

P.C. Approved:

The Old Rectory – Demolish existing extension & replace. Install heat pump – revised drawing.

The Congregational Chapel – install dormer window.

Combe House – fell Ash tree and reduce 5 Chestnut trees.

Upper Combe Lodge (the Coppice) – fell 3 Ash trees.

Meadowside UCC – fell one Cypress, one Ash, reduce Beech by 30%

P.C. Under Consideration:

Paddock Barn, The Gibb- replace porch, various internal & external alterations and convert out building to living accommodation

P.C. Opposed – convert WW2 RAF buildings to tourist accommodation. Revised drawing.

Quire Woodland, Long Dean – create car park.

Unitary Council under Consideration.

Woodbury House – convert WW2 RAF buildings to tourist accommodation. Revised drawing.

Land at UCC – All weather riding area etc.

Court Cottage – single storey extension.

Church Cottage – refurbishment & internal alterations.

Unitary Council – Granted.

South Cottage – replace corrugated iron shed with timber.

The Old Rectory – demolish existing extension and replace. Install heat pump. Revised drawing.

Manor House Hotel – internal alterations to bedrooms and install 2 hot tubs.

Combe House – Fell Ash tree & reduce 5 Chestnut trees.

Upper Combe Lodge (The Coppice) fell 3 Ash trees.

  1. Unitary Councillor

Cllr Botterill said the COVID news was good with a total of 7 intensive care patients in the three hospitals, Swindon, Bath, Salisbury and none of the other COVID cases seriously ill. The school figures show a total of 1310 pupils and 81 teachers are infected. The South West has a much better success with booster jabs than most areas with 86.6% of the population having received it.

He said the 2022-23 budget was being reviewed and included in it is a proposal to impose charges on all car parks including Duns Lane Castle Combe. The Chairman said this was totally unacceptable and it is obvious that Wilts Council had not considered reasons why charging had not been implemented at the previous two attempts. The Council considered it irresponsible that this should be proposed without consulting the Parish Council and reviewing the previous documentation. The Chairman said he would send Cllr Botterill all of the previous documentation and requests that the responsible portfolio holder visits the Council and justifies their proposal and understands the feelings of the village and the potential safety hazards they will create by introducing charges.

  1. CC Circuit & Playing Field

CC Circuit – Cllr Mackelden reported that no liaison meeting has been arranged and there has been no further information about revised entrances etc.

Playing Fields – Cllr Mackelden said the lease was now about ready to discuss with the CC Colts and who have received grants to maintain the grass. He asked for comments and the Clerk said that he was surprised that the lease called for the boundary to be maintained in its present state which the Colts themselves had identified as poor. After some discussion the Chairman said that before the renewal date the boundary hedges etc should be examined.

  1. Play Areas

The Chairman said Wilts Council are now emptying the Whitegates play area bin and that the quote for surface edge gaps repairs remains unchanged at £1744 plus VAT.  He said this is low risk and would be reviewed at the next ROSPA audit and that repairs to the springers was a higher priority.

Cllr Mackelden said lower play area surface bark chippings again need topping up, but this was a low risk.

  1. 11. Highways

Cllr Halliday reported the Village steward was doing his usual excellent job and gullies have been cleared throughout the village and on the B4039. Numerous potholes have been filled, the Ford Road edges and the Woodbury hill road will be repaired on his next visits when he can get assistance.

She said no replies have been received yet to her requests for speed checks at various places on the B4039 and repainting the road markings is weather dependent. The Chairman said the new waste bin at the Dunns Lane car park is now in situ and Cllr Halliday confirmed it’s on the routine round for emptying. She said the review of road subsidence caused by the river opposite the toilets is outstanding as is the request for new road signs and markings at Westway Close.

  1. Village Environment.

Cllr Clegg littler said there were Ash trees at the roadside near his property which appear to have die back and asked if this was Wilts Council responsibility. The Clerk said he would check.

The Chairman said that quotations should be obtained for repairing the War Memorial wall from local contractors to compare with Minerva.

  1. Whitegates

The Chairman said Hayley Reeves daughter in drawing up plans for the nature reserve and asks if trees are available. The Clerk said he would check availability with the Queens Green canopy organisers.

  1. TV. Committee.

Cllr. Clegg Littler reported that he was about to send out the invoices.

The amplifier mast repairs have been delayed by Covid restrictions and there are no system problems.

  1. Village Hall

The Chairman said the hall roof repairs start the week commencing 24.01.22

  1. Coronavirus update

The Chairman said this had been covered by Unitary Cllr Botterill.

17.Queens Jubilee Celebrations.

The Chairman said the Church were proposing an organ recital and refreshments and White Gates a children’s party and a BBQ in the evening. Cllr Mackelden said the Social Committee were also considering what type of event to arrange. The meeting agreed that some level of financial support be provided and possibly Jubilee mugs be again considered.

  1. Date of next meeting

This was confirmed as Thursday 17.03.22 at 7.30 p.m.  in Castle Combe village hall.