Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 20.11.14
in the Village Hall, Castle Combe
Cllr’s: F. Winup (Chairman).
A. Bishop (Vice Chairman).
Mrs. J. Halliday
J. Mackelden
J. Prior.
G.Ruggles.
D. Ryall (Clerk)
Unitary Cllr. Mrs. J. Scott.
4 Parishioners.
1. Apologies for absence:
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. B.Harvey, 2parishioners.
2. Declarations of interest:
There were no declarations of interest.
3. Minutes of the meetings held on 25.09.14
These were accepted as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters Arising:
A. Area Board Meeting
The Chairman and Cllr Ruggles attended the meeting on 10.11.14 and said the grant for the hearing aid loop had been agreed. Cllr Halliday confirmed she would attend the meeting on 19.01.15 and Cllr Mackelden agreed to attend the one on 2.03.15
The Chairman said the Parish Forum meeting on 22.10.14 had been well attended and will be held six times per year The object of the meeting is for Parishes to share common ideas and experiences and act as a lobby forum for the Area Board meeting. The major problem, agreed by the meeting, is the poor performance of the Highways and Streetscene organisation. Mr Parkes, the manager of this department, will be asked to attend the next meeting.
B. Parking Review
The meeting agreed with the design and positioning of the proposed ‘no coaches’ signs. The Chairman said he would write to Wilts Council confirming the Councils agreement.
Cllr Winup said the October figures show only nine observations and one booking from 81 visits. He said a meeting was held by several Councillors with Adrian Hampton, Wilts Council, who confirmed more frequent visits would take place including weekends and evenings.
Cllr Winup asked Cllr Bishop to include the Unitary Councils Car Parking Review and Questionnaire reference to be included in the Courier.
C. Neighbourhood Policing
The Chairman said that he had been informed that all speed guns were fully utilised by Speed watch and therefore not available for the random checks suggested at the last meeting.
D. Footpath School lane to Whitegates
Cllr Winup said he had a site visit with Mike Crooks and Stephen Leonard, Footpaths and Rights of Way, on 8th October. The agreed plan was for minor work on the path between School lane and Whitegates and the School Lane to Park Lane path to be reinforced with hard core near School Lane and a hand rail at the Park Lane end. A PIGS grant would probably be necessary for any more. Cllr Winup said since he has had no response and was concerned that the path was deteriorating further with the poor weather. Cllr Scott agreed to progress.
E. Village Flooding
Cllr.Winup said it was confirmed at the OFWG on 19.11.14 that the modelling of the Bybrook will not be completed before February 2015. He said that contrary to the advice given by Highways & Streetscene the Drainage Engineering Section only dealt with major projects and not maintenance which is the responsibility of Streetscene. He said a letter had been sent to the management and portfolio holder demanding a regular drain and gully clearance together with a through inspection of the whole system. Wessex Water has confirmed that the pipeline between the pumping station and the treatment plant has now been cleared and they will now begin identifying the cause of the sewage blockage in the village during the recent flash floods. Cllr Winup said a further supply of inflatable gel sand bags are now in the village hall loft and heavy duty ground sheets, flood warden jackets and warning road signs in the village hall outside store.
F. Highways & Street Scene
The Clerk reported that he and the Chairman had a meeting with Richard Dobson and discussed the items on the village work list with some progress being made but conflicting priorities between Parishes causing vague completion dates to be given. He said he had asked for a list of the work carried out in the village by the steward on his visits as it was obvious that certain blocked gullies were not being cleared.
The Chairman said the new signpost would cost £1144 and he had had no response from Paul Bollen about Wilts Council’s contribution which it was previously agreed would come from the saving made by not removing the recycling base in the car park. Cllr Scott said she would follow this up with Paul Bollen.
G. Defibrillator.
Cllr Winup confirmed that the decision on this and First Aid training is deferred until receipt of the Solar Farm Community Benefit money.
5. Finance- £
Income
CC Colts – insurance 110.35
Reef TV – donation 200.00
Shiny projects – donation 200.00
Expenditure
The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:
BWBSL – half yearly water charge 80.41
Flourish & Bloom – maintenance 156.00
D. Ryall – copier toner 80.99
Macmillan Cancer Support – donation 10.00
Liz Taylor – plants etc 47.00
Play Safely – audit fee 78.00
Liz Taylor – plants 23.50
Cllr Winup – bolts 7.46
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 23.60
Southern Electric – quarterly charge 176.94
Cllr bishop – new flag – £79.73
5A. Precept
The Clerk said that the documentation for the 2015-16 precept requirement had been received from Wilts Council Finance and that as expected the ‘top up grant’ had again been reduced. He said expenditure to date for the current year was below the budget with income higher than planned but the year end would have to be an estimate as the financial year was only 60% complete. The Chairman asked the Clerk to arrange an additional meeting when further information was available but before the target completion date of 23.01.15.
6. Correspondence.
A. Filming – Cllr Winup said there have been no responses to his recent letter on this subject.
B. Dauntsey Council letter opposing day time planning meetings.
The Council unanimously agreed to support this letter and considered holding meetings in the day time undemocratic as this prevented working people with involvement from attending. The Chairman said he would write a letter of support to Dauntsey Council
C. Bybrook School – governor vacancy
The Council agreed that this should be entered in the next issue of the ‘Courier.’
D. Solar Farm – traffic management plan.
The Council agreed that the revised plan was acceptable now that a professional traffic management company are involved. The Chairman said he would inform Solarfields of the Council’s decision.
E. Manor House Hotel – additional brown direction signs
The Council agreed with Cllr Winup’s letter to the Hotel saying that additional signs were unnecessary as there were already six around the village.
7. Planning applications
P.C. Approved:
The Cedars – tree surgery.
St Andrew’s Church – reshape Yew tree.
2, School Lane – fell birch tree.
P.C. Under Consideration:
CC Circuit – solar farm buried grid connection.
The Georgian House – structural and internal alterations.
Cleeve House UCC – 1st floor & rear extension.
P.C. Rejected: Nil
Unitary Council Granted:
CC Circuit – solar farm.
Upper Combe Farm – silage clamp
Unitary Council under Consideration:
The Cedars – tree surgery
St Andrew’s Church – reshape Yew tree.
2, School Lane – fell Birch tree
Unitary Council rejected
Nil
8. Unitary Councillor
Cllr Scott said she had taken note of the items identified for Wilts Council action which were:
Wilts Council Foot paths lack of response to repairs proposed at the meeting of 6th October
Clearance and survey of drains & gutters.
Circuit motors encroachment.
Contribution to purchase of new sign post in lieu of removal of recycling base.
Damaged wall at the roadside near the Roman bridge
9. Playing Field & CC Circuit
Cllr. Mackelden reported that the playing fields continue to be run satisfactorily by CC Colts but the Circuit had still not organised a liaison meeting and therefore the promises made at the meeting with Wilts Council could not be monitored.
10. Play Areas
The Chairman said the announcement about the Lottery grant towards the new play area equipment would be made in December with a £2500 donation also to be made by the film company. He said installation would take place in the Spring and the meeting agreed that a quote for a swing designed for disabled children should be obtained.
11. Highways
The Chairman said Cllr Bishop would like to hand over this portfolio and he asked Cllr Halliday if she would be willing take it over which she confirmed she would be happy to do.
12. Village Environment.
Cllr Ruggles said he had cleared a lot of fly tipping on the road to Grittleton and that a bed had been dumped on the Ford Road. The Chairman said this had been reported by the Clerk and has an incident number of 2076.
The Council agreed that the Clerk should take up the offer from Farmington Quarries of a free repair kit for the damaged stone trough at the car park.
The Chairman asked Cllr Ruggles to again speak to Sarah Parsons as the shrubs etc overhanging the road are clearly her responsibility. Cllr Ruggles said he would investigate further.
The Chairman said he had reported to Wiltshire Council that the wall near the Roman Bridge had collapsed into the river. Cllr Scott said she would progress the repair.
The Council noted that Circuit Motors had started to encroach on the verges again which Cllr Scott said she would bring to the attention of the enforcement team.
The Chairman said he had repaired the benches at the bridge and Cllr Mackelden said he would examine the one near his house and report on its condition.
13.Whitegates
Cllr Prior said there was nothing to report other than the failure of the golf course management to cut back the hedge.
14. TV. Committee.
Cllr Winup said all of the users’ invoices had been sent out and the majority had paid. There has been as fault between Preedys Cottage and South Cottage which has been repaired at a cost of £600.
15. Village Hall
The Chairman said the Area Board had agreed a grant of 50% towards the cost of the hearing loop which was £1944 plus VAT. He said he was liaising with the supplier for an installation date.
All safety checks have been carried our satisfactorily.
16. Market Cross & Butter Cross
Cllr Winup said he and the Clerk had noticed the support pillar near to the Church gates had large stones loose near its base and thought a visual inspection of the whole structure should be carried out. The meeting agreed that Simon Harris, who was well known in the village, should be considered with a budget cost of £500.
Cllr Winup said the repairs to the Butter Cross should take place within the next few days.
17 Village get together.
The meeting agreed to donate £125, as in previous years, with any surplus wine to be given to the Xmas Eve Carols which will revert to a “village event” as it was originally.
18. Date of next meeting.
This was confirmed as Thursday 15th January 2015 at 7.30 p.m. the Village Hall.