CASTLE COMBE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the remote Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 21.05.20
Present:
Cllr’s: F. Winup (Chairman).
Mackelden.
Bettles.
Blair
Mrs. J Halliday
Prior
Mrs. H. Reeves
Ryall (Clerk)
Parishioners – 3
- Apologies for absence
Unitary Cllr. Whitehead
- Declarations of interest:
Cllr. Bettles – Item 7. Colham Mill.
- Minutes of the meetings held on 16.01.20
It was proposed by Cllr Prior & seconded by Cllr Reeves were accepted as a true record. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
- Matters Arising:
4A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum.
Area Board.
Cancelled until further notice due to corona virus.
Parish Forum.
Cancelled until further notice due to corona virus.
4B. Parking Review.
- i) Car park Signage.
Cllr Winup said the new signage is now complete and repainting the yellow and white road markings is postponed due to the corona virus. Cllr Halliday agreed to monitor the situation.
- ii) Parking statistics
Parking Services will resume their visits but infrequently.
4C Footpaths
Cllr Bettles agreed to move the scalpings from the estate to repair the potholes in the Whitegates turning circle. Any remaining will be placed near the stile at the School lane end of the footpath to the village. Cllr Winup will ask the golf course to put the scalpings they have in the same place ready for the Cotswold Wardens to repair the footpath when possible.
4F. Market Cross
The Chairman said the grants of £3000 from the Leche Trust and £23295 from Historic England have been received with the estimated final cost being £87370 of which £4062 for retentions etc is not yet payable. The Council contribution from reserves is £23475 against a budget of £25000.
The final research document from Jane Root is awaiting further information from David Newton with the cost of £1089 being well below budget.
The’ tell-tale’ monitoring system to check movement on the columns and the maintenance plan are outstanding and the Chairman will discuss this with David Newton.
The opening ceremony to thank those who have supported the restoration was cancelled due to the virus but local newspapers were notified.
4M. Speeding on the Hill
Wilts Council have notified that the 20mph speed limit will be installed in June with the Parish contributing £1000 approx.
4N. Congregational Chapel
The Chairman said the original conveyance and associated documents are with the Solicitors to arrange land registration and he is progressing them. The transfer restriction will need discussion with the Lysley Estate when the title position has been resolved.
He said an offer has been made by the Chapel owners which will need reviewing to decide the best way of maximising potential benefits.
Cllr Prior kindly agreed to strim/spray the weeds in the Chapel car park.
4O. Financial standing orders.
To be reviewed by the Chairman & Clerk after the coronavirus lock down has been lifted.
4P. Colour slides.
The Clerk said he would proceed with this after the lock down has been lifted.
- 18. Notice Boards.
Jason Reeves has kindly offered to repair the Whitegates notice board and move it alongside the bus shelter. Cllr Bettles said he had posts that would be suitable.
- Finance.
Income £
Shawbrook Bank – interest 150.00
,, ,, – withdrawal 19000.00
HMRC – VAT refund 6992.00
,, ,, 3454.64
CC Colts insurance & rent 166.31
Leche Trust – grant village cross 3000.00
Historic England – grant village cross 23295.00
Wilts Council – precept 5750.00
Expenditure
The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:
Cllr Mackelden – village get together 125.00
SSE – quarterly invoice 171.20
D.Ryall – petty cash 25.00
Cllr Winup – newsletter printing 45.57
Cllr Winup – Chairman’s expenses 125.00
Integral Engineering – consultancy 1107.00
Minerva Stone Conservation – village cross 3rd payment 19620.83
CC Village Hall – hire 45.00
Parish Council Web Sites – maintenance fee 190.00
David Newton Associates – village cross 2218.25
- Ryall – printer cartridge 13.00
Integral Engineering Design – consultancy 285.00
HMRC – tax 239.20
- Ryall – salary 410.80
Water 2 – half year rates 84.09
Mr Roberts – defib. electricity 12.00
Cllr Reeves – defib. electricity. 12.00
Cllr.Winup – newsletter printing 40.92
Cllr Winup – caution tape. 9.99
Cllr Winup – Liz Taylor invoice. 85.49
Minerva Stone Preservation – Village Cross 4th payment 15329.64
Bowen Accountants – payroll 102.00
Zurich Municipal – insurance 1178.76
Cllr Winup – paint Whitegates play area 229.60
Cllr Winup – swing seats – Whitegates 168.84
Cllr Winup – socket set & bolts 16.52
Jane Root – village cross history 1088.83
Lloyds Bank current account @ 29.04.20. 38622.05
Deposit account Shawbrook (William Prior Heritage Fund). 1000.00
5A Budget 2020/21
The Clerk went though the budget estimate explaining that the admin costs are nearly £1000 higher that the previous year spend due to the potential legal costs in selling the Chapel car park.
The total budget including capital is significantly lower than 2019/20 due to the reduction in the village cross restoration costs. It was proposed by Cllr. Prior & seconded by Cllr Bettles that the budget be accepted. This was agreed unanimously by the meeting.
6 Correspondence.
6A. Wilts Council – Green infrastructure & open space study
The Clerk said he had completed the questionnaire adding the lower village play area which had been missed.
6B. Defibrillator monitoring system.
Cllr Winup said this has now passed over to the South West Ambulance system, which is not as easy to use as the previous AED Locator system but enables the village defibrillators to be included in the SW Ambulance location map etc.
6C. Congregational Chapel – purchase of Whitegates garages.
The Clerk said the Chapel has bought the garages and intends to erect a replacement chapel/meeting hall on the site. No planning application has yet been submitted.
6D. Zurich Insurance.
The Clerk said the 3 year agreement has expired and that he has arranged a new 3year deal with the Zurich at a fixed rate of £1178.76 per annum which is an increase of £67.77 over the previous year. He said this was extremely competitive when compared with other firms.
6D. CPRE Membership renewal.
The meeting agreed to renew membership at a cost of £36.00.
6E. WALC Membership renewal.
The meeting agreed to renew membership at a cost of £145.85.
6F. Bobby van request for a donation.
The meeting agreed to donate £30.00.
6G. Wiltshire SPLASH – request for a donation.
The meeting agreed to donate £30.00.
- Planning applications
P.C. Approved:
Barnetta, Dark Lane UCC – fell 6 conifer & 3 poplar trees.
Three Gables UCC remove thatch & replace with stone tiles.
Castle Inn – convert cellar & remove reception area.
- Opposed:
Fuchsia Cottage – 2 storey extension
P.C. Under Consideration:
Colham Mill – erect 3 bay garage with office.
Unitary Council under Consideration.
1, Whitegates – discharge 106 order.
Fuchsia Cottage – 2 storey extension.
Castle Inn – convert cellar and remove reception.
Colham Mill – erect 3 bay garage with office.
Unitary Council – Granted
No 2. Waterside – remove render & repoint.
- Whitegates – subdivision of existing into 2 dwellings.
Fuchsia Cottage – reroof, rewire & install oil central heating.
Stonewood builders – retrospective permission for extension & roadway.
Palm cottage – 30% reduction of Birch tree.
Fuchsia Cottage – rebuild wooden wall.
Weavers House – tree surgery.
1, Fairfields – replace single storey stable create manure clamp etc.
Barnetta, Dark Lane UCC – fell 6 conifer & 3 poplar trees
Unitary Council Rejected.
Nil
- Unitary Councillor
The election for the Bybrook unitary councillor has been postponed until 2021 due to the corona virus. Council Leader Phillip Whitehead is standing in until then.
- CC Circuit & Playing Field
CC Circuit – Cllr Mackelden reported that there are no current events or liaison meetings due to corona virus and no dates arranged for them.
Playing Field – Cllr Mackelden reported that there is no football due to corona virus. He said that the CC Colts at the request of the Council had locked up the playing field after two golfers were seen using it during lock down. This action caused a parishioner to query villagers’ rights to access the playing field and was informed that there is no right of casual access allowed in the original conveyance.
- Play Areas
Cllr Mackelden reported that the lower area was out of bounds due to the corona virus but fine except for needing weeding and the bench requiring some attention.
The Chairman said the Whitegates area was being refurbished and the swings replaced at a cost of £1000 plus materials. He said Cllr Reeves had agreed to take over monitoring the state of the equipment etc. The Chairman said both sites should be checked at least monthly and the check list sent to the Clerk.
- 1 Highways
Cllr Halliday reported that:
The drains & gullies on the hill continue to be regularly cleared throughout the village.
The B4039 at Gibb hollow & the Salutation have been repaired & resurfaced.
The Parish Steward work list is:
Clear drains & gullies as necessary
Cut back leaf debris on either side of the hill.
Cut back car park greenery & strim bus stop area.
Replace missing riverside post reflectors.
Weed kill upper & lower village.
Cut pack White gates hedge bordering the Golf Club drive.
Fill potholes
Cllr Halliday said she & Cllr Prior have reported the dangerous tree near Hill House with no response
- Village Environment.
Cllr Prior said there was more fly tipping occurring and he would again progress Wilts Council, Fee. Waind about the damaged bin at Shrub corner. The Chairman said he had also written to her about missing and damaged bins in the village and awaited a response. He asked Cllr Reeves if she would kindly check the Whitegates play area bin as it not emptied regularly.
- Whitegates
Cllr Reeves said the that car parking is becoming an issue with families moving in with more cars and the loss of the garage block. This will worsen if Green Square sell off the other garage blocks on the estate.
She said the refurbishment of the play area was very much appreciated by the residents.
- TV. Committee.
The Chairman said there are no problems at present. The assets are currently £6729, 2020/21 budgeted income £1296 and outgoings £750.
- Village Hall
The Chairman said that:
The agreed lower quote for the floor was £2423.53 and a 50% grant has been requested from the Area Board. The work is deferred due to the corona virus.
The five-year electrical inspection has been completed, the defects rectified, and a new certificate provided.
The current assets of £2697 will be seriously affected by lack of bookings due to the hall closure and share of the floor repairs. The budgeted income excluding grants is £800 (80% down) and outgoings £1630 leaving an estimated year end surplus of £1060.
He thanked Cllr Bettles for giving the play are grass its first cut.
- 2019-20Annual Governance Statement.
The Council reviewed the statement and it was proposed by Cllr Bettles and seconded by Cllr Reeves that it was approved. This was agreed unanimously by the Council.
- 2019-20 Accounting Statements.
The Clerk reviewed the statements and reminded the Council that the figures also included the Village Hall and TV committee finances and that the explanation of variances was required as the Council reserves are more than the allowed amount of twice the precept. (£11000). He said the Council was subject to an external audit as the higher of gross income or gross expenditure exceeded £25000.
It was proposed by Cllr. Blair and seconded by Cllr. Mrs J. Halliday that the accounting statements were approved. This was agreed unanimously by the Council.
- Review of Standing Orders & Financial Statements
The Clerk confirmed that these are unchanged
19.Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman.
The Chairman said that the Corona virus Act of Parliament enables this to be deferred for up to a year together with the Council and Parishioners’ annual meetings.
- Corona virus.
The Chairman said that in response to this the Council had:
Given the Unitary Council the Chairman’s contact details for emergencies.
Listed all Councillor’s details in the Honeycomb & Combe Courier.
Given the Unitary Council the village volunteer group names.
Placed Government slogan signs in numerous locations, closed the toilets and play areas.
He said many residents were concerned with the easing of the lock down, but most visitors were abiding with the distancing guidelines.
- Date of next meeting.
This was confirmed as Thursday 16.07.2020 at 7.30 p.m. probably be a remote meeting using ZOOM.