MINUTES OF AN AGM, ANNUAL & A MONTHLY MEETING OF PUBLOW WITH PENSFORD PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 8th May 2017 AT MEMORIAL HALL PUBLOW LANE PENSFORD
Present: Chairman Mrs J Stephenson Vice-Chairman: Mr T Heaford
Mrs S Grimes, Mr P Baxter, Mr J Kelly, Mrs T Jones, Mr S Filer, Cllr P May, Mrs D Custance, Clerk: Mrs J Bragg. There were five members of the public present.
AGM Agenda:
a) Chairman’s Report: Attached
b) Financial Report: Attached
c) Memorial Hall Report: It was reported that more hirers are needed. Plans are being made to change the boiler. The Playground is a drain on resources. Lighting at Tennis Club has been a concern. Mrs Jones is to attend the meetings and report back to Parish Council.
ANNUAL/MONTHLY Agenda:
1. Election of Chairman, Vice-Chairman: Mr Heaford proposed that Mrs Stephenson should remain as Chairman. Mrs Stephenson has been involved in a great deal of work helping with the Neighbourhood Plan, Pensford 10K and attending meetings on behalf of the Parish Council. This was proposed by Mr Filer and seconded by Mrs Jones.
Mr Filer proposed that Mr Heaford should remain as Vice-Chairman and this was seconded by Mr Kelly.
2. Signing of Declaration & Acceptance of Office Book: This was duly signed by the re-elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
3. Register of Members Interests & Declaration of Acceptance of Office Forms to complete: All Parish Councillors were given a Members Interest form to complete and return to the Clerk.
4. Members of the Public:
It was suggested by Member of the Public that the current vacancies on the Parish Council could be advertised on the noticeboard and the like.
Litter Pickers: Parish Council confirmed to Members of the Public that Litter Pickers were being purchased and would be distributed when the Risk Assessment had been put together.
5. Apologies for Absence: Mrs J Gully.
6. To receive notification of any Members’ personal or prejudicial interest in any item on the Agenda: None Received.
7. To confirm the Minutes of Monday 10th April 2017 as a true and fair record: Cllr Baxter disputed that the minutes were correct. He reported that he had previously disagreed with Section 2, Question 2 of the Annual Governance Statement and not Section 4 as had been put in the minutes. Section 2 reads (the Council) ‘had maintained an adequate system of internal control including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud and corruption and reviewed its effectiveness’. Cllr Baxter disagreed that this was the case and again cited the Clerk’s salary as an example.
He raised this again at the meeting of Monday 8th May 2017.
In response Cllr Filer reported that the Staffing Panel oversee the Payroll. The Clerk had on request of the Panel produced timesheets which actually showed the Clerk works more hours than actually paid for.
The Parish Council Accounts every year are subject to both internal and external audit with no queries being raised.
The amended minutes will be discussed as an agenda item at the June Meeting.
8. Appointment of Representatives for:
Memorial Hall Committee: Mrs Jones & Mrs Gully
Parish Council’s Airport Association: Mr Heaford.
Parish Liaison Meetings: Mr Heaford/Mrs Grimes
ALCA Meetings: Mr Heaford/Mrs Stephenson
Chew Valley Forum: Mr Heaford, Clerk, Mrs Stephenson.
Flood Representative: Mr Baxter reported this as being a “pointless” representative position.
Guardians for Defibrillators: Post Office: Mrs Jones, Hillcrest: Lisa Cains, Woollard: Mrs Stephenson.
Staffing Panel: Mr Filer, Mrs Jones, Mrs Grimes
Acker Bilk Bench Caretaker: Mrs Custance
9. To receive an update on District Matters from Cllr P May: Whitchurch Neighbourhood Plan had now entered its 6-week consultation period. Richard Daone is now the contact for helping with Neighbourhood Plan.
Highways: A date is still to be arranged for the Public Meeting.
There had been no reply from the Jazz Band in relation to playing at the Acker Bilk unveiling.
New Arrangements for Refuse collections are pushing ahead. The Larger Bin process is an issue.
Belluton Junction: A meeting will be held to discuss the junction with residents as and when necessary. It was suggested the Public Meeting should take place in June after the elections.
10. To receive any updates on matters from the last meeting:
a) Acker Bilk Bench Update: It is proposed to hold the unveiling during an afternoon. The music festival will be contacted.
b) Finger Posts Update: Progressing. The pole needs to be taken away. Four coats of paint will be needed to cover the post and Fingers.
c) Tennis Club: The lights are now working ok and an up-to-date certificate has been obtained.
The Tennis Court nearest the Hall had failed the quality test because it was not level. This will be re-done when weather conditions are warm enough.
A Coach providing Tennis for Kids has been sponsored by the LTA. The great Tennis weekend takes place on 14th May.
d) Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Result: The Result was a 42.14% turnout. 266 voters voted YES and 127 NO votes.
e) Pensford 10K Sunday 30th April 2017: Another successful 10K which worked well starting at an earlier time. An extra 50 runners took part.
f) Litter Pick: Five volunteers turned up for the Litter Pick Day. Thanks were extended to Geoff Hunt & his sister who had already litter picked many roads including Hillcrest, Old Road, High Street, Short Lane & Publow Lane.
11. Matters for Discussion/Decision:
Parish Councils Airport Association: Mr Heaford reported that Bristol Airport are refreshing their plan which is to take up to 10 million passengers. Present figure is 7.5 million passengers growing in the next 10 years up to 20 million. If the planning permission is granted there will be more disturbance to accommodate the growth. Car parking will encroach onto the green belt. Parish Councils are being encouraged to object to the growth of the airport. North Somerset Council are undertaking a Traffic Management Plan.
12. Reports:
a) Clerks Progress Report: All Parish Councillors had received a copy of the Clerks Progress Report. A copy will be attached to the minutes in future.
Clerk was asked to follow up with BANES again and see if the 20 mph limit can be extended along Publow Lane. The current speed limits go from 50 mph down to 20 mph. There is no pavement to Publow Church and pedestrians including school children have to walk this lane with traffic travelling at 50 mph.
13. Planning:
Applications to Discuss:
17/0187/FUL The Wickets Blackrock Lane Publow. Form New Access Drive. Parish Council Support.
16/05653/FUL Midas Recycling Land to South of South Bristol Motor Company New Road Pensford. Parish Council supported the revised plans.
17/0081/FUL Old Colliery Yard Wick Lane Pensford. Erection of 2no. detached houses and residential conversion and extension of industrial building into 5no.dwellings following demolition of existing industrial building. Clerk sent in objections from the Parish Council.
Appeal Received:
Mr B Coles Hill Cottage Woollard Lane Publow. Construction of a hipped roof over existing garage flat roof and erection of rear garden lobby including fenestration changes to rear elevation.
Planning Outcomes to Note:
17/00949/TCA The Former St Thomas a Beckets Church
1 x Elm E2 – fell No Objection
17/00974/ADCOU J & R Padfield Southleigh Farm Birchwood Lane. Prior approval request for the change of use from Agricultural Building to Dwelling (C3) and for associated operation development. Withdrawn.
14. Financial Matters:
a) Financial Accounts to March 2017 to be tabled at the meeting.
Mr Kelly had produced the Income & Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31st March 2017 and the Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2017. This was tabled to all Parish Council Members and no queries were raised in relation to the accounts. Mr Kelly was again thanked for his hard work undertaken to produce the accounts.
Payments to be authorised over £100.00
Mrs J Bragg Clerk Salary as per NJC Scale Point 27 758.56
Zurich Insurance Parish Council Insurances Renewal 766.11
SLCC Membership Renewal 108.00
Mrs C Ree Snowdrops for St Thomas a Becket Churchyard 150.00
Payments to be authorised:
Allotment Society Membership Renewal 30.00
Mrs J Bragg Clerk Imprest 23.40
K C Printing Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Flyers 70.00
BANES Council Litter Picks x 6 92.45
Receipts to note:
Mrs Cox Allotment Rental 20.00
Mrs D Custance Allotment Rental 20.00
Community Trust Donation to the Acker Bilk Bench 1200.00
15. Items of Report to carry forward to the next Meeting:
Publow Bridge: It was reported that vegetation is growing out of the stonework of the bridge. Clerk will report this to the Structures Department at BANES Council.
Mrs Grimes gave her apologies in advance for the June Meeting.
16. To Note Future Meetings:
DATE OF NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: MONDAY 12th June 2017 AT 7.15 pm
Neighbourhood Planning Workshop Wednesday 31st May Civic Centre Keynsham
Parish Liaison Meeting 22nd June 2017 – Sue Grimes to attend.
BANES ALCA Meeting Saltford 25th May 2017 – Janette Stephenson to attend
Parish Councils Airport Association 22nd June 2017 – Tony Heaford