MINUTES OF A PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 8th FEBRUARY 2016 AT MEMORIAL HALL PUBLOW LANE PENSFORD
Present: Chairman: Mrs J Stephenson. Mr J Kelly, Mrs S Grimes, Mr P Baxter, Cllr P May, Mrs D Custance, Mrs T Jones, Mrs J Gully and Clerk: Mrs J Bragg.
There were two members of the Public Present. Mrs P Parnell & Mrs G Jones.
1. Public Participation: Memorial Hall Representative:
No representative able to attend the Parish Council Meeting. Clerk & Chairman will arrange a meeting with Mr P Moore the Memorial Hall Chairman.
2. Apologies for Absence were received from Mr T Heaford.
3. To receive notification of any Members’ personal or prejudicial interest in any item on the Agenda:
None Received.
4. To confirm Minutes of the previous Meeting held on Monday 11th January 2016 as a true and fair record.
After being circulated and read the minutes were signed as a true and fair record.
5. To receive an update on District Matters from Cllr P May:
A reminder that the Referendum for Mayor takes place on 10th March 2016. This is likely to be a costly election.
The review for the A37 has been submitted and a set of proposals are being looked at. £20,000 has been requested for the improvements to the A37. Walls of properties on the A37 need attention along with overhanging vegetation.
The Spatial Strategy is an ongoing developmental process, which will affect Whitchurch and Clutton.
A Review of Waste Services is to be undertaken. BANES are looking at creating a new site in Peasedown. BANES are pushing for a two or three weekly refuse collection service. There are only 23 Local Authorities reported to have weekly collections.
The Ward Councillors Initiative will fund a 20 mph sign for Old Road.
Cllr May will continue to try and help the Tennis Club obtain funding.
6. To receive any updates on matters from the last meeting:
i) Acker Bilk Seat: Chairman has spoken with G Tyler. The Granite is currently being polished. It is anticipated that the bench will take two months to make. Clerk to get in touch with English Heritage in respect of works, which may be needed, to the Lock Up.
ii) Restoration of Finger Posts: The first Fingerpost to be restored will be the one by the A37, which currently has the finger direction to Stanton Drew/Stanton Wick missing. It will cost in the region of £300.00 to restore. The cleaning will be carried out by Lydia Robinson and Nick King. On some of the posts there are the letters SCC, which stand for Somerset County Council, these have to be painted white. A Foundry will commission the new Finger. Fund Raising is being organised with the first event taking place on 1st May 2015 at The Grange Belluton between 7 pm & 9 pm. Tickets for Wine and nibbles will be charged at £10.00
iii) The Old Colliery Site: Clerk read out an email received from Stanton Wick Action Group, which thanked everyone for their efforts in responding to the planning application. BANES have refused permission.
iii) Tennis Courts: New coach in place. Nine children from school were playing last week. It is hoped to hold a tennis holiday camp for children during half term.
As a result of Cllr Paul May’s enquiry, BANES have sent the club a Community Recreation Sports Grant application form. The club are not sure that they will be eligible for a grant as the court resurfacing is not a new project and has already begun. The club has noticed that BANES offers support for projects within the Fit for Life Project, which is mentioned in the grant application form. The club has asked BANES to clarify and await a reply from Sport and Leisure.
iiii) Name Plates for Short Lane: A meeting was held with Lyn Parfitt BANES, residents of Hillcrest, Parish Council and Cllr May. On discussion agreement was made by all as to where the signs for Short Lane should be placed. The signs are now in place.
A review of signposts and numbering at Hillcrest will be carried out in the new budget year. However, Lyn Parfitt is leaving this department.
7. Matters for Discussion/Decision:
a) Accounts/Pension: Mr Kelly attended the recent seminar, which covered changes to the Pension Scheme. The staging date is key to the implementation of the Pension. Clerk to look up staging date. Parish Councils have to assess which scheme to opt into this will be for either Eligible Job Holders or Non-eligible Jobholders. All small employers will be required to enrol employees into a qualifying pension scheme.
b) Footpaths: The footpaths officer will be away for long periods throughout the year. The Parish Council will need to find someone to fill in. Any suggestions please let the Clerk or Chairman know. A Style in Blackrock Lane has been reported to Public Rights of Way for repair.
c) Remembrance Sunday: The new Secretary for the Benefice has contacted the Parish Council asking for the Parish Council to arrange a 10-minute road closure for Remembrance Sunday this year. Parish Council agreed to apply for an official road closure nearer the time.
d) Play Area: at the recent Memorial Hall AGM, the Committee were informed that the Parish Council are not financially able to support the Play Area at present. It was suggested that in the interim to help with grass cutting costs the Footpaths Officer could cut the Play Area grass with his strimmer. It was thought that other Parishes may allocate an amount of their Precept to their Play Area. Whitchurch Parish Council support their Play Area and Cemetery costs. Clerk to ask the Memorial Hall Committee for a copy of their Budget for the year. It was suggested that the Clerk write to Cllr May so that BANES may recognise the need for the help with costs in relation to the Play Area.
e) Litter Pick: A litter Pick was held in Woollard last Sunday. Compton Dando also undertook a Litter Pick at the same time. Chairman suggested the next date for a litter pick should again be the same time as Compton Dando.
f) Memorial Hall AGM: A successful meeting was reported. A newly elected Committee was formed. Clerk & Chairman to arrange a meeting.
g) Noticeboard: A quote of £400.00 has been received for another Noticeboard to be made and placed next to the current one by the Miners Welfare Institute. This will be put on hold at the moment due to the financial status of the Parish Council. Parish Councillors were asked to remove anything irrelevant or out of date off of the noticeboard when they are passing.
Facebook Advertising was discussed. Advice from ALCA will be sought.
8. Reports:
Clerks Progress Report
Pensford Garage Site: No further correspondence received. Target decision date is 19th February 2016.
Electronic Planning: No quote received to date for a tablet/laptop and small projector. Clerk to follow up.
Yellow Lines: The Parish Council had not been sent a final map of the Yellow Line Scheme for the Parish. Clerk wrote to the Traffic Management Team to ask for a copy of the final map for the Yellow Line Scheme after the closure of the consultation. Details of the consultation were sent to Clerk via a link on the BANES web site, which was circulated to al Parish Council Members. Comments on the Consultation by BANES are: Roads affected: High Street, Publow Lane and Church Street in Pensford Restriction: Prohibit and Restrict Parking At Any Time Decision: That the proposals relating to Publow Land and the High Street are implemented as advertised due to reasons of safety, however the restrictions relating to Church Street are modified and limited to its junction with the A37, with the restrictions on the southerly side of the junction being reduced to mirror that of the northern side. It is recommended that rest of the restrictions affecting Church Street, further west from this point, are withdrawn at this time due to the high number of objections received by the Council. It has been proposed that the situation will be monitored and the option of introducing timed parking bays on either side of the section of Church Street north of Culvery Lane will be explored. Restrictions as detailed on plan 42 – See more at: https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=848#sthash.U0J8AAse.dpuf
A query has been made by a member of the public asking why there are no Yellow Lines outside of the Church Room by the entrance to the gates of St Thomas a Becket Churchyard.
It was reported at the meeting that the Yellow Lines are already breaking up.
Referendum: A reminder Notice has been put on the noticeboard regarding the referendum for a Directly Elected Mayor. The Poll for the Referendum will be held on Thursday 10th March 2016.
High Street: A request was made to BANES for “Keep Clear signs” outside of the lane/driveway by the Spangles House (opposite the village green).
Allotment Site: Two further allotment plots have now been rented.
Short Lane. A site meeting took place between Parish Council, Cllr May and interested parties from Hillcrest. Agreement as to where to site the Nameplate Signs was made. The signs are now in place.
Hillcrest: The Dog Warden has been asked to put up extra signage following concerns raised by Members of the Public at the January meeting about the amount of Dog Fouling on paths in Hillcrest particularly in the area of “Cinder Path”….It was suggested that more bins are needed in and around this area. Clerk to follow up. It was suggested that a Name & Shame list should go into the Parish Magazine. This may encourage residents to clear up after their dogs.
Recycling: clerk has emailed Council Connect raising the problems of recycling collections raised by Member of Public at the January Meeting. Clerk has asked where the recycling needs to be placed to be collected. Chairman reported that the Recycling Route had been reversed last week, which meant residents recycling wasn’t out in time as it was collected earlier than normal.
ALCA Training: The next scheduled “Being a Good Councillor” training session is on Saturday 20th February 2016 at Longwell Green Community Centre, Shellards Road, Bristol BS30 9DU 9:30 – 12:00. Let Clerk know if you are interested in attending.
Mrs Gully and Mrs Custance to be added to the next training session.
Planning:
RE: 15/05583/FUL Mr. K Dawe Church Farm Peats Hill Publow: The Parish Councils comments in relation to the finished aspect/view, over-development and notifications in respect of Church Farm Application looked at by the Parish Council in January. The reply from them was circulated and read out at the meeting.
9. Planning:
Applications received Discussed by the Sub- Committee:
16/00048/TCA 1 Old School House High Street 1 x Cypress fell to ground level. Parish Council Support.
16/00206/FUL Mr & Mrs Jones 20 Hillcrest Pensford. 1st Floor Extension. Parish Council Support.
16/00253/FUL Mr Kipling Greenmeadow Woollard Lane Pensford. Installation of two pitched roof dormers to the front elevation of the property. Parish Council Support.
Planning Outcomes to Note:
15/05213/FUL Mr T Smart Old Colliery Yard Wick Lane Pensford. Use of Land as Mobile Home Park. REFUSED
10. Financial Matters:
Payments to be authorised over £100.00
Mrs J Bragg Clerk January Salary 637.32
K C Printing Neighbourhood Plan Envelopes/Survey Result Sheets 493.80
HMRC Clerk NI & Tax to 5th Jan 2016 179.85
Payments to be authorised:
Mrs J Bragg Clerk Imprest 21.40
Mrs J Bragg Computer Ink 9.00
Pensford Post Office Neighbourhood Plan Vouchers 5 x £5 25.00
ALCA Pension Seminar 20.00
J Stephenson Xmas Tree Decorations 20.00
L Cains Xmas Tree & Lights 44.97
Mr C James N Plan Stationery & Room Hire 49.00
Receipts: None to note
11. Items of Report to carry forward to the next Meeting:
Parking Church Street. It was reported that 2 white vans are being parked and left in church Street on a regular basis. The Vans do not belong to the Post Office.
12. To Note Future Meetings:
Neighbourhood Planning Meeting Wednesday 10th February 2016
Chew Valley Forum Meeting 22nd February 2016
Parish Liaison Meeting 24th February 2016
DATE OF NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: MONDAY 14th March 2016 AT 7.15 pm