MINUTES OF A MEETING OF PUBLOW WITH PENSFORD PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY 8th JUNE 2020
ONLINE using ZOOM
Present: Chairman: Mrs J Stephenson
Mrs J Gully, Mrs D Custance, Mr M Daniels, Mrs S Grimes, Mr S Filer, Mr T Heaford, Mr P Baxter, Mr T Jones, Mrs T Jones & Cllr P. May (B&NES) and Mrs H Richardson (Clerk)
There was 1 Member of the public present.
7.1. Members of the Public: – A representative of the Climate Working group asked the Parish Council if the working group could have a page on the Parish Council website to update residents on the progress they are making. The Parish Council agreed that Roderick Black (on behalf of the working group) could liaise with the Webmaster directly and provide the councillors with updates of the information they are publishing.
7.2. Apologies for Absence Ms J Flower
7.3. Notification of any Members’ personal or prejudicial interest in any item on the Agenda: Cllr M Daniels (item 7.7b)
7.4. The Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 11th May 2020 were agreed as a true and fair record. The Chairman will sign them at the next available opportunity.
7.5. An update on District Matters. Cllr Paul May reported that he had spoken to officers regarding the proposed extension of conservation area as discussed last meeting. The officers confirmed that although a major review would not be possible in the timescales available, they would take into account that half the site (application 20/01547/FUL ) was covered by the conservation area, and for the purposes of the application, the impact on the whole site would be considered.
B&NES have had their first Zoom meeting for their Annual General Meeting which went well, but later in the week councillors were excluded from a cabinet meeting discussing finance. They have now agreed to hold a special meeting on the 16th June to discuss finances and implications on services which all councillors can attend virtually.
7.6. Updates on current matters:
a) Memorial Hall-Cllr Paul Baxter – No updates, The Parish Council urged the Memorial Hall Committee representative to encourage the Memorial Hall Committee to apply for the Business Continuity Grant available to all Village Halls to help them through the Covid 19 pandemic.
b) Community Speedwatch – Cllr Mike Daniels – On hold due to Covid-19, but contact was made with the Local Beat Officer who offered their support once lockdown is further relaxed. More volunteers have stepped forward to assist.
c) Fingerposts – Cllr Janette Stephenson – No progress on Fingerposts at the moment
d) Vintage Phone Box – Cllr Paul Baxter & Cllr Jenny Gully – Nothing to report due to Covid 19
e) Defibrillators – Cllr Janette Stephenson – Nothing to report
f) Allotments – Cllr Mike Daniels – see item 7.7c)
g) Review of speed limit through Woollard & Publow – Cllr Janette Stephenson & Cllr Paul May – No progress until we are back to normal. It was confirmed that Kelvin Packer is leaving B&NES and so this would be revisited, once his successor is in place
h) Environmental & Climate Emergency working group – Cllr Dawn Custance –
Notes from their meeting had been previously circulated. The Parish Council agreed that a representative could liaise directly with the webmaster to update a new environmental section of the Parish Council Website. The Parish Council approved the change of the name of the group to the Environmental & Climate Emergency working group. The Ward Councillor commented that he is in discussions with Avon Wildlife Trust and is pushing B&NES to declare an ecological emergency and asked the group to widen its brief to support this.
i) Coronavirus: Now that lockdown has been eased, problems are being caused by the numbers of people visiting Publow and Woollard. B&NES have been contacted for advice regarding the numbers of cars parking on the road. The police are unwilling to prevent the cars parking, although they have visited the area and put leaflets in the windows of some of the offending cars. If a vehicle is causing an obstruction the non-emergency number 101 should be called to arrange for cars to be removed.
7.7. Matters for Discussion/ Decision:
a) The Parish Council resolved to purchase 5 new waste bins to be positioned across the village in consultation with B&NES highways.
b) The Clerk reported that she had requested an update from B&NES regarding the damage to the bus shelters previously reported on FixmyStreet. First Bus confirmed that this damage needed to be reported to B&NES. The previous Clerk confirmed that the two bus shelters on the asset register for the Insurance were the old stone shelters that have been removed.
c) The Parish Council resolved to increase the allotment rents to £40 for a large plot and £20 for a small plot effective immediately for vacant plots as they come available. For existing plot holders the increase will be staged over the next 2 years with a 50% increase in 2021 and the remaining increase in 2022.
d) The issue of parked cars has been raised in several areas of the Parish:
i) allotments: The gate will be fixed and allotment holders will be told to park within the allotment site, not on the road outside. A sign will be erected to say that they are parking at their own risk.
ii) Parking in Publow & Woollard – discussed in item 7.6i
7.8. Reports:
a) The Clerks Progress Report, previously circulated, was accepted.
b) The Chairman had nothing additional to report.
7.9. Planning:
a) Applications to consult:
i) 20/01839/TCA: Kingfisher House, Culvery Lane, Pensford: Tree works in Conservation Area: Fir-Fell
The Parish Council resolved that they had no objection to this application.
b) Decision Notification:
i) 20/01339/FUL: Sunningdale, Woollard Lane. Erection of two storey rear extension . REFUSE
7.10. Financial Matters:
Financial Report
i) the financial Report was accepted.
ii) Payments to be authorised at June meeting were approved:
ii) To approve Payments to be authorised at June meeting:
Dom Lowe Footpaths (May) £80
DPM Lucas Cut the Green £40
Mrs Helen Richardson Clerk Salary (June) £722.36
HMRC PAYE & NI £636.90
H Richardson – Reimburse: Zoom Subscription £4.80
7.11. Items of Report to carry forward to the next Meeting: None
7.12. To Note Future Meetings: B&NES Connecting Communities – Monday 8th June -online
B&NES ALCA meeting – Thursday 11th June 2020 Avon Room, Saltford Parish Hall (JS)
Parish Liaison – Thursday 16th July 2020 (SG)
B&NES ALCA meeting – Thursday 3rd September 2020
Parish Liaison – Thursday 22nd October 2020
DATE OF NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Monday 27th July 2020
The meeting closed at 20.20 pm