Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Burghclere Parish Council held on 3 rd November, 2014 at 7.30pm at the Portal Hall Present: Cllrs C Saint, C James, G Morton, M North, C Barnard, B Canning, I Findlay Borough Cllr J Izett S Bosley (Clerk) 83. Apologies Cllr Bruce 84. Declaration of Members Interest Cllr Saint declared an interest in Item 7 Planning Cllr James declared an interest in Item 11 Village maintenance 85. Minutes of the Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting on October 6th were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the chairman. 86. County Councillor Not present 87. Borough Councillor Bor. Cllr John Izett raised the following points: * BDBC is budget making for the next four years. It is hopeful it can hold council tax at the current rate again. It has been held for five years now but may need to increase after this next year due to pressures on budgets. * One of the priorities is homelessness. BDBC has set aside 4.5m for housing and homelessness. * The Local Plan has been submitted but the inspector has called a special meeting next month as he has serious concerns. * HCC has decided to cut a number of bus services, including the numbers 21, 22, 23 and 24. The number 7 route will still operate. Elderly residents can t use their bus passes before 9.30am either. This all comes into effect from April 2015. * The biannual residents survey was very positive. BDBC is currently looking at the annual grants and has told arts groups they will give longer term grants but want to see groups make the money go further. * BDBC is looking to create a rural fund to bring arts and culture to the rural areas. 88. Parishioners Open Time
None 89. Planning Planning applications: Application number Location Description Decisions 14/02892/HSE The Old Station, Spring Lane Two storey side extension and ancillary annexe accommodation above garage No objections Planning decisions: Application number Location Description Decisions T/02522/14/TP 9 Cobbett s View Works to an English Granted O oak 14/02377/HSE 1 Cobbett s View Detached single garage Granted Cllr North noted that there was an application at Four Oaks, Harts Lane (T/00509/14/TPO) to carry out tree works. The PC has not been notified but the application was discussed. Concerns were raised over the proposed felling of a number of trees on the site, some of which the council believes were highlighted as being trees that should be retained in a previous tree report. Clerk to contact BDBC to discuss. 90. August meeting Proposed by cllr James and seconded by cllr Barnard. It was resolved to reinstate the August meeting of the parish council. 91. Bus shelter for Elkington Close In light of Bor Cllr Izett s report on the bus services it was decided that more research into the route and frequency of the only remaining service through Burghclere must be done before a decision on a new bus shelter could be taken. 92. 30mph speed limit in Old Burghclere Cllr Canning reported that a resident had contacted her to ask if a 30mph speed limit could be imposed in Old Burghclere. Proposed by cllr James and seconded by cllr
Findlay. It was resolved that the council would be in support of such a request but the clerk will contact HCC in the first instance to discuss it before any further action is taken. 93. Village Maintenance Three quotes have been received by cllr Canning for the contract to carry out all the grass cutting in the village. James & Co provided the lowest quote. Proposed by cllr Morton and seconded by cllr Findlay. It was resolved to ask James & Co to undertake the grass cutting in the village. The clerk reported that BDBC had indicated that grant to cut the Burghclere Triangle may not continue after April. The decision will be taken next month. Danny Brown will continue to cut the triangle until April, when the outcome of the grant application will be known. The bulbs will be planted there on Saturday, weather dependent. 94. War Memorial steps The work has now been carried out as planned, in time for November 11. The clerk reported that the parish council had already received some of the grant from Greenham Common Trust and was waiting on the remainder. It was noted that there is currently a small shortfall, which the Pinder Trust has agreed to fund. 95. Mobile home on land formerly owned by Dodds Farm Cllr Bruce has spoken to the resident and she was unaware that planning permission was necessary. She then spoke to BDBC and reported to Cllr Morton that they had claimed she did not need permission to have the mobile home there for one year while she carries out building works. With regards to the apparent unauthorised works taking place around Ayres House it was resolved that cllr Saint contact the enforcement officers at BDBC to discuss it further. Proposed by cllr Canning and seconded by cllr Morton. 96. Sports Club lease and report Cllr Canning circulated the latest minutes from the sports club (attached). Cllr Saint reported that the questions raised by the lawyers had been now answered and the lease was in hand. It was noted that Darren Boyce is no longer the chairman so the name on the lease will need to be changed. 97. Accounts Proposed by Cllr Canning and seconded by Cllr James. It was resolved to make the following payments: Payee Description Amount
Burghclere Church Council Annual grant 700 Victim Support Grant 50 Amanda Findlay Litter warden 252.40 Amanda Findlay Litter warden McDonald s area 126.20 Mrs S Bosley Salary and allowance 319.30 The Poppy Appeal Poppy wreath 25 Mrs S Bosley Norton anti-virus renewal 30.49 Amanda Findlay Additional pay for wage increase 9.12 The council considered the draft precept report. A final decision will be taken in January after the borough council announces the level of CTS grant, but it looks likely that the PC will agree to keep the precept at its current rate. 98. Clerk s Report The clerk read an update report on the work being undertaken on the commons by Simon Melville (attached below) The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20pm. The next meeting will take place on Monday, December 1, 2014. Chairman Date
Earlstone Common update I have spent some time clearing up in the SW corner of the common, where the 'camp' was. I've removed a lot of the Holly from here to make it more open and less concealed for 'illicit activities'. I have also completely reopened the path that leads onto the common from this corner, which had been blocked by a fallen Beech tree. I've also removed some of the Holly that was beginning to obstruct the footpath that runs along the southern edge of the common. There is a break in the Clere School's fence opposite the path here and I'd suggest that the PC might write to the school to ask them to repair/replace the entire fence since it is quite obvious that this is where children come through at break times and deposit all sorts of litter on the common. Green Gym spent two mornings several weeks ago cutting Rhododendron on the NW edge of the 'open' heathy area. We've not yet been able to burn up the cut material as the weather has been too dry. I'd hoped to do it with them last Monday but it was windy and sunny - unsuitable bonfire weather. They will be returning to do more on Earlstone between now and Christmas. Sparsholt students started work a fortnight ago - before half term. They will be working on Earlstone on Mondays (10.15-3.15ish) for the next few weeks before moving on to Burghclere Common. They worked on the area to the East of the open area, between it and the little pathway that runs parallel to the Adbury road. We will continue there today. I have spent a couple of days tidying some of the trees that fell in the spring storms earlier in the year and doing a small amount of scrub clearance to make a 'hole' for Green Gym to have a bonfire of the Rhody. Burghclere Common Green Gym spent a morning burning up all the cut Holly beside the 'western' footpath so this now looks 'complete' and tidy. I have been spraying some of the scrub regrowth in the areas that we had mown in the spring to stop them becoming overgrown again. Last time I sprayed, in September, there were a couple of dozen young Common Lizards in the mown areas which I was pleased to see as it shows we have a good breeding colony here. Heathland Management Services, who did the earlier mowing, are likely to be back to do the second phase either later this week or next, under my supervision. The Sparsholt lads will get to do some overgrown scrub felling in the NW corner of Burghclere Common before Christmas to reopen the small heathy clearing here.
Burghclere 'Triangle' I did a second spraying of the area which is to be planted with bulbs last Tuesday (28 October).