GREAT SOMERFORD (INCORPORATING STARTLEY) PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting held 5 September 2018 at 7.30 p.m. in the Community Room at Somerfords Walter Powell School Present Cllr S Mansfield (Chair) Cllr G Cole Cllr S Binstead Cllr C Blount T M Chapman (Clerk) Cllr D Butcher Cllr A Gravell Cllr M Griffiths Cllr M Hourigan In attendance Wiltshire Cllr Sturgis No members of the public Public Question Time There were no questions. Reports from Unitary Councillor and Council Representatives Wiltshire Cllr Sturgis reported - footpath routes at Startley: hedges will be cut when cattle come out of the fields and stiles re-instated; - he has asked the landowner to cut back brambles overhanging School field. - the Broadfield Farm planning application may go to appeal in Spring 2019 if it is resubmitted with reduced affordable housing; members expressed disappointment in yet another delay to any new building in the village. 18/09/1. Apologies for Absence Apologies were received from Cllr Hyde. 18/09/2. Declaration(s) of Interest There were three declarations specific to matters on this agenda: Cllr Binstead felt unable to comment for family reasons on planning application 18/03284/FUL; Cllr Hyde declared an interest in planning application 18/06036/FUL; Cllr Griffiths declared a pecuniary interest in the payment to Somerford Woodcraft and would take no part in the decision. The members present confirmed that the register of interests remains up to date. 18/09/3. Minutes i The Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday, 4 July 2018 were approved and signed by the Chair as a true record. Proposed Cllr Butcher; seconded Cllr Binstead. ii Matters Arising After review of the Action Register it was agreed that those items shaded green had been completed and updates were provided re the following items not agenda-
ed separately: the damaged fingerposts have been replaced; 18/06/7.3 Community Room electrics the Parish Council accepted the sole quote from P Reeves to replace all 5 lights as it felt it important to proceed without delay on health and safety grounds and it preferred to engage local contractors wherever possible. Cllr Mansfield will organise. Action SM 18/09/4. Planning Matters As Wiltshire Council no longer issue paper copies to Councils, Councillors need to access planning documents at http://planning.wiltshire.gov.uk/northgate/planningexplorer/applicationsearch.aspx i Planning Applications since the last meeting Members received the paper from Cllr Cole and ratified their No Objection responses to the following eight applications considered between meetings: 18/03284/FUL Green Leaves, Hollow Street - Replacement porch canopy. 18/03290/FUL Green Leaves, Hollow Street - Proposed shed extension. 18/06471/FUL Horswell, Hollow Street - Rear extension and porch. 18/06994/TCA Mount House - Fell 3 Ash Trees. 18/07212/TCA Endswell, Dauntsey Road - Fell 1 Silver Birch Tree. 18/07302/TCA Rivendell, Riverside Park - Fell 1 Ash Tree. 18/07530/TPA 4 Manor Park 20% crown thin to 1 horse chestnut tree. 18/07532/TPA 5 Manor Park 20% crown thin to 1 horse chestnut tree. The Parish Council supported application 18/06084/FUL 1 The Folly - Demolition of the detached garage to allow for erection of a single storey extension to the side of the dwelling. The Council made the following comments regarding 18/06036/FUL Applewood, West Street - Removal of approx. 15m of 2.5m high conifer hedge at side of house to be replaced with 2m wall in Bradstone brick to match house. No Objections to the removal of the conifer hedge but object to it being replaced with a Bradstone wall that will be out of keeping with the character of the village. The Parish Council would like to see either the planting of a hawthorn hedge to continue the one that is already there, giving an extended corridor for wild life, or a natural stone wall to compliment the natural stone boundary walls already in the village, on aesthetic grounds. 18/07275/FUL The Beeches Internal alterations & extension for an orangery. No objection. Page 2 of 7
ii Planning Applications for consideration at the meeting 18/08300/TCA 30 Hollow Street - Fell 1 Ash Tree No Objection. iii Applications Determined by Wiltshire Council since the last meeting The Parish Council noted the following determinations: 18/03425/FUL The Hawthorns, Startley extensions, portico, garage & new wall 18/05148/TCA 16a Manor Park fell one Lawson cypress. No objections 18/05407/FUL 12 Paddock Close - Single storey lounge extension to north elevation. 18/05927/FUL Land Adjacent To Orchard House, Frog Lane - Erection of two detached dwellings with ancillary garaging and associated landscaping amendment to 17/03545/FUL. 18/06994/TCA Mount House - Fell 3 Ash Trees. No objections. 18/06471/FUL Horswell, Hollow Street - Rear extension and porch. together with three determinations in the Council list released on 3 September after the agenda had been published being 18/03284/FUL Green Leaves, Hollow Street - Replacement porch canopy. 18/03290/FUL Green Leaves, Hollow Street - Proposed shed extension. 18/07212/TCA Endswell, Dauntsey Road - Fell 1 Silver Birch Tree. No Objection. 18/09/5. Finance and Audit i Receipts and Payments for the year to end August 2018 The report was noted. Year to date surplus 2,157 and 16,884. The Clerk asked the Parish Council if it wishes to transfer monies from the current account to the deposit account. Given low interest rates it was decided not to proceed. The VAT claim for 2017/18 has been submitted. The 357 claimed is below the budgeted 400. Page 3 of 7
The two new houses being built in Frog Street should mean CIL or s106 money for the Council in due course. Wiltshire Cllr Sturgis will be asked to advise on the process for claiming such funds and the likely time-line. Action Clerk ii Finance report The Finance report was received and the Parish Council ratified the two payments made between meetings of 237 and approved payments for this month of 695. It agreed to pay 50% of the SLCC invoice for Clerk s training to Little Somerford Parish Council (up to a maximum of 45) as payment may be required before the next meeting. It noted the 30 receipt for the sale of the printer to Cllr Gravell. The report was approved. In addition it agreed to two further payments not on the Finance report: Chq 1317 - J D Estate & Garden Management 136 grass cutting in August; Chq 1318 - Cllr Cole 128.09 for providing wood for the signposts. Proposed: Cllr Butcher; seconded Cllr Binstead. iii Grass Cutting Contract The current contract expires 31 October 2018. Cllr Butcher reported that despite his best efforts having approached three suppliers he had been unable to obtain three quotes and there had been no response to the notice in the August or September editions of the Signpost magazine. Members agreed to vote on the two quotes before the meeting which were from J D Estate Management Ltd and Westlea Landscaping Ltd, paper copies of which are appended to the hard copy of the minutes. It was decided to award the contract to J D Estate Management for three years until 31 October 2021 on a fixed price subject to the work remaining unchanged. Proposed: Cllr Butcher; seconded Cllr Hourigan. Action Cllr Butcher/Clerk iv Play Park Cllr Hyde had obtained two quotes, one from Wickstead Leisure Ltd (included in the meeting pack) and one from Playdale circulated in March but it was difficult to compare as each promoted a different solution. It was agreed to set up a Play Park Sub-Committee led by Cllr Hyde assisted by Cllrs Butcher and Gravell and for the group to convene before the next meeting, come up with a recommended plan and organise a public consultation before seeking quotes from three companies for the same (approved) plan. Proposed: Cllr Mansfield; seconded Cllr Griffiths. The Sub-Committee will report to the next meeting. Agenda October v War Memorial The Council thanked Cllrs Blount and Cole for submitting the pre-app condition Page 4 of 7
survey to the War Memorial Trust. It noted receipt of two quotes but, being cognisant of the planned public consultation on 25 September, felt any decision on the nature of the works to be commissioned and the choice of supplier should be deferred until the October meeting. Agenda October The following two actions were agreed: 1. Set up a Sub-Committee of Cllrs Blount, Mansfield and Cole to finalise the details of the grant application to the War Memorial Trust for submission by 30 September; Action Cllrs Blount, Mansfield and Cole 2. Carry out a leaflet drop in Great Somerford and Startley to advertise the public consultation and set up a sandwich board outside the shop, place a notice in the pub and put an entry on the village Facebook page. Action Cllrs Blount & Hourigan Proposed: Cllr Blount; seconded Cllr Cole. 18/09/6 Governance (CB/TMC) i Emergency Plan The Parish Council considered the Emergency Plan which had been pre-circulated for comment. There is still a need for a qualified first-aider to join the volunteers. Cllr Blount requested the insertion of a paragraph making it clear what the Plan is NOT i.e. The Community Emergency Plan is not intended to replace the emergency services and other emergency responders, but to provide a framework and starting point to support the local community at times of emergencies until such time as other responders are on the scene. The amendment was accepted and there being no other proposals the Parish Council agreed to adopt the plan Proposed Cllr Hourigan; seconded Cllr Cole and send it to Wiltshire County Council. Action Cllr Blount Members recognised that it was an evolving document and would be subject to ongoing updates and revision. Cllr Blount proposed that the Council carry out a table top exercise in the New Year. This was agreed. Proposed Cllr Hourigan; seconded Cllr Cole Action Cllr Blount 18/09/7. Highways Matters i CATG Funding Application for a Footpath on West Street Cllr Hourigan was thanked for drawing up the specification and for having applied for CATG funding. The members unanimously endorsed the application Proposed Cllr Hourigan; seconded Cllr Blount and asked that their support and approval of the project be conveyed to the Area Board. Action Clerk Page 5 of 7
ii Overgrown hedges in Manor Park (and Frog Lane) Letters had been hand-delivered to local residents and a reminder of the householder s responsibility for keeping pavements and roads clear of obstructive growth had appeared in the Signpost. The response had been positive. Cllr Butcher was thanked for leading on this. iii Other Highway matters Slow signs A member of the public had contacted the Clerk to request that the Parish Council give consideration to renewing the Slow signs before and after the bend on West Street and by the War Memorial bend. Cllr Mansfield has contacted Matt Perrott of Wiltshire CC Highways Dept asking for a date for such works. (Post meeting note: WCC has instructed a contractor to repaint the signs). Complaints have been received about large tractors parking on the bank in Winkins Lane and about the poor road surface on this lane. Cllr Mansfield will report the latter via the Wiltshire App. Action SM 18/09/8 Items brought forward by Councillors from the previous meeting i Gosscroft Hall Cllr Binstead informed the meeting that the organising committee is keen to encourage community use, especially at week-ends and during week day afternoons. She will promote local events there via Facebook. The venue can be booked for wedding receptions but is limited to 6 per annum. The hall committee is in need of a Treasurer. ii Database of residents Cllr Blount recommended that such a database be set up in order to keep subscribers informed of matters of local interest in a more timely manner than could be done via Parish Council reports in the Signpost. Members considered the pros and cons of setting up such a resource and agreed to allow Cllr Blount to set it up with the help of another parishioner using MailChimp on a strictly opt in basis and to issue an invitation to join leaflet. Proposed: Cllr Blount; seconded Cllr Binstead. If there is insufficient interest after a reasonable trial period he will take the facility down. 18/09/9. Updates (if any) on Standing items i Cemetery Nothing to report. ii Community Room A meeting with the School Governors and Admin Team has clarified the terms of use i.e. that the School can use it during the day time when it is not being used by another village group and, in return, they will not charge the Parish Council for Page 6 of 7
electricity or heating. It was agreed that the Wiltshire School Orchestra can store music stands in the cupboard opposite the cloakroom. The School invited the Parish Council to nominate a Parish Councillor to join its Governing Body but members did not feel it necessary to be represented at that level. Cllr Mansfield will respond to both requests. See also item 18/09/3.2. Action SM iii Footpaths & Rights of Way See Cllr Sturgis s report. iv Speed Awareness Camera This has now been installed in Startley and is flashing motorists who exceed the 30 mph speed limit. A Landover has been spotted repeatedly exceeding the speed limit. If they can get its registration number the Speed Watch Group would like the Parish Council to report the vehicle to the police. Another Parish Council may be putting in an application for the Street Operative training. If this is submitted there will be sufficient persons for Green Square to run the course. It was agreed that the Parish Council would pay for Cllr Hourigan to do the course. Proposed: Cllr Mansfield; seconded Cllr Blount. Any decision about lending the camera to an adjoining village was deferred until a formal request is received. v Play Park See item 18/09/5.4. 18/09/10. Correspondence Members considered the appeal from Wiltshire Citizens Advice for financial aid and decided to uphold its current practice of not making donations to organisations external to the village. 18/09/11. Councillors Observations and Items for Next Agenda There were none. 18/09/12. Dates for Future Meetings The next meetings of the Parish Council will be held at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday 3 October 7 November 9 January 6 February 6 March. The meeting closed at 9.18 p.m. Approved.. Chair Date. Page 7 of 7