CHEDWORTH PARISH COUNCIL

 

MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 21st APRIL 2008

 

PRESENT:  Mrs S Moore (Chairman) Miss L Gallagher, Mr D Broad,

Mr P Cundick, Mr A Miles, Mr A Priest, Mr T Watt and Mrs E Broad (Clerk).

 

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES;  The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 17th March 2008 were agreed and signed as a true record.

 

MATTERS ARISING;

 

Footpaths:  A reply had been received to the letter to Alan Bently at PROW regarding the tarmacing of KCH 50 at Hills Farm.  The Chairman reported that she had spoken to Mr George at the Roman Villa and because they had failed to secure their Lottery Funding the National Trust would not be able to provide the waymarks although they may be willing to provide maps.  It was agreed to write to Alan Bently asking GCC PROW to provide wooden waymarks and to include a copy of the Parish Plan to illustrate the strength of feeling within the community against urbanisation as experienced in the recent tarmacing of KCH 50.  It was reported that Mrs Pauline Jewell was complaining about the boggy patch in the field by her house on the path to the Roman Villa.  It was felt that this had been a problem for many years and suggest that Mrs Jewell raises the matter with the landowner or GCC PROW.

 

Grass Verge, Hedge and Tree Cutting:  Nothing further.

 

Playing Field:  Mr Watt still had to put up the other goal net.  Mr Watt reported that the recent football event run by Mr Cooper had been a great success and he wished to provisionally book the pitch again for the 5th and 12th May.  This was agreed for no charge.

 

Play Area:  A copy of a letter from Mr Lewis and a copy of a reply from Mr Westlake had been received, it was agreed to circulate for consideration at the next meeting.

 

Traffic in the Village and Road Matters: Mr Cundick reported on a complaint he had received about the verge on the A429 but it was unclear what the problem actually was.  The Chairman would clarify with the complainant.

 

Communication between Parish Council and the Public:  A new notice board had been made and erected at The Hemplands by Mr Stan Newman.  This was an excellent job and it was agreed to thank Mr Newman in the Hill and Valley.

 

The Grass Keep Field:   The Chairman and Mr Broad had met with Mr Baker at the Grass Keep Field.  Mr Baker agreed to pay £150.00 for the whole field for an initial six month period and he would fence it with electric fencing making proper

 

Chairman………………………………

MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 21st APRIL 2008 – Page 2.

 

provision for footpath users. It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr Priest to accept this offer, agreed unanimously.  The Clerk would arrange the amended lease for Mr Baker to sign.

 

Tennis Club Lease:  As no one from the Tennis Club had come along to discuss the matter with the Parish Council, it was agreed to write them a follow up letter.  Mr Scott Smith joined the meeting later and it was agreed to discuss the matter again.  It was agreed to open the meeting to allow Mr Scott Smith to speak.  Mr Scott Smith said that the Tennis Club had been making enquiries and as the lease referred to setting a rent in line with the Retail Price Index they considered £140.00 to £145.00 to be correct.  When Council reconvened and after some discussion it was proposed by Mr Broad and seconded from the Chair to set the rent at £150.00 bearing in mind an extra year had run on the old rent, this was agreed with 4 in favour.  It was agreed to write and inform the Tennis Club.  Mr Scott Smith made a verbal acceptance of the proposal when he left the meeting.

 

Youth Council:  The Easter Egg event had taken place.  It was hoped that a further event could be arranged with the Scott Burry, CDC, training day.

 

Dog Fouling:  Nothing further.

 

Parish Plan:  A request had been received from GRCC to allow the addition of Parish Plan data to County Parish Plan Database.  This was agreed.  A letter had been received from the Steering Group, it was agreed to circulate this for discussion at the next meeting.

 

Affordable Housing:  The Chairman had circulated an email regarding the undertaking of a Housing Needs Survey.  Laura Mills at GRCC had agreed to arrange the printing of the forms with prepaid envelopes for return to allow her to collate the results.  The cost to the Parish Council would be in the region of £100.00 to cover the printing.  It was felt this could be taken from the remaining Calor prize money.  The Chairman had made enquiries and the forms could be distributed with the Hill and Valley News.  It was agreed to open the meeting to allow Mr Robson to speak.  Mr Robson updated the Parish Council on the progress of the Affordable Housing Group.  When Council reconvened and  after much discussion on the required Letter of Engagement it was proposed by Mr Watt and seconded from the Chair to go ahead with the Housing Needs Survey and sign the Letter of Engagement but also send a letter from the Parish Council registering the concern about the possible ownership of the project being wrested from the community as it had been noted that the Housing Associations were partners in the Gloucestershire Rural Housing Partnership and to reiterate the wish for any scheme to be managed by the setting up of a Community Land Trust, agreed.  It was further agreed to copy the letter to other interested parties.

 

Provision of Allotments:  The Chairman had received an email from Ms Leigh asking if she could go ahead with the allotments in the corner of the Grass Keep

 

Chairman…………………………….

 

 

MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 21stAPRIL 2008 – Page 3.

 

Field to allow a crop for this year.  The Chairman had replied that nothing further

could be done regarding this until the future of the Grass Keep Field had been decided.  Council endorsed this reply.

 

Calor Competition Money:  Nothing further but it had been agreed earlier to use some of the money left for the printing of the Housing Needs Survey Forms.  No reply had yet been received from the Brownies Commissioner.

 

Tuns Hill Waterfall, Flooding and Drainage:  Mr Broad had spoken to Mrs Clarke and the wall was to be rebuilt by Mr Chapple.  The Chairman reported that Gloucestershire Highways had removed large quantities of limescale from the drainage pipes beneath the road which should now allow rainwater to get away more easily from the culvert below the waterfall. 

 

PLANNING;

 

CD 3277/M Stables & Barn at Denfurlong Farm – Removal of Chimney & Flue – No objection.

CD 1236/1/A  Fossebridge Inn Barn – Additional Information  - No objection.

CD Contr. The Lanterns – Tree Works – No objection.

CD Contr. Barnside – Tree Works – No objection, but it was agreed to ask for a commitment to some replacement planning.

 

Approval:

 

CD 7396/N York House – Revision to Previous Application.

CD 6493/J Railway Cottage and Mole End Cottage – Garage and Log Store.

 

Other Planning Matters:  The Chairman reported that she had received complaints about the changing of the gradient around Mr Milne’s garage in Ballingers Hill.  Mr Broad agreed to speak to the Enforcement Officer regarding this.  Complaints about the spoil heap behind Mr England’s property at Hills Farm were again raised.  It was agreed to write to Mr England asking when it was going to be removed.

 

Stowell Park Estate Woodland Forest Certificate Letter:  It was agreed to write to Major Bradford thanking him for keeping the Parish Council informed but asking that the conservation and enhancement of the landscape within the Cotswolds AONB should be of prime importance to any forestry activities.

 

Electronic Planning Applications:  Nothing further.

 

It was agreed to include an agenda of “Matters Under Enforcement” on future agendas.

 

Chairman…………………………….

 

 

MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 21st APRIL 2008 – Page 4.

 

HIGHWAYS AND RIGHTS OF WAY:

 

Modification Order and Diversion Order KCH 72 – New Barn Farm:  Noted.

 

FINANCE:

 

1.  Chedworth Village Hall (Rental) £147.60, prop. S Moore, sec. A Miles.

2.  A Priest (External Hard Drive) £64.98, prop. S Moore, sec. D Broad – Mr

     Priest was thanked for obtaining this.

3.  Council in receipt of £15.00 P/F Rental Cirencester Athletics Club.

4.  Audit Commission – Appointment of External Auditor – Noted.

5.  Quarterly Review of Current Financial Situation – Copy of Receipts and

     Payments Account to each Councillor.  The Clerk was thanked for this.  It was

     agreed to minute that quarterly Internal Financial Reviews were in place.

6.  Notice of Audit – Week Beginning 2nd June 2008 – This was noted.

 

CORRESPONDENCE;

 

GRCC Calor Gloucestershire Village of the Year 2008:  It was stated that as we were the 2007 winners we were not eligible to enter this year.

 

CPRE Bledisloe Cup Competition 2008:  It was agreed not to enter.

 

GAPTC Training Information:  Noted.

 

CDC Community Emergency Awareness Sessions – Cirencester 28th May:  Noted.

 

Charity Mountain Bike Event Letter – 20th July:  After some discussion it was agreed to email the organiser asking him to ensure he implemented local advertising of the event and also advise him that Fields Road was unsuitable for parking.  The Chairman undertook to place the event in the diary of events on the website and it was also agreed to copy the letter to Mr Westlake of the Village Hall Committee.

 

AONB Stone Walling Course Information:  It was agreed to pass this onto Mr Spooner of the Parish Plan Environment Group.

 

GCC Charter Parishes Group Meeting – 24th April:  Noted.

 

New Hire Charge Rates - Letter from Village Hall Committee:  Concern was expressed at the Village Hall charges which had already risen by 20% in September 2006.  It was agreed to write to the Village Hall Committee drawing their attention to this.  It was also agreed to include consideration of an alternative venue for meetings as an agenda item in September.

 

GCC Planning Service Information:  Noted.

 

Chairman………………………………

MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 21st APRIL 2008 – Page 5.

 

Tree Wardens Information:  Noted.

 

Cotswold AONB “Cotswold Lion”:  Noted.

 

Chartered Parishes Group Meet Minutes:  Noted.

 

Town and Parish Standard Newsletter:  Noted.

 

OTHER BUSINESS;

 

Items Arising from E-mails – a) CDC Leaders Report – Noted.  b) Trespassing – Email from Mr Beach, Parsonage House.  Mr Beach had sent an email stating he had been informed that a member of the Parish Council had been trespassing on his property taking photographs of his house.  The Chairman asked Councillors if anyone knew about this and it was unanimously agreed that it was not true.  In view of this it was agreed to write to Mr Beach strongly refuting his allegations and asking him not to make such inaccurate allegations also stating that he had been misinformed.

 

Items for Hill and Valley:  Several items had been identified.

 

The meeting concluded at 9.48 pm.

 

NEXT MEETING:  Annual Parish Council Meeting - Monday 19th May 2008 at 7.30 pm.

 

 

Chairman………………………..

 

Date……………………………..