DRAFT

CHEW MAGNA PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held in the Upper Hall of the Old School Room

on Tuesday 3 June 2008 at 7.30pm

Present:    Jon Wheatley (Chairman)    Rodney Andrews   Nick Hasell     Nick Scholefield     Colin Timson    Doris Davis     Anne Slade     Jacky Morgan         Meryl Leach       Ward Councillor Malcolm Hanney

Item 1 Apologies

Cllr. Nick Scholefield sent his apologies as he had to attend another meeting. Cllr. Ian Cox could not attend because he was silaging. Ward Cllr. Malcolm Hanney apologised for leaving at 10.10pm.

Item 2 Code of Conduct - Register of Councillors’ Interest

No amendments to the Register were notified.

Item 3 Public Submissions

Emily Matthews and Andrew Adams asked the Parish Council to renew efforts to provide affordable housing for those young parishioners who wanted to remain in the village near their families. The cost of buying and also renting accommodation was becoming prohibitively expensive. Emily feared they might have to leave Chew Magna. The Chairman gave assurance that the provision of affordable housing would be a high priority.

Ward Cllr. Malcolm Hanney stated his willingness to act on their behalf. He believed that to increase fairness in the allocation of housing stock, local connection should be the highest priority, not family size or the potential under utilisation of available accommodation. The Council will invite those interested in affordable housing accommodation to notify the Clerk with their details so that the Council has an accurate picture of the present need within the village. The Council resolved to invite Louise Davidson of the English Rural Housing Association to its July meeting (Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr. Doris Davis and agreed unanimously)

Action: The Clerk will invite Louise Davidson, place a notice on the notice board and website advertising her presence at the next meeting and inviting parishioners interested in affordable housing to attend.

Item 4Minutes of Previous Meeting

The minutes were amended and agreed.

Item 5 Matters Arising

a) Youth work in the valley – Cllr. Anne Slade is working with B&NES and the organiser of Bishop Sutton Youth Club to set up a committee that would give support to the B&NES youth workers and to youth activities in local parishes of the Valley. The idea received support at the Parish Cluster meeting. B&NES are drawing up details of the aims, objectives and structure of the Committee for agreement, prior to contacting all Valley parishes for their support.

b) Flood Emergency Plan - The plan was ready and will be distributed for comment. The plan relies on a large number of volunteers and therefore requires parishioner ownership.

Action: The Clerk will ensure all Councillors have a copy of the final draft for scrutiny and will make it available for parishioners to comment on via the Council’s website and The Village Green Space.

c) BIA – North Somerset Council has decided that the proposed walkway will need to be subject to a full planning application.

d) Chew Valley Partnership – The mission statement, draft partnership constitution, and terms of reference have been received and will be considered at the next Partnership meeting on 8 July. The Council decided that it would withdraw as the Partnership would be Keynsham centric, serve no purpose to Chew Magna or other valley parishes, and therefore should not represent the Valley.

Action: The Clerk will notify B&NES and the Keynsham Town Clerk of the Council’s decision, stressing the Council’s concern that the Partnership was not the appropriate vehicle to represent its or other rural Valley parishes’ views at a strategic level and that its title should be changed. The letter will be copied to Peter Duppa Miller (Local Strategic Partnership representative), other Valley Parish Councils and the Ward Councillor.

e) Village enhancement project - The recent planting and new tubs had attracted favourable comments. The Council was grateful to all those involved in the project. The Council decided it did not want a bench installed at Spratts Bridge.

Action: The Clerk will notify B&NES.

f) B&NES Footpath Agency Agreement – Cllr. Rodney Andrews had discussed with B&NES the shortfall he had identified in the remuneration, based on the contract figure of £33.48p per kilometre, and ascertained it resulted from the deduction of the cost of the contracted out maintenance of Knowle Hill (£247.80) from the overall figure. The Council agreed it would take on the Agency agreement but did not want to take on responsibility for the Tump and that the shortfall was acceptable (Proposed Cllr. Rodney Andrews, seconded Cllr. Jacky Morgan. All others present agreed with the exception of Cllr. Doris Davis who abstained).

Action: Cllr. Rodney Andrews signed the agreement on the Council’s behalf. The Clerk will return a copy to B&NES together with an invoice for this year’s Agency costs.

g) Bath in Bloom – The Council agreed it would like to participate, subject to the agreement of Judy Kendall (Village Enhancement project). (Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Cllr. Nick Hasell).

Action: The Chairman would speak again to Mrs. Kendall.

h) Trash screen at the culvert, The Batch – B&NES sought and received Council’s agreement that in return for funding the installation of the trash screen, the Council will carry out day to day maintenance of the screen, removing accumulations of detritus from the screen as it sees fit.

Action: The Clerk or Cllr. Colin Timson will notify B&NES

i) Traffic Count for the Winford Road – The Council still has not received details of last year’s count.

Action: The Clerk will request that a new count is made at a site that would better indicate speed on the road.

Item 6 Public Open Spaces

Cllr. Colin Timson sought and received the Council’s mandate to pursue the issue, now that the parcels of land have been identified.

Action: The Chairman will brief Cllr. Colin Timson before he approaches The Open Spaces Society and B&NES.

Item 7 Crime and Public Safety

There have been more burglaries recently at properties on the Winford Road and in the village.

Action: The Council will alert parishioners and advise them to take precautions via its notice board and its summary in the Chew Valley Gazette and Parish Magazine.

Item 8 Planning

a) Planning Applications in circulation:

08/07A Hall, Broughton House, Norton Lane – Erection of a dwelling with integral garage (Resubmission)

Cllr. Jacky Morgan, supported by Cllr. Doris Davis, tabled a motion that “The Council withdraw its support for the application and objects on grounds of the extensive damage the proposed access would inflict on the lane and its hedgerow.” The motion was defeated (7 votes to 2).

The Chairman put forward a revised comment that “Chew Magna Parish Council has no objection to the principle of the erection of a house but remains concerned as to the problem of access and egress which we do not believe the amended drawings solve, and the damage to the lane and it hedgerow which will be caused by the proposed access.” Proposed by Cllr. Colin Timson, seconded. Cllr Rodney Andrews. Cllrs. Doris Davis and Jacky Morgan abstained. Supported by all other Councillors.

Action: The Clerk will forward the Council’s comments to B&NES.

b) Enforcement – There are 2.5 officers managing a work load of 1000 cases per annum.

Action: The Clerk will circulate an updated spread sheet on the enforcement issues in the parish.

i) Air condition units at the HSBC – The installers were now proposing that the units should be moved to the flat roof of the Co-op building. The enforcement officer has asked for the Council’s comments.

Action: Councillors will look at the proposed site and give the Clerk their opinions, so that she can notify the B&NES Enforcement officer

ii) The Barn, Winford Road – The Council sympathised with the continuing problems experienced by those living nearby.

Action: The Clerk will ask B&NES enforcement officers for details of a proposed plan of action so that it could better understand what action can be taken and monitor it.

c) Affordable Housing - Report back on Somer hosted event at West Harptree. Cllr. Meryl Leach reported there had been problems with the allocation of the housing and some local families had missed out to others with dubious connections to the village. The Council would seek to ensure any affordable housing built in the parish would go to local families.

Item 9 Playing Fields

a) Graffiti – The basket ball wall was covered with graffiti 2 weeks after it was painted, and B&NES has been requested to remove it. Chew Valley School acted very quickly when notified that some of its year 11 pupils were misbehaving at the field. The Police Community Support Officers also attended and it is hoped the measures they have taken will end the recent vandalism and littering.

Action: The Clerk will write to thank the school for its prompt action and request it holds a competition for designs that could be painted onto the basket ball wall.

b) Tarmac quotes for the car park area – The Council has received three quotes: JR Brown - £5,770 (the quote of £5570 submitted on 2 December has been increased by £200 to reflect increases in the cost of materials); Taylor Plant Limited - £5,790; and Dale Reed (telephone quote) - £3,100. As all were to different specifications, the Council will ask the three contractors to submit revised quotes to JR Brown’s specifications. The choice of contractor was delegated to the Chairman, and Cllrs. Rodney Andrews and Ian Cox.

Action: The Clerk will send out a revised tender request to the contractors.

c) Playground annual inspection – Grant aid may be available from B&NES for improvements and new projects. The Council would like to install a new play area with more up to date play equipment including more provision for older children.

Action: The Clerk will request a site meeting with B&NES to explore how and if it could create a new or replacement play area.

Item 10 Finances

a) Expenditure approved:           Cheque nos.

T. Hillard (Road sweeper’s salary)         £375.68   1237

M-L Hales (Clerk’s salary)          £512.89   1238

M-L Hales (Clerk’s expenses postage, envelopes and plastic folders)      £1.25   1239

Parish Councils Airport Association (Annual subscription)         £50.00   1240

GB Sport & Leisure (Playground and playing field equipment repairs)   £1,450.91   1241

Proposed by Cllr. Anne Slade, seconded Cllr. Jacky Morgan.

b) Cheques issued since May’s meeting:

JAT Environmental Reclamation Ltd (Tubs for village enhancement project)   £119.56   1236

c) Receipts:

B&NES (Road sweeper scheme May payment)         £325.03

d) Purchase of Norton computer security software for Council computer – The Clerk sought and gained permission for the purchase. The free AVG programme originally installed was due to end on 31 May and the additional expenditure had not been included in the precept calculations. The estimated cost will be £30.00.

e) Approval of accounts for submission to internal auditor, the audit plan and terms of reference for internal auditor - The Council formally approved the Annual return for the year ending 31 March 2008, Section 1 and 2 for submission to the internal auditor, and the terms of reference for the internal auditor, which will be as per appendix 8 of the “Governance and Accountability in Local Councils in England and Wales – A Practitioners Guide”. Proposed by Cllr. Colin Timson, seconded Cllr. Anne Slade and agreed unanimously.

Action: The Clerk will give the accounts to James Wadsworth (Internal Auditor).

f) CCTV quotes for St Andrew’s Church Hall - Two quotes have been received and are from:

BWS (suppliers of existing system, includes 12 month warranty) - £2810.00.

ADT (used by B&NES, annual service contract £385.07, no warranty) - £3291.26

A third quote has been sought.

The Council will only proceed if it receives substantial grant aid and/or contributions from the Primary School and Wadsworths the owners of the Queens Arms public house.

Actions: The Clerk will prepare an application for grant aid from BIA’s community charity fund.

The Council will renew the CCTV signs at the village entrances and will seek advice from the Police on the need for and positioning of warning signs in the village centre.

Action: Cllr. Paul Cornelius will be asked to advise the Council.

Item 11 Correspondence

a) Suggestion for BBQ area at playing field, from Mr. and Mrs. Blyth (Playing field trustees) - The Council will seek advice from B&NES. There was concern about liability if a BBQ area was provided

Action: The Clerk will consult B&NES and reply to Mr. and Mrs. Blyth.

b) Accident at Limeburn Hill 11 th May, from Mrs. Wring. Mr. and Mrs. Wring have requested B&NES to install a crash barrier.

Action: The Council to write to B&NES supporting Mr. and Mrs. Wring’s request

Item 12 Transport, Highways and Footpaths

a) Pedestrian safety at the Highfield bends, Winford Road – The Council reiterated that a pavement and other safety improvements at the Highfield bends was its top highway safety priority.

Action: The Clerk will write to B&NES making a case for the work it to be put into the Highways Safety programme.

b) Bus stop at Chew Lane – The high hedge adjacent to the bus stop darkened the waiting area and those waiting at the stop in the late evening or early morning felt unsafe.

Action: The Chairman willask the land owner to cut back and open up the hedge.

c) Speed of lorries on Tunbridge Road – The Council were concerned at the speed of Dando’s lorries and others along the road, and would investigate the possibility of a speed watch for the area.

Actions: The Chairman will ask Roger Dando to instruct his drivers to be more considerate when driving to and from his yard. The Clerk will consult B&NES and the Police on the feasibility of setting up a speed watch.

Item 13 AOB

a) Report back on Parish Cluster meeting – Cllrs. Rodney Andrews and Anne Slade were highly critical of the officer in the chair who did not allow sufficient time for discussion on each of the items.

b) Parishes Liaison Meeting Wednesday 11 June – The Chairman and Clerk will attend.

c) The possibility of a free-cycling event in the village and discussion of priorities for the Council will be placed on next month’s agenda.

The meeting ended at 10.45pm