BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Monday 1 September 2003 at the Villages Hall, Bishampton

Members and Officers present: Mr E Beever, Mrs A Bufton, Mr E Chadwick, Mr R Segar, Mr C Tucker, Mrs A Belcher (Clerk).
Mrs E Tucker, County Councillor was also present, and one member of the public.

In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, Mr Chadwick proposed, Mrs Bufton seconded that Mr Tucker act as Chairman for the meeting. This was carried unanimously and Mr Tucker took the chair.

03.8.1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from Malcolm Argyle, Eric Carter and Toni Gilligan who were all on holiday.

03.8.2 Declarations of interest
There were no declarations of interest.

03.8.3 Approval of the Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 30 June 2003
These were approved and signed as a correct record.

03.8.4 Wychavon District Local Plan Review – revised deposit
The was discussion of the revised version of those policies in the Local Plan Review document on which the Parish Council had previously commented, together with a consideration of the responses made by the local planning authority to those comments. The following further comments were agreed.


Policy GD1
The addition of the wording introduced to set out the order of priority for the location of new development leaves the policy open to misinterpretation. It should be made clear that the order of priority applies to development across the district and not to settlements in isolation. For example, it should be clear that in a settlement like Bishampton the policy can not be prayed in aid to justify extending the settlement boundary once brownfield and then greenfield sites within that settlement boundary have been exhausted, if there remain undeveloped sites within the development boundaries of other towns or villages.
ECON 11
On the understanding that the supporting text of the policy carries as much weight as the Policy itself, the Parish Council supports the amendments to the policy, but would wish to see an early preparation by the local planning authority of the development brief for the site referred to in paragraph 6.4.26 of the text.
No further comments on the Plan were agreed by the Council.

03.8.5 Throckmorton


03.8.5.1 Parish Room
Charles Tucker reported that the Scouts had now been told by the Charity Commissioners that a transfer of the Parish Room to the Throckmorton Village Charity may be permitted without the payment of the full market value. The Clerk was therefore asked to write to Keith Goddard, former District Commissioner of Scouts, for written confirmation of this. It was also agreed that the Clerk should postpone the valuation of the property agreed at the last meeting of the Council. AMB
Mrs Tucker reported that DEFRA had indicated that they would be prepared to assist in obtaining grants for Throckmorton projects, which could include the Parish Room. Charles Tucker had also been given indications from Severn Waste that an application for a grant under the Landfill Tax Grant Scheme might be favourably considered. It would be necessary to hold a public meeting to obtain the views of the community on possible rebuilding of the Parish Room, given that it was now 90 years old.

03.8.5.2 Burial Liaison Group
Mrs Tucker reported that the Group had agreed henceforward to meet annually. Monthly monitoring information would be provided and it was agreed that this should come to the Clerk, to be passed on to Malcolm Argyle. AMB & MA
The Group had agreed that the burial site should be known by a new name, which was to be the field name for the site. DEFRA were receptive to the idea of a memorial to the Canadian airmen who flew from the site during the war, but it was necessary to involve the community in deciding what kind of memorial to ask for. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to all Tilesford residents to ask for a volunteer to be on a steering group with Mrs Tucker, Mr Beever and Mr Julier, whose idea the memorial had been. The steering group could then prepare specific proposals on which to consult residents, perhaps as part of the Parish Plan process. AMB
A third possibility under consideration was the creation of a nature reserve. This would have maintenance implications for the Parish Council.

03.8.6 Health and Safety Policy
The Chairman proposed, Rupert Segar seconded a vote of thanks to Eric Carter for the work he had put in to the preparation of this document, which was very clear and concise. This was carried unanimously. The document was approved with the addition of a paragraph concerning risk assessments and the deletion of the heading Clerk’s Working Environment. Ed Beever undertook to provide the Clerk with guidance on health and safety issues concerning workstations. EB
The approved version of the document is annexed to these minutes.

03.8.7 Risk Assessments for Conservation Area, Parish Room and volunteers
An activity risk assessment prepared by Eric Carter was considered and approved with the amendment of the risk level of eye level branches and thorns to moderate. Volunteer guidelines were considered in conjunction with comments made by Peter Jesson, Rights of Way Action Group Co-coordinator and were adopted by the Council. In response to a request from Mr Jesson it was agreed to authorise the purchase by him of a can of oil, and the sharpening of Parish Council owned tools. In addition, the purchase of the following safety equipment requested by Mr Jesson was authorised: one box of masks, 3 pairs of workmen’s gloves, 4 pairs of goggles and a small first aid kit. It was also agreed to ask Mr Jesson to obtain an estimate of the cost of the additional tools which he had requested. AMB
A site risk assessment for the Conservation Area was also considered and approved with the proviso that Eric Carter be asked to consider any possible risk from poisons and or/poisonous berries. EC
A site risk assessment for the Parish Room was still to be discussed between Eric Carter and Charles Tucker and would be available for consideration at the next meeting. EC &CT

03.8.8 Finance

03.8.8.1 Cash reconciliation
The Clerk reported a balance of £16181.65 in the bank as at 18 August 2003. The subsequent receipt of £2003 as an initial instalment of grant from the Countryside Agency for the preparation of a Parish Plan was reported. It was agreed that a proposed schedule of expenditure would need to be agreed and that this should be put on the agenda for consideration at the next meeting. AMB

03.8.8.2 Approval of payments
The following payments were approved:

The following payments made since the last meeting under Standing Order 54(b) and Financial Regulation 6.4 were also reported:
Limebridge Rural Services (mowing) £377.18
IBS Norton (Internal audit) £105.75
Mrs A Belcher (July salary) £277.11

03.8.8.3 Donation request – Roundabout charity
A letter from this charity requesting a donation from the Council was read out by the Clerk. It was agreed that in the absence of any information that the charity was particularly involved in work in the Parish, and with very little money left in the budget for donations for the remainder of the year, no donation should be made at present.

03.8.9 Planning

03.8.9.1 Applications dealt with under delegated powers
It was reported as follows:

03.8.9.2 Applications for consideration
Comments were agreed as follows:

03.8.9.3 Proposed extension to landfill operating hours, Hill and Moor Landfill site
A modification to this application was reported. The applicants were now proposing simply to drive skip lorries into the site on Sunday afternoons and to leave the emptying of the skips until normal operating hours. The Council was still concerned about the noise of reversing lorries affecting the peaceful enjoyment of neighbouring properties and Mrs Tucker undertook to convey these comments to the County Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee which was meeting to consider the matter on the following day.

03.8.9.4 Planning seminars
Seminars run by both CPRE and Wychavon District Council were reported.

03.8.10 Correspondence
A letter from Worcestershire County Council about the review of the Definitive map was delegated to the Clerk. All other items of correspondence were deferred for consideration at the next meeting, in view of the late hour.

03.8.11 Date of next meeting
It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the Council on Monday 6 October 2003 at 7.30 pm.

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Chairman Date