03.9.1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were accepted from Mr Ed Beever and Mr Edward Chadwick who were both working and from Mr Charles Tucker who was attending another meeting. Ms Toni Gilligan and Mrs Liz Tucker (County Councillor) had indicated that they would be arriving late.

03.9.2 Declarations of interest
Malcolm Argyle declared a prejudicial interest in a late planning application relating to land in Broad Lane, and Annette Bufton declared a non-prejudicial interest in the same application.

03.9.3 Minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2003
These were approved and signed as a correct record

03.9.4 Appointment of new Clerk
It was reported that the Clerk had resigned in order to take up another post. It was agreed to advertise the vacancy on the notice board, and in a newsletter to go to all households in the parish. RS The Clerk agreed to request a Clerk’s recruitment pack from CALC.

03.9.5 Throckmorton

03.9.5.1 Parish Room – update
The Clerk reported that she had written to the Scout Group and had spoken to Keith Goddard. The Scouts were writing to the Charity Commission to ask if they would allow a transfer of the Parish Room at nil consideration to the Throckmorton Village Charity, rather than to a Management Committee holding on a charitable trust, in the manner of the Villages Hall in Bishampton. Annette Bufton agreed to speak to the Chairman of the Scout Group, Phil Harris, to confirm that the letter had been sent. ALB The Clerk suggested that if the reply from the Charity Commission was still no then a further meeting should be held with the Scouts to look at other options.

03.9.5.2 Canadian airmen’s memorial steering group
This item was deferred pending Liz Tucker’s arrival.

03.9.6 Electoral Commission Consultation paper on minimum age of voting and candidacy in elections
It was agreed to make no comments on this consultation paper.

03.9.7 Storage of files and deeds

03.9.7.1 Destruction of old files and documents
It was agreed to destroy a number of old files and documents which it was no longer necessary to keep.

03.9.7.2 Payment of storage charge for deeds
The Clerk reported that Lloyds TSB had requested £15 per annum for storing the deeds to the war memorial which had been discovered in the bank’s safe. It was agreed to pay this charge but to include the deeds to the Villages Hall within the same package. AMB

03.9.8 Finance

03.9.8.1 Cash reconciliation
A balance of £15863.86 at the bank as at 24 September 2003 was reported by the Clerk.

03.9.8.2 Approval of payments
The following payments were approved:

• Worcestershire CALC (training) £40.00
• Mrs A Belcher (September salary) £277.11
• Mrs A Belcher (September expenses) £19.42

The following payment during the previous month under Standing Order 54(b) and Financial Regulation 6.4 was also reported:

• Limebridge Rural Services (mowing) £377.18

03.9.8.3 Budget update
Receipts and payments to 24 September 2003 were noted. The Clerk was asked to put the matter of emergency repairs to the Parish Room on the agenda for the next meeting. It was also requested that an item be placed on the agenda to consider spending on the Throckmorton Play Area the £3000 set aside in the budget for either the Villages Hall, Bishampton or the Throckmorton Parish Room. AMB

03.9.8.4 Parish Plan – to agree schedule of expenditure
It was agreed to include an update on progress of the Parish Plan in the newsletter to parishioners. Further discussion of this item was deferred pending the arrival of Toni Gilligan.

03.9.9.1 Planning applications
There were two late planning applications which had arrived for comment after delivery of the agenda.

• An application to allow a driver training school on part of the airfield in Throckmorton was considered. It was agreed to seek more information concerning the exact area and location of the application site, proposed times of use and numbers of vehicles involved and to request an extension of time to make comments to enable the application to be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting. Failing this, it was agreed to deal with the application under the Clerk’s delegated power. ALB & AMB
• The Chairman left the room during the consideration of the next application, which was a retrospective application for a change of use of land in Broad Lane, Bishampton for the keeping of horses and erection of two double stable buildings. The land was leased from the Church and Eric Carter declared an interest as a member of the Church Committee. It was noted that the hardstanding used by a horse box and other vehicles was also a recent addition and should have formed part of the application. It was agreed that the Clerk should telephone the planning officer at Wychavon District Council to ask for details of complaints received concerning the use of the land and to ask whether a permission would be likely to lead to any more intensive use. Comments on the application were delegated to the Clerk in consultation with Eric Carter and Rupert Segar. AMB, EC & RS

03.9.9.2 Appointment of additional Councillor consultee for planning matters
Edward Chadwick had offered via the Clerk to take on this role and this was agreed unanimously.

O3.9.10.1 Correspondence deferred from meeting on 1 September 2003
A letter had been received complaining about the speed of Dudleys school coaches. The Clerk reported that Councillor Mrs Tucker had offered to take this matter up with the Local Education Authority.
A letter had been received suggesting the installation of further dog bins at certain locations in Bishampton. The Clerk was asked to reply to the effect that the Parish Council had not included the cost of dog bins in their current budget but that the matter would be considered again when the budget was set for the coming year. AMB

03.9.10.2 Correspondence reported for information
A letter from Wychavon District Council regarding the Parliamentary Boundary Review was noted.
It was reported that a consultation paper on the draft PPS7, Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, would be circulated to members.

03.9.11 Appointment of representative to Villages Hall Committee
Eric Carter agreed to act as temporary representative on the Villages Hall Committee, but was concerned that in respect of some items his interest as a member of the Church Committee was prejudicial and would require him to withdraw from the Villages Hall Committee meetings. It was agreed that when the final vacancy on the Parish Council was filled, the new Councillor be asked to take over as the Council’s representative on the Villages Hall Committee.

03.9.12 Councillors’ reports and items for future agenda

• Rupert Segar requested that the Council consider making a complaint to The Deputy Prime Minister about the level of funding allocated to Worcestershire, and that this be discussed at the next meeting. AMB
• Eric Carter requested that emergency repairs to the Parish Room be put on the agenda for consideration at the next meeting. It was noted that the risk assessment for the Parish Room was still outstanding, and certain safety issues needed to be addressed before the Room was used for the ‘Winter Warmer’ event planned for 25th October. It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the Chairman of the Parish Room Management Committee requiring certain health and safety matters to be attended to before the Room was used including the removal of barbed wire and briars from in front of the emergency exit, and that no food must be prepared on site. The Clerk was asked to draft an appropriate letter in consultation with Eric Carter. AMB & EC
• Eric Carter reported that Steve Osborne had asked that Wychavon District Council be requested to remove the shop computer. The Chairman agreed to take the computer in to Wychavon, who had already been advised that the computer was no longer required. MA

As neither Toni Gilligan nor Liz Tucker had arrived it was agreed to defer consideration of those items mentioned at 03.9.5.2 and 03.9.8.4 above until the next meeting.

03.9.13 Date of next meeting
It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the Council on Monday 2nd November 2003 at 7.30 pm in the Villages Hall.
The meeting ended at 9.20 pm.

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Chairman Date