BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Monday 4th October 2004 at the Villages Hall, Bishampton

Member and Officers present: Mr E Carter (Chairman), Mr M Argyle, Mr E Beever, Mr E Chadwick, Ms T Gilligan (from 7.45pm), Mrs B Lammas, Mr R Segar (Vice Chairman).

Mrs E Tucker (County Councillor) was also present.

Also present were Eric Charlwood, Les Hughes, Stuart Weobly, Annette Bufton, Mandy Hall and Karen Morrel.

Before the meeting went into session, the members of the public were allowed the ‘democratic half hour’ (details below).

04.08.01 Apologies for absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr Tucker who was working.

04.08.02 Declaration of interest
Cllr Argyle declared a prejudicial interest in Item 7 – co-option of another councillor.

04.08.03 Minutes of meeting held on Monday 6th September 2004
These were approved and signed as a true record. Cllr Carter also signed the minutes from Monday 5 th July as an approved and correct record.

04.08.18 Councillors Report
As Cllr Liz Tucker needed to attend another meeting, her report was brought forward.

There is a quarterly meeting of the Hill and Moor Liaison Group, which needed more attendees. Two interested people who could attend regularly from each of the four parishes were required. The next meeting was on Thursday 21 st October 2004. Cllr Segar offered to attend, plus Stuart Weobley who was not a parish councillor. The Clerk would advise Ian Holbrook at County Hall and to arrange for an agenda to be passed to both attendees. AEB

With regard to the schools review, the last one was 18 months ago, and the next review would be in the next financial year. Cllr Liz Tucker was thanked for her input, before she left the meeting.

04.08.04 Finance

04.08.04.1 Cash Reconciliation
A copy of the Cash Reconciliation was read out and copies would be sent to all parish councillors by email. The Clerk reported a balance of £19,539.06 in the account. AEB

04.08.04.2 Approval of Payments
The following payments were approved:

• Limebridge Rural Services £394.80
• Worcestershire CALC £ 8.81
• Clerk’s salary for July, August and September £796.77
• Clerk’s expenses
• March – September £136.68

It was agreed that Cllr Chadwick and/or Cllr Lammas would assist the clerk every three months by checking the accounts with her. ENC/BL/AEB

04.08.04.3 Approval of end of year accounts 2003/2004
Cllr Carter signed off the end of year accounts.

04.08.04.4 Budget for 2005/2006
September payments needed to be added to the budget sheet and the VAT refund should be dealt with. With regard to the Parish Plan the deadline had been missed and Cllr Gilligan was waiting for a reply regarding the grant. Cllr Chadwick was to check the footpath details. A budget meeting was required in early/mid December. EC/ENC/TG/AEB

04.08.05 Travellers Sites – Progress Report
Cleeve Prior Parish Council had suggested a networking system and it was agreed to go forward on this basis – response required to Cleeve Prior. There was also a discussion regarding the ‘Charter for Middle England’ and council members decided not to support the charter but to support local networking arrangements over traveller issues. EC/AEB

04.08.06 Planning Applications

04.08.06.1 For consideration

W/04/01649 – Wenville, Broad Lane.
There was no objection to the extension at the rear of the property.

WW/04/01744 – Bishampton Fields Farm – two-storey extension.
As this replaced a previous application, which had, been withdrawn this required further checking prior to a response being sent to the planning department.

04.08.06.2 Refused/Withdrawn planning applications

• W/04/01472/LB – Demolition of existing garage and
• W/04/01482/PP – Replacement garage with storage over – Mr Bull and Mrs Fox. This application had been withdrawn.
• W/04/01342/PP – Mr and Mrs T Rimell – This had been replaced by application dealt with in 04.08.06.01 above.
• W/04/01486/OU – Mr and Mrs Churchill – Little Tiffy – This application had been refused.

04.08.07 Co-option of a new Councillor
This item was moved to the end of the meeting.

04.08.08 Parish Plan – approve questionnaire
Cllr Carter to discuss the questionnaire with Cllr Gilligan and then this would be passed to the Parish Plan Group to push forward.EC/TG

04.08.09 Play Area
There had not been a meeting since the last parish council meeting. Put on next agenda. AEB

04.08.10 Footpaths – ROWAG Group
Peter Jesson had resigned as co-ordinator of the group and Peter Averis had asked for a volunteer to take his place. Cllr Carter and Cllr Lammas to deal with health and safety policy and Cllr Lammas to report back. Cllr Chadwick to distribute a list of volunteers for the footpath group. EC/BL/ENC/AEB

04.08.11 Wychavon Local Enquiry
Marshalls and Mrs Rimell will be putting forward their views on 5th October and Cllr Carter is to attend. EC

04.08.12 Grit Bin
The Clerk advised that this could be obtained free of charge and placed at the end of Babylon Lane. An application in writing was required. AEB

04.08.13 Repairs to Village Seat
Quotations were still awaited by the Clerk – put onto next agenda. AEB

04.08.14Throckmorton Parish Room

04.08.14.1 It was agreed that the Parish Council would underwrite the funds up to £4000 (including VAT) subject to the Committee’s registration with Entrust within the next two weeks and that the queries regarding the archaeological dig were investigated. Eric Charlwood to deal. EC

04.08.14.2 The Throckmorion Parish Room Management Committee would deal with the appointment of the solicitor.

04.08.15 Highways

04.08.15.1 Parking Notices
It was agreed to go ahead with parking notices for vehicles on pavements and on the corner of Babylon Lane. Cllr Carter had prepared a notices and it was agreed to redraft the one to be placed in the window of Bishampton Stores EC

04.08.15.2 It was agreed to put in a request to Highways for 2 horse riding signs – one to be put on the bend after the Vale Golf Course and the other on the sharp bend just after the houses on the left. AEB

0.4.08.16

04.08.16.1 Pershore Forum
There was a meeting to be held on 25th November – Cllr Carter to send a copy to all councillors. EC

04.08.16.2 Worcs CALC meeting
There is a meeting on 23rd November – Cllr Beever was unable to attend and the Clerk would advise CALC accordingly. AEB

04.08.16.3 Parish Review
Consideration was given to changing the number of councillors (this is 9 at present). Clerk to check if this will affect Quality Parish Status application in the future. AEB

 04.08.17 Councillors Refresher Course
There were no councillors who were able to attend this course at present.

04.08.18 Councillors Reports and Items for Future Agenda
Cllr Argyle advised that Mr F Noble had been voted onto the Standards Committee and would like to attend a future Council meeting. The Clerk would contact him. AEB

With regard to flooding, a blockage had been found in Mr Day’s field and notices had been issued to landowners.

Cllr Argyle had asked Mr Simpson of Marshalls to advise the Parish Council of any future short-term storage at their premises.

Parking had been decriminalised and notices had been issued (Clerk has notices to put up). Wychavon would issue charges and the number of wardens had been increased to 10.

Cllr Lammas asked if the Clerk could write to Central Networks regarding the breakdown in electricity over the summer. AEB

Cllr Carter to hold a review with the Clerk. EC/AEB

As the next item would be to consider the co-option of a new Councillor, the members of the public were asked to leave the meeting. Cllr Argyle also left the meeting in view of his declared interest.

04.08.07 Co-option of One Councillor
The council members interviewed both candidates and Mandy Hall was co-opted onto the council. The Clerk would provide a new Councillor’s Pack and write to Wychavon to advise the new details. AEB

04.18.19 Date of next meeting
It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the Council on Monday 8th November, at 7.30pm in the village hall. The December meeting would take place on Monday 6th December.

The budget meeting was set for Monday 13th December. The Clerk would e-mail the dates to all parish councillors. AEB

The meeting closed at 10.15pm.

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Chairman Date

AEB/10.10.04

Note of matters raised during the Open Session, Parish Council meeting 4 October 2004

Annette Bufton was thanked by the Chairman Cllr Carter for the five years’ work given to the Parish Council and was present with a gift voucher from the Council.

Mr Hughes read out a letter he had written with regard to a planning query (the council had opposed the planning application), regarding an office extension. The Council would make further enquiries regarding a 106 application, and this item would be placed on the agenda at the next meeting. Mr Hughes was invited the Council’s next meeting.

Eric Charlwood attended the meeting representing the steering group working towards the replacement of the Throckmorton Parish Room. He explained in detail the current situation which in summary is:

• A grant is being sought from Severn Waste for the purchase of the existing land and hut. Indications that such a grant would be forthcoming were very favourable but were subject to the Throckmorton charity becoming registered as an Environmental Body with Entrust so that they could qualify for a grant under the Land Fill Tax Credit Scheme. Conditions of such a grant were that it could not be made to the PC.
• A further grant would then be sought from DEFRA, under the Rural Enterprise Scheme, DEFRA have also indicated that funds were available but that there was a deadline for seeking the funding which was 26th Jan 2005. This grant is subject to DEFRA approval of a business plan, ownership of the site, planning permission for the project and any other permissions necessary for the project to proceed.
• A planning application has been made for the development and includes a proposed car park using land donated to the charity immediately behind the existing hut. This land is within a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The archaeological department of WCC have insisted that a dig take place prior to approving the planning application at a cost in the region of £2200 (ex VAT). Ramblers have also raised an objection which will probably necessitate a minor diversion to the public footpath at a cost which could be in the region of £3000.
• Both issues relate to the car park but without adequate car parking the planning application would not be approved.
• Since neither issue relates to the purchase this could proceed and alternative methods of funding sought for replacement if the DEFRA application window was missed or the archaeological dig precluded the construction of the car park.
• In order to proceed quickly and meet the 26th Jan it was urgent that a solicitor be engaged for the purchase. Valuations by the Throckmorton Charity and the Scout Association have been undertaken and the Scout Association is understood to be in a position to proceed.

It was suggested that, since English heritage had been consulted on the site and indicated that a scrape of the surface would suffice, that the need for the full archaeological dig be challenged. Furthermore, that planning approval could be sought subject to the need for the dig so that there was no delay in the timetable of events. MA/EC