BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Monday 1st December 2008 at the Parish Room, Throckmorton

Members and Officers present: Mr D Cheetham, Mr Charles Tucker, Mr D Baldwin, Mr G Day, Mr J Mills, Mr J Morrison and Mrs C Morris (Clerk).

In attendance: Cllr Liz Tucker (WDC, WCC).

The meeting opened at 7.30pm.
(It was noted that the clerk had suffered a broken right arm but was able to write and type slowly!)

ADMIN

1. To receive apologies and to approve the reason for absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr Argyle, who was away on holiday and Cllr Burtoft, who was working away.

2. To record: a) Declarations of Interest (Personal & Prejudicial) and b) Any changes to be notified to the Register of Interest and Gifts & Hospitability
Cllr Baldwin declared his interests as chairman of the village hall committee and the junior playground committee and a member of the Community First Responder scheme.

3. To approve the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of November 3rd 2008
The minutes were approved and signed as a true record of proceedings.

NEW ITEMS

4. To consider updates regarding flood alleviation work in the parish and any further flooding issues
The clerk had written again to Mr Hegarty to stress the PC position. There had been no reply. Liz Tucker agreed to investigate.

5. To consider the planned wind turbines planned for the Lenches
The council noted the local information sessions being staged by protestors and members’ personal feelings on the issue but felt that as a council it was not possible to comment until there was more information available. It was agreed that the clerk should respond to the protestors and ask to be kept informed of developments. Action Clerk

6. To consider Christmas issues - the purchase of a Christmas tree and mulled wine
The PC Christmas tree had been kindly donated to the village by Mr Phil Day. Action Clerk
The council also agreed to fund mulled wine for the Christmas carols around the tree.

7. To consider maintenance of the village hall grounds for the year ahead
The Parish Council agreed to ask its groundsman to carry out a hard trim of the hedges as soon as possible and then to see if an annual trim was adequate to keep the area tidy.

8. To consider a request for an allotment
The clerk had placed a plea for an allotment in the parish magazine, following a request by a man from Throckmorton. It was agreed to wait and see if there was any response before taking further action.

9. To consider any housing issues, including the plan for the development of the airfield
There was no further information on the development. It was agreed that the clerk should send a copy of the council’s opinions on local housing to the Regional Spatial Strategy committee. Action Clerk

10. To consider the annual budget and precept
The clerk presented a budget report and councillors agreed to reduce the precept for the coming year from £18,720 to £17,500, which would still allow for some growth of the predicted reserves of £20,943. Within the reserves, it was noted that £5,000 was set aside as a parish donation towards the Broad Lane drainage improvement scheme, £530 was the remaining flooding alleviation grant and that it the council was aiming to build a fund towards replacement of play equipment after its ten-year lifespan. Clerk to send in precept. Action Clerk

REGULAR ITEMS

11. Finance

11.1. To note any receipts
None

11.2. To approve the statement of cash reconciliation for November 2008
The statement showed that in November, £605.98 was spent from the current account and no income was received. £7,000 from the precept was transferred into the savings account, which left the current account total at the end of the month standing at £3,782.29. The savings account had accrued £31.61 in interest and with the £7,000 transfer, its total stood at £22,706.28. This meant that the parish council’s total cash assets stood at £26,488.57.

11.3. To approve outstanding invoices for payment
The following invoices were approved for payment:

• 1190 GBD (Evesham) Ltd Mowing £251.50
• 1191 CALC Training £3.50
• 1192 Throck Village Charity HallHire £20.00

Action Clerk

11.4. To approve claims for expenses/overtime
Clerk’s expenses of £22.83 were approved.

BREAK FOR CHEQUE SIGNING

12. Planning

12.1. Council’s response to planning applications between meetings
None

12.2. Current planning applications
A new application, which was dealt with by planning committee members under delegated powers was:

• W/08/03004/PP – Long Mynd, Bishampton, Conservatory to side of property.
  There was no objection to the plan. Action Clerk

12.3. Reports on planning decisions.

• W/08/02402/PP – 21 Cottage, Long Lane, Tilesford. Exension and new garage
  APPROVED.

13. Play Areas

13.1. To hear any update from the BATVH play area committee and consider action necessary regarding the Junior Play Area project
None

13.2. To consider any other matters relating to the parish play areas
None

14. Footpaths: To consider footpath issues and spending of the footpath grant
Signs have been erected and other work ordered includes a new kissing gate off Gunnings lane and the hardcoring of muddy gateway on Jubilee Walk

15. To consider any parish Lengthsman issues/jobs
It was agreed that the chairman and Cllr Tucker would seek a meeting with the lengthsman to discuss progress.

UPDATES

16. To consider any matters regarding ongoing issues:

• Future of village amenities – it appeared the pub was due to reopen.
• Review of the role of the PC - on hold.
• War Memorial refurbishment. – Cllr Baldwin to find out more.
  Pavements.
• Bus Service improvements. – Cllr Liz Tucker reported that there had been a county council meeting about bus service improvements and that she had requested an extension of the Plumline service.
• Newsletter.
• Speed Activated signs.
  Moat Farm Lane conservation area.
• Website – a new site within the county council hub was soon to be active – clerk will soon start to transfer information. It was agreed to send a formal letter of thanks to Mr Eric Carter for all his work maintaining the parish council website with his own over the years. Action Clerk

REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE

17. PACT news
Cllr Morrison had attended a meeting of the reformed PACT committee. He said there was a plan to involve local youths in the project.

18. CALC/ training matters
None.

19. To receive reports from councillors and items for future agendas
Cllr Baldwin reported on the CFR scheme. He said that the volunteers were loaning a second kit while applications were being made to purchase one. This meant there was a coverage of around 80%, which was one of the largest in the area. The scheme had featured in the local press and the village hall pub nights had paid for two new oxymeters to add to the kit.

Cllr Liz Tucker reported:

• That a new report showed that local pavements were some of the worst in the country.
• That Wychavon had agreed to reduce the cost of parking in its car parks for a couple of days before Christmas.
• That the Willow Bank planning application was due to go before the planning committee for a decision.

20. To consider any further items of correspondence

• Dog bins letter – a resident in Church End asked where they are to be sited. The clerk has asked WDC where it would be possible to site bins because of the logistics of emptying them and was waiting to hear more.
• Traffic management engineer Lieran Hemstock had indicted support for horse and rider signs and said he would look next time he was in this area to see where they can be placed.
• Freedom of Information - all councils must adopt a new Freedom of Information system by January 1st. - The council agreed to do so. Clerk to report on implications. Action Clerk
• Children and young people’s strategic partnership members reference group meeting 2pm 3rd Dec.
• Orchestra of the Swan, free in the village hall
• Evening bus services poster
• ‘Global slowdown’ advice/info session (WCC and Wychavon) Dec 8th 4.30-7pm
• Christmas buses poster
• W Factor auditions poster

Circulation: Newsline/ CPRE Litter campaign/ police info/ clerks and couns direct/ standards mtg/ wow mag/ phs mag /

21. To affirm the dates of the next meeting of the Parish Council and for the year ahead
The next meeting was planned for Monday, January 5th 2009 at Bishampton Villages Hall. It was agreed to continue with the current system of the first Monday in the month alternating venues. Clerk to book halls. Action Clerk

The meeting closed at 8.45pm

………………………………………………… …………………………..
Chairman Date

Clerk to the Council Mrs C. Morris