BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Monday 2nd February 2009 at the Parish Room, Throckmorton
Members and Officers present: Mr D Cheetham, Mr Charles Tucker, Mr D Baldwin, Mr G Day, Mr M Argyle, Mr E Beever, Mr J Mills and Mrs C Morris (Clerk).
In attendance: Cllr Liz Tucker (WDC, WCC).
The meeting opened at 7.30pm and
was adjourned to hear from members of the Skywatch Civil Air Patrol. See
notes below.
The meeting reopened at 8.05pm.
ADMIN
1. To receive apologies
and to approve the reason for absence
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr Burtoft and Cllr Morrison, both
of whom had work commitments.
2. To approve the minutes
of the Parish Council Meeting held on Jan 5th 2009
The minutes were approved and
signed as a true record of proceedings.
3. 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 BATVHT and as co-ordinator of the Community First Responder
scheme. Cllr Tucker also declared an interest as a member of Throckmorton Village
Charity.
NEW ITEMS
4. To consider updates from
the recent flooding meeting and related issues
A meeting was held with Wychavon
Chief Exec Jack Hegarty, with the leader of the council, with WCC officer David
Lavender and with Broad Lane representatives. Councillors Cheetham, Tucker,
Argyle and Baldwin attended. All reported a successful meeting, with great benefit
to all parties meeting together. The Clerk had written to thank participants.
It was agreed that there was little more the parish could do at present, apart
from continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Cllr Tucker had reviewed the Wychavon DC flood plan for Throckmorton and it was to be returned with only a minor alterations. Clerk to post. Action Clerk
5. To consider housing issues
– regional strategy and local affordable housing sites.
The clerk had circulated information
from an affordable housing meeting in the village. The housing development officer
has requested a meeting with the parish council to discuss preferred sites and
the council agreed this could be arranged. Action Clerk
6. To consider issues arising
from an expected talk by the Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol
The council had no formal planning application to consider for the Sky Watch
scheme but members agreed that while they supported the scheme in principle,
they would be inclined to make sure with planners that the siting of the temporary
buildings would not compromise the Section 106 Agreement in place on that portion
of the airfield land.
7. To consider a request
for a grant from Throckmorton Village Charity
The charity requested a £500
grant for the Parish Room, which it intends to spend on improving the hedges
and supplying a baby changing unit in the toilets. The money had been set aside
in the budget and members agreed to the grant.
8. To consider renewing membership
of the CPRE
Members agreed to pay the £29
annual subscription.
Members agreed not to renew the Ordnance Survey map copying licence which was
also due.
REGULAR ITEMS
9. Finance
9.1. To note any receipts
The council had banked £9,000 from BATVHT (Junior Play Area grant from Severn Waste) plus £5,100.01 in reclaimed VAT.9.2. To approve the statement of cash reconciliation for January 2009
The statement of cash reconciliation showed that in the current account in January, the council banked £14,100.01, bringing its total to £17,291.69. It spent a total of £708.31 and allowing for one cheque (£1) which had not yet been presented, its total at the statement date of January 24th, stood at £16,584.38. The savings account had accrued £1.93 in interest, bringing its total to £22,717.36. This meant that as of January 24th, (allowing for the unpresented cheque) the council’s total cash assets stood at £39,299.74.9.3. To approve outstanding invoices for payment
The following invoices were approved for payment:
- 1199 GBD hedge trimming, village hall, Bish £310.50
- 1200 CPRE subs £ 29.00
- 1202 D Gibson lengthsman work £420.00
TOTAL: £759.50
9.4. To approve claims for expenses/overtime
The clerk’s expenses of £9.86 were approved.9.5. To consider the clerk’s annual pay scale increase
The annual pay scale increase for clerks (from April 1st) had been set at 2.45%. Councillors agreed it should be applied and backdated.
The clerk reported an error in calculating the previous payscale, which led to an overpayment of £51.48 over the past nine months. The clerk’s increase was calculated and salary adjusted accordingly. (detailed on payment sheet) Apologies from clerk.
BREAK FOR CHEQUE SIGNING
10. Planning
10.1. Council’s response to planning applications between meetings
None10.2. Current planning applications:
- W/08/03234/PN – Installation of temporary 70m high wind monitoring mast for three years. Sheriffs Lench.
The council was surprised to be consulted on a plan for a neighbouring parish. They agreed that they would respond to the plan, by stating that while they had no objection to the temporary mast, they had serious concerns about the scheme as a while and its impact on an area of natural beauty.10.3. Reports on planning decisions
- W/08/03004/PP – Conservatory, Long Mynd, Main Street, Bishampton
APPROVED.- W/08/02700/PN – Single storey extension, Willow Bank House, Tilesford.
Applicants are appealing against WDC’s refusal decision. It was agreed to reiterate the PC views to the inspectorate. Action Clerk
11. Play Areas
11.1. To hear any update from the BATVH play area committee and consider disbanding the committee
The chairman sent thanks to Cllr Baldwin and all those who had been involved in the Junior Play Area Project. All bills were now paid, grants banked and VAT reclaimed so it was agreed that the committee could be formally disbanded – (Cllr Baldwin to make BATVHT arrangements). Clerk to give thanks in newsletter. Action Cllr Baldwin/ Clerk11.2. To consider any other matters relating to the parish play areas/village hall grounds
It was agreed that RoSPA make this year’s playground inspection. It was agreed that the clerk should review all safety points raised from last year’s report. Action Clerk
It was also agreed that the clerk should purchase some safety tape and put in place a procedure for the immediate closure of an item of equipment in the event of serious damage. Action Clerk
The lengthsman had carried out repairs to the steps at the village hall and had fitted stoppers to remove pinch points at the kissing gates.
The council noted that Mrs Gibson was carrying out playground inspections and agreed that would be acceptable. She was hoping to attend a training course when it was staged in the spring.
12. Footpaths: To consider
footpath issues and spending of the footpath grant
Work was being carried out
to replace a stile with a kissing gate off Gunnings Lane and to replace a signpost
on the Throckmorton road.
The council was also pleased to note that further interest had been shown from
a Bishampton resident in the job of Parish Paths Warden.
13. To consider any parish
Lengthsman issues/jobs – report
A meeting was held with Dean
and Cllrs Cheetham and Tucker and work schedules discussed. Dean had sent a
notice detailing the drains he had attended to but some were not included. Clerk
to issue reminder. Action Clerk
14. To consider
any newsletter/website issues.
Clerk to produce a newsletter
– to include: wind farm/ Sky Watch/ precept details/ Play area/ Flooding/
CRF latest.
UPDATES
15. To consider any matters regarding ongoing issues:
REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE
16. PACT news
No news
17. CALC/ training matters
Nothing new
18. County and district
councillor report
Cllr Liz Tucker reported that
there would be some budget cuts from WDC which would include the £500
grant to parishes for the annual litter pick and the £500 grant available
for councillors to distribute. The county council was reviewing its budget soon.
She reported on the landfill liaison meeting where she said chipped rubber was
now being used to line the cells and where a new scheme to increase the use
of methane produced was expected to produce enough electricity to power all
of Pershore and more.
19. To receive reports from
councillors and items for future agendas
The issue of the bad bend out
of Bishampton towards the Lenches was raised. It was agreed that the clerk should
write to the highways department. Action Clerk
20. To consider any further items of correspondence.
21. To affirm the dates of
the next meeting of the Parish Council
The next meeting was confirmed
as being on Monday, March 2nd 2009 at The Villages Hall, Bishampton.
The meeting closed at 9.35pm
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Chairman Date
Clerk to the Council Mrs C. Morris
Mr John Morgan, a pilot with Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol, spoke to the meeting about the group’s activities and its plan to base itself on the airfield, on land owned by Marshalls Transport. Councillors were given information packs about the voluntary service, which uses microlights to supplement the work of the emergency services, in support of the police helicopter and for other public service work, like for the district council, eg in times of flooding/for a missing person search. He said the group was applying for permission to base the aircraft on the airfield, with a cover, a caravan to be used as an operations base and a secure unit to store equipment. Existing runway area was to be used for take-off and landing. Members of the charity were thanked for attending and keeping the parish informed of their intentions.