BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council held on Monday 6th July 2009 at theVillages Hall Bishampton

Members and Officers present: Mr D Cheetham (Chairman) Mr C Tucker (Vice Chairman), Mr J Mills (from 7.45pm), Mr D Baldwin, Mr G Day, Mr M Argyle, Mr J Morrison, Mr E Beever (from 8pm) and Mrs C Morris (Clerk).

In attendance:Cllr Liz Tucker (WDC, WCC). Mr Gordon Kingston (Footpath Warden).

The meeting opened at 7.30pm.

ADMIN

At the start of the meeting, following local advertisements, the council voted to co-opt Mr Rodney Hodgkins to the council to take the Bishampton seat vacated by Mr Burtoft. His application was considered and he was unanimously elected. He signed the declaration of acceptance and joined the meeting. He was welcomed by the chairman and councillors.

1. To receive apologies and to approve the reason for absence
None.

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 reported that he was no longer a member of the BATVHT (village hall trust). He declared his interest in the CRF scheme. Cllr Tucker declared his interest in the Throckmorton Village Charity.

3. To approve the minutes of the last Parish Council Meeting - June 1st ‘09.
The minutes were agreed and signed as a true record of proceedings.

4. To review the council’s scheme of delegation and councillor areas of responsibility.
The councillors reviewed the scheme of delegation which was to continue unchanged and the areas of responsibility which was altered to take account of changes in council membership. (Click here)

5. To review the council’s risk assessment.
The clerk and chairman were reviewing the risk assessment and would present it when completed. Action Clerk/Chairman

NEW ITEMS

6. To consider Rate Relief requests
The paperwork had not been received from Wychavon District Council in order to deal with rate relief applications.

7. To consider issues arising from the plans to carry Wychavon grant for flooding work.
The council was pleased to note that the Wychavon grant for £5,000 towards flood relief work had been awarded. It was agreed that Cllr Argyle would arrange to meet with the Wychavon officer to discuss the scheme on site before starting. Action Cllr Argyle

Cllr Mills arrived.

8. To consider issues arising from the Qinetiq meeting about development on the airfield at Throckmorton.
Some members had attended the information meetings about the planned housing development on the airfield. Councillors had no objections to Cllr Cheetham, who had been approached by the newspapers for comment, expressing the council’s feelings that the development was inappropriate and unsustainable as planned.

Cllr Beever arrived.

9. To consider a request for financial assistance towards action being taken to fight the Lenches wind turbine application.
The group of parish councils which had been meeting to monitor the wind farm application asked for a donation of £750 to spend on sound monitoring equipment and on legal consultation regarding Scottish Power’s environmental statement. The council agreed to donate the money on the understanding that it was a one-off payment and that the PC was not agreeing at this stage to any further payments.
MP Peter Luff had supplied some information/answers to his questions regarding the wind farm, which had been placed in the circulation envelope.

REGULAR ITEMS

10. Finance

10.1. To note any receipts
None

10.2. To approve the statement of cash reconciliation for June 2009
The cash reconciliation for June showed that in the current account, payments were made for £1,544.50, also, £14,000 was transferred into the savings account. Cheques totalling £768.94 had not yet been presented and this left an account total at the end of the month of £5,381.99. The savings account accrued £1.13 interest and with the transfer, it totalled £36,725.15. Allowing for the unpresented cheques, this meant the council’s total cash assets at June 30th totalled £41,388.20.
Councillors were presented with a quarterly budget report which showed that during the first quarter the council spent (exc vat) £4,304.85 and received £8754.12.

10.3. To approve outstanding invoices for payment.

• GBD Mowing May £362.00
• GBD Mowing June £246.15
• Limebridge Footpath clearance £140.30
• Orchid Business Servs Internal Audit £126.50

  TOTAL: £874.95

• Broker Network Ltd Insurance £748.94
  (written 17th June, approved June mtg)

  TOTAL: £1,623.89

10.4. To approve claims for expenses/overtime.
Clerk’s expenses of £5.52 (mileage) were approved.

10.5. To consider any issues arising with the annual return.
The clerk had posted the annual return for the external audit to be carried out.

BREAK FOR CHEQUE SIGNING

11. Planning

11.1. Council’s response to planning applications between meetings:

• W/09/0090/CU Churchfields, Church end, Bishampton. Amendment to retain old shed and build new one.
  Following consultation with planning members concerning the amendment which replaced the application for a replacement shed, the following comment was sent: “The parish council is concerned about the precedent for future development which could be set by the application. The application for change of use at Churchfields is outside the current development boundary (building Line) GD1 and a close neighbour recently failed to extend just over the development line with a conservatory. The council cannot see any justification to allow a domestic building of this magnitude when the rigorous control within the GD1 strategy prevented such a minor development.”
• W/09/01333/PP – 7 Orchard View Cottages, Main Street, Bishampton. Conservatory.
  This was dealt with under delegated powers as Wychavon had sent plans to the wrong council, leaving little time for comment. Planning members had no objection.

11.2. Current planning applications.

• W/09/01325/PN New detached dwelling, Nutkins Drey, Broad Lane, Bishampton.
  Councillors studied the plans and made the following comment:
  “The Parish Council feels that further development in Broad Lane is not appropriate until the local flood issue in that area has been resolved. Investigations into drainage and flooding in that locality are currently being investigated in a joint county/district/parish scheme. If Wychavon must approve the application, it should be on the basis that all surface water is retained on site and that a report is submitted to this effect by the applicants to satisfy officers that the development will not add to flooding in Broad Lane.” Clerk to report. Action Clerk

11.3. Reports on planning decisions.

• W/09/0090/CU Churchfields, Church end, Bishampton Change of use of agricultural land to domestic curtilage and replacement store for purposes of domestic use in connection with Churchfields. (retrospective).
  APPROVED

12. Play Areas - To consider any matters relating to the parish play areas/village hall grounds. Rospa Inspection/play area notices/safety procedure
The Rospa inspection had highlighted some barbed wire in the hedge and on inspection by councillors, it was found to be on neighbouring property. Another issue was a gap in the hedge which had formed by the children’s play area and on inspection it was agreed that the lengthsman should be asked to fill it in so that the hedge had chance to grow into the gap. Action Clerk

13. Footpaths: To consider footpath issues and spending of the footpath grant.
Mr Kingston gave a report on his progress on monitoring the footpaths and said he hoped soon to recruit some regular walkers to keep an eye on stretches of paths to report back to him.

14. To consider any parish Lengthsman issues/jobs: New lengthsman appointment.
Mr Winter had been appointed and was to start this month.

15. To consider any newsletter/website issues.
It was agreed that the clerk should prepare a newsletter for later in the month to update parishioners on latest issues: The wind farm; the Throckmorton development and housing issues; flood grant spending. Action Clerk

UPDATES

16. To consider any matters regarding ongoing issues:

• War Memorial refurbishment – No news
• Speed Activated signs – No News
• Moat Farm Lane Conservation Area – Cllr Argyle was liaising with district officers regarding the clearance of the ditch around the conservation area. It was agreed that he and Cllr Cheetham could agree necessary work up to £300 if it was needed during the summer. It was also agreed that they should also liaise with Mr Bob Averis regarding any work which needed to be done.
• Housing – The third phase of the Regional Spatial Strategy was out for comment.
• Newsletter – As above.
• Community First Responder Scheme – Cllr Baldwin reported on the scheme and its continuing administration problems. He confirmed that there are five volunteers and two kits now being used locally.

REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE

17. PACT news.
Cllr Morrison reported that PACT was inactive at present and Cllr Tucker confirmed that talks were being held regarding its future in its present form.

18. CALC/ training matters.
None

19. County and district councillor report.
Cllr Tucker spoke about the RSS and spoke about plans mooted for a regular circular bus route which could see several buses a day pass through Bishampton.

20. To receive reports from councillors and items for future agendas.
No further reports

21. To consider any further items of correspondence.

• Wychavon Building Design Awards
• Thanks from the Parochial Church Council of St James for the mowing grant.
• Thanks from CAB – they offered the PC a talk about the work of the service.
• Thanks from the Bobby Club – they said: “we will use this money to help towards the cost of printing the Bobby magazine and for the production of safety books and items that local police officers and community safety officers take into primary schools within Wychavon and your area.”
• Cycling walking maps – taken for distribution to the shop.

Circulation: Section 137 info/ Local Council Review/ Standards Board annual report/ West Mid Spat Strat phase three/ Peter Luff Wind Farm info/ Party in the Park events/ Clerks and Council Direct/

22. To affirm the dates of the next meeting of the Parish Council.
Monday, September 7th, 7.30pm Throckmorton.
The meeting closed at 9.40pm

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

Clerk to the Council
Mrs C. Morris

SCHEME OF DELEGATION FOR URGENT DECISIONS

DELEGATION
A parish council may delegate decisions to a committee or the clerk, as the proper officer. The council may not delegate matters to one councillor, including the chairman.
Working groups may meet informally, without public notice but must make recommendations to the council.
Committees and working groups of the council should agree terms of reference and review them annually.

URGENT DECISIONS
Urgent decisions required between scheduled meetings of the council are delegated to the clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the council. Should either councillor need to declare a prejudicial interest in the item, then the clerk should approach the councillor with special responsibility for the area or, if this is not relevant, then the first councillor in the alphabetical (surnames) list.
Decisions made under this delegation must be reported to and minuted at the next meeting of the council.
Under this delegation, where appropriate, the clerk may decide that an extraordinary meeting of the council be called to deal with the urgent matter.

PLANNING DECISIONS
The council, as statutory consultee, delegates all decisions arising under Development Control consultations to the clerk in consultation with members of the planning group. Membership of this group is reviewed by the council at the annual meeting.
Planning applications will usually be considered at parish council meetings but sometimes decisions need to be made between meetings. In these cases, the relevant papers are to be circulated to all planning group members who should return their comments to the clerk, who will then collate a response for the relevant department.
Decisions made between meetings under this delegation must be reported to and minuted at the next meeting of the parish council.
Information on all major planning applications will be circulated to all members for comment and must be further considered at the next parish council meeting – or a special meeting will be called if necessary. Throckmorton members should also be informed about applications in their ward.

STAFFING COMMITTEE
The staffing committee must consist of at least three people, including two councillors.
The committee will be responsible for:

• Staff recruitment
• To confirm individual contracts of employment and all terms and conditions
• Make arrangements for a regular review of the clerk’s performance and take any necessary action thereon.
• Appoint an appeals panel
• Consider recommendations from the Appeals Panel and necessary actions thereon.
  

Councillor Areas of Responsibility – updated 06/07/09
Click here