BISHAMPTON AND THROCKMORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council held on Monday 5th October 2009 at theVillages Hall Bishampton

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

In attendance: Mrs E Tucker, Worcestershire County Councillor and Wychavon District Councillor

The meeting opened at 7.35pm.
It was adjourned to hear from a parishioner (see note below) and re-opened at 7.45pm

ADMIN

1.To receive apologies and to approve the reason for absence
Apologies were received and approved from Cllr Hodgkins, who was on holiday and from Cllr Mills who was otherwise engaged. It was confirmed that Cllr Morrison had now resigned – clerk to advertise for a new councillor. Action Clerk

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 interest as local organiser of the CFR scheme.

3.To approve the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on September 7th 2009
The minutes were signed by the chairman as a true record of proceedings.

4.To review the council’s risk assessment
The risk assessment had been updated by the clerk and chairman and was distributed and signed.

5.To reaffirm the council’s email policy
The council agreed it was happy with the current system of email notification for agendas.

NEW ITEMS

6.To consider issues arising from the plans to carry Wychavon grant for flooding work
Cllr Argyle arranged for the camera work to be carried out to survey the drain from Main Street to below Stanton Fields. The results have been sent on to engineers at Wychavon for them now to consider how best to proceed. The parish council agreed to pay for the survey and recoup the costs from the grant at a later date if possible.
The survey showed the pipes drain into a Severn Trent pumping station and seemed to contain some sewage.
Regarding the Broad Lane project, it was noted that some gullies in the village had been rebuilt and that the highways department were surveying Broad Lane to make sure the drains there were in working order before the district engineers moved in to see how drainage improvements could best be made.

7.To consider a request for the purchase and adoption of the village telephone boxes
The council had been approached with proposals by BT to remove telephone boxes in Bishampton and Throckmorton which had been little used in the past 12 months (64 in Bishampton and 3 in Throckmorton). BT offered the parish council the chance to adopt the kiosks for £1 each (without telephony) and the Wychavon planning authority had been in touch to say proposals should be channelled through its department.
The council agreed it had no objection to the closure of the kiosks and agreed it would like to adopt the Bishampton kiosk only. Clerk to notify Wychavon. Action Clerk

8.To consider a grant request from the Bishampton & District Gardening Club
The council agreed to award the gardening club a £50 grant and to pay an extra £22 for bulbs which could be planted at the war memorial.

9.To consider issues regarding the Lenches wind turbine scheme following the public meeting
No planning application had been yet submitted but Scottish Power had staged information days, showing its plans which have been altered to show five turbines along the ridge of Bishampton Bank.
Cllr Argyle had arranged for photographs to be sent to the clerk showing the scale of the turbines and these being reproduced in the parish council newsletter.

REGULAR ITEMS

Cllr Beever arrived

10.Finance

10.1.To note any receipts:

• £ 707.36 reclaimed VAT
• £8,750.00 precept part 2
• £ 1.38 interest

10.2.To approve the statement of cash reconciliation for September 2009.
The statement showed that in the current account £9,457.36 was deposited and £3,000.00 was transferred from the savings account. Cheques for £934.04 were written but one (£51) had not been presented. This left the current account total on September 30th at £12,637.38. The savings account accrued £1.38 in interest and with the £3,000 transfer to the current account, its balance stood at £33,729.66. This meant, taking into account the unpresented cheque, the council’s balance at September 30 stood at £46,316.04.
The clerk also presented a budget report to the council, which showed that at the end of the second quarter, the council had received most of its predicted income - £18,222.69 – and spent £8,946.20.

10.3.To approve outstanding invoices for payment/payments made between meetings
The following invoices were approved for payment:

• 1242 GBD mowing £464.53
• 1243 Limebridge footpaths £105.80
• 1244 Cotswold Drainage survey £391.00
• 1245 N Winter Lengthsman £229.60
• 1247 P Chamberlain bulbs £ 22.00
• 1248 Gardening Club grant £ 50.00
• 1249 Throck village charity hall hire £ 10.00

  TOTAL: £1272.9310.4.To approve claims for expenses/overtime.

Clerk’s expenses of £4 (mileage) were approved, along with a half day’s overtime for production of the newsletter.

BREAK FOR CHEQUE SIGNING

11.Planning

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

11.2.Current planning applications

• W/09/02210 - Green Bank, Church End, Bishampton, first floor extension
  No objection. Action Clerk

11.3.Reports on planning decisions
None

12.Play Areas - To consider any matters relating to the parish play areas/village hall grounds. Rospa Inspection/play area notices/safety procedure
The Lengthsman reported a few minor issues. Cllr Baldwin agreed to look over the play equipment.

13.Footpaths: To consider footpath issues and spending of the footpath grant.
The council heard that the parish paths warden had been due to meet with the county footpaths officer to discuss local issues.

14.To consider any parish Lengthsman issues/jobs
The Clerk reported on the lengthsman’s work over the last month and it was agreed to ask him to mend the Tilesford notice board. Action Clerk

15. To consider any newsletter/website issues
The council thanked the clerk for the latest issue of the newsletter and councillors agreed to deliver it themselves this time.

UPDATES

16.To consider any matters regarding ongoing issues:

• Moat Farm Lane Conservation Area: – Cllr Cheetham and Argyle are to look and see if they can proceed with work to dig out pond. Action Cllr Cheetham/Argyle
• Housing: – airfield scheme/ affordable housing / RSS&JCS regional housing blueprint – see Cllr Liz Tucker’s report.
• Community First Responder Scheme:- Cllr Baldwin reported a new takeover of the local service.

REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE

17.PACT news.
No news

18.CALC/ training matters
The council was keen to take up the Calc offer of local training sessions. It was suggested that it could be held instead of a January meeting, on January 4th at Throckmorton. Clerk to arrange. Action Clerk

19.County and District Councillor report
Cllr Liz Tucker made a report. She spoke about:

• Housing: The regional spatial strategy had said that the idea of a new settlement at Throckmorton was seen as a less sustainable choice for housing development than development of areas around existing settlements.
• Flashing speed limit signs: County councillors are allowed to allocate places where signs can be erected temporarily.

20.To receive reports from councillors and items for future agendas

21.To consider any further items of correspondence

• Planning at Wychavon reported: “For householder appeals no further representations can be made when an appeal has been received. This came into force on 6th April 2009. It is important your comments are made at the initial consultation request of the planning application.”
• Pershore Area Forum – 8th October Peopleton Village Hall. On agenda: flooding update/ reg spat strat/ recycling – new facility/ open forum/ police rep in attendance.
• Vale arts trail
• Worcs heritage garden events

Circulation: Standards board information for PCs/ Pershore High Newsletter/ Local Council review/ Partnership matters/22.To affirm the dates of the next meeting of the Parish Council.

The next meeting of the parish council was confirmed as November 2nd 2009 at Throckmorton Parish Room.The meeting closed at 9.20pm

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

Clerk to the Council
Mrs C. Morris

Notes from the public session

One parishioner attended and spoke about the wind farm proposals, having attended a public meeting in the Lenches. He was informed about the parish council’s involvement in the matter.