Minutes of the Meeting of Freshford Parish Council held on Monday September 4th, 2006
Present; Stuart Campbell, Chairman, Pam Cobb, Betty Harris, Hugh Delap, Richard Blamey and Stephanie Jenkins, Clerk.
Also present, one member of the public.
1 Apologies for absence ; apologies were received from Ray Benfield, Rowena Wood, Gitte Dawson and Mary Stanhope.
2 Minutes
The Minutes of the meeting of July 20th were agreed to be an accurate record.
3 Planning Matters
Applications Approved; Phone Mast in Brown’s Field; New glazing on Hermitage conservatory; New porch on Studio Cottage, Station Road.
Monklea, Freshford Lane/ two-storey rear extension; the response to this application had had to be returned before the September meeting. RB had advised Councillors of the details and asked neighbour opinion before informing the Planning Department that the Parish Council had the following reservation, “the use of reconstituted stone is noted but the use of rendering is not considered appropriate”.
Woodpecker House, Pipehouse Lane/ two-storey rear extension; this second application features a flat roof rather than the pitched roof of the previous design. Councillors felt that this detracted from the look of the extension and HD was asked to check with the owner whether this had been done at the suggestion of the Planners. The Clerk was asked to request more extensive neighbour notification.
4 Freshford Mill
The Chairman reported that the recent sale of the Mill had fallen through and the site is back on the market. The Clerk had received a letter from Surrey and Counties thanking RW for reporting vandalism on the site. PC expressed great concern about the deteriorating levels of security on the site. She felt that Surrey and Counties should have to demonstrate that regular patrols were undertaken. SC is to take the matter up with the Police Liaison Officers.
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Parish Plan
Parish Plan Finance; SC had investigated the Quartet organisation and funding does not have a time limit. As yet, Paddy Fitzgerald is not sure how much extra funding will be required, but SC is to check with him and advise Quartet of a sum and an approximate date at which it would be needed.
Progress; HD reported that the analysis of the responses to the questionnaire is now complete and the findings will be presented at the public meeting on September 21st. At that point individuals will be recruited for the next stage, the sub-committees to investigate the main items of interest and concern. It is hoped that the Plan will then be completed by the Spring.
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Village Shop
The next meeting of the Shop Project Group will take place on September 5th. A number of possibilities are still being considered.
HD is to investigate whether the shop would qualify for ODPM funding before the October meeting.
Councillors expressed concern that, with the imminent closure of Budgens supermarket at Bradford on Avon, J Sainsbury had indicated that they would not be carrying on the arrangement of delivering phoned orders over £20 in value. PC is to write to them asking them to reconsider this decision given the value of such a service to the elderly in a rural community.
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Future of the Memorial Hall
RJB expressed concern that, even though the Parish Plan will doubtless consider the options for this, without an energetic group to drive the process further in the near future, the three-year funding period could be missed. HD was asked to check the basis of the Trust with Martin Walker.
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Affordable Housing
HD reported that Gary Ward (B&NES’ Housing Development Dept.) is preparing a report for the Planners explaining that the first choices for sites have been turned down.. This is necessary before the process can be moved on to Stage 2.
Councillors wondered whether a more productive method might be to approach landowners in advance of choosing a site, to see if they might be prepared to co-operate. SC is to consider this with HD.
Details of all the sites under consideration are now available on the website.
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School Use of the Village Green
The Local Plan had identified the land along Freshford Lane (to be used only as play area). The recommendation by the Parish Council that an alternative plot at the top end of the Tyning would be more suitable had been ignored. However, the Chairman felt that there was no reason why the School Governors should not be advised that it would be perfectly possible to use the top site without contravening any legalities. He asked RJB, as Parish Council Governor representative to do this and was surprised to hear that RJB had been told that his four-year term as Governor was up. The Clerk had received no notification of this and the Chairman expressed his displeasure at the way this matter had been handled. Councillors unanimously re-elected RJB as their representative and asked the Clerk to write to the Governors advising them of this decision.
10 Footpaths, Walls and Trees
Tyning Wood Footpath; this is now complete. The Clerk is to write, thanking the Cotswold Wardens for their work.
Cemetery Trees; MS reported the advice from B&NES’ arboriculturalist that the cypress nearest the fence could be felled. Councillors agreed that Alan Duck could be asked to undertake this. MS to arrange.
Problem Hedges; the Dawson’s hedge has been cut, but not cleared up.
SC offered to liaise with the owners of Wheat Paddock.
RJB to raise with the School Governors the need to cut the school hedge which is impeding visibility at the junction for drivers
Councillors complained that these issues come up every year and it was decided that notices be posted in July next year, warning owners of properties fronting the public highway that hedges must (legally) be cut back and that August is the best time to do this.
Bank Replacement; SC is to to ask the residents at The Hall when the promised reinstatement of the bank/hedge is to take place.
11. Highways and Railways
Proposed Chicane; the white lines painted at the junction in the centre of the village have led to some improvement in parking, but visibility and the speed of traffic are still causing concern. It was agreed that, long-term, some physical restraint will be necessary.
Condition of Roads/Pavements; following complaints from Mrs Chesterman and Miss June Vaisey, RJB was asked to encourage B&NES’ Steve Gees to visit and discuss possible solutions.
Mrs Forster had complained about the problems of large vehicles using Church Lane and Brewery Lane as a rat-run, probably directed there by Sat-Nav systems. B&NES will provide signage at the top of Church Hill, “Unsuitable for wide vehicles” and RJB is to ask B&NES what approach they are taking to the creators of such systems.
Signage/ Station Road; Councillors agreed that the standard Network Rail directional sign installed at the end of Station Road was acceptable.
Station Lights; RW reported that these had mistakenly left to burn all night. The station manager will have them set correctly to turn off one hour after the arrival of the last scheduled train.
Pictorial Map; RW reported that Homewood Park had offered funding of £100. She is to contact The Inn owners. SC offered to speak to Limpley Stoke’s Chairman and also the Hignetts at Iford.
Tree-Felling alongside rail track; this will take place in September. Alison Cavaliero is the contact point.
12 Correspondence
Encams; Local Environmental Quality, a parish council guide; Litter and the Law.
Surrey and Counties; reply to Rowena’s letter about site security.
Community Action; Training course on Management of Voluntary Groups; invitation to AGM
ALCA; Newsletter
Southern Electric; warning of a further rise in supply prices as from August 1st
Somer Housing; Newsletter.
Allotments Regeneration Initiative; Newsletter
Radstock Police Sector; Minutes of Parish Forum.
Action for Pensioners; Newsletter
B&NES Admissions and Transport Unit; poster for School Admissions
B&NES Electoral Services; update for Electoral Register
CPRE; Fieldwork magazine
Avon & Somerset Constabulary; invitation to Community Safety Exhibition and Radstock Neighbourhood Watch Forum.
ALCA; Newsletter; invitation to AGM, plus Minutes from last year’s meeting; Legal briefing on the Commons Act.
13 Finance
Payments needing to be made
Ian Croker. Street Cleaning , £189.37
Clerk’s Second Quarter Salary, £687.50
Stuart Campbell, Chairman’s expenses, £104.46
Remembrance Day Wreath
This has been ordered for October from Peter Hills
Street Lighting
The Clerk reported that she had visited Station Road with the SEC Engineer and looked at the two lamps proposed for replacement; the one on the Bocci’s house and the one on the corner of Manor Close (which has almost disappeared into the trees at the bottom of The Manor garden). The Engineer approved both, but Chris Bocci, who was passing, objected to the proposed change; he felt that the design of the lamp was unsympathetic and that the increased levels of lighting would prove a nuisance within his house. He expressed a wish for the existing lamp to be kept. In view of this the Clerk is to decide on another for replacement.
Station Improvements; the budget for this could be as high as £4K and there could well be a shortfall.
14 Pre-advised Other Business
Freshford Bulletin;the Chairman stated that he is hoping to produce three or four issues a year, depending on the need to communicate important issues. He will edit the newssheet but would like copy from the Councillors concerned with the newsworthy items. He suggested that the Clerk could hold a database of residents’ email addresses so that relatively few Bulletins would need to be hand-delivered.
Conservation Area Appraisal; the Chairman reported that he is half-way through the summer photographic record of the village. The Planning Department have almost completed the draft version of the Freshford Village and Sharpstone re-appraisal and the photographs will prove very useful. A winter version will also be undertaken.
Cricket Match; Councillors congratulated RJB on his organisation of the match between Limpley Stoke and Freshford, accounts of which featured in Miles Kington’s Independent column.
15 Date of Next Meetings
Monday October 9th