Minutes of the Meeting of Freshford Parish Council

held on Monday April 7th 2008

Present; Stuart Campbell, Chairman, Betty Harris, Hugh Delap, Rowena Wood, Ray Benfield, Ann Ross, Richard Blamey, Mandy Knowles and Stephanie Jenkins, Clerk. Also present were Neil Butters, District Councillor and Nick Stephens.

1 Apologies for absence ; Mary Stanhope

2.Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting of March 3rd were agreed to be an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

3. Planning Matters

Decisions;

Walton House; erection of rear detached conservatory/08/00356/FUL; permitted

The Gatehouse, Iford Manor/change of use to ground floor/ 07/03680/FUL, Retrospective; permitted

Community Shop; erection of new timber building/ 07/03529 alongside the village

hall in Galleries field; OPP permitted (see under item 6)

New Applications;

Sharpstone House; erection of store/summerhouse to provide ancillary accommodation/ 08/00356/FUL; recommendation to the PC for ratification.

The agreed response stated that, whilst the proposal to extend the level areas of the garden by grassed embankments would be supported by the PC, the proposal for a new dwelling, in place of the previous application for a sumerhouse/store would not. Such a building would not be appropriate for a site within the Green Belt, the Conservation Area and the Cotswold AONB. It would also be outside the Housing Development Boundary.

Ranikhet Farm; construction of conservation pond (Resubmission) 08/00823/FUL

RW declared an interest as a neighbour.

AR’s proposed response was discussed and it was agreed to express reservations concerning damage to the ecology of the natural flora, the loss of part of a traditional hay meadow, risk to adjacent properties from the location of the pond on higher ground and the unknown effects of tapping into the borehole. More information on the distribution of spoil and the control of the water from the borehole was requested, and consultation with the AONB Partnership recommended.

On-going Items

Cornerstone, Freshford Lane/ erection of a two-storey extension, detached garage, replacement of existing garage doors with glazed doors and construction of stone garden wall/ resubmission/ 07/03798/FUL; still awaiting decision. RW to phone Penny Murray to establish whether she wishes a formal response to the issues raised at the February meeting.

Tennis Club Lighting; reply still awaited from planning officer regarding planting proposals

Parking at The Inn and internal alterations; further update still awaited. John Trenoweth appears to have left and new B&NES contact is Andy Pegler.

General Items

Gas Pipe/Dark Lane; new planning officer, Ian Lund, is to report back on negotiations with British Gas.

Review of the Parish Council’s decision-making processes in respect of planning applications;` under the new arrangements, the Clerk had prepared a standard notice for the central notice board and AR had created email formats for informing applicants and neighbours. SC still to compose a notice advising residents that the PC is only a consultee in the planning process and has no powers of decision-making. This would be posted on the noticeboard and also in the next Bulletin.

4.Freshford Mill

RW to arrange a meeting date with Phil Desmond (Ypres Rose Developments) to be followed by a meeting with Mark Reynolds (B&NES Planning). Both meetings to involve as many Parish Councillors as practicable.

SC to alert the relevant Ecology experts on the delay in establishing the new bat house.The Clerk to liaise with Mark Reynolds over copying the most recent set of drawings.

5. Parish Plan

HD reported that the Parish Plan had been presented to the Parish Council on March 12^th and, a week later, to a well-attended public meeting. It is intended to produce a limited number of paper copies of the plan in early April with a CD issued soon after. The plan will also be available on the village website.

Councillors felt that, before the Plan was issued, it was vital that the Parish Council should have an opportunity to read it in full and endorse it, before officially taking over responsibility from the steering committee. HD was asked to arrange for this. SC is to write an introductory note for the preface, setting out the Parish Council’s priorities and caveats.

6. Village Shop

a)The proposed PO/shop; HD reported that the Outline Planning Application had again gone before B&NES’ Council’s Development Control Committee (DCC) on March 19^th still with a Planning officer’s recommendation to refuse. Nevertheless, it was approved by the DCC (8/3 votes) which means that, since they have approved a departure from the Local Plan, it must go to the Secretary of State for endorsement.

b) Government Threat to small Post Offices; Councillors approved HD’s draft of a letter supporting Hinton Charterhouse Post Office and its outreach service at Freshford. HD was asked to send the letter.

7. Affordable Housing

HD reported that the owner of Site 9 on Ashe’s Lane had decided against selling the site for Affordable Housing.

HD reported that, at a recent Parish Cluster Meeting, there had been a suggestion that the rule requiring Exception Sites to be contiguous with the Housing Development Boundary might be relaxed. A relevant Special Planning Document in draft form will be published for consultation in June/July.

8. Footpaths, Walls and Trees

Cemetery Inspection; the Clerk had inspected graves and walls with Alan Duck and 4 more headstones needed to be laid flat. There was also some fairly urgent repair work needed on the retaining wall at the lower end of the cemetery. Alan Duck is to provide a quote for this.

War Memorial Grants and Quotes for repairs; RJB reported that the grant application form and the required quotes were about to be sent off.

Pound Clearance; the Clerk reported that Alan Duck had done the initial work and cut back and removed trees. There was still rubbish to be removed. MK to ask Ian Croker to bag up rubbish for collection. Councillors discussed the future of the Pound and it was agreed that, if it was cleared out and left empty it would prove a magnet for more rubbish. It was agreed to investigate the possibility of putting in a rubble base (maybe asking Mr Desmond of YRD to provide this), covering this with a layer of topsoil and planting up some attractive shrubs. A plaque on the wall could explain the original function of the Pound in village life. MK was asked to consult Alan Duck about the state of the side wall of the Pound before any further action was taken.

Axford’s Wall, Station Road; MS reported that the Axford family was not willing to undertake repairs to the wall but that the Cotswold Wardens were prepared to do the job in two stages once access along the A36 was resumed.

Tree Planting as a response to a B&NES’ initiative Councillors agreed that two oaks on Ham Field would be an attractive addition. MK to approach the Godwins to see if they would approve of this.

Play Area Equipment; RW offered to follow up the availability of funding from B&NES. 9. Highways, Street Cleaning and Railways

Park Corner Pump Area; ongoing

Fingerpost Renovation; ongoing

A36 Closure; Councillors agreed that, despite the lack of communication with InterRoute, the levels of traffic had not been as heavy as expected. So far the two schemes appeared to be keeping to schedule.Bus to Bradford on Avon; RW reported that she had been approached by a charity, Ring-a –Ride community buses. Their funding comes from B&NES and they would be willing to run a Freshford route, if approved. However, as it appeared unlikely that Diamond cards could be used on the service, it would not be pursued.Church Hill Flooding Problem; RJB reported that the utility pipes passing through the culvert would shortly be removed, leaving a clear culvert, three feet wide. It was agreed that, in order to register an interest in making a feature of the watercourse, SC should contact the Conservation officer and the engineer, David Boss.Station Matters; Poster; RW stated that she had, again, asked Peter Jobson why the poster was not currently displayed on the Bradford platform and was still awaiting his reply.Station Garden Maintenance; RJB notified Councillors of a working party to meet at the station at 10am on April 10^th.Meeting with FirstGroup; RW reported that she would be attending a meeting to discuss the installation of “running in” noticeboards at the station. 10. Shared Space

No further progress.

11. Arrangements for the Annual Parish Meeting

The first part of the evening (Tuesday April 22^nd, 8pm) will take the form of a series of reports from Chairman, Clerk and Councillors, detailing events over the past year.

It was agreed to ask Gordon Edwards to speak on some aspect of Public Transport as the second part of the evening, following a break for refreshments (wine and nibbles/Clerk to purchase). The Clerk was asked to circulate an agenda, commission two publicity boards and get all the required documents photocopied.

12. Correspondence

Somer Community Trust; newsletter.

First Great Western; newsletter.

Clerks and Councils Direct; newsletter.

B&NES TAWM; newletter.

ALCA; newsletter and workshops + Minutes of Executive Committee meeting

CPRE; Fieldwork, magazine and Countryside Voice.

Wiltshire County Council; Minerals Core Strategy Document.

Cotswold Wardens; newsletter.

B&NES; newsletter.

Cotswold Conservation Board; Agenda and Minutes

John Pettit; copy of letter to B&NES complaining about potholes.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary; newsletter from Olivia Pinckney.

B&NES Overview and Scrutiny Team; survey as part of the Empowering Communities Review

B&NES Planning Services; notice of the adoption of the Bath Riverside Supplementary Planning Document

13. Finance

Payments needing to be made in APRIL

Ian Croker, Street Cleaning, £196.68. x 2

Community Action, Annual Membership, £20

ALCA, Annual Membership, £109.17 (£104.16)

Wessex Water, Cemetery Water Rate, £111 (£102)

B&NES Revenue & Benefits, Cemetery Rate, £68.70

Southern Electric, supply Jan-March, £281.55

Chairman’s expenses, amount to be notified

Alan Duck, initial clearance of The Pound area, £80

Hamilton-Baillie, consultation and correspondence,£554.13

Retrospective Payments

SEC, Routine Maintenance Jan-March, £181.35

SEC, Non-routine Maint., £9.54

Stephanie Jenkins, Clerk’s half-year expenses, £102.70

Melanie Everard, cost of tree-pruning shared with Hortsoc, £153

RJ Dewings, cemetery maint. and Tyning bank clearance, £200

DW Windsor, street lamp and bracket,£789.81

Receipts

Adlam Funeral Service, burial fee, £105

B&NES, Street Cleaning Funding, £282.71

B&NES, Half Precept, £6160

Annual Insurance; Allianz have quoted a figure of £493.94, due on June 1^st,as against last year’s £479.71.

Cemetery Upkeep

The Clerk had circulated a document detailing Cemetery income and expenditure over the last five years (there had been deficits in each year). Councillors discussed the need to make the cemetery pay for itself and the Clerk was asked to look into increasing charges for plots and burials. She was also asked to investigate the costs of reinstating headstones.

Alan Duck and the Clerk had made an inspection and decided on four more headstones that needed attention. More seriously, the retaining wall at the lower end of the cemetery needs further work, which Alan agreed to quote for.

Street Lighting

The Clerk reported that SEC are shortly to install a replacement lamp at Pipehouse. They will also be fitting photocells to ten of the Parish’s existing new lamps so that they turn out at 12.30am and come back on at 5.30am, seasonally, ie, not in high summer. This will cost between £500 -£600 and will use up the remainder of the last financial year’s lighting budget.

Scottish Widows Tracker Account

The Clerk had been notified that Scottish Widows were shortly to move the account onto a new computer system. This would involve a new account number, but no other changes. Currently the account pays 4.75% and the balance stands at £8992.93.

14. Pre-Advised AOB

Dog Fouling on Freshford Lane; MK reported that she had been having difficulties in making contact with the Dog Warden but was still pursuing the matter. It was agreed to remind residents of their responsibilities at the Annual Parish Meeting.

May Meeting (PC’s AGM); The Clerk stated that she would be absent from the meeting and AR kindly volunteered to take the Minutes. The Chairman formally announced his intention to stand down (but to stay on the Parish Council) and the Clerk stated that the notice announcing a vacancy (following Richard Blamey’s resignation) was on the noticeboards. If there were no requests for an election the Parish Council would be free to co-opt a new Councillor. It was agreed that this could take place at the May meeting. The Chairman thanked Richard Blamey for all his work for the Parish Council.

Friends of Freshford AGM; RJB told Councillors that this would take place in the School at 7.30pm, April 16^th.

Freshford Picture Map; RJB told Councillors that the residents of The Forge were happy to have the map, in a metal frame on their wall, as this was the most obvious central place for it. RB offered to help RJB put it in place.

Letter in Support of the Surgery; HD was asked to redraft his letter to Don Foster as Councillors were anxious not to take an obviously political stance over the matter.

RW offered help with this and the new draft will be circulated for approval. 15. Date of Next Meeting; Monday MAY 12th

Freshford Village Website (PC Minutes 7th April 2008)