Minutes of the Meeting of Freshford Parish Council

held on Monday June 16th 2008

Present, Hugh Delap, Chairman, Betty Harris, Rowena Wood, Stuart Campbell, Mary Stanhope, Ann Ross, Nick Stevens, Mandy Knowles and Stephanie Jenkins, Clerk. Also present were 4 members of the public and, for the latter part of the meeting, Neil Butters, District Councillor .

1 Apologies for absence ; Ray Benfield

2 Declarations of Interest; none

3 Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting of May 12th were agreed to be an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

4 Matters Arising

Item 5 Freshford Mill; SC reported that he had not yet been able to contact the Ecology Officer about the new bat house. Ongoing.

Item 6 Parish Plan; HD and NS had done some preliminary work on ways of implementing the Parish Plan (see Agenda item 8). More comprehensive findings will be presented at the September meeting.

Item 9, Footpaths, walls and Trees; Plaque for the Pound area; AR and MK to meet and decide on signage and position. It was agreed to keep to a simple name plaque.

Ham Field Tree Planting; MK to approach the Godwins. Land Ownership; it was agreed that obtaining comprehensive details of ownership of land in the parish would provide a very useful database. AR provided Councillors with field maps to fill in and the Clerk was asked to check ownership of land around the village green area from the Land Registry.

5 Resignation of Councillor

The Chairman told the meeting that Ann Ross had contacted him to announce her wish to resign from the Parish Council. Pressures of work and family life meant that she felt unable to commit enough time to her role as a Councillor. With great regret, her resignation was accepted and she was thanked for all her time and effort over the past year. The Clerk was asked to obtain the necessary form to announce a vacancy from Electoral Services.

6. Planning Matters

Decisions

Ranikhet Farm; construction of conservation pond (Resubmission) 08/00823/FUL; Approved with the following conditions; method statement to protect grassland to be submitted, planting and landscaping proposals to be submitted prior to work starting and pond not to be stocked with fish. No response yet to the Parish Council’s letter to Cotswolds AONB setting out the PC’s concerns and asking for their opinion to be passed to Sarah James, Planning Officer.

Community Shop; 07/03529/OUT; full permission given.

Recommendations sent in since last meeting

Freshford House/ 08/01395/LBA; “ Freshford PC has considered this application and consulted with neighbours of three adjoining properties, two of which are listed buildings. A number of neighbour concerns have been raised with the PC and we would ask that the planning officer fully consider the impact on the neighbouring properties when making his recommendation. There also appears to be the practical issue of rainwater management from/to the adjoining properties and also access for the emergency services to this newly created outdoor area in the event of fire”.

It was also noted that the Planning Department had been very slow to notify neighbours and only after prompting from the Parish Council.

New Applications;

Rowan House, Conservatory/ 08/0113/FUL; the revised design of the conservatory had been sent to all neighbours by B&NES. Peter King, Applicant, and Rosemary Martin-King, neighbour, spoke for and against the scheme, providing Councillors with written statements supporting their arguments. After discussion, Councillors agreed that the application involved planning issues and laws which could only be ruled on by professionals. The agreed response was that the Parish Council neither supported nor objected to the application, but would defer to the views of the Planning Department. The PC did request a site visit from the Planning Officer so that all issues of concern could be fully appreciated.

Friar’s Gate, Sharpstone, Greenhouse/08/01916/FUL; details of this application had only been received shortly before the meeting and it was agreed that RW would consult neighbours and, should the matter be non-controversial, deal with the application through the Planning sub-committee. SC agreed to check (with the owner) whether the rear garden fence would be moved.

On-going Items

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

Parking at The Inn and internal alterations; further update still awaited. RW has approached Andy Pegler again.

Cornerstone, Freshford Lane/ 07/03798/FUL (resubmission);RW reported that the owner’s agent and B&NES were still in discussion.

General Items

Gas Pipe/Dark Lane; no report yet from Ian Lund.

Notice to residents; SC to compose a note about changes to the visual environment of the village. This to be included in the next Bulletin edition and placed on notice boards.

Park Corner Pump Area; thanks to RB (in his absence) for clearing the area again and painting the pump. It was agreed to await RB’s return before investigating Highways progress with the agreed work on the Park Corner verges and its budget.

War Memorial; ongoing

7 .Freshford Mill

RW reported on an on-site meeting with the developers; present RW, HD and SC from the parish Council, Phil Desmond, Mark Chaplin and the new site foreman, Ken Moore from YRD.

Ken Moore is to provide the PC with his work telephone number and has no objections to it being displayed on the noticeboard.

YRD have done further demolition work on the site, not just buildings C and D, but also F and K. Phil Desmond stated that all were structurally unsafe and that this had been discussed with the planners and their engineering advisers.

The new entrance to the site, elongated for ease of access for lorries, will be opened shortly. During the works both entrances will be kept open. Discussions are being held with Highways over temporary construction signage and the possibility of cutting back vegetation on approach roads. The Parish Council response was that residents would be unhappy with excessive cutting-back, or the creation of passing places.

RW stated that the PC were shortly to meet the planning officer currently dealing with the application; (RW, HD, SC and the Clerk) After the meeting a short report would be prepared to be put on all noticeboards, updating the village on latest developments.

8. Parish Plan Implementation

HD reported that various topics and recommendations featured in the plan had been taken up and were being worked on by Councillors and members of the public

Shared Space; at a recent meeting between RB, HD and Graham Jenkinson ways of making progress with the scheme were discussed. It was agreed to concentrate attention and resources on the junction between Freshford Lane and the High Street by the school, the entrance to the Memorial Hall and the stretch of Freshford Lane connecting these two sites. This should also take account of the school’s traffic management plan, published last year. The draft letter to B&NES, prepared by Hamilton-Baillie late last year would be reviewed and sent. It would then be clear how B&NES might respond to any approach for support and funding. Support and advice should also be sought from Neil Butters, District Councillor. A further meeting was set for mid-July when it is hoped to have recruited some more members.
Wrought Iron Railings; MS reported that Bridget Baker had approached the Chairman about the possibility of repairing and restoring the old railings enclosing fields on both sides of the Frome bridge as a key feature in the visual character of the village. In a less specific way this had been highlighted in the Parish Plan. She had offered to investigate costs and funding sources and had asked whether the Parish Council might be prepared, with the land owner’s consent, to take over official responsibility for the railings, as this would make funding matters easier to deal with. A preliminary approach to the Macdonalds, as landowners, had not been refused out of hand and the next stage would be to make a formal proposal to them. Councillors discussed the implications, the main one being the responsibility for stock kept in the fields. All were in favour of the preservation of the railings but it was agreed that a written agreement stating clearly that stock safety would be the responsibility of the landlord or tenant would be necessary before the Parish Council could “adopt” them. MS was asked to make a formal proposal to the Macdonalds to this effect.
Communications; HD had produced a comprehensive discussion document, circulated to Councillors in advance, looking at all the current means used to pass on information within the community ( the Parish Magazine, noticeboards, the PC-generated Bulletin, the village website & the, now-defunct, welcome pack and directory for new residents), their strengths and weaknesses. Having assessed these, the document then considered the way forward and the means by which future communications within the parish should be managed, linking this to the ideas and interest which had been generated in the compilation of the Parish Plan. In discussion, it was generally agreed that the future lay with electronic communication; the speed and immediacy with which websites and emails could disseminate information would eventually make “paper” maildrops redundant, but only when all residents could be considered to have easy access to a computer. Currently, and for some time, the awkward transition phase would mean that both systems have to be in place. The Parish Plan objective of a Communications Group, with a Parish Council representative on its editorial committee, was agreed to be a possible way of managing matters; it would need members with the IT skills to set up and run the system. If this method was to be adopted, SC pointed out the need to make it quite clear to readers that all views expressed would not automatically have been endorsed by the Parish Council. HD offered to approach Louise Kirby Garton (Parish Plan Steering group) to discuss the matter further.

A number of actions were agreed

To spend some money on notice board renovation, enlarging and re-siting the one at Sharpstone, fitting a lock to the one at Park Corner and investigating the possibility of a new board near the stone mine on Midford Lane. Each board would be managed by an individual councillor or the Clerk.
To investigate, via Dan Towner, the free Parish Diary service offered by Google.
To compile an email database within the Parish.
To set up a system of information “buddies” where an individual with computer access would take responsibility for passing on information received to a small group of computerless neighbours. NS agreed to investigate Midford Lane, RW, Park Corner and Pipehouse Lane and AR, Pipehouse.
Meanwhile the next edition of the Bulletin advising people of the changes afoot should be prepared. HD asked Councillors for brief reports on matters of immediate interest to be included.

“Getting About” Recommendations; RW reported that the bus service to Bradford would start for a trial six month period on July 1^st. Timetables had been placed on the noticeboards and in the temporary PO. Claudia Towner had provided information about a group providing free cycle stands, free, to organisations prepared to install them. RW stated that First Group had already agreed to provide a second stand at the station, but that Martin Walker had taken up the offer of two stands at the Memorial Hall and the Friends of Freshford would part-fund the installation. Other sites, including the surgery and outside the church were discussed, but the Churchwardens were not in favour and Councillors agreed that there were no suitable installation spots at the surgery , nor at the Old Bakery. RW had liaised with the Hinton Parish Plan Committee over the matter of a safe cycle/ pedestrian link between the two parishes. They were considering views on lowering the speed limit on Branch Lane and RW asked if the speed limit in Abbey Lane, currently a totally unsuitable 60mph, could be included in their lower target. Ideally, she felt that, at Brown’s Field and on the corner of Rosemary Lane, it should be 20mph.
Playground Improvements; RW stated that Andy Chard (B&NES) had said that all Parish Councils would be given the opportunity to bid for the funding available for new play equipment. Martin Walker (Hall Committee) supported the Parish Council’s actions.

9. Village Shop

HD reported that outline planning permission having been received, the Shop Committee were urgently addressing funding issues. He stated that money from B&NES’ Rural Renaissance Fund had become unexpectedly available. A sum of £90K would need to be “matched” and Councillors were asked whether the Parish Council would be prepared to contribute £5K towards this. This was discussed and eventually agreed on; concerns were expressed about the remaining “reserves” level (RW) and it was agreed that £5K would be the absolute maximum contribution.

An architect has been appointed and drawings and specifications are in preparation.

The temporary PO and meeting place continues to thrive.

10. Affordable Housing

HD reported that B&NES have replaced Western Challenge Housing Association with English Rural HA, who specialise in non-urban affordable housing. He and NS had met their programme manager, Louise Davidson, formerly head of the social housing department at North Somerset. Reviewing the attempts already made to find a site within the parish, she made several new and interesting suggestions. These will be followed up. Unfortunately she was not enthusiastic about the garages site below the Glebe.

11. Footpaths, Walls and Trees

Footpaths; MS reported on a number of related issues; a meeting with B&NES’ Stuart Ballard to look at the changed routes of footpaths behind the Glebe; a new sign leading from the Glebe into Tim Aldred’s field (Nurlton); a complaint about obstruction which proved to be within Limpley Stoke and a request from Mary Macey for a kissing gate to be installed on the footpath above her property at Stanley Hillto prevent the dog-fouling problems on her drive. Stuart Ballard’s view was that, even should the Macey’s be prepared to pay for this, it was unlikely. MS provided the Maceys with the relevant phone contact and informed them that Mandy Knowles is the Parish Council point of contact for dog-related issues.

Grass-Cutting; complaints had been received from Elizabeth McLean that B&NES were failing to honour their commitment (2005) to cut the bank alongside the Glebe footpath right up to the telegraph pole beyond Church House. Stuart Ballard agreed to investigate. He stated that the Parks Department had recently been sub-divided, probably causing confusion over the responsibility for this particular job.

Land Ownership; there had been an enquiry about ownership of a small piece of land behind the Glebe, adjoining Tim Aldred’s field. Stuart Ballard had offered to obtain details from the Land Registry.

Axford’s Wall; MS had agreed a meeting in mid-July with the Cotswold Wardens to finalise parking and access arrangements while the vegetation is being cleared and the wall repaired.

12 Street Cleaning

MK asked Councillors to email her with urgent jobs for Ian Croker. He would be clearing out the stream by the Hall, removing debris from Rosemary Lane and strimming footpaths. 13. HighwaysA36 Closure; SC reported that the re-establishment of normal traffic access would take place the following weekend after the completion of the engineering work and the re-surfacing of the road.Rosemary Lane and Future Mill Traffic; SC stated that Ypres Rose developers had been in discussion with Ken Williams (B&NES’ link between Planning and Highways) over possible traffic problems once the scheme is operational. Both the creation of an angled entrance to deter vehicles leaving the site using Rosemary Lane and the possibility of blocking the bridge with bollards and providing a turning space at the NW end were mentioned. Church Hill Flooding Problem; HD and SC had met B&NES’ David Bough, shortly to be replaced by Mr Bitton, and had established that the relevant pipes would be installed in the culvert, but no timescale was given. The road-closure order having expired almost three months ago NB was asked to approach B&NES’ Peter Rowntree to express Parish Council frustration over the matter.Road Surfaces; SC stated that a report on the numerous potholes and damaged road edges was being prepared for submission to the Highways Department as part of a planned new PC routine. The frequency of these reports would be decided on after consultation with Highways.Parking by the Church; SC reported a proposal from Tassos Papaloucas, B&NES’ Highways, to place two bollards between the entrances to the church and the Manor. This would protect the entrance pillars at the Manor and ensure access to the fire hydrant but would also reduce parking at a key point in the centre of the village.A separate request had also been made, by the churchwardens, for that particular spot to be made designated- parking for church visitors only. Councillors discussed the matter and agreed to take the matter up with Tassos Papaloucas. The point was made that installing bollards seemed excessive and that, anyway, the protection of private property was not the responsibility of a tax-funded organisation, whether B&NES or Freshford PC. 14 RailwaysRW reported that Catherine Phillips from Heart of Wessex Partnership had brought a group of railway supporters out by train on June 4^th to present the Inn at Freshford with an award as winners of the “Foody Trail”, which involved 11 food pubs between Bristol and Weymouth. Catherine had been most impressed with the station garden, which she intends to enter into the National Railway competition for the best Station Garden.Station Garden Maintenance; prior to the visit, a working party had weeded and tidied and MK will be leading another working party on June 18^th at 7.15pm. More volunteers are needed for this ongoing maintenance work.Meeting with FirstGroup; RW reported that Andrew Griffiths is to investigate possible increase in size and improvements to the existing car park at the station. He will also find out what has happened to the promised second map. The Head of Property is to have a second cycle stand installed, to investigate the lighting times and also the “running in” board situation. 15 Communications

Dealt with under Agenda Item 8

16. Correspondence

First Great Western, Newsletter
Western Power Distribution, Business Plan

Don Foster ,reply to PC’s letter about proposed provision of “polyclinics”.

B&NES Highways, Newsletter

CPRE, Newsletter

Avon and Somerset Constabulary, crime figures and letter from Chief Constable.

Radstock Police Sector, Parish Forum Minutes

Cotswold AONB, Management Plan

ALCA, newsletter, details of Councillor training.

17. Finance

Payments needing to be made in JUNE

Ian Croker, Street Cleaning, £196.68.

Chairman’s expenses, £254.03

Alan Duck, initial clearance of The Pound area, £90 (original estimate £80)

Rowena Wood, sweets for prizes at Fete, £39.96 (in the event this was paid from the profits on the day and so no cheque was raised)

Clerk, Annual Parish Meeting expenses, £34.21

SEC, Routine Maintenance on street lighting, April-June, £181.35

SEC, Fitting part-night cells to 11 street lights, £535.48

Clerk, first quarter salary, £747.50

SEC, Non-routine maintenance, £9.54

Receipts

CS Bowyer, Burial Fees, £210

Stuart Campbell, purchase of burial plot (agreed last September), £130

David Rogers, balance remaining from Parish Plan funding, £340.59

Cemetery Upkeep/ Work on Retaining Wall

Ongoing; still waiting quote from Alan Duck.

Cemetery Charges

The Clerk proposed leaving discussion of the increase in charges until the July meeting. She will provide, in advance, details of charges made at Bath and Trowbridge cemeteries for comparison.

Changing Investment Account

Relevant details have been sent to Gordon Edwards for his advice.

Audit Preparations

The Clerk stated that she and Peter Davies would shortly prepare the paperwork. The final documents needing PC approval would be presented at the July meeting before being sent to Mazars..

She would also be meeting the new Internal Auditor later in the month.

18. Pre-Advised AOB

B&NES’ Zero Waste Campaign; HD reported news of a Zero Waste Campaign to be held, by B&NES, in the Autumn. He proposed approaching Candy Harrison to see if she would be prepared to attend the briefing meeting.

Proceeds from Fete; RW reported that a total of £3K had been raised at the Fete.

19. Date of Next Meeting; Monday July 21st

Freshford Village Website (PC Minutes 16th June 2008)