Minutes of the Meeting of Freshford Parish Council

held on Monday September 1st 2008

Present, Hugh Delap, Chairman, Rowena Wood, Stuart Campbell, Mary Stanhope, Nick Stevens, Mandy Knowles, Ray Benfield, Claudia Towner and Stephanie Jenkins, Clerk. 1 Apologies for absence ; Neil Butters and Betty Harris. The Chairman read a letter from Betty Harris in which she stated her decision to retire from the Parish Council after seventeen years of service. Councillors expressed their regrets and sympathy over her resignation and recorded their thanks for all her involvement in and work for the parish. The Clerk was asked to obtain and post the necessary notice, advertising a vacancy on the Parish Council.

2 Declarations of Interest; none

3 Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting of July 21st were agreed to be an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.

4 Finance

Payments needing to be made in SEPTEMBER

Ian Croker, Street Cleaning, £203.78 x 2 (1/9/08 & 29/9/08)

Hugh Delap, purchase of Book Token for Postmaster’s leaving gift, £30

Retrospective Payments

Ray Benfield, Glass for notice board, £13.69

Ian Croker, Street Cleaning, £203.78.

MLD Printers, August Bulletin, £83.50

Receipts

Cemetery Fees, £45 x 2 (Bowyer/ Long)

B&NES, Street Cleaning funding, £292.91 & £323.51

VAT repayment, £1197.56

Cemetery Fees

It was agreed to increase these substantially so that they are closer to the outgoings. This also brings them closer to the level of fees charged at Bath and Trowbridge cemeteries. However, should this involve any parishioner in real financial hardship, the Parish Council agreed to a discretionary charge being made. The Clerk is to place a table of the revised fees on the parish noticeboards.

Funding the Village Website

After discussions with the Parish Plan Communications committee, it was agreed that the Parish Council should underwrite the cost of the website, £75 annually, with the intention of recouping costs through advertising revenue. The Clerk is to inform David Rogers, who has been covering the cost, of this decision and pay the fee.

5 Correspondence

Somer Housing; newsletter

CPRE; Fieldwork/ newsletter.

Cotswolds Conservation Board; annual Review

Don Foster’s Newsletter; Lib Dems backing 20mph limit in built-up areas

Transport Link; notice of AGM to be held in Limpley Stoke Hall, 11am, October 15^th.

Wiltshire and Swindon; copies of the Minerals Development Control Policies Development Plan Document.

B&NES Planning Policy; copies of Local Development Framework Update, issue 2

Zero Waste Challenge, posters and fliers.

Avon Biodiversity Review.

Clerks and Councils Direct, magazine.

Radstock Police, Minutes of Parish Forum.

ALCA, newsletter, AGM Agenda and Minutes, legal updates.

6 Planning Matters

B&NES Decisions

Friar’s Gate, Sharpstone, Greenhouse/08/01916/FUL; APPROVED

Jasmine Cottage, The Hill, installation of solar panels/ 08/02355/FUL; REFUSED. “The installation of visually intrusive solar panels on this prominent roof slope would fail to preserve the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building and the character and appearance of this part of the Conservation Area”

Recommendations sent in since last meetingLimpley Crest, Midford Lane, Erection of garage and meeting room extension to existing house/ 08/02257/FUL;

There may implications as to the increased volume of the property in relation to Green Belt considerations and the PC would defer to the Planning Officer’s guidance on this.
Limpley Crest is situated at the end of a privately owned track which leads off Midford Lane. A number of other properties are sited along this track. The Design and Access statement does not give information about the disposal of spoil from the excavation of the basement. In the event of permission being granted, the Parish Council would ask for a condition to be placed, restricting the hours of construction and the movement of vehicles along the track. This should include limitations on the size of vehicles used during the construction period and an obligation to make good any resulting damage to the track.
The Parish Council believes that the property is sited over part of the Stone Mine and would request that appropriate measures should be taken to investigate possible mine workings before the basement is excavated.
Any proposed change of use to the property, as a result of the increased size, should be the subject of a separate planning application.

New Applications;

Galleries Shop, 08/02993/RES, reserved matters relating to external appearance and landscaping; Councillors were in agreement over two matters. The planting suggested for the south of the building was felt to be out of keeping. Native trees or shrubs should be substituted. Should the building be rendered, the exact choice of colour would be important. If wooden cladding, as had been suggested by the Planners, was decided on instead, the PC would ask to be notified of this decision as it was not felt to be as suitable. Councillors agreed that, as had been stated in the recent edition of the Bulletin, it was important to seek parish views on this application. The plans would be on display and a comment book provided in the back room of the temporary Post Office during opening hours on Tuesdays and Fridays. On the evening of Monday September 15^th the plans could be seen between 6.30-8pm, when members of the PC would be available The Clerk was asked to display notices to this effect on the village boards and to commission Candy Harrison to create two large roadside boards using this information.

3, The Orchard, The Hill, 08/02805/FUL, extensions and alterations to existing two-storey dwelling to front, side and rear. SC stated that the extensions proposed would increase the volume of the existing house by 45%, which, as the property is within the Green Belt, would cause a planning issue. He stated that two neighbours opposed the application. The PC response would make these two points.

Hobbs Cottage, Sharpstone, construction of enclosed porch; notice of this application only received shortly before the meeting. Councillors examined the plans and agreed that there were other enclosed porches in the rank of cottages and that choice of materials was sympathetic. RB was asked to investigate neighbour reaction and then to circulate a proposed response.

Springs Cottage, alterations, internal and external, to accommodate a new boiler; HD stated that, quite by chance, he had seen a Listed Building planning notice on the cottage gate, dated August 8th. The Parish Council had received no formal notice of the application and the period for response had expired. RW was asked to make strong representation to the head of Planning Conservation about the matter.

On-going Items

Freshford Mill, 08/01778/VAR, Variation on Condition 32 (Provision of Bat House); A decision on this has yet to be reached. The Parish Council had been made aware that work has already been started in the vicinity and it was agreed that RW should inform the Planning Officer of this fact.

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

Parking at The Inn and internal alterations; further update still awaited.

Cornerstone, Freshford Lane/ 07/03798/FUL (resubmission); decision still awaited.

Ranikhet Farm; construction of conservation pond (Resubmission) 08/00823/FUL; as noted at last month’s meeting, permission has been granted, but SC is to contact the AONB officer over the fact that they were not consulted about the decision. General Items

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

Consultation on new Standard Application form; RW reported that it appeared that there would be a longer list of documents required by planning applicants and closer scrutiny, prior to validation. Councillors agreed that they had no criticism of the principles of the form. RW is to circulate a short response to the consultation for general approval before it is sent in.

The Report of the Peer Review of the B&NES Planning Department in April; RW stated that some of the comments made about liaison with Parish Councils merited a critical response, as did the efficiency of some Planning Officer administrative procedures, namely the timing of the application notifications and the frequent absence of “neighbour notification” details.

7 Freshford Mill

Lighting; ongoing.

Signage for Contractors’ Vehicles; YRD’s temporary signs having vanished, RW has asked them to liaise with B&NES about placing more substantial signs on the entrances to the village from the A36, stating specifically that there is no access to the Mill site other than through Westwood.Plans and Drawings; a set of these has been borrowed from Hinton Charterhouse PC. RW to decide which to have photocopied through Ann Ross’s kind offer.

Access and Verge Cutting; RW reported that she is setting up a site meeting with Nick Jeanes (B&NES Highways) to discuss access via Rosemary Lane. MS stated that Highways have said that no verge-cutting is likely until September and that the PC will be kept informed.

B&NES’ Ecology Officer; SC reported that he was still awaiting a reply to his letter about the bat situation on the site. He would try to make phone contact with the officer.

Informal Meeting; SC had been given a tour of the site by Ken Moore, YRD’s Contract Manager. Work is currently in progress on the sluice gates and weir and the exploration of decontamination issues. Site levels have been raised to alleviate possible flooding and work has started on the building proposed to house the bats (see Agenda item 6)

8. War Memorial

RW reported on discussions with English Heritage on the work to be done. She has agreed to provide photographs of all stones which the masonry firm consider to be in need of replacement, prior to work commencing. EH believe the finial to be bronze and have issued detailed instructions as to how it is to be cleaned and treated with wax.

The monumental masonry firm, Williams, which had been awarded the contract, has been sold to a stone firm in Bristol who have agreed to honour the quotation for the work on the War Memorial. RW is to meet Alwyn Leek from the new company and Roger Williams to discuss the work methods requested by English Heritage. She will also ask for a quotation for the additional work which may need to be done.

Requests for donations have so far resulted in four cheques amounting to £200 and it is hoped that more will follow. It is hoped to have a plaque recording the date of the renovation work and a list of donors.

9. Parish Plan Implementation

Shared Space; RB reported that the sub-committee had agreed on a letter to be sent to B&NES requesting a meeting to discuss the concept of “shared space” and how it might be implemented in Freshford. In the meantime contact was being made with those involved in similar rural schemes to gather supporting information. Key people within the village were being identified prior to being approached and asked to support a scheme. A further meeting of the group was scheduled for September 4^th. Councillors asked that the letter to B&NES should first be sent to Neil Butters for his reactions.
Wrought Iron Railings; MS reported that a meeting between John MacDonald (owner of railings), Bridget Baker (parishioner, keen to see railings restored) and the Parish Council (represented by Hugh Delap and Mary Stanhope) had been arranged for September 8^th.
Communications; Communications Group meeting; NS reported on the first meeting, August 3^rd at which Louise Kirby-Garton had agreed to lead the group and take minutes. The group’s objective would be “the production of a coherent and practical approach that encourages a consistent, representative and highly functional information system for all within the Freshford community”, as set out in the Parish Plan. The group intends to hold a “Barter Evening” at the Inn on October 10^th as a community activity.Noticeboards; The Clerk thanked RB for replacing the glass in the Post Office board. Sharpstone board re-positioning, ongoing, SC. New Midford Lane board/bus shelter, ongoing, NS. HD to remind Friends of the Cotswolds about the grant application for this.

Neighbourhood Watch; RB stated that he was in the process of gathering information from the police and the district council about the mechanics and implications of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. He had also contacted residents who had recently experienced problems and found them supportive of the general principles of the scheme. He will continue investigations.

Website; the aim is to relieve Dan Towner of as many of the simpler management chores as possible. Ideally all groups featured on the site would apply for membership and be given the facility to edit their own information, updating it as necessary. Councillors agreed that the Parish Council should underwrite the costs of the site, currently £75 per annum, with the intention of recouping these costs through advertisements for local businesses. This information will appear in the next edition of the Bulletin and the Communications Group will spread the word among potential advertisers.

Bulletin; the recent edition had had a very favourable reception and it was agreed to publish the newsletter on a quarterly basis (the next edition towards the end of November).HD to put each new edition onto the website. Looking at off-setting the cost of approx. £240 per annum, Councillors decided that charging for advertisements might prove awkward in relation to the joint parishes magazine and so it was agreed that advertising revenue from the village website might prove enough to fund the Bulletin. If not, the Parish Council would cover the cost.

“Getting About” Recommendations; RW reported that take-up on the bus service to Bradford was still disappointingly low.

low-level-entry buses on the 94 route ongoing, RWcycle stands; ongoing, RW and CT

Children and Youth

Pre-school Project; CT reported on the moves to set up five half-day sessions per week of pre-school in line with the Nursery Education Grant allowances, beginning in September 2009. These would take place in the Memorial Hall and the pre-school would be run as a charity with a committee of volunteers. Councillors congratulated her on the careful planning and detail of the report. Grant for Children’s Play Area; following the recent grant application, RW reported that she had been contacted by B&NES’ Andy Chard to state that Freshford could receive a grant of up to £50K, providing that certain conditions were met. After discussion, Councillors agreed that the one condition which needed clarification was that “the PC must provide an undertaking that they will make financial provision to maintain the site and improved facilities once works are completed for a minimum of ten years”. As RFO, the Clerk felt that it was not wise to commit precept resources to an unknown sum. She felt that B&NES, with experience of maintaining children’s play facilities should be able to provide financial guidelines for the scheme. Councillors also discussed the provision of skateboard ramps and BMX tracks, as requested by young people in the Parish Plan. It was felt that the existing site behind the Memorial Hall would not be large enough for such purposes, although it might be possible to locate them on another site, such as Brown’s Field. The new facilities were to be specifically aimed at the 8-13 years age group and Councillors stipulated that this should not mean that the facilities currently enjoyed by younger children should be removed. RW was asked to pass these views on to Andy Chard. 10. Village Shop

SC reported that the presentation of the shop plans due to be made on September 3^rd had been postponed until mid-October. Funding to cover the estimated building costs had been raised to what the Shop Committee believed to be a reasonable level and, subject to Planning permission and the availability of the builder, work may start in November.

SC expressed his concern about the wider implications of FLiSCA and the “inter-parish” schemes that may arise. HD felt that the organisation could well work to the benefit of both parishes and that, as elected bodies, the two Parish Councils would be in a strong position to reject any proposals seen as non-beneficial.

11. Affordable Housing

NS reported that there had been no significant developments since last month’s minutes. The appeal to landowners in the Bulletin has yet to generate any response.

HD to contact Tim Aldred.

12. Footpaths, Walls and Trees

Axford’s Wall; MS reported that work on the restoration was well under way.

Hedges; there had been complaints about the overhanging hedge at the school and so Ian Croker had dealt with this. It was agreed that, in future, the school, along with other hedge owners, should be notified of complaints and warned that, if matters were not dealt with, action would be taken and they would be invoiced.

13 Street Cleaning

Dog Warden; MK reported that she had received literature and spray paint. Leaflets and plastic bags would be available in the temporary Post Office (once the new shop is open availability will be much improved). MK will then begin using the spray paint to mark problem areas. She stated that she had not received any recent complaints from the public.

Hedge Ownership; MK stated that the trees/high hedge running alongside the stream by the Memorial Hall and currently overhanging the road could not safely be dealt with by Ian Croker. These are on B&NES-owned land and MS is to contact B&NES’ Nick Sperring to ask for Highways to cut back.The Pound; MK reported that this is again beginning to fill up with green rubbish and that Tony Mooney had not wanted to undertake the job of clearing nettles and netting the area. His suggestion was that the area be opened up, cleared out and gravelled. Councillors felt that this, if approved by Planners and backed by village opinion might be the better solution, perhaps even placing a seat in the enclosed area. MK agreed to approach Alan Dodge for his views and SC agreed to take the matter up with the Planners. 14. HighwaysFingerpost Renovations; MS was asked to check the arrangements set up for this with Richard Blamey and Nick Sperring (B&NES)Park Corner ; the hold-up with this scheme to replace the bollards now centres on the loss of a drawing. Signage; Concern was expressed that another new sign-“slippery road” – had appeared in Ashe’s Lane without consultation. RB reported no response to his requests for information.Road Surfaces; RB felt that a new and promising approach from B&NES was attempting to identify problems and deal with them effectively.Bollards outside the Manor Gates; Councillors again stated that they saw no need to spend public money on protecting private property. RB was asked to convey this view to B&NES’ Highways department.Re-siting of rubbish bin; following complaints about the smell emanating from the bin experienced by those using the adjacent seat on the Tyning, SC offered to move the bin by several yards. 15. RailwaysWessex Water Access; RW reported that she had asked Wessex if they could access the site through Westwood, but they felt that the turn into Station Road would be too limited. She will pursue this.

Network Rail; RW still pursuing the matters of lighting at the station and the use of First Group’s land to provide extra parking whilst the works at the sewage station were in progress

New Timetable; RW to circulate as this becomes available mid-September.

16. Pre-Advised AOB

None.

17. Date of Next Meeting; Monday October 6th

Freshford Village Website (PC Minutes 1st September 2008)