Ashton under Hill Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 10 November 2009 at 7.30pm in the Green Room.
Present
S Hague / Chairman / SHG Barnett / GB
D Cope / DC
A Sanger-Davies / AS-D
E Williams / EW
In attendance
J Hopkins / Clerk / JH
A Darby / District Councillor / AD
2 members of the public
Action
1. / Apologies for absence. Apologies were received from Cllrs Satchell and Fletcher. Both were accepted.2. / Declaration of interest. EW declared interest in item 8.1 i) and SH declared interest in item 8.2. Both councillors left the room for those items.
3. / Minutes. The minutes of the meeting held on 8 September were agreed and signed by the Chairman.
4. / District Councillor’s report.
AD reported that:
- The SWJCS would not be completed until after the general election and that the Conservatives had said that they would scrap the Regional SpatialStrategy if they were returned to government.
- The WMRSS had a public examination a year ago and the recommendations had included points with which WDC were not in agreement e.g. WDC should not be allowed to include windfall planning applications in its calculations for proposed housing requirements.
- In the Spring there would be presentations given in village halls to gather information to enable a plan to be formulated for each villages’ future housing.
- Under the SWJCS if there were sizable developments (over 10/12 houses) 30/40% would have to be affordable housing and development of Rural Exception sites should be kept in abeyance until after the Spring.
- The planning application for Willow Cottage was originally down for delegation but the officer wanted to refuse it. AD had seen that one objection was from a neighbour whom he knew. He therefore declared interest and asked for the application to go to committee.
AD to consult the Enforcement Officer in respect of caravans being sited in vicinity of Carrant Brook Farm. / AD
AD
5. / CountyCouncillor’s report. No report available.
6. / Planning.
6.1Applications considered out of meeting.
W/09/01933/PP – The Old Granary, The Groaten. Erection of wooden outbuilding to serve as a 2-bay garage and store. No objection. Cllr Fletcher declared interest.
W/09/02472/LB & W/09/02459/PP – North Manor House, Elmley Road. Retrospective application for replacement of 7No. windows, 1No. Pair of cellar doors and UPVC guttering and confirmation that roof does not require approval. Amendment to application W/09/002992 and W/09/02052/LB. No objection.
W/09/02017/PN & W/09/02016/CA – Willow Cottage, Elmley Road. Proposed erection of three dwellings to the rear of Willow Cottage. No objection in principle but there were reservations that the proposed development is too close to the next door property resulting in the neighbours being overlooked. There was also concern that parking could be a little cramped.
6.2Applications received after publication of the agenda. None.
6.3Decisions.
Approvals.
W/09/01786/PN – Shaw Green, Cottons Lane. Amended access at Shaw Green.
W/09/01831/PN – Bredon Pound, Elmley Road. Proposed rear extension to form garden room and amendment of approved garage (Ref W/03/01806/PN) to form carport and store for house type “B”.
W/09/02092/PP – North Manor House, Elmley Road. Retrospective application for stairs at rear, flue through roof and 3 no. windows.
W/09/02052/LB - North Manor House, Elmley Road. Retrospective application for Listed Building Consent for stairs at rear, flue through roof and 3 no. windows.
W/09/01933/PP – The Old Granary, The Groaten. Erection of wooden outbuilding to serve as a 2-bay garage and store.
W/09/01402/CU – Carrant Brook Farm, Cheltenham Road. Change of use of building 1 to a single holiday cottage and building 2 to B1Lorry Tarpaulin manufacture and repair.
Refusal
W/09/02101/CU – Graham House, Elmley Road. Conversion of outbuilding to create dwelling.
Application withdrawn.
W/09/01689/PP – Rookery Nook, Beckford Road. To erect an oak cleft fence and arched gateway around boundary (Retrospective).
7. / Progress reports.
7.1Social Centre.
- DC reported that they were still gathering ideas for refurbishing the play area and that the open meeting had been poorly attended.
- There would be a Shindig on 29.11.09.
- The school caretaker had given up and a contract cleaner had been employed. There had been teething problems but it was hoped these would be sorted out shortly.
- The Tennis Club was looking to remove the concrete slab to make more space.
- Bredon Hill Conservation Group.
7.3Policing Matters.
EW reported that there would be a PACT meeting on 11.11.09 in Beckford Village Hall and a Crime Awareness meeting in Beckford Village Hall on 19.11.09.
7.4Lengthsman.
It was reported that the footway between Cider mill and Chandlers End, Cottons Lane was impassable. JH to instruct the Lengthsman. It was also reported that the footway outside Elmwick was in need of repair as it had been destroyed by vehicle mounting the pavement to allow wide vehicle to pass. JH to contact WCC.
7.5Dog bin – Elmley Road. It was agreed that the bin was now in a satisfactory position.
7.6Insurance.
JH reported that the PC did not need insurance to cover contractors with whom the Council had entered into a contract for services. Each contractor should have its own insurance cover. / JH
JH
8. / Finance.
8.1Donations. i) Evesham Volunteer Centre. EW left theroom. It was agreed to donate £100 for which a cheque was raised. (EW returned to the meeting). ii) St. Barbara’s Church. It was agreed, by majority (one abstention) to donate £1,500 towards the cost of churchyard maintenance during 2010.
8.2Grass cutting in the village for 2010. SH left the room and GB took the Chair. Two quotes had been received, one for £275 per cut and the second for £150 per cut. It was agreed to accept the lower quote.
8.3Clerk’s pay scale 2009/10. It was agreed to adopt the new Clerk’s pay scale as set out by NALC and that it should be back dated to April 2009.
8.4Payments. Copies of the current financial report were circulated. Copy attached. All payments were agreed.
8.5Bank balances. These were accepted.
8.6Budget 2010/11. Copies of the draft budget were circulated. After discussion minor alterations were made to the budget and the final draft was agreed as attached. It was agreed (with one abstention) to request a precept of £7,000. / JH
JH
JH
9. / Adoption of village telephone kiosk. JH reported that it would cost £269 + VAT to disconnect the electrical supply to the kiosk. AS-D thought that the electricity was supplied via The Old Post Office House. He later verified to JH that there was no electricity in the kiosk at present. JH to continue with the adoption of the kiosk. / JH
10. / The Village Sign. The feedback from residents, many reasons, had been largely against the idea. It was agreed to take no further action.
11. / Beckford Village Flood Group. It was agreed to support the BVFG when necessary in its endeavours to get the Carrant classed as a main river and so come under the EA so it would have a uniform plan for its whole length. JH to reply accordingly. / JH
12. / Village Design Statement. GB volunteered to be the PC’s representative on the committee. This was accepted.
13. / Standards Committee.
Advice had been received from the Standards Committee concerning the preferred protocol to be used when a complaint has been made about a Councillor under the Code of Conduct. It was agreed to adopt the advice as attached. / JH
14. / Correspondence for information.
WCC – Information about Adult Learning Classes. All other correspondence had been circulated as on file.
15. / Councillors’ reports and item for future agenda.
Complaints had been received that children walking to school often picked up dog waste on their shoes. Item to be placed in the Ashton News to remind dog owners to clear up after their pets.
It was noted with pleasure that the dropped curb at the bottom of Gorse Hill had been put in place and that the work to drop the curb nears the entrance to Willow Close was in progress.
DC reported that she had received comments that the re-cut inscription on the War Memorial was difficult to read as it wasn’t highlighted in black as previously. Agenda item January 2010. / JH
16. / Date of the next meeting. 12 January 2009.
The meeting ended at 8.50pm.
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