DRAFT
MINUTES OF THE KINGTON LANGLEY ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
HELD AT 7:30 PM ON TUESDAY 25TH APRIL 2017
IN KINGTON LANGLEY UNION CHAPEL
PRESENT: Parish Councillors M Dixson (Chairman), Mrs B. Bird, Mrs L Reynolds, G Trickey C Timbrell, Mrs S Pattemore, R Westrop, Parish Clerk - Mrs. S Webb + 37 members of the public and 1 press.
MINUTES
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming and thanking all for coming.
01.17 / APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Received from: D Gill, Colin Coles, Martin and Judy Ellett and Wiltshire Cllr H Greenman
02.17 / MINUTES OF THE LAST ANNUAL PARISH MEETING (APM) - The minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 5th April 2016 were previously circulated. The Chairman informed all that the minutes had been posted on the website and have also been distributed. It was proposed, seconded and carried that the minutes were a true record and were signed by the Chairman.
03.17 /

MATTERS ARISING - There were no matters raised.

04.17 /

CORRESPONDENCE No correspondence received.

05.17 / CHAIRMAN’S REPORT - The Chairman spoke on the following:
During the past year the Parish Council (PC) met on 12 occasions + the APM. 2 members stepped down – Sue Hart and Ann Armor – Thanks for their excellent service. 2 new members – Rod Westrop and Sue Pattemore. One co-opted and one by election. A warm welcome to both. The differences in co-option and election is that the election came at a cost to the PC of £1,838 which is almost 10% of its annual precept, and the results would quite possible have been the same if both new members were co-opted.
Planning
Considered 30 applications, of these, 8 were for tree surgery, 5 extensions, 3 new builds 4 conversions 2 LBC and 8 others. Supported 27 applications, some with conditions and objected to 2
In addition, the proposed development at Barrow Farm, the PC supported Langley Burrell in its objections to this unwelcome development.
Meanwhile, the outline planning application has been formally submitted for the Chippenham gateway project at J17 which is within Kington Langley alongside the A350 and the B4069. Following a presentation by Savills who are the agents acting for the applicant, the PC submitted observations to Wiltshire Council requesting these be taken into consideration when deliberating over this application. The application will be formally considered at the next PC meeting to be held on the 8th May. The PC recognises the strategic value of this location for development, however, not a structure of 23m high and the size of 7 Twickenham rugby pitches.
Neighbourhood Plan
Cllr Timbrell will be speaking on this – he has also placed an article in the April Village Magazine. Wiltshire Cllr H Greenman who sees the development pressures on the area in his WC role has strongly advised the PC to consider formulating a plan. This would be a village project with representatives of the PC.
Ongoing Issues
Fly Tipping – particularly on Sutton Rd. This has been discussed at the Parish Forum and is recognised as a growing and criminal issue across the area. A motion was carried at the Forum for the Area Board to purchase mobile CCTV equipment. Cllr Greenman who chairs the Forum is in full support of this.
Lorry parking on the A350 layby generating noise and waste disposal misuse. This continues as Highways or the Community Area Transport Group (CATG) will not accept ownership of the problem. Cllr Greenman has now taken the issue to Cabinet level within WC.
Traffic speeding through the village. A petition signed by villagers has been submitted to the Area Board. The PC in support, organised a metro count in several areas of the main road through the village. On average, 1,649 vehicles pass through the village daily. Average speeds recorded from the foot of Plough Lane to Church Rd, were 33.6, 29.0, 27.6 and 29.9 MPH. A small minority of vehicles reached around 50mph The results of the counts will be discussed at the next PC meeting. Consideration may be given to setting up a speed watch team
Future of Hit or Miss Public House – This is a matter of concern. There is doubt whether the freehold owners wish it to continue as a pub. The PC has had the pub registered as a Community Asset therefore the PC has the legal right to make a counter offer in the event of it being put up for sale.
School Parking – The PC has commissioned a professional drawing of the proposed parking area and it has been established that a concrete based crete can be laid that will maintain the outer appearance of grass. It is to be laid between Coffin Way and the school. The aim is to take parking during the school run off the road. The area will also provide parking for Church and Union Chapel events. Formal planning permission will need to be sought and to engage the services of a solicitor to arrange the legal consultations. Funding - a figure of £26,000 has been assessed for the projerct.
Grass Cutting – The PC has invited tenders for the grass cutting in the village. A Salisbury based company has been selected – the first cut has been met with good views.
Questions/Queries/Comments from the public –
Q – How is the PCs relationship with WC planning department
A – At times it can be exasperating – example – PC supported erection of 3 properties, WC objected on grounds there were no affordable housing.
Concerns were expressed from several residents regarding the speeding through the village. A suggestion of sleeping policemen was mentioned, however this may interfere with the access for emergency services.
It was noted that only 1 collision had occurred over the past 6 years and that the speeding problem was initiated by very few vehicles.
Police support was mentioned.
Concerns were expressed by several residents regarding the J17 planning application. It is important that individual residents write to WC expressing their concerns as well as the PC.
Unemployment in Chippenham was questioned this needs to be identified.
With the Dysons project at Hullavington, this may also affect traffic at J17.
The application documents were felt not to be reader friendly and were incomplete.
Elevations were hard to find on the application details.
It was noted that there is no end user.
There being no further questions or comments the Chairman moved on.
SEVERAL LEFT AT THIS POINT
06.17 /

PRECEPT AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

The PC continues to keep its annual expenditure under strict control – therefore the amount we have levied each year via the parish precept, has risen by just £380 over the last 10 years (this in fact represents a reduction of more than 20% after inflation is taken into account – using RPI)

During this period we will have made 7 years repayments of the 10 year PWLB loan.

As previously reported, there was a significant national change in the council tax arrangements from 2013 which reduced the tax base over which the council tax (including the parish element) is collected. This would have resulted in an increase in the parish precept. To reduce the impact of this change, WC has been paying us a special reducing annual grant each year since 2013. This grant is no longer paid from 2017/2018.

Our parish charge for each property is 56% of the average charge for all the parish/town councils in Wiltshire. The increase for a Band D property is 68p per annum.

The budget for 2016/2017 was £21,813 and spend was £20,528, reserves at this year- end are £16,956 which includes a S106 receipt of £2,499 and £1,550 held on behalf of the defibrillator fund. The precept for 2017/18 is £19,418 and for the new financial year our budget is £24,535. Our predicted year end reserves are £7,105. The fall is due to several exceptional items that the PC have provided for – tree surgery, £2,500 contribution to kerbing and verge restorations which is good value as the scheme costs £17,000, £1,500 to replace 2 of the villages 6 notice boards and £750 for potential legal fees relating to the school parking project.
In addition to these payments, the PC continues to make grants and donations - £150 is awarded each year to Helping Hands, St. Peter’s Church and the Union Chapel. Also a grant of £100 has been agreed to the KSM post point, £200 to the Wiltshire Victoria County History and £100 to CAB
Questions/Queries/Comments from the public - There were no questions asked.
07.17 /

WILTSHIRE COUNCILLOR - Councillor Howard Greenman – full report read by the Clerk.

Once again I have had the pleasure of working with your parish, and Parish Council this year. It has been a year of both change and challenge locally which I guess is the hallmark of local government these days, particularly in the close vicinity of Chippenham and future development there.
Inrecent timeswehave seen the dismissal of The Range planning application, and more recently again thefailed planning appeal of Robert Hitchinsfor the Barrow Farm planning application Langley Burrell, although that is now the subject of further inquiry. Additionally we continue to be challenged by the Rawlings Green development proposals, the advent of the St Mowdens' planning application for Junction 17 and the substantial purchase of Hullavington Airfield by Dysons' which of course will bring its' benefits too. I need to report too that a Growth Bid for £34m has been submitted to the Secretary of State for the redevelopment of Chippenham Railway Station. I am expecting a planning application for this site to be submitted inAutumn of this year.
All this conspires to have a huge impact on the village and fully justifies in my view the continued progression ofyour Neighbourhood Plan as ameansof both promoting what you do want, whilst resisting what you don't.
On a happier note I can report on the dualling of the remainingstretch of the A350 whereThe Range would have been, and that Junction 17 is due to be traffic lighted this year too. Atkins are expected to progress that work in June.
On a more personal note I have been pleased to chair the Chippenham Area Board this last year, and also the Rural Parish Forum which is close to my heart, and continues to go from strength to strength.It hasbeen well supported by your Parish Council, and I have welcomed that.
On the wider arena, Wiltshire Council continues to experience significant pressure on budgets with government grant being reduced by some 17.6%. We've been left in nodoubt either thatthere will be continued pressure on budgets for the next four years, prompting Wiltshire Council to set an agreed four year financial plan to give some kind of certainty in terms of government grant to be secured over that period. We have had to increase Council Tax by 1.99%, and supplement that too by a further increase of 3% in Social Care levy in orderto meet our commitments to Adult care and mental health issues. Despite that thereremains a shortfall of £13.331m although that will be accommodated by changes in policies, efficiencies and other initiatives. The net revenue budget for2017/18 is £311.351m.
Wiltshire Council's Capital Budget is almost £1b and sees continued investment in the future infrastructure of the County. In 2017/18 the Council plans to invest £1.315m in Capital Projects with £38.7m in Economy and Transport, £3.7m in Broadband, £6.4m in Campuses and Community Hubs,£40.9m in Housing and £24m on road and bridge maintenance.
The 2017/18 budget also safeguards our commitment to Military/ Civil integration, and protecting and creating jobsacross the county.
08.17 /

LANGLEY FITZURSE SCHOOL – Copies distributed – read by Mrs Lizzy Moor

There has been a change in Headteachers at Langley Fitzurse Primary School, with Mrs Becky Harris moving to another school and Mrs Kay Vousden taking over as the new Headteacher.
This academic year has been one of great and rapid change for education, fuelled by new government initiatives. Working within the revised national curriculum with much higher expectations than in previous years. At the end of the 2016 academic year our Year 2 and Year 6 cohorts also had to sit new style tests and teachers have had to get used to using a new system of assessment.
Also widely affecting schools, including Langley Fitzurse, is the issue of funding. A substantial amount of time is devoted to fundraising through alternative sources. For example, the school raises enough money each year for all our Year 3 and 4 children to have violin lessons for an academic year. Our PTA is very active in hosting a wide range of events to further support the school in buying for example, computer software, laptops and subsidising the costs of theatre company visits, amongst other things.
In accordance with being a Church of England school, we continue to work closely with the Diocese, church leaders and our neighbouring schools to encourage and support the Christian Ethos of the school and to ensure that Christian values underpin the work of the school. This was evidenced in March 2016 when we were awarded a grade of outstanding in our Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS).
School Travel Plan & Parking
The Local Authority encourages all schools to have a ‘Travel Plan’. The school has reviewed its Travel Plan and as a result has secured funding via the Wiltshire Council Taking Action on School Journeys Scheme for a parents’ waiting shelter to be installed. This will mean that parents who walk to school to collect their children will have somewhere to shelter during inclement weather. It will also provide a more prominent area for parents with small children to wait in safety, away from the busy road.
Other initiatives we have organised include ‘Scooter Safe’, ‘Walk Safe’, and ‘Bikeability’ instruction for pupils, plus the purchase of a scooter rack.