WESTON-IN-GORDANO
PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk: Mrs C Dixon 3 Black Rock Villas
Tel: Portishead (01275) 849200 Clevedon Road
Portishead
BS20 8PN
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY 7th JANUARY 2016 AT 7.30 p.m. IN THE VILLAGE HALL, WESTON-IN-GORDANO
PRESENT: Cllrs. J Bennett, D Down, D Giles, and P Harris and P Yates-Round
2 parishioners
Mrs C Dixon, Parish Clerk
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Cllrs T Brown and Mrs S Chambers,
2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING: The minutes of 5th November meeting could not be signed off as not all Councillors present at the 3rd December meeting, so both sets of minutes were signed off at this meeting.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES AND ACTIONS: Following Clerk having put a request in the Parish Pump for a Tree Warden in the village, James Aldred had offered to be a warden. Clerk to advise North Somerset Council and ask they send him all relevant information. Chairman thanked Mr Aldred for his interest and suggested he look at the silver birch overhanging the village hall and the needles from trees in churchyard falling onto the road sometimes causing blocked drains.
Cllr Mrs Chambers had left a message with the Clerk about debris being left in the road following the recycling lorry’s visit. There had been some heavy winds around in December and this may not have helped with extra items being left for collection. It was agreed to monitor the situation.
It was also suggested the village take part in the Village Spring Clean for the Queen’s 90th birthday. This to be discussed at a later meeting.
Clerk had also placed a request in the Parish Pump for parishioners to clear weeds outside their property in order to keep the village looking smart. Following this the Clerk had received a call from a parishioner advising that they would be willing to do this, but the weeds in between the brick pavement were invasive and tough and she would find it difficult to clear as she has back problems and the weeds were near the highway. Also she would not like to use a weedkiller. She asked what the councillors could do about this. Following discussion Clerk is to advise that if the parish councillors or North Somerset Council were to clear the weeds they would reluctantly use weedkiller. North Somerset Council already clears the weeds once a year.
4. FINANCE:
Bank balance: / £5,898.03Balance at this time last year: / £5,523.18
Clerk’s monthly expenses: / £3.00
Invoices:
SWALEC - electricity for Cadbury Lane lamp and phone box, / £ 11.92
SSE maintenance for Cadbury Lane lamp, / £ 11.90
North Somerset Council election expenses (for non-contested parish), / £111.71
Clerk’s part salary £325.00 + £50 expenses, / £375.50
Financial Conduct Authority – re-registration fee for White Hart Wig Ltd.
It had been agreed last year to pay for this to keep the organisation registered in case the White Hart was again closed down. / £ 60.00
5 cheques signed off by Councillors
Following Clerk completing part of the Transparency Funding Application Form and Cllr Bennett seeking costs involved with setting up a website from Messrs Pritchard and Field in the village, it was agreed that Clerk should submit the form to Avon Local Councils Association for consideration. Total amount sought Year 1: £1333.83; Year 2+: £881.88.
Cllr Bennett has £250.00 to be paid into parish council account from donations towards the White Hart WiG Ltd.
Following discussion it was agreed to ask North Somerset Council for £6,000 as precept for 2016/2017. There was concern that the parish council may need to purchase a VAS, neighbourhood watch signs, possible pavement at Portishead end of village or bollards to deter parking on the pavement near the White Hart.
5. PLANNING: Grant permission for 15/P/2579/NMA Duck Pond Barn, Church Close,Clevedon Road Weston-in-Gordano Non material amendment to planning permission 14/P/0381/F (Conversion ofexisting home office into new dwelling withassociated car parking and including erection of a front extension) to increase the number of windows on the westelevation from 2no. to 4no, re-locate themain entrance door and create a canopyover on the east elevation, internalalterations to the layout to increase thenumber of bedrooms from 2no. to 3no. re-position the roof-lights on the south elevation. NOTED
Grant permission for 15/P/2585/ - Avon & Somerset Police HQ, Valley Road – Erection of solar PV panels to roof of 4no. buildings with conditions – shall be begun before 3 years, in accordance with plans, solar panels shall be removed within 2 months of them ceasing to be used for microgeneration. NOTED
Application 15/P/2691/TPO Weston Big Wood, Valley Road – G1 – 15 x mixed – ash, maple and lime – reduce height up to 3m, G2 – 2 x ash reduce up to 3m, T1 – ash – fell. NOTED
Grant consent for 15/P/2555/F – The Dairy, Clevedon Road, - Change of use from agriculture to residential dwelling to enlarge curtilage for residential access (retrospective) and change of use of agricultural outbuilding to provide accommodation annexed to main house. With conditions – shall be begun before 3 years, in accordance with plans, the accommodation shall not be used as a self-contained dwelling and shall be used solely by the occupants of the existing dwelling in connection with their enjoyment of that residence. NOTED.
6. HIGHWAYS/PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY: Clerk had received email reply from Mike Herbert re VAS “I have ordered 3 new signs and our existing 3 are under repair and due back in the 2nd week of January. This will allow us to include more parishes than before and should speed up the frequency that they are trialled in each parish. I will be sending round an email to all parishes to ascertain who wants to be included in the trials of these signs and then will allow us to set up a programme that we can work to. I will be sending this out next week and will include yourself as a contact. As the process has been set up for Weston-in-Gordano this can be one of the first parishes to receive a sign so all being well you will be able to start the trial in February 2016. All I will require when I send the email out is the contact of who will be responsible for maintaining the sign on site.” However, Councillors were concerned at the amount of time the VAS would be in the village and would consider buying a VAS for sole use by Weston in Gordano. VAS could be put on village green or on Churchfield Barn wall. Suggestion of asking John Painter at North Somerset Council for a pavement in narrows by Steppe Cottage. Suggestion of flexible posts on pavement to deter parking.
Clerk had received email from Skanska – advice of draining and resurfacing works on M5 northbound between junctions 20-19 starting 11th January for four weeks and closed for 9 nights 25th Jan to 9th February excluding weekends. Noted with concern that redirected traffic may not use the official route, but use the B3124.
7. ROUTINE CORRESPONDENCE: From North Somerset –– Free annual flowers scheme 2016 – invitation and details of what flowers will be available for councils. Cllr Bennett had contacted Geoff Mitchell and will let clerk know what flowers the village would like for the gateway and village green.
- Register of Electors – NOTED
Avon & Somerset Police details of monthly calls to police - 4 assaults, 2 dwelling burglaries, 3 non dwelling burglaries, 4 criminal damage, 4 car thefts, 2 shop thefts, 21 anti-social behaviour.
ALCA – Advice of Nominations sought for attendance at Royal Garden Party 2016. Following discussion Clerk to put forward Cllr Peter Yates-Round.
Avon Wildlife Trust – Portishead programme of events and talks. - NOTED
8. SPEEDWATCH: Mike Squires gave a resume of Speedwatch in Weston-In-Gordano as at November 2015 – “We have not been able to conduct sessions so far due to bad weather, availability and short days. There has been a noticeable speeding problem this month particularly evenings, early mornings and over the weekends despite the weather. I visited police HQ and spoke with Damien Delanney who is the civilian, full-time Speedwatch administrator. He reported that a re-organisation was occurring to be in place by January 2016 that would streamline the system and improve communication. A steering group of 4 coordinators from the area is feeding back at regular meetings with a ground up perspective. It is taking 14 days to send out letters but this will change to 24hrs in January. Speeding motorists who regularly get letters will be targeted county wide if reported three times and speed traps will be set up to catch repeat offenders so we need feet on the ground as often as possible at set times as well as random checks.
I strongly feel that raised bump strips approaching the village will help, alongside 30 painted in the road in the middle of the village and maybe narrowing the road at the garage end of the village by putting in pedestrian access. Thank you to Sue Chambers as my speedy buddy”.
Mike Squires asked Clerk if she would write to Alliance Homes thanking them for their good driving through the village. Mr Squires is to meet with a police officer specialising in health and safety for Speedwatch volunteers.
9. GORDANO GREENWAY: Clevedon Town Council has said no to donation towards Greenway at the moment. Portishead said yes in principle. Cllr Yates-Round would like to have £70-80,000 from both councils. Some landowners now considering allowing the Greenway to cross their land.
10. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: Nothing to report. Clerk has put item in Parish Pump seeking a co-ordinator.
11. RURAL BROADBAND; Broadband now in North Weston.
12. PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE: Following the completion of an application form for Transparency Funding from the Government, Cllr Bennett circulated some suggestions of how the website could look and work.
13. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Kim Davey from the Ambulance Service has offered to give some first aid and defibrillator training and this is to be done at 6.30 p.m. prior to parish council meeting on 4th February. Clerk to put details on noticeboard and advise Village Agent, Emma Edwards.
There was discussion on hedges overhanging in the road.
Future PC meetings (all Thursdays):
2016 - 4th February, 3rd March, 7th April, 5th May, 2nd June, 7th July,
4th August, 1st September, 6th October, 3rd November, 1st December
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.30p.m.ighways).High