MINUTESOF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING FOR STANDISH
HELD AT STANDISH VILLAGE HALL ON 18th MAY 2017 AT 7pm
Present: Cllrs S Hartley (Chair), Kellie (Vice Chair), Oppenheimer, Dicker, and Knights
In Attendance: 29 members of the public, P Cooke (DMG), K Russell (Stroud District Council), R Lawrence and BBayliss and F Wright (P J Livesey), A Durn (Interim Clerk)
1. Apologies: L & R Hart
2. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting on 19th May 2016: The Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 19th May 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed.
3. Report of the Parish Council Chair and Councillors covering the activities of the Parish followed by any questions:
Chair’s report – Cllr S Hartley
The Chair gave the following report:
Earlier this year, the Parish Council’s Clerk and Chair resigned, leaving us with a number of issues to address. We have been successful in appointing a new Clerk but, due to a family bereavement, there’s been a delay in her taking up post, but she will be with us in June. We have been fortunate in securing the services of Andrea Durn, an experienced clerk, who has ably filled the gap on an interim basis. We are very grateful to her. I have taken on the responsibilities of Chair, with Sue Oppenheimer as Vice Chair until last week - when Robert Kellie was elected Vice Chair at our annual Parish Council meeting. The vacancy left by Graham Stevens has been filled by Jackie Knights, who we were delighted to co-opt and welcomed to her first meeting in April.
The parish precept has remained at £7250 for this financial year. We’ve continued to produce a twice yearly newsletter delivered to all households to keep you updated about our activities and have received a number of positive comments about it so our thanks to those who’ve expressed their appreciation. The next edition is due in July. We’ve also joined forces with the Village Hall committee to develop a combined website – without a permanent clerk, unfortunately our content has fallen behind but a full update will be a priority when the new clerk starts properly in June. Of course, agendas and minutes continue to be published on the village notice boards and there is a monthly write up of our meetings in SPAN.
It’s been another very busy year for the Parish Council and – for a small council of 5 volunteers – we do have to punch above our weight in addressing the strategic issues on our doorstep. Amongst these, as you know, are the incinerator at Javelin Park and the Standish House development. I reported to last year’s Parish Meeting about the Community Liaison Group with Urbaser Balfour Beatty, the Javelin Park contractors, that Robert and I serve on and the independent and off-site air quality monitoring that we were then hoping that UBB would fund. This has now been definitely agreed and the monitoring will start after the build has finished in 2019 - 5 months before the incinerator comes into operation to give a baseline and continuing for 3 years thereafter. This is a major breakthrough which was initiated by your Parish Council – independent monitoring is rare in the UK and this arrangement is unique in that the contractor has voluntarily agreed to fund it, at a cost of about £17,000, and the District Council has agreed to undertake the monitoring work at cost. The results will be publicly available. Following this, the Parish Council, through the Community Liaison Group, was successful in negotiating a payment of about £4500 for tree screening in the village on three sites where views would be particularly affected. More recently, we have learnt about the proposal to run a power cable from Javelin Park to the electricity substation at Ryeford. Western Power Distribution declined our invitation to discuss the route with the Parish Council but was persuaded to come to the Community Liaison Group where there was robust discussion. There are ongoing delays in making the final decision and we aren’t party to the reasons for this. We have asked for a route from the back of the Javelin Park site, running alongside the motorway to Grove Lane, to be considered and the Community Liaison Group is pressing for a full response on this. But the likelihood seems to be a route straight down the B4008 and then weaving its way round the back of Stonehouse rather than down the High Street. Work is expected to be undertaken in the forthcoming school summer holidays
We will have an update shortly about developments at Standish House. From the Parish Council, Sue Oppenheimer and I have continued to attend regular meetings of the Standish House Partnership Board, where we have been able to make representations about the development. For instance, our concerns about the three houses in the original plans fronting onto Horsemarling Lane were listened to and they have now been removed from the plans. We have also had a site meeting with PJ Livesey, Gloucestershire Highways and Stroud District Council to discuss ways of making Horsemarling Lane safer for non-motorised users, and it’s likely that, in addition to quiet lane signs and white gates as on the B4008, there will be a 3-metre wide path along the lane demarcated by coloured tarmac and possibly a rumble strip. There will be a similar path along the lane leading up to Standish House.
The other major project for us has been the Safe and Sustainable Travel in Standish Feasibility Study, and Sue Oppenheimer will be reporting on this later in the meeting.
At last week’s Parish Council meeting, we received a presentation on the very successful Rural Sustainable Drainage Project that has been implemented in the Slad Valley to reduce the risk of flooding downstream, particularly at the bottom of Stroud in Slad Road, and this is something that we are hoping to develop here, and which will benefit our residents whose houses have been flooded in the recent past. We’ll be reporting further as we make progress on this.
News in brief
Footpath walks – We’ve now completed four bi-monthly footpath walks in the Parish. We’re enjoying the countryside and doing a bit of judicious cutting and tidying around stiles and gates. We have a core group of loyal supporters of all ages. Our maximum attendance has been 17, amongst whom everyone enjoyed the company of my baby grandson, Jack. Our next walk will be scheduled in July.
Planning applications - As usual, we’ve considered and commented on a number of planning applications, including Ecotricity’s plans for the Ecopark near Junction 13, which we have objected to on the grounds that it is not included in the Local Plan and will seriously impact on traffic volumes on the A419 and B4008.
War memorial – before leaving the Parish Council, Graham Stevens had made some enquiries about how best to renovate the memorial and is continuing to work on this on behalf of the council – making an application to the War Memorials Trust for a grant towards the much-needed restoration work, which will probably take the form of a brass plaque listing the names of those who died in the two World Wars.
Neighbourhood Development Plan - This has been discussed before at Parish Meetings and we really need some volunteers from the village if we are to go ahead with what would be a major piece of work. If we could achieve it, a Plan would give us more of a say over planning and developments in the Parish, provide some protection from unwanted developments and help us qualify for certain grants. So please let us know if you are interested in finding out more about this – without commitment at this stage.
Village Green - The grass is growing and we’ve learnt that our previous local contractor has moved away - so we’re currently seeking quotes to undertake this work.
And finally from me:
There is a bench belonging to the Parish Council at the top of Oxlynch Lane and Stan tells us that no one ever sits on it. So we are considering relocating it. The question is, where to? The village green is one possibility but if you have other ideas about locations where people might like to sit and rest, please let any of us know.
4. Broadband report
Cllr Kellie gave a brief report on the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Fastershire project for faster broadband. He explained that there are three projects with a target of 100% for completion by 2020. Standish is in Phase 2 which has just started. He will continue to exert pressure on Fastershire to ensure effective delivery of the project in the Parish.
5. Standish House – presentation by R Lawrence, BBaylissand F Wright (P J Livesey) with K Russell (Stroud District Council) in attendance
A presentation was given by representatives from P J Livesey on the Standish House development. They explained that they had amended their plans based on the consultations they had held and the planning application was to be submitted on the 19th May 2017. They had tried to retain as many of the key buildings and original features as possible and tried to design to reflect this. The large trees and open space had been retained and a bat house would be built as mitigation for the loss of a natural roost site. The site has been treated as a rural site and outside lighting is the same as now. There was a public question and answer sessionon the detail of the plans¸ affordable housing availability, community facilities, mitigation impact funding availability¸ traffic calming¸ and the environmental efficiency of the buildings. The site includes Westridge (17 properties) and contains 81 newbuilds. There are reduced plots around key trees and more open space. There is no community facility. There is no affordable housing. Discussions will take place on viability of S106 mitigation funds with Stroud District Council. Solar panels not efficient due to tree canopy coverage but buildings designed for energy efficiency.Quiet ways have been designed as part of traffic calming. Concerns were raised on the lack of affordable housing, no community facilities, the impact on local health and education services with no mitigation offer, and the increase in traffic in the area.
The Chair thanked P J Livesey and Stroud District Council for the presentation and attending the meeting. She asked the public to let parish councillors know of any issues they wished to be raised atthe next Partnership Board meeting.
6. Safe and Sustainable Travel in Standish – presentation from Cllr S Oppenheimer
As Chair of the Working Party on Safe and Sustainable Travel in Standish, it’s my task to make this presentation tonight. The Parish Council successfully obtained a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s fund to employ a consultant - Philip Cooke of the Destination Marketing Group - to undertake a feasibility study. The purpose of the study was to provide a costed programme of works to make the B4008 between Horsemarling Lane and Little Haresfield safer for all non-motorised users and to repair and improve selected multi-user off-road tracks and trails to provide better and safer access to the surrounding countryside.
I’m not going to go through the report from our consultant in detail. We only just received it a few days ago and the Parish Council has yet to discuss it and decide on how to go forward. However, many of you will have received the final version by email, there are a few paper copies here tonight and it will be on our website shortly.
The final report has taken account of the feedback received, and in particular our consultant has dropped much of the leisure proposals in the original consultation document, and all proposals for linking bridleways to the development West of Stonehouse.
In summary, there are 3 main proposals:
a) The first priority is to improve the B4008 and make it safer for non-motorised users. The report proposes to do this by:
- Introducing further traffic calming measures.
- Repairing and improving the existing pavement from Oxlynch to Little Haresfield, to include bollards for greater safety.
- Creating a new safe pavement on the East side of the road from Horsemarling roundabout to Oxlynch Lane.
The total estimated costs of these proposals is £280,000
b) The second priority in the report is to improve some of the existing multi-user rights of way within the AONB to the East of the B4008 up to the Cotswold Escarpment. The proposal is to improve way marking and repair gates, creating a well-marked Standish Loop, and idea supported by The Cotswold Conservation Board who run the AONB.
In addition the report recommends producing information - possibly a phone app - to highlight the history of the Parish.
The total estimated cost of these is £22,000
c) The third priority in the report is to provide a safe off-road alternative route for walkers, horse riders and cyclists to the West side of the B4008, by creating a side of road path from Horsemarling Roundabout to the Black Bridge at Crowcumpill, and then repairing the existing bridleway from Black Bridge to Standish Lane, next to Standish Court. This would entail replacing like with like, repairing hard surfaces where they exist and soft surfaces where they exist, improving gates and signage throughout, with the aim of protecting farmland. It would also include measures to prevent motorised vehicles, such as motorbikes, using the paths. This would also provide connectivity between the paths to the East and West of the B4008, providing a relatively safe crossing point at the Horsemarling roundabout.
The total estimated cost of these proposals is £96,000
Our consultant, Philip Cooke, has done an excellent and thorough job, including liaising with all the relevant statutory partners and getting their advice and their support for the proposals.
There has already been wide community consultation about this project. We sent a brochure to every household in Standish; we have had several presentations at Parish Council meetings open to all; we have received emails and verbal feedback from an estimated 50 people; and we have received a petition signed by 36 people. Nearly everyone is in favour of improvements to the B4008, including proposed side-of-road pavements, but there has been a mixed response to other proposals, with as many people strongly in favour as there are those strongly against. As a result the Working Party will be recommending to the Parish Council that it carries out a further fair and unbiased consultation before deciding on next steps
Before I go on I would just like to clarify that, as Parish Councillors, we are all volunteers. We put in many voluntary hours each week, aiming to meet the best interests of Standish and its residents. There is no sub agenda or financial benefit. We are not the enemy. We are doing our best for our community
So who would pay for the proposed works? All the work so far, apart from £100 for printing of the brochure sent to every household, has come from a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner. That grant pot was specifically for this type of project and we could not have accessed it for other things. In relation to future costs, we won’t fund any proposals from the Standish precept. Money would mostly come from pots of funding only available for this kind of project that would not be available for other things in Standish.
We have been informed by the County Council and other partners that having project-ready proposals means that we can take advantage of windfalls within budgets - it might be several years before that happens, but when it does we can be ready to get in there and get aspects of our project delivered. Without the feasibility work, that would not have been possible. And we can also put in further grant applications to a variety of bodies
Personally I think there are many benefits from these proposals for Standish residents.
We know for a fact that the traffic and lack of safety on the B4008 is a major concern for virtually all residents. For instance, it stops many of you (those who aren’t as mad as me) from attempting to cycle - if cycling were safer, many people have told us that they would cycle more.
National figures show that about 1 in 4 adults walk for recreational purposes, 15% cycle once a month and 6.6% of the population rides horses. Now Standish might be slightly different - we definitely have more horse riders and probably less cyclists. But overall the national figures aren’t a bad indicator and walking will be the most significant leisure activity undertaken by our residents. So improving the safety and access to our paths and trails will meet the needs of a large number of residents.
Standish is a farming area, with around 13 or 14 working farms, and we all take pride in this fact. The challenge is therefore to ensure that the needs of farmers and of other users of the countryside are both met.
I thought it might be helpful to read a quote from Prince Charles on this issue:
“Farmers are in a very real sense the custodians of rural land and of our much-loved landscapes. Many other groups have a variety of interests in what happens in the countryside, and that is a good thing. It is important that our countryside remains a living, breathing place for everyone to enjoy.It is as important that those who live in urban areas have countryside to visit, as it is that farmers can continue to live and work on their land.''