Stow Youth Centre, Fosseway, Stow-on-the-Wold
Gloucestershire GL54 1DW
tel. 01451 832 585
MinutesCouncil Meeting
held on Thursday 12 March 2015at 7:15pm
Present
Cllr. Simon ClarkeCllr. Ben Eddolls
Cllr. Tom Edwards
Cllr. Roger George
Cllr. Sue Green
Cllr. Colin Smalley
Cllr. Alun White / (SC)
(BE)
(RG)
(SG)
(MM)
(CS)
(AW) Chair / C. Cllr. Nigel Moor
J. Turner (Stow Times)
V Mason (Cotswold Journal)
11 x public(5 from Spring Gardens)
Police
Caroline Doran - Town Clerk
Apologies
Were received and accepted fromCllr. Robin Jones, Mike Curtis, Mike Moseley.
Code of Conduct and Declarations of Interest None
Formal Announcements from the Chair None
Public Participation No comments were made at this stage
Minutes of Last Meeting
Correction:Stow has one snow plough operator; the other just does the road to the school.
The minutes of the Council Meeting held on 12 February 2015 with the correction were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
Proposed – BE Seconded - SC, all in favour
Matters Arising
TE, who was unable to attend the last meeting, questioned the use of email to summon councillors to meetings and the decision to spend £600 to pay the Post Office to deliver information on the neighbourhood plan and election. He thought Stow Times could do it cheaper and CDC should publicise the election.
15.12 Spring Gardens – road leading to the cemetery
Glos Highways Department will take over the maintenance of the road if it is brought up to adoptable standard, this will cost £7565.87. The road belongs to Bromford Housing and is their responsibility. The town council have no legal responsibility but accept that the most of the traffic use it to access the cemetery and the allotments. The terms of the residents’ deeds require them to pay a fair share of the costs. Only one house is owned by Bromford.
Resolved. In recognition of the heavy public use of the road the town council will pay a voluntary contribution, with no implied commitment to any other path/road or footway in the town, equal to half of the residents’ costs up to a maximum of £3,300. Clerk is to contact Bromford to ask them to increase their contribution.
Proposed SG. Seconded SC, All in favour (Highways Act 1980 s 30)
RG commented that under the Highways Act the payments could be spread over 30 years.
C Turner mentioned that if the road was adopted then yellow lines could be a possibility in the future.
15.13 Reports
Report from the Police
a)The police were unhappy that Stow Times had published material complaining about the police not manning the traffic lights during the recent road works (they were at the time dealing with a crime). Comments made were inflammatory and untrue and the police would have appreciated being consulted before the comments had been published. The police are concerned with road safety, the Highways Dept. deals with road work issues.
b)Crime during February was up from 7 to 9 from the same period last year. The police were not greatly concerned as the crimes were almost certainly carried by people from outside the area (Cheltenham race week)
Speed: The police were asked to carry out speed checks on Back Walls.
Speeding on the Oddington Road around 6am and between 6 – 7pm was again reported.
The police responded that they had finite resources ‘why was Stow different’. This was answered ‘because Stow has more traffic than any other place outside of Cheltenham and Gloucester’.
Straw:Straw on the road was reported, having an insecure load is an offence.
Government didn’t consider it sufficiently important issue.
Graffiti: Police were made aware that the council will be spraying anti dog fouling messages on the pavements w/c 16th March. The paint is chalk based/biodegradabe and will wash off.
Report from County Councillor Nigel Moor
a)NM will be attending the Traffic and Parking Committee meeting on 17th March
b)The GCC budget has been amended to include an increases the highways budget, cycling schemes, rural transport, free Wifi to libraries and giving a living wage to employees.
c)Summer Childrens Activities will take place during August in Stow. It was suggested that the school and the rugby club were possible locations. A marquee on the playing field and cricket club were also suggested.
d)Library / VIC. The concerns of the hall trustees are being addressed, namely; possible loss of income from hall hirers, increased maintenance costs in the lobby and concern about locking up.
e)Traveller site near Bourton. CDC officers refused the application but allowed an amendment for the site to run for 3 years. This is likely to go to appeal as the cost of setting up the site/fulfilling conditions cannot be justified over a short period. NM will be objecting and stated that landscaping/hiding the site does not protect the intrinsic quality of the AONB.
Report form Stow Youth Club
a)Numbers of children attending are increasing.
b)Youth Club relocation : CDC planners have been asked to advise on the suitability of a development on King Georges Field.Manufacturers/designers of pavilions are being approached.
15.14 February accounts
TE asked why the revised budget was adopted as the figures now show anunderspend. SG replied that the figures were based on funding requests from the committees that hadn’t yet been realised.
Resolved: Accounts for January were approved. Proposed SG, Seconded CS 6 in favour 1 abstain
15.14 Chaplin’s Circus on the QU2 Field
Resolved: To welcome the circus provided: The dates do not clash with the horse fair.A fee (to be based on Moretons £300/day rate) is agreed, There are proper arrangements for parking, hour, signs. Neighbours are to be consulted.
Proposed AW, Seconded BE All in favour
15.15 Spending Requests
a)Stow Festival:
Resolved: To donate £2000 towards the costs of the festival
Proposed AW, Seconded BE All in favour (LGA1972 s144)
b)King Georges Field
Resolved: To approve £80 to clear tree cuttings
Proposed AW, Seconded BE All in favour (Open Spaces Act 1906 s 10)
c)Anti Dog Fouling Campaign
Resolved: To approve ut to £150 for stencils and biodegradable paint
Proposed AW, Seconded CS All in favour (Open Spaces Act 1906 s 10)
15.16 Coop Investments
The clerk reported having difficult reinvesting the Coop money as the banks and building societies are not geared up to accept money from councils. Committee rejected a suggestion of a local authority property scheme as they were concerned about the security of the money.Investigations will continue.
Report from the Clerk
Elections: Stow Town Council has 11 seats that need to be filled.
Nomination papers are available from CDC website and the Town Council.
Completed nominations to be hand delivered to CDC between 23 March and4pm on 9 April.
b)Two swing seats have been replaced on King Georges playing field, £87.50
(Open Spaces Act 1906 s 10)
c)The Cricket Club have been paid a £2000 grant for improvements (LGA 1972 S137)
Report from Neighbourhood Plan Committee
a)In April a leaflet is to be sent to all residents inviting them to a ‘road show’ event to give the finding of the public consultation.
b)Martin Davison, an independent advisor,will be helping with the next stage of the process.
Nigel Moor commented that the Planning Minister in parliament said that in situations where an local plan had not been adopted then an adopted Neighbourhood Plan would carry a great deal of weight.
Report from Planning Committee
a)A list of consultation that had been considered was attached to the agenda.
CDC will be viewing the doctors surgery/Nutbourne site on 1st April. There is a dispute regarding the number of houses being proposed.
b)Bovis have a new representative and would like to meet the Neighbourhood Plan team. It was suggested that we should liaise with all developers.
c)AW will be attending the Bretton House appeal to object to the proposals.(30 March).
15.17 Policies - Grant Awarding Policy / Expenses / Complaints
This item was deferred to another meeting.
15.18 Committee Terms of Reference (Financial Regulations and Standing Orders)
Resolved: The existing Terms of References are to be adopted following insertion of the words ‘Committees have delegated powers to spend as detailed in the Financial Regulations’
Proposed AW, Seconded SG 6 in favour 1 abstain
Resolved: Amend wording regarding summons by email and/or postin the Standing Orders, to be agreed by TE and clerk, to be adopted.
Proposed AW, Seconded SG 6 in favour 1 abstain
Any Other Business
TescosRecyling Area: A member of the public complained about the state of the site. Councillors agreed. The clerk has been liaising with Tescos and extra collections have been arranged. The subject is on the Traffic and Parking Agenda (17th March).
Correspondenceand minutes – Were made available for inspection
The meeting closed at 8.40pm
Date of next Council meeting: Thursday 30 April 2015at 7.15pm
Signed …………………………………… Date ………………………………………
Councillor Alun White
Chairman of the Council
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