SHERSTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SHERSTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 13thNOVEMBER 2008 AT 7.30PM, IN SHERSTON VILLAGE HALL.

PRESENT

ChairmanMr J Matthews (JM)

Vice-ChairmanMr M Rea (MR)

CouncillorsMrs C Browett (CB) Mr T Weedon (TW)

Mr G Martin (GCM)Mrs M Jolliffe (MJ) Mr D Hibbard (DH) Mr P Cutcher (PC)

Mr J Hillier (JH)

District Councillor Mr J Thomson (JT)

There wasone member of the public present.

Item
1113 Declaration of Conflict of Interest
No declarations made.

1114 Apologies

Councillors Mr G Morris, Mrs C Liddington, Mr T Moody and Mr L Price. Mr Moody was unable to attend due to a health matter and the Parish Council wished him a speedy recovery.

1115Public Questions

No questions at this point.

1116Approval of Minutes of last meeting.
Minutes were approved for proposal by TW and seconded by MJ.
1117 Correspondence
1117.1 - Mr and Mrs Poole sent a letter to the Parish Council requesting the removal of a cherry tree that is near the footpath at the back of the Tartars. The tree is overhanging their garden and blocks their view.The tree is overgrown and in an impoverished condition. The Parish Council will ask Noel Banks to attend to the tree.
1117.2 - ROSPA have sent their annual playground inspection document. Certain items of play equipment needsto be repaired.Last week it was brought to the Parish Councils attention that the junior multi play equipment has been vandalised and was high risk to children.MR immediately secured the area and N Banks temporarily fixed it. Play dale are to visit the site next week to start repairs.
1117.3 - CPRE have sent information about the latest campaign to combat litter dropping. ‘Stop the Drop’ is a campaign headed by Bill Bryson and the document has all the information that Parish Council’s need to undertake litter picking events. MR to put into newsletter.
1117.4 – WCC Walk in the woods event, a Wiltshire Tree Warden Scheme. There is to be a ‘Walk in the woods event’ on Saturday the 15th November 9.45- 10.00 start.MR to send on the Footpath group.
1117.5 Communities and Local Government – Real people, real power. Codes of Conduct consultation. JM to read.
1117.6 – Miranda Gilmour has sent through an invitation to Malmesbury Area Board Pilot Phase. On the agenda will be ‘HGVs’ on local road and what should happen to the Burnham House site. The meeting is on Wednesday the 19th November 7.00pm. JH will go to the meeting.
1117.7 – Late correspondence
Malmesbury and the Villages Community Area Partnership have sent a survey that they would like as many residents of the village as possible to complete. MR was going to distribute it by e mail to various groups in Sherston but thinks NWDC should have compiled it like the Housing needs survey, and given pre-paid envelopes with every survey sent to each house. JM asked JT if NWDC wanted the Parish Council to print and distribute the surveys to every household.JT explained the importance of a Community plan and how it will play a big part in the future. JT offered to get copies printed at NWDC so that they can be distributed in the Post Office and Doctors.
ACTIONS
SW to write to Mr and Mrs Poole and inform N Banks of tree situation.
JM to read ‘Codes of Conduct ‘ document
JH to attend Malmesbury Area 1 meeting

1118 Finance

1118.1 The receipts, balances and accounts for payment were circulated.

The Accounts were proposed for approval by JH and seconded by MJ.
1118.2High Street Christmas Lights
The box of low energy pea lights arrived and was temporarily installed at the Tolsey by Noel Banks for any Councillor to have a look. Mr Banks thinks that they are suitable and the Councillors who did see them liked them. If Council are happy with the lights SW will order more. The lights will be be paid for using the Boules Festival Donation. Council all agreed to purchase more lights. Noel Banks has suggested 20 of the 10meter sets but must come with instructions on how to join them. SW to contact company.
1118.3Royal British Legion
The Parish Council received the poppy wreath for Remembrance Sunday Service from the British Legion.The cost of the poppy was £17.00 but this does not include any donation. SW suggested the Parish Council might like to add to that figure. DH proposed an extra £25 donation on top of the cost of the wreath; Council agreed.
1118.6 2009 Precept- Information regarding the new procedure for applying for precepts has been sent. GM has been given information. 2009 Precept will be on the agenda for next months meeting. SW to give GM the up to date accounts before next meeting.
1118.5 JM informed the Council that Mazars had signed off the 2007-2008 Accounts with no extra cost. The Mazars invoice will come before the next council meeting.
ACTIONS
SW to place order with Lighting company
1119Environment, Parish Lands and General Services Committee
1119.1The Old School
There has still been no formal response from the Diocese or their agent Chris Dawson.A round table meeting between the village, County and Diocese is to be organised. JT has agreed to arrange this meeting and his officers will contact Chris Dawson to set a date. It is also been suggested by Mark Honeybun at WCC that the Old School Committee should include the village hall field and the strip owned by the Diocese in the negotiations.This would wrap the future of the whole site into one deal. The valuation given by County for both field and strip was £75000.TW asked if Sherston Church had put any pressure on the Diocese about the situation, MR to speak to church wardens and the committee.
GM reminded the Council that the approval to borrow from the PLB expires on the 31st March.
1119.1The Sportsfield Wall
MR has spoken to Matt Neale regarding the severity of the wall situation. Mr Neale explained that he is unable to start until Christmas but he will then work between Christmas and New year to get as much of the wall completed; any remaining work will be done in the new year. MR has asked Mr Neal to come back with the plan in writing. The other solution is to employ a different contractor to finish the wall, however this would cost more money and is not the favourable option. The wall must be completed up to the agreed point by the end of the financial year.
There has been incidents of fly tipping at the sportsfield. SW has contacted the fly tippingdepartment. A litter bin is also needed for the area near the skateboard park. English Landscapes have carried out the extra work around the skateboard area (weeding and trimming).The hedge has also beencut back. MR to ask the scouts if they could remove the stones which lay around the skateboard area.
1119.2 The Recreation Ground
Last month MR applied for a grant from NWDC which was for a child and carer swing for the playground.He has since found out that unfortunately the quote did not cover the soft core material for the ground. Playforce who did the quote have offered to install at no extra charge material for the ground that would meet health and safety standards but would not last as long as other materials. MR suggested to go with this option and in a couple of years invest in a different ground material. The Council agreed with this suggestion as long as the ground material is approved by ROSPA.
MR received a phone call from ROSPA last week informing him that the junior multiplay equipment had been vandalised and was a high risk to users. A plank of wood had been removed from the bridge part of the multiplay, leaving a dangerous gap. Noel banks has since repaired it temporarily but needs Playdale to repair the whole piece of equipment as there are other parts that need attention.
MR has arranged for Playdale to come to the site next Tuesday to discuss repairs and contract.
There has been a steady increase of vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the village in recent months. JT suggested getting Malmesburys Youth Street Team to Sherston.
1119.3 New Bus Shelter
CL is working on a second grant application for a new bus shelter after the 1st one was stopped due to all funding being allocated. JT has since informed CL of another funding opportunity andthe application must be in by the beginning of December. SW has been given the application and will send it off by the closing date.
1119.4 Grove Wood
Waiting for fencing to be installed.
1119.5 Footpath Meeting
The next footpath meeting is to be on Wednesday the 19th November.

1120 Planning

1120.1 There are 3 applications that need to come before full Council as they are either new builds or major structural changes. JH reminded the Council that in the past planning site visits took place on Sunday mornings and maybe the committee should meet this Sunday to discuss the applications in question. PC happy to arrange this and maybe in the future more Sunday morning site visits should take place. The planning sub-committee is happy with this idea and will meet in the village hall this Sunday at 10am.
1121 Matters Arising
Chris Bowyer who is head of the Neighbourhood Watch group in Sherston would like to stand down and would like someone to take over. The role does not take much time and most of it is now done on e mail. Mr Bowyer will show the new person all the ropes. MR to put this in newsletter.
SW asked JT for a good contact at WCC as she is trying to track down the allotment lease between WCC and Sherston. JT suggested Mr Steven Gerrard or Ian Gibbons.
MJ informed the council that the caravan was still at the Luckington road site. JT has spoken to Mr. Brown about his matter. SW to e mail Mr. Brown also.
1122 Items for Press and Newsletter.
All previously discussed in meeting.
1123Time and Date of next meeting
The next Parish Council meeting will be on the 11thDecember in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.
1124Public Question Time
No questions
The meeting closed at 8.45pm.
Sarah Wood
Clerk to Sherston Parish Council

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