South Littleton Parish Council

South Littleton Parish Council

Minutes of the Council meeting held at 7-30pm on

Thursday 17th November 2016

Present- Councillors:- Matthew Shaw Vice Chairman

Paul Spain

Louise Bucknall

Paul Bindley

Cllr. Steve Langley

Cllr. Roger Jones

Cllr. Debbie Jones

Richard Lasota

In Attendance10 members of the public

County. Cllr. Alastair Adams (8-10 pm)

Clerk - Chris Size

Apologies:-Cllr. Richard Herborn Chairman

Guest:-

Robin Mace, Wychavon D C Youth Bus & Outreach Officer

gave an update on the youth bus activities and how Parish Councils can help in the future

Guest:-

Police PCSO Elliot Wilson gave a report on the latest criminal Statistics and what action the Police were taking to prevent crime and speeding in the Parish

Apologies:-

11/16/01 / Apologies received from Cllr. R Herborn which was accepted. / Clerk

Declaration of Interest

11/16/02
11/16/03
11/16/04 / There were no new declarations of interest
Schedule of declarations available on request from Clerk
There were no applications for dispensation / Clerk
Clerk
Clerk

Minutes of Previous Meeting

11/16/05 / Acceptance of the minutes of the meeting held on the 20th October 2016 were proposed by Cllr. P Spain and seconded by Cllr. P Bindley They were approved. / Clerk

County Councillor Report

11/16/06 / County Councillor Report- South Littleton
Month: November 2016
Prepared by Alastair Adams
L Littletons Division, Worcestershire County Council
New Offenham Rd/Elm Road roundabout in Evesham – Works are progressing well in building this new roundabout which once finished will reduce congestion at this junction. Apologises for any inconvenience whilst the traffic lights are in situ.
Highway issues:-

HGV’s and the Advisory Lorry Routes - The new Worcestershire lorry route signs guiding all lorries from Evesham to follow the Advisory Lorry Routes have now been erected. They include specific mention of Kanes, Unipart and Honeybourne Industrial parks.
Footpath closure - Notice is given of the closure of Footpath NM-534, North & Middle Littleton for its entire length in order to facilitate the installation of a portable water main from 1st December for 11 days approximately.
White lines on roads have been repainted around the area

As always, if you have any issues on any Highways matters, please report it on the WCC website Also remember a photo of the Highways problem is as good as “a thousand words” so always take a photo where possible.
School Bus – South Meadows
The south meadows estate is less than 2 miles from the school so any pupil living on the estate would not be eligible for school transport as the statutory distance for eligibility is over 3 miles and as this is the case WCC do not provide transport from this location. The 3 mile rule is from the home address to the school via the shortest walking route.
Blackminster School
The WCC are working with the Governors and Head Teacher at Blackminster to devise a new plan for the school now some of the feeder schools have chosen to add a sixth year.
Sidor Meats in Blackminster
I received a complaint from a resident about the smoke from this polish sausage manufacturer drifting across his garden. I have reported it as a nuisance to the WRS. Also Planning Enforcement is involved as a planning application is needed for a new extractor/flue
O&S review on Planning Enforcement
A 77 page Review on WDC Planning Enforcement has been published listing 12 recommendations to give the residents of Wychavon a better service. A copy of the report can be found under “Scrutiny Reports” on
I have asked all Parish Councils to write and support these recommendations.
Satellite Broadband
For residents who live outside the village boundary and are still suffering from poor Broadband, the County Council has launched a Satellite Broadband scheme (worth up to £400) which pays for the installation at your premises. See the web page below for more information;

Rural Cinema
A date for your diary, on Saturday 21st January 2017 at Pebworth village Hall, there will be a Rural Cinema. The film has yet to be announced, but if you want tickets, please contact me. If you are looking at Rural Cinema for your village, then I may be able to help – contact me.
Divisional Funds.
Two requests this month for grants from the fund:

Honeybees WI have put in a request for some new tables.
Pebworth in Bloom have put in a request to refurbish the old telephone box to use it to store the village defibrillator
Cleeve prior Heritage Centre have requested a contribution to the new toilets.

Please remind all community organisations in your village that I have a Divisional Fund which can give small grants (normally up to £500) to help with purchasing new equipment or services that will help their organisation flourish.
Businesses booming
And finally following the news that Worcestershire is the 3rd fastest growing economy in the UK, there has been a lot of good news stories from local businesses in the last month.
For example, I attended a very interesting presentation by the MD of Evesham Vale Growers (EVG) who have invested £25m in the state of the art tomato growing facility which is a model of sustainability. They harvest rainwater to grow tomatoes in hydroponic systems in a huge greenhouse. The waste from both the growing and packing operations powers an anaerobic digester (AD) that in turn produces digestate and biogas. Carbon dioxide and heat are also generated by the AD, both of which are utilised in the greenhouse growing operation. The carbon dioxide makes the tomatoes grow bigger, and the heat and special LED lights means tomatoes can be grown all year round. The biogas is sold into the national grid, and digestate is spread on their crops rather than having to use expensive chemical fertilisers. Any vegetable and salad waste with little calorific value for the ADs is fed to their 350 head of Aberdeen Angus beef cattle, which then produce manure that is a good feedstuff for the digester. A complete circle of sustainable horticulture, but the best part of this process is the vision that sees a great future for growing tomatoes in the Vale of Evesham as currently we import 85% to 95% of all tomatoes sold in the UK. With this new process, tomatoes can be grown here all year round, and so the future looks bright! EVG already produce 240 tonnes of tomatoes per week and supply many of our UK Supermarkets including Sainsbury, Co-Op and Morrison’s. Well done EVG, and we look forward to when Evesham tomatoes are as well known nationally as Evesham Asparagus!
If you have any good news local stories then let me know, as I am a great believer that good news needs publicity.
Your District & County Councillor, Alastair Adams can be contacted on or
mobile 07725 979 277

District Councillor Report

11/16/07
11/16/08
11/16/09 / D. Cllr R Lasota reported that Kane Foods (the largest employer in Worcestershire) had 4 pending planning applications to improve and increase their factory and how this might affect South Littleton with amongst other things the increase in traffic especially during employees shift changes and the increase in HGV‘s. He suggested that the Parish should fight some of the conditions that might be imposed on the applications.
Cllr Lasota reported that the land on South Meadow was owned by Ministry of Justice and Chevin Homes (less land owned by the Parish). Garage Blocks – garages owned by private owners but the walls and land around the garages owned by Ministry of Justice.
New Governor at the Prison to commence work during 24th -28th period

Finance

11/16/10
11/16/11
11/16/12
11/16/13
11/16/14
11/16/15
11/16/16 / Cllr. S Langley proposed and Cllr. P. Bindley seconded that payments for November 2016 of £4,259.49 (schedule provided) and receipts of £163.35 (allotment rent) be accepted
The Proposal was agreed
Clerk reported that having consulted with the local Lloyds Bank manager the Long Lartin Residents bank account that has been given to the Parish Council with the covenant that the funds be used only towards the cost of a children’s play ground on the Long Lartin Estate that only the original bank account signatories had the power to move the funds from their account to the Parish council’s account.
Clerk had established that only one signatory was still alive and that he must action any movement.
Cllr P Spain to contact the signatory and ask him to sign a letter informing the bank of their wishes and explaining that 2 of the signatories on the account were now deceased.
Precept 2017/2018
Clerk reported that he had been informed that the deadline for submitting the Parish precept had been extended to the end of January 2017 which meant that the Parish Council didn’t have to meet until early January.
The Chairman had sent a message asking that all councillors consider what they might require in the next financial year. / Clerk
Cllr Spain
All

Clerk’s Update plus correspondence received including:-

Report on Urgent Decisions since last meeting

11/16/17
11/16/18
11/16/19
11/16/20
11/16/21
11/16/22
11/16/23 / All items brought to the attention of councillors including correspondence from:-

Chevin Homes re South Meadow estate see under Planning
Cllr Herborn highlighting need to move on with Street Lights and the Precept
Resident re the withdrawal of access to a field in the Parish by the owner
Payphone apologising for the delay in removing the BT phone box on Main Street
Resident requesting parking for a Play Bus

Urgent decisions made by Clerk
None to report / Clerk
Clerk
Cllr D Jones

Litter Pick

11/16/24 / Cllr P Spain reported that he had spent 2 days clearing as much litter as possible and that an organised ‘litter pick’ was not required at this time

Cllrs R & D Jones left the meeting due to a prior appointment

Bus Service between South Meadow & Blackminster School

11/16/25
11/16/26
11/16/27 / C. Cllr A Adams had reported that he had raised the issue with Worcestershire County Council education who had stated that children must be 3 miles or more from their school for them to receive free bus travel.
Clerk raised the idea that the cost of the service was not an issue and in fact it was that no buses travelled to the school and that maybe a scheduled bus service could divert their route and visit the school in the morning and evening.
Cllr Spain to provide C Cllr Adams with the times of the scheduled normal bus service / Clerk
Cllr Spain

South Meadow Report

11/16/28
11/16/29
11/16/30
11/16/30
11/16/31
11/16/32
11/16/33
11/16/34
11/16/35
11/16/36 / Representatives from the new owners, Chevin Homes, had been invited to the Parish meeting but had declined at the last moment suggesting that they would visit sometime in the future and outlining possible future development areas on the estate
Councillors reported that the grass mowing for the season had ended and that the clearing of the brook had commenced.
Old papers had been discovered that showed that some of the footpaths and other areas were the responsibility of residents. Further information stressed that garage owners only owned the actual garage not the area in front.
Both lots of information were contrary to information already on file.
Agreed that further information must be investigated to finally find the true position
Cllr Spain reported that the bus company (Pullman’s) who ferried children to Chipping Campden school were dropping off children onto resident’s gardens.
Cllr Spain to provide details to Clerk. Clerk to contact
Cllr Spain had obtained some ‘old’ papers which stated that the garage areas were the responsibility of the owners of the garages and a such they would be responsible for any work required on any work on walls or drains also adjacent residents would be responsible for the non-adopted paths
Clerk provided information that a local neighbouring Parish Council had used Wicksteed to provide a small playground at a cost of £40k.
Clerk reported that having spoken to Lloyds Bank re the account for Long Lartin residents, the residents were the only people who could action any transfers of funds. As only one signatory was still alive he was to be contacted to see if he would visit Lloyds and complete paperwork that would transfer any funds for the use of purchasing new playground equipment. / Clerk
Cllr Spain
Clerk
Clerk

Updates:- Working Groups – Chairman’s reports/updates

11/16/37
11/16/38
11/16/39
11/16/40
11/16/41
11/16/42
11/16/43
11/16/44
11/16/45
11/16/46
11/16/47
11/16/48
11/16/49
11/16/50
11/16/51
11/16/52
11/16/53
11/16/54
11/16/55
11/16/56
11/16/57
11/16/58
11/16/59
11/16/60
11/16/61
11/16/62
11/16/63
11/16/64
11/16/65
11/16/66
11/16/67
11/16/68
11/16/69
11/16/70
11/16/71
11/16/72
11/16/73
11/16/74
11/16/75
11/16/76
11/16/77
11/16/78
11/16/79
11/16/80
11/16/81
11/16/82
11/16/83
11/16/84
11/16/85
11/16/86
11/16/87 / Open Spaces
Cllr Bindley reported that The environment agency had commenced clearing the brook.
There was a query raised that one section of the brook near the sports ground was not on the job schedule.
Clerk to pass contact information to Cllr Bindley who volunteered to investigate.
Cllr M Shaw requested that the item ‘Christmas lights’ be taken off the agenda until he had discussed at the 2017/2018 precept meeting
Police were concerned with the unauthorised ‘parking’ on the Bowling Club car park and asked that as the owners of the land that the Parish write to these individuals. Parish to consider.
Village Planters
Cllr S Langley reported that the 4 planters had been filled with new fertiliser and winter flowers
Defibrillators
Cllr S Langley reported that the defibrillator by the village shop had been used and was currently ‘out of action’ (now 2 weeks) whilst he awaited new ‘pads’ from the supplier.
He and other councillors were concerned that this was the case.
The actual machine was left at Worcester hospital and Cllr Langley had to collect.
Cllr Langley to investigate why spare pads were not offered when the machines were purchased
Play Area Insurance
Better photographs continued to be awaited.
Clerk stated that the claim was probably ‘timed out’
Lengthsman- agreed to carry forward
Traffic Group
Cllr Spain reported that HGV’s continued to break the weight restrictions law travelling down Shinehill Lane and Blacksmiths Lane. Despite the weekly presence of Highways Enforcement cameras. He had been in contact with Unipart. Worcestershire C. C. had erected new signage at the junction of Birmingham /Bretforton Road advising HGV traffic en-route to follow the designated route.
Cllr Spain also reported that despite speaking to the instructor the motor cycle training school continued to use roads on the estate for their training sometimes travelling above the speed limit.Cllr. Spain requested that the Parish Council write to the instructor asking him to cease using the area.
Clerk stated that he thought that the Parish did not have the power to do anything but that he would check with the local police.
Clerk asked C Cllr Adams to investigate the possibility of reducing the speed limit on Shinehill Lane from the prison past the estate to the 30 mph section.
Cllr Spain asked if he could use a life size ‘cut out’ of an official and palace it adjacent to the road.
C Cllr Adams not sure if a good idea although PCSO Wilson raised no objection.
Allotments
Clerk reported that all plot holders, bar one, had paid their rent. Last plot holder to be contacted and their lease withdrawn.
There was one person on the waiting list who would be contacted later.
PACT & Youth
These items taken earlier on the agenda after County Councillor Adam’s report and before Cllrs R & D Jones left the meeting
PACT – report from Cllr D Jones:-
Cllr R Jones and I attended the PACT meeting last night. Itwas quite a brief meeting as not much has occurred since the last one we attended.
We fed back to PC Lee the issues of anti social behaviour on the rec – specifically the vehicles congregating there causing nuisance to residents as highlighted by a member of the public at the last Council meeting. We also informed PC Lee of the young people who climbed on the roof of the Scout Hut when the public consultation was on. PC Lee said that they try to park up by the Scout Hut periodically and he hoped that the issues had reduced since these were raised. He said that he has reports of antisocial behaviour passed to him from local residents but nothing has been raised recently.
The Police has seen a big reduction in crime in our area, serious crimes are virtually non existent in the area at present and there have been no reported burglaries either. I added to this that there has been a spike in burglaries just over the boarder in Gloucestershire recently.
PC Lee is still covering our area as PC De Paris is still on light duties. PC Lee has therefore been extended in his role until the new year. Elliot and Bradley the CSO’s for our area are out and about regularly.
Next meeting arranged for 16th January 2017.
Youth: Report from Cllr D Jones:-
I have attached the latest Youth Bus newsletter to this email for your reference. Hopefully Robin from the Youth Bus will be attending the meeting to give us an update on their work.
Robin Mace had stated that the Youth team would guarantee 6 visits to South Meadow during 2017 but would like to work more closely with the Parish and hopefully the Parish could consider funding further visits.
Cllr Jones to consider adding to 2017/18 precept request
Robin raised his concern over the question of where the bus could park on South Meadow especially when the new development commenced.
Cllr Lasota raised concern that the dates of the bus visits did not clash with other activities provided for the children/youths
Web Site
Cllr M Shaw reported that he was in contact with our current supplier Vision ICT, who was working on a revised site but was disappointed as to the speed in which they react.
Cllr Shaw to contact the boss of the organisation on Wednesday 23rd November if no response by this time.
Littleton Link
Cllr Shaw reported that the article re the update of Parish matters and the photograph of Cllr Bindley presenting Queens Birthday medals to pupils of Littleton School missed the printing deadline.
They will appear in the next edition
Cllr Lasota left the meeting 9-20pm
Social Events
Cllr P Spain reported that Christmas event due to be held on Saturday December 17th at 5-00pm was on course
Two Christmas trees had been ordered.
Ex-councillor Jan Sherriff to be contacted re Christmas lights and carol song sheets
Clerk confirmed that the light contractor had been put on notice re ‘dressing’ the 2 Christmas trees.
Agreed that 3 additional banners advertising the Christmas event be purchased at approximate cost of £60 each
Social events in 2017 to be discussed at the next meeting
Cllr Spain reported that the sponsored charity walk discussed at the October meeting was a great success with approximately 100 walkers with dogs taking part.
Street Lights
Agreed that the Parish council would take responsibility for the new lights to be erected on the new estate ‘Forest Lodge’
Parish to insist that the lights are solar power1ed
Agreed that approximately 100% of residents approved the work the Parish wished to carry out renewing street lights in the Parish Residents consultation Evening
Working group can now meet and confirm the action to be taken.
Meeting to be held on 28th November subject to Cllr Herborn being available.
Clerk to arrange for 3 street lights to be repaired.
Lighting contractor had provided a schedule of his new costs the service charge had been increase by 8 – 10%
Agreed that the Parish would continue to use P D Long to repair their lights.
General
Residents consultation Evening
The event ran for 3 hours from 5-00pm. 35 residents visited. and 77 residents responded to the survey on the Parish Web Site (3 or 4 were NIMBY’s)
As above 100% of residents were in favour of the work the Parish wished t carry out re new street lights
All residents wanted a play area on the estate one family didn’t want it next to their house
New Home Bonus
Nothing new to report
Banner Frames
Cllr Spain reported that a local society had been allowed to use the banners to advertise their charity event / Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Cllr Langley
Cllr Herborn
Cllr Spain
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Cllr D Jones
Cllr M Shaw
Cllr M Shaw
Cllr Spain
Clerk
Clerk
Cllr Spain
Cllr Spain
Clerk
Clerk
Group
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk
Clerk

Planning and Urgent planning matters since production of agenda