MINUTES OF
STANDISH PARISH COUNCIL
HELD ON THURSDAY, JULY13th, 2017 AT 7.00pm
AT STANDISH VILLAGE HALL
17/159: Present: CllrsS Hartley (Chair)¸ R. Kellie, S Dicker, J Knights, S Oppenheimer
In Attendance: 2 members of the public¸ County Cllr Williams¸ A Durn (Interim Clerk)
Absent: District Cllr T Skinner
17/160: Apologies: None
17/161:Declarations of interest: None
17/162:Chair’s announcements: All announcements are on the agenda.
17/163:To approve and sign the Minutes of the Council meeting held on June 8th, 2017 and the Extra Ordinary meeting on June 29th 2017 as a true and correct record:
June 8th – amend 17/137 to read ‘Standish Parish Council to contact the owner’ It was RESOLVED to accept the Minutes with the amendment as a true and correct record.
June 29th: It was RESOLVED to accept the Minutes as a true and correct record.
17/164:To note matters arising from the Minutes and not covered by agenda items, for information only: There had been no response from the Stroud District Council Conservative Leader on District Cllr Skinner’s attendance at Parish Council meetings. There had been no response from District Cllr Skinner on Standish House planning application request. The CPRE membership would be discussed at the September 2017 meeting.
17/165:To receive public questions, submissions, or statements: There was a detailed discussion on aspects of the Standish House planning application seeking clarification on the trees to be felled¸ bat conservation¸ traffic impact and calming measures.
17/166:To receive county and district councillors’ reports:There was no report from District Cllr Skinner.
County Cllr Lesley Williams gave the following report:
- Amey highways contract is due to terminate in 2019. Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) will be retendering the contract.
- Lengthsmen scheme – any areas for inclusion to be sent to Lesley
- Community payback people are available for maintenance works in the parish. Suggestions given were: overgrown path on B4008 from church to Little Haresfield
- Javelin Park cable – meeting with Stonehouse Town Council and GCC, 2 routes are being considered: High Street – surveys completed; back of Stonehouse to B4008 – waiting for surveys. If acceptable will present as an alternative. Requires easement from Stonehouse TC.
The Chair stated that no response had been received for the proposal of a route at the back of Javelin Park and along the M5 corridor. CLG have communicated with N Riglar, GCC, but no response received. County Cllr Williams was asked to put pressure on GCC Officers to respond. County Cllr Williams advised the Parish Council to write to GCC again.
- Stroud DC, B Wyatt, had looked into the Secretary of State ruling on Condition 21 and that the route chosen has to be approved by the Waste Planning Authority. Standish PC could write to GCC asking that approval should be made that is accountable and open.
- GCC Children Services had received a poor report. Action is being taken to improve services. Ofsted will review the improvement plan in September. There will be continual improvement reviews.
17/167: Finance report: a. Council Accounts 2016/17: i. To complete and sign Section 1 of the Annual Return – Annual Governance Statement ii. To approve the figures in Section 2 of the Annual Return – Accounting Statement iii. To note the Public Inspection period for the accounts runs from 14th July to 24th August 2017
The laptop had broken down again and therefore there had to be a manual completion of the return. Grant Thornton had rescheduled the submission date to 21st July 2017. It was RESOLVED to call an Extra Ordinary meeting on 20th July 2017 to sign off the Annual Return. It was RESOLVED to purchase a new laptop with a budget of £500 delegated to the Clerk with the Chair.
b. To agree to payment of invoices (as per attached schedule). The schedule and invoices were reviewed and the payments were agreed.
c. Grants: to discuss and agree to the awarding of voluntary grants.The application from Standish Parochial Church for a grant towards the maintenance and mowing of the church burial grounds was reviewed. It was RESOLVED toaward a grant of £900. It was suggested to review grass cutting for the parish in 2018 in partnership with Standish Parochial Church and Standish Village Hall and the benefits of having a joint mowing contract in 2018/19.
d. To receive the quotes and award the contract for grass cutting. The report had previously been circulated. The quotes were reviewed. It was RESOLVED to award the grass cutting contract to Adam Nash for one year with an extension if performance standards are met. It was RESOLVED to ask the Village Hall Committee for a contribution of £20 per cut.
17/168: Planning: a. To discuss new planning applications in the parish and agree observations:
S.17/1134/LBC Standish House Standish, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Conversion and refurbishment of the former Standish Hospital complex, including Standish House (building A), Stable Block (building B), Ward Blocks
(Buildings C & G), Standish Lodge (Building L), Building I, and demolition and works to associated out-buildings and gatehouse to form 50 dwellings; demolition of Westridge Hospital and associated buildings; and development of 98 new build homes within the grounds; conversion; associated surface vehicle and cycle car parking, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated ancillary development, landscaping, ancillary storage and plant and ecological bat housing; and all associated engineering works and operations.
S.17/1133/FUL Former Standish Hospital And Former Westridge Hospital Standish, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire,
Conversion and refurbishment of the former Standish Hospital complex, including Standish House (Building A), Stable Block (Building B), Ward Blocks (Buildings C & G), Standish Lodge (Building L), Building I, and demolition and works to associated out-buildings and gatehouse to form 50 dwellings; demolition of Westridge Hospital and associated building. Development of 98 new build homes within the grounds; conversion; associated surface vehicle and cycle car parking, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated ancillary development, landscaping, ancillary storage and plant and ecological bat housing; and all associated engineering works and operations
The Stroud District Council Planning Portal had not been available due to their IT problems. It was RESOLVED for the Standish House Working Group to review and provide comments for Council approval. The deadline for comments needs to be clarified with Stroud District Council and an extension asked for if necessary.
b. To discuss Stroud District Council’s Strategic Assessment of Land Availability and agree any actions It was noted that Stroud District Council would be carrying out a consultation in the Autumn 2017. Developers had asked for a meeting as part of the pre-application protocol. It was RESOLVED to agree to meet them on site. c. To note the road closure for the Stroud Half Marathon – Road Closure Schedule 22nd October 2017: Road No. 3/214 Standish Lane between Standish Church and the junction with A38 for its total length of 2km, between the hours of 09.20 to 10.45. Noted.
17/169: Safe and Sustainable Travel in Standish Project: a. To agree a resident questionnaire on safe and sustainable travel in Standish. It was RESOLVED to consult GloucestershireRural Community Council on the questionnaire and to consult with parishioners on an individual basis with the final questionnaire. A landowner/tenant farmer has yet to be recruited on to the Working Group. Parishioners will be asked as part of the consultation.
17/170: Standish House: a. To receive an update and agree actions: No Board meetings are being held while the planning application is being considered. Developers are holding discussions on the Gatehouse usage. There will also be discussions on whole site management. They have offered to discuss proposals with Standish Parish Council. Councillors would like to emphasise the need for a community facility. It was RESOLVED to meet with P J Livesey and E Lister on site to hear the proposals; and for Cllrs Oppenheimer, Hartley, and Knights to draft a response for Council consideration.
17/171: UBB Community Liaison Group a. To receive an update and agree actions. Javelin Park construction is on schedule. Tree screening in Haresfield has been agreed with landowners. The colour of the building has been changed to silver/light green to blend with surroundings as much as possible. Concern has been raised that due to the success of council recycling it may lead to the incinerator having to importadditional waste. There is an invitation to visit the incinerator at Hartlebury.
17/172: Public Rights of Way: a. To note the extension of the temporary order notice to PROW EST16 Noted. b. To agree actions on Stroud District Council’s Walking and Cycling Policy Cllr Oppenheimer to draft a response for circulation and ask District Cllr Skinner to actively support if appropriate. c. To note the dates for the footpath working party inspection walksTo meet at 10am on 3rd September; 12th November; and 14th January.
17/173: To receive a report on the Broadband project for the parish and agree any actions: The Fastershire Project for Gloucestershire is Phase 2. Parishioners can access the website tor details on progress. There is a 3 month notice for connection with a connection charge. The estimated monthly charge is approx. £30/35. Deadline for completion is the end of 2018.
It was RESOLVED to suspend Standing Orders to complete the agenda.
17/174: To receive a report on the war memorial restoration and agree actions: It was RESOLVED to approve the payment of £250 for Abbotsbury Stonework. The stonework has been cleaned and photos sent to the War Memorials Trust for their decision on whether further works need to be carried out. The Council thanked G Stephens for his work on this project.
17/175: To receive an update on the rural Sustainable Drainage Scheme (SuDS) in the parish and agree any actions: Parishioner at Standish Park is happy to meet with C Uttley at Stroud District Council to discuss the Scheme on his land.
17/176: To discuss and agree resolutions and attendance for the GAPTC AGM on 15th July 2017: No resolutions or attendance.
17/177: To discuss training and agree actions: Feedback was received on courses attended:
Chairmanship Skills – useful course. Need to review Standing Orders with regard to public meetings.
Being a Better Councillor –a reassuring course. Good to network with other councillors.
17/178: To receive an update on the parish newsletter and agree any actions: Draft newsletter had been circulated. Any comments to be sent to Cllr Hartley. It is to be co-ordinated with the publishing and circulation of SPAN.
17/179: To note the following consultations and agree response: a. Review of Dog OrdersAgreed to all items. b. Highways Cllr Knights to complete c. GAPTC Areas for Improvement No response
17/180: To resolve, pursuant to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, that the public and press be excluded during Agenda Item 22 due to the confidential nature of the discussion relating to terms and conditions of employment: Agreed
17/181: To discuss and agree the recruitment of the new Clerk: The Recruitment Panel had met and agreed the advert. It is to be advertised on the GAPTC website and in SPAN. Deadlines for application is 7th August 2017 with interviews on 14th August 2017.
17/182: To reconvene the meeting: Reconvened.
17/183: To note any items for referral to future meetings or information only: None
17/184: To note the SPAN deadline is 15th July 2017 and 15th August 2017.Noted.
17/185: To note the date of the next meeting, September 14th, 2017. Noted
The meeting closed at 22.00.
Signed: ……………………………………………………………………… Date: ………………………………….