MINUTES – PARISH COUNCIL “VIRTUAL MEETING” – 1st JUNE 2020
PRESENT: Mrs R Jess (Chairman), Mr D Broad, Mr G Broad, Mr A Kingsley, Mr A McLellan, Mr I Morgan and Mrs E Broad (Clerk) County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN: The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 which came into force on 4th April 2020 Regulation 4 (2) carries the current appointment of Chairman on until the Annual Meeting in May 2021. In view of this, it was agreed to hold over until the next face to face meeting.
APOLOGIES: District Councillor Jenny Forde
ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN: As with the election of Chairman, it was agreed to hold over until the next face to face meeting.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: Parish Council Meeting 9th March 2020
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: The Chairman to remind Councillors of the need to declare interests as necessary.
OPEN SESSION FOR THE PUBLIC: Helen Taylor asked for the help of the Council in getting the trees cropped in front of her house at The Hemplands. It was agreed to include on the next agenda.
Councillor Hodgkinson reported on the Covid 19 situation in the county, the recent re-opening of Fossecross Recycling site, the planned resurfacing works on some local roads, the slight delay in the works on the missing link and Highways’ refusal to undertake any works on Withington Hill despite promising they would be carried out this year. The Chairman thanked Councillor Hodgkinson for all of his help with this and it was agreed to include on the next agenda.
PLANNING:
20/00921/TCONR The Summer House – Tree Works
19/03776/FUL Box Tree Cottage – Wall – Permitted
19/03777/LBC Box Tree Cottage – Listed Building Consent – Permitted
20/00703/FUL Pinkwell Farm Cottage – Extension – Permitted
20/01189/PLP Land behind Fair Haven – Permission in Principle for Construction of up
to 5 Dwellings – Objection – Refused
20/00919/FUL 1 The Hemplands – Extension – No objection – Awaiting Decision
20/00898/FUL Land North of Village Hall – Storage Shed – Permitted
20/01356/TCONR Pippins – Tree Works
20/01522/TCONR Cowslip Corner – Tree Works
20/01645/TCONR Badgers Rake – Tree Works
20/01721/TCONR Well Cottage – Tree Works
20/01678/FUL Primrose Cottage – Garage & Storage Area – It was agreed to object and point out that the proposed garage and store was too large in scale for the size of the property and also too remote from the cottage to be a practical location for garaging. The Council felt any garage should be smaller in scale and better connected to the dwelling.
Notification of Appeal APP/F1610/W/20/3250100 Hartshill – Tennis Court – It was agreed not to send any written representation.
MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION:
Traffic in Village and Road Matters:
a) Roadside Verges:
i) To receive further information on the proposal that the Parish Council should take over total responsibility for cutting the verges (except visibility splays and the small stretch on verge on the Fosseway) and to decide how to proceed for this summer: Mr Morgan reported that he was still in discussion with GCC Highways regarding the Parish Council receiving a sum per metre from them for taking over the cutting of the verges. GCC did not intend to cut the verges until August this year and the Council was still currently on their schedule to receive the one metre cut. The Chairman was concerned about the overhanging vegetation causing problems for pedestrians and cyclists. After some discussion it was agreed to continue to press GCC for the information required to enable the Council to decide if it wished the cut to be carried out by GCC in August or whether the Parish would take it on itself.
ii) To decide if any areas of the village need separate strimming on safety grounds, ie School Hill:
It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr McLellan to ask Bibury to cut both sides of School Hill from the top to the school and the school side for the bottom part of the and from opposite Bliss Cottage down to the parish noticeboard in Lower Chedworth and to remove the arisings where possible, agreed.
b) Tuns Hill Triangle: It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr G Broad to ask Bibury to undertake a cut and removal of arisings on the Triangle, agreed with one abstention.
Footpaths:
a) KCH 50 Hills Farm: It was noted that following a complaint from a parishioner a letter had been written to the owner of Hills Farm asking for the electric fence blocking the path to be removed. Mr McLellan agreed to go and see if the electric fence had been removed.
The Grass Keep Field:
a) Drama Group Storage: It was noted that planning permission has been granted for the storage shed on the Diggers Field, the Chairman was duly thanked for all of her work in gaining the permission. It was felt that the next step should be to obtain firm quotes for building the shed as approved and for one 50% larger, Mr Kingsley agreed to do this.
Stream in Valley: Two emails had been received regarding works that are being done to the stream in some areas. It was noted that The Environment Agency was the responsible body, and their details had been passed on to the complainants. A further email had been received from Joanne Leigh suggesting that the Parish Council should put something in the Hill and Valley about looking after the stream. Councillors thought that the idea of putting something in the Hill and Valley was a good one, but were concerned that none of the members had the expertise required to write it. It was agreed to reply to Joanne Leigh suggesting that this something that she may be able to consider doing herself as she obviously felt very strongly about it.
Chedworth Village Hall: An email had been received from John Selway asking the Parish Council to purchase the Video Projector which was the final part of the audio-visual which the council had agreed to fund up to a total of £6,000. It was understood that the Village Hall Committee was meeting at the same time as the Parish Council and would be considering if this was the best use of this money in the current circumstances.
Three quotes had been provided by Mr Selway and the best one was from Purple Cat for the sum of £3,280 + VAT. It was noted that this took the total £1,055 over the agreed £6,000 grant. The Village Hall Management Committee had offered to reimburse the Parish Council the difference, but it was agreed that if the Village Hall confirmed that they wished the purchase to go ahead, the Council would cover the extra £1,055 from the budget which was earmarked for the Village Hall in this year’s figures.
FINANCE:
Bibury (Graveyard Path) (£67.50 + VAT) £81.00 Retrospective, prop. R Jess, sec. A Kingsley
A T Chapple (Graveyard Wall) £720.00 Retrospective, prop. A McLellan, sec. G Broad
D Broad (Website Hosting Feb/Mar/Apr) £21.60 Retrospective, prop. A Kingsley, sec. A McLellan
Cottage Graden services (Playing Field Cut March) (£40.00 + VAT) £48.00 Retrospective, prop. D Broad, sec. G Broad
Clerks Quarterly Telephone/Broadband Contribution £71.20 Retrospective, prop. R Jess, sec. A Kingsley
Chedworth Village Hall Rental 2019/20 £203.20 Retrospective, prop. R Jess, sec. G Broad
Martin Spooner (AV Receiver for Village Hall) £1685.99 Retrospective, prop. I Morgan, sec. A McLellan
I Roberson (Covid 19 Leaflet Printing) £25.95 Retrospective, prop. R Jess, sec. D Broad
Cottage Garden Services (Playing Field Cutting April) (£80.00 + VAT) £96.00 Retrospective, prop. R Jess, sec A Kingsley
Clerks Quarterly Salary (inc. increase RPI January 2020 1.8%) £659.00, prop. A Kingsley, sec. I Morgan
Clerks Quarterly Mileage £5.40, prop. R Jess, sec. A Kingsley
Request from Chedworth PCC for a donation toward the cutting of Graveyard – It was proposed by Mr G Broad and seconded by Mr A McLellan to donate £200.00, agreed
To agree the refund of £100.00 paid by the Cirencester Athletics for the Roman Run which was cancelled, prop. A Kingsley, sec. R Jess
To agree the refund of £240.00 paid by the Folk Camps for the booking in May which was cancelled, prop. G Broad, sec. A McLellan
Council in receipt of £287.50 half year Grass Keep from Mr Baker
Council in receipt of £13,545.00 Part Precept from CDC
2019/20 Annual Audit Return – Section 1 & 2 were considered by Council in that order and agreed as required. It was further agreed that as we met the criteria to exempt the Council from an External Audit Review for this year.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Hill and Valley: Several items were agreed for inclusion in the July edition which would be written by the Chairman.
The meeting concluded at 8.50pm.
NEXT MEETING: Monday 13th July on Zoom