AGENDA – PARISH COUNCIL “VIRTUAL MEETING” – 12th APRIL 2021
PRESENT: Mr D Broad (Vice Chairman in the Chair) Mrs B Amory, Mr G Broad, Mr A Kingsley,
Mr A McLellan, Mr I Morgan & Mrs E Broad (Clerk)
County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
District Councillor Jenny Forde
APOLOGIES: Mrs R Jess
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 8th March 2021 were agreed and signed as a true record.
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: The Chairman reminded Councillors of the need to declare interests as necessary.
OPEN SESSION FOR THE PUBLIC: Councillor Hodgkinson gave a brief report which included information a report that Withington Hill had been resurfaced and an excellent job had been done. He spoke about further down the Whiteway where the road surface was in a poor state, he had raised this with the Highways Manager. He also spoke about the poor condition of the road through Chedworth Laines but Mrs Amory said this may reduce the speed of traffic, he asked if the Parish Council would let him know if they wished the road to be repaired. He also reported on the recent Zoom meeting with Gareth Parry from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and some Councillors regarding the Parish Council taking over the Chedworth Nature Reserve. The Chairman thanked Cllr. Hodgkinson, on behalf of the Parish Council, for all of his assistance over the past four year term. Mr Colbeck asked about the progress of the shed. Mr Kingsley reported that it was hoped the shed would be built by early summer. Mr Colbeck also gave some feedback from the Horticultural Society on the orchard project. He also asked what the Parish Council had planned for a village Covid breakout party. It was confirmed that the Parish Council had no plans and it had not been discussed. He also reported on a plan to assemble village societies at the Village Hall. Helen Taylor asked for an update on the time scale for the base for the Elderberries bench, which was answered by Mr Kingsley.
PLANNING:
21/01007/TCONR The Orchard, Calves Hill – Tree Works
21/00884/REM Manor Farm – Reserved Matters for Erection of an agricultural worker’s
dwelling – No objection
21/00875/TCONR The Vineyard, Queen Street – Tree Works
21/00911/DMPO – Rendcomb Airfield – It was proposed by Mrs Amory and seconded by Mr Morgan to object stating that the Parish Council would prefer the number of operating days to be restricted to 50 days per annum, would like the hours to be limited to 09.00 to 17.00 and the operation restricted to Monday to Friday with no weekend flying, agreed four in favour with two against.
21/00888/FUL Silver Spring – Extension – No objection
20/04532/FUL Armstrong Cottage – Extension – No objection
Neighbourhood Plan: Mrs Amory gave a brief report on the current situation including the need to repay most of the unspent grant at the end of the financial year. Councillors also confirmed they were happy for the steering group to apply for more funding.
MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION
Traffic in Village and Road Matters:
a) Roadside Verges: Mr Morgan reported that the agreement for the Parish Council to take over total responsibility for cutting all grass verges in the parish from GCC has been signed. He also asked for approval from the Council to have the visibility splays and a light verge cut done when required, this was proposed by Mr McLellan and seconded by Mr Kingsley, agreed.
b) Heavy Good vehicles using Cooks Hill: Emails regarding vehicles damaging roadside walls had been received from Mr Edelsten. After some discussion it was agreed to write to GCC Highways asking for better signage on this section of road.
Footpaths:
a) Missing signs on parish rights of way: It was agreed that Mr D Broad would chase up any outstanding responses.
b) Footpaths around New Barn Farm: Nothing had been heard, it was agreed to chase up again.
c) KCH 10: The stile at the Courts Close end has been broken, the landowners, Manor Farm, had been alerted and they were going to undertake repairs.
d) KCH 4: Two stiles on the path needed new steps and that the Clerk had informed the landowner who has agreed to undertake repairs.
Playing Field:
a) To receive any update to the request by the Elderberries to place a bench on the playing field:
The base was due to be done soon.
b) Request to book the Playing Field by KTA 22nd to 25th July 2021: It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr Kingsley to charge £240.00 with the same conditions as agreed last year. The booking from last year had to be cancelled due to Covid.
c) Request for use by HVLTC for Tennis Tournament on 26th June: It was proposed by Mrs Amory and seconded by Mr G Broad not to charge on this occasion, agreed.
The Grass Keep Field:
a) Drama Group Storage: Mr Kingsley reported that the base and shed should be done by early summer.
b) Tree Planting on Diggers Field: Mr Kingsley and Mr McLellan gave a brief report and explained that they were currently speaking to people in the village to gain support. It was agreed to include an item in the Hill and Valley and try to tie this into the Neighbourhood Plan.
c) Grass Keep Tenancy: It had been confirmed that Mr and Mrs Wall have agreed to renew the
Licence for a further year
The Lower End Chapel Graveyard: It was agreed to ask Bibury to continue cutting the path in the graveyard as previously.
Storage of Parish Council Documents: The Clerk was still trying to find some safe storage for the documents.
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Chedworth Nature Reserve: An email had been received from Dr Gareth Parry from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust stating that it is consolidating its sites. As a consequence, it is looking to transfer Chedworth’s Nature Reserve, some 4.8 hectares of land along the old railway line, to a new owner by the end of 2021. Ideally it would like a community
organisation to take over the Reserve in order that the footpath that runs along it will remain a footpath open to the public to use. The GWT would like Chedworth Parish Council to become the new owner of the Reserve and has stated that it could be transferred to the Parish Council for a peppercorn. The costs for running the site in 2019 amounted to £1,143. The GWT stated that this sum was the most that has been spent in recent years due to some infrastructure and tree work. The GWT has also confirmed that any repairs to the tunnels at either end of the Reserve remain the liability of the railway company. After some discussion it was agreed to ask Dr Parry to give a presentation to the Parish Council.
Pop up Shop: Mrs Amory raised this on behalf of another parishioner. After some discussion it was agreed to include on the agenda for the next meeting
FINANCE:
D Broad (Quarterly Website Hosting) £21.60, prop. I Morgan, sec. G Broad
High Tech Windows (Balance of Windows for Village Hall inc. VAT £999.58) £4,498.12
Retrospective, prop. B Amory, sec. A McLellan
Sally Chapman (Neighbourhood Plan) £122.50 Retrospective, prop. G Broad, sec. D Broad
Groundworks UK (Return of unspent Grant) £982.50 Retrospective, prop. B Amory,
sec. D Broad
OTHER BUSINESS:
To consider if the May meeting should be a face to face meeting and if so consider changing the date to Monday 17th May to further comply with Covid restrictions being lifted: This was agreed.
Annual Parish Meeting: Will be held on Monday 24th May at 7.30pm.
To consider items for inclusion in the May edition of Hill and Valley: Several items were identified to be included. Several Councillors would write items which would be collated by Mr D Broad.
The meeting concluded at 9.10pm.
NEXT MEETING: Annual Parish Council Meeting – Monday 17th May 2021 at 7.30pm.