MINUTES – ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 17th MAY 2021
PRESENT: Mrs B Amory, Mr D Broad, Mr G Broad, Mr A Kingsley, Mr A McLellan, Mr I Morgan & Mrs E Broad (Clerk)
District Councillor Jenny Forde
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN: Mr David Broad was proposed by Mr G Broad and seconded by
Mr I Morgan, agreed unanimously. Mr D Broad then signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office book
APOLOGIES: County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Chedworth Nature Reserve: The Council heard a presentation via Zoom from Dr Gareth Parry GWT. Councillors and members of the public questioned Dr Parry who confirmed who was responsible for various things in the vicinity of the nature reserve. Dr Parry confirmed what the next steps would be if the Parish Council took over the reserve. He would draw up a timeline for the various steps required. He also confirmed that if the Parish Council found in future that the site was too difficult to maintain, it could simply close it off. The Chairman thanked Dr Parry for attending and said the Clerk would email him the decision of the Parish Council after the meeting.
It was recorded that the resignation of Mrs Ros Jess from the Parish Council had been received. CDC have been informed and have instigated the procedures necessary to fill the vacancy. The Clerk reported that an election had not been requested so the Parish Council would be able to co-opt to fill the vacancy. After some discussion it was agreed to write a letter to Mrs Jess thanking her for her many years service on the Parish Council. Mr Kingsley agreed to draft a letter for Councillors approval before it is sent. It was also agreed to purchase a gift up to the value of £60.00 for Mrs Jess. The Clerk would have delegated authority of purchase this.
ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN: Mrs Bella Amory was proposed by Mr G Broad and seconded by Mr A Kingsley, agreed unanimously. Mrs Amory then signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office book
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES: The minutes of the Virtual Meeting held on 12th April 2021 were agreed and signed as a true record.
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: The Chairman to remind Councillors of the need to declare interests as necessary.
OPEN SESSION FOR THE PUBLIC: Mr Harrison spoke about the planning applications at the Summerhouse, he was concerned about the encroachment of the residential curtilage into the Conservation Area. He also raised the matter that people were not aware of the Conservation Area in the village. He suggested that the Chedworth Society and the Parish Council publish something jointly in the Hill and Valley about the Conservation Area, Mr Harrison offered to draft something for the approval of the Parish Council.
PLANNING:
21/02330/FUL The Summer House – New Details – Object along the same lines as the Chedworth
Society, agreed.
21/02331/LBC The Summer House – Listed Building Consent – As above
21/01537/TCONR 2 Courts Close – Tree Works
21/01447/TCONR Hill Farmhouse – Tree Works
21/01031/FUL Camellia House – Alterations – No objection, prop. A Kingsley, sec. D Broad
21/01124/CLOPUD Chedworth House – Certificate of Lawful Proposed Use – No objection,
prop. A Kingsley, sec. A McLellan
21/01616/TCONR Mole End, Queen Street – Tree Works
21/01782/TCONR Half Moon House – Tree Works
21/01625/FUL Laurel Cottage – Extension – Object, the Parish Council feels that this is a very large extension tantamount to a new dwelling and will change the character of this part of the Chedworth Conservation Area considerably. The glass link is not a Cotswold feature, not part of the Cotswold design code and while it may be suitable elsewhere it is not appropriate in this location, prop. B Amory sec. A Kingsley agreed with one abstention.
21/01370/FUL West Meadow Cottage – Extension – No objection, prop. A Kingsley, sec. A
McLellan, agreed with one abstention.
21/01855/TCONR Land North of the Old Farm – Tree Works
Neighbourhood Plan:
a) Approval of questionnaire for first consultation – Mrs Amory had circulated the first consultation questionnaire draft just prior to the meeting. She explained that the Neighbourhood Plan group were due to meeting on Wednesday evening. She explained that the whole process would cost around £8,000 which would be met by a grant which would not be available until June. She asked the Parish Council to cover the costs until the grant was received, this was agreed. Mrs Amory agreed to give a short address on the Neighbourhood Plan at the Parish Meeting.
b) Admin support for Neighbourhood Plan: It was explained that admin support was needed for the Neighbourhood Plan, it was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr Morgan to allow up to £100.00 for this, agreed.
MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION
Traffic in Village and Road Matters:
a) Roadside Verges: Mr Morgan gave a brief report stating that the verge group did not think that a light spring cut was required but the visibility splays would be cut next week. Mr Morgan also asked if a cut of the Tuns Hill triangle could be requested. It was proposed by Mr Morgan and seconded from the Chair to ask Bibury to do a cut and clear, agreed.
b) Heavy Goods vehicles using Cooks Hill: A reply had been received from Dan Tiffney, GCC Highways, stating that he would undertake a review of HGV signage in the village and see what improvements can be made
c) GCC Road Closure C149 Cheap Street – 8th to 26th July: Noted
Footpaths:
a) Missing signs on parish rights of way: Nothing further.
b) Footpaths around New Barn Farm: Still no reply.
c) KCH 47: A notification had been received that the extension of the temporary closure for a further six months had been granted. It was felt that this has been going on for rather a long time and it was agreed to write to GCC asking that the closure should only be enforced while the building works are in progress.
d) Stile between Playing Field and Grass Keep Field: An email had been received from Mrs Baker requesting the stile be altered. The Chairman agreed to go and have a look to see what improvements can be made.
Playing Field:
a) To receive any update to the request by the Elderberries to place a bench on the playing field;
Mr Kingsley had met on site with the contractor who was to lay be base and agreed a site. The work would be done when the weather was dry.
b) Request to use the edge of the Playing Field for parking for the Horticultural Show on 21st August: This was agreed. It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr G Broad that in view of the prevailing economic climate due to Covid the Parish Council will not charge a fee on this occasion, agreed.
The Grass Keep Field:
a) Drama Group Storage: The base would be put down when the weather was dry.
b) Tree Planting on Diggers Field: It was suggested a question regarding the Community Orchard proposal would be included in the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire.
Village Hall Snapshot: Noted.
Storage of Parish Council Documents: The Clerk reported that she had not found anywhere to store the documents but back in 2016 an offer was made by Robert Young of the possible use of the church safe. The Clerk was asked to follow this up again.
Pop up Cafe: Mrs Amory reported that the pop up café would be operating from 7th June to18th July from 8.30am until 12 noon, and asked if the Parish Council would making a donation towards the start up costs. It was proposed from the Chair and seconded by Mr Kingsley to make a donation of £100.00, agreed 4 in favour with 2 abstentions.
Dog Poo Bin: A request had been received for a dog poo bin by the dog exercise field on the road to Calmsden. The Chairman had made enquiries with CDC and there has been a moratorium on the provision of new doo poo bins but that was subject to review this month. It was agreed to write to CDC and request a bin in this location.
FINANCE:
Clerks Quarterly Phone/Broadband Contribution £97.80, prop. B Amory, sec. A McLellan
E Broad (PPE for Meeting) £3.80, prop. A Kingsley, sec. A McLellan
Cottage Garden Services (P/F Cutting April) (£80.00 + VAT) £96.00, prop. A McLellan,
Sec. B Amory
Council in receipt of £12,320 Part precept from CDC
Council in receipt of £575.00 Grass Keep Rental from Mr & Mrs Wall
Income & Expenditure Account 2020/21 – As submitted with the audit and circulated to
Councillors prior to the meeting.
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.
Change of Cheque Signatories – The Clerk raised the need for new signatories to be notified
at the bank, all Councillors signatures would be submitted to the bank.
Neighbourhood Plan Payments
i) Survey Monkey (two months) £64.00, prop. I Morgan, sec. A McLellan
ii) Village Hall Meeting Room for June £20.00, prop. I Morgan, sec. A McLellan
OTHER BUSINESS:
To appoint one trustee to the Chedworth Allotment Charity for a three year period (this appointment was held over from last year due to Covid). The Chairman left the meeting at this point and the Vice Chairman took the Chair. Mr David Broad had confirmed his wish to continue as a trustee. It was proposed by Mr G Broad and seconded by Mr Kingsley to reappoint Mr David Broad for a further term, agreed. The Chairman re-joined the meeting at this point.
Annual Parish Meeting: Monday 24th May at 7.30pm.
Hill and Valley/PC News on Website: Several items were identified to be included in an on-line edition. Mrs Amory would send copy on the Nature Reserve and the Pop up Café and the Chairman would collate the items and post on-line.
Mr Kingsley congratulated the new Chairman and Vice Chairman on their appointments.
The meeting concluded at 9.17pm.
NEXT MEETING: Monday 14th June 2021 at 7.30pm.