Full Council meeting, 6/9/2016 – Minutes

WELLESBOURNE and WALTON PARISH C0UNCIL

The minutes of the Council meeting on Tuesday 6th September 2016 at 7.30 pm at the Methodist Hall in Bridge Street Wellesbourne

Present: Chairman: Cllr Mrs Prior  Councillors: Mrs Bartlett, Mrs Bolton, Close, Heaton, Mrs Hurdman, Kendall, Lawley, Mrs Michael, Shepherd     Clerk: Mrs Scriven          Members of public: 9       District/County Councillors: 1

  1. Welcome and announcements
  1. Apologies of Absence – Cllr Thomas
  1. Declarations of Interest

Cllr Lawley, non pecuniary interest in items pertaining to Chedham’s Yard as a Trustee

Cllr Close, non pecuniary interest in items pertaining to Chedham’s Yard as a Trustee, and St Peters Church as assisting with finance and a member of the Church.

  1. Confirmation of the order of the agenda – The Responsible Finance Officer (RFO) had attended the meeting to address the Council regarding his email relating to the Public Works Loan’s Board loan and the Chairman asked to bring forward the item to follow the minutes. Items 11.4 and 11.5 to be removed as dealt with in an earlier Extra Ordinary meeting, item 18 Index to be removed as no further information – agreed with amendments
  1. Identification of any items that might be resolved for confidential session – none 
  1. Confirmation of the minutes of the Council Meetings

2nd August 2016 – Pg 38 Cllr Close confirmed it was the number of porta-cabins that would give the appearance of an industrialised site. Cllr Close declaration should read “non pecuniary interest in St Peter’s Church as a member and Chesham’s Yard as a Trustee – accepted with amendment

9th August 2016 – Not approved (to be presented at next meeting as not complete)

16th August 2016 – agreed

RFO – Public Works Loan’s Board loan.

Mr Thomas clarified his recommendation that the term of the loan was amended from five years to ten years, to prevent unnecessary hardship on the Council finances. He said he had experience of a charity who had over stretched their budget leaving them in financial difficulty and he did not wish the Council to face such hardship in order to provide much needed facilities for the community. He confirmed that by taking the loan over a longer term it would lessen the impact on the precept and subsequently the individual budgets of the Council whilst permitting the Council to pay off the loan earlier if able to do so.

Cllr VB expressed concerns over the loan and the impact on the Council finances and ability to support other functions.

Cllr Close said he fully supported the decision to take the loan and stated the viability of the whole project depended on provisionof an all-weather pitch. He said the facility would be a credit for the village and a project that the Parish Council could be proud of providing whilst according with the Parish Plan and Neighbourhood Plan noting that he would support a rise in precept to provide the much needed facility.

  1. Matters arising

7.1     Youth Liaison meeting update Clerk – All local youth groups had been contacted asking if they would like to attend a meeting coordinated by the Parish Council to discuss their needs and difficulties and how they might partnership work. Several had responded, once all responses had been received a meeting would be set up by the Clerk.

7.2     Village Hall ESPO postal address update Clerk – The Village Hall committee had asked if they might use the Parish Council postal address for an ESPO account for delivery purposes. It was noted that as the Council already had an account ESPO would not permit another to be set up on the same address without a business registration at the property.

  1. Open Session for members of the public to raise any matters of relevance to the Parish

Mrs Bryan, Newbold Road, thanked the Council handyman for cutting back the vegetation obscuring the speed signs at the village entrance on Newbold Road. She said she would be meeting with Cllr Kendall to discuss the long overdue water course clearance.

Mrs Cook, Church Street, said she had been reassured that the Council would have budgets for the other areas of expenditure despite the PWLB loan and asked when the Council might get the leases for Dog Close, Newbold Road and the Village Hall.

Mr Davies, Gloster Gardens, asked what ESPO was and pointed out that the Village Hall officers were all out of date on Google.

Mr Podbury, Kineton Road, raised concern about any potential raise in the precept and expressed concern that the fence on Bridge Street had still not been replaced.

  1. County Council matters /District Council matters

Cllr Mrs Parry – no report

Cllr Kendall said there had been no meetings and therefore there would be no update. He confirmed the bench would be fitted on Stratford Road and the lines painted at the end of Bridge Street by the end of the month. 

  1. Planning

10.1   Decisions

101.1 Approvals with conditions

16/06125/FUL Retrospective application for the construction of a building to house a generator and the siting of a generator for a period of two years
At The Oaks, Walton Road For Amax Construction

Noted

16/01751/FUL Demolition of existing garage and erection of a two storey and single storey side extension
At 51 Bristol Way For Mrs Ganner

Noted

10.1.2   Refusals

10.2      Applications withdrawn

   
At   For  

Noted

10.3      Applications

1.

16/02423/FUL Demolition of existing garage, construction of a two storey side, single storey rear extension and porch. All facades to be rendered.
At 1 Wellesbourne Farm, Wellesbourne For Mr & Mrs Pearson
Planning officer Amy Flute Date 12th September 2016

No objection

Amendment/additional information

16/01432/FUL Full application for the demolition of the existing medical centre and construction of 4 no. 4 bedroomed dwellings with associated access and parking
At Hastings House Medical Centre For Danny O’Flannigan
Planning officer Alison Willers Date 15th September 16

The Parish Council maintains its original objections to this application which had not been addressed but welcomed the improved aspect at the rear of the property relating to the fence. Whilst landscaping was included, the Council asked that confirmation of the tree species should in preference be native species and that the trees were semi mature not whips as they are to be used as screening.

10.3     Neighbourhood Plan final draft for Cllr scrutiny – Cllr Hurdman asked Councillors to annotate alterations in a different colour. Once all comments had been received and discussed at a meeting on 20th September, the document would be reissued.

10.4.  Report John Hargis – circulated prior to the meeting

10.5   Date of next Area Planning Meetings: 14th September 2016

  1. Finance Committee – Cllr AS

11.1   Chairman’s report – circulated prior to the meeting. It was noted that the deadline for grant applications was November 1st.

11.2

Approval of monthly accounts as per attached cheque list Prop: Cllr EL 2nd Cllr DK carried

11.3

Approval of staff salaries Prop: Cllr AS 2nd Cllr DC carried

11.4

11.4.1

Recommendation that the £50,000 shown in the 2016/17 Council budget for WSCC fixtures and fittings be paid to the WSCC Charity in two tranches, the first of £30,000 to be made once the WSCC Charity has been registered with copies of invoices showing the expenditure of these sums being shown to the Council within one month of the sums being paid. The remaining £20,000 to be paid to the WSCC Charity once it has provided evidence of payment of at least £20,000 on fixtures and fittings purchased using the initial £30,000 Prop Cllr AS

2nd Cllr BH

carried

11.4.2

Recommendation that the £37,000 shown in the 2016/17 Council budget for the WSCC manager’s and staff salaries shall be paid to the WSCC Charity for use only in the payment of employment costs in full once the WSCC Charity starts operating Prop Cllr AS

2nd Cllr DK

carried

11.4.3

Recommendation that moneys can be spent from the Buy a Brick Active Saver account in order to advertise staffing vacancies for the WSCC charity Prop Cllr AS

2nd Cllr BH

carried
Recommendation that the remaining sums held by the Council in respect of the WSCC buy a brick scheme and the donation from the Street Fayre shall be paid to the WSCC Charity to use at their discretion within the charitable purposes of the organisation Withdrawn (already dealt with)

11.4.4

11.4.5

Recommendation to amend the term of loan from the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB) from one year

followed by a five year term to ten years with early settlement options to be considered regularly

throughout the term in accordance with the recommendation from the Responsible Finance Officer

 Withdrawn (already dealt with)

11.4.6  

Recommendation to approve the continuation of Direct Debits and BACS payments (list attached) Prop Cllr AS 2nd Cllr BH carried

11.5   Grants 2017/18 – Cllr AS asked that applicants provide as much information as possible and comply with the requirements

11.6   External Audit – report Clerk – no further contact by the Auditor

11.7   Monthly management reports RFO – it was noted that the document provided the Council with a useful tool for committees to monitor expenditure and to set committee budgets.

11.8   Date of next meeting – 8th November 2016

  1. Amenities and Highways Committee – Cllr DC

12.1   Chairman’s report – circulated prior to the meeting. It was noted that some residents were still ignoring the dog ban or dogs on Leads/no fouling signs, and fouling had once again become a problem on the Mountford sports field. The Council would be forced to impose a dog ban on the field if these residents continued to be irresponsible, for the protection of those participating in sports and using the children’s playground area.

A meeting with representatives from Walton Estate had taken place relating to the 2016 Christmas lights and damage caused toEstate property during the festive period last year. Following discussion, the Estate supported the Council’s Christmas light programme and it was agreed that lights could be fitted to the building but not hung across the precinct as the buildings could not bear the weight. The Council noted their thanks to the Estate for their support. The Estate had also agreed to work with WIB to neaten the precinct area.

There had been some positive feedback on the new parking enforcement, and officers had already issued several tickets.

12.2

Recommendation to approve the amended Terms of Reference of the Amenities and Highways

Committee

 Prop Cllr DC 2nd Cllr EL

carried

12.3      Date of next meeting 11th October 2016       

  1. WSCC Committee – Cllr AP

13.1   Chairman’s update – The valuation meeting progress reports had not been circulated as the Chairman had been on holiday but it was anticipated that handover of the building was projected for mid-October. It was regrettable that the football teams would be starting the season prior to the opening of the facility but it was hoped that the changing rooms would be available shortly into the season.

  1. Date of next meeting – 13th September 2016
  1. Emergency Committee – Cllr EL

14.1   Chairman’s update – no meeting had taken place but the Chairman and Clerk would be meeting Orbit Heart of England representatives on 14th September to review their contact detail and evacuation policy.

14.2   Date of next meeting – 20th September 2016

  1. Office & Staffing Committee – Cllr RB

15.1   Chairman’s update – The Clerk would be on scheduled medical leave for 6 – 8 weeks and Mrs Kathryn Hollinrake (an experienced Clerk) had kindly agreed to stand in for the Clerk during her absence.

15.2

Recommendation to acknowledge that the RFO Desmond Thomas’s contract of employment has been signed and the probation period has been successfully completed Prop Cllr RB, 2nd Cllr AP carried

15.3      Date of next meeting – to be arranged

  1. WWPC Website – Cllr CM

16.1   No update

  1. Conservation Working Group – Cllr EL

17.1     Chairman’s report – circulated prior to the meeting, it was noted the draft document would not be publicly available. Cllr RB said it would be a useful and valuable document as Walton was a fragile and important place.

  1. Index 2016 – Removed
  1. Chedham’s Yard – Cllr EL

19.1   Live and Local event telling the Chedham’s story in music – 9th Sept at St Peter’s Church (free entry)

Cllr DC said on 17th Sept it would be 10 years since Chedham’s Yard was awarded 1 million pounds for its restoration by Heritage Lottery Fund.

Cllr RB complimented Chedham’s Yard for their diary of events and asked if this information could be a regular item.

  1. Police

20.1   Update – Cllr AP – A meeting with Inspector Brealey and PC Morgan had taken place relating to the concerns of the Council about the lack of visible policing in the parish. The Clerk took notes of the meeting which had been sent to the Inspector for her approval after which would be circulated to the Council members. 

  1. Wellesbourne and Walton News – Cllr AP

Proposed contents – Grants

Chairman’s report – Cllr AP

Police meeting – information useful to public

Buy a brick – explanation to public of scheme and how it is to be funded

  1. Cllr and Clerk Exchange of Information

Cllr Lawley – a meeting was to be arranged with the new manager of the Probation Service to discuss graffiti in the village

Cllr Bartlett – said Whiteroom had placed a business board on Kineton Road but noted she had not seen an application for planning permission

Cllr Hurdman – asked Cllr Kendall if the reduction of the speed limit on Loxley Road could be moved along as the speeds made it very difficult to exit Dovehouse Drive safely.

Clerk – CAT (Customer Access Terminal – SDC customer contact equipment) was now working at the PC office and live for public use

  1. Items/reports for the next meeting by 22nd September 2016

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting closed at 9.15pm

 

Chairman….Cllr Mrs Prior….

 

Signed………………………..

 

Date………………………….

(completed 13th September)