Clerk: Mrs Sue Wordsworth Courtland House Wellow BA2 8PU tel 01225 836181 email chrisandsuewordsworth@hotmail.com
Minutes of the meeting of Wellow Parish Council held on
Monday 17th January 2005 at 8pm.
Present: Cllrs Betts, Colston, Dawson, Halewood, Lewis, Martin (Chairman), Pike and Watson
In attendance: Sue Wordsworth (Clerk) and six parishioners
01/05 Apologies for absence
Cllr Dawson.
02/05 Minutes of meeting held on 20 December 2004
The Minutes were confirmed as a true and accurate record and were accordingly signed by the Chairman.
03/05 Matters arising and not on the agenda
Cllr Watson has had preliminary assurance that Wellow can have a stone marker post saying it is within an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Parish council will be consulted to find a suitable location for the marker post and it is hoped that any costs will be born by B&NES. Progress will be reported on at the next meeting.
MW
04/05 Declarations of interest
Cllr Martin declared an interest in the planning application for the Wellow Trekking Centre.
05/05 Public participation
The following queries were raised:
1. The post stopping traffic from driving onto and parking on the raised pavement opposite the school appears to be missing. Could it be replaced please?
AM
2. There is a continued problem of dog fouling on the pavements and also around Farm Lane area. This is an unpleasant hazard for pedestrians and for Stewart Cole our street cleaner. An unattended black labrador has been seen in this area. The Parish Council can take further action if they know who the owners are of any dogs caught fouling the footpaths. In the meantime this problem will be mentioned in the Parish News yet again and the offending dog owners asked to meet their responsibilities.
SW
3. When are the gullies due to be cleared? Clerk to contact B&NES.
SW
4. The handrail at Manor Close is still wobbly. Cllr Elvin to chase repair.
AE
5. More traffic calming notices are needed. Suggestions can be made via the Parish Plan survey, which is due to be circulated throughout the Parish.
06/05 Planning
Applications
Cllr Martin not present for the following application.
(a) 04/03791/FUL The Wellow Trekking Centre, Wellow. Change of use from domestic dog kennels to commercial use and cattery. At present there are 5 kennels and it proposed to add 3 more. No extra parking or traffic is anticipated because the use of horses may reduce. It was decided to contact the Case Officer again for confirmation of the number of dogs that could be kennelled and of provision of exercise yards.
SW
Decisions
(a) 04/03542/FUL March House, Bulls Hill, Wellow. Single storey rear extension, alterations to porch, garage and interior. Permitted.
(b) TPO Wellow Brook. Work to trees on as per the 'Five Valleys Trust@ outline plan for the management of Wellow Brook between the Hinton road Bridge and Wellow Ford to include selective coppicing of Hazel, Hawthorne and Alder by no more than 20%. Pollard young Willow.
07/05 Streetscape Manual
Cllr Watson agreed to prepare a response on behalf of The Parish Council and to include a suggestion that bollards are used with caution and not in unlit areas.
MW
08/05 Public consultation planning area's future to 2026
Cllr Halewood agreed to circulate his response, which includes a recommendation that if any significant housing developments are proposed, their impact on rural villages should be carefully considered particularly with regard to increased traffic.
DH
09/05 Emergency Procedures Manual
The Chairman said that recent world disasters and the flooding in the north of England made clear the importance of having reasonable measures in place to cope with crises. Martyn Smith reported that although there had been no response to a request made in the Parish News for professional volunteers the Manual was almost complete. It now needs the appointment of named individuals to undertake the procedures when required. The Chairman will discuss how our neighbouring parish at Hinton Charterhouse have managed this process.
AM
10/05 Playground inspection
The Parish Council has received a comprehensive report on the standard of the Wellow playground, which includes a number of non-urgent recommendations for improvements. Cllr Lewis will check what's needed and whether anything is grant eligible and report at the next meeting.
GL
11/05 Finance
The Precept proposals for 2005/06 were introduced by the Chairman and it is forecasted that there will be a surplus of income over expenditure for the current year, which it is proposed to be added to reserves. The proposals for the year 2005/6 hold the precept at the same level as the last three years. Questions were taken and answered from members and public following, which the proposals were accepted unanimously. A copy of the proposals is attached to these minutes
(a) Bank statements
(i) £5695.19 Current Account
(ii) £7909.90 Reserve Account
(iii) £ 145.36 Wellow 2000 Current account
(iv) £1972.08 Wellow 2000 Reserve Account
(b) Payments authorised
(i) £ 226.40 Mr S Cole, street cleaning January
(ii) £ 143.79 Mrs S Wordsworth, clerk's salary and expenses
(iii) £ 141.00 Mazars external audit year end 31.3.04
(iv) £ 539.36 B&NES annual grass cutting
(v) £ 60.00 Donation to parish newsletter
(c) Receipts
(i) £191.57 B&NES street cleaning
(d) Parish Plan
(i) £2385.56 Account
12/05 Meetings
Planning and the Forest of Avon 9 Feb.
AC/AE
13/05 Any other business
· The Police have advised that a number of distraction type burglaries have been committed locally. Item for Parish News.
· There is now no money left for establishing Norton Lane as a Quiet Lane.
· There has been no response to the Chairman's letter regarding work to Hinton Hill.
· Cllr Watson has chased a decision on The Transport Capital Programme and is expecting a reply before the next meeting.
· The circulation of the Parish Plan survey has been delayed by 2 weeks.
· Health and Safety requirements for street cleaning will be reported on at the next meeting.
· Following discussions with Mrs S Hewlett on the future of material held by her husband Gordon it was agreed that The Parish Council identify options for attempting to ensure the material can be kept securely and safely within the parish. Cllrs Betts, Martin and Pike and Martyn Smith will form a working group to progress.
14/05 Date of next meeting
Monday 21 February 2005 at 8pm in the Village Hall The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.20pm