Wellow Parish Council

 

Clerk

Geoff White

Myrtle Cottage, Wellow, BA2 8QS

Tel:  01225 830159

 

Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on Monday, May 13th 2013 at 8pm in the Village Hall.

 

Present: Cllrs Andrews, Betts, Caudle, Clarkson, Doman, Karthauser, Prentice, Wheeler and White along with eight members of the public. District Cllr Neil Butters also attended.

 

Agenda:

 

 

13.063              To accept apologies for absence

 

None

 

13.064              Declarations of interest in any matters on the agenda or in March minutes

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

13.065              To confirm Minutes of meeting held on April 8th 2013.

 

The Minutes were approved unanimously.

 

13.066              To report matters arising from the Minutes and not on the agenda.

 

The Chairman will arrange a meeting in connection with the Neighbourhood Plan. HP

 

Cllr Caudle will provide an update on West End Cottages as soon as she is in a position to do so.                                                                                               PC

 

Cllr White agreed to provide an update on the shop next to the Fox and Badger and on the proposed library before the next meeting in June.                                                JW

 

 

13.067              Tree maintenance

 

Scott Watson of Wildwood provided and update regarding tree work carried out so far.

 

He said that the lime tree on the Village hall driveway would need thinning and that ivy would need to be stripped from the trees near the compost heaps in the Car Park. The Council agreed to put this work in place and also to seek approval for the removal of an ash tree in the play area. It would subsequently be tested for die-back.

 

Approval has been received for the removal of tree roots at the entrance to the Village Hall driveway.  Cllrs Doman and White will be present when the work is done.

 

13.068              St Julian’s School

                       

The Council considered a request from the school for a donation towards the cost of their planned visit to Cologne.  After considerable discussion it was felt that the Council did not have sufficient information to be able to make a decision and so the issue was deferred until the next meeting when it was hoped that a representative from the school would be in attendance.                                                               JW

 

 

 

13.069              Planning

 

There were no new applications.

 

The decisions received from B&NES regarding Manor Barn Farm (approved), Parcel 6722 at Dunkerton Hill (approved) and Hillscroft (refused) were noted.

 

It was also noted that the application regarding Bubblers Dytche had been deferred to the next planning meeting.

 

 

13.070              Insurance renewal

 

It was agreed unanimously to renew our insurance policy with Aon.  The Clerk was asked to act accordingly.                                                                                    GW

 

 

13.071              Finance

 

                       The financial report was approved unanimously.

 

The following payments were approved:

 

Payman (payroll services)                                              £102.00

Street cleaner                                                                £213.51

Clerk’s salary                                                                £172.79

ALCA (course fee)                                                         £  75.00

Aon (insurance)                                                             £392.87

G White (purchase of stamps)                                        £  13.20

CPRE (subs)                                                                 £  29.00

Wildwood (tree maintenance)                                         £  25.00

Wildwood (tree maintenance)                                         £395.00

 

 

13.072              Village Hall trustees

 

                        Cllr Betts asked that this item be deferred to the June meeting as she now had additional documentation relating to it. This was approved unanimously.

 

13.073              Millennium Fund

 

                        It was unanimously agreed to defer this item until the June meeting.

 

13.074              Car Park

 

Following the circulation of additional correspondence received from residents the Parish Council reversed their earlier decision to re-instate the barrier at the entrance to the car park by a majority of 8 to 1. The Clerk was asked to inform B&NES accordingly.                                                                                                          GW      

13.075              Landfill Sites

 

                        The Chairman provided an update.

 

The Chairman proposed that the Parish Council support Wellow Sports in their application and that the Parish Council refrain from applying for any funding until the outcome of Wellow Sports’ application is known.  The proposal was approved by seven votes to nil with two abstentions.

 

13.076              Wellow Ford

 

Cllr Wheeler showed photographs of the signage proposed by B&NES at Wellow Ford. The signs would read “Ford” until changed to read “No entry”. B&NES are no longer proposing gates.

 

 

The Council was unanimous in not wanting to appoint a flood warden with responsibility for changing the sign from “Ford” to “No entry”.  The Council agreed that the existing signs could be moved higher up the hill so they could be seen earlier, but it does not want more signs. The Council does not believe that the “Ford/No entry” sign will change drivers’ behavior. The Council is concerned that, in the event a car was washed away and the sign had not been changed to “No entry” then the driver could make a claim on the basis that there was permission to cross the ford. It was agreed not to support the signs proposed by B&NES by 8 votes to 1. Cllr Wheeler was asked to respond to B&NES accordingly.

 

13.077              Any other reports

 

Stuart Cole, from the floor, expressed some concern over speeding bicycles.

 

Cllr Clarkson raised the possibility of a village walk and village tidying day.

 

Cllr Caudle said that she expected to hear from our barrister shortly concerning the playing field Deed.

 

The Chairman referred to the rules about the process of decision making at Parish Council meetings. For a Parish Council to make a decision, Councillors must have had sufficient information before the meeting. This means that all the information necessary to make a decision must be distributed 3 days prior to the Parish Council meeting. Thus, Councillors should email the Clerk with the proposal and relevant documents in time for the Clerk to distribute them to all Councillors, with the meeting agenda, by the Wednesday before the Monday Parish Council meeting.

 

This timing has implications for how the Council considers contributions from the public. Rather than the current rather ad-hoc arrangement, if anyone would like to address the Parish Council, they will be invited to do so at the beginning of the meeting. In order for the Parish Council to make a decision on a matter, Councillors must have the information on which to base their decision at least three days beforehand. Thus, if members of the public want the Parish Council to consider the content of their address at the meeting, the content of their address must be submitted to the Parish Clerk at least three days before the Parish Council meeting (ie by the Wednesday before the Monday meeting), in order for the Clerk to distribute it in time.

 

 

 

The Clerk was asked to contact Peter Duppa-Miller regarding Frank Shellard’s field at Combe Hay.

 

 

13.078              Date of Next Meeting

 

The next meeting was confirmed as being on Monday, June 10th 2013 at 8pm in the Village Hall.

 

The meeting closed at 9.35pm. 

 

 

 

Geoffrey White

Parish Clerk

June 2nd 2013