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WINFORD PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES-March |
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Date: Monday 2 March 2009. Venue: Felton Village Hall, Felton Time: 7.00pm Councillors Present: Mrs B Smith (Chair) Mr A Parker Mr S Banks Mr P Etheridge Miss K Bye Mr A Sage Mr P Longden Mrs M Murphy Mr P Hatherell Mrs G Patch Mr P Roberts (Clerk) Also present Cllr Hugh Gregor WPC Jackie McDonald Graham Quick (North Somerset Council) Mrs Shirley Hyde Mr Cefn Kendall The Chair opened the meeting with a prayer. 1. Apologies Cllr Mr L Curry 2. Minutes of the previous meeting 2.1 “of 2 Brookside” deleted from para 5.2 and 2 other minor corrections. The minutes were approved and signed as a true record. 2.2 Matters arising (references to February minutes):- 7.1 PH had further researched the availability of seat designs for Felton Green which were manifold and confusing. Agreed the Felton councillors should progress the matter within a £400 limit. 7.2 Clearance of brambles at the corner of Felton Green and Frog Lane. A quotation of £180-00 + VAT had been submitted by Down to Earth. It was agreed unanimously that this be accepted. 9.3 Allocation of reserves. BS asked that the position on setting aside funds for responding to airport development be clarified. She understood that an earlier decision to eliminate a fund to fight airport expansion had been taken and is still council policy. However, the allocation of £20,000 of reserves for use in relation to airport development reflects possible requests from, for example, the Parish Councils Airport Association for contributions towards a joint fund. Other councillors agreed that this is the position. 9.6 Avon Youth Association (AYA) have confirmed that the Youth Bus visits Felton twice a month at present. AYA are concerned that NSC funding towards the Youth Bus for 2009/10 is in question and it was agreed that the council should write to NSC asking for the position to be clarified. 9.7 Advice on Risk Management has been obtained and the Finance Working Group will consider this at its next meeting. 3. Crime and Disorder 3.1 Jackie McDonald thanked the council for nominating her as North Somerset’s Beat Manager of the Year. She will be presented with the award on 5 March. 3.2 She reported the following crimes in the last month:- theft of 2 ferrets; theft of a scrambler bike; theft of clothing and mobile phone left on a pavement; burglary of a stable; dog out of control resulting in personal injury; damage to a window in Winford; assault of a Policeman in Winford during the snow in early February. 3.3 Police patrols are continuing in Felton and although there have been no further reported crimes there have been some complaints about antisocial behaviour by young people that may have been exacerbated by the frequency of patrols. A reduction in patrols is therefore planned. 4. Open Forum 4.1 Mrs Shirley Hyde of 2 Felton Street raised the issue of the state of West Lane, Felton. Conditions between the quarry and A38 have been poor for some time with quantities of mud on the road. However, more recently large flows of muddy water have been entering the north side of the road to the east of the quarry. The drains have not been operating effectively and as a result there has been some flooding of the road which has adversely affected her property. 4.2 Councillors had also noted the problems and they have been reported to NSC. PL had looked into probable causes and considers that the source is Felton Quarry. BS confirmed that LC has been in touch with Churngold to ask them to look into the cause of the problems. HG said he had spoken to NSC’s Area Officer who had been to look at the situation and she would also be speaking to Churngold. The council hopes that this will result in the problems being addressed successfully but it will keep a close watch on the situation and pursue NSC and Churngold further if necessary. 4.3 Mr Cefn Kendall is a leader at The Common after school PlaySpace serving the Winford and Felton area, based at St Katherine's School which opened in January 2007. He explained to the council the background to the scheme and that he is concerned about the effects that the potential closure of the school might have on the project. However, he feels that the site is an excellent one which could be developed for a wider range of facilities for young people. 4.4 Councillors were interested in his proposals and Mr Kendall agreed to produce a paper explaining the position and ideas for future development of the project as a basis for further consideration and possible approaches to NSC. 5. Highways and Footpaths 5.1 Market Place steps. AP reported that he had met NSC’s Disability Access Officer, Mr Rylands and David Neale on site to consider the proposed improvements. AP had emphasised that the upper part of the route is completely unsuitable for wheelchair or scooter users, regardless of what is implemented on the Market Place steps section. However, NSC are concerned about the design and are looking at whether it meets British Standards. Progress has therefore stalled. 5.2 Brookside footpath. NSC have sent a copy of a letter they have written to Criterion confirming their belief that the land on which the “bypass” scheme will be constructed is highway and that it will be implemented early in the new financial year. 5.3 West Lane. AP LC and PH had met NSC on site to confirm locations of the slow down signs on either side of the George and Dragon junction. NSC had subsequently said that signs alerting road users to the junction will also have to be installed. 5.4 BS reported that PE has joined the West Lane cycle/footpath Working Group and said that once David Neale has completed the drawings these will be put forward as a potential scheme to pursue through the BIA S106 agreement. 5.5 Local Reports:- Felton – 9 trees have been planted on West Lane. BS will pursue the failure to plant the agreed 10 with NSC. Regil – SB raised the poor condition of many of the roads and that NSC were not responding to reports of work needing to be done. He proposed that this be raised at a level above the Area Officer. BS opposed this and a vote was taken – 4 in favour and 4 against. The Chair’s casting vote was against raising the matter. SB reported that a “Hounsley Batch” road sign has been installed. He pointed out that this is the name of a location, not a road and it should properly be signed as “Whiltling Street.” NSC will be asked to rectify the mistake. 6. Planning 6.1 Previous applications. Application withdrawn – Smallholme, Felton Common. Erection of 2-storey side extension. 6.2 New applications:- 11A Church Road, Winford. Variation of conditions regarding windows. A number of local residents had expressed concern about the impact of the dwelling being constructed and were opposed to any relaxation of conditions relating to the upper windows. It was agreed that these concerns are justified and that the council will oppose the granting of consent for the proposed variations. 3 Parsonage Lane, Winford. Change of use of part of dwelling to hairdressing salon. It was noted that the main part of the building will remain as a residential property and agreed that the application should be supported but that the advertising board at present sited on the green space in the centre of the village should not be permitted. 59 Long Cross, Felton. Erection of a timber shed (retrospective.) Planning permission is not normally required for sheds but in this case it is because the property it relates to is a flat rather than a house. It was agreed that no objection would be raised to the proposal. 6.3 Other planning matters:- It was reported that a block of 5 stables has been erected on land at Parsonage Close, Winford without the grant of planning consent. This will be reported to NSC. AP reported the receipt of advance notice of a possible application for change of use of a unit at the former livestock market to fitness centre. 7. Parish Council Property 7.1 It was agreed that there would be a working party to remove litter from Felton Common on 16 April at 6.00PM. 7.2 SB proposed that the council should write thanking those who have participated in the successful project to clear areas of the common in the past few weeks. He will provide drafts to the clerk for the Chair’s signature. 7.3 PL has been in touch with Clive Setter about the Felton defibrillator. The council has been asked not to do anything further for the time being. 7.4 PH had received details of varied all age play equipment for the next stage of the Vee Lane recreation area, and would be convening a meeting of the working party to consider them shortly. 8. Bristol International Airport 8.1 PE has been co-opted onto the Airport Working Party as a welcome addition. 8.2 PL had circulated copies of the council’s response to BIA’s pre-application consultation and he was thanked for the excellent work he had put in on its preparation. He understands that the application will be submitted in March and asked to see copies of anything the council is sent or becomes aware of. 8.3 PL stressed the importance of preparing the ground on a list of mitigation measures the council should seek to secure through the S106 agreement. BS said that surface access is clearly the key issue but that community projects can also be considered. The Clerk will look into the process that NSC will adopt to develop the S106 agreement and let them know of our interest. 9. Finance 9.1 Money received:- Winford Cricket Club rent - £300-00 9.2 Invoices received:- Streets Ahead (transport to surgery) £103.20 HTL Ltd (formerly Hilltop Landscapes) grass cutting etc £585-00 St Katharine’s PCC (Felton shop closure photocopying) £7-50 Wenfre Parish Plan (printing and sundries) £22-64 LJ Budd (compost site maintenance) £75-00 It was resolved unanimously that these invoices should be paid. 9.3 The relatively high cost per passenger of the surgery transport scheme was considered. It was decided that the scheme should be publicised in an effort to increase its use. 9.4 The lateness of the invoice for grass cutting was noted and this will be pointed out when the payment is made. 9.5 AP is looking into candidates for conducting this year’s internal audit of the council’s financial systems and will report back to the next meeting. He also proposed that the Clerk be awarded an increment from 1 April and this was agreed unanimously. 10. Primary Schools 10.1 PH said there was little to report other than the contents of a note that had been sent to parents saying that a decision on whether to close St Katharine’s would not be made before December 2009 with closure in summer 2010 at the earliest. 10.2 The school roll at St Katharine’s has fallen to 31. 11. Felton Shop 11.1 BS reported that an open meeting to discuss the future of the shop has been arranged for 26 March and that there will be two speakers who have expertise in these matters. The Post Office is committed to maintaining a service until 29 April. 11.2 The take up of transport to Winford shop has been minimal. 12. Meetings 12.1 Past meetings. The Parish Plan group had met. The questionnaire response has been 46% and the results are being analysed. The Airport Working Group had met and it had been reported that the sophisticated new monitoring equipment at Littleton Hill is being installed which will enable all take-off and landing to the east to be monitored much more closely. The ALCA meeting hosted by the council at Felton Hall had been well-attended and BS thanked MM and others for their support in making the arrangements. 12.2 Future meetings. Arrangements for the Annual Parish Meeting were discussed. It will be held on Thursday 23 April at 7.30 in Winford. Karuna Tharmananthar, the Assistant Director - Development & Policy at NSC has agreed to speak about the future policy and plans for road traffic and other forms of surface access arising from proposals to expand Bristol Airport. The remainder of the agenda was also agreed. 13. Other Correspondence and items for next agenda 13.1 A letter had been received from the resident of 14 Moorlay Crescent asking to lease a portion of land which is currently leased to the Cricket Club. This will be considered when councillors have had the opportunity to look at the area in question. 13.2 AS said that a resident of Parsonage Lane had been unable to make an emergency mobile phone call to report a traffic incident due to poor signal. It was pointed out that some operators’ signals work well, and that the telephone box is available for emergency calls. The meeting concluded at 9.30 PM. The next council meeting is on Monday 6 April 2009 at 7.00pm at Felton Village Hall. |