MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL, WIXFORD
10th July 2007 AT 7.30 P.M.
Present: Councillor Colin Hales (in the Chair)
Councillors Jack Fryer and Matthew Smith
Clerk: Karen Parnell
In attendance: District Councillor Kim James
Plus two members of the public
Apologies: Cllrs Haworth, Pierson, Pemberton, Slaughter and Barnes
Comments from the Public
George highlighted his concerns regarding the flooding of his cellar.
1) District and County Councillor?s reports
Kim James talked about new documents from SDC: Regarding low carbon buildings (written scientifically) also Extending your home (written in layman's terms).
The second is off the back of the Government white paper and will mean home owners will have more freedom concerning planning applications. Feedback is requested from the Parishes and the result should be published in September.
Kim highlighted that proximity to neighbours and overshadowing will both be reduced as planning considerations. Obscure glazing and conservatories are also a feature.
The planning department of SDC is to be restructured to consist of two planners and one assistant planner, with enforcement down to the senior planning officer.
The results of the recent CPA are awaited. Member development is proving to be a success and the Council is going for full Charter status.
2) Apologies
Apologies were received from Cllr Jon Haworth and Cllr Daren Pemberton, by the Clerk, in good time. Also, at the meeting from Cllrs Peter Barnes, Chris Pierson and Brian Slaughter.
3) Disclosure of Interest
There were no disclosures of interest.
4) Minutes
Minutes having been circulated were confirmed as an accurate record of the meeting in May 2007 and were duly signed by the Chairman.
5) Matters arising therefrom
Code of Conduct: Notices and interests.
Notice of adoption of the new code of conduct will be publicised in the next newsletter,
Also, the notice required for a local newspaper (s 51 b LGA 2000) will be published in October 2007, with SDC adsorbing the costs.
Karen has notified the monitoring officer at SDC of the adoption and the standards board for England. Also the new register of interests has been placed with the monitoring officer.
6) Village maintenance
Repairs to fence adjacent to Wixford bridge:
Karen has obtained a quote from Acorn Landscapes to do this work at a cost of £ 89.00.
It was proposed by Cllr Jack Fryer and Seconded by Cllr Matt Smith the work should go ahead as soon as possible.
Stone House, Wixford ? Flooding problems:
After numerous e mails and telephone conversations, on Thursday 5th July a meeting took place at Stone House with Richard Elbourne (WCC) and Nick Gostick (Severn Trent) attending. Both Karen and Dave Tiley (SDC) are being kept in the loop and will keep the pressure on Severn Trent. The article in the Stratford Herald also highlighted George?s plight.
Severn Trent are to enlist a team to excavate with a view to locating and solving the problem.
(George told the meeting he should receive a written response).
Grass Cutting:
Karen has spoken to Matt Austin at SDC and he came out to inspect the work recently carried out. Matt has given assurances that future grass cutting will be to a higher standard.
7) Planning
Corner Cottage (05/03842/FUL) progress regarding enforcement:
File Closed: The hardstanding for the Calor gas tank is to be regularised by an application, and the accessway does not require planning permission in the form set out on site.
The Barns (07/00728/FUL) progress re referral to committee
Withdrawn
8) Environment and Safety
Newsletter ' Progress report' the September include will contain the adoption of the new Code of Conduct as required under s 51 (b) LGA 2000 as well as community links information for villagers.
Best Kept Village Competition 2007 - Has now been entered.
Re-surfacing of A46 - Karen will meet with John Maples MP, Amjid Raza of the Highways Agency and Cllr Brian Slaughter on 13th July to hopefully make some progress on this issue.
9) Finance
Internal / External Audit
The external audit has been forwarded ? No response as yet.
The internal audit was conducted by Mike Gerrard on 17/05/07 -
He gave us a glowing report, not least for getting rid of 'petty cash' as a title
regarding our accounts. Finances are also minuted in a better way.
After some debate Mike Gerrard was appointed as our internal auditor for the
next financial year.
Bank Reconciliation
Was produced, and expounded upon by the Clerk.
Awards for all
We now have two laptops, with software, and a new web address - thanks to SDC - One will reside with the Clerk, the other with the Chairman.
Both Colin and Karen have attended training courses in computing with SDC.
Karen has added the laptops to our current insurance wherever they go, at a cost of £81.00 per year (No documentation as yet).
Website: The quote from SDC came in at £ 200 higher than Webbenefit for building it, so the Council decided to proceed with Webbenefit at a cost of
£ 600 - Karen will liaise with Cllr Jon Haworth on this project.
Proposed: Cllr Matt Smith - Seconded: Cllr Jack Fryer.
Cllr Matt Smith will research publishing computer packages useful to developing the newsletter and produce costs at the September meeting, as the Council decided this would be a better use of resources than an overhead projector.
Quality parish status
Karen has (hopefully) addressed the failings with the previous application and asked the Council to submit a new improved one. This was agreed.
Proposed: Cllr Jack Fryer - Seconded: Cllr Matt Smith.
Payments between meetings
None.
10) Accounts for payment
Cheque No 264 Clerks Salary/Expenses £ 402.33
Cheque No 265 NALC Re: Quality Council £ 29.38
Cheque No 266 Internal Audit (Mike Gerrard) £ 60.00
Cheque No 267 Viking Direct £ 46.07
Cheque No 268 Stratford District Council (Awards for All) £ 3397.14
Accounts authorised for payment:
Proposed: Cllr Fryer - Seconded Cllr Smith
Cheques Signed: Cllr Smith - Countersigned Cllr Fryer
11)
A) Correspondence
12/05/07 - Copy of letter from Salford Priors PC Regarding the A46 resurfacing
16/05/07 - Copies of letters to and from John Maples MP Re A46
(Forwarded to Councillors)
09/06/07 - Copy of letter to Brian Slaughter Re A46
Various e mails between Richard Elbourne, Dave Tiley, Karen and Kim James
regarding the situation at Stone House flooding.
12/06/07 - Statement of accounts from Wixford Village Hall Committee for
the year ended 31/12/06 ? (Closing balance £ 9,220).
15/06/07 - Posters from Bidford PC to display on notice board, re: Bidford fire
station.
20/06/07 - Letter from John Maples Re Bidford fire station
*NB will should be an agenda item in September*
The matter was discussed and Kim pointed out that Cllr Hobbs had received many letters, the Parish Councils and ?Bidford 36? were very involved and Alcester and Pebworth fire stations were very concerned - However,the review takes place in September, so nothing happens until then.
23/06/07 - Community Links Posters (For noticeboard).
B) Correspondence to table:
N/A
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.25 pm
Colin Hales Chairman
11th September 2007
13th September, 2007