Minutes 15th February, 2001

MINUTES OF THE BISLEY-WITH-LYPIATT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday 15th February 2001 at BISLEY W I HALL

 

Mrs P Carrick Chairman
   
Mr M G Flint} 
Mrs J M Martin}Bisley Ward
Mr J P L Perkins} 
Mr N S Rogers} 
   
Mr R K Brooks} 
Mrs J W Russell}Eastcombe Ward
Mrs O M Turner} 
   
Mr A C Newman} 
Mr R N Budgeon}Oakridge Ward
Mr R S Bryant} 
   
Mrs E F Jordan Clerk
   

In attendance:    County Cllr Mr C Fellows

 

1.

Apologies for Absence

 Apologies were received from Mr T G Carter (previous appointment) and District Councillor L C Green.

 

2.

Public Participation

 Nothing was raised under this heading

 

3.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

 The minutes of the meeting held on 10th January having been circulated to all members were approved and the Chairman signed the Minute Book.

 

4.

Matters Arising

 

 a)

Next Year’s Road Repairs

  Requests for road repairs in the Parish next year have been received from both Bisley and Eastcombe for forwarding to the Highways Authority but the Clerk is still awaiting a list from Oakridge.

 

 b)

Message in a Bottle

  This is going well in all Wards

 

 c)

Rural Access Study

  The Chairman stated that she was willing to participate in the Steering Group.

 

 d)

County Highways Letters

  Some white lining has now been done in the Parish. The Clerk was asked to write to the Highways Authority to let them know that there is still a considerable amount of work outstanding.

 

The Clerk was asked to reply to the Divisional Surveyor’s letter of 16 January accepting his offer to meet with the snow wardens next September to discuss procedures.

 

5.

District Council Matters

 Nothing was raised under this heading.

 

6.

County Council Matters

 Cllr Fellows told the meeting of a proposed meeting at Thomas Keble School on Monday, 9th April at 10.00 in order that he may introduce the new Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council. He hoped that both the Chairmen and Parish Clerks of all Parish Councils could attend to discuss local issues.

 

Cllr Fellows also stated that at a meeting on 14th February, a tax increase had been set.

 

Cllr Fellow told the meeting that following changes, the County Council would adopt a cabinet style administration similar to Stroud DC..

 

There should be £100K available for the Stroud area for a Rural Grant initiative. Receipt of these monies would be conditional upon either financial contribution from the Parish Councils or assistance in kind for projects.

 

7.

Finance

 

Receipts:

 

Lloyds Bank Interest

Oakridge Village Hall (Share of water bill)

Midlands Electricity – Wayleaves

 

Cash balances as at 31 January 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

£5309.00

 

 

8.00

20.31

43.32

£71.63

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments:

 

Service

VAT

Total

 

John Davis – repair of Stonecote Ridge Notice Board

Oakridge Village Hall Trust

(Hire of Hall Oct and Dec)

Local Council Review

(Annual Subscription)

E F Jordan (Clerk’s Petty Cash)

Salary Cheque – Clerk January

Inland Revenue/NI

6.50

 

23.70

 

9.99

50.00

405.85

21.53

6.50

 

23.70

 

9.99

50.00

405.85

21.53

 

Total Payments

£517.57

 

THE LOCK UP ACCOUNT

 

Balance as at 5 February 2001 – £1843.58

 

The application was signed in order that this account can be transferred into a Premier Interest Account thus attracting a better rate of interest.

 

8.

Matters for Discussion

 

 a)

20 mph – Bisley

  A letter has been received from The Traffic Manager confirming that the speed limit will be in place as soon as possible in the new financial year.   It was not considered possible to extend the speed limit beyond the Windy House junction but Cllr Fellows offered to write to the Highways Authority and draw their attention to this anomaly.

 

 b)

Stancombe Village Signs

  A site meeting is to be held with Mr Jenkins on Friday, 23rd February to discuss the siting of the proposed new signs.

 

 c)

Windyridge

  The Chairman of the Bisley Ward told the meeting of the Public Meeting that had been held on Wednesday, 7th February, which was well attended and answered many questions from the public. Matters should now progress in the normal way and it is possible that work on the first ten units could start in June.

 

 

 d)

Modernising Local Government

  The Programme of Best Value Reviews 2001/02 was discussed and the Clerk was requested to write and ask for clarification of the terms ‘Services to Travellers’ and ‘Cross-cutting’. The Parish Councillors also wished to put on record the apparent lack of communication with the Highways Authority when projects were going to take place.

 

 e)

Standards Committee

  After considerable discussion, it was put by Mr Brooks that the Parish Councillors had noted the paper but RESOLVED not to reply to any questions.

 

 f)

Contact with Authorities

  After various misunderstandings and duplications of requests last month it was agreed that Parish Councillors would always go through the Chairman or the Clerk when contact was to be made with the different Authorities.     However, Snow Wardens would still make their requests for information and assistance with their usual contacts.

 

 g)

Approval of Grass Cutting Contracts

  A Quotation had been received from Wiltshire Direct. In view of the increase in cost over last year, the Clerk was asked to contact them and ascertain the reason.

 

The Ward Chairmen requested maps and conditions for grass cutting of the grass verges for their wards.

 

 h)

Possible change in format of Parish Council Meetings

  This item was postponed until the next meeting.

 

 i)

Middle Hill Footpath

  A letter has been received from the Network Improvement Unit regarding this project and the Parish Council’s request for details of the criteria for deciding on footways, i.e. the decision to provide a footway in Middle Hill and not provide one in Bisley. The letter stated that the number of accidents, link to schools and potential volume of users all came into the equation. Under this assessment system, Middle Hill Footway scores 625 whilst the path in Bisley Village scores 160.

 

 j)

Proposed Modification to Environmental Weight Restrictions

  There were no comments to make in respect of the letter received from the Traffic Manager regarding this item.

 

 

 k)

Housing Needs Survey

  The letter from Stroud District Council’s Development Officer regarding the survey 1999-2000 was noted.

 

 l)

Planning – Possible changes to Planning Reporting

 

This item was postponed until the next meeting.

 

9.

Planning

 

The following applications had been received and considered in January.

 

a)

Bisley

 

Limekiln Farm, Middle Lypiatt – Retrospective application for retention of outbuilding. Change of use from agriculture to mixed use and keeping of horses for non-commercial use. This application was objected to on the grounds that the plan showed insufficient detail in respect of materials, construction, dimensions and number of stable units. The impact of the increase in traffic movement should be addressed.

 

Graduate Gardeners – Calfway Lane – Erection of detached machinery shed and poly tunnel.   Supported.

 

 

b)

Eastcombe

 

The Bungalow – Erection of extensions – No observations.

 

 

c)

Oakridge

 

Lynch Cottage – Erection of extension – Supported.

 

Bywell Cottage, Tunley – To allow use of parts of Cart Shed as ancillary accommodation to main dwelling – Object. It was a critical element of both the original recommendation and the subsequent consent

 

10.

Correspondence – January

 

During the month, the following correspondence was received which was made available on the table at the meeting.

 

 Gloucestershire CCGloucestershire Medal for Courage 2000
 

Gloucestershire Voluntary Car Services

Leaflet – how the service works

 

 

 Gloucestershire Environment

SDC Crime & Disorder Partnership

Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association

Gloucestershire Rural Transport Partnership

SDC (Chief Executive)

 

Community Watch

SDC Housing & Environmental Services

Road Safety in Gloucestershire

 

Minutes of bi-annual meeting & Report

Annual Report and request for funding

Invitation to meeting on 22 February and Agenda

Invitation to attend meeting to discuss new SDC Constitution 6 March

Rural Policing Strategy

Stroud District’s Spring Clean 2001 – request for volunteers

   
11.

Ward Matters

  
 a)

Bisley

  The Clerk was asked to write to Severn Trent to request a list of work, which will be undertaken in the Parish in the next financial year.

 

The path from Windyridge to Bearsfield is presently obstructed by an overhanging hedge from property owned by Bisley Charities. Mrs Russell is to deal with this matter.

 

 b)

Eastcombe

  A wall on the perimeter of the playing field is crumbling. The clerk was requested to obtain a quote for its repair before it deteriorated.

 

  Mrs Russell enquired as to when the width restriction sign in Eastcombe promised early in January would be in place. The clerk will chase.
   
 c)

Oakridge

  Enquiries are to be made by the clerk as to whether the road between Little Avenis and Avenis Green is to be adopted by the Highways Authority.
   

The DETR paper, Our Countryside, The Future, A Fair Deal for Rural England had been discussed at the Ward Meeting and it was requested that this now be discussed at the next Parish Council Meeting.

 

12.

Date and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting is to be held at the Bisley Women’s Institute Hall at 7.30 on Wednesday, 7th March 2001

 

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 10.10.p.m.