Baydon Village News

By

Barbara Furber

Baydon Parish Council Meeting – 9th June 2008

An additional meeting of the Parish Council was held on Monday 9th June 2008. Several villagers were present and Mr Don Carmichael was in the chair.

As plans for an extension to the Red Lion pub and the construction of two semi detached dwellings on the adjacent land on Aldbourne Road were on view, the public were invited to make comments before the business meeting began.

Several people voiced concerns about the proposed 3 storey houses. Mr Tim Norman felt it would set a precedent. Others voiced concerns that the landowners, having received full planning permission would only build the houses and not open the pub. Chairman Don Carmichael encouraged villagers to write / email to the planning office with comments. The Parish Council has little power, he added. Mrs Cathy Snow said the deadline was 10th June (tomorrow), but County Councillor Chris Humphries reassured her that late comments would still be taken into consideration.

Cllr Tony Prior said that he had no objections. The Pub, he said, needed an injection of something to make it viable. As the houses didn’t seem out of place it looked, in his opinion to be a good thing for the village.

Cllr Heather White said that she had canvassed the neighbouring houses and no one was against the plans, but most were concerned about the height of the proposed houses. She personally wondered if the could be built to look like 2 storey from the outside.

All councillors were in favour but asked for a statement to be added concerning the roof line, height of houses, building line and the fact that 3 storey houses were out of keeping with the village.

The Clerk Mrs Elizabeth Carmichael then read through a long report of activities. She explained that the “Matters Arising” was an old fashioned term and that her report was a reflection of the new way in which these matters were covered.

Mrs Carmichael reported that a risk assessment document had been circulated and would be on a later agenda for discussion.

Hedging in the Parish Field along the boundary of Willow House was still outstanding but the clerk said that she would liaison with Wiltshire Wild Life Trust to ascertain the best type of hedging.

A letter had been sent to the residents of Willow Track so that the Parish Council could establish who was responsible for the Lane.

The Clerk has also sent letters in reply to those people who raised concerns about the establishing of allotments on the Parish Field. Cllr Tony Prior asked that the councillors be allowed to see copies of the letters.

Highways have taken action in the matter regarding the trees in Manor Lane.

The Clerk said that she still had to get a quote for the removal of brambles at the western entrance to Manor Lane and that the matter of the horse wire still had to be added to the agenda.

The clerk also reported that she had spoken to Sodexho about the state of the village green, and believed that the cutting had been delayed because of the weather and other factors.

Those councillors wishing to join a training course were on a waiting list, but the clerk had no information as to when the course would take place.

Mrs Carmichael said that she had emailed Kennet District Council asking that the s106 monies be transferred to the Parish Council account. County Councillor Chris Humphries said that there was no chance of that happening as the Parish Council had to have a project and a business plan before monies could be transferred. He also added that the deadline was April 2009 and that he couldn’t promise anything once Kennet District Council had disappeared and the village became part of the Wiltshire Unitary Authority.

The Clerk thanked the Allotment Association for trimming back the hedge overhanging Willow Track, but said that the Parish Council must consider a maintenance plan for the future.

Mrs Carmichael had also written to the BYPA asking that the relevant document concerning Insurance etc be displayed in the Hall, but she has not as yet received a response.

The Allotment Working Party had met, she reported, and had now disbanded.

The Traffic Calming Working Group had not however been set up yet. Mr Humphries said that he had contacted the Camera Safety Crew who will do a survey before any action is taken.

Cllr Heather White reported that she hoped to complete the Parish Plan Survey in August and that she had visited the local school to present prizes to the winners of the poster competition. The posters will be displayed soon, she promised.

Cllr Alison Tomkins raised concerns that the clerks report omitted two items. They were to be added to the next agenda.

Cllr Tony Prior asked that future reports be issued in this vein, he also asked that dates be added to action. The clerk agreed to use a unique reference number for each item.

Chairman, Don Carmichael, then said that the Parish Council needed to retrace its steps concerning the allotments and that the clerk had been advised that the Parish Council should stop making further investments on the field such as installing water and fencing, or work concerning the allotments, until the title deeds and minutes concerning the purchase of the field approximately 15 years ago, had been looked at. He added that the Parish Council had ticked several of the right boxes but more may need to be done. The Clerk said that she was seeking proper legal advice and had contacted the solicitor(s) who dealt with the original purchase of the field for details and title deeds etc. However the solicitor was on holiday until the end of the week.

Mr Tim Norman said he had been a councillor at the time of purchase but was absent when the final decision was made, and that information should be sought from Mrs Enid Johnson who was chairperson at the time.

Mrs Sylvia Betteridge said that the field had been purchased for a play area.

Mrs Barbara Furber said that she well remembered the public meeting called to discuss the field which had been purchased by the Parish Council for leisure activities. The Parish Council, at the time, asked the village for ideas as to how the land should be used. Parish feeling at the time, she added, ran very high. Villagers were opposed to the use of the land for a play area because of its position at the end of the village and access on to a fast road.

The clerk said she would continue to search the paper trail, and that she would also seek information from Mrs Johnson. It may be necessary, she added, to have additional Parish Council meetings to discuss matters such as how the land was described in the deeds, if there was a covenant on it and any information on the Willow Track. If it was bought with public money for a specific purpose was it being used for that? She asked.

Chairman Don Carmichael added that it may just be a matter of a meeting to agree change of use, but the Parish Council did not know for sure. The Parish Council then discussed the use of the field for a play area. Cllr Heather White said that things should be moved along quickly or funding would be lost. Mr Carmichael said that the cost of a play area was around £12,000. Cllr Tony Prior reminded the meeting that the Baydon Resource Group (BRG) had plans for a BMX Track on the field. The clerk replied that the BRG were not active at the moment. It was agreed however to ask the BRG to attend the next meeting to give an update on proposals and to add the play area discussion to the agenda.

Mrs Kate Ellis from the floor remarked that the Parish Council seemed to be achieving nothing at this meeting as nothing had been decided on any issue.

In the light of the clerks research into legal matters all items on the agenda concerning the allotments were deferred.

They then considered a replacement waste bin outside the school paddock although the clerk said that the dustmen only empty street bins as a courtesy. Cllr Alison Tomkins said that she would rather empty the bin herself than have no bin outside the paddock. The clerk said that there was £480 in Parish Council funds for litter purposes, therefore it was agreed to purchase a new bin.

Some villagers had voiced complaints about the large dog from Downs House roaming the village. Many said they felt intimidated by it. No decision was made.

Cllr Alison Tomkins also raised concerns that the 30mph signs at approaches to the village were being obscured by trees and overgrown hedges. The clerk agreed to write to Peter Hanson of Highways.

It was then agreed that the Parish Steward be asked to clear obstructions to the 30mph signs, and weed the pavements at the entrance to Downsmead.

The renewing of the Clerks membership to the Society of Local Council Clerks was approved, as was the payment of £50 petty cash to the clerk, £100 to Mike Collis for the Village Plan project and £29.40 to Southern Electric.

A letter had been received from Tamsin Witt showing an interest in becoming a councillor. She is to be invited along to the next meeting with a view to co-opting her on to the council.

Mr Prior asked if the clerk would consider producing the copy of the minutes within 2 weeks of a meeting.

Mrs Furber mentioned a misplaced manhole cover near Starvon Manor and it was also asked that the appropriate authorities be contacted as the storm drains in the village were full of silt, particularly the one in Finches Lanes which caused the Lane to flood again recently. The clerk replied that people could ring “Clarence” themselves with such problems or email her direct instead of bringing such issues to the PC meeting.

The chairman re-iterated the need for more new councillors and then said that the next meetings would be on the 7th July and September 1st. However, he added; there may well be interim meetings so watch out for notices.