Baydon Village News

From Barbara Furber

Baydon Parish Council – Meeting On Monday 16th February 2009

Chairman Mr Tony Prior began the Parish Councils February meeting with a desperate plea for more volunteers to become councillors.

The clerk’s report was submitted and Mrs Liz Carmichael added that she was starting to move forward towards getting the new Bank Account sorted out.

Mr Priors draft letter to Kennet District Council, asking that s106 monies be released to the council before Wiltshire takes over in April, were approved by the council and will be forwarded. Mr Prior said that he had received three quotes for play ground equipment, but the plan may change before completion.

Item 6.2 to consider the options presented by solicitors with regard to the use of the Parish Field for allotments could not be discussed as three of the four councillors declared an interest.

A Parish footpath improvement grant is available, said Mr Prior, but he was concerned that with each councillor working on other projects, they would find it difficult to prepare the application for the grant. Ms Alison Tomkins agreed and suggested that the Parish Council look at the subject next year. All agreed.

The Best Kept Village Competition, and the Calor Wilts Village of the Year Competition were discussed. It was agreed not to enter this year.

Cllrs Alison Tomkins and Tamsin Witt have both attended the New Councillor training day and thoroughly recommend the excellent course. Mr Ian Timms, Mr Tony Prior and Mr Tony Routledge are to attend and the cost of £103.50 was approved.

Mr Prior said that he had attended the Marlborough Pilot Area Board as a member of the public as he had not received details in time to attend as a councillor. Mr Timms agreed to attend the next meeting as a Baydon Parish Council representative, and Mrs Witt agreed to be a deputy rep.

The clerk was asked to write to Wiltshire County Council complaining about the lack of snow clearing in the village recently. The pavement outside of the school was not cleared until the Friday, two weeks after the first snow fall. A request will also be submitted for a grit box on the North side of Manor Lane, and the other boxes in the village to be refilled.

It was noted that Highways at present are responsible for the cutting of two small areas of grass at the entrance to Ermin Close. It was agreed to request them NOT to cut until further notice, as residents already cut the grass.

A request from the clerk for her Christmas holiday to be allocated against unused entitlement for the period of November 2007 to November 2008 was granted. Ms Tomkins said that some sort of timesheet was needed as the Parish Council was unaware that the clerk had not taken her entitlement. It was agreed that the clerk would advise the chair when she needed to take a holiday and that the holiday should be within the allocated year. However up to one week could be taken during the first quarter of the next year. A hard copy of the clerk’s signed Contract of Employment was filed in the Parish Council file and a record of the clerk’s employment starting date was noted. This arose, said Mr Prior because no signed copy could be found in the files, a record of continuous employment was not found either. Therefore a photocopy of the clerk’s signed contract was signed by Mr Prior and filed.

Cllr Tamsin Witt said that she would like a list of priority tasks to be added to the agenda, so that the clerk knew which tasks the council needed to be completed urgently. The clerk said that it wouldn’t guarantee that those tasks would be done, as she had lots of tasks like the minutes etc. that had to be completed first. Cllr Tomkins said she sometimes wondered what tasks the clerk did have to complete, and suggested the clerk gave an outline so that the councillors had a clearer view. Mr Prior said that he had heard remarks about 7 hours working time being more that enough for a small parish like Baydon. It was agreed to try the priority list.

No comments or actions were taken on items 7.1 to 7.5

Planning:

The application for a lad’s accommodation centre at Downs House was refused.

Finance:

Sodexho had offered a credit of £196 plus VAT for work not done last year, which was accepted. The clerk is to request an invoice for any outstanding balance.

The clerk’s expenses for travelling to a SLCC conference were approved at 40p per mile.

The clerk’s remuneration for the period 12^th January to 15^th February at £288.33 was approved.

The quarterly budget was submitted by the clerk. It was noted that it was £546 over budget but, said the clerk; the litter bin was purchased against a litter grant that had been received. The cost of the Christmas tree lights had not been expected. It was agreed that the councillors study the statement further and discuss it at the next meeting.

The allocation of £300 + VAT for legal research into the ownership of Willow Lane was approved.

Cllr Tamsin Witt asked the clerk if the Parish Council could see the Petty Cash book to see if it needed to be changed or audited. There was some confusion by the councillors as to what was electronically recorded and what wasn’t. It was agreed that the clerk produce the petty cash book for the councillors to view at the next meeting. Mrs Witt also requested that the clerk contact Clarence about the blocked drains by email, and put on the agenda for the next meeting consideration of a letter of complaint about the matter.

Mr Prior suggested a private meeting of councillors with the clerk to discuss ways of improving working relationships. It was agreed by all that this was needed.

Mr Prior also asked that the matter of a new venue for meetings be discussed at the next meeting. He also asked as to whether the payment and receipt document was to be put on the website.

Mr Tony Routledge was then voted in and welcomed on as a new councillor.

The meeting closed at 9.45pm  

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