BAYDON VILLAGE NEWS

From

Barbara Furber

 

Baydon Parish Council Meeting of 21st July 2008

 

 

 

The Parish Council meeting on Monday July 21st was chaired by Mr Tony Prior due to the resignation of Mr Don Carmichael.

 

Mr Prior began by reading a statement in which he said that he felt that some things would have to change, within procedural boundaries, or else the level of unease shared by residents and councillors would continue. The Parish Council, he said, must move on. The Parish Council had had three chairmen within one year, and the present councillors had a total of no more than 7 months of experience. We desperately need residents to join the Parish Council, said Mr Prior, so yet again the invitation goes out.

 

He also added that matters from the meetings bother him because there is a strong feeling in the village that the Parish Council achieves nothing. It is, he said, an understandable generalisation but it is not true. There is always a backlog of items not cleared. Ideally, he said, he would like to clear the backlog by the year end. A tall order said Mr Prior particularly if the Parish Council team is not enlarged. Finally he added there were several procedural issues that he would like to discuss with the Clerk outside of the meeting for future consideration by the Councillors.

 

After several amendments were added to the minutes of the last meeting they were agreed and signed.

 

In public question time Mr James Caudwell of Manor Lane began by praising the Baydon Website but adding that he wished it was more interactive. He said that he was a District Councillor working with 5 parish councils and so knew what a thankless task it was. He advised councillors that they were able to agree to make decisions whether the subject was on the agenda or not, the Parish Clerk firmly disagreed with him.

 

Mr Caudwell continued by saying that grants were still available from Kennet District Council for projects with matched funding. He said that the Parish Council should advertise the fact that if the community got together with a plan before March 2009 the opportunity was there. Secondly he brought up the subject of speeding through the village.

It was noted that strips had been added to the road to monitor speed. It was agreed that the positioning of the strips was wrong, but the Parish Council agreed to write and mention this fact when asking for the analysis details.

 

It was also agreed to send for the definitive document held by Highways concerning speed limits and sitings. Mrs Tamsin Witt, the new councillor, agreed to do some preliminary investigations on the subject before the Traffic Calming Working Party is set up.

 

Planning:

 

As Mrs Alison Tomkins declared a prejudicial interest in the application from Gleeson Homes the Parish Council did not have a quorum and could not vote on it.

 

The application to fell 3 small trees outside 3 Ash Terrace was returned with no objections.

 

The appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the erection of a Wind Turbine at Baydon Meadow was returned with the original objections following a suggestion from the Clerk.

 

In her short verbal report the Clerk said that she had received a letter from Baydon Young Peoples Association to say that all insurances were in place for the hall, but there had been a delay in displaying the information. They added that there was no issue regarding funding for the BYPA.

 

Mrs Liz Carmichael, Clerk, also added that she had written back to the legal advisor about the issue of “open space land”, though she felt it did not apply to the Parish Field.

 

Mr Prior asked where the matters from the previous meeting were, as they had agreed that they would be in the Clerk’s report. It was important, he said, for a document to show actions that had been completed and those carried forward. Mr Prior asked that it be completed for the next meeting. He then asked about the e-mail from County Councillor Chris Humphries regarding the status of the Parish Field. The Clerk replied that the e-mail did not change issues arising as it was not a planning issue, but one of intended use. The Parish Council, she said, needed to make a conscious decision / resolution about the field. Cllr Alison Tomkins pointed out that on the District Plan the only open space land in the village is the Paddock and that the Parish Council had already made a decision about allotments on the field.

 

Mr Prior asked that the matter of Willow Track be disassociated from the issue of allotments. The Clerk reiterated that if a decision was made in the wrong way then the decision becomes invalid.

It was agreed that the Clerk put pressure on the legal advisor so that the matter of allotments on the Parish Field can be made legal as soon as possible. Mr Prior then produced a list of tasks for the installation of water and fencing to the Parish Field. It was agreed to arrange a site meeting between the Parish Council and the Allotment Association before the next meeting. Mr Prior agreed to arrange it.

 

Items 8.1 and 8.2 were discussed. It was agreed that the Liaison Officer deal with queries about the allotments between meetings if they came under the rules of the tenancy.

 

It was then considered whether the recommendations from the Working Party should be endorsed by the Baydon Allotment Association. Mrs Tomkins suggested that any concerns by the BAA be channelled through the liaison officer in readiness for the next meeting. It was agreed that a copy of the Working Party document not be given to the BAA as two of their representatives were members of the Working Party.

 

The clerk presented a new administration document for approval. It was agreed that the councillors take the document away to review, and come back with comments at the next meeting.

 

The clerk was instructed to produce draft amendments to the Standing Orders to bring it up to date for review.

 

It was agreed to leave the forming of a Traffic Calming Working Party until the Village Plan report was finished. This, they felt would help the Working Party to move forward more quickly.

 

The Clerk said that she had replied to those villagers who had written regarding the allotments, though Mr Graham Richardson, speaking from the floor, said that he had not received a letter.  It was agreed that villagers needed to know that the Parish Council’s intention was to make a formal resolution, but that they were waiting for advice on how best to go about it. The Clerk is to draft a letter and the Parish Council will review it before it is sent.

 

Item 8.4 to agree a risk assessment for installing the water supply to the Parish Field and item 8.7 to review the Parish Council’s risk assessment were deferred.

 

Mrs Tomkins asked that it be minuted that the Parish Council’s thanks go to Mr Don Carmichael for his valuable input during his time on the Parish Council.

 

The letters from Baydon St. Nicholas School regarding the Paddock were discussed. It was agreed that although the County Council sublet the Paddock to the School and therefore it is their responsibility for repairs, the Parish Council felt some responsibility as the village use the paddock out of school hours.

A holding letter is to be sent and the subject put on the agenda for a proper discussion at a later date as to exactly what support the Parish Council can give.

 

The meeting finished at 10.15pm.

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