DRAFT MINUTES

BAYDON PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

MONDAY 15th May 2017 - AT 8.00PM IN THE BYPA HALL, MANOR LANE

In Attendance: Councillors: Tamsin Witt (Chairman), Amy Bryan, Brian Billington, Sarah Chidgey, James Lawrence, Sarah Hancock, Clerk Charlotte Booth and 6 members of the public.

1.  ELECTION OF NEW CHAIRMAN

Tamsin Witt was proposed by Sarah Chidgey, and seconded by Amy Bryan.

Tamsin Witt accepted and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office

2. SIGNING IN OF NEW COUNCIL

All elected councillors signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The council is still one member short of full council.

3. APOLOGIES

Debbie Moxon and Mark Austen sent their apologies.

4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No interests were declared.

5. MINUTES OF LAST PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

The minutes of the meeting held on:

3rd April 2017

was agreed and signed as a correct record.

6. COUNCIL ROLES

Roles to be divided between the new councillors as individuals or small committees.

Planning  - Cllr Billington

Save Baydon Lion Team Representative  - Cllr Chidgey

Emergency Plan - TBC

Footpaths – Cllr Lawrence (Lead) and Cllr Chidgey

Allotments – Cllr Bryan

Hedgerows  - Cllr Lawrence

Traffic Calming and Parking  - Cllr Witt (Lead), Cllr Chidgey, Cllr Lawrence

Parish Steward – Cllr Bryan

Beating the Bounds – Cllr Billington (Lead) and Cllr Chidgey

Playground – Cllr Hancock

Village Plan – Cllr Witt (Lead) Cllr Hancock

 

 

7. POLICE REPORT

Police Report for May 2017 was received on May 4th and was posted on the Baydon Website.

There was no reference to anything in Baydon.

8. SUSPENSION OF MEETING FOR PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

The meeting was suspended for 15 minutes to allow members of the public to speak to the Council on items on the agenda. No decisions can be made by the Council during PQT.

Parking concerns on the pavement by the phone box on Downsmead at 7:30am with parents bringing children to catch the bus. They park up and wait for the bus to arrive. A request was made to put yellow lines on the road here. Further parking issues were raised about Finches Lane at school drop-off and pick-up times.

It was raised that the play park on Newton Walk was being used by non-Newton Walk residents. They are not insured for this and there has been damage to property. They urge non-Newton Walk residents to use the main village playground.

It was questioned when the SID was going to be used.

It was again raised whether the Parish Steward could trim the tree on Aldbourne Road and Ermin Street and the residents were reminded that the Parish Steward has already explained that this is private property and he is unable to carry out the work.

Concern was raised about the moles, and the council explained it was to be discussed in item number 11.4 (c).

After this period the meeting was resumed.

9. CORRESPONDENCE

All correspondence was circulated to the councillors.

7th April 2017 – Letter from Wiltshire Council regarding the sale of the Red Lion Pub. The Community Purchase Team have until 7th October 2017 to place a bid.

20th April 2017 – email from Mrs Archer regarding the repairs on the Ermin Street verges. I responded that these were carried out by an Ermin Close resident without consultation with the council.

23rd April 2017 – email from Mr Prior regarding damage to the footpath by the Eastern buildouts (see item 11.7).

10. PLANNING

 a)  Application:                      15/03264/FUL & 17/02599/FUL

                  Location:                             Russley Road, Baydon

     Comments:                        The landowner, explained the situation with the temporary buildings and the current situation with the planning applications. These temporary buildings will be removed once building work has been completed. She also wanted to emphasise that no one is living in the caravan> It is used for the toilet when she is on site. She had sent her comments to the clerk via email prior to the meeting.

   No objections were raised to the application.

11. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION

11.1 Clerk’s Report 

a) Due to a change in circumstances the Clerk had to return her borrowed copy of Arnold-Baker. She has purchased a copy at £95 as running the council and completing the CiLCA is impossible without it.

b) Report on the funding available for the village plan (see item 11.11). Financing is available up to £9000 but must be spent by the end of the current financial year, and can be applied for more than once, and must be for specific items.

c) Discussion on renewal of council insurance. We’ve been quoted by Ecclesiastical for £533.42. They have also offered a further discount reducing the annual premium to £506.75 inclusive of insurance premium tax, if the Council enters 3 year binding agreement with Ecclesiastical until the 31st May 2020.

Proposed by Cllr Lawrence to go ahead with the renewal and to go ahead with a three year contract. Seconded by Cllr Chidgey. All agreed.

d) Lydia has started doing the litter picking for her Duke of Edinburgh award.

11.2 Review of Council Documents

To agree and approve:

a)       Standing Orders  - All agreed and signed

b)       Code of Conduct – Not approved (minor changes to be made regarding asterisks)

c)        Schemes of Delegation – All agreed and signed.

 

11.3 Parish Steward Scheme

Cllr Bryan will complete the form received from the Parish Clerk in time for the next visit.

Cllr Witt had sent some comments to the councillors by email, and Cllr Lawrence pointed out some of the road signs were looking a bit green and needed cleaning. These will be added to the list

11.4 Allotments and Playground

a) The tenant of plot 2 has requested to underlet part of her plot to a new resident in the village. The council is to make a decision to agree or deny the request.

There were no objections.

b) Cllr Bryan provided an update on allotments. All the plots are rented at the moment, with part of one plot being used by the Little Crickets Pre-school. The BAA do a lot at the allotments in regard to pruning and other activities so the council don’t have to take responsibility for it.    

c) Moles problem - Pestforce were the cheapest at £95 for a complete job, so they were contracted to go ahead (as agreed in the previous meeting). The traps were set and he caught one mole.

The moles have tunnelled extensively under the swings and therefore before the swings can be used safely, the tunnels need to be collapsed and infilled.  

Action: To contact Miracle and Idverde to get some advice regarding the playground safety and the mole issue.

Action: To put a notice on the gate of the allotments about the uneven ground following concern raised by a member of the BAA and allotment plot holder.

Action: To get a quote from the pest control regarding gassing the moles and to get advice on the implications of gas on planted vegetables. 

11.5 Stiles update

Cllr Chidgey reported that all stiles have been replaced with squeeze gaps, designed to prevent livestock from escaping whilst still allowing people in.

11.6 Emergency Response Team

It was Proposed by Cllr Billington and seconded by Cllr Chidgey not to go ahead with the Emergency Response Team and instead to deal with any emergencies as they arise. All councillors agreed.

11.7 Manor Lane/Ermin Street Footpath Damage

Cllr Witt explained that Atkins had completed a repair when it had been damaged a while ago but this needs doing again.

Action: Cllr Billington to report it via the Wiltshire App.

11.8 Pittams Contract

The Council discussed the renewal of the grass-cutting contract. According to standing orders three quotes have been sought (but only two have been obtained) for expenditure over £500.

a)       Pittams have quoted the same as last year £2970 (inc. VAT) + £300 (inc. VAT) to repair the verge.

b)       Garden Rooms Swindon have quoted for the same specification at 12 equal monthly payments of £511.25 per month + vat = £6135 +VAT

Cllr Witt proposed to renew with Pittams for this year and get a quote on a three year contract. This was seconded by Cllr Billington and all agreed.

It was also asked if they could be asked to do further repairs to the new box hedges.

11.9 Ermin Close/Ermin Road Verges

Pittams did not reduce their quote of £250 + VAT to repair the verge and this was additional to the annual quote.

A resident has done a rudimentary repair which whilst not professional does not look that bad and may improve as it grows.

Cllr Bryan proposed that they monitor it and discuss it next month. All agreed except Cllr Chidgey. 

                11.10 Hedgerows

Cllr Lawrence provided an update on the letter sent to Mr Lloyd. There has been no response to the letter, and Cllr Lawrence hasn’t checked to see if the work has been done. Cllr Bryan suggested that as the cow parsley had grown it may not be possible to see.

Action: Cllr Lawrence will look at the site and review the situation.

11.11 Village Plan

Cllrs Witt and Hancock will work out a plan of what needs doing, potential costs and time scale, and then from there funding can be applied for. The Clerk to forward the guidance links to them.

11.12 Speeding issues on Manor Lane

Cllr Witt proposed to investigate getting Manor Lane reduced to 20 mph and all Cllrs agreed. Cllr Witt has spoken to CATG about it and a feasibility study costs £2.5k. There is the possibility of asking CATG for a contribution – it is likely that BPC would be required to pay 25% of the cost of the study.

There would also be further costs for the works – a maximum of £400 per sign.

                Clerk to diarise a discussion in September to add a line in the 2018/2019 budget.

11.13 Local Organisation Updates

1) An update of the meeting between the Chair and Little Crickets. This item was postponed until the next meeting.

2) An update of the Save Baydon Lion Team. They have received support from the village and a CAMRA representative. They have had a valuation of the pub, and the Save Baydon Lion team are acknowledged as official bidders.

11.14 Event Shelters

The event shelters have been requested for Baydon Church & School Fete on the 10th June. There were no objections.

11.15 Items for the Baydon Scene                                                                                        

The Clerk to send these items to the Baydon Scene

a)       Note from the PC regarding the playground on Newtons Walk.

b)       Cllr vacancy

c)        Summary of Parish Assembly and which groups attended

d)       Parish dates

12. FINANCE                                                                                                                      

12.1 Annual Return

The Annual Governance Statement, Accounting Statements and the Internal Audit Statement were approved and signed.

The Period of Exercise of public rights was announced as 26th June 2017 – 4th August 2017

12.2 Income                                                                                                                                                                                           

Cricket Fund (interest)

£0.51

Allotment rental

£30

Precept, Wiltshire Council

£8825

 

 

12.3 Bank statements                                                                                                             

Barclays Community

£22,321.45

General reserve

£19,500

Cricket Fund

£1205.66

Petty Cash

£20

PC Total

£43,047.11

 

 

                12.4 Payments approved between meetings                                                                                   

Idverde (March playground inspection)

£20.60

 

12.5 Payments to Approve

Cllr Bryan Expenses – New councillor training

£126

Clerk Expenses (Phone March-April/Cilca petrol/election nomination drop off petrol/parking)

£55

BYPA room hire February – April 2017

£49.50

WALC Subscription  2017-2018

£253.18

Clerk – Arnold Baker Purchase

£95

Clerk – 2 x trips to Hungerford to the internal auditor

£16.20

Save the Red Lion Team – Banners for village

£60

Idverde – Playground inspection April

£20.60

Castle Water

£8.09

 

All payments were approved.

13. ITEMS TO NOTE

13.1 There is a gardening tidy session at the BYPA on Sunday 21st at 10am.

13.2 School and Church fete on 10th June. The Church are looking for support for four unmanned stalls

13.3 Carer’s Road Show in Ramsbury

14. ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING

14.1 Review the mole situation

14.2 Little Crickets update

14.3 Village Plan next steps

 

 

Signed                                     Chair                   Date 

 

 

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