Baydon Village News by Barbara Furber

Baydon Parish Council Meeting of 21^st February 2011

The Parish Council meeting was held on Monday 21^st February in the Baydon Young Peoples Association hall with Mr Tony Prior in the chair.

The minutes of the Parish Council’s last planning meeting were approved. It was agreed to dispense with the Clerk’s report for the time being.

The were no objections to the alternative roofing material proposed for an extension at Hazelbury Farm, Gore Lane, or for its use on the triple garage and playroom.

Mr Mark Austen gave a report on behalf of the Traffic Calming Working Group (TCWG). In it he said that a training session has been arranged on Wednesday for 9 volunteers of the Community Speed Watch Scheme. The other 6 volunteers will receive training at a later date, hopefully. The TCWG is to meet with a committee at St. Nicholas School to discuss their Mouchel Report. We were aware, he stated, that proposed plans in the report concerning the junction of Ermin Street and Aldbourne Road conflicted with the Parish Council’s discussions with Wiltshire Highways.

The chairman then gave a report of the Marlborough Community Area Board (MCAB) meeting that he attended in January. There were lengthy discussions concerning the Marlborough parking fees, he said, which are to rise considerably. Revenue from the car parks it appears, subsidies the rural buses. It was also reported that 100 police officers and 200 other staff are to be made redundant in proposed Wiltshire cuts, though no frontline officers will disappear.

A Parish Forum is to meet in March, which will duplicate the Marlborough and Villages Community Area Partnership (MAVCAP). In his report Cllr Michael Edmonds said that the partnership would be in suspension for the time being because the Parish Forum may mirror its role.

The clerk reported that new arrangements for kerbside plastic and cardboard recycling are planned for the Autumn. In the meantime collections at the end of Downsmead will continue monthly. Residents are asked not to place bags etc before the allotted date.

Anti social skateboarding behaviour within the village was discussed. It appears that some children were skateboarding straight into the road in front of cars causing a danger to themselves. It was felt that the residents involved should deal with the situation and the parents informed. Are we saying that all skateboarding is a nuisance, asked Cllr Alison Tomkins, no was the reply.

Cllr Prior then gave a report on the Play Area, which will be completed by the end of March, if all goes to plan. There was much discussion regarding the use of S106 money (£32,600) to add a roundabout to the Play Area. Cllr Edmonds said that he felt necessary to access how well the play area was being used before spending more money. It was agreed to make the assessment over the Easter period and make a decision in June, as proposed by Cllr Andrew Knowles.

The signage for the play area was agreed and Cllr Prior is to negotiate costs with Miracle.

It was agreed to pay £75 for a professional risk assessment and check of the equipment when the area was completed.

It was agreed to take Ducks quotation of £4,850 for fencing, gate and picnic seating. Mr Mike Collis is to be asked to meet the contractors at the site and oversee the work. A grant from the Area Board would cover the cost.

The final amendments to the Allotment Rules were agreed. Cllr Prior withdrew from the meeting and the Council agreed a year’s rental for a plot at £20, but with a means tested benefit.

Cllr Prior said that a camera had been sited in the Parish Field. He asked Cllr Edmonds why this had been done without the council’s agreement. Cllr Edmonds said he felt it was worth trying it out to see if it worked before proposing it. As valuable equipment is being installed on the Parish Field and considering the history of vandalism, he felt it would be a good idea. Cllr Knowles suggested that it needed to be discussed at the next meeting. Cllr Prior requested that the camera be removed until the matter had been discussed.

Ms Brydgette Byron-Edmonds gave a report concerning the village celebration of the Royal Wedding. It was suggested, she said, that as it was a year since the new Pub landlords had taken over, to focus the celebrations around the Pub and Shop area. It was suggested that the Play Area could be included, but Cllr Knowles said that he thought it was necessary to keep the day simple, focusing on the wedding and not the play area. This was agreed.

Much discussion then followed concerning the S106 monies from Newton’s Walk and Fiveways. Cllr Prior said there was an opportunity for a 100% grant to cover the cost of fencing etc whereas they had only received a 50% grant from the Area Board.

County Councillor Chris Humphries advised using the S106 money or it would disappear. It was agreed to do this, include the cost of the roundabout and use metal picnic benches.

Cllr Prior asked Cllr Edmonds why the BYPA Hall had appeared on the agenda. Cllr Edmonds replied that in the Village Plan the resident’s first priority had been the play area followed by concerns about the BYPA Hall. Cllr Prior said that he had contacted Ms Venice Marriott who had said that a public AGM would be held sometime in March.

Cllr Tomkins suggested the council wait until the BYPA ask for help. It was agreed to support the BYPA but Cllr Prior said that until they knew what the implications were, the Parish Council could not make any decisions. He personally did not want to take on any new projects.

At this point several items were deferred as the meeting had gone over time.

Cllr Edmonds said he felt that Baydon youth were not getting its say in Youth Development Services, like other local villages. Ms Marriott, he said, hadn’t attended the meetings with Aldbourne, Ramsbury and Marlborough. Aldbourne had offered help but the offer had not been taken up.

It was agreed to do a litter pick on Saturday 5^th March at 10am.

Mrs April Dukes presented plans for the allotment rabbit proof fence. It is to be a 3ft mesh fence with 4ft poles joined by 2 tension wires. There was much discussion as to where the manure heap could be situated, but no decision was made. Mrs Dukes said that because the play area equipment was so close to the allotments it was difficult for a tractor to turn.

Payments of £51.50 for Thames Water; £7,898.76 to Miracle Design; petty cash for stationary of £7.23 and £200 for strimming the Parish Field; £521.64 for St. Nicholas School new sign, were all approved.

It was agreed to continue using Pittams services for grass cutting this year.

The Bank reconciliation statement and Quarterly Budget Monitoring Report were received.

The next meeting will be on the 4^th April.

The Parish Assembly will be held on Friday 6^th May in the school hall.

The AGM will be held on Monday 16^th May.

Beating of the Bounds will take place on Monday 2^nd May.

The meeting closed at 10.30pm.

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