Notes of the Malmesbury & Villages Community Area Partnership Meeting

SHERSTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF SHERSTON PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 13th DECEMBER 2007 AT 7.30PM, IN SHERSTON VILLAGE HALL.

PRESENT

Chairman Mr J Matthews (JM) Vice-Chairman Mr M Rea (MR)

Councillors Mr D Hibbard (DH) Mr T Weedon (TW) Mrs C Liddington (PL) Mr T Moody (TM) Mrs C Browett (CB) Mr G Martin (GCM) Mrs M Jolliffe (MJ) Mr J Hillier (JH) Mr P Cutcher (PC)

There was one member of the public present.

Item 0979 Apologies

Councillors Mr G Morris, Mr L Price and District Councillor Mr J Thomson

0980 Public Questions

No public questions.

0981 Presentation by Melanie Jezzard from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue. Melanie Jezzard from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue gave a ten minute presentation on ‘Community Safety’. Sherston is considered a ‘High risk’ area due to a high population of elderly and other vulnerable groups inhabiting the village. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue want to bring down the risk factor by educating those high risk groups and offering free home safety checks. Melanie Jezzard also informed the Council that in high risk areas each household is entitled to 2 free smoke alarms. The Wiltshire Fire and Rescue asked the Parish Council to help get the information across to the people most at risk by distributing safety leaflets explaining all relevant information. MR suggested that the leaflets could be distributed with the 1016 Christmas vouchers and hampers which were due to be delivered to all pensioners in the village. . 0982 Minutes of the last meeting Minutes of the meeting on 8th November 2007 were accepted and signed subject to the following amendments – 0973 It was resolved to apply for a loan from the Public Loan Body for £500,000. This amendment will be added to the minutes and will be signed at the next meeting.

0983 Planning No new planning applications have been received. Planning application 07/02834/FUL Change of use – erection of replacement building for B1 Purposes, Warren Business Park, Knockdown has been approved.

1 0984 Correspondence 0984.1 NWDC – Affordable Housing and Housing for the elderly Questionnaire.

0984.2 WCC – Community Arts Training. Funding opportunities for Arts training. Information given to MJ.

0984.3 NWDC One Council for Wiltshire. Views are being sought regarding the transition to One Council for Wiltshire. Sherston Parish Council agreed earlier in the year that they were in favour of the ‘One Council for Wiltshire’.

0984.4 WCC Highways. The Parish Steward Programme for 2008. Information given to DH. SW suggested buying a small gratuity gift for the Parish Steward to say thank you for all his hard work over 2007. Parish Council are all in favour of this suggestion.

LATE Correspondence 0984.5 A letter sent from Mrs Ashley to District Councillor J Thomson asking for action to be taken regarding the state of the Church Street drains. MR and JM suggest that although the problem lies with WCC, the Parish Council should write to Mr Thomson backing up Mrs Ashley’s letter.

0984.6 WALC Newsletter. Information on Councils credit Borrowing. Given to GCM.

0984.7 NWDC Local Government Framework. Retail Needs Assessment Study. Information given to MR.

0984.8 Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, Annual Plan Consultation. Meetings to be held on 21st and 25th January in Devizes. TW offered to attend.

0984.9 Postwatch. Postwatch closure programme. Sherston not affected however Hullavington is due to close and Yatton Kennel is being moved. More information to be sent in the new year.

0984.10 Mr and Mrs Smith from Gastons Lane have written to complain about the property in Gastons Lane behind Hillcrest, which is being used for dumping of many empty bottles. Mr and Mrs Smith have tidied it up but fear it is being used as a tip and have asked the Council to keep an eye on the situation.

ACTIONS SW to e mail Mr Thomson regarding Church Street Drains SW to write to Mr and Mrs Smith to thank them for letter and to say that the Parish Council will monitor the situation on Gaston Lane.

0985 Finance, Administration and Accounts for payment

0985.1 The receipts, balances and accounts for payment were circulated. The accounts were proposed for approval by PC and seconded by MJ.

0985.2 Knockdown Wall Grant. MR updated the Parish Council on the Knockdown Wall situation. MR and JT have been in talks with the wallers. The original quote was given in 2004 and it has now been raised by the wallers that is is an unrealistic figure and that the wall cannot be finished for that amount. MR contacted AONB to explain the situation to Mr Gahan who has been involved with the grant from the beginning. It was agreed by Mr Gahan that if all invoices are sent to AONB for the full amount agreed in the grant application, the grant cheque will be sent to the Parish Council.

2 Although the grant will be paid, the situation is not satisfactory, as the Knockdown Wall is not complete and will have to remain so until additional funds are allocated for work to proceed.

0985.3 2007/8 National Salary Award for Local Council Clerks. The NJC for Local Government Services have finally reached an agreement on rates of pay applicable from 1st April 2007 for full and part time Clerks in the UK. JM informed the Council that SW has been on the same rate of pay for a few years and suggested that the finance committee meets to discuss a possible increase in line with the NJC 2007/8 pay scales. The Parish Council all agreed.

0985.4 2008 Precept Estimate. The precept Estimate form has arrived and will need to be returned to NWDC by the 7th of January and the Precept Demand deadline is the 4th February. GCM prepared and circulated draft copies of the income and expenditure accounts for the Council to study. Councillors must decide what are the Council’s priorities in the coming year. If something is a priority, then the Council needs to start saving for that. In previous years the Parish Council has been in a fortunate position and has achieved a great deal due to MR obtaining grants and funds for various projects..

After discussion and studying of the accounts for 2007/2008 it was agreed that the estimate amount for the 2007/8 precept would be £21,400.This is purely an estimate and the exact demand amount will be discussed in the January meeting after everyone has studied the accounts and thought about the forthcoming priorities for 2008.

ACTIONS Finance Committee to discuss SW salary for 2008. SW to send Precept Estimate to NWDC Finance department.

0986 Environment, Parish Lands and General Services Committee 0986.1 The Old School The Diocese have sent holding response also confirming that exchange of contracts should take place by the 28th February 2008 or no later than two months after issue of draft documentation. The Parish Council and Old School team need to agree to all the draft documentation. One of the terms sent in the Diocese letter dated 24th September is if the Parish Council decide to sell the building then at a later date the Diocese would be entitled to 50% of the sale price. Although in principle this seems fair, if the Parish Council spend a great sum in renovation costs then this percentage seems unfair. This term possibly needs to be renegotiated.

John Thomson will arrange a meeting with the NWDC planners regarding advice on planning application and correct procedures.

Since the November meeting the Public Works Loan Body Grant has been applied for by Mr Squires and GCM. The Grant will not be drawn until a public meeting has been held and a period of consultation with the village has been undertaken. This public meeting should take place at the end of January if the PWLB loan application has been succesful.

0986.2 Sherston Website - The Sherston Website will soon be in operation.

0986.3 Sportsfield Wall - discussed under finance.

0986.3 Highways - No Highways to discuss.

0986.4 Grove Wood - Draft lease is complete, however MR noticed an error in the lease, which he will discuss with the solicitor involved.

0986.5 Christmas Lights - Mr Noel Banks has kindly put up the Christmas lights around the Tolsey

3 and other areas in the High Street. The future of Christmas lights in the High Street looks uncertain, as so many lights are considered not environmentally friendly. The bulbs used for the Christmas lights in Sherston will not be available next year due to this reason.

0986.6 Playdale - MR still in discussions with Playdale regarding the playcone and other small defects in play equipment.

0986.7 Area 1 Committee Meetings - MR attended the Area Committee meeting in November, which discussed the possible changes to the Area 1 committee when the Unitary Council comes into force.

0986.8 Allotment Wall - There have been boys removing stones from the allotment wall and putting them into the Court Street Trough. The community officer will be asked to give advice on the matter.

0987 The Fish and Chip Van The arrival of the Fish and Chip Van to Sherston has been well received. On the first week the Parish Council however received three complaints regarding the van parking in the High Street. MR and the proprietor of the fish and chip van have agreed that the van can park in the Village Hall car park. So far the arrangement has worked well and if it continues to work well there will be some form of financial agreement with the van and the village hall in the new year.

ACTIONS SW to contact Community Police Officer regarding unsociable behaviour.

0987AOB 0987.1 PL asked if there has been any progress on the overgrown fir trees on Brook Hill. SW to talk to Mr Everett as it was agreed that he would contact Mr Wright. PL also informed the Council that there has been some graffiti in the bus shelter. SW will talk to Highways regarding this matter.

0987.2 MJ asked if there was any progress on the stile at the bottom of Brook Hill. Mr Hillier informed the Council that he had given Mr Banks a suitable large stone which, once in place will, enable the stile to be more user friendly.

0987.3 JM would like to thank SW for the mince pies and wish everyone a Happy Christmas and good New Year.

ACTION SW to talk to Mr Everett about the Brook Hill Fir trees and graffiti.

0988 Time and Date of next meeting The next Parish Council meeting is to be held on January the 10th 2008 at 7.30pm in Sherston Village Hall.

0989 Public Question Time No questions were forthcoming at this stage.

The meeting closed at 9.10 pm.

Sarah Wood Clerk to Sherston Parish Council