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MINUTES OF PARISH MEETING FOR WESTONBIRT WITH LASBOROUGH PARISH ON 14th MARCH 2019 PRESENT – Parish Councillors: Geraldine Shepherd (GS) Chair, Colin Baber (CB), Andy Clarke (AC), Annabella Scott (AS) and Mark Winston-Davis (MWD). Parishioners: Maureen Aldridge Kathy Clarke, Leslie Cornthwaite, Ian Hilton and Lindsay Hilton Steve Kenny (Westonbirt School – part-time) John Shepherd (Parish Clerk) APOLOGIES – None MINUTES FOR MARCH MEETING 2018. Read and approved. Proposed Colin Baber, Seconded Mo Aldridge MATTERS ARISING Geraldine Shepherd said that the Matters Arising were the Actions from last year’s Minutes. Anything else would be covered in her Chairman’s Report. The issue had been raised that the sign notifying the route for construction traffic to Cranmore Farm in Shipton Moyne was interfering with the visibility at the road junction and creating a traffic hazard. Colin Baber had volunteered to move it so that it no longer did so. Update: Colin Baber had moved the sign. It was then mentioned that some other signs had been left on New Road. GS had referred to the state of the Notice Boards and felt that they needed oiling. MWD had volunteered to oil the notice boards and GS had provided him with the correct oil from the makers Update: Mark Winston-Davis apologised for not having done this: he would do so when the weather had improved. Action: MWD to oil the notice boards Mark Winston-Davis had referred to the pot holes previously mentioned by Maureen Aldridge. He was concerned at the amount of heavy traffic using the road, including lorries transporting material from the neighbouring quarry in Wiltshire, and was worried that the road might collapse into his field. He felt that a weight limit was necessary to preclude such an event occurring. He felt that the matter should be raised with Gloucestershire Highways. The meeting concurred and he was asked to do so. Update: Mark Winston-Davis reported that he had had extensive discussions with Gloucestershire Highways regarding the traffic around the triangle and adjacent roads, but, as yet no resolution had been obtained. However, CB said that the heavy lorries were no longer coming that way CHAIRMANS REPORT GS welcomed Steve Kenny who had come from Westonbirt School to provide an update and deal with the school-related issues, namely lighting and traffic. As he could only be there for a limited period of time, we would take his items first and deal with the remainder of her report afterwards. Lighting at Sports Centre and Traffic Through the Village To and From the School Steve Kenny first referred to lighting. He explained that the Sports Centre closes at 2130 hrs, so allowing time for staff to tidy up, close up the centre and depart, the lights are now put out by time-switch at 2230hrs. Other external lighting at the school, with the exception of security lighting, is on a similar time schedule. He then referred to traffic. He explained that all the traffic into and out of the school had to pass through the three entrances: the main entrance onto the A433, the East Lodge entrance onto the Easton Grey Road and the entrance onto the village street. Of these, the first two are dangerous, particularly onto the A433 where the visibility to the south is hidden by the curve in the road and very poor. With the sale of the school to the Wishford Group of schools, they wish to grow the capacity of the school within the space available. They are aiming to grow the Junior School for the present 150 over the next 3 to 5 years to 230 and the Senior School from the present 200 to between 300 and 400. This will mean more people coming to and going from the school. Draft Page 1 of 4 MINUTES OF PARISH MEETING FOR WESTONBIRT WITH LASBOROUGH PARISH ON 14th MARCH 2019 He re-iterated that the two main entrances are dangerous and they are in discussion with Highways about making these entrances safer. In the meantime, The Street entrance is the safest way in and out for cars. However, they appreciate that The Street is too narrow for cars to pass and there is a problem if coaches come down The Street as they cannot get in through that entrance and there is nowhere for them to turn. As soon as the alternative exits can be made safer, the school will do all that they can to discourage the use of The Street by school traffic. GS then thanked Steve Kenny, who left the meeting, and continued with the remainder of her report. Resignation and Replacement of Councillor Prior to the Parish Council meeting on the 7th July, John Hatherell had resigned and it was resolved to send him a letter thanking him for is many years of service as a Parish Councillor. An extraordinary Parish Council meeting was held on 23rd August at which Andy Clarke was unanimously co-opted onto the Council: he was welcomed to his first meeting as a Councillor on 19th September 2018. State of the Weigh House There had been no change to the state of the Weigh House. Traffic at Arboretum Concerts As a result of liaison with the Arboretum’s new Entertainments Manager, Kit Beauchamp, the traffic arrangements for the Arboretum Concerts had been much improved. No parking signs had been put up in the roads leading to and from The Street and villagers had been issued with Parking Permits. Aldacre Sign At long last, the unsightly Aldacre Sign written on a sheet of corrugated iron has been removed. Planning Applications There have been seven Planning applications: Extension to dwelling and alteration to boundary walling - The Old Stables Home Farm Easton Grey Road Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QH Variation of condition 2 of 17/02510/FUL in order increase the size of the approved saw mill building - Garden Centre Westonbirt Arboretum Bath Road Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QS Repairs and conservation works to the Italianate Gardens; repairs to 2no Ponds; repairs, upgrades and extension to existing Tuck Shop; repairs to 2no greenhouses; new paths - Westonbirt School Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QG Retention of two temporary classroom buildings (Variation of Condition 1 of permission 15/01551/FUL to retain the buildings for a further period of 3 years) - Westonbirt School Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QG Proposed opening in boundary wall - Pickards Lodge Easton Grey Road Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QE Variation of Condition 2 (Approved drawings) of 17/02510/FUL (Retrospective change of use from plant centre to wood centre and retention of associated structures; renovation of existing building and erection of 2 timber buildings) in order to increase the size of the approved saw mill building - Garden Centre Westonbirt Arboretum Bath Road Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QS All of these six have been passed. Erection of two storey and single storey rear extensions - Hawthorn Cottage 23 Westonbirt Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QT This application is still open for comment and pending consideration. Parish Council Website The development of the professionally developed website for which the Parish Council received government funding was completed by the developer on 11th March 2018 and went live on the 24th March. In August it was further updated to comply with the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and a Privacy Policy was developed by the parish Clerk and approved by the Council. Draft Page 2 of 4 MINUTES OF PARISH MEETING FOR WESTONBIRT WITH LASBOROUGH PARISH ON 14th MARCH 2019 Parish Party There was discussion as to whether we should hold a Parish Party this year. Natasha Dangerfield and Sue Hansen felt that there should be a party to get the village together. GS said that there were two problems: the lack of a suitable venue and the difficulty in selling tickets. No decision was made and it was agreed that we would give having a Parish Party further consideration. Parish Council AGM The date of the Parish Council AGM will be Thursday, 16th May 2019 That concludes the Chairman’s report. VILLAGE CLEAN-UP – SUNDAY, 7TH APRIL 2019 The annual Village-Clean-up will be on Sunday 7th April 2019. Volunteers are requested to meet at John and Geraldine Shepherd’s house, Woodlands House, on the Easton Grey Road at 10:30am to collect tabards, picking sticks, gloves and rubbish bags and agree areas to be cleaned. Please phone Geraldine on (01666) 880287 so she knows who is coming. QUESTIONS BY PARISHIONERS NOTIFIED AT LEAST 3 DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING1 Two questions have been raised by parishioners, as follows: 1. Can the subject of the traffic along the street by school parents be raised at the AGM please? Surely they should enter through the main gates of the school not by rushing through the street. The answer would be to close the barrier so that parents would realise that this is not the way to enter. The cars rush past the houses in the mornings and a number of residents have strong feelings about this. The barrier was obviously put there for a reason but is never used, one would think that it was installed for the safety of the girls at the school. Submitted by Sue and Clive Halsey This was supported by Lesley Cornthwaite who wrote: I would very much like to support Sue Halsey’s position about the traffic on the Street. I recollect that Mark was going to speak to the school about it some time ago. I may not be able attend the meeting on Thursday although I will try but would like to ask if contact has been made with school on this issue and if so what was the response.

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