with Sulham Parish Council

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Tidmarsh with Sulham Parish Council, on Wednesday 14th October 2020, held via Zoom*. The meeting started at 8pm.

*The meeting was held virtually under The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Meetings and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 which came into force on 4th April 2020.

Present: Councillors Jon Chishick (JC), Sima Elliot (SE), Andrew Madden (AM), Jonathan Pearson (JP) (chairman) and Steve Webb (SW).

In attendance: Jennie Currie (Clerk), District Councillor Gareth Hurley, Tom Hayward (BBOWT)

RESOLVED that item 7 would be brought forward.

20/80 BBOWT Moor Copse presentation Tom Hayward from the , and Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) gave a verbal presentation on Moor Copse. He detailed the planned work to tackle Ash Die Back in Moor Copse, which is believed to have been spread to the site by air movements along the M4 corridor. The Forestry Commission has granted BBOWT a licence to remove trees along the roadside and further licences will be requested to cut along footpaths. The disease causes the canopy to die first and the tree becomes more susceptible to fungi which cause limbs/trees to suddenly snap. BBOWT are aware of deer onsite and will be monitoring and protecting new growth as required.

Tom asked to promote the work via the noticeboards, website and Parish magazine. The Clerk would send contact details. Clerk

Members raised concerns about cut material being left onsite and how stacks of brash and timber could interfere with the flow of water causing problems with flooding. Tom agreed to speak to the Flood Warden, Patrick Puxley, and Kay Lacey from Pangbourne Flood Forum. The Clerk would send contact details. Clerk

The meeting continued in the published order.

20/81 Public forum The Clerk had received an email from a representative of Sulham Estates querying the installation of the kissing gates as they had been working on fences in that area. The Clerk had replied explaining the delay with sourcing the gates from the supplier.

20/82 Apologies for absence No apologies for absence were received.

20/83 Declarations of Members’ Interests for this meeting Cllr Pearson declared that he is a near neighbour to Box Cottage (item 20/90).

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2020 20/84 Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 9th September Cllr Webb proposed to accept the minutes, Cllr Pearson seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 9th September 2020 were a true and accurate record and would be signed by the chairman.

20/85 Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on Wednesday 12th August Following the dissolution of the Planning Committee the final set of minutes were presented. Cllr Madden proposed to accept the minutes, Cllr Webb seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on Wednesday 12th August 2020 were a true and accurate record and would be signed by the chairman.

20/86 Councillor Vacancy Members noted that there was a vacancy for the Tidmarsh ward.

20/87 District Councillor’s Report Cllr Hurley outlined the District Council’s (WBDC) response to the current Covid-19 situation and services had reopened and the District Council were looking for grants from Central Government.

WBDC has a large reserve of CIL funds and were looking to fund projects across highways, greener lifestyles and a number of other areas which would be discusses at the Council’s Executive Committee meeting on 15th October. Parish Councils can request support for specific projects.

Members mentioned a number of ideas including improving the road junction of Sulham Land and Mill Lane and creating a new footpath/cycleway to join Tidmarsh and Pangbourne.

Cllr Hurley explained that the Council needed to create a list to send to 20th October. Cllr Pearson requested that Members send him ideas by Monday 19th October and he would send the final list to Cllr Hurley. ALL

Cllr Hurley raised his concern that matters being reported to WBDC to resolve issues on the highways, footpaths, etc. were not being actioned. He would be asking for a list of all reports for the ward over the past year to confirm they had been actioned. He encouraged Members and residents to report all issues via the WBDC website www.westberks.gov.uk, whether it was a minor trip hazard, obscured road sign, pot hole, etc.

Cllr Hurley explained that although the residents’ permits for the waste recycling centres were due to expire, they would continue to be accepted.

Nick Carter, CEO at WBDC, would be visiting the ward with Cllr Hurley on 28th October. Cllr Hurley would be taking him on a tour of the ward.

Cllr Pearson asked that if there was a spike in Covid-19 cases in West Berkshire would the Council’s Public Health Officer now have a greater role? Cllr Hurley was not able to answer the question at the meeting.

20/88 Parish Councillors’ Reports Cllrs Chishick and Elliot had attended a Hampshire Association of Local Councils (HALC) training on planning.

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2020 20/89 Clerk’s Report Training invoice HALC had invoiced the Council for Cllr Madden’s place on the planning training as he had not attended. The Clerk had not been aware of this before receiving the invoice. Cllr Madden explained the circumstances. Members requested that the Clerk contacts HALC and request the invoice is reviewed as the Council was not aware of the policy. Clerk

Matters reported to WBDC WBDC had replied to the items reported to them following the previous meeting: 188873 – The request to cut the hedges along Mill Lane. WBDC are getting a quote to do the work. 188874 –They will clear the vegetation around the speed signs and chevrons. 188876 – The drains at bottom of Sulham Lane, acknowledged but no more information at present.

Corner Cottage hedge Following the letter sent to Sulham Estates regarding removing the hedge at Corner Cottage and the sight lines at the road junction. A representative replied explaining that they had cut the hedge back quite substantially and will continue to do so. They had no plans to replace the hedge with a fence. And thanked the Council for the offering of financial assistance.

20/90 Planning i. Planning applications 20/02065/HOUSE Box Cottage, Sulham Lane, Sulham Single storey detached oak framed garden outbuilding for use as a home office Cllr Webb proposed to submit no objections, Cllr Chishick seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the Parish Council would submit NO OBJECTIONS to the application. 20/02155/HOUSE Keepers Cottage, Mill Lane, Tidmarsh Demolition of existing garden cabin and replacement with timber summerhouse. Cllr Pearson proposed to submit no objections, Cllr Madden seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the Parish Council would submit NO OBJECTIONS to the application.

ii. Additional planning correspondence Members noted the correspondence regarding the naming of the streets in the Dorking Way development (19/01544/FULEXT). The following decisions were noted: 20/01508/HOUSE 8 Strachey Close, Tidmarsh GRANTED

20/91 Financial matters i. Pay scale award for the Clerk Members noted that the new pay award for SCP17 would be £12.69, back dated to 1st April 2020.

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2020 20/91 Financial matters continued ii. Approval of payments Cllr Webb proposed the report, Cllr Elliot seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the following payments be authorised: Pre-agreed payments Date Description Payment Ref Total Method amount 30-Oct-20 Clerk's salary Month 7 SO 27 223.02 30-Oct-20 Office Allowance Month 7 SO mins 25.00 Total £248.02 Proposed payments for October 2020 meeting Invoice Date Description Cheque # / Ref Total BACS amount 30-Oct-20 Clerk's additional salary Month 7 BACS 28 134.30 11-Sep-20 Triangle Management 13229 & BACS 29 374.40 13234 21-Sep-20 Brian Murby - Jul-Sep grass cutting BACS 30 310.00 30-Oct-20 HMRC BACS 31 33.40 Total £852.10 Cllrs Chishick and Webb would authorise the BACS payments. JC & SW iii. Budget monitoring report Cllr Chishick proposed the report, Cllr Elliot seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the budget monitoring report be adopted.

20/92 Millennium Green i. Selection of a solicitor to prepare documents for the transfer of trustees This item would be deferred to the next meeting as the Clerk was awaiting a third quote. ii. Fortnightly checks report The report had been circulated prior to the meeting. The Clerk added that the two items awaiting action by Triangle Management had been completed. The remaining item regarding the hedge would be dealt with once the transfer of trustees had been completed. iii. Consider cutting the wildflower meadow The Clerk had received a quote from the contractor who cut the wildflower meadow in 2019. The meadow needed to be cut and the material collected then removed from the site. Members requested that the Clerk ask the grass cutting contractor (B. Murby) to cut the meadow. iv. Consider the offer of free trees The Council had been offered free trees for public spaces. The Council would refer the offer to Tidmarsh Millennium Green Trustees as the trees could be used to infill along the boundaries.

20/93 Planning Consultations from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government i. Planning for the future White Paper Members noted the consultation. ii. Transparency and competition (Land Control) Members noted the consultation.

20/94 Consultation on West Berkshire Cultural Heritage Strategy 2020-30 Cllr Madden proposed to support the strategy, Cllr Webb seconded the proposal. RESOLVED that the Clerk would complete the consultation on behalf of the Council to indicate its support of the strategy.

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20/95 Gulley clearance Members discussed WBDCs gulley clearance programme which is published on the Parish Council’s website. As the scheduled programme is now only annually for the A340 any issues need to be reported to WBDC, ideally via their website which allows users to pinpoint the location on a map.

Close of meeting It was noted that the next ordinary meeting of the Council would be held at 8pm, on Wednesday 11th November 2020. There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.55pm.

Signed: Date:

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