AMPNEY CRUCIS PARISH COUNCIL

 

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON THURSDAY 6 DECEMBER, 2007 IN THE VILLAGE HALL, AMPNEY CRUCIS.

 

Present:                  Councillors Barry Dent, David Vessey, Gerald Gaden, Adrian Grazebrook, and Frank Skinner

Presiding:              Councillor Barry Dent

Clerk:                      Mrs H Tonks

 

Observers:             Bruce Evans, Nicholas Handover, Pauline Handover, John Taylor, Tricia Taylor, John Ducker, John Beattie, Elizabeth Beattie, Howard Franks, Christine Nixon, Peter Nixon and Doug Crook.

 

The meeting commenced at 7.30pm. 

 

1.                   Apologies for absence

 

County Councillor Mavis Dunrossil, District Councillor Edward Horsfall, Parish Councillors Elisabeth Gerver and Peter Kelly.  Michelle Saxton, Cotswold District Council (CDC) Licensing Officer.

 

2.                   Ampney Downs Farm licensing application: introduction and discussion by Councillors

 

The Chairman welcomed all those present, and explained the format of the meeting.

 

A previous licensing application earlier this year for a 30^th birthday party for the organiser was refused, and a temporary events notice (TEN) was agreed.  It is thought that 350 people attended the event. 

 

The current licensing request is for a three day music festival at Ampney Downs farm from 13 -15 June 2008.  The application is for a permanent licence, allowing a similar event to be held each year.  Should the event change, then the licence application must be resubmitted.

 

The application is for:

 

·         Up to 1500 people, including staff and entertainers

·         Live music, film, recorded music, dance and sale of alcohol between the following hours:  Friday 6pm – 3am; Saturday 12 noon – 3am; and Sunday 12 noon – 12.30am Monday

·         Late night refreshments are on sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday

 

The festival will be contained within a perimeter fence surrounding the 3 acre site.  Live music will be restricted to ‘minor groups’; all food will be available on site; and road signs will be placed to direct traffic from the Fosseway. 

 

The festival is already advertised on the myspace website. 

 

Music levels will be monitored, and under canvas cover after 11pm each night.

 

3.                   Public discussion

 

A number of issues were raised:

·         Gloucestershire Police were opposed to the event held in June 2007.  Nothing has changed since then, although Gloucestershire Police now appear to have no objections to the current application.

·         Access to the site is down a single track road.  Although the application suggests that 12 passing places are available on this road, there are no passing places on the stretch of road that the organisers are suggesting should be used.

·         There were concerns that visitors using satellite navigation systems would use the Welshway to access the site.

·         Should gatecrashers be turned away, their only option would be to travel down the Welshway away from the traffic coming in from the Fosseway.

·         Security related specifically to the site and not to security outside the site, particularly after dark

·         Food and all facilities will be provided on site, but those attending may leave the site looking for alternative facilities

·         There will be heavy vehicles using the site during the set up and dismantling of the festival.

·         Access to the site will be over a narrow bridge with a 10.9 ton weight limit.

·         There were concerns that the festival will grow each year, increasing the problems.

·         Emergency vehicles will find access difficult, both on and off the site, especially if the ground is wet.  The emergency access is not clear.

·         Should the festival criteria change, a reapplication must be made which will, according to CDC, be treated as a completely new application.

·         Very small festivals have been held on neighbouring property.

·         A temporary road was a condition of the approval for the TEN in June 2007.  Hay will be available during the 2008 festival to allow easier access to and from the site.

·         A bonfire and fireworks are planned for the Saturday night.

·         The area is within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and the staging equipment etc. will be sited within and on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  This SSSI was designated for natural grassland and related ecology growing on limestone.  It was reported that rare orchids are present on the site.  Access to this area will be restricted.  It was questioned whether this restriction was legal.  It was suggested that Natural England and the Council for the Protection for Rural England should be made aware of the application.

·         Water for the houses on Sheephouse Lane comes from a borehole in neighbouring fields.  There were concerns that the water supply could be contaminated.

·         There were concerns that rubbish would be left at the side of roads leading to and from the site.  This is a particular issue at the Stow Horse Fair, when Councils are responsible for clearing the highway verges.

·         Tickets in June 2007 cost £60 per person.  This year tickets will be £70 per person. 

·         Music in June 2007 was audible but not intrusive; traffic did not cause any concerns; there was no evidence of increased crime; and no evidence of pollution.  It was argued that an event holding 350 people in June 2007 would be different to one holding 1500 people, with an escalation of problems.

·         The event in June 2007 was only agreed 3 weeks before the event was held.  Planning has already started for this event, with advertising on www.winterwell.co.uk and on individual bands’ websites.

·         Everyone attending the event must know someone else attending the event. 

·         The event is an inappropriate event for the site with no counterbalancing effects for the local area.

·         It was suggested that Councillors were reacting with a ‘not in my back yard’ attitude. 

 

Those present were informed that representation forms were available to post, or preferably hand deliver, to the CDC offices by 5pm on 12 December 2007.

 

The public session was closed, and the members of the public left the meeting.

 

4.             Ampney Downs Farm:  Parish Council recommendation.

 

Councillor Vessey explained that ‘The Purple Book’ referred to in documentation was a series of guidelines for licensing applications.  Many of the guidelines however referred to urban areas, and were unsuitable for rural areas.

 

Councillors were advised that any representation should be made under specific categories including:

·         The prevention of crime and disorder

·         Public safety

·         Public nuisance.

 

A draft letter was circulated covering the following issues:

·         Concerns about recent burglaries

·         The diversion of police resources

·         Misuse of drugs

·         Access to and from the site

·         Traffic congestion

·         Traffic safety

·         Public nuisance to those in the immediate vicinity

·         The effects on the AONB and SSSI

 

It was agreed that the comments raised in the meeting should be added to this draft letter.  Any letter sent to the District Council should also reflect that Councillors are aware that the event held in June 2007 passed without incident.

 

Resolution 57/07  The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved:

 

·         by a majority vote, that the Parish Council objects to the permanent licensing application at Ampney Downs Farm

·         that the Chairman and Councillor Vessey redraft the letter on behalf of the Parish Council and that the Clerk hand delivers the letter to the District Council before 5pm on 12 December 2007

·         that the final version of the representation letter would be placed on the Ampney Crucis website

 

The Chairman thanked those present for attending.  The meeting closed at 9.05pm.