DRAFT AMPNEY CRUCIS PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 10 JANUARY, 2005 IN THE VILLAGE HALL, AMPNEY CRUCIS.
Present: Councillors David Vessey, Gerald Gaden, Kim Hartshorne and Peter Kelly.
District Councillor Edward Horsfall
Presiding: Councillor David Vessey
Clerk: Mrs H Tonks
The meeting commenced at 7.15pm. There was 1 member of the public present.
1. Apologies for absence
Councillors Adrian Grazebrook, Sally Hebbs and County Councillor Ray Theodoulou
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 15 November, 2005
Paragraph 8.4 of the minutes, in the section marked *** was amended to read ‘between £50,000 to £100,000’ .
Resolution 1/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the minutes, as amended, of the meeting held on 15 November, 2004 be signed and adopted.
3. Minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 21 December, 2005
Resolution 2/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on 21 December, 2004 be signed and adopted.
4. Matters arising from the meeting held on 15 November, 2005
4.1 Notice board
The notice board is now in place, and will include a plaque in memory of Richard Pile, member of the Parish Council from 1964 until 1987, and Chairman between 1964 - 1977, and 1983 – 1985. A small ceremony will take place outside the Village Hall immediately before the Annual Meeting in May to ‘unveil’ the plaque.
4.2 Park Corner
Marker posts have been put up in this area.
4.3 Riding Lane.
The Clerk has confirmed that clearing of the roadside ditches in this area is the responsibility of the neighbouring landowner. It was agreed that the Clerk would contact Mr Huck again.
4.4 The Lannocks
There has been no response yet to the request that this area be tarmacced.
4.5 Lych Gate valuation
James Slater has stated that the Lych Gate would cost £57,000 to rebuild. Councillor Kelly will ask a contact, a chartered surveyor, whether this sounds an appropriate valuation. If no alternative valuation could be obtained, this value would have to be accepted with the consequent knock on impact on the Council’s insurance premium.
4.6 War memorial posts.
The Clerk has asked Harold Stevens if he could repair the damaged posts.
5. Matters arising from the extraordinary meeting held on 21 December, 2005
These were discussed at item 14.
6. Resignation of John Dear
It was confirmed that John Dear had moved out of the village and resigned his position as Councillor.
7. Co-option of new Councillor
Notices have been on display in the village, explaining that if an election is required, 10 electors should write to the District Council asking for an election. The district council confirmed that an election had not been called and that the vacancy should be filled by co-option.
The Council had received two letters from parishioners expressing their willingness to be co-opted. A vote was held, and by Mr Barry Dent was co-opted onto the Council by a majority vote. The Chairman agreed to inform the remaining candidate, Mr Tim Tremellen, of the Council’s decision.
Resolution 3/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved to co-opt Barry Dent onto the Parish Council.
8. Reports from County/District Councillors
District Councillor Edward Horsfall gave the following report:
9. Questions from the Public
It was queried whether anything could be done to repair the surface of BAC22. The Chairman reported that no-one was legally obliged to do so.
10. Financial matters
10.1 Current financial position
Resolution 4/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the financial statements as provided by the Responsible Financial Officer were an accurate reflection of the Council’s financial position on 2 January 2005.
Resolution 5/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that £250 be transferred from the treasurers account to the imprest account.
10.2 Agreement of payments
None.
10.3 Budget and precept for 2005/06
10.3 Budget and precept for 2005
The position of the reserves for 2005 was considered first. Total current reserves amounted to £4,169 of which £1,814 was unallocated. It was suggested that £2,000 was a prudent figure for the unallocated reserves.
Of the earmarked reserves, the largest item was for the playground and this stood at £1,450. This was the balance of the £1,500 which had been set aside to meet the legal fees. As these were now believed to be in the region of only £500, it had already been agreed that the Council would reimburse the planning fees (£110) and pay the RoSPA certification fee (£250 – due in 2005). This left a balance of £490.
For the future, it would be necessary to set up three playground reserves, one short term and two longer term. The short term reserve would be for the construction costs; the longer term reserves would be for equipment renewal and the sinking fund.
The equipment renewal figure had already been set at £300 a year; the sinking fund target was to establish a fund of £5,000 over five years in case the playground proved unsuccessful and had to be removed (and it would be a condition in the licence that termination could not occur before the expiry of five years).
The impact would therefore be that of the current playground reserve of £1,450, £500 would be held available to meet the anticipated legal fees, £110 would be transferred to a construction reserve, £250 would be placed in the renewal reserve to meet the RoSPA certification fee and £490 would be placed in the sinking fund.
The requirements for the 2005 precept were identified as follows:
Insurance £300
Audit £100
Renewal £300
Sinking fund £800
This would give a total of £1,500 for the playground as this was the figure which had been given to the Parish. However, it was agreed to raise this to £1,700 for the following reasons:
o It had been anticipated that the increased precept would start in 2004 but, in fact, there had been no increase in the 2004 precept as the money had instead been taken from the reserves.
o It was seen important to give the sinking fund a good start and to put £1,000 in each year.
The total precept for 2005 -06 was therefore £6,900 broken down as follows:
Staff costs: salary £3115
expenses £ 120
Grass cutting: £1100
Burial Ground maintenance £ 0
Advertising £ 75
Admin: GAPTC £ 95
Village Hall Hire £ 80
Insurance £ 185
Misc. and postage £ 180
Playground: Insurance £ 300
Audit £ 100
Renewal £ 300
Sinking fund £1000
Total: £1700
Other: Donations/grants £ 100
Resolution 6/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the above budget be adopted and that a precept request of £6900 is sent to Cotswold District Council.
11. Planning matters
11.1 Decisions
316 CT 7373/D Cobbler Cottage Consents
317 CT 7373/E Cobbler Cottage Consents
318 CT 7373/F Cobbler Cottage Consents
319 CT 3387/P The Ridge Consents
320 CT 3387/P The Ridge Permits
322 CT 4942/Q Holbrook, Dudley Farm Permits
323 Contr 1766 Orchard House Permits
325 CT 4170/F 1 The Lake Permits
326 Contr 1782 Cumberland House Permits
11.2 Matters outstanding
295 CT 1762/1/G A C C of E School No objection
296 CT 1762/1/H A C C of E school No objection
321 CT 1221/K Sheephouse Farm No objection
324 CT 8455 Wayside House No objection
11.3 Minor amendments
None
11.4 Tree works
None
11.5 Transco site
The Chairman reported that he had been approached by Cirencester Civil Engineering to ask for the Council’s comments on proposals for the Transco site. Suggestions were made for a large country house, a small business park or office accommodation and storage facilities. Whilst the Council did not wish to make a decision in anticipation of any planning application it was felt that an application for light business use, subject to suitable plans, would be viewed more favourably than any of the other suggestions. The Chairman will pass this message on to the company.
12. Burial Ground matters
12.1 Inspections of gravestones
Dike and Son have confirmed that they will complete their work in the Burial Ground within the month.
12.2 Removal of spoil from Burial Ground
The Clerk agreed to contact Andy Slade to ask for an update. When the job is finished, Councillors will meet on site to check the work.
12.3 Grass cutting contract 2005/06
Resolution 7/05 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the grass cutting contract for 1 April 2005 – 31 March 2006is awarded to Cottage Garden Services, subject to proof of public liability insurance.
13. Village update
13.1 Highway matters
Salting run
GCC have confirmed that the village roads cannot be salted as a matter of course. They will only be salted during periods of prolonged icy weather.
The Clerk reported that she had contacted Jennifer Watkins pointing out the icy conditions of Hunts Hill and Butcher’s Arms Lane but that no reply had yet been received.
14. Playground
Written orders, containing terms and conditions, have now been sent to Wicksteed, Bendcrete, Cotswold Estate Services and Richard Minnett.
A stage payment had been requested from the Countryside Agency.
15. Correspondence received
15.1 Swindon Joint Study
As Structure plans are now being made by the South West Regional Assembly, in the form of a Regional Spatial Strategy, a long term plan is now being formed for Swindon and surrounding Towns and Villages. An exhibition will be held in the Town Council chamber on 12 January, 2.30 – 7.30pm.
15.2 Advisory Lorry Map
The Clerk has been sent a draft map showing lorry routes. – It was agreed that the clerk would contact County Councillor Theodoulou to ask whether there was any cause for concern.
15.3 Local transport plan 2, 2006 – 2011
This is available online at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ltp and comments are requested online by 11 March, 2005. The Clerk had checked the plan, and could find no direct reference to Ampney Crucis.
15.4 Highways Budget
A consultation document had been sent to the Parish Council asking for preferences for spending. The Council had no comments to make.
15.5 Rural Transport Conference, 4 February, 2005
Noted.
15.6 County youth service, request for information.
Councillor Hartshorne took this information to pass on to the youth club leaders.
15.7 Request for plastic recycling site.
The Parish Council has been approached to ask whether a recycling site for plastic bottles could be placed in the village. In an effort to promote recycling, the Council agreed that there were only two possible sites, one by the entrance to the cricket field, and the other at the parking area for the Fosseway housing at Durncourt Cottages. Councillor Hartshorne will contact Mr Gearing from the cricket club, and the Clerk will send all details to the District Council.
16. Matters outstanding
It was agreed that the Clerk would check whether the travel plan for the Talland Riding School is available.
17. Date, time and place of next meeting
Monday 14 March, 2005, 7.15pm in the Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 9.15pm.