AMPNEY CRUCIS PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 12 MAY, 2003, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, AMPNEY CRUCIS.
Present: Councillors Peter Kelly, Gerald Gaden, David Vessey, Adrian Grazebrook, Sally Hebbs and John Dear.
Presiding: Councillor Peter Kelly
Clerk: Mrs H Tonks
The meeting commenced at 9.00pm. There were no members of the public present.
1. Apologies for Absence
County Councillor Raymond Theodoulou and District Councillor Edward Horsfall.
2. First Business of the Annual Meeting
2.1 Election of Chairman and receive Chairman’s Declaration of Office
The retiring Chairman took the Chair and called for nominations for the post of Chairman. Councillor Grazebrook proposed, Councillor Hebbs seconded and the Council agreed that Councillor Kelly be elected Chairman. Councillor Kelly then signed his Declaration of Office.
2.2 Election of Vice Chairman
Councillor Kelly proposed, Councillor Gaden seconded and the Council agreed that Councillor Grazebrook be re-elected Vice Chairman.
2.3 Co-option of new Councillor
Kim Hartshorne had indicated her willingness to be co-opted onto the Parish Council.
Resolution 13/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved to co-opt Kim Hartshorne onto the Parish Council.
Councillor Hartshorne was given copies of the Code of Conduct, and advised that she had 28 days to return her Register of Interests to the Parish Council.
2.4 Declarations of Office and Model Code of Conduct
All Councillors signed the undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. Councillors were advised that if their circumstances had not changed since completing the Register of Interests they did not have to complete the form again, but would have to confirm in writing that their circumstances haven’t changed. The Clerk circulated a form for Councillors to sign.
2.5 Consideration of any annual subscriptions
Resolution 14/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved to renew the Council’s annual subscription (£81.25) to the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils
2.6 Election of representatives to The Robert Pleydell trust and the school Governors.
Resolution 15/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that Councillor Vessey be appointed as the Council’s representative to The Robert Pleydell Trust.
A vacancy remains for a Parish Council representative to the School Governors. This will be discussed at a future meeting.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 10 March, 2003
Resolution 16/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 March, 2003 be signed and adopted
4. Matters arising from the meeting held on 10 March, 2003
None
5. Matters arising from the Annual Meeting
It was agreed that these would be placed in the Ampney Crucis Times
Councillors felt that lack of sales of the directory made the re-issue of one unviable. The matter will be reviewed in 12 months time.
6. Questions from the Public
None
7. Reports from County District Councillors
County Councillor Raymond Theodoulou had asked for confirmation that footway resurfacing had been completed on Hunts Hill during April. No resurfacing had taken place – the Clerk will inform the Councillor.
8. Financial matters
8.1 Formal adoption of the accounts for the year ending 31 March, 2003
VAT had not been reclaimed for the year, as the Clerk was waiting for final invoices. VAT has now been reclaimed and appears in the accounts for 30 April, 2003.
Resolution 17/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the financial statements, attached to these minutes in p447 – p459, as prepared by the Responsible Financial Officer should be adopted by the Council as an accurate reflection of the Council’s financial position on 31 March, 2003.
8.2 Current financial position
Resolution 18/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the financial statements prepared by the Responsible Financial Officer should be adopted by the Council as an accurate reflection of the Council’s financial position on 30 April, 2003.
Resolution 19/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that £400 be transferred from the current account to the imprest account.
8.3 Agreement of payments
The Clerk presented accounts for GAPTC (£81.25) and Cornhill insurance (£617.97)
Resolution 20/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the above amounts, totalling £699.22, be paid.
8.4 Allocation of Reserves
Resolution 21/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the reserves are allocated as shown on page xx of the minutes.
Resolution 22/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that £77.97 be taken from the general contingencies reserve to pay for increased insurance costs.
8.5 Appointment of Council’s internal auditor
Resolution 23/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that Neil Holt be appointed the Council’s internal auditor.
8.6 Audit for year ending 31 March, 2003
The Clerk reported that the Annual return had been received for the year ending 31 March, 2003. Part 1, the statement of accounts and part 2, the statement of assurance were explained to the Council.
Resolution 24/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual return as required by the external auditors be agreed and signed.
When the internal audit has been completed the annual Return should be sent to the external auditors by 16 June, 2003.
9. Planning matters
10.1 Decisions
244 CT 2165/P Birch Farm Permits
245 CT 2865/1/E April Cottage Permits
248 CT 3986/F Orchard Hill Refuses
250 CT 2130/B Stonelea Refuses
10.2 Outstanding applications
190 CT 4170/D 1 Lake Cottages No objection
230 CT 3296/F The Pleydells No objection
236 CT 0607/E Firs Farmhouse No objection
251 CT 0607/F Firs Farmhouse No objections
252 CT 1805/D Old Sheephouse On circulation
253 CT 2865/1/F Threeways On circulation
Councillor Vessey explained that the application at Threeways was for amendment to the existing plans to place Velux windows in the roof. However in an earlier application for a much smaller extension the plans had to be revised to make the extension less obtrusive. The current proposal allows for the house to be built into the stone wall bordering the property. The extension would also restrict visibility for cars entering or leaving the junction at Butchers Arms Lane. It was agreed that Councillor Vessey would contact the planning department at CDC asking for the rationale behind the decision to change the previous objection which was based on CDC’s policy in respect of the conservation area, in allowing this extension.
10.3 Minor amendments
249 CT 6340/D Land at School Lane Objection
10.4 Tree works
247 Contr 1409 Tamarind No objection
246 Contr 1413 Ash House Bungalow No objection
10. Burial Grounds matters
Councillor Vessey reported that recent press reports had indicated that Parish Councils had a legal duty to flatten dangerous headstones, or re-erect them.
11. Village Update
12.1 Spring Clean
There was a disappointing turnout for the Spring Clean weekend, however large quantities of rubbish were moved. Don Underwood was responsible for moving most of the rubbish from the Burial Ground and it was agreed therefore that a donation of £25 be made to him to cover the costs of removal and disposal.
Resolution 25/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that a cheque for £25 be sent to Don Underwood to cover the costs of removing and disposing of the rubbish collected at the Burial Ground.
12.2 Noticeboard
It was agreed that Harold Stevens would be asked to make the notice board. The Clerk agreed to talk to Frank Perkins.
12.3 Double white lines on A417
No further progress.
12.4 Ampney Crucis Times
Ampney St. Mary and Ampney St. peter will be discussing plans to receive the ACT at their annual meetings. It would then be known as The Ampney Times.
12. Footpath matters
The Crucis Farm paths have now been marked out
13. Correspondence Received
13.1 Gloucestershire Village of the Year; Rural Access Forum
Noted.
13.2 Royal Air Tattoo Briefing meeting.
Councillor Kelly to attend.
13.3 Footway resurfacing
A letter had been received from GCC explaining that up to 100m of footways in the village could be resurfaced this financial year, and asked which would be of highest priority. It was agreed that the path from Hunts Hill opposite The Pleydells should be resurfaced first, followed by the path from The Pleydells past Pound Tree bungalow to the Village hall.
14. Matters Outstanding
Quad and trial bikes are causing some disturbance in the village. An article in the ACT will ask for consideration.
Councillor Vessey reported that Don Underwood has always cared for the small area of land at the bottom of Allotment Lane. The edges of this small piece of land are now being eroded by cars using it for parking. It was suggested that Mr Underwood be asked on possible solutions (sets or posts or similar) for the area, and provide costings to the Parish Council who would consider providing the funding for the scheme. Councillors agreed that this would be acceptable.
A bush is overgrowing the footway at the Pound. The Clerk agreed to write to the residents to ask that it is cut back.
The Clerk agreed to check when the roadside verges would be cut in the village.
15. Proposed playground in Village
The Clerk had spoken to a number of organisations and had circulated notes of the discussions in the briefing note:
Once the equipment is in situ, the playground will probably be operated as any other local authority playground. Annual checks by an organisation like RoSPA are essential, however, it also recommended that daily checks are undertaken by someone who has been ‘trained’ (a short one day course will suffice).
Gloucestershire Playing Fields Association.
They recommend seeing what warranty Wicksteed will offer when the equipment is installed.
After that there should be some allocation for funding made for grass cutting (but this will need negotiating with GCC), litter picking, bin emptying, etc. They recommend a part and painting fund of £150 - £200 per year.
They also suggest that the Architectural liaison officer for Glos. Police should be approached, as he can give ideas on design that would hopefully minimise vandalism
CDC Council Tax.
Any increase in the Council Tax can be worked out by dividing the precept by the property base for Ampney Crucis of 302.1. Thus the current precept request of £5300 resulted in a precept for the village of £17.54 for a Band D house.
They recommend placing around £500 per year in the reserves to cover costs for damage or replacement. He also recommends that any fencing is metal, rather than wood.
However, despite the costs, he thinks that if the Parish Council were not involved in the capital costs, it would be proportionally less to maintain it in the future.
Feedback from the Annual meeting and from the article in the ACT
The comments from the Annual Meeting are shown in the minutes.
Several other comments were received by the Clerk.
In order to assimilate the information correctly and accurately it was agreed that the Council should adjourn this matter and discuss it at a separate meeting. This meeting will be held on Monday 9 June at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
Several specific matters should be discussed at this meeting. These include:
q Reclaiming VAT
q Can the Parish Council act as banker?
q Any conditions attached to public liability insurance
q Define, as far as possible, the initial outlay by ACPC
q Define how much would need to be spent each year.
Further information will also be required, and this will be reflected in the agenda and briefing note that will be sent out for the meeting on 9 June. Councillors were asked that if they had any specific issues they would want answering, then they should contact the Clerk before the meeting .If possible a discussion should take place with GCC and the Headmaster of the school prior to the meeting on 9 June.
16. Date, time and place of next meeting.
Parish Council meeting for playground issues on Monday 9 June at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. The next Parish Council meeting will be on Monday 14 July, 2003, 7.15pm in the Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 10:30pm.