AMPNEY CRUCIS PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 14 MAY 2007 IN THE VILLAGE HALL, AMPNEY CRUCIS.
Present: Councillors David Vessey, Gerald Gaden, Frank Skinner, and Peter Kelly
District Councillor Edward Horsfall
Presiding: Councillor David Vessey
Clerk: Mrs H Tonks
The meeting commenced at 8.05pm. There were 5 members of the public present.
The agenda was adjusted to allow planning to be discussed after items 1 – 4. The District Councillor and 4 members of the public left after the discussion. The minutes are written in the order of the original agenda.
1. Apologies for absence
Councillor Adrian Grazebrook and County Councillor Mavis Dunrossil.
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 Gaden proposed, Councillor Skinner seconded and the Council agreed that Councillor Vessey be elected Chairman. Councillor Vessey signed his Declaration of Office.
Councillor Vessey explained that he would take on the Chairmanship for this meeting only.
2.2 Election of Vice Chairman
Councillor Vessey proposed, Councillor Gaden seconded and the Council agreed that Councillor Kelly be elected Vice Chairman.
2.3 Declarations of Office, register of interests and model Code of Conduct
All Councillors present signed their Declaration of Office.
A draft of the new model code of conduct for Parish Councils was circulated. This will be discussed at the meeting in July. In the meantime, all councillors signed to agree to abide by the Code of Conduct previously adopted. All Councillors also confirmed that their entry to the Register of Interests had not changed since May 2006.
Councillor Skinner completed his Register of Interest form. The Clerk will forward it on to CDC.
2.4 Co-option of new Councillors
Resolution 18/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved to co-opt Barry Dent onto the Council.
All Councillors will try to find suitable candidates for discussion at the next meeting. An article will be placed in the newsletter asking interested residents to contact the Chairman.
2.4 Consideration of any annual subscriptions
Resolution 19/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved to renew the Council’s annual subscription (£103.66) to the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Councils
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2007
Resolution 20/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March, 2007 be signed and adopted.
4. Matters arising from the meeting held on 12 March 2007
4.1 Highway matters
Paul Swift has contacted the Clerk with the following information:
4.2 Church Path
Councillor Kelly will send a photograph of the garden waste on the path to the Clerk.
5. Matters arising from the Annual Meeting
A number of highways issues, detailed in the Annual Meeting minutes, were raised. The Clerk will contact GCC.
6. Reports from County and District Councillors
None as full reports were presented at the Annual Parish Meeting.
7. Questions from the Public
None
8. Future structure of Council
8.1 Responsibilities of Councillors
At the last meeting, it was suggested that there should be a more formal distribution of responsibilities among Councillors so that the majority of day-to-day work does not fall on the shoulders of the Chairman. The following responsibilities were identified and allocated.
- Finance – to act as the Council’s internal auditor and to check that the accounts presented to the Council each month are in order. To agree with the Clerk the Assets Register, Risk Assessment and Insurance Policy. To sign the annual accounts. This responsibility should be the Chairman’s as the accounts have to be signed by him or her.
- Planning – to advise the Council on all planning issues affecting the village, to be the recipient of all planning applications and to advise the Council on the best response and to write all letters of objection. Councillors Vessey and Kelly
- Footpaths – to be responsible for maintaining the footpath map, to be responsible for ensuring that all footpaths are walked once a year and to act as the focal point for footpath problems and for liaising with Glos PROW office.
- Burial Ground – to act as a deputy to the Clerk in time of illness or holiday. To ensure that the grass cutting contract is fulfilled correctly and for organising the regular Clean Up days. Councillor Gaden
- Playground – to be responsible for liaising with the Friends of the School over the use of the playground and to be responsible for ensuring that the annual inspection is organised by the Friends and for ensuring that any repairs necessary are carried out by the Friends. Ensuring that the memorandum of understanding is followed up and agreed by the Friends of the school. Councillor Skinner
- Assets register – to be responsible for the inspection of all the Council’s insurable assets and for arranging any maintenance or repairs to be carried out. The Clerk to produce a list of the Council’s assets to be inspected. Councillor Gaden
8.2 Representations
Resolution 21/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that Councillor Gaden be the Parish Council’s representative on the Village Hall committee.
Resolution 22/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that Councillor Vessey be the Parish Council’s representative on the Robert Pleydell Trust.
9. Financial matters
9.1 Formal adoption of the accounts for the year ending 31 March, 2007
Resolution 23/07 Councillor Kelly proposed, Councillor Gaden seconded and the Council resolved that the financial statements, attached to the minutes in pages 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, 2007.
9.2 Current financial position
The external auditors have introduced a new item within the audit, suggesting that the Council needs to review all expenditure on a regular basis, and that they review the effectiveness of the internal audit.
It was agreed that the Council would resolve to agree all financial statements, if they were an accurate reflection of the Council’s financial position, at each meeting. In addition, as the recommendations from the internal audit from year ending 31 March 2006 had been acted upon, it was agreed that the effectiveness of the internal audit had been assessed.
Resolution 24/07 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 26 April 07.
Resolution 25/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the internal review of the accounts in year ending 31 March 2006 had been effective.
Resolution 26/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that £300 be transferred to the imprest account.
9.3 Agreement of payments
Insurance: £992.46
Cottage garden services: £188.50
Resolution 27/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the above amounts, totalling £1180.96, be paid from the annual budget.
The Ampney Times is increasing in popularity and the next 2 editions will be larger than normal. For 6 normal 3 page editions the costs would be £144.00 per year. No facility had been made in the 2007/08 budget for further expenditure on The Ampney Times budget as the reserves would stand at £105.27. Anticipated income may not be sufficient to cover the costs of the larger issues.
Resolution 28/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that a maximum of £50.00 from the general contingencies reserve be made available for printing of The Ampney Times if necessary.
9.4 Allocation of reserves
Resolution 29/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the reserves as shown on p707 of the minutes be adopted.
9.5 Assets register
Resolution 30/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the assets register as shown on p708 of the minutes be adopted.
9.6 Risk assessment
Resolution 31/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the risk assessment as shown on pages 709 – 716 of the minutes be adopted.
9.7 Audit for the year ending 31 March, 2007
Two sections of the Annual Return require authorisation and signature:
Resolution 32/06 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 available
10. Terms and conditions for Clerk
The Working Party have completed their work and Councillor Vessey has had the final contract of employment considered by a professional. The Clerk has received a copy of the contract of employment which she is happy to accept and sign.
Resolution 33/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the Chairman signs the Clerk’s contract of Employment on behalf of the Parish Council.
11. Planning matters
11.1 Decisions
398 CT 7339/D Ampney Sheep house Cottage Permits
401 TPO 1/8 The Coach House No objection
402 Contr 2267 Ampney Park No objection
11.2 Outstanding applications
354 05/0071/CWFUL/CAPS Sunhill Objection
405 CT 2130/G Stonelea Objection
406 CT 3603/H Ampney Downs Farm No objection
11.3 Amendments
403 CT 2865/1/G April Cottage No objections
404 CT 3203/F The Old Orchard No objections
407 CT 2130/G Stonelea No objections
408 CT 4142/B 3 Lake Cottages On circulation
11.4 Tree works
400 Contr 2251 Ampney Park No objections
408 TPO 431/1 The Old Orchard No objections
There was some discussion about the request from Old Orchard to fell three pine trees as these were a feature of the centre of the village. In the end, it was agreed not to object to the felling on the basis that the tree specialist’s report commented on the problems being caused to the sewage system due to root penetration.
11.5 Stonelea
The Chairman explained that the application for a replacement house at Stonelea not only considerably exceeded the footprint of the original house it also exceeded the footprint of an earlier application which had been refused. Access onto the highway was still thought to be unsafe.
Resolution 34/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that a letter objecting to planning application CT 2130/G at Stonelea be sent to CDC. This letter is attached to the minutes at page 717.
11.6 Park Close
The applicants have made an appeal against the refusal of the CLEUD (Certificate of lawful existing use and development) and the Council have until May 24 to make their response to the Planning Inspectorate. Both CDC and the appellant must also submit their own statements to the Planning Inspectorate by this date after which they will be available for public inspection at CDC’s Planning Department. The Parish Council can then, if they wish, make further comments to CDC on any aspect of the appellant’s statement. These comments must be made in good time as CDC’s own response to the appellant’s statement has to be with the Planning Inspectorate by 14 June 2007. A local inquiry, probably within the village, will take place later this year at which the Council’s written representations would be taken into account.
The appeal is based on claims that a breach of planning control occurred more than 10 years ago, and/or that there was operational development on the site that was substantially complete more than 4 years ago.
It was agreed that the Council would support the District Council’s decision to refuse the CLEUD, as the Council felt that the appellant could not prove their case.
A public presence at the inquiry would show the inspector the level of support for the District Council’s decision.
A draft letter objecting to the appeal was circulated to all Councillors.
Resolution 35/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that a letter be sent to Cotswold District Council supporting the decision to refuse the CLEUD. This letter is attached to the minutes at pages 718-720.
Resolution 36/07 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the Chairman and Councillor Grazebrook be given the authority to inspect and comment on the appellant’s statement, and make any comments they felt to be appropriate arising from this statement to CDC before 14 June.
11.7 Talland
Local residents reported noticing that a sign had appeared outside Talland inviting visitors to call into Talland’s café. CDC enforcement officers have visited the property and have informed the Council that the café is largely for the use of people on courses and parents waiting for their offspring. The idea of inviting the general public in is to give them an idea of what goes on there. The main use of the café would be ancillary to the approved use of the site. Use by the general public would require planning permission for a change of use on part of the site. The owners will therefore either make an application for a change of use, or cease inviting the general public to the café. As far as Mike Grace understands, the necessary licensing details are in place. The sign has now been removed.
11.8 Cripps proposals
The Ampney Crucis Association (ACA) are holding a public meeting on 21 May to explain their recent proposals. One of the key elements of the proposal is to rely on ‘enabling development’, under which development which was contrary to statutory planning policy, might be permitted to allow the protection or conservation of an historical asset to be funded.
The Chairman had received a letter from Nicholas Dummett, the Honorary Secretary of the Gloucestershire Branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE). This letter opposed the proposals to be submitted by the ACA to build 10 new houses in the village in exchange for control over the fields in the centre of the village and community facilities.
Mr Dummett had given permission for the letter to be sent on to the ACA.
The Parish Council agreed that a copy of the letter should be sent to the ACA Chairman, John Ducker, and agreed at the same time that the Parish Council should restate its position in relation to the Cripps’ proposals. This is that the Parish Council will not make any kind of formal comment on the proposals until planning applications have been submitted but will continue to urge the Association to discuss the matter with Cotswold District Council in order not to raise expectations in the village. The Parish’s District Councillor, Sir Edward Horsfall, has offered his help in setting up a meeting with the Forward Planning Department at CDC so that a realistic review of the likely acceptability of the housing element in the proposals can be made. In the view of the Parish Council, this would be a prudent move and would be in line with the strong recommendations made by English Heritage in their booklet on Enabling Development.
12. Burial ground matters
The Lych Gate door is showing some signs of wear and tear. Councillor Gaden will inspect as part of the assets register inspection.
13. Village Update
13.1 Licence application at Ampney Downs Farm
The new Licensing Act removes any requirement for the Parish Council to be notified of licensing applications and only requires limited information about an event to be advertised. A party is to be held in June at Ampney Downs Farm with a licence application for up to 1000 people.
The Parish Council learnt of the party with only two days available for comments. The Licensing Department at CDC have confirmed that the event is a private party (i.e. no ticket sales) being held to celebrate a 30th birthday. The Licensing Officer, Michelle Flaxton, told Councillor Vessey that there are six statutory consultees (among them the police and Environmental Health) and that the organisers have to submit a 30 page report covering every aspect of the event. A number of concerns have been raised on traffic issues and Councillor Vessey was assured that these will be considered by the Licensing Sub-Committee. Local residents would be submitting their own responses.
The District Councillor confirmed that the application would be considered by the Licensing Sub Committee and that a decision would be taken on 21 May.
The Clerk and Chairman have been given a telephone number to be distributed to concerned residents and Councillors.
13.2 Playground report.
The playground inspection report was given to Councillor Skinner for perusal. The Friends of the School are responsible for resolving any problems. There had been no response to the Memorandum of Understanding sent to the Friends last year.
13.3 Crimestoppers
At least 2 reports have been made to Crimestoppers about 2 untaxed cars in the village, but no action has been taken. The Clerk will contact crime prevention at Gloucestershire Police.
14. Correspondence received
14.1 Gloucestershire County Association for the Blind - Request for funding
Refused as it did not meet the Council’s criteria for support.
14.2 Air tattoo briefing - Tuesday 15 May, 6.30 – 9.30pm, Fairford.
Noted
14.3 Bledisloe Cup
The Council would not be entering.
14.4 CDC Waste roadshow.
CDC will be touring the area with a mobile van with displays and information about the proposed new waste collection arrangements, and were looking for a suitable site. The Clerk will suggest that they contact the Village Hall Committee with a view to them holding the event outside the Village Hall.
15. Matters outstanding
16. Date, time and place of next meeting.
Monday 9 July, 2007
The meeting finished at 10.20pm.