DRAFT AMPNEY CRUCIS PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 14 JULY, 2003, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, AMPNEY CRUCIS.
Present: Councillors Peter Kelly, Gerald Gaden, Kim Hartshorne, David Vessey, Adrian Grazebrook, Sally Hebbs and John Dear.
County Councillor Raymond Theodoulou
Presiding: Councillor Peter Kelly
Clerk: Mrs H Tonks
The meeting commenced at 7.15pm. There were no members of the public present.
1. Apologies for Absence
None
(Councillor Horsfall rang on 15 July, 2003, to apologise for not being able to attend the meeting.)
2. Minutes of the Annual Parish Council meeting held on Monday 12 May, 2003
Resolution 26/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 May, 2003 be signed and adopted.
3. Minutes of the extraordinary meeting held on Monday 9 June, 2003.
4. Matters arising from the Annual Parish Council meeting held on Monday 12 May, 2003
4.1 Hunts Hill
It was reported that the drains have now been replaced.
5. Matters arising from the extraordinary meeting held on Monday 9 June, 2003.
6. Questions from the Public
None
7. Reports from County/District Councillors
County Councillor Raymond Theodoulou gave the following report:
· The County Council Cabinet has a surplus of around £1.2 million. It has been suggested that the surplus be spent alternatively - it has also been proposed that this money be offset towards next year’s Council Tax.
· All tourist activities now report to the South West Tourist Board.
· It is anticipated that Gloucestershire will be part of the next group of Counties to hold a referendum on regionalisation. It is anticipated that if the South West has a regional government, this would be based in either Exeter or Bristol.
· There has been some restructuring and regarding within the County Council leading to the salary for Learning Support Workers being reduced by up to £2,000 per annum.
· £370,000 of the cost of extra policing at RAF Fairford earlier this year will need to be met by Gloucestershire residents.
· There is a proposal to encourage more residents in the County to sign up for Broadband internet access.
· At a recent conference discussing genetically modified (GM) foods, there appeared to be a bias against GM crops, although there is still a lot of ignorance and uncertainty about the subject.
· A large fire at Driffield has destroyed up to 50 acres of crops. Fire Service officers have asked that extra care is taken during the current hot spell to minimise the possibility of fire.
As a District Councillor, although not the one for this ward, Councillor Theodoulou also commented that:
· The District Council members are carrying out a full review of future expenditure in the Council. Many projects, including the Community Initiatives Fund, have been frozen whilst the review is undertaken.
· A new site for the Cattle market has been proposed for Driffield. Other sites are also being proposed. In due course the proposal will go before full Council for comment.
8. Financial matters
8.1 Current financial position
Resolution 28/03 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 26 June, 2003
Resolution 29/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that £300 be transferred from the current account to the imprest account.
The Clerk reported that Lloyds Bank had contacted her earlier in the month wanting new signatures on all the accounts, as they did not appear to have any authorised signatures on the imprest and current accounts. (When accounts were transferred to the business section they ‘mislaid’ some signatures.) The clerk reported that Lloyds TSB have now agreed to transfer the signatures they have for the deposit account over to the current and imprest account, and the Clerk onto the imprest account.
Councillor Hartshorne signed the bank mandate, as did the Clerk, to allow Councillor Hartshorne to sign cheques on the current and imprest account, and the Clerk to sign on the imprest account only.
8.2 Agreement of payments
None
8.3 Audit for year ending 31 March, 2003
Neil Holt has completed the internal audit, the only comment he raised noted that at the November 2002 meeting that the Council agreed to adopt a 5 yearly valuation of assets.
The annual return has now been sent to Moore Stephens, the external auditor.
9. Planning matters
9.1 Decisions
251 CT 0607/F Firs Farmhouse Permitted
253 CT 2865/1/F Threeways Permitted
225 CT 5121/D 17 Park Corner appeal Dismissed
238 CT 5306/C Waterton Farm appeal Allowed
The Council heard that the Conservation officer had visited Firs Farmhouse and had commented that although the extended house was too large, as it could not be seen from the road there had been no objections, from the conservation officers, raised at that point. It was thought that the new District Councillor had not seen a copy of this application. It was proposed that the District Councillor be asked whether future applications in the Conservation area could go before committee.
9.2 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
9.3 Minor amendments
9.4 Tree works
256 Contr 1469 Sterries Mill On circulation.
10. Burial Ground matters
11. Village Update
11.1 Notice board
The Clerk reported that she has spoken to Frank Perkins, who is happy to let Harold Stevens make the board. Mr Stevens will start work in the autumn.
11.2 Double white lines
The Clerk reported that GCC have assured her that the new white lines will be painted soon.
11.3 The Ampney Times
Ampney St. Mary and Ampney St. Peter have each sent £10 towards costs of expanding the content and distribution of the newsletter.
11.4 Setts at the junction of Allotment Lane
GCC have agreed to place granite setts around this area of land, using monies from their ‘small works budget’. It was suggested that the Clerk contact the school, asking that this be placed in the school newsletter.
12. Playground in the Village
12.1 Future action by the Parish Council
· The clerk would contact the County Council to get a letter of intent for the licence.
· There was some discussion about how monies would be paid into the accounts. There were proposals that a) there should be a separate account for playground funds, or b) funds would be placed in the deposit account, and identified in the Reserves.
· Resolution 30/03 The Chairman proposed and the Council resolved that the Clerk is authorised to countersign, on behalf of the Parish Council, any applications made by the playground committee to external bodies for funding.
12.2 Future Action by the Playground Committee
· The Playground committee have started the process of applying for grants.
· The Committee will ask for a written report from Gloucestershire Police identifying how to minimise crime and disorder at the playground. The Parish Council’s auditor will insist on this.
13. Correspondence Received
13.1 Kemble Parish Council
Kemble Parish Council have asked that Ampney Crucis and other parishes join forces to stop the increasing noise from the airfield. The parish Council felt that the village were not affected by noise from the airfield and therefore decided to take no action.
13.2 CDC Standard’s Committee – Parish Council representation
Noted.
13.3 Good Councillors Guide.
A copy of this has been placed in the circulation folder.
13.4 Citizens Advice Bureau merger with the Cheltenham branch.
Noted.
13.5 Countryside Agency – Countryside and Right of Way Act, Consultation.
Councillor Vessey will comment.
13.6 Cirencester and South Cotswolds Sports Council – Request for funding
Refused.
13.7 GCC Youth Services Review
Councillor Hebbs will comment if appropriate.
13.8 GCC Structure Plan, 3rd alteration
Noted
13.9 South Cotswolds Rural Access Forum
Rural Transport Conference
Councillor Kelly to attend the Rural Access Forum on 1 October 2003.
13.10 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Providing indemnity to relevant officers and members Consultation
Councillor Grazebrook to read the document and advise whether comment is necessary.
14. Matters outstanding
· The footpaths between Dudley Corner and Hilcot End have not been cut. The field will be harvested shortly, therefore no action to be taken.
· There has been a complaint about overhanging foliage on the village street side of the wall belonging to The Lodge. The Clerk will write to the occupiers asking of they would cut the foliage back.
· It was agreed that the Parish Council would not be electing a representative to the School Governors.
15. Date, time and place of next meeting.
Monday 8 September 2003, 7.15pm in the Village hall.