A Meeting of the Environment Committee was held on Tuesday 2^nd March 2010 

at 7.30 pm, Amesbury Room, Winscombe Community Centre.

Committee Members Present: Mrs Pat Bushnell (PB), Mrs. Phyllis Cram (PCr), Mr Archie Forbes (AF), Mr. Gerald Lloyd (Committee Chairman) (GL), Mrs Valerie McGann (Committee Vice-Chairman) (VMc), Mrs Avril Richmond (AR),

Miss B Roper (BR)        

Clerk Present: Mrs Lynne Rampton (LR)             Members of Public Present: Two         

1	Apologies for absence. Mrs Mandy Brading (ABr), Mr. Steve Bridges (SB)
2	Declarations of interest – A personal and prejudicial interest was declared by PCr in Agenda item 6b. (claim that part of Winscombe Drove be recorded as a bridleway) as an adjacent landowner.
3	Update of the minutes of the last meeting, already signed at main Parish Council meeting as being a correct record. Min 5 iii) The Parish Council has agreed at their February meeting that Fairtrade signs may be installed beneath the current signs on posts at the village entrances advising of the Parish being awarded this status. Min 7f) The replacement plaque for Toll House will be put into position when weather conditions permit.	GL1/ AF1
4	Public participation: an opportunity for members of the parish to make a statement. A Bridgwater Road resident of 20 years spoke in opposition to the application for modification of part of Ax29/37 and AX29/33 from footpath to bridleway.  A number of points were made by the parishioner to Public Rights of Way (PROW) Officers from both North Somerset Council and Somerset County Council at a recent meeting that were detailed to committee members: 1.) The required width of 40ft for a bridleway does not exist at any point on the route. 2.) The applicant advised the parishioner that it was her intention to cut down some vegetation to enable her to drive her horse and cart along this route. The parishioner having recently moved to the area at that time refused to support an application of a modification order. 3.) A locked gate was present on Winscombe Drove for part of the claimed period of use. 4.) Footpath signs were present at both ends of the Drove in 1990 that had been installed by The Rotary Club. 5.) Blogs appearing on a website claim inappropriate use of the Drove and concern was expressed that a private meeting had been held between NSC & SCC PROW Officers and some of these users.  6.) Residents along the Drove have not given ‘private rights’ to users of the footpath. A Barton resident provided the meeting with a verbal history of the Barton Drove modification application, opposed by the Parish Council and refused by the High Court. Similarities between the Barton Drove and Winscombe Drove modification applications were highlighted to committee members. When relatives of the parishioner requested permission to ride their horses along Winscombe Drove, this was refused by landowners. A Parish Councillor, having previously declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Agenda item 6b.addressed the meeting (as afforded under section 12(2) of the 2007 Code of Conduct). Having lived along Winscombe Drove for the past 50 years, horse-riders have been challenged on two occasions and riders advised that the route is not a bridleway. No mention of the Drove being used as a bridleway is made in title deed documents to the property dating back to 1927.
5	Correspondence including:  a. Scarecrow Extravaganza. GLl reported that grant funding was not available and that public liability cover is required for the event to be held on behalf of the Parish Council as part of the Villages Festival in June.  b. Request for stand at Millennium Green May Fair. It was suggested that the Parish Council should hold a stand at the annual event. LR to respond c.  Sandford Road – litter along verges. Whilst it was accepted as not a cure for the problem, the Community Service Team should be asked to litter pick the verges on Sandford and Banwell Roads. NSC should be informed of a persistent problem of dog fouling along Sandford Road d.  Sandford Road  -  opposite Evergreen Close – discarded vehicle etc. As the land under discussion is private property, the matter should be reported to the planning enforcement officer for initial assistance. e. Request for ‘grab handle’ outside post office. Assistance is sometimes required by the elderly or those less able bodied to gain access into village shops such as the post office, whilst some establishments have already installed equipment to make this easier. AR offered to liaise with the Post Mistress and this matter should be included as an agenda item for the next meeting.	LR1 LR2 LR3 LR4 AR1
6	Blocked footpaths, overgrowing vegetation, etc. a. Those noted since the last meeting:    AX29-18 unsuitable stile put into position. AB. As a gate on this footpath is left open, a stile has now been installed to the front of this to contain livestock and photographs were circulated to those present at the meeting. The Parish Council has recently endeavoured to make footpaths more accessible to those less able bodied with the installation of a new stile has not assisted this cause. NSC should be advised of the presence of the new stile and asked if this is acceptable? b.  Claim that AX29/37 and part of AX29/33 (Winscombe Drove) be recorded as a Bridleway           - see attached details.  With the agreement of the committee, the order of the meeting was varied to allow this item to be considered immediately after Agenda item 4, Public Participation. Mrs Cram, having previously declared a personal and prejudicial interest left the meeting. Councillors considered that no evidence has been found in favour of the modification application and personal knowledge amongst Councillors present recognised the PROW as a footpath only. NSC and SCC have been advised by residents of the presence of signs at each end of the route advising of footway status. Having considered evidence presented, the Environment Committee recommend that the Parish Council oppose the modification application to AX29/37 and part of AX29/33 from footpath to bridleway. Proposed by AF, seconded by AR, all those present were in favour. A working party may be formed to inspect user evidence submitted with the modification application and it was noted, with thanks that Mrs Forbes has offered to research the history of Winscombe Drove. Mrs Cram returned to the meeting. c. Those reported at this meeting. None	LR5
7	General Environment a. Recycling centre behind Woodborough Inn.  An update to include a request from a parishioner that the fenced area be boarded to a height of 5ft.  LR. It was accepted that enclosing the area further could stop rubbish from the centre blowing along neighbouring roads but creation of an enclosed space such as that requested could lead to further ‘dumping’ in the area and may attract unwanted attention from youths. It was agreed to monitor the situation due to increased kerb-side recycling being introduced to North Somerset over the coming months and no request to NSC for changes to the centre should be made at this time. b. Parish Rubbish bins - addition at Brown’s Corner – no response from NSC. The matter is ongoing. c.  General uncleanliness footways etc near Coop. Several complaints have been received about the general untidiness of the footway to the front of the Co-op and a letter should be sent to store manager and to the head office asking if they could assist us in efforts to tidy up the area. d.  NS plans for recycling – an up-date.  GL. A briefing paper detailing the proposed changes had been prepared by GL that was circulated to members with an article that appears in the current NS Life magazine. A number of questions were raised by committee members and an answer to these will hopefully be provided at the next NSC briefing session to be attended by  GL and LR.  e. Positioning of additional grit bins – as agreed. Bins have been ordered through NSC and GL is shortly to meet with our Area Officer to agree exact locations of these. f.   Tree trimming at junction of Sidcot Lane and Belmont Road. Following concerns raised by a parishioner through the Parish Office, deadwood in the larger trees is to be removed and crown lifts carried out to the statutory clearance height of those trees overhanging the footway and highway. Works will also include the fruit tree next to the post box in the same location and are to be carried out over the coming weeks. g. Several Winscombe walks included in February Edition of North Somerset Life – with a map of new kissing gate positions.  Attention was drawn to the articles.	LR6 GL2
8	Footway widening at Winscombe Bridge.  Total cost to be just under £10 000.  NSC prepared to provide £5000.  No grant yet found to provide the remaining £5000.  Should PC provide this additional money? Considerable discussion took place regarding this item with some Councillors agreeing that the Parish Council should not have to provide 50% of the total works cost to widen a footway on a busy road into the village centre. In the interests of pedestrian safety, Ward Councillors should be contacted for assistance in securing a further £3,000 through NSC with the Parish Council contributing the remaining £2,000 works costs. Should Ward Councillors be unable to successfully provide assistance in this regard, the Parish Council should be asked to provide an additional £3,000 (£5,000 Parish Council contribution in total) towards a footway widening scheme on Woodborough Road. Proposed by VMcG, seconded by AR. All members were in favour.	LR7
9	Library – up-date. GL It was reported that Winscombe Library may be rebuilt following demolition of the existing building. Funding is in place and plans may proceed following approval of the scheme from one final NSC Committee. Planning permission will have to be gained and consideration could be given at that time to seeking written confirmation that the library will re-open and also enquiring of alternative arrangements for the service during the period of closure.
10	Parish Council web-site – to consider current format & future control of this. As the current PC website is administered by a volunteer no longer living in the Parish, GL and LR are currently seeking alternative companies to maintain and make small changes to the existing form.	LR8/ GL3
11	Road safety at junction of Hillyfields Way and Woodborough Road. It should be requested that a NSC Highways Officer visit and offer advice as to how safety may be improved at this junction.	LR9/ GL4
12	Parish flowers, tubs, seats, etc. No matters to report.
13	Somerset Walks - to note that a Winscombe and Sandford Parish walk, as previously published is to be promoted in the ‘Somerset Life’ newsletter.
14	Problem Lights - failures should be reported immediately, with lamp number, directly to Parish Clerk.  a.    To approve replacement pole, bracket & light Roman Road at cost not exceeding £620. It was proposed by BR, seconded by PB, all members were in favour that the faulty lamp is replaced with costs being met for street lighting from Parish Council contingency funds. The street light outside 55 The Lynch is again out of action and should be reported.	LR10
16	Information – either points of information or subjects for discussion at next meeting. a) Concern was expressed at the camber of the footway on the corner of Sidcot Lane and Woodborough Road by Nat West Bank and also outside Lloyds Bank. GL should meet with the NSC Area Officer to discuss and report back to the next meeting. b) Works to enlarge the bus stop markings at Browns Corner have yet to be carried out and a letter should be sent to NSC enquiring when this will take place. c) Plans to install gullies on Belmont Road to the front of Sewell House do not appear to be progressing and enquiries should be made of NSC in this regard.	GL5 LR11 LR12
	Next Meeting.     Tuesday  6^th April 2010

Meeting Closed:                   8.55 pm

Signed ………………………………………..    Environment Committee Chairman        

Date …………………..