Winscombe & Sandford Parish Council - Environment Committee
A meeting was held on 7th February 2006 from 7.30 pm in the Mawson Room of WCA.
Members: Mrs A. Brading (AB), Mrs Phyllis Cram (PCr), Mr A. Forbes (AF),
Mr G Lloyd (GL), Mr G. Luckett (GLu), Mrs Beryl Roper (BR) Mr S. Bridges (SB),
Mr C. Sampson (CS), Mr Keith Symons (KS).
Members of public: None
1 Apologies for absence None
2 a) To approve minutes of the previous meeting as being a true record.
The minutes, with a minor alteration, were accepted as a true record – proposed AB –
seconded GLu . All were in agreement.
2 b) Matters arising –
a) Minute 5b i – Tree preservation order. The Order had been placed on a tree in 18 Sidcot Lane.
b) Minute 5b iii. Path diversion. As agreed, because of the lateness of the notice, GL had
contacted NS by telephone with this Committee’s agreement to the diversion.
c) Minute 5biv. Stile at junction of AX29/32 and 38. This had been reported though other
concerns had been expressed by parishioners regarding the disappearance of this stile. PC had
contacted NS.
d) Minute 9b. Bus shelter on A38. This would be painted inside but not until the weather
improved. The mural would be painted by Sidcot School after the Easter period. Arrangement for
painting the inside had been made with the village handyman.
e) Minute 9d Quotes for sign/notice board. Quote received of £778 and £60 for fitting. £70
for tree removal. Proposed that PC accept this quotation. Proposed AF, seconded BR, all in
agreement. Text and addition of a logo still to be decided. Obstructing tree would shortly be
removed and substituted later by some sort of shrub (still to be decided). Variations on green
for the logo would be viewed at the next meeting. Blue, orange and red were considered
inappropriate colours. GL1
3. Public Participation. No members of the public were present.
4. Correspondence.
a) Request agreed for the full but unofficial dog faeces bin to be replaced by the standard bin at the end of Belmont Road at the junction of Hillyfields and Hillyfield Way. This should be added to the system already in place for emptying these bins.
b) ‘Green Sacks’ could be distributed from the Parish Office: PC is prepared to
complete this task. Charge to be £1 for each sack. No limit to the number to be sold to any
individual. Recommendation made to accept offer to distribute sacks.
5 Blocked footpaths, overgrowing vegetation etc
a) Those noted at the last meeting - none
b) Those noted to chairman/secretary since last meeting.
i) AX29/34 – alongside Sidcot playing field becoming overgrown. NS to be notified now that
AX29/34, AX29/44 and AX29/17 are those that will cause immediate problems and should be cut
as early as possible. PC1
ii) Two stiles along AX 29/26. First, passing from Nut Tree Farm to Max Mill Farm, stile has
concrete base which is now so angled that it can (has) precipitate(d) walkers into the deep water
beneath. Second stile, when passing from Max Mill Farm to Nut Tree Farm, leads into a deep pit.
Both are potentially hazardous. PC to report to NS. PC2
c) Those for our next meeting – none.
6 Unallocated developer contributions
a) Metal fingerposts AF. NS’s Phil Bush is not, after all, our contact with NS but Shaun Wilson
is. There is money available and GL was instructed to send details of fingerposts needing
attention to Shaun Wilson. GL2
b) Metal street signs GL. An advertisement has been put onto notice boards in order to find someone prepared to complete these tasks – also the posters had been delivered directly to other possibly interested persons. One positive response had been made from the village handyman. GL asked to discuss with the respondent the task.
c) The report from Helen McBean of NS resulting from the walk around Winscombe disappointed
the Committee. It seemed that most of the problems were being passed to NS’s ‘Streets and Open Spaces’. Mention was made of the footway beyond Woodborough Bridge, which was going to
be completed anyway, that a crossing was being sought, of course it was! The signs cluttering the
footways, the narrowing of the pavement adjacent to the Sandford Road car park and, most
importantly, the narrowness and inability to access pavement outside Robert Bird’s property was
either not mentioned or no solution suggested. GL was asked, with the PC, to follow up each and
every one of these. GL and PC asked to contact ‘Streets and Open Spaces’ to describe the actual
problems GL3/PC3
7 BOATS and Bridleways
a) Modifications of footpaths. Details of this system for wasting tax payers money had appeared
in the press. Also descriptions of how the scheme might be changed for the better. It couldn’t be
much worse!
b) Towerhead. Date of the Inquiry is Tuesday 21st February 2006 at 10.00am in Winscombe Community Centre. Towerhead is outside the parish. The parish would be represented at the
Inquiry. Any support, however short-lived, would be appreciated.
8 Additional plaques
Text for WCA now agreed. Still no text from Sandford School.
9 Parish flowers, tubs, seats, etc.
a) Lost plants, shrubs etc. had yet to be replaced. A break in the cold weather was awaited.
b) Some form of paint had been sprayed on the seat outside the Church Hall. Village
handyman to be asked if he would sand down the damage and repaint. PC4
10 Hillyfields.
a) Hillyfields Stile . A response and had been received from J.H.P & S’s client. GL to negotiate
further, basically by agreeing to replace the gate by a fence but not to agree to commit future
parish councils to maintaining the remaining stiles in that area. GL4
b) Lights at Hillyfields Way. The lights had now been correctly installed. A telephone call had
been received from a resident of Hillyfields thanking the Council for the evident improvement. The appropriate group should now be contacted to see whether they would, as tentatively agreed,
support the project financially. PC5
11 Footway at Winscombe Bridge.
This had been put back, yet again, and to mid March. GLu and GL had agreed to a site meeting with the builders to confirm egress and access to the footway. It was noted that the warning posts
under the bridge were extremely dilapidated. PC to warn NS of this so that NS could, hopefully,
replace the posts while at the scene. PC6
12 Updating Parish Guide
Various comments were received. All would be incorporated. Volunteers, for checking, etc, were noted. The final copy was within a few weeks of completion. Front page illustration was discussed at length. SB working on list of ‘businesses’. KS working on list of ‘clubs etc’. All comments are still welcome.
13 Tasks needed for ‘gangers’.
Add to PC list: i) cleaning outlets from gulleys in Church Road, either side of Hunt House; ii) steps to Sandford Playing fields (clear of leaves and make less slippery): iii) repositioning slipped signs
including the ‘cul de sac’ sign at Jones Night and Day, iii) the salt bin at the corner just before the Lynch Bridge had overturned, yet again, and spilled its contents over the grass (somehow fix upright) and tidy area.
14 Report of site meeting at Lynchmead.
AB reported the site meeting with two NS representatives. The blocked railway walk ditch at
Yadley Way would be cleared and the pipe that passes at right angles to this checked with
a camera and, if necessary, cleared. Whether this would ease the flooding problems in Lynchmead was not known. We would wait and see.
15 Planned Project. Winscombe Square. Finance was available for this project. At present the
Winscombe Square looked unsightly. Committee members to present at the next meeting ideas for improvements.
16 Problem Lights
a) Generally should be reported directly to the PC.
b) Replacement Lights. No quotes had been obtained for the lamps in Fountain Lane and
Oakridge Lane.
17 Any Other Business
a) Probable road closures to traffic. Winscombe Hill, six weeks from February 13th, Banwell for eight weeks from13th March and Woodborough Bridge (light controlled) during the period when Banwell is closed.
b) ‘Countryside Stewardship’ would be clearing trees, inserting new flood gates and desilting the
leat along the edge of AX29/26 near Max Mills Farm. NS’s Vince Russett had expressed much
interest and support for the task. AF
c) The roadside sign at the barbers in Winscombe did not appear to be creating a problem. SB
d) Eastwell Lane. NS’s Susan Stangroom to be told of the quantities of Japanese knotweed in the
area where NS workmen would be cutting and digging to lay a drain. Danger that the knotweed
could be spread down the valley. AF
e) Shute Shelf tunnel would shortly be shut for the installation of lights. AB
f) BR would liaise with Mr Martin Thatcher to discover whether the Council could lend him its
support for the erection of ‘interest’ signs indicating Thatchers Cider
g) PCr was asked to send to either Mrs Pru Whitter or the headteacher of Sandford School
an interesting and important text that PCR had uncovered regarding educational facilities in
Sandford during the last century and before.
h) AB was continuing to research evidence that eleven pieces of land, in the area of Kings Wood,
had once been put aside so that ‘poor’ parishioners could gather firewood.
16 Suggested date of next meeting. Tuesday 2nd March 2006.
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