Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton
Parish Council Office,
Winscombe Community Centre,
11 Sandford Road, Winscombe,
North Somerset BS25 1JA
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
A meeting of the Environment Committee was held on
Tuesday 6th July 2010 at 7.30 p.m, The Amesbury Room, Winscombe Community Centre
Committee Members Present: Cllr. S Bridges (SB), Cllr. P Bushnell (PB), Cllr. A Forbes (AF),
Cllr. G Lloyd (Committee Chairman) (GL),
Cllr.V McGann (Committee Vice-Chairman) (VM),
Cllr. A Richmond (AR), Cllr. B Roper (BR),
Assistant Clerk: Mrs N Flint
Members of the public: Four
Press: None
1. To elect a Committee Chairman and to receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office:
It was resolved that this committee APPROVED Cllr. G Lloyd (GL) as Chairman and The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed and received by the Assistant Clerk.
Proposed: Cllr. V McGann Seconded: Cllr. A Richmond
All in favour
2. To elect a Committee Vice-Chairman and to receive the Vice-Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office:
It was resolved that this committee APPROVED Cllr. V McGann (VM) as Vice-Chairman and The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed and received by the Assistant Clerk.
Proposed: Cllr. G Lloyd Seconded: Cllr. A Richmond
All in favour
3. To receive apologies for absence:
Cllr. P Cram (PC), Cllr. A Brading (AB)
4. Declarations of Interest
None Received
5. Update of the minutes of the last meeting, already signed at main Parish Council meeting as being a correct record.
Min 2 5c – Dog fouling footways – stickers are now in the parish office and GL will attach them to lamp posts in the worst affected areas. GL
Min 2 7b – Browns Corner litter bin – further reminders have been sent to our NSC Area Officer
Min 2 9 – Cllr. M Williamson, is liaising with North Somerset Council, as Winscombe Community Association representative, and, at present, discussions regarding improvements to Winscombe library are proceeding.
Min 2 10 – Upgrades are currently being carried out to the web-site and a request was made for lots of up to date photographs of the Parish to be forwarded to the office. Following the huge success of the recent scarecrow extravaganza GL advised that he had received in excess of 250 photographs and it was suggested that some of these should be posted on the Parish Council web-site. An exhibition of these photographs is to be arranged during the Michaelmas Fair. GL
Min 2 14a – Replacement of pole, bracket and street light at Roman Road has been carried out.
Min 2 16a – Further reminders have been sent to our NSC Area Officer PC
Min 6 ii – NSC verbally advised that Parish Council morally supports the suggested introduction of footway from end of Greenhill Lane to Pye Corner and beyond to Churchill Parish.
Min 7 a – No news of additional recycling bins for the site behind the Woodborough Inn, as advised by Ward Councillor Lake at the April meeting of the Parish Council, has been received. A request is to be sent to Ward Councillor Lake asking for an up date. PC
Min 7 c – Instructions have been issued to clean and repaint the metal street name sign at The Lynch
Min 8 I – An email has been received from NSC advising that there are no more seafront benches available. This matter will be addressed later in Agenda Item 10b.
Min 8 iii – The Parish Orderly is currently repairing/treating various seats within the Parish, as requested, and has informed the office that the missing seat from outside Sandford Stone was removed when the new bus shelter was installed. The Chairman reported that the results of these repairs/treatments are excellent.
Min 9 – Letters have been sent to volunteers adopting tubs within the Parish.
Min 10 – Further reminders have been sent to our NSC Area Officer for a meeting to discuss safety measures and possible improvements at junction of Woodborough Road, Sandford Road and Hillyfields Way. GL and AF
Min 11 – Following our letter and having spoken to AR, the Postmistress is to contact the Parish Office and discuss the situation with the Clerk.
Min 13 a – The sign at the end of Max Mill Lane (Barton End) has now been re-instated.
Min 13 b – Barton Road Sign from Church Road – overgrowth needs trimming back. GL and AF
6. Public Participation: A maximum time limit of 15 minutes will be allowed for a session open to the
Public to present comments, observations, information, petitions or lead deputations and is the
only time members of the public may participate during the meeting. Parishioners may submit a
written script of speeches made to the Clerk:
a) A Sandford resident asked the Committee to consider the installation of a Notice Board adjacent to the
bus shelter opposite St. Monica’s Care Home in Station Road, Sandford.
Refer Agenda Item 9c
b) Two Winscombe residents informed the Committee that two houses in Plumtree Close had encroached
on the alleyway which connects to two other footpaths (between Ash Close and Oak Road and
Oak Road and Moorham Road). This alleyway has been used as a footpath for a number of years and is
used daily, especially by school pupils and parents who consider it a safe route to school.
(i) No.2 Plumtree Close appears to have moved their fence to now include part of the alleyway into their garden.
(ii) No.3 Plumtree Close appears to have built a 2 breeze block high wall across the end of the alleyway.
It was asked if the Parish Council could look into these obstructions as access was now difficult and to .
establish who was responsible for the maintenance of the alleyways as they are completely overgrown.
c) Committee members were advised that the recycling centre behind Woodborough Inn was full and overflowing.
7. Correspondence including:
a) Further to 6b above, correspondence had taken place regarding the positioning of a high fence dividing the footpath (not a definitively listed footpath – but one listed in adjacent house deeds –1962- as being available for full right and liberty on foot only) and the two-block high breeze block wall that had been built across it. The Committee supported the request that a NSC Enforcement Officer be asked to inspect the obstruction and that AF and GL be present during the inspection. PC
b) A request has been received from the daughter of certain residents in Observatory Field to plant some sort of horticultural display in Winscombe to commemorate their parents 80th birthdays. This will be funded by the applicants.
Committee members approved the idea and suggested locations for bulb plantings as:
(i) Central area within Observatory Field
(ii) At Sidcot School Commemoration field adjacent to Observatory Field
(iii) Grass Triangle to the right of Belmont Road and Sidcot Lane Junction.
Corresondence with the resident’s daughter should be made advising them of the Parish Council’s comments and giving them the choice of sites. GL is prepared to negotiate with the various landowners (North Somerset and Sidcot School) and suggest agencies prepared to plant the bulbs.
c) At the request of the Chairman Agenda Item 9c was now discussed as correspondence had been received in addition to the comments made during ‘Public Participation’
9c – Request for Notice board near entrance to St Monica-Care Home
A Sandford resident has requested the Parish Council to consider the installation of a notice board near the entrance to St Monica-Care Home. There are, at present, three Parish Council notice boards in Winscombe (Parish Office, Library and Post Office), one double notice board at Sandford (Sandford Stores), with the Railway Inn Sandford also being prepared to display various notices.
After much discussion it was agreed that a second double notice board would be beneficial if located adjacent to The Railway Inn car park.
It was UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED that SB contacts Thatchers, as they are the land owners, for sponsorship, for permission to position a double board (partly general and partly Parish Council information) at the Railway Inn car park and to report back to the committee chairman and Parish Council.the results. SB
d) A letter asking for details of how the PC had attempted to ensure that drain covers had been refurbished in Brae Road. The Chairman listed the detailed correspondence that had taken place, which consisted of many letters and emails. Copies of all had been sent to the letter writer. SB informed committee members that in 2005 he personally went round the Parish and listed all footpaths needing attention and forwarded these details to North Somerset Council for action. The Chairman added that SB had later been asked by NSC to put these in order of priority but still few improvements had taken place. A personally addressed letter should be sent to Graham Turner, NSC Chief Executive to register our major concerns with the slowness of the response. The Chairman stated that an email from NSC, relating to road and footway improvements, would be considered next on the agenda.
e) An E-mail communication has been received from NSC Highways Engineer concerning proposed highway improvements along the A371.
SB and GL to meet with him to discuss the proposals.
f) PC has advised that the overgrown vegetation at the bottom of The Green has been trimmed back.
g) A card had been received congratulating the committee for its efforts in organising/sponsoring the Scarecrow Extravaganza. All committee members thanked GL for his and Jane’s hard work in organising this event, which was enjoyed by all parishioners and deemed a huge success.
8. Blocked footpaths, overgrowing vegetation, etc.
a. Those noted since the last meeting:
i AX29/8-9-10: cleared by ‘Pay-back-team’
ii Behind Mabbett Seat: cleared by ‘Pay-back-team’
iii Dring: cleared by ‘Pay-back-team’
iv AX29/12: request clearance by ‘Pay-back-team’ PC/GL
v Shipham Lane hedge SB to ask land owner to improve plantings within the hedge SB
vi Lane alongside Fire station and accessing Community Centre Green
cleared by ‘Pay-back-team’
vii AX29/34 request clearance by ‘Pay-back-team’ and at the same time clear AX29/34A
PC/GL
viii AX29/71 to be cleared by ‘The Ramblers Volunteer Group’ 6/7/10
letter of thanks to be sent from the office.
b. Those noted at this meeting:
i AX29/15 Repairs are needed to the kissing gate, on the Winscombe side, in the field in front of Mooseheart. NSC to be contacted. PC
ii Overgrowing footway Station Road, Sandford – resident has been asked to cut this back.
iii Rear of Bramley Close backing onto Station Road – letter to be sent to residents of 2,3 4, and
5 regarding trees overgrowing footway. PC/GL
iv Hedge at PO Sorting Office, Sandford Road – SB has had a word with the land owner to be followed up with a letter from the Parish Office. SB/PO
v Hedge on Sandford Road, just past the fire station is overhanging onto the main road – GL to investigate
9. General Environment:
a. Recycling centre behind Woodborough Inn. The general upkeep of the site has much improved, however, the promised additional recycling bins have not yet been received. Minute 7a of Agenda Item 5 refers.
b. Positioning of additional grit bins – still awaiting bins, nothing further to report
c. Request for Notice Board near entrance to St Monica-Care Home – refer ‘Public Participation’ and Agenda Item 7 – 9c
d. Possible donation towards purchase of strimmer for ‘Pay-back-team’ – Request made that
the four committees who use the ‘Pay-back-team’ to contribute towards the purchase of a
strimmer for their use.
It was UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED that this committee contribute one quarter of the net amount towards the purchase of a strimmer for the ‘Pay-back-team’.
e. Geophysical survey carried out on (remnant) of Woodborough Green
The geophysical survey was carried out at the request of North Somerset Council. The results suggest the hole in question is probably the result of a tree bole, the wood from which has completely disappeared and not a mineshaft as originally thought.
10. a Report on repair of parish seats
GL reported that the village orderly was doing an excellent job with repairing/treating the seats in the
Parish
b Possible donation towards replacement of seat at Triangle, Church Road
Following enquiries from the Parish Office, North Somerset Council advise us there are no more
seafront benches available. It has been agreed that the seat at the triangle at the end of Church Road
be replaced using this Committee’s funds. However, a resident has expressed an interest in
contributing towards a seat at Triangle, Church Road, should it contain a memorial plaque, as seen
elsewhere in the Parish. The Committee was pleased to accept the suggestion. GL should liaise with
those on the matter and report back to all committee members.
11. Parish flowers, tubs, seats etc – nothing, other than what has been reported during the meeting.
12. Road Safety
a Recommended speed limit changes for A368, A371 & A38
NSC is currently reviewing Speed Limits on A368, A371 & A38 with any proposed changes being implemented by 2011. Speed Limit Orders will be issued shortly with formal consultations taking place giving residents and councils the opportunity to comment prior to any changes in the speed limit being implemented.
b Brown’s Corner improvements
Little progress.
c Consideration of time limit restrictions to village car parks
Concern was expressed from SB that the village car parks were not large enough to accommodate both workers and shoppers resulting in shops losing business. To alleviate the problem consideration was given to time limit restrictions being implemented.
The proposal put forward was for the Parish Council to contact North Somerset Council with a view to putting a time restriction on one of the North Somerset Council car parks. The proposal was not seconded and the motion failed.
13 Problem Lights – failures should be reported immediately, with lamp number, directly to Parish Clerk
Information – either points of information or subjects for discussion at next meeting.
14. Date of next meeting: 31st August 2010
Meeting Closed: 9.30 p.m.
Minutes: NF Checked: GL
Signed……………………………(Environment Committee Chairman) Date……………………