A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
was held Thursday 17th November 2005
Winscombe Community Centre at 7.30 p.m.
Present: Mrs. M Ballard, Mrs. A Brading, Mr. S Bridges, Mrs. P Cram (vice-chair), Mr. A Forbes,
Mr. G Lloyd, Mr. G Luckett, Miss B Roper, Mr. C Sampson (chairman), Mr. K Symons,
Mr. J Westlake, Mrs. P Witter.
Members of the public: six
District Councillors: Mrs. A Harley
Parish Liaison Officer: Mr. J Foster
Guest Speakers: Ms H MacBean & Mr. J Carson, NS Council Streets and Open Spaces
Mr. J Rivers & Mr. P Keenan, joint Chairmen Winscombe Football Club
Press Representatives: Mr. G Jones – Freelance Reporter
Mr. P Burton – Weston & Somerset Mercury
Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton.
Finance Assistant: Mrs. N Flint
Apologies for absence: PC Church, Ms. D Powell (vice-chair), Miss S Tucker, Mrs. K Wynne
.
The Parish Council asked that their best wishes be sent to Councillor Denise Powell following her recent stroke. Denise is recuperating in Weston General Hospital.
113. CHAPLAIN – Mrs. A Brading
(Agenda item 1)
114. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
(Agenda item 3)
The Chairman advised that the Clerk and Finance Assistant had a personal interest in Agenda item 10. Winscombe Football Club as their husbands are both members of the Football Club Committee. It was requested by the Council that the Clerk and Finance Assistant remain within the room whilst this item was considered to minute the discussion only and would not be asked to participate in any debate.
115 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD 20TH OCTOBER 2005.
(Agenda item 4)
The minutes of the meeting were approved as a correct record.
Proposed: Mr. A Forbes Seconded: Miss B Roper
All in favour
It was noted that there had been a postal delay in Agenda papers reaching recipients. Additional Agenda sets had been issued from the Parish Office along with all information available electronically being sent during this week.
116. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES & CLERKS REPORT– Annex 1
(Agenda item 5)
Min 101 – Remembrance Day Services - It was much appreciated that Beat Manager PC Church had organised crossing cover for the Armistice Day Church Service in Sandford. All Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts attending services at both Winscombe and Sandford were very well behaved and a considered a credit to their leaders.
117. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
(Agenda item 6)
A New Village Hall & Community Survey – Mrs. M Forbes
An article has been published in the November copy of the Winscombe Parish Magazine concerning the ‘new village hall’ entered under the name of the Parish Council although none of the individuals named in this article are in fact Parish Councillors. Mrs. Forbes was advised by Mr. Griffis that this had in fact occurred in error, source unknown, as the article was submitted by Mr. D Griffis as Chairman of the Winscombe Community Association to the editors under his name, but on receipt, the Parish Council name had appeared at the foot. Mr. Griffis apologised for this error.
A copy of Mrs. Forbes response to the Community Survey forthcoming public meeting had been circulated to all Parish Councillors prior to this meeting. Many of the items mentioned on this circular delivered to all households within Winscombe have already been addressed, or are currently being addressed by the Parish Council. It was thought that as information was displayed on centrally placed Parish notice boards in Winscombe & Sandford and further information is available from the Parish Office, it was surprising that the circular states that “concern was expressed about difficulties in finding out about local organisations, services and activities”.
Parish and District Councillors have been elected by the people of Winscombe & Sandford to represent the Parish and why should an un-elected, un-named committee discuss issues already being dealt with in the proper manner and through the correct channels, by the Parish Council?
Community Survey – Mr. D Griffis
The group responsible for the issue of the survey was initiated by the ‘Life Together’ event held in Winscombe earlier this year and were of the opinion that a community survey was long overdue. The public meeting scheduled for 24th November 2005 was considered the final stage of the consultation process and all households within Winscombe, along with local organisations had been invited to comment and participate in this. The points outlined on this leaflet/invitation were raised by members of the public and had surprised the organising group as much as the Parish Council. Four of the seven group members have experience in running and analysing surveys and it was not considered to be their role to validate or question public opinion. The Community survey will not be complete until later this year and results will not be available until Jan/Feb 2006.
As this survey had been run independently by volunteers, it was not thought correct to consult the Parish Council or debate the findings before the results were finalised. 200 individual responses had been received and 30+ organizations – this was considered by the group to be the expected response rate.
118. CRIME REPORT 15th September – 14TH OCTOBER 2005– Mr. S Bridges Annex 2
PC Church voicemail no. 07709618869
(Agenda item 7)
Crime figures for the month were read to the Council. Since Beat Manager PC Church had arrived, reported crimes had reduced considerably from around 30 crimes reported monthly to a fairly consistent figure of 8-10. PC Church should be commended for this improvement.
119. TO AUTHORISE BILLS FOR PAYMENT – The Clerk Annex 3
(Agenda item 8)
Cheques 101653 – 101684 bus a/c & cheque 100204-101207 & DD WMRG a/c were authorised for payment
Proposed: Mrs. P Cram Seconded: Mr. G Lloyd
All in favour.
120. NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL STREETS & OPEN SPACES SERVICE STANDARD
Ms H MacBean, North Somerset Council Area Officer & Mr. J Carson, Senior Area Officer
(Agenda item 9)
A newly formed group has been launched at North Somerset Council that incorporates waste, Highways, Environment, Fleet and Transport Management under one roof with an initial single point of contact through our Area Officer Helen MacBean. Our Area Officer currently looks after 8 parishes and all items such as pot holes, mobility crossings, disabled parking bays, street cleansing, recycling, parks etc.. can be reported directly to her. Helen is happy to meet and discuss issues of concern and direct telephone contact numbers are supplied in the service standard for all officers.
Streets & Open Spaces deal directly with existing works, whilst new works are dealt with by Planning, Policy & Transport within North Somerset although the Area Officer should be informed of new works as this may impinge on current issues.
Councillors questioned Ms MacBean on matters including the instigation of a new survey for a crossing close to Dunster Court and closed Church Yards
121. WINSCOMBE FOOTBALL CLUB PROPOSED SCREENING OF FOOTBALL PITCH Annex 4
Mr. J Rivers & Mr. P Keenan, Joint Chairmen Winscombe AFC
(Agenda item 10)
A written request had been made by Councillors Bridges, Ballard & Witter in accordance with Parish Council Standing Order 21 that this item be re-visited for further discussion. A request was made that the proposal submitted as annex 4 should be put to the football club for consideration.
The Chairman of the Parish Council Play Area Committee had issued guidance from the North Somerset Replacement Local Plan, second deposit draft, March 2004 regarding ‘equipped play areas’ with the Agenda to the meeting, this she read to the Council
‘Areas should be suitably landscaped and not hidden away as this may attract anti-social behaviour and does not allow the play space to become an integral part of the housing development. Dog-proof fencing will be required.’
ROSPA Guidance in the form of information sheet No. 22 issued to Councillors at the meeting advised that the site of a play area should be easily visible to ensure children’s social safety and reduce vandalism. Councillors were reminded of the WMRG Constitution and extracts from this regarding ‘free and unhindered access to all, except to pitches whilst matches were in progress’ were read to the Council. A new infant play area currently being planned would encourage children from the age of 9 years old to visit this area without parental supervision. Mothers consulted on this issue were totally against the sight of the play areas being screened from the car park.
By installing a new play area, we will be encouraging children to this area and they must be protected.
It was suggested that as a new area was being considered, this could be moved away to an alternative site at the WMRG.
Mr. Bridges agreed with the view of the Play Area Committee Chairman, that safety of the children is paramount. Mothers of infants using the infant play area would supervise their children on site rather than from the small section of the car park that the play area was visible from. Children of the age range that generally frequented the skate park would not be accompanied by parents and these children had learnt to ‘police’ their own area. As most incidents of vandalism take place after dark, the football club offer an added degree of security as training of teams takes place on the ground adjacent to the play areas most nights of the week under flood light. PC Church had been asked for advice on this matter and confirmed that the ‘line of sight’ security afforded from the car park to the skate park must be balanced with the ‘line of sight risk’. At present, anyone visiting the car park can see children playing, unfortunately ‘anyone’ could include persons that we would not choose to see the children. There is no history of any such problem in this area. Screening of the pitch will affect the ‘security’ but also the ‘risk’. PC Church does not consider the proposed change to be detrimental.
The Football Club Chairmen explained that initially, some sort of screening was suggested to stop balls hitting cars parked in the car park behind the goal area & also to stop balls from traveling onto the training area at the other end of the pitch delaying the progress of matches. Since the initial suggestion, the First Team has gained promotion to a higher league and now another promotion to the Tool Station League is a serious possibility bringing with it a list of requirements that must be complied with. At the request of Councillors, Mr. Rivers outlined the possible requirements of the FA that included the provision of a 50 seater stand, separate showers for the ‘Away’ Team, urinal and wash basin along with the enclosure of the pitch and a charge being made for entry to the game that is set by the FA. It was advised that the Football Association rules are liable to change and that these are current requirements.
The Football Club had made a request to the War Memorial Recreation Ground Committee that a natural screen in the form of some sort of hedge be planted and maintained by the football club on the perimeter behind each goal mouth that would allow for two 2 metre gaps at each end and would only be closed by gate whilst a match was in progress. At all other times the gates would be padlocked open which would then afford visibility of the Play Areas. Any planting would be mindful of the drainage system installed over recent years. Other local teams in the Tool Station League are Nailsea and Portishead who have enclosed their pitches by two different types of fencing. Nailsea has installed a wooden 2 metre high Larchwood fence and Portishead, a green wire fence that is transparent but more costly. Mr. Rivers passed photos of both these enclosed pitches to the Council.
Councillors considered that the Football Club had done very well to attain this standard of play and that the Parish Council wished to be supportive of the Club if at all possible.
An amendment should be made to Mr. Bridges proposal that a working party of the Parish Council be established to include representatives from the Football Club, the WMRG Committee and Parish Councillors to investigate all aspects of promotion into the Tool Station League and possible solutions to these. Findings would be reported back to the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr. A Forbes Seconded: Miss B Roper
9 in favour, 2 abstentions
A working party of the Parish Council should be established to include representatives from the Football Club, the WMRG Committee and Parish Councillors to investigate all aspects of promotion into the Tool Station League and possible solutions to these. Findings would be reported back to the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mr. A Forbes Seconded: Miss B Roper
10 in favour, 1 abstention
Mr. Forbes, Mr. Symons, Mr. Bridges & Mrs. Brading agreed to be part of this working party on behalf of the Parish Council, any other Councillor wishing to be part of this group should advise the Clerk. The Football Club and WMRG Committee should be asked to confirm their representatives.
122. DIYSO/HOMEBUY SCHEME
(Agenda item 11)
No further information has been received from North Somerset Council or Knightstone regarding the schemes outlined at the October meeting of the Parish Council.
The following information has been obtained from Property & Asset Management at North Somerset Council, extracted from the two recent ‘106 agreements’ for Observatory Field & Knapps Drive.
Knapps Drive - a provision of £30,000 was made for off-site affordable housing, not ring-fenced for this Parish. If monies are not requested before 14.01.2009, these will be returned to the developer named within the agreement – Bryant Homes.
Observatory Field – a provision for off-site affordable housing was allocated @ £30,000 x no. of houses built x 13.8%. Monies must be requested before 14.09.2006 or they will be refunded to the school trustees. Again monies were not ring-fenced for use within this Parish.
Mr. R Dowling, NS Monitoring Officer for ‘106 agreements’ has confirmed the current values to these investments as £32,896 & £133,162. Both funds are still currently held by North Somerset Council, although it could not be confirmed that a ‘promise to use these monies elsewhere’ had not already been made. The NS Council Enabling Officer, Louise Davidson would be able to provide this information.
Councillors considered that as ‘106 agreements’ for this parish had not ring-fenced affordable housing monies, maybe additional funding would be available from other parishes that could be added to a new scheme to be implemented within this Parish. Both the Clerk and Parish Liaison Officer would contact Ms Davidson to ensure that she was aware of the dates that our funds must be used by and to try to hasten the progression of possible affordable housing schemes.
123. WINSCOMBE COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL REPORT – Mrs. P Cram
(Agenda item 12)
A numeracy evening has been held to show parents how arithmetic is now taught. The recent bonfire night was a fabulous night out and exceptionally well attended.
124. SANDFORD COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL REPORT – Mrs. P Witter
(Agenda item 13)
A maths evening was tonight being held at the school and Governors had been briefed on this last week. Parents evenings have just been completed and Spanish Lessons were to be offered to both key stages from January 2006. Money has been raised for ‘Children in Need’ by children wearing home clothes, a cake sale and a staff v parents netball match.
125. PARISH COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS – Miss B Roper
(Agenda item 14)
The revised standing orders, financial regulations, parish policy, terms of reference and miscellanea were issued to all Councillors. It was advised that a contents and amendment sheet will be issued in due course. Miss Roper thanked the Committee Chairmen for their input into the re-write along with other working party members and office staff.
It was proposed that the revised standing orders, financial regulations, parish policy, terms of reference and miscellanea documents be approved and adopted by this Council with immediate effect.
Proposed: Miss B Roper Seconded: Mr. A Forbes
9 in favour, 2 abstained
That amendments approved by the full Parish Council be made to these documents on a continual basis.
Proposed: Miss B Roper Seconded: Mr. G Luckett
All in favour
126. BUDGET/ PRECEPT PREPERATION 2006/07 & FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
(Agenda item 15) Annex 5
Councillors were advised that the External auditor’s certificate and opinion had been received and displayed on Parish notice-boards in the required manner.
Questions were invited from Councillors – there were none.
The recommendations of the Finance Committee were ratified by the Parish Council.
Proposed: Mrs. A Brading Seconded: Mr. J Westlake
10 in favour, 1 abstained due to late arrival of the minutes.
127. CONSIDERATION OF MEETING SCHEDULE 2006 Annex 6
(Agenda item 16)
At the request of several Councillors, three different meeting schedules for 2006 had been compiled by the Clerk. These gave a variety of meeting combinations to try to stop meetings being arranged for all nights of the week and multiple meetings during a one week period.
These and other options were considered by the Council.
It was proposed that the annual Parish Council and Committee Calendar includes the War Memorial Recreation Ground Committee. Meetings should be held on Monday & Thursday evenings, with the Environment Committee being held on the first Tuesday of each month excepting January 2006. This policy should be trialed for a three month period commencing January 2006.
Proposed: Mr. S Bridges Seconded: Mr. K Symons
All in favour
128. WAR MEMORIAL RECREATION GROUND COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr. C Sampson
(Agenda item 17)
A new spur for the drainage scheme is to be installed across the centre of the second football pitch , works commencing first week in April 2006. Car park resurfacing works are now complete apart from new signage. District Cllr Harley offered to investigate byelaws concerning dogs.
129. PLAY AREAS COMMITTEE UPDATE – Mrs. A Brading Annex 7
(Agenda item 18)
GB Sport and Leisure are to carry out monthly inspections of the two parish play areas and the skate park. Mr. Sampson would continue to carry out a weekly report.
A set of two socketed goal posts is to be installed on the area adjacent to the first football pitch. Additional sockets would be installed so that the posts would in fact be moveable and nets would be purchased initially. Nets would not be replaced if stolen..
The safety surfacing under both swing sets at the Sandford Play Area should now be cleaned at a cost of £300.
As a new play area for the WMRG was now considered necessary, the committee requested permission to approach a number of companies for plans and an idea of likely costs. Under the circumstances it was not considered prudent to install new furniture at this site, it was requested that £9,000 be carried from the 2005/06 budget into the next financial year towards the purchase & installation of the new area.
Mr. Bridges is arranging a meeting of the Youth Council as further skate park equipment has been requested by users of the park.
Resolved: £9,000 should be carried forward from the current play area budget into the next financial year so that a fund may be built towards the purchase and installation of a new play area at the WMRG.
Proposed: Mr. A Forbes Seconded: Mr. K Symons
All in favour
The minutes of this Committee were accepted by the Council.
130. AWARD LAND CHAIRMAN’S REPORT – Mr. J Westlake Annex 8
(Agenda item 19)
Proposals to fully enclose the forge should be discussed by the committee. Mr. Westlake has 2 volunteers to walk the Award Land and inspect the marker posts. Mr. V Russet would be using a new device to measure and identify the exact boundary of the land for land registration purposes.
North Somerset Council are currently supporting Nature Reserve Applications.
131. ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr. G Lloyd Annex 9
(Agenda item 20)
No questions were received from the Council regarding the minutes of this committee.
10 copies of these minutes had been sent to Mildred Baxter as one of the organisers of the Winscombe Community Survey giving an example of the work being carried out by this Council. A general discussion took place concerning attendance at the planned Community Meeting on Thursday 24th November 2005. This meeting has been scheduled at short notice on the same evening as the Winscombe and Sandford Local History and Archaeology Society Annual Christmas Meeting to which most Councillors were already committed to attending and this commitment should be honoured. All Parish Councillors had received personal invitations to attend the Community meeting including those not resident in Winscombe and it was resolved that Councillors attending the Winscombe Community meeting would do so in a personal capacity. The Community Meeting represented the final consultation stage of the survey and no interim results were available for consideration by the Council. It was hoped that the results would be reported back to the Parish Council early 2006 as advised by Mr Griffis.
The minutes for this Committee were accepted by the Council.
132. ROAD SAFETY COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr. S Bridges Annex 9
(Agenda item 21)
PC Church had visited approved speed watch sites around the Parish this week along with members of the speed watch team.
Min 9e. – A proposal was made that double yellow lines be marked on Woodborough Drive from the junction with Sandford Road as far as the end of the Woodborough Inn to ease congestion. Some Councillors felt that this would move the congestion further up the road and that a survey undertaken a number of years ago indicated that residents were not in favour of this option.
A proposal was made that double yellow lines be marked on Woodborough Drive from the junction with Sandford Road as far as the end of the Woodborough Inn.
Proposed: Mr. S Bridges Seconded: Mr. K Symons
3 in favour, 7 against, 1 abstention.
Motion not carried
The minutes for this Committee were accepted by the Council.
Mrs. P Cram left the meeting
133. CEMETERY & ALLOTMENT COMMITTEE REPORT – Mr. C Sampson Annex 10
(Agenda item 22)
Mrs. A Brading declared a personal interest in this item as a member of the Railway Walk Society and took no part in the discussion or voting that related to the acquisition of land.
It was agreed that the planting of the hedge to enclose the new burial area should now be instructed.
Proposed: Mr. A Forbes Seconded: Mrs. A Brading
All in favour
Mr. Sampson outlined proposals from North Somerset Council Strawberry Line Heritage Trail contained within annex 10 and the reasons for the request to move the boundary hedging by 1m. Parish Council Solicitors have been consulted and considered that a 20 year lease charging an annual peppercorn rent would be the preferred option should the Parish Council be mindful to grant this request. The registration of land at Ilex Lane should be instigated prior to the lease agreement being drawn up.
It was proposed that a 1m strip of land be leased to North Somerset Council on a 20 year lease charging a peppercorn rent. NS Council should be responsible for any legal fees incurred by this Council. The land at Ilex Lane should be voluntarily registered with Land Registry.
Proposed: Mr. J Westlake Seconded: Mr. K Symons
9 in favour, 1 abstention.
Mrs. Ballard expressed concern that a fence would not be installed on the North Somerset Council side of the upgraded footpath despite a sharp drop onto the lower level of the walk. Mr. Mallender had previously explained to Mrs. Ballard that by installing a fence at the edge of the path, this would encourage users to gravitate closer to this drop rather than seeing this as a natural hazard and staying to the centre of the path.
A possibility was being considered by North Somerset Council to install a sign asking cyclists to dismount at this point.
The minutes for this Committee were accepted by the Council.
134. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
(Agenda item 23)
None
The meeting concluded at 10.15 pm
Signed................................................................... (Chairman)
Date.......................................................................
Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council acknowledges the general duty placed upon it by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The Council will continue within its functions and policies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and promote racial equality of different racial groups.