BPC Minutes July 2025

Cllr Lloyd due to ill health, accepted.

None.

The minutes of the Annual Council Meeting held on 13^th May 2025 were approved for accuracy and adopted (proposed Cllr Elliott, seconded Cllr Cole).

The minutes of a Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group meeting held on 12^th June 2025 had not been circulated and the Chair of the SG would arrange for a copy to be sent out.

Members considered the co-option of parish councillors to fill the 3 vacancies following the Ordinary Election of May 2025 (copy of Co-option Procedure previously circulated) and considered the application from Mr David Waller (following an informal meeting with the candidate in May 2025). It was proposed by Cllr Rayward, seconded by Cllr Whittaker and resolved to co-opt Mr David Waller to the Parish Council.  The Parish Clerk would liaise with the new member to complete the necessary paperwork.

Members received reports on the following:

a)     Bratton Recreation Ground Committee – Mr Mike Manson – Draft minutes of meeting held on 23^rd June 2025 had been circulated to members together with a report from Mr Manson. Mr Manson spoke to his report, a copy of which is appended to the minutes. Members queried the assets held by the BRGC, which it was felt important to ask the Committee members to review given the high number of items of equipment held and insured at the Rec Ground. It was noted that other organisations in the village also owned equipment and some consolidation could therefore take place.  Members had regard to two recommendations from the Committee:

a.      That Mr Noel Kew be co-opted as a Committee meeting – Resolved (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Lewis-Jones).

b.     That the sum of up to £700 plus vat be allocated to enable necessary repairs to be carried out on the Bomag roller – This was agreed, subject to the costs being met from the BRGC reserves given the lack of budgetary provision for this work. The necessary authorisation for this expenditure had been included within the payments due list and would be authorised under agenda item 27 d).

b)     LHFIG and Highways matters – the Chair had provided a report and members had regard to two items:

a.      Relocation of Primary School direction sign on B3098 – it was noted that the necessary works had been booked in with WC contractor. It was not clear when the works would be carried out as a utility survey would be required in the first instance.

b.     Topographical and Video Survey of Court Lane/B3098 junction – the Tographical Survey work had been considered following complaints from residents about damage caused by lorries in the location.  The desirability for an additional video survey was discussed, and agreed that it would be worthwhile to create a record of the extent of the issue.  The Chair had circulated the 3 options and the associated process before the meeting and it was resolved to proceed with Option 2 for a 7-day 12 hour survey, with the PC contribution of 30% to be met from the EMR LHFIG and the balance by WC Highways (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Cole). It was noted that it would be important for the survey not to start until after the end of the school summer holidays. The Chair would liaise with LHFIG accordingly to take this forward.

c)      Website Working Group – The Chair reported that a meeting needed to be arranged as the group had not met for a long time.  He asked that the Clerk be present at the meeting, which would also review the website content post the NDP referendum.  The Clerk would arrange a meeting.

d)     Emergency Planning Working Group – The Chair reported that his focus had lain with the Neighbourhood Plan work however, he would look to progress this in time for a report to be presented to the next Council meeting in September 2025.

e)     Village Green Committee – Draft minutes of meeting held on 23^rd June 2025 had been circulated to members and members also considered establishing a Terms of Use and Contract for the formal hire of the Village Green. It was agreed to refer this to the VGC for finalising. The Committee would also progress the works required to the rota cone, which required a new bearing at a potential cost of £1,000 at its next meeting and it was noted that an allocation from the CIL fund may be required to enable this work to be carried out.  The youth shelter project was also progressing and Cllr Elliott had been successful in her grant application to  the Area Board; the PC would now be asked to authorise the necessary draw down of s106 funds to allow for the installation of the base (agenda item 27g).

f)      Tidy Bratton Group – The Chair reported that the group had carried out a tremendous amount of work, for which volunteers were thanked.  The working group was next due to meet on Saturday 12^th July however, the Chair advised caution given the extreme temperatures forecast for the weekend. It was reported that the shelving and hangers in the Tidy Bratton containers had now been installed.

g)     Bratton VJ day representation – The Chair reported that a PC representative was required for ceremonial purposes.  It was agreed to nominate Cllr Lloyd in the first instance, with Cllr Cole as stand in if required.

Members noted the previously circulated brought forward list and discussed the below listed project:

Christmas Lights Switch on Event – It was reported that Cllr Cole had checked the lights which had been previously erected around the village green and had managed to put them in a usable condition.  Nw bulbs were required – all the originals being missing, at an anticipated cost of up to £450. Poles and rigging would be required for proper installation.  Altogether, an expenditure of £2,000 was anticipated.  Following debate, it was agreed that this would be prudent use of CIL funds, and a budget to progress the works was therefore allocated from this reserve (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Lewis-Jones).

PL/2025/04902 – 5 Luccombe Terrace, Imber Road, Bratton, Westbury, BA13 4SJ – Construction of 2no. raised decks within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse (retrospective) – Support (proposed Cllr Elliott, seconded Cllr Cole).

PL/2025/04774 – Land North of Westbury Road, Bratton, Wiltshire – Erection of 6 No. dwellings and associated works – Support (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Cole).

PL/2025/04488 – Pickers Palmers Farm, Capps Lane, Heywood, BA13 4NE – Prior approval under Part 3 Class Q for the Conversion of barn to 1 dwelling – Amended Plans/Additional Information – Comment: That the Highways Department was asked to review the application to consider the impact of traffic generation from an increased number of properties at the site, given the nature and typography of Capps Lane (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Cole).

PL/2025/04813 – Land north of Westbury Road and West of Court Orchard, Bratton – Variation of conditions 4 (Approved Plans) , 7 (LEMP) and 8 (Ecological Parameters Plan) relating to application PL/2021/05259 – Support (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Lewis-Jones).

PL/2025/05475 – 5 Upper Garston Lane, Bratton, BA13 4SN – T1 – Section fell Beech tree – Leave to Tree Officer.

To receive and consider planning applications received after the issue of the agenda (where the response time falls outside of the meeting schedule and an extension cannot be obtained) – None.

Mr Drummond provided an oral report and members noted that the Neighbourhood Development Plan Referendum would take place on 17^th July 2025.  Mr Drummond also reported that the result would likely be known that evening and he hoped there would be a good turnout of voters.

Mr Drummond reported that the NPSG had last met on 5^th June 2025 and discussed what came next for the group.  It had been agreed to refresh the membership and advertise for new members.  The next step post referendum would be to begin planning for the review of the NDP, which would need to be undertaken within the next 2 to 3 years. Another element of the post referendum work required was to ensure that any actions encapsulated within the NPD for Parish Council attention were duly addressed.

It was noted that it had taken 8 years to complete the NDP and progress it to referendum stage and all those involved in the process were sincerely thanked for their efforts.

Members received, noted and adopted items a) to d) below (proposed Cllr Elliott, seconded Cllr Cole).

a)    Schedule of payments and receipts to 30^th June 2025.

b)    Bank reconciliation statements as at 30^th June 2025.

c)    Budget Report as at 30^th June 2025. The Clerk was asked to provide more detail regarding nominal codes 4120, 4130 and 4150 which were showing as overspent against budget.

d)    Council Reserves as at 30^th June 2025.

In considering the Budget Report under item c) above Members had regard to the BRGC element of the budget and its expenditure to date.  It was agreed that the Clerk and Chair would liaise with the Chair of the Committee to discuss methods of providing a higher level of budgetary control. The discussion would also cover how best to authorise expenditure, given that the budget was already expected to be in a deficit over and above the allocated contribution from the PC.

e)    Payments due for June to be paid in July were approved – 23 payments at a total of £5,201.19 (proposed Cllr Lewis-Jones, seconded Cllr Whittaker).  The funds to carry out the necessary repair to the Bomag roller as approved under agenda item 23a) were included in the list.

f)     Members considered a request to draw down the annual grant budgeted for the Jubilee Hall Management Committee in the amount of £3,250 (Members noted that the insurance costs included in the annual budget have been paid direct by the JHMC for 2025/26).  The request was approved and the Clerk would arrange for the necessary transfer of funds (proposed Cllr Lewis-Jones, seconded Cllr Cole).

g)    Members considered the process for the allocation of CIL monies and approved the draw down of s106 funds in support of the purchase and installation of the youth shelter (proposed Cllr Rayward, seconded Cllr Lewis-Jones). The Clerk would submit the necessary request to Wiltshire Council.

Members considered the report regarding schemes of allowances and agreed that it was not appropriate for members of Bratton Parish Council to be paid an allowance. The Clerk would reply to Wiltshire Council accordingly.

Members received a report from the Chair following correspondence relating to the Picnic in the Park event (6^th July 2025) and considered the BPC relationship with the Bratton Bands going forward (previously circulated). The Chair reported that there had been a significant change of personnel and a shift towards a more national focus.  This had resulted in the BCCB sending a proposal to the Parish Council to regulate the relationship between the two organisations. Members acknowledged the special relationship the BCCB had with the village and the cultural service it provided and agreed that recompense would be appropriate.  Having discussed the matter, members agreed it would be best to proceed with the current status quo namely that:

·       BPC would support events put on by the BCBB for the benefit of the Parish (viz the Picnic on the Green concert);

·       BPC would consider favourably requests from the BCBB for grants from the BPC (the last being toward the instrument storage in the Church Institute),

·       BPC would apply for musical support to Parish events on an individual basis (note – the Remembrance tide commemorations will continue to be funded by the Bratton Branch of the Royal British Legion).

The Chair would reply to the BCCB accordingly.

Local resident re: bike tracks in MOD woods. Members noted the content of the report from the resident and it was agreed that the Chair would prepare a response to the correspondence.

Members agreed the below listed items for inclusion in the next edition of the BPN:

·   Planning information

·   Information from Cllr Mike Philips re: dog and cat microchipping and fly tipping

·   Air Quality box hosts

·   Update on LHFIG and highway matters

·   Co-option of new parish councillor and vacancies remaining

The calendar of parish council meetings and events had been circulated to members and was noted.

Tuesday 9^th September 2025 – Jubilee Hall.