Minutes of a virtual (Zoom) meeting of the Parish Council held on
Tuesday 10th November 2020 commencing at 7.00 pm.
Present: Cllr J Ligo (Chair), Cllr T Goode, Cllr F Forsyth, Cllr S Ridley, Cllr T Sims, Cllr P Whitaker and Cllr N Morris.
In attendance: Nicola Duke (Parish Clerk), Wiltshire Councillor Suzanne Wickham, Mr M Manson (Chair, Bratton Recreation Ground Committee), Mr K Davis (Chair, Jubilee Hall Management Committee) and 2 members of the public.
Open Forum
Mr Peter Sharland – spoke to members in respect of agenda item 2020/30 and the grant application from the Church Institute.
Village updates:
• Police report – PCSO Luke George had left the force and a replacement had been appointed. The Parish Clerk would make contact with the new PCSO.
• Wiltshire Council and Westbury Area Board – Cllr Suzanne Wickham reported the following:
o A Local Recovery Plan had been established across the Area Boards, which would look at the impacts of the pandemic. An email providing additional information was due to be sent out.
o The Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub remained open, which was a good resource for local residents who might need support for wellbeing issues.
o There had been an apparent violation of a planning permission in Reeves Piece and a retrospective application would be submitted by the homeowner. Cllr Wickham reported that she would call this application in for consideration at the Planning Committee, if the officers were minded to approve it.
AGENDA ITEM
2020/24 Apologies for Absence and to consider the reasons given
Cllr Bolt due to work commitments – accepted.
2020/25 Declarations of Interest and Dispensations to Participate
None.
2020/26 Minutes of Council Meetings
a) The minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on 8th September 2020 were approved for accuracy and adopted (proposed Cllr Ridley, seconded Cllr Morris).
b) The minutes of a meeting of the Bratton Recreation Ground Committee held on 3rd August 2020 were adopted, having been approved for accuracy at the October meeting of the BRGC (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Whittaker).
2020/27 Committee, Clerks and Council representative reports
a) Members received a report from the Chair of the Bratton Recreation Ground Committee, which is appended to the minutes and had been circulated with the agenda papers. The Chair congratulated the Chair of the Committee on obtaining the recent £10,000 Covid-19 support grant from Wiltshire Council. Mr Manson requested that his report be displayed on the noticeboard alongside the PC minutes and this was agreed.
b) Members received a report from the Chair of the Jubilee Hall Management Committee and noted the following:
• The Hall was closed again and would remain closed until the 2nd December due to the second lockdown.
• There had been limited re-bookings for the hall since the first lockdown and fundraising opportunities had been greatly reduced due to the situation with the pandemic.
• The Hall had received a Covid-19 support grant from Wiltshire Council but in view of financial uncertainties the Committee had decided to defer any non-urgent spending items for the foreseeable future.
c) Clerk’s updates – the Clerk reported that the new bench had been installed at the bus shelter opposite the Jubilee Hall.
2020/28 Planning applications and consultations
20/08808/FUL – Oxford House, 12 The Butts, Bratton, BA13 4SW – Erection of office in rear garden – No objection (proposed Cllr Ridley, seconded Cllr Ligo).
20/09301/TCA – 26 Westbury Road, Bratton, BA13 4TD – T1 Apple tree reduce crown by 1.5 metres all round and thin by 15% T2 Beech tree nearest to House Reduce height and spread by up to 3 metres. T3 Yew Reduce tree by up to 1.5 metres in height and spread – Leave to Tree Officer.
20/09651/TCA – Millstones, Millditch, Bratton, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 4SX – T1 & 2 – Birch – reduce height by 1/3 – 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.
2020/29 Financial Reports
Members received, noted and adopted the below listed reports, which had been previously circulated:
a) Schedule of payments and receipts September and October 2020
b) Bank reconciliation as at 31st October 2020
c) Budget report as at 31st October 2020
d) Financial Position Statement as at 31st October 2020
Members then discussed the first draft of the budget for 2021/22 which had been circulated to members, noting the information on the Council Tax Base for 2021/22 which had also been circulated to members.
The draft budget requirement had been set at £42,558 and the funding requirement after the deduction of income stood at £40,828. It was confirmed that the setting of the precept would take place in January 2021 however, a general in principle discussion was held. The Clerk had informed members that there had been a very slight reduction in the council tax base for 2021/22 and the Chair spoke to the various funding options.
Following debate, it was agreed that the draft overall budget of £42,558 be adopted with a funding requirement of £40,828. This would be formalised at the January meeting at which point the amount of budget to be met by the precept demand would be resolved (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Sims). The Clerk would provide a paper outlining the precept options for the January meeting.
2020/30 Grant Applications
Members received and considered the below listed grant applications:
a) Bratton Church Institute had submitted a grant application in the amount of £5,000 for general support. It was resolved to award a grant of £5,000 (proposed Cllr Goode, seconded Cllr Ligo) (Statutory authority – LGA 1972 s 133) Cllr Whittaker undertook to liaise with Mr Sharland to ascertain any long term capital/repair works required and identify the likely costs.
b) Bratton Pre-School had submitted a grant application in the amount of £295.90 towards the cost of siting a telephone pole. It was resolved to award a grant of £295.90 (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Forsyth) (Statutory authority – LGA 1972 s 145).
c) Bratton Church Bell Ringers had submitted a grant application in the amount of £1,000 repair and refurbish the Bell Tower and bells. It was resolved to award a grant of £1,000 (proposed Cllr Goode, seconded Cllr Forsyth) (Statutory authority – LGA 1972 s137).
Note – grant applications to be paid from unallocated funds held in the Council’s general reserve.
2020/31 Christmas Lights Switch On 2020
Cllr Goode reported that there would be no official switch on due to the Coved pandemic however, he had tested the Christmas lights and these would be switched on towards the end of November. The Council had considered obtaining and siting a Christmas tree at the Duke pub at the October meeting. Cllr Ridley would liaise with the pub to agree the details and the Clerk would then obtain the tree.
2020/32 Bratton Pre-School and Pavilion
Members received and considered a proposal that an office unit be added to the Pavilion building (information previously circulated) and permission was granted for the work (proposed Cllr Goode, seconded Cllr Forsyth).
2020/33 Play Area, Village Green
The Clerk reported that the annual ROSPA inspection had been carried out and there were no issues of note with the play area and its equipment. The Clerk would circulate a summary report.
2020/34 Remembrance Sunday
The Chair had circulated the final version of the plans for the Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day events, which were noted. Members noted that a great deal of effort had gone into organising these events with regard to frequently changing advice and information.
2020/35 Councillor reports
Cllr Forsyth – reported that the SID had not been moved due to logistical problems and this had now been postponed due to the lockdown. Downloads had been received from the unit and it was evident that people tended to ignore the sign after the device had been in situ for a period of time. An approach to the police would be made for enforcement support when more data was available. Cllr Ridley clarified that the SID unit would provide data on times and dates of speeding, which could be used to arrange appropriate enforcement visits with the police. The 20 mph speed assessment had been approved and would be carried out when the pandemic situation permitted.
Cllr Whittaker – reported on a recent incident of dangerous driving in Stradbrook, which had caused damage to bins and a gas main.
Cllr Ridley – asked for an update on the request from younger residents to install a skate ramp in the parish. The Clerk reported that she was in the process of obtaining quotations for the PC to consider.
Cllr Goode – reported he had been approached by residents regarding leaf clearance, especially Emms Lane. The Clerk would chase Idverde as they had been asked to attend the previous week.
2020/36 Date of next meeting
Tuesday 12th January 2021 at 7.00 pm. The main agenda item would be the setting of the precept for 2021/22. Arrangements for the meeting would be made nearer the time and would be dependent on the latest advice from central government in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020/37 Confidential Information
In view of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted at Agenda Item 2020/38 members resolved that the press and public be excluded from this part of the meeting (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Morris).
Such a resolution would be in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 Sec 1 (2), which states “A body may, by resolution, exclude the public from a meeting (whether during the whole or part of the proceedings) whenever publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons stated in the resolution and arising from the nature of that business or of the proceedings; and where such a resolution is passed, this Act shall not require the meeting to be open to the public during proceedings to which the resolution applies.’’
2020/38 Annual Pay Award
Members received and considered for approval the national pay award for 2020/21, receiving a report from Cllr Morris as Chair of the Staffing Committee.
Following debate, it was resolved that the national pay award for 2020/21 be adopted and the Clerk’s pay at SCP 20 be adjusted accordingly and backdated to April 2020 (proposed Cllr Morris, seconded Cllr Forsyth).
It was further resolved that the Clerk be awarded two spinal column point increase to SCP 22 with effect from 1st April 2020 (proposed Cllr Morris, seconded Cllr Goode).
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.20 pm.