Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 8th September 2020 at 7.15 pm in the Jubilee Hall.
Present: Cllr J Ligo (Chair), Cllr T Goode, Cllr F Forsyth, Cllr S Ridley, Cllr M Bolt, Cllr P Whitaker and Cllr N Morris.
In attendance: Nicola Duke (Parish Clerk), Mr K Davis (Chair, Jubilee Hall Management Committee), Mr Keith Rayward (Deputy Chairman, The Four Villages Link) and 7 members of the public.
PLEASE NOTE THAT IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH COVID REQUIREMENTS, FACE COVERINGS WERE WORN BY ALL PERSONS ATTENDING THE MEETING. The Chair thanked Mr and Mrs Davis for their assistance in preparing the Jubilee Hall for the meeting and outlined the arrangements for the meeting and the facilities available. He reminded members of the public to sign the attendance sheet for the purposes of Track and Trace.
Open Forum
Mr Nick Jones – spoke to the Council in relation to agenda item 2020/16 (footpath diversion), re-iterating the views he had expressed in previously circulated correspondence.
Village updates:
• Police report – PCSO Luke George had been invited to the meeting but was not able to attend. There was no police report.
• Wiltshire Council and Westbury Area Board – Cllr Suzanne Wickham had provided report, which was read out by the Chair and is appended to the minutes.
Council Presentations:
Members received a presentation from Mr Keith Rayward (Deputy Chairman, The Four Villages Link). A copy of the presentation was tabled, is on file and copies are available from the Parish Clerk on request.
AGENDA ITEM
2020/12 Apologies for Absence and to consider the reasons given
Cllr Sims – presented apologies for absence due to a planned major heart operation as a result of which he was prevented from leaving home for 12 weeks. Cllr Sims asked members to be made aware that this was a planned operation as opposed to an emergency. The apologies were accepted.
2020/13 Declarations of Interest and Dispensations to Participate
Cllr Goode declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 2020/16 (proposed diversion of footpath 42) as a contractor for the landowner.
2020/14 Minutes of Council Meetings
The minutes of a virtual meeting of the Parish Council held on 14th July 2020 were approved for accuracy, adopted and duly signed (proposed Cllr Morris, seconded Cllr Ridley).
2020/15 Committee, Clerks and Council representative reports
a) A report from the Chair of the Bratton Recreation Ground Committee had been circulated to members and is appended to the minutes. Mr Manson had sent apologies for absence due to another commitment. The report was noted and there were no questions raised.
b) The Chair of the Jubilee Hall Management Committee, Mr Ken Davis, provided a report:
a. During the COVID closure the floor had been replaced, the stage repainted and general touching up had been carried out.
b. The closure had had an impact on the finances of the hall, which had been closely monitored.
c. ACRE had supported the hall with the provision of pilot documents and advice for re-opening measures.
d. The hall had re-opened on the weekend of 20th July 2020 with small groups attending and timed breakfasts had been offered throughout August, which had been successful. This would be extended to take place on the first Sunday of each month to the end of the year.
e. Larger groups were now re-booking and were following the necessary health and safety measures.
f. Mr Davis thanked the Committee and the volunteers for their support through this period. He also thanked Wiltshire Council for the £10,000 grant and the PC for its support.
g. The Chair thanked Mr and Mrs Davis for their efforts.
c) Updates from the Clerk:
a. The new bench for the shelter opposite the Jubilee Hall had been ordered and would be installed before the end of the month.
b. The annual review of the grit bins had been carried out and 2 bins required filling, with one requiring some maintenance work. This information would be reported to Wiltshire Council for action.
c. The new noticeboard for outside the Jubilee Hall was now ready for re-delivery and would be delivered on Friday 11th September.
2020/15 Planning applications and consultations
20/06157/FUL – 5 Southay, Bratton, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 4RT – Erection of porch – No objection.
20/06775/WCM – Northacre Energy from Waste Facility, Stephenson Road, Northacre Trading Estate, Westbury, BA13 4WD – Amended energy from waste facility to that consented under Planning Permission 18/09473/WCM.
The Clerk reported that Wiltshire Councillor Suzanne Wickham was arranging a zoom meeting with the local MP and other neighbouring parishes to discuss this application and members of the PC were invited to attend. The meeting had been scheduled for Thursday 10th September at 11.00 am. Cllrs Ligo, Morris and Ridley would endeavour to attend. The Clerk would send the meeting link.
The Chair reported that he had referred to the objection the PC made to the original application in 2018; which he read out. The PC had objected on grounds of highway safety, traffic generation and public health issues relating to air quality and emissions. Members discussed current planning policy in relation to the new planning application and noted the size of the building in relation to the site and its location. They also discussed the effectiveness of waste incineration and its impact on and relation to the sustainability agenda; noting the change from gasification to incineration.
Following debate, it was agreed to object to the application on the aforementioned grounds; with the preparation of the necessary objection being drafted by the Chair and Clerk for circulation to members for approval prior to submission to the LPA.
To receive and consider planning applications received after the issue of the agenda (where the response time fell outside of the meeting schedule and an extension could not be obtained) – None.
Planning for the Future (Government White Paper) – members considered the Council’s response to the consultation (information previously circulated). The documents were noted and it was agreed to defer a response until consultation had taken place with the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. It was noted that some of the proposed changes had the potential to impact the development of the Neighbourhood Plan and this would also be considered by the NPSG. The item would be reconsidered at the November PC meeting.
2020/16 Highways Act 1980 – Section 119 The Proposed Diversion of Footpath Bratton no.42 (part)
At this point Cllr Goode retired to the public gallery having declared a pecuniary interest
Members considered the Council’s response to the proposed footpath diversion (with reference to the report circulated by the Chair and the public representations received and circulated). Following debate, it was resolved that the PC had no objection to the proposed diversion (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Bolt).
At this point Cllr Goode re-joined the table.
2020/17 Christmas Lights
The arrangements for the 2020 Christmas Lights Switch On Event were discussed. Cllr Goode spoke to the agenda item, reporting that the organisation of the event was now in the hands of Friends of Bratton School. Given the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic it was unlikely that a large event would be possible and Cllr Goode offered to arrange for the erection of the Christmas lights. He reported that the previous location for the Christmas tree was now unavailable as the Pavilion building was leased to the pre-school and it was agreed to find an alternative home for the tree, perhaps at The Duke pub. Cllr Ligo would discuss this with the manager of the pub.
2020/18 British Telecom Proposed Payphones Removal Consultation 2020
Members considered a report from the Chair on the proposals relating to the Melbourne Street payphone (previously circulated). The Chair reported that he had received two expressions of interest from residents to look after the kiosk as a community asset; one of which would involve the kiosk being relocated. It was confirmed that the kiosk would need to be transferred to PC ownership (at the cost of £1) and that any refurbishment would need to be undertaken at its expense. Cllr Ligo suggested that this project be added as a budget item for 2021/2022 and that further discussion is held with the interested residents.
It was proposed by Cllr Ligo, seconded by Cllr Ridley and resolved to request that the telephone kiosk at Melbourne Street be transferred to the Parish Council as a community asset.
2020/19 Highway issues in the village
Cllr Forsyth reported the following:
• A virtual CATG meeting had taken place.
• The 20 mph speed assessment application submitted by the PC had been approved and £1,000 would be provided by CATG towards the costs, which would need to be matched by the PC. It was noted that this had previously been agreed.
• The change of speed limit between the parish and Edington to 30 mph had been considered and would be potentially reduced to 40 mph by Wiltshire Council. The traffic engineer would undertake preparatory work to take this forward.
• The 30 mph start point at the Westbury end of the village may be moved further outside of the village if the potential building works are carried out. This was noted to be costly. Estimates for this work would be sought and fed into the obligations placed on any developer.
• The Speed Indicator Device (SID) had been situated at Trowbridge Road and been very successful. It was now at the western edge of the village. A spigot for the SID was to be provided at the Trowbridge Road location. Originally the SID had been attached to a lamp post at this location but the provision of the spigot would make it easier to re-locate the SID.
• The Community Speed Watch had reported a noticeable reduction in the speeds of traffic following the erection of the SID.
• There were no funds available at the current time for the reinstatement of the crossing outside the Jubilee Hall. Wiltshire Council had recommended that this work could be tied in with another project in the future.
• A further application to Wiltshire Council was required for the reinstatement of the roundel in the village centre on the B3098.
2020/20 Bratton Recreation Ground
Members considered a report from the Chair and Vice-Chair concerning the availability of the Recreation Ground for informal use (previously circulated) and Cllr Ligo spoke to the agenda item and introduced his recommendation, which was resolved (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Morris).
Resolved: That the report be adopted and:
– That the Chair of the Recreation Ground Committee (RGC) confirms with the Transferor that she is comfortable with the informal use proposed in this report.
– That the RGC consider how the access arrangements can be changed to ensure that disable people can access the Recreation Ground in wheelchairs.
2020/21 Parish Council Accounts
The below listed reports had been circulated to members, were noted and adopted (proposed Cllr Ligo, seconded Cllr Forsyth):
a) Schedule of payments and receipts April – August 2020
b) Bank reconciliation as at 31st August 2020
c) Budget report as at 31st August 2020
d) List of payments scheduled for September 2020
It was noted that Cllr Bolt was now an authorised signatory.
2020/22 Councillor reports
Cllr Whitaker – reported that he had noted a leak underneath the Pavilion building, which he would raise with the tenant.
Cllr Goode – reported that there were two trees with low hanging branches on Melbourne Street opposite the village green which needed attention. The Clerk would pass this to Wiltshire Council.
Cllr Ligo – thanked Mr Cole for repairing the sign at the top of Court Lane.
2020/23 Date of next meeting
Tuesday 10th November 2020 at 7.15 pm at the Jubilee Hall (current COVID-19 advice and regulations permitting).
There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.35 pm.