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Monkton Farleigh Parish Council > Documents > Minutes > Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 19th February 2025

Minutes of Parish Council Meeting 19th February 2025

Minutes Uploaded on February 28, 2025

Draft minutes, until agreed and signed at next meeting

MFPC Minutes 19th February 2025

 

Monkton Farleigh Parish Council

Minutes

Wednesday 19th February 2025

Those attending from Parish Council: Frances Longmore (Co-Chair), Suzanne Stansfield (Co-chair), Jane Ghali (Clerk), Pauline Adams, Elliot McBryde, Dan Sharp and Tom Firbank

Other attendees: Liz Watts and Nigel White (observing, as standing for election for the Winsley and Westwood Ward in May)

  1. Apologies for Absence – Andrew Tucker, Johnny Kidney, Zoe Tinkler. There were no Declarations of Interest.
  2. New parish councillor – It was agreed at the meeting 8th January 2025 that Liz Watts should be co-opted onto the Parish Council. Proposed by TF and seconded by PA. LW signed the Declaration for Parish Councillors and was welcomed.
  3. Items from the public – none
  4. Minutes of Meeting 8th January 2025 – agreed and signed
  5. Matters Arising
  • Guidelines for gov.uk website Action EM and JG
  • Break up of salt in all green grit bins Action AT
  • Unity bank charges – JG called Unity Bank, their charges are £6 per month, but no transaction fees. Lloyds will be charging £4.25 per month (from January), with some transaction fees. PC decided to stay with Lloyds for the time being as there are very few transactions. Lloyds costs will be monitored.
  • Emergency hub – JG contacted John Davies as advised by Rachael Macdonald to be another contact as key holder. TF volunteered to be a key holder and contact. Agreed Emergency Hub details to now go on website and MFPC WhatsApp.

The PC had previously completed a Community Emergency Plan (last updated in March 2020). Agreed that it would be a good idea to re-look at this. JG to check if document is saved on the Clerk’s computer, if not to contact Matt Midlane. Action JG

  • Suggestions for FR play area on FR WhatsApp – situation continues to be updated on the FR play area. Residents will be consulted before any new equipment goes in.
  • Policies and standing orders – agreed JG gave each member of the PC a policy to update. FL offered to deal with Financial Regulations. Intention is to try and update soon,

this may need to be agreed/adopted via email. Action All

  • Computer maintenance and changing Clerk’s email address (Chair now has a gov.uk email address – chair@monktonfarleigh-pc.gov.uk). JG to sort out one for Clerk asap and to ask Netwise how much it would be to have gov.uk addresses for other PC members. JG to contact Avon IT about computer speed, saving documents and possible moving to a new laptop. Action JG
  • Register of Interest – all PC members were reminded to complete this if they hadn’t already done so. Those that had completed previously were asked to check if details were correct. Action all PC members
  • Walking through ploughed fields – an email had been received from Wiltshire Council’s Rights of Way and Countryside following PA’s enquiry about access across ploughed fields. This had guidelines to footpaths and draft letters (if required to land owners). JG to recirculate. Action JG. Action DS and LW to speak to the James’ at Cumberwell too about access across ploughed fields.
  • Chair training course – the Chair’s training course was cancelled. There is now a £36 credit with WALC for another course.
  1. Report from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) – not attending
  2. Playground land at Farleigh Rise and Broadstones – main points discussed:
  • Awdry’s solicitors have now been appointed (FL looked at three firms, which were considered by the PC over email), we await formal and ID checks. However, draft WC documents have been sent to Awdry’s regarding the transfers.
  • There have been many emails between the PC, FL/SS and Craig Campbell regarding the details of the arrangements. FL had circulated latest email chains (JG to forward email chain to PC again).
  • Agreed to keep current play equipment in Farleigh Rise and refurbish and add to it as budget allows. Sovereign have been to have a look at the FR play area and the PC is awaiting quote for some work eg skim matting to reduce trip hazards, refurb some of swings. HAGS play are also coming to look at play area on 27th February if any PC are able to attend. JG to get one more company to come and quote. Action JG
  • Idverde have quoted £1,313 ex VAT to mend the timing on the gate at FR and to mend the bolt on the rocker at Broadstones. JG to contact Wiltshire Council to see if they will cover this. Action JG
  • There is still plenty to sort out with Wiltshire Council and solicitors eg about private and Selwood houses gates onto playground, insurance etc and all details of tidying up.
  • Wiltshire Council seem to be replacing some bins outside of the FR play area. Check this is what was agreed and that there will still be a dog poo bin there. Does AT have a dog poo bin in store? Action JG/FL/SS
  • Neil Evans has been asked to quote for painting play area equipment at FR. JG to get another 2 quotes. Action JG
  • PC agreed to the quote form Playdale of £180 (incl. VAT) to come and look, and hopefully mend, the Orbit roundabout (which was installed by WC) at Broadstones play area. Action JG
  • WC had originally said that they would like everything completed by 31 March 2025, but have agreed that there is some leeway on these dates and that the PC will still received the fund for the play areas.
  • The solicitors initial estimate is for the transfer to take 6-8 weeks. Another PC meeting may be required before 2nd April, if there are further significant issues to discuss eg legal advice.
  • The PC would consider getting grants for the play area. Sovereign have said that they would be able to help with this. The PC would also consider asking Blackberries campsite and the nursery that operates out of the school for donations to new equipment.
  1. Finances and budget – On 31st January there was £888.96 in the current account and £9,541.82 in the savings account, total £10,430.78. Lloyds will be charging £4.25 per month in fees from January. There interest rates are also going down.
  2. Village litter pick – date set as 10am on Sunday 16th SS to be there to welcome everyone and to go through risk assessment, which JG has updated for this year. JG has contacted Idverde and they will collect the rubbish from outside the VH on Monday 17th March. Anything that doesn’t fit in a black bag will not be collected form outside the VH and must be left on the verges and reported on the My Wilts app. JG will order more black bags from Idverde. PC members are encouraged to participate if they are available. Action JG
  3. Wiltshire Council’s parish elections – JG has forwarded information on the elections to the PC. Now await instructions from Wiltshire Council as there are two other possible candidates.
  4. Speed signs/road markings update – LW went through the speed sign positions that had been amended with Kirsty Rose since the last meeting. The invoice has now been received, this is for the agreed contribution for the road signs from the PC of £4,250. Invoice payment date is 2nd LW to ask KR if this payment can be deferred until work is complete. Action LW

LW has also asked Local Highways to also consider the speed between Hayes Farm on the A363 and the junction to Monkton Farleigh, as two footpaths cross this section of road and pedestrians also cross to the bus stop.

  1. Work for the Parish Steward – The Steward came to village on 18th February and cleared leaves, drains covers and repaired pot holes as requested. The PC will be asked for any more jobs for the Steward on the PC WhatsApp prior to his next visit on 18th
  2. Parish update
  • football goals Broadstones – this item will be taken off the agenda and note AT to action when he has time. Action AT
  • phone box – restoration now completed. Total internal agreed cost (as agreed at PC meetings 19 June and 11 Sept 2024) was £496 for painting the interior and £702 for the replacement glass. Total £1,198. Suggested asking the village what they would like it used for. Maybe a book library to include a shelf for a seed swop. It would probably need a village volunteer/s to keep this tidy and check appropriate usage.
  • noticeboards – JG reported that Steven Calpin had a look at the board outside the church regarding the condensation and was considering the best way to fix this. TF said he would re-proof the back of the board at Farleigh Wick. Action TF
  • zip wire – bark & edge maintenance – JG had checked on the spend on mending the zip wire and re -concreting in the climbing frame, the amount that Playdale was correct at £1,260.78 (as agreed at PC meetings on 8th November 2023 and 19th June 2024). The PC will be able to claim £210.13 VAT back on this invoice.

JG still has to get quotes for new play bark around the climbing frame. EM suggested Aspley Farms. JG to get more quotes. AT to mend wooden edges around bark that have decayed. Action JG and AT.

  • litter notice for layby near Restore – Action JG
  • painting back of Farleigh Rise bus stop with anti-graffiti paint – JG to order some paint. EM will paint. Action JG and EM
  • footpaths – see under 5. Matters Arising
  • fly tipping on Restore’s land and Restore’s lights – FL wrote to Andy Weston at Restore who was very helpful. Restore did a huge clean up of litter, PC thanks had been passed on to them. Restore also confirmed adjustment of lights. Andy Weston is happy to meet anyone from PC to discuss. EM to check lights in the evening before the clocks change. Action EM and possibly AT to revert back/meet with Andy Weston.
  • defibrillator training – JG had contacted The Circuit and Sharon Kirwan has said that she’d happy to come and do a defibrillator training session for the village in return for a donation to The Circuit. The PC suggested a Wednesday evening in the VH after 17th JG to contact and arrange. Action JG
  1. Correspondence received
  • Wiltshire Council have requested information on our top 5 gullies for clearing. JG has been around the village and identified these and will send the list to WC. There are two in Rushmead Lane, two on the junction opposite Hill Farm (these were previously reported as broken by WC during gully clearing), one above the pub towards FR and one just above Fern Cottage. Action JG
  • The Village Hall committee have asked for any information from SSE on grants as they are looking at the possibility of getting a generator for the Village Hall.
  1. Parish Matters – TF reported that he’d spoken to the new owners of Inwoods and said that they are happy for considerate walkers to use the footpaths in the woods on the Inwoods Estate.
  2. Clerk’s salary – Confidential item – Nigel White left the meeting. JG left the room while the NALC recommended annual salary increase and payment of overtime was discussed.

It was confirmed that the Clerk’s employment is now registered with HMRC and the Pensions Regulator by Gooding Accounts. Many thanks to FL for all of the work that she did on this.

It was agreed to implement the nationally agreed NALC pay award on which the Clerk’s pay is based. The hourly salary (point 15) would increase to £15.08 per hour. NALC’s recommendation of £15.08 per hour. This will be backdated from 1st April 2024 (as advised by NALC).

It was acknowledged that the Clerk had been undertaking a lot of extra work, particularly in relation to the play area and the PC also agreed to pay the overtime, details of which were shared at the meeting. Action JG and FL

The PC were grateful to the Clerk for her continuing commitment and hard work and wanted to note its thanks.

  1. Date of Next Meeting – Wednesday 2nd April 2025 at 7pm in the Village Hall

Meeting ended at 8.45pm