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Minutes of Parish Council Meeting – 31 July 2024

Minutes Uploaded on August 12, 2024

MFPC Minutes 31st July 2024

Monkton Farleigh Parish Council

Minutes

 Wednesday 31st July 2024

Those on PC attending: Ele Warrington (Chair), Elliot McBryde, Dan Sharp, Pauline Adams, Suzanne Stansfield and Jane Ghali (Clerk)

Other attendees: Liz Watts and Zoe Tinkler

  1. Apologies for Absence – Andrew Tucker, Tom Firbank and Johnny Kidney. There were no Declarations of Interest
  2. Minutes of Meeting 19th June 2024 – agreed and signed
  3. Matters Arising – EW to contact person about defibrillator training. Action EW.DS and SS went to Orchard Barn, it is not being used as a residence.
  4. Items from the public – Included under point 8 (Liz Watts) and point 16 (Zoe Tinkler).
  5. Report from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) – absent
  6. Report from Johnny Kidney (received by email)

Wiltshire Council’s Climate and Environment Summer Showcase

Wiltshire Council and a host of organisations are joining together for the Climate and Environment Summer Showcase – a drop-in event for people to ask experts, gain ideas and make a difference.

The event takes place on 7 August from 11am to 3pm at the Atrium in County Hall, Trowbridge, and people are encouraged to pop by and meet the teams involved in a number of projects that provide support and make a positive difference for the county. Led by Wiltshire Council’s Environment department, alongside a host of other organisations, people can find out more about grants for home energy improvements and discounted solar panel installations. They can get support and advice on staying warm and safe and improving the energy efficiency of homes, advice on bespoke energy auditing and grant funding for businesses to support carbon reduction. People can hear about the work of Trading Standards to protect customers and the opportunity to order a subsidised Green Johanna hot composter. There will also be a quiz, and activities for younger people provided by Wiltshire Scrapstore and Resource Centre.

The council’s Environment department is made up of a number of vital council services, including waste and recycling; the climate team; public protection; and natural and historic environment. Its role is to protect Wiltshire’s environment and climate, working in partnership with local communities and empowering everyone to take responsibility.

The other organisations attending the Summer Showcase include EDF Energy (Home Upgrade Grant project), iChoosr (Solar Together project), Warm and Safe Wiltshire, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Fit for Net Zero and the Wiltshire Climate Alliance.

Worrying implications for planning in Wiltshire as Government increases housing targets and removes design codes

The new Labour government has wasted no time in pressing ahead with plans to tear up the additional protections for Wiltshire and other rural counties that the previous government had introduced in the previous version of the National Planning Policy Framework. The new Government yesterday announced new centralised housing targets, including an increase of 81%  in the housing numbers that Wiltshire will need to provide, as well as weakening greenbelt protections and weakening design codes that would have insisted that new development respect the local vernacular. They are also suggesting that local communities will have less input into new development in their areas. Very worrying times indeed for local control over the sustainable provision of new housing and I will update the Parish Council further as more detail becomes clear. Wiltshire Council is well advanced with its Local Plan and I sincerely hope that this will not need to be revisited under that new Government rules.

A36 Road closure

National Highways, the government agency that controls the country’s trunk network, is closing the A36 at Limpley Stoke for a period of SIX MONTHS from 12th August to address subsidence issues (a recurring problem in this location). This will undoubtedly cause serious disruption and I am in close contact with Wiltshire Council highways to ensure they have plans in place to mitigate any disruption to our local network as much as possible.

More info here: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/south-west/a36-limpley-stoke-carriageway-repairs-and-stabilisation/#:~:text=Diversions%20and%20access-,The%20A36%20Warminster%20Road%20will%20be%20fully%20closed%20between%20Limpley,%2C%20A4174%2C%20A4%20and%20A36.

 

Wiltshire’s Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan moves to the next stage – with public consultation to begin in August

The Regulation 19 public consultation begins on Tuesday 20 August until 5pm on Friday 4 October. To enable people to find out more about the Development Plan Document and ask questions, the council is holding five engagement events at different locations around the county and one online engagement event.

Wiltshire Council, like all Local Planning Authorities, must plan for all members of the community, including Gypsies and Travellers. It must make provision to meet the accommodation needs of travellers, which includes Gypsies, Travellers and travelling show people, including the allocation of sites in development plans to meet this need.

The Development Plan Document, which is based on robust evidence, sets out how it will provide pitches for Gypsies and Travellers over the plan period, from 2024-2038.

There are no sites proposed in our immediate area, however this is nonetheless an important policy which people may wish to get involved in. To find out more and to sign up for the online engagement event, people should go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planning-gypsy-travellers

Wiltshire Council formally reports on its 2023/24 financial position – with additional money available to be reinvested in key services

In stark contrast to neighbouring local authorities, Wiltshire Council’s sound and effective financial management continues, with a £14m revenue underspend formally reported for 2023/24 – this is a £5.705m improvement on the quarter three position, and this additional money will be channelled into further additional highways enhancements and other projects.

Alongside this underspend total, a further £5m of Community Infrastructure Levy contributions will also be added, meaning the total additional investment into highways stands at £10.7m, while over the course of 2023/24, a total of over £20m additional investment has now been identified and allocated to highway improvements, including road surfacing, road safety and highways flooding alleviation works.

When including the amounts allocated from the council’s Business Plan Priority Reserve, an additional total investment of over £25m has been made available to be spent on delivering against its priorities.

Overall, the revenue outturn position for 2023/24, which was presented to Cabinet on 15 July, shows a robust and sustainable financial position for the council that allows the authority to invest in its services, rather than simply maintain them.

 

  1. New Parish Councillor – the Electoral Services Officer has advised the PC ‘that as we have not received a request for an election by TEN electors, the above vacancy can be filled by co-option’. EW to ask if any parishioners in the village would like to join the PC on the village WhatsApp. JG to put on website. Action JG and EW
  2. Speed limit update – Liz Watts reported that Wiltshire Council hope to implement the speed changes in the village by October 2024, this has to be approved by a cabinet minister first.

Thanks to Liz’s work the way speed limits are assessed and implemented has been changed by Wiltshire Council. Many thanks to LW and PA for all of their hard work. LW is also looking at a footpath assessment for access to the bus stop on the A363.

  1. Farleigh Rise play area transfer of land – Wiltshire Council have received the PC’s feedback on the rural play area survey and they will be in touch to discuss options on how to proceed.
  2. Pub as a Community Asset – as the PC doesn’t know if the pub is going to open again or not, it’s not clear whether it will be able to be listed as a community asset. DS to speak to Fiona Waind from Wiltshire Council. Action DS
  3. Planning Application PL/2024/05475. Application Type: Householder planning permission. Proposal: Construct an oak-fronted double garage. Site Address: 11, FARLEIGH WICK, BRADFORD ON AVON, BA15 2PU – No objections. Action JG
  4. Finances – There is £12,040.42 in the account at 30 June 2024. In June Netwise were paid £420 for hosting the website, also paid the invoice for 50% of the mending of the zip wire and climbing frame in Farleigh Rise. Playdale are due to do the work this week.

JG presented an updated budget for 24/25 which showed that if the road signs need paying for in October at £4,250, then there is only £880 spare until the year end, 31 March 2025, taking into accounts other committed costs. JG to contact Neil Evans to say the phone box project may be on hold. Action JG

  1. .uk domain – JG had attended a government webinar, PC’s are being encouraged to use this domain and emails for security reasons/online visibility. JG had checked with Netwise: the cost of a .gov.uk domain is £60 +VAT pa. There’s a one off set up fee of £50, but the government are offering £100 to move to the domain. It would therefore only cost the PC £10 this year. No extra cost for clerk and chair email addresses. Agreed JG to progress but to look at what would happen with current email files etc and to look at costs of other website hosting as £420 pa seems expensive. Action JG
  2. Stiles and access to local footpaths update – letter received from Natural England after assessment of damage to woods at Inwoods.

‘…concerns about the way in which forestry works at Inwood, Warleigh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) had been carried out, I visited the site with a colleague from the Forestry Commission and the woodland managers, to assess whether there had been any significant negative impact of the works on the woodland.

 … it was concluded that the current SSSI woodland management plan should be updated, and changes were agreed to the timings of timber extraction to minimise soil compaction and rutting. Due to the felling works having been undertaken during the exceptionally wet winter which we experienced, their impact was greater than would have otherwise been, had works been postponed until conditions were drier.

That being said, having seen the site for myself I am not concerned that there has been any significant negative impact on the ecology of the site, or any damage to the sensitive flora. Overwhelmingly forest machinery has kept to the existing tracks whilst undertaking works, in an attempt to minimise impacts. Following extensive felling works the initial visual and aesthetic change to a woodland can be stark, though I would like to reassure you that in this case the felling operations undertaken as planned, will improve the ecological condition of the woodland with time.’

Thanks to PA Bridget Norman for their work on this.

  1. Work for the Parish Steward

Iain Bryers has done some weed killing of the kerb edges in the village this week and general ragwort removal.

Pot hole at the junction with New Road and Link Lane (EW to send w3w). Overgrown footpath and stiles by windmill at Pinckney Green. JG to go with LW to get w3w. Overgrown verge on turning out of A363. JG to give information to Parish Steward. Action JG

  1. Parish update
  • Report from Tree Warden – EW had asked ZT for some recommendations for a replacement tree for the one that had been cut down at the entrance to Broadstones. ZT suggested putting a tree either side of the road. Wiltshire Council (WC) does not own the land. JG to contact Land Registry to find out who does. WC think that there might by water main pipes under both sides of the road. A tree can’t be planted within 3m of a pipe. Suggested a WhatsApp poll for decide on tree from ZT’s suggestions once land ownership/water main position established. Action JG

ZW welcomes enquiries for info on grants for planting trees. JG to add info and email address to MFPC WhatsApp. Action JG

  • Football goals BroadstonesAction AT
  • Phone box & bus stop maintenance – Neil Evans said he can’t do this until the early Autumn. May postpone due to lack of budget. Action JG
  • Playdale – due to mend tighten zip wire by adjusting bolt and arm and concrete in post on climbing frame this week. 50% deposit paid of £420.38
  • Gutter upgrade in Farleigh Rise – EW hadn’t heard back from Selwood. No work currently due to bats. JG to contact Selwood. Action JG
  1. Correspondence received
  • Email regarding possible excess camping pitches at Blackberries campsite, EW to speak to owner.
  • RoSpa – date for playground inspection – agreed to postpone as Farleigh Rise done recently by Wiltshire Council and Playdale.
  • SSEN – grants for physical and environmental resilience and low carbon technology
  • Older People’s Programme grant funding – send to village hall committee
  • Wiltshire and Swindon Prepared – Emergency Contact Hub – Village Hall is the hub for Monkton Farleigh
  1. Parish Matters
    • Someone has been sleeping in bus stop on A363. JG to report to PCSO in case they need support. Action JG
    • Clerk needs to be employed by PC, JG to investigate. Action JG
  1. Date of Next Meeting – Wednesday 11th September at 7pm in the Village Hall