Declaration of Members Interests – Nothing declared

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th December were adopted without amendment.

Confidential Waste.

Mr. Tandy (Parishioner) and Mr. Wilkinson (representative of Shred-it) were welcomed to the Meeting to put proposals forward for an environmentally shredding system to be put in place in Wrington.

Mr. Tandy explained that he foresaw a need for both domestic and commercial operators to use the facility and within the Parish Plan under the heading “environment” some issues were raised. Mr. Tandy mentioned that the scheme could be drawn up under a partnership between the Parish Council, Village Association and local businesses.

The Clerk asked the present membership of the Village Association as for some years this had appeared to be dormant. Mr. Tandy in response stated that currently there were in the region of 30 paid-up members. Mr. Wilkinson explained how the scheme would operate and said that there could be a 3-month trial period. Basically 3 secure containers would be strategically placed in the Village and confidential waste could be deposited therein and would be collected and shredded on site every 3 months. The cost would be £65 + VAT per quarter. In the trial period the system would be assessed to ensure that the collection period and number of bins was right.

The confidential waste can be deposited by sealed envelope or by merely placing a quantity of paper in the receptacle. Envelopes would be provide free of charge. Mr. Tandy said that he was prepared to sponsor and take a lead in the promotion.

On another matter Mr. Tandy thanked the Parish Council for its support of the Dickensian Evening and this was reciprocated by the Chairman.

After Messrs Tandy and Wilkinson left the Meeting the Council discussed the issue further and some concerns were raised about security aspects and where the containers could be placed. The Clerk was directed to ask Mr. Tandy to consider these issues with a view to a further discussion taking place at the next Council Meeting.

Clerk’s Report.

1) Mobile Youth Bus-lengthy draft contract received and have asked some Councillors for views before returning to AYA. Cllr. Glynn has undertaken a detailed review and it was proposed by Cllr. Gallop and seconded by Cllr. Bigg that the Clerk in liaison with Cllr. Glynn take matters forward with AYA

2) Details of courses run by NSC given.

3) Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel- details of Agenda for meeting 5th January.

4) Local Access Forum- the question of who will be the PC’s representative on the Forum will be addressed at the next Committee Meeting.

5) Keynsham Hospital- review of Services and Public Consultation. Linked into this is the Public Consultation of PCT for North Somerset which runs until 1st March. Cllr. Bigg expressed the view that not a lot planned for rural areas. It was proposed that Cllrs. Bigg, Irving and Thorn should liaise with Churchill and Blagdon Parish Councils with the aim of responding to the consultations.

6) Community Safety and Drug Action Team: Conference on drug and alcohol issues on Tuesday 31st January from 7.30-9.30p.m. at the Scotch Horn Centre, Nailsea or alternatively on Tuesday 7th February same time at The Campus, Locking Castle. Actual response date passed but will approach organisers should anyone wish to attend.

7) Register of Interests and Gifts/Hospitality. If anyone has received gifts/hospitality which are worth over £25 in their capacity as a Councillor then the Clerk is to be notified as under the Code of Conduct this needs to be advised to the Monitoring Officer.

8) Publications:- North Somerset Compact, Volunteer Centre Winter 2005/06, Community Action, Mendip,

9) North Somerset Life- December and January editions published and delivered. Have ascertained that the company responsible for delivery will not undertake this if there are no footpaths/pavements in the area. The Clerk has suggested that with Redhill that a supply of magazines be made available in the Village Hall/Club- Louie Hadley from NSC is going to talk this over with Ros Young. For Downside it was suggested that a supply be made available in Felton Village Hall or Felton Post office. With regard to Wrington possible locations for those not receiving the magazine could be the Newsagents and the off-licence. The Clerk to relay this to NSC.

10) Press releases- the Clerk is now receiving these on a daily basis from NSC. A sample was produced. It was agreed that for the future as these are included on the post log that any Councillor wishing to view a particular press release should ask the clerk for a copy.

11) A list of licences approved by NSC for December has been received.

Highways Matters – Speedwatch- whilst the Congresbury Parish Council initiative is currently on hold due to safety concerns the Clerk will put before his sub-committee the question of them operating a Speedwatch scheme in Wrington Road.

The Clerk has e-mailed Mr. Bailey of NSC on 2 occasions requesting a meeting to discuss highway issues but no response received to date.

PC Tacchi mentioned that NSC owns a speed matrix trailer which unfortunately has been out of action recently. However when back in operation he is hopeful of using this in strategic places within the Parish (particularly Downside Road.

Police – PC Tacchi had issued the monthly crime report pre-meeting.

He mentioned that with effect from 1st January the “Power to arrest” law had changed and this was now subject to a “necessity test”.

Lighting- No report

FINANCE REPORT 20th January 2006
ACCOUNTS FOR APPROVAL PERIOD to 13th January (40 weeks)

SITAT Yearsley Inland Revenue Wrington Skateboard Park (donation BIA) MF Clark & Son Wrington Cyber Room SEC (light West Hay rd) SEC (Maintenance)	22.33 428.70 496.93 500.00 1880.00 18.02 206.74 750.23
Bank Balances: Business reserve Current Account Capital Reserve	£55470.13c NIL £7465.28cr

	Budget	Actual	%
Income
Precept Grants 2891.83 Allotments Insurance VAT Recovered Interest Sundries Other	57390 310 600	57390 325 0 8955.7 935.75 1046.38 2951	100.00 155.96
Total	58300	74495.66
Expenditure
Allotments Open Spaces Highways Street Lighting Admin Expenses Grant Sundries Other	200 12000 1000 7500 11600 20600 5400	40.00 7295.71 0.00 6580.02 9506.90 11813.21 6354.04 2951.20	20.00 60.80 0.00 87.73 81.96 57.35 117.67
Total	58300	44541.08
Sundries
Mobile Youth Public Conveniences Parish Plan Section 137 Odds and sods Total	2600 1600 200 1000 5400	5245.00 0.00 330.77 125.00 653.27 6354.04	201.73 0.00 62.50 65.33

A request for a contribution towards the re-print of a local food directory “The taste of North Somerset” was turned aside.

The Clerk reported on a letter received from the Wrington Village Fair week seeking support to cover the cost of hiring the John Locke Room for committee meetings. Cllr. Irving declared an interest in this matter. This fair is held every 5 years and for the last event the Council set a limit of £150 for this purpose.

The matter is complicated this time by the fact that the John Locke Room is in the course of being converted to accommodate the new Parish Office. Cllr. Thorn offered the use of the Cyber Room free of charge to the Village Fair committee and it was left to the Clerk to communicate with the organisers.

With regard to the Precept for 2006/07 it had been brought to the Clerk’s attention that there has been nothing set aside for the Parish Plan. Whilst this has largely been grant funded from the Countryside Agency there is c £2100 of the grant held by the Parish Council within its bank balances. It was agreed that this amount should be set aside within the budget under the heading “Sundries” bringing this total to £8550 and the revised expenditure total to £70,450 but with no increase in the precept amount to be requested from NSC. It was proposed by Cllr. Gallop and seconded by Cllr. Glynn that the precept be ratified at £64,000. Passed.

Memorial – request for alcohol

One request to sell alcohol from Wrington Vale Young Farmers for their Annual Ball at the Memorial Hall in March. Proposed by Cllr. Gallop and seconded by Cllr. Bigg. Passed

Bristol International Airport – Cllr. Atkins reported back on an Environmental meeting attended at the Airport covering the following topics:

- Air quality - the quarterly results are on the website.

- Master Plan Consultation document - 900 responses and 750 attended the various exhibitions.

- Travel club linked to the Chew valley Explorer- this is in its formative stage and there will be a public meeting to take forward.

- Penalty to be imposed for noisy aircraft- the question was asked as to who would benefit.

- Flyer- is to extend its route to Blackboy Hill.

- National Express- the Penzance-London bus will call at the Airport in future.

- West Apron- BIA not sure what they are going to do to reduce noise carry.

ALCA – Cllr. Glynn made mention of the paper he had written pre-meeting on the Airport Transport Forum which covered some of the topics mentioned by Cllr. Atkins in her report.

The Clerk and Cllr. Glynn mentioned that the North Somerset Group of ALCA had approached the Clerk to book the Memorial Hall for a Meeting in February- this has been set for Wednesday 15th- this was done without the knowledge of Cllr. Glynn who does represent the Council on ALCA. The Meeting date clashes with the NSC South Area Committee meeting to which Cllr. Glynn is committed as the Council has tabled a discussion under Parish Voice. Cllr. Bigg mentioned that in another role she has been invited by ALCA to attend the February Meeting.

With regard to the Parish Voice and the ensuing South Area Meeting it was mentioned that Mrs. Collins was intending to speak against the planning application re Cambridge Cottage provided she could get a lift to the Town Hall. This was left that councillors would see what could be organised.

The Clerk then referred to the January issue of the ALCA Newsletter mentioning briefly:

- Clerk’s pay award - here Cllr. Glynn mentioned that the contract was nearing finalisation.

- Parish Councils Airport Association- in particular the recent request to help with the funding of a joint exhibition regarding the Airport Master Plan. It transpires that local Councils could assist by means of a section 137 donation provided the expenditure brought a direct benefit to the area.

- Parish Council Reserves- the Clerk explained what is considered good practice. Reserves are being built to assist with the hopeful upgrading of the public lighting system with a view to North Somerset Council then taking over the control.

Parish Plan - pre-meeting Cllr. Bigg had issued the feedback from the Parish Plan on the Parish Council and what else it could do. Communication featured strongly. Also produced as an indication of what a Paris Plan in its final form looks like was that relating to Blagdon.

On the communication front it was decided that an annual Parish Newsletter would be produced with a view to this being issued and distributed in March – one month prior to the Annual Parish Meeting. Cllr. Thorn undertook to put it together with other Councillors providing relevant material.

On a monthly basis the Wrington Journal article to continue but also to include the journal issued by St. Katharine’s at Felton so that the Downside residents are included. Cllr. Thorn and the Clerk to liaise on this.

Meetings

Has been subject to many e-mails during the past month both on the basis of doubling up when Planning and a full Council meeting clashes and on the length of Meetings. It was considered that the present Meetings days were to continue but when the Planning and full meeting s clash then the Planning Meeting to commence at 18.30 instead of 18.00 hours. The Chairman also stated that if a report had been issued pre-meeting then it should only be subject to a “Questions and Answer” session and not expect the writer to go over the paper in discussion. The question of meeting times and dates to be kept under review.

Consultations.

Enforcement- pre-meeting Cllr. Glynn had submitted his proposed response and this was accepted and the Clerk is to forward to NSC.

Statement of Community Involvement-paper issued pre-meeting and any thoughts on this to be forwarded to Cllr. Glynn by 25th January in order that the deadline for submission of a response is met.

British Energy Generation Limited’s nuclear power station authorisations- consultation due and the Clerk asked whether the Council should express an interest in this. The Clerk was directed to respond stating that the Council wished to be kept informed of the way forward.

District Councillor’s Report – issued pre-meeting.

Cllr. Yamanaka did elaborate on the new Backwell Civic Amenity site. Planning
permission for a new site was passed in 2003 including Sunday opening, but it is only recently that residents have started to have concerns, to the extent that a public meeting was called. Residents are concerned about the Sunday opening (existing site does not open on a Sunday), access issues, that planning permission may be flawed as no environmental assessment undertaken (the NS Council view is that this was not needed). Indeed as the 2003 application was from the Council to itself the application was referred to GoSW who replied that they did not need to consider it.

An application has recently been made to extend the Sunday opening hours from 08.00 to 16.30 instead of 09.00 - 16.00 as already granted. Central Area
committee (NSC) decided to refer the application for extended hours to the
Planning & Regulatory Committee. However Waste Management decided to withdraw the application.

Open Forum

1) Cllr. Glynn said that within the next month it was expected that the new Office would be ready.

2) Cllr. Thorn produced a draft of a poster advertising the AGM of the Practice Patient Partnership to be held in conjunction with the Annual Parish Meeting- some minor amendments were suggested. It was also suggested that refreshments should be provided between these meetings.

There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 22.05 hours.

Mr T R Clements
Chair