Broad Street Wrington
PARISH COUNCIL 
Minutes
Minutes of a Meeting of Wrington Parish Council held in the John Locke room on
                Tuesday 18 April, 2006
       
Present:
Mr T R Clements,
Ms E P Irving
Mrs A Atkins,
Mrs G J Bigg
Mrs J Gallop
Mr D W Glynn
Chair
Vice-Chair   
Mr G A Matthews,
Mrs G Moss
Mrs C A Phillips,
Mr R L Thorn
Mrs D J Yamanaka
Mr T W Yearsley





Clerk
In attendance: Ms J Erskine - North Somerset Council Liaison Officer
Mr. P Burton - Weston Mercury
Apologies: P.C. K Tacchi - Community Police Officer

The Chairman opened the Meeting at 19.30 hours.

Declaration of Members Interests – At this juncture the Clerk indicated that following a conversation with Mr. Nicholson, Solicitor for North Somerset Council, the agenda item relating to Commander Lawder’s Estate met with technical issues on the declaration of interest front and that as a result it was being removed from the evening’s business.

The Clerk is to make a request for dispensation to discuss the issue and this has to go before the Standards Committee and the next Meeting is set for 6th June. On the subject of making declarations of interest the Clerk read out the contents of a letter from Mr. Nicholson dated 5th April expressing the need to state clearly whether the interest is personal or prejudicial and to explain the existence and nature of that interest.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 17th March were adopted.

Clerk’s Report.

1) Confidential Waste- waiting developments

2) Mail collection on Sundays- complaint received from parishioner that by bringing forward from 11.45 to 09.30 it is difficult to write a letter and catch the post. Response from the Royal Mail to the effect that to meet sorting office schedules they find a need to bring collection times forward. Whilst not a guarantee of delivery the moving of the collection time enhances the eventual delivery service.

3) Publications

4) Health Overview & Scrutiny Panel –minutes of the Meeting held 9th February.

5) Standards Committee- minutes of the Meeting held 31st January.

6) Provision for Swimming & leisure facilities- meeting at the Scotch Horn Centre, Nailsea on Thursday 20th April at 7.00 pm.

7) Clean Neighbourhood & Environment Act 2005- a parish council guide to environmental enforcement. New booklet setting out how it works ordered and a training course will be available shortly.

8) Update- NSC publication for North Somerset Councillors- April edition.

9) Development Control Workshop- to be held on 18th May from 09.30 until 12.30 in the New Council Chamber. The Clerk and Cllr. Glynn to attend. Cllr. Glynn indicated that he will want to submit a question on timescales relating to planning applications.

10) Community Action Rural Communities Conference- 27th June 09.15 am to 3.30pm at BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton. Cllrs. Bigg and Irving wish to attend.

11) Bus Services- notification received that normal service is now resumed
following the recent road closure in Banwell.

12) Local Access Forum- minutes of the Meeting held 31st January now received. Mention made within the minutes of the new draft on “Rights of Way Improvement Plan”. Cllr. Yamanaka maintained that this would be available on the North Somerset website.

13) Active Living in North Somerset Event 26th April from noon-3.30pm at the Campus, Weston-Super-Mare.

14) British Energy drop-in day at Burnham-on-Sea on 4th May between 15.00-20.00 hours. This relates to nuclear power station authorisations.

Highways Matters

- Dog bins- the cost of collection has increased to £1 per bin (formerly £0.95p per bin).

- Traffic light programming- the Clerk read out the contents of a letter that Mr. Smythe had written to North Somerset Council. In the same letter comments made regarding the poor quality of the recent resurfacing work with loose chippings still creating problems in some areas. The Clerk was directed to ensure that NSC respond to the letter and that the Parish Council obtains a copy.

- Lane markings by BIA- the airport will add their weight to try and get the new lane markings on the A38 implemented.

- Dragonflyer- meeting at Wrington Sports Pavilion on Wednesday 26th April at 8.00 pm. Posters have been displayed in the Village. The Clerk will attend to posters at Redhill.

- Chapel Hill- request for a roadside mirror to enhance visibility. The Department of transport does not support the use of mirrors on highways and NSC adopts this policy. Position could be improved if the road markings were in good order. The Clerk to take forward.

- Westward Close- parking proving a problem and it is noted that the water tankers are having difficulty at times in accessing the treatment plant. The problem is being caused by the increase usage of the small industrial units and it was suggested that the Clerk should send a general letter to all users asking for cooperation in seeking alternatives means of getting to work and more considerate parking. There is also the possibility of increasing parking spaces within the curtailage of the premises.

- Stone Farm- road adjacent needs repatching.

Police – In the absence of PC Tacchi the Clerk reported that in the period 7th March to 4th April 5 reported crimes.

Comment made regarding the new police facility at BIA and it was felt that the officer in charge should be invited to a Council meeting to explain its role in providing a community police facility.

Lighting- The Clerk advised that he has requested a meeting with NSC and SEC with regard to the upgrading of the street lighting with a view to NSC eventually taking over control.

FINANCE REPORT

ACCOUNTS FOR APPROVAL PERIOD to


Budget Actual %


Income





Expenditure





Allotments

200

40.00

20.00


Open Spaces

12000

11753.71

97.95


Highways

1000

381.31

38.13


Street Lighting

7500

7411.04

98.81


Admin Expenses

11600

17677.80

152.39


Grant

20600

20600.00

100.00


Sundries

5400

6825.06

126.39


Other


4956.20



Total

58300

69645.12








Sundries





Mobile Youth

2600

5245.00

201.73


Public Conveniences

1600

0.00

0.00


Parish Plan


555.77



Section 137

200

125.00

62.50


Odds and sods

1000

899.29

89.93


Total

5400

6825.06

FINANCE REPORT 18th April 2006
ACCOUNTS FOR APPROVAL PERIOD to 31st March (52 weeks)

Friendship Office Supplies
Fountain Forestry (Mem Hall)
Community Action (subs)
T Yearsley (includes back pay)
Inland revenue
T Yearsley (expenses)
ALCA (Course fees))
Cyber Room (photocopying)
Wrington Memorial Hall (balance of grant)
Bristol Office Furniture
Bank Balances:
Business reserve
Current Account
Capital Reserve

33.38
415.84
20.00
4085.77
2512.56
661.71
40.00
9.92
8175.89
1409.71

£26679.02cr
NIL
£7492.27cr


Budget
Actual
%
Income
Precept
Grant
Allotments
Insurance
VAT Recovered
Interest
Sundries
Other
57390

310


600
57390
2891.83
325
0
8955.7
1204.58
1046.38
2951
100.00




200.76
Total 58300 74764.49
Expenditure
Allotments
Open Spaces
Highways
Street Lighting
Admin Expenses
Grant
Sundries
Other
200
12000
1000
7500
11600
20600
5400
40.00
11753.71
381.31
7411.04
17677.80
20600.00
6825.06
4956.20
20.00
97.95
38.13
98.81
152.39
100.00
126.39
Total 58300 69645.12
Sundries
Mobile Youth
Public Conveniences
Parish Plan
Section 137
Odds and sods
Total

2600
1600

200
1000
5400

5245.00
0.00
555.77
125.00
899.29
6825.06
201.73
0.00

62.50
89.93

Payments made from grant on behalf of the Wrington Memorial & recreation Field Committee

Fountain Forestry £353.90 + VAT

Clerk’s pay. - Contract signed and the back dated pay reflected in this month’s expenditure. In accordance with the contract there is a pay increase due with effect from 1st April 2006 as per the set formula. It was proposed by Cllr. Irving and seconded by Cllr. Gallop that the increase be paid as per the NALC pay scale subject to confirmation of amount.

Risk assessment.

- Play areas- subject to continued review by the Village Orderly but also on an annual basis by ROSPA. Remedial work put in place as required.

- Fidelity guarantee- needs to be increased as a minimum to the level of precept- £64,000 and the Clerk will take forward with the Council’s insurers.

- Village Orderly equipment- reviewed by then regularly and any requirements made to the Clerk.

- Street lighting- maintained and reviewed by Connect South West.

- Asset register- Insurers have asked for an update on reinstatement values and this could mean a significant increase in premium particularly as the cost of replacing street lights has increased markedly, as has play area equipment and in due course the skate park. New office equipment also to be added.

Memorial – request for alcohol

nil

Bristol International Airport

-Draft Master Plan Public Consultation- the Executive summary now received and the Clerk was directed to obtain a full printed copy.

- Cllr. Glynn had submitted pre-meeting a report on an Environmental Effects Working Group meeting. A move towards more regular meetings with the Airport by the Parish Council is mooted and it was left that Cllr. Glynn would take forward in the first instance. Cllr. Matthews suggested that the Parish Council should be seen to be more proactive on airport related matters and that a sub-committee may be formed to attend to this.

ALCA

- Janet Wallis, Secretary, currently off work with a broken leg.

- April newsletter incorporates a paper on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act and indicates that each council needs to 1) carefully assess if there is a real need for the adoption of the new powers- this will involve consultation with the unitary authority as to how adoption of the powers in the Act by them will impact on the local council area and influence the need for the local council to adopt the powers.2) ensure that the whole community and the local electorate support adoption of the powers. The Clerk had mentioned under “Clerk’s Report” that he is waiting for a new guidance book from DEFRA and details of training courses and it is at that point that the Council will need to make a decision.

- ALCA North Somerset Group- paper received asking for nominations for executive positions.

- Letter received from Bitton PC thanking us for supporting their view on decisions by non-elected bodies. However ALCA appear to be in favour of the new process.

Parish Plan

Audit completed and accepted. There is a balance of c£876 relating to the Council’s contribution and Cllr. Bigg suggested that this could be set aside to cover the business environment part of the plan which has still to be done. Proposed by Cllr. Thorn and seconded by Cllr. Irving.

Annual Parish Meeting

Friday 28th April @ 19.30 hours in the Memorial Hall. Initial feedback on the newsletter positive.

BIA Byelaws revision

Paper issued pre-meeting and Cllr. Matthews proposed and Cllr. Irving seconded that the response should be sent to the Secretary of State Department of Transport with a copy to Mr. Nicholson, Solicitor NSC, as it appears that the unitary authority has not been notified of the review. Passed

Avon Youth Bus Contract

Proposed by Cllr. Phillips and seconded by Cllr. Thorn that the contract should be in the form agreed by between the PC and AYA and not the suggested format provided by NSC. Passed

District Councillor’s Report – submitted pre-meeting.

Cllr. Glynn made some additional comments on the report:-

1) Street trading- A38 locations- indications received that officers responsible for the report had made recommendations on site locations by merely driving to the sites. No account taken of potential traffic issues if implemented.

2) Biodiversity- the woodland workshop was poorly promoted. Cllr. Thorn thought this was an ideal opportunity for an educational based plan to be implemented by the Council- working closely with local schools.

3) Transport Symposium- the point made that Councillors should make themselves aware of the objectives of the North Somerset Partnership Plans. Ms. Erskine mentioned that through ALCA there is a direct link to this as they are represented on the steering group.

4) On a general note it would be helpful if future reports contained details of meetings in the month to come as well as details of meetings already attended.

Open Forum

1) Brook House- open meeting being held by Linden Homes on 19th April from 17.30 hours.

2) Cllr. Irving gave positive feedback on the new green bag waste collection from NSC

3) Cllr. Irving commented favourably on how attractive the new memorial garden was looking.

There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 21.25 hours.

Mr. T R Clements
Chairman