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Penton Mewsey Parish Council Minutes of Meeting 14th April 2008 Penton Village Hall 7.30 pm Present: Councillors | Clerk/RFO | Ward, Public, Other | John Cavanagh (Chairman)
Harry Vialou Clark (Vice)
Simon Smallbone
Heather Carrick
Rodney Bennett
Janice Mitchell |
Geoff Townson
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Two member of public
(part-time) |
Open Forum: Plans discussed re Sleepers Cottage Agenda Items 025/08 Chairman's Remarks (a) Requests for Absences: Cllr Vialou Clark granted leave of absence for next meeting (APA/AGM) on May 19th. (b) Resignation of Councillor: Cllr Mitchell submitted a letter of resignation due to her planned move beyond the eligible distance. Chairman & all present thanked her for her service and wished her well with the move. (c) Casual Vacancy: Clerk to advise TVBC of above resignation and to post Notice of Casual Vacancy on PMPC notice boards 18th April to 9th May. If no election requested then vacancy may be filled by co-option.
Action: Clerk to liaise with TVBC 026/08 Minutes of the last meetings (3rd March 2008)
Resolved that Minutes were accurate records. Signed by Chairman. 027/08 Declarations of Interest: Cllr Bennett as Trustee of Penton Village Trust, owners of Penton Village Hall adjacent to Sleepers Cottage. 028/08 Planning Applications & Issues (a) Sleepers Cottage: Objection for following reasons:
1. The bulk and scale of the proposed extension is not sympathetic to the original listed building. The cottage is an interesting and prominent feature of the village. The proposed extension would overpower the view of the property from the east and make it invisible from the west.
2. The materials used are not in keeping with the original listed building and do not enhance it in any way. This is exacerbated by the scale of the extension relative to the original building.
Additional Comments: If the application is resubmitted, then the Design Statement should include principles that are laid out in The Penton VDS, as required in TVBC Guidance Notes for Applicants & Agents., e.g. development should be of a similar scale to adjacent houses; relate to traditional forms, roofscapes and styles within the village; utilise traditional materials.
Action: Clerk to submit response (via TVBC website) (b) Andover Airfield Site: Applicant has submitted revised documents to TVBC (on website). Previous respondents will be advised of 3-week consultation period. Highways Agency and HCC have yet to submit to TVBC. Possible dates for Northern Area Planning Ctte meeting 2nd or 9th June.
(c) Penton Park Trees: Mr Midgley reported that he has a funding programme in hand for planting on Mr Snow's land in the Autumn.
Action: Chairman to make site visit with Mr Midgley, including viewing sites of fallen trees which should be replaced by Dunnings Estates. (d) Penton Grainstore: Lord Howell has again complained to TVBC about buses being washed & serviced on the hard-standing and the continuation of Sunday operations, including UniqueEarthenware trucks being parked throughout the weekend. HCC Cllr Pat West had agreed to investigate. (e) TVBC Core Strategy: Following response submitted via TVBC Website:
ISSUE 17 STRATEGIC AND LOCAL GAPS, PREFERRED OPTION 24: WELL-DOCUMENTED AND CLEARLY DESIGNATED STRATEGIC & LOCAL GAPS ARE VITAL FOR MAINTAINING THE SEPARATE CHARACTER AND IDENTITY OF VILLAGES, ESPECIALLY THE SETTLEMENT/COMMUNITY KNOWN AS "THE PENTONS" (MEWSEY & GRAFTON), MOSTLY IN PMCP AND PARTLY IN PGCP. ACTUAL DESIGNATED BOUNDARIES MUST BE SHOWN ON MAPS IN THE AREA ACTION PLANS.
029/08 Parish Boundaries & Parish Plan (a) Boundary Review: PGPC still investigating status of Pear Tree Cottage.
Action: John Cavanagh to maintain close contact with PGPC. (b) Parish Plan: As before, although interested in principle, PMPC would rather have the boundary changed first. 030/08 Drainage & Sewerage (a) Newbury Hill: Nothing to report re timing of further drainage works. Complaints received about mud on the road, probably due to building contractors' vehicles from Home Farm Stables.
Action: Chairman to discuss with owner, Mr Graham North. (b) Foxcotte Lane Culvert: Nothing to report Action: Clerk to continue to liaise with HCC Engineers 031/08 Roads, Traffic & Signs (a) Harroway Z-bend: New chevrons signs in place. (b) Approach Short Lane from East. HCC & TVBC have reassessed the area and plan to put appropriate signs, but probably not before June.
Action: Clerk to continue to liaise with HCC Engineers (c) Foxcotte Lane-Weyhill Bottom Road speeding: proposal from Tangley PC re Hurstbourne Tarrant SID-sharing. After some discussion and review of information received from Hurstbourne Tarrant PC, PMPC not convinced that use of a SID would be a solution to the issue in The Pentons.
Action: Clerk to revert to TPC & HTPC. (d) PMPC Street Lights: Nothing to report. (e) Chalkcroft Lane traffic: UniqueEarthenware continues to use Chalkcroft Lane (two red vans, one white van). Clerk continues to recording breaches of the 106 Agreement but no longer copies TVBC. (f) Overhanging Branches: Southern Electric has cut some overhanging branches in Newbury Hill (The Haven). HCC Highways were asked to investigate Chalkcroft Lane and have sent letters to Mr Snow, Mr Swift & Mr Carter (who has since cut his pleached limes). Mrs Swift has phoned HCC asking for a site visit. PMPC considered that the hedge belonging to Clouds Hill (Penton Harroway) should also be added to the list. Action: Clerk to liaise with HCC Highways
032/08 Bus Services & Shelter Maintenance: Strong winds recently dislodged and broke one tile off the wooden shelter.
Action: Cllr Bennett to investigate 033/08 Rights- of-Way, Common Land (Pond) & PMPC Land (Trinity Rise) (a) Blacksmiths Lane resurfacing: No progress with PGPC re joint funding. Cllr Vialou Clark expressed regret that this item has remained on the agenda for too many years. The lane is a community facility and should be maintained. He suggested it either be removed or acted upon from the agenda, notwithstanding the fact that most of the lane is in Penton Grafton.
Action: Cllr Bennett to discuss with PGPC. (b) Penton Pond & Ford: Chairman reported that a large Willow branch from Bridge Cottage (Penton Grafton) will be removed from Penton Pond (Penton Mewsey) by the owner Mr S Dayus, thanks to intervention by PGPC Cllr Porter. 034/08 Finance & Office
(a) Parish Council Account & Budget 2007-08
Clerk/RFO tabled year-end status 31st March, previously supplied to Councillors and inspected by Chairman 10th April. Accounts approved.
Parish Council Payments since last meeting 3rd March 2008 None Parish Council Receipts since last meeting 14th Jan 2008 VAT Refunds Jan 2008 = £ 152.64 Travel refunds from Tangley PC = £ 44.05 Bank Interest Jan-Mar 2007 = £ 18.26 Parish Council Balance at 31st March 2008 = £ 2175.82 Comprising Business Reserve = £ 2075.82
Plus Current Account = £ 100.00
(b) Budget 2008-09: Updated in light of carry forward end-March 2008. Approved.
(c) Photocopier 1Q'08 1Q'08 Copies Receipts PMPC 24 Nil (not charged)
PRC 355 £ 28.40
Other 594 £ 47.52 WGT 757 £ 60.56
Total 1730 £136.48 Charges WGT Paper cost £ 36.33 Net Income £ 100.15 WoC Service according to Service Contract £ 15.57 (excl. VAT) PMPC Balance £ 84.58
Clerk advised that the Service Company, World of Color Ltd (WoC) had neither replied to PMPC's letter in response to their letter about charges, nor had WoC ever sent any invoices. No payments have been made to WoC.
(d) PMPC Office: Clerk's Expenses, Charges 1Q'08 Costs (postage, phone/fax, materials, office supplies) = £ 128.60 Charges £60 (computing) + £622.64 Salary = £ 682.64 Total Outgoings = £ 811.24
Income (Third Party) = £ 136.48 Balance to be paid to Clerk, agreed by Council = £ 674.76 Cheque signed (e) Payments: Annual Fees HALC (incl.NALC) 2008-09 = £119.00 Cheque signed (f) Clerk's Hours 2007-08 & Contract update due 1/4/08.
(i) Clerk's hours checked by Chairman before the meeting. Actual hours recorded = 5.91/week vs contracted hours 5/week. Agreed to pay Clerk for additional hours at normal rate of £9.579/hr = £454.58.
Cheque signed (ii) Contract to be updated to reflect salary rate for 2007-08 and Budgetted Salary 2008-09: £2550/yr, 5hrs/week). Contract also to be revised to have any agreed extra hours payable annually, rather than quarterly, due to the variation recorded through the year ranging from 3hrs/week to 10hrs/week. Extra hours to come from Staff Reserve budget.
Action: Clerk to draft for Chairman to discuss.
(g) Donations: No requests received.
(h) Annual Risk Assessment Review:
Action: Cllr Bennett to conduct with Clerk
035/08 Correspondence (info only) Circulation envelope issued.
036/08 Any Other Business (info only): (a) Arrangements for APA/AGM: Agreed no guest speaker. Cllrs Carrick and
Bennett to procure food and drink respectively. (b) Bird Scarer in Penton Grafton Civil Parish. Understood that TVBC had
received complaints from electors of PMCP regarding bird scarer use. Cllr Bennett advised that the scarer had been relocated further west, having served its purpose where it had been located just west of "upper" Chalkcroft Lane, in Penton Grafton. Any complaints should be addressed to PGPC &/or TVBC.
Meeting Closed at 2100 hrs
2008 Scheduled Meetings 7.30pm Mondays May 19th (APA/AGM, 7 for 7.30pm) July 7th Sept 1st Oct 13th Nov 24th
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