AVENING PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING OF AVENING PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON

THURSDAY 19^th April, 2012 AT 7.30 PM

The following Councillors were in attendance: Cllr Williamson, Cllr Slater, Cllr J Parsons, Cllr Mitchell, Cllr Reid, Cllr Catterall, Cllr Beardsell, Cllr G Parsons, Cllr Reid

There were no apologies received.

Also in attendance: Julie Wickham, Clerk to the Parish Council.

The meeting opened at 7.30pm

01/12	PUBLIC QUESTION TIME (20 MINUTES)
	There were no public questions.
02/12	TO RECEIVE A REPORT ABOUT CRIME AND ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
	The Crime and anti-social behaviour report was received for the Annual Council meeting. The police are unable to attend the Annual Council meeting due to a prior engagement.
03/12	TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE
	Cllr Reid had sent apologies in case she was delayed. In the event she arrived at 8pm. Cllrs Beardsell, Catterall and Slater gave advanced apologies and reasons for absence for the Annual Council meeting on 17^th May.
04/12	TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
	Cllr Parsons declared a personal interest as he is a member of the Planning Regulatory Committee at Cotswolds District Council.
05/12	TO APPROVE AND SIGN THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL 15^th March, 2012 and 15^th February, 2012
	It was RESOLVED to accept and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday, 15^th February, 2012. The correct numbering had been omitted from the March minutes so it was RESOLVED to sign these at the next meeting. Jean Pargeter is spelt with a G and not a J. The issue discussed in public questions time in February was Mrs Pargeter’s access to her field. It was RESOLVED to reinstate Matters Arising from the Minutes. These had been removed after discussion in November 2011 (Working With Your Council Training had suggested that it was not good practice to have matters arising, the thinking being that if an item needed discussion and agreement it should be on the agenda). However, councillors made the qualification of Matters Arising from the Minutes. It was RESOLVED to have ACTION points which would be followed up to see if they had happened. The Clerk would continue to give the Clerk’s report to update the action points that she was responsible for. It was RESOLVED to continue to send draft minutes to all councillors as soon as they were completed. It was RESOLVED that the Chair and Vice Chair would check over the minutes. It was further resolved that Councillors would advise of there were any obvious omissions or errors in advance of the meeting. It was RESOLVED that any items where there was a difference of opinion over what was agreed would be brought back to full Council. Note: The minutes remain draft until they are agreed by Full Council.
06/12	TO RECEIVE PROGRESS REPORTS FOR INFORMATION a) Clerk’s (verbal) Clerk’s Report April 2012 · Dog Fouling The Clerk had arranged for Posters to be made and these were at the meeting for distribution. Re: Dog Control Order - Clerk waiting to speak to Hilary Beach from CDC. · Annual Parish meeting is on the agenda. I have contacted the primary School, the Playgroup, the Village Agent, the Youth Club, the over 60’s lunch club, the Avening Silver Band, The WI and the Shop, the Friends of the School, the Church, all by phone. Fred Vening wants a table, as do the WI; Dial a Ride and Village agents will be there. GRCC would also like a table. · This month the Clerk had received ½ a days training on Annual audit. The Clerk had complied an end of year spreadsheet to look at the spend across the year. · The Clerk was obliged to put the p11’s for wages online because from this year onwards Employers have to file end of year online. The Clerk checked that these agreed with the paper copies we complied and they did. · The Clerk met with Mick and Gill about work planning. · The Clerk tried to contact the Oxfordshire Playbus for the mobile skatepark but the contact details yielded no results and would require further research which the Clerk hadn’t had time to attend to. The Clerk had managed to take some leave. · The Clerk finalised the payroll for the end of year and sent it off online to HMRC which involved several lengthy conversations on the phone to HMRC because the new basic tools had not been downloaded automatically. It was successful. b) Cllr Slater’s Highway Report · The discussion on this item focussed on Chavenage Lane, and Star Lane. It was RESOLVED to put Gas Smell on B4014 on the agenda for next meeting. ACTION Clerk to find the previous correspondence in order to write again about this issue. · The meeting with Scott Mc Cauley Lowe from the Highways Department will take place on 18^th May at 10 o’clock. Chris Franklin suggested that 3k from APC would secure the scheme but conversations with Scott McCauley Lowe indicated that Highways may now be looking for match funding. Cllrs Williamson, G Parsons, J Parsons, Mitchell, Conway will attend. Clerk asked that Cllrs ask for a drawing of the scheme (since the meeting one has been received and distributed by email). There was discussion about Council’s contribution. The Clerk has located the original email where it was suggested that £3k would help to secure the project. However, Chris Franklin said that it depended on end of year budgets. ACTION Clerk to seek clarification and Cllrs to raise at meeting. Railings were requested on both sides of the road. The resolution to earmark funds for the crossing is point 136/12 in the February 2012 minutes. · It was an action point from the February Council meeting to explore the idea of placing a mirror at The Cross on the house belonging to Mr and Mrs Brookes to help road safety. The Chair understands that Mr Brookes may permit this but asked the Clerk to contact our insurers to check the liability situation (as the Chair is given to understand that this is the reason Highways no longer install mirrors on the Highway). The Chair also suggested that we contact our solicitors and ask them the legal implications of the Council installing a mirror on private land. · Cllr Beardsell, following an approach from a resident in Star Lane, asked the following question: As there is a lot a fast traffic up and down Star Lane, especially between certain hours in the morning and evening could the 30 mph signs be moved from their position outside the Powell’s Farm House and Plumpatch Cottage (numbers 7 and 12a) to point further up the Lane (ie above no. 22). This will help to control safety outside the shop/ Post Office and at the Cross junction. ACTION Councillor Slater agreed to ask Highways Team. . c) Highways Road Closure – Councillors noted the following:- B4014 Avening Road, Nailsworth & Avening (1838) This road will be closed to allow for surface dressing works by Gloucestershire Highways. The proposed date of works is 28^th April 2012. If you require any further information regarding these works please contact Gloucestershire Highways on 08000 514514. Caroline Cogram Gloucestershire County Council. · Avening Road – they are removing cats eyes and resurfacing from Stephenson’s Road to Nailsworth.
07/12	COMMUNITY PROJECTS
	a) To discuss The Village Clean Up and agree next steps The next Village Clean-Up is set for Saturday June 9^th. ACTION The Clerk would write to Cassie Chesterman to see if the youth club would like to be involved. Clerk would also contact other Avening contacts by email. b) To discuss and agree next steps for implementing the Dog Control Order at the Recreation Ground Cllr Parsons had spoken with Hilary Beach, the member of staff at CDC about the Dog Control Order. The Clerk had contacted her but she is currently away on holiday. Officers have inspected the field on two occasions and will inspect again when the children are back at school. All to be mindful that there is a correct procedure to be gone through when implementing a Dog Control order. c) To receive a paper about the Annual Parish Meeting and agree next steps. The Chair was keen that the meeting was led by Parishoners and that The Parish Council would be one of the bodies present. Councillors would be available at the meeting for parishioners to talk to. As this year’s meeting will be a change from the past, it was suggested that groups who had received a grant would be invited to send a written report on how they had spent the grant money to be available at the meeting. Cllrs were keen to have a good attendance at this meeting and this is why they were seeking something different this year. There would be no top table. d) To decide the action to be taken in order to repair the Avening Sign by the school and agree next steps There was discussion about why the carved oak Avening sign had deteriorated in the six years since it had gone up. ACTION Cllr Mitchell offered to investigate this matter and come back with a report to the next meeting. e) To note the contents of the poster about stone walls in Avening, to note developments in the process and to agree next steps. The Clerk had received two responses about stone walls in Avening. One was near the stream and the other had several walls in need of repair. It was noted that the AONB stonewalling group may not be in a position to repair the walls until next year. There was discussion about whether Council had the powers to contribute to Cotswold Stone wall repair. The Clerk said she felt they did (CAB 25.1)’ Local Councils can statutorily take a certain part in maintaining or improving the general appearance of villages, and can also exert a persuasive influence to the same effect on other people. The sum total of these powers is greater than is sometimes supposed’. He (CAB) cites National Heritage Act 1980 s3 or where a specific power is lacking Local Government Act 1972 s 137 as being particularly useful. f) To discuss arrangements for the forthcoming jubilee celebrations and agree next steps. To agree expenditure which will be the subject of a paper to be distributed shortly. The Chair had noted that the Clerk had not minuted a resolution to allocate the £1,000 grant expenditure for the Jubilee. Councillors were clear that the sum of £1,000 had been offered. Council RESOLVED to allocate a maximum of £1,000 + VAT from the Community Projects fund for the Jubilee. Council would pay the invoices direct as their grant to Jubilee Committee. It was noted that the Parochial Church Council was responsible for insurance for the event. Since the meeting a note form the permanent Clerk and some recent training has suggested that Council should request a copy of the public liability insurance for this event. ACTION Clerk to request. g) To consider the suggestion for a Planning Forum group for Avening and to examine the implications of this in relation to the Council. To consider the Localism Act and its implications for Avening. This suggestion was to have a Planning Forum for the village. The Parish Council is vigilant with regards to Planning Applications but recent experience suggests that they were a small voice and had little influence. It was felt that a bigger body with a louder voice was needed, where villages would communicate with each other and support each other. It was suggested that we invite a speaker to talk to the meeting on this issue. GRCC will be attending the Annual Parish meeting. Council noted that they can’t make formal arrangements until they know more about the new Planning Framework and what their responsibilities will be. As a result of this discussion Cllrs Mitchell and Conway agreed to host the Planning table at the Annual Parish meeting. ACTION Cllr Parson agreed to speak to Nick Parsons from CDC.
08/12	FINANCE
	a) Budget Status and Balance at Bank (Attached) The current balance at bank and in the deposit account was 13062.01 with 10067.87 in the deposit account as at 31^st March 2012 . Yearend Balance was set out on the monthly budget sheet and on the excel spreadsheet. Council examined these documents and received copies of the Excel spreadsheet. Council received copies of the Yearend Bank Reconciliation. b) To approve bills for payment · Clerks’ Salary less income tax and NI plus expenses £1689.99 · HMRC £36.56 · Contribution towards broken computer costs £50 · Cheques written since the last meeting: Ms J A Wickham £360.76 for May’s Salary which is similar to the permanent Clerk’s standing order. Councillors received a list of payments. Cllr Reid asked why there were two salary amounts for Mrs Cook and the Clerk explained that part of the salary is paid by standing order for Mrs Cook. This is to even up the payment dates as gaps between meetings vary considerably and also to prevent non-payment of salary if there is a reason for a delayed payment due to illness for example. The additional hours plus expenses are paid on the meeting date. c) To finalise Budget arrangements for 2012/13 (attached) Council had been particularly cautious in spending 2011/2012 because they anticipated that they might get greater demands on their funds with local groups losing funding from other sources. It was RESOLVED that this under spend provided an opportunity to add to reserves, which would be increased from £6,000 to £10,000 with immediate effect. d) To report on the annual review of effectiveness of internal control and internal audit (finance committee) It was noted that at the end of the previous meeting Councillors inspected the accounts using the internal audit form where they trace an item from an instruction in the minutes, to receipt of invoice, to the accounts folder which is green, to the accounts book, which is blue, to the bank statement and the cheque book. Councillors also reviewed and signed two monthly budget sheets.
09/12	OFFICE MATTERS
	a) To hear the response about the Reading room from the Village Hall Commitee and agree next steps. The Clerk had spoken with the Chair of the Village Hall Committee. It was not possible to use the meeting room. It needed to have an internal fire alarm. This would cost approx. £400. There was also the issue of greater storage being needed to store the many things that were kept in the Reading room at that time. The next steps are to speak with the Chair at either the Annual Parish meeting or the Annual Council meeting. b) To consider purchasing the Governance and Accountability book from SLCC at a cost of £25 Council instructed the Clerk to purchase this book. c) To consider extending the PO Box for 6 months at a cost of £95 plus VAT Mrs Cook had agreed to pass on post to Ms Wickham, and so the PO Box is no longer needed.
10/12	PLANNING
	a) LICENSING ACT 2003:  NOTIFICATION OF LICENCE APPLICATION From Cotswolds District Council Please be aware that we have received the following application: The Great Tythe Barn, Folly Farm, Tetbury (Premises Licence Variation application, mainly to extend existing hours). This application can be viewed on our online register at: http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=2592&tt=cotswold and the application number is 12/00264/PRMV.  Our Ward Councillor can make a response. The closing date for representations is 26^th April 2012. noted this application. b) New Planning Applications Received since the Publication of the Agenda 12/01483/FUL Ward: Avening Date: 17 April 2012 Location: Herons Mead, West End, Avening, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8NE Proposal: Extend domestic curtilage to include access road to stable block and retaining wall Case officer: Claire Baker Application: 11/05869/LBC Ward: Avening Date decided: 19 March 2012 Decision: Application Permit Location: Avening House, High Street, Avening, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8NH Proposal: Internal alterations to form new kitchen. Councillors noted these Planning Applications.
11/12	TO AGREE A RESPONSE TO THE CORRESPONDENCE LISTED WITH THE AGENDA Councillors noted this correspondence.
13/12	TO NOTE CORRESPOONDENCE LISTED WITH THE AGENDA
	Councillors noted this correspondence.
	There was no other urgent correspondence received since the publication of the agenda.

The Next Meeting of Avening Parish Council will be the Annual Council Meeting which will be help on Thursday, 17^th May 2012 in Avening Memorial Hall at 7.30 p.m. Correspondence for Information (to be available at the Meeting). This will be followed by the Annual Parish Meeting which will be held on Thursday 31^st May at 7.30pm in Avening Memorial Hall. All welcome.