18th March 2021

CASTLE COMBE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the remote Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 18.03.21

via ZOOM

Present:

Cllr’s:  F. Winup (Chairman).

  1. Mackelden.
  2. Bettles.
  3. Blair
  4. Mrs. J Halliday
  5. Prior.
  6.  Mrs. H. Reeves.
  1. Ryall (Clerk)

Members of the public – 6

  1. Apologies for absence

Unitary Cllr P. Whitehead.

  1. Declarations of interest:

Cllr. Reeves – item 7. Whitegate garages – convert to Chapel etc.

  1. Minutes of the meetings held 21.01.21

It was proposed by Cllr Bettles and seconded by Cllr Mackelden that these were accepted as a true record. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting and will be signed remotely by the Chairman.

  1. Matters Arising:

4A. Area Board Meeting and Parish Forum.

Area Board.

There is no date for the next ZOOM meeting.

Parish Forum.

All meetings cancelled until further notice.

4B. Parking Review.

  1. i) Road Markings.

Cllr Winup confirmed that the existing road surface marking & the yellow lines will not be repainted  until the Spring  having been promised two years ago. Cllr Halliday agreed to progress the start date.

  1. ii) Parking statistics

Cllr Winup said only one person booked since October due to the lockdown. He will ask parking services to have a significant presence over Easter in view of  the previous problems.

4C Footpaths

Cllr Winup said the Park Lane footpath was clear with the wall having been rebuilt. It will be reopened and the tape removed after inspection by Steve Leonard, Wilts Council.

Cllr Bettles said he has been told the path to Nettleton Mill is clear.

The Chairman said there has been no further response from Wiltshire Council re the dangerous Cripple Shanks bridlepath. He said the Parish Council’s concerns are on record and will be revisited if there is a further accident as this is a Health & Safety issue for which the Unitary Council is responsible under the 1990 Highways Act. He said Wiltshire Council has installed an official metal “no bridle path” on the Trim Tram footpath and the physical barrier has been replaced.

4F. Market Cross

Cllr Winup said the estimated final cost remains at £87370 of which £4062 (retentions etc) is not yet payable and that the one year defect period expired in February. He said David Newton (project designer) has not finalised the maintenance plan and documentary research due to family illness and that 40% of his fees are not due until this is complete.

4M. Speeding on the Hill.

The Chairman said there are only three volunteers for Speed Watch proposal making it impractical. The 20mph speed limit does appear to have slightly reduced vehicle speeds on the hill.

4N. Chapel Car Park

The Chairman said there was no progress on first registration despite the Land Registry promise to treat as a special case. The solicitors are continuing to progress the Land Registry.

4O. Financial Standing Orders.

These have not been reviewed by the Clerk & Chairman due to the COVID restrictions.

4Q. Notice Boards.

The Chairman said the Upper CC board has been refurbished with thanks to Gareth Hare for the considerable assistance he has given with the corroded ironwork etc.  The final cost was £16 against a replacement quote of £1000.

4R. Second Homes and Holiday Lets.

The Chairman said he has informed the Wilts Council Leader that Camden Council declines planning applications for holiday lets. The Leader has replied that this is due to the local Camden Act. The Chairman asked why the local Act cannot be passed in Wiltshire if it can in Camden. The Leader said will have further discussions with the Planning Director.

6A. Elections.

The Clerk reminded the Council that the election is on Thursday 6th May and that nomination papers must be hand delivered to the returning officer at The Main Reception, Monkton Park between 10am & 4pm on any working day (excluding Good Friday 2 April21 and Easter Monday 5April 21) but not later than 4pm on Thursday 8 April 21.

The following papers from the nomination pack must be delivered:

1a. Nomination paper, 1b. Home address (part1 & part 2), 1c. Candidates consent to nomination (including the papers of legislation).

He said that he can supply the Electoral numbers of the proposer & seconder from the Register of Electors.

  1. Finance.                                                                                                  £                                                                                                        

Income

Shawbrook Bank – interest                                                                          10.23

CC Colts – rent &insurance                                                                       176.46

Expenditure

The Councillors checked and reviewed and approved the following invoices:

Southern Electric – quarterly bill                                                                64.92

Parish Council Web Sites – hosting fee                                                    200.00

  1. Ryall – salary             410.80

HMRC – tax                                                                                              239.20

Cllr Winup – Chairman’s expenses                                                          125.00

D.Ryall – petty cash                                                                                    25.00

Cllr Winup – newsletter printing & wastebin lids                                      99.47

 

Lloyds Bank current account @ 23.02.21                                          £30350.44

Shawbrook Bank deposit account.                                                       £1000.00

6.Correspondence

Cotswold Natural Landscape (AONB) have awarded £1326 to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to clear the invasive Himalayan Balsam from the Bybrook between Castle Combe and Box by Sept 2021.

  1. Planning applications

P.C. Approved:

Park Lane Cottage – single storey underground extension.

Fuchsia Cottage – fell Cypress tree.

Upper Combe Lodge – 30% reduction to 15 Sycamore,2 Elm & 2 Ash trees.

Lower Colham Mill – replace door & window with French doors.

The Stables UCC – change of use & single storey extension.

Land behind Shrub Farm – new agricultural access.

Lower Colham Mill – solar panels on garage.

Trelawney UCC – fell Cypress tree.

Middle Dene UCC – height reduction 12 Field Maple trees.

P.C. Under Consideration.

Woodbury House UCC – transformation of building & out houses.

Upper Combe Lodge – fell 3 Ash trees.

Westway Farm – fell 1 Ash tree.

PC Rejected

Garages, Whitegates – demolish & build Chapel/community centre.

This application, which has now been withdrawn, caused significant adverse comment in view of the lack of prior consultation by the applicants with local residents. It also led to numerous inaccurate and ill informed social media postings where people misinterpreted prior consultation with Wilts Council planning as meaning the Parish Council. The latter had no more notice of the application than the general public and after studying the application in detail decided to object to it. None of those making the adverse comments on social media took the trouble to withdraw them.

Unitary Council under Consideration.

Combe Cottage – change of use from shop to dwelling. WITH DRAWN

The Stables UCC – change of use and single storey extension.

Lower Colham Mill – solar panels on garage.

TrelawneyUCC – fell Cypress tree.

Middle Dean UCC – height reduction 12 Field Maples.

Woodbury House UCC – transformation of building & out houses.

Upper Combe Lodge – fell 3Ash trees.

Westway FarmYard – fell1 Ash tree.

Unitary Council – Granted

Park Lane Cottage – single storey underground extension.

Lower Colham Mill – replace door and window with French doors.

All outstanding tree applications before March.

Unitary Council Rejected.  – Nil

  1. Unitary Councillor

No comments received.

  1. CC Circuit & Playing Field

CC Circuit – Cllr Mackelden reported that the circuit is closed and no liaison meeting arranged.

Playing Field – Cllr Mackelden reported there is still no football taking place and that CC Colts continue to keep the field neat & tidy. He said the Police use the field occasionally for dog training. The revised lease is in good shape after the recent meeting and will be discussed with CC Colts.

  1. Play Areas

Cllr Mackelden said the additional wood chippings were required and it will be better if laid in the Spring. Cllr Bettles suggested Barry Senneck might have wood chippings available.

Cllr Reeves reported that the Whitegates area needed the surface cleaning which Cllr Prior said would take place at the end of March and he would check the date with Vita Play.(confirmed as 25 or 26th March 21).

  1. 1 Highways

Cllr Halliday reported that in Upper Combe the village steward has filled pot holes, cleared grips/gullies and at Whitegates done some litter picking, cut back the Manor side hedge and discussed with her and Cllr Reeves the footpaths etc which need weeding and moss clearing.  He will carry out weed killing behind the play area and on the paths in April. All of the drains/gullies been cleared and all salt boxes checked throughout the village. The temporary 20mph speed limit sign has been replaced.

The potholes near the estate yard and on the Ford road are getting worse and she will ask if resurfacing is possible. The layby on this road is deteriorating and she will liaise with Cllr Bettles regarding collection and delivery of scalpings.

There have been a number of camper vans on the car park which were moved on by Wilts Council.

  1. Village Environment.

Cllr Prior reported that the was no significant fly tipping and that his grandmother Mrs Sheila Prior is continuing to litter pick around the local roads, The Chairman said the Council was very grateful to Mrs. Prior & asked Cllr Prior to thank her.

Cllr Prior said he had acquired a CCTV sign for the car park which he would fit in the near future.

  1. Whitegates

Cllr Reeves reported that there was concern about possible future planning applications for the garage/Chapel not being discussed with the Whitegates residents. She said the goal nets & play are well used and the children would like to create a wildlife area which the Council agreed should be close to the bus turning circle. Cllr Reeves said she would arrange for an area to be marked out and Wilts Council contacted. Graffiti has again been sprayed on the bus shelter by a none resident and she will speak to the family concerned.

  1. TV. Committee.

The Chairman reported that all subscriptions have been received and income is now in surplus by £286

and the assets stand at £7015. The maintenance costs will be high this year with the amplifier mast repairs having been deferred until the Spring.

  1. Village Hall

The Chairman said the hall is closed for lockdown and that 2 builders have examined the roof but not submitted a quote. The net assets stand at £10257.

16.Best Kept Village Competition.

The Council unanimously agreed that the village would not enter this year and that a village tidy will be arranged in the Spring.

17.Gigaclear Installation

The Clerk said he had obtained the draft implementation plans from Chris Morris, Gigaclear, for the council to review. He said the major areas of concern were timing, excavations in the lower village and missing properties. The Chairman said he thought the village was being railroaded on schedules particularly after previous adverse comments. After discussion the Council asked the Clerk to contact Gigaclear stating that October/December would be better being away from the peak visitor season, the centre of the village is a sensitive area and any excavations etc must be done carefully, missing properties need to be identified and a walk round the village with the Chairman and Clerk is essential.

The Chairman said a previous installation by Fujitsu in the lower village should be investigated.

  1. Coronavirus update

The Chairman said the latest Wiltshire stats were 36/100K population compared with 66/100K nationally. Both have fallen by nearly 90% since the last meeting.

  1. Date of next meeting.

This was confirmed as Thursday 20.05.21 at 7.00 p.m. for the Parish Annual Meeting followed by the Council Annual Meeting at 7.30pm. either by ZOOM or in the village hall.  (awaiting clarification from NALC.)