Minutes 2nd October 2008
BACKWELL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2008
AT BACKWELL PARISH HALL
PRESENT: Cllrs C Pope (Chairman), G Boylan, B Bucknell, T Collinson, R Drew,
M Gibbons-Price, B Huggins, J Llewellyn, R Mason, S Miller, S Ould, S Pope,
D Sparks and R Taylor
IN ATTENDANCE: J Stone - Clerk of the Council
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Ms A Watkins and Ms Baughan (Westleigh Infants School), Mr M Pratt (Backwell Playing Fields Charity), Mr J Hobday and Mr R Ridge (Wellspring Counselling), Ms V Angear (North Somerset Times), Mrs P Lloyd and Mrs M Sage
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present and pointed out the location of the emergency exits and toilets
1. Apologies
469 Cllr R Day and District Cllr K Barclay
2. Minutes
470 The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 4th September 2008 were unanimously confirmed as a correct record by those present at that meeting
3. Public Participation
Standing Orders were suspended
None
4. To receive requests for grant applications for £2,000 and above from
following applicants:-
a. Backwell Playing Fields Charity - Mr M Pratt, Chairman of the Managing Trustees of the BPFC, explained the reasons for submitting 3 grant applications and are looking to receive one of the following:
(a) to convert existing loan of £3,352 to grant
(b) maintenance costs of £3,000
(c) new equipment in the sum of £4,576
b. West Leigh Infants School PTA - Ms A Watkins, Chair of PTA, explained that the PTA are looking for help towards creating a wildlife area in the school field in the sum of £2,000.
c. Wellspring Counselling - Mr J Hobday, Treasurer of Trustees, gave a
short presentation on their Counselling work, and are seeking a grant of
£2,000.
d. West Backwell Bowling Club have applied for a grant in the sum of
£5,000. No representation was made.
e. Backwell Parish Hall Management Committee - Cllr B Huggins, Chairman of Backwell Parish Hall Management Committee, informed members that they are seeking a grant of £10,000 towards a new wall, and had received 2 quotes in the sums of £18,000 and £25,000.
Standing Orders were reinstated
5. Declarations Of Interest
The Chairman referred to the Declaration of Interests Register and asked members of Council if there were any further items to be entered in the Register. The following entries were made by Members in the Declarations of Interest Register:-
471 Personal interest
Cllr T Collinson - District Cllr for North Somerset Council - abstains from
voting on planning matters
Cllr R Mason - Agenda Item 13 - Telephone box - lives in Westfield Close
Cllr M Gibbons-Price - Agenda Item 13 - Telephone box -lives in Westfield Close
Cllr S Pope - Agenda Item 11 - Bristol International Airport - Council representative
Cllr D Sparks - Agenda Item 13 - Telephone boxes- employed by BT
Cllr R Mason - Agenda Item 4d - West Backwell Bowling Club
Cllr S Miller - Agenda Item 4c - Wellspring grant application - Counselling Supervisor (not for Wellspring)
Cllr R Mason - Agenda Item 14g - Backwell Youth Club - observer
Cllr R Drew - Agenda Item 14g - Backwell Youth Club - observer
472 Prejudicial interest
Cllr S Pope - Grant Application - Husband is Treasurer of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 4e
Cllr S Pope - Husband is Treasurer of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 9
Cllr C Pope - Grant Application - Treasurer of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 4e
Cllr C Pope - Treasurer of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 9
Cllr B Huggins - Grant Application - Chairman of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 4e
Cllr B Huggins - Chairman of Backwell Parish Hall - Agenda Item 9
6. To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay
before the Council
473 None
7. To answer questions from Councillors (Standing Order 26)
474 None
8. To receive and consider Reports and Minutes of Committees
To receive the draft minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting held on Thursday 18th September 2008
475 Noted
9. To receive report from Cllr B Huggins - Backwell Parish Hall Management
Trustees
476 Noted
10. To receive and consider letter from Avon & Somerset Constabulary received
1.9.08 regarding Community Policing Awards
477 Noted
11. To receive and consider email and letter dated 15.9.08 from Parish Councils
Airport Association inviting Backwell Parish Council to re-join
Cllr S Pope spoke regarding the letter received from the Parish Councils Airport
Association, and explained the reasons why Backwell Parish Council were no
longer members. Members debated this issue.
478 Resolved: Unanimous Backwell Parish Council do not wish to renew their
membership of the Parish Councils Airport Association
12. To receive, consider and approve Backwell Parish Council meeting timetable
for January - December 2009
479 Resolved: Unanimous timetable approved
13. To consider retention of telephone boxes at West Town Road and Westfield
Close for historical and aesthetic reasons (no working equipment to be
retained)
Members debated this issue.
480 Resolved: By a majority vote Backwell Parish Council do not wish to retain
the telephone boxes in West Town Road and Westfield Close
14. To receive and consider reports from Working Parties of the Council and
Councillors:
a. Cllr R Mason updated members on the progress of the Community Plan Working Group.
481 Noted: Defer to November meeting
482 b. Cllr R Taylor updated members regarding the Over 60's Tea Party, which is being held on Thursday 9th October. The Chairman thanked the Village Enhancement Working Party for all their help in arranging this function.
c. Cllr R Mason updated members on the situation of the planting of bulbs
at roundabout at Church Lane & Dark Lane
483 Noted: Defer to November meeting
d. Cllr R Drew informed members that the Clerk had written to North
Somerset Council regarding the setting up of a Youth Council, and was still
awaiting a reply.
484 Noted: Defer to November meeting
e. Cllr R Drew informed members that the Clerk had written to North
Somerset Council re the new local bus route, and was still awaiting a reply.
485 Noted: Defer to November meeting
f. Cllr R Drew reported that he was waiting for the minutes of the last
Nailsea and Backwell Children's Centre meeting
486 Noted: Defer to November meeting
g. Cllr R Drew informed members that he was waiting for minutes for the
last meeting of Backwell Youth Club
487 Noted: Defer to November meeting
h. Cllr D Sparks report was noted regarding Web Site Development.
488 Resolved: Unanimous that Auxillio Solutions be appointed to supply the
Parish Council's website
i. Cllr S Pope informed members that the waiting restriction sign in Rodney
Road car park had been missing since the new North Somerset Council sign was
erected.
489 Resolved: Unanimous the Clerk to write to North Somerset Council with an
explanation as to why we want the sign reinstated
j. Cllr C Pope reported on the meeting which Cllr B Huggins and he had
attended regarding Bus Shelters on A370.
490 Resolved: Unanimous the bus shelter in West Town Road owned by
Backwell Parish Council be formally handed over to North Somerset Council
as from 3rd October 2008
k. Cllr R Taylor updated members on the increased litter at Rodney Road
Green.
491 Resolved: Unanimous the Clerk to write a strongly worded letter to Julian
Baldwin at Backwell School requesting pupils to use the litter bins provided
l. Cllr R Taylor reported on the situation regarding the lack of public
conveniences in Backwell. At present there are no working conveniences in the
village. Cllr Taylor requested the sum of £3,000 to be placed in the Special
Projects Budget for the 2009/10 financial year in the event that the toilets be
reopened. The Chairman advised that the matter needed to be placed before the
Finance Working Party in order for it to be put before Council for authorization.
492 Noted
15. To receive and consider a report from the Clerk of the Council
493 (a) Report noted
494 (b) None
16. To receive and consider:- Relevant correspondence (all available at office
for viewing)
495 Correspondence noted.
17. (a) To receive and consider income and expenditure schedule for September 2008 (checked by Cllr M Gibbons Price prior to meeting)
496 Members noted the schedule previously circulated
(b) To authorise expenditure for the month of September 2008
497 Resolved: to unanimously authorise expenditure
17 (c) To receive External auditor's certificate and opinion
498 Resolved: Unanimous the Chairman wished to place on record the Councils
grateful thanks to the Clerk for her work in preparing the Annual Return
17 (d) To receive and consider quotation from WRS Alarms for erection,
support and removal of Festive Decorations within the village (price held at
same level as 2007 - £4,020 excluding VAT)
499 Resolved: Unanimous to accept the quote from WRS Alarms in the sum
of £4,020 excluding VAT
17 (e) To authorise repair of Parish Hall Xmas Decoration
500 Members were informed that WRS Alarms had repaired the motif free of
charge
17 (f) To note 2009/10 grant applications received to date for budget
preparation
501 Noted
18. To consider the following planning applications:
Cllr Collinson abstained from voting on Planning due to his role as District
Councillor for North Somerset Council
a. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 08/P/1956/F - CIDER FARM,
BACKWELL COMMON, BACKWELL - MR G BOWERMAN -
Erection of a single storey side extension to form double garage and en-suite
and internal alterations
502 Resolved: Unanimous no objection
b. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 08/P/1957/LB - CIDER FARM,
BACKWELL COMMON, BACKWELL - MR G BOWERMAN -
Erection of a single storey side extension to form double garage and en-suite
and internal alterations
503 Resolved: Unanimous no objection
19. INVITATIONS
Invitation to attend Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS) Conference
& AGM on Friday 7th November 2008 at The Campus, Locking Castle,
Weston-super-Mare between 9 am and 2 pm
504 Noted: If any members wish to attend to contact the Clerk
There being no further items of business, the Chairman closed the meeting at
2040 hours
DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS:
Full Council - Thursday 6th November 2008, 1930 hours at Backwell Parish Hall
Planning -Thursday 20th November 2008, 1900 hours at Backwell Parish Hall