Minutes 5th February 2009
BACKWELL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2009
AT BACKWELL PARISH HALL
PRESENT: Cllrs C Pope (Chairman), G Boylan, B Bucknell, T Collinson, R Day,
R Drew, M Gibbons Price, 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 C O'Flaherty, Ms A Wilkinson, Mr & Mrs H Batten, Mr R Noble and Mr M Wilkinson from Nailsea Times
The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present and pointed out the location of the emergency exits and toilets
1. Apologies
060 Cllrs B Huggins, J Llewellyn and District Cllr K Barclay
2. Minutes
The Minutes of the Parish Council Meetings held on:
061 (a) Thursday 8th January 2009 and
062 (b) Thursday 15th January 2009
were unanimously confirmed as a correct record by those present at those meetings
3. Public Participation
Standing Orders were suspended
Ms A Wilkinson, Ms C O'Flaherty and Mr R Noble all voiced their objections
to the siting of the proposed pedestrian crossing on the A370 West Town Road.
Standing Orders were reinstated
4. 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:-
063 Personal interest
Cllr T Collinson - District Cllr for North Somerset Council - abstains from
voting on planning matters
Cllr S Pope - Agenda Item 12e - Bristol International Airport - Council
Representative on Consultative Committee
064 Prejudicial interest
None
5. To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay
before the Council
065 The Chairman informed members that Mr Peter Nelson, former Chairman of
Backwell Parish Council, had died. Funeral details are available in the Parish
Office
6. To answer questions from Councillors (Standing Order 26)
066 None
7. To receive and consider Joint Waste Core Strategy for the West of
England - Invitation to Public Consultation and drop-in sessions 15th
January to 12th March 2009
067 Noted
8. To receive and consider Consultation - Communities in Control: Real
Life People, Real Power - Code of recommended practice on Local
Authority Publicity (response due 12.3.09)
068 Noted
9. Update on road safety at West Town Road, Backwell
069 The Chairman advised members that a site meeting had been arranged with
North Somerset Council on Monday 9th February at 3.30 pm.
This matter to be discussed at March 5th Full Council meeting.
10. To receive and consider letter received from NSC dated 23.1.09 regarding
Changes to Dog Control Legislation (response due 27.2.09)
070 Noted
11. To receive and consider letter from NSC dated 23.1.09 regarding Gypsy
and Traveller Sites Allocations Development Plan document - Pre-
Production Brief - (Response due 6.3.09)
071 Noted
12. To receive and consider reports from Working Parties of the Council and
Councillors:
a. Cllr R Taylor updated members on the Village Enhancement Working Party Report, and the following recommendations were discussed:-
1. The purchase of two new notice boards were discussed, one for Moor Lane and one for Fairfield Mead. The existing notice board at Moor Lane to be moved to the recreation ground at West Town Road
072 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council to authorise the sum of up
to £3,000 for the supply and fit of two new notice boards, and the removal
of the Moor Lane notice board to the recreation ground
2. Hanging Baskets were discussed. Cllr R Day informed members that
he had contacted Roundtrees regarding the purchase of baskets, and the Clerk
was awaiting a response from them.
073 Resolved: Unanimously the Council supports the proposal that hanging
baskets are once again purchased in the village (as they were last year) and traders contacted regarding agreement and costs
3. Cllr R Taylor updated members on the condition of the doggie bins
at Moor Lane, and reported that they all needed to be replaced
074 Noted: Defer to March 5th Full Council meeting
4. Cllr R Taylor informed members that the VEWP would like to
repeat the following events in 2009:-
Tea Party for the over 60's in October
Installation of Christmas Tree
Christmas Carols around the tree in conjunction with the Churches
075 Resolved: Costs to be submitted to Council to cover these events at
a future time
b. Planting of bulbs near roundabout Church Lane/Dark Lane
Members were informed that a letter had been sent to CEMEX, and the
Clerk was awaiting a response.
076 Noted: To be discussed at March 5th Full Council meeting
c. Cllr R Drew - Local bus service
077 Noted: Defer to March 5th Full Council meeting
d. Members discussed Cllr R Taylor's report on 2-4 Dark Lane, Backwell.
Several members debated this issue, and all felt strongly that Backwell Parish
Council had been let down by North Somerset Council, and were dismayed
as to why the request for a site meeting was turned down. It was noted that
36 letters of objection by local residents had been sent.
078 Resolved: Unanimously that Backwell Parish Council write a strongly worded letter to North Somerset Council expressing our displeasure at their
decision to grant planning permission, and that the Council has lost faith in
the planning system.
079 e. Cllr S Pope's report on Bristol International Airport was noted by
members. Cllr Pope urged all Councillors to attend the Parish Office to view
the details of the Development Proposals and the Planning Applicant/Consultation
Update, which was presented to the Consultative Committee at their last meeting
f. Cllr S Pope updated members on the new traffic calming measures which
had been installed at Downside. Members discussed this issue, and it was felt
that the measures were ineffective and had resulted in cars speeding through the
gap to avoid oncoming traffic
080 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council write to North Somerset
Council and request a site meeting to discuss the traffic calming
measures.
13. To receive and consider a report from the Clerk of the Council
081 (a) Report noted
082 (b) None
14. To receive and consider:- Relevant correspondence (all available at office
for viewing)
083 Correspondence noted
15. Accounts
a. To receive and consider the income and expenditure schedule for
February 2009 (Checked by Cllr R Taylor prior to meeting)
084 Members noted the schedule previously circulated
b. To authorise expenditure for the month of February 2009
085 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
16. Planning Matters
To consider the following planning applications:-
a. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0023/F - 64 FARLEIGH
ROAD, BACKWELL - MR D HARRIS - Erection of a single and two
storey side and rear extensions and associated landscape works
086 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council has no objection
b. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0036/F - YEW TREE
COTTAGE, FELTON - MR W JONES -Change of use of existing garden building to 4 no. bed and breakfast rooms retrospective) and reinstatement of Yew Tree Cottage as a single dwelling
087 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council confirms their original
refusal, and we strongly object to the garden buildings being changed to 4 Bed and Breakfasts, as it does not confirm with Green Belt Policy. We presume Yew Tree Cottage is, and always will be, a single dwelling.
c. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0059/F - SUMMERVALE,
MOOR LANE, BACKWELL - MR D ABRUZZO - Erection of a new
outbuilding for domestic garden storage to replace the existing derelict
building attached to the existing garage
088 Resolved: Unanimously no objection as long as it is for domestic use only
d. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0065/F - 18 STATION
ROAD, BACKWELL - MR A MATTHEWS - Erection of a single storey
side extension and loft conversion with 2 no. rear dormers
089 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
e. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0094/F - WOODLEA,
33 MOOR LANE, BACKWELL - CONSENSUS SUPPORT SERVICES -
Erection of a single storey extension to care home (south of north block)
090 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
f. PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 09/P/0132/F - MR & MRS
WINTLE, 33 MOORFIELD ROAD, BACKWELL - Erection of a single
storey front extension
091 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
17. To Consider Appeal Reference: APP/DO121/A/08/2093183/NWF -
Description: Change of use from builders yard to car park and siting of mobile office. Location: Land at Long Lane, Backwell Hill Road, Backwell, BS48 3EQ
Appellant: Manor Felton Ltd
Response required by 11th February 2009
092 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council confirms their previous
objections to this application, and fully support North Somerset Council's
refusal, as it does not confirm to Green Belt Policy
CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS
Resolved: That pursuant to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the Public and Press be excluded from the meeting for the following items due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
18. STAFF
Update on staff matters
096 RESOLVED: Unanimous; Mrs Stone's leave entitlement after five years service should be in line with the previous Clerk and her Contract of Employment amended accordingly.
There being no further items of business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 2050 hours
DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS:
Full Council Meeting - Thursday 5th March 2009 - 1930 hours at Backwell Parish Hall
Planning - Thursday 19th March 2009 - 1900 hours at Backwell Parish Hall