Full Council Minutes 1st October 2009

BACKWELL PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2009

IN BACKWELL PARISH HALL, BACKWELL

 

PRESENT: Cllrs C Pope (Chairman), G Boylan, B Bucknell, R Drew, M Gibbons-Price, B Huggins, J Llewellyn, R Mason, S Ould, S Pope, D Sparks and R Taylor

 

IN ATTENDANCE: District Cllr K Barclay and Mrs J Stone - Clerk of the Council.

 

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: Ms K Patterson, Ms E Yates, Mr G Wills, Mrs

D Brooks, Mr A Gould and Ms S Pope - North Somerset Times

 

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone present and pointed out the location of the emergency exits and toilets.

 

1. Apologies

408 Cllrs T Collinson and S Miller

 

2. Minutes

409 The Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 3rd September 2009

were unanimously confirmed as a correct record by those present at that meeting

 

3. Public Participation

Standing Orders were suspended

None

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:-

410 Personal interest

Cllr S Pope - Agenda Item 13 Bristol Airport - Member of Consultative

Committee

Cllr R Mason - Agenda Item 21a Community Plan - Member of Community

Plan Working Group

411 Prejudicial interest

None

 

5. To receive requests for grant applications for £2,000 and above from following applicants:

412 Standing Orders were suspended

413 a. Backwell Playing Fields Charity - Mr A Gould very briefly outlined

their 2 grant applications as Mr M Pratt had previously given full details at the September 3rd Full Council meeting. Mr Gould answered questions from Councillors

 

 

414 b. Backwell Parish Hall Management Trustees - Mr B Huggins read

out a short report regarding their grant application for new chairs in the

Parish Hall and answered questions from Councillors

 

415 c. Backwell School - Ms E Yates gave a short presentation on their grant application for ongoing support of a school Counsellor, and answered questions from Council. Ms K Patterson explained briefly the grant application for Duke of Edinburgh Award and Outward Bound courses and answered questions from Councillors

 

6. To co-opt new member onto Backwell Parish Council

Members voted to co-opt a Councillor onto Backwell Parish Council to

fill the casual vacancy. There were 2 candidates

416 Resolved: Unanimously Mrs D Brooks was co-opted by a majority vote of the members present

417 Standing Orders were reinstated

 

7. To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay

before the Council

418 The Chairman briefly ran through the arrangements for the Village of the

Year judging next Wednesday 7th October and the Over 60's Tea Party on Thursday 8th October 2009

 

8. To answer questions from Councillors (Standing Order 26).

419 None

 

9. To receive and consider Reports and Minutes of Committees

420 None

 

10. Proposed closure of Backwell Library

The Chairman updated members on North Somerset Council's proposed closure

of Backwell Library. He invited District Cllr K Barclay to speak on this matter,

and she spoke of the value of a library service in Backwell and the need to keep

a static library. She had been informed by NSC that they were considering

alternatives and she informed members of the possibility of parishioners using

Backwell School's library as an alternative measure, and she had spoken with the Headmaster of Backwell School, Mr J Baldwin, who had in principle thought it

a good idea

421 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council supports District Cllr

K Barclay in her efforts to maintain a library service in Backwell

 

11. Hyatts Wood Road - speeding vehicles

Cllr S Pope's comments were noted by members.

422 Noted: Defer to November meeting

 

 

12. To receive and consider email from Countryside Alliance dated 2.9.09 re Countryside Alliance Awards

423 Noted

 

13. To receive and consider letter from Bristol Airport dated 1.9.09 re draft Noise Action Plan (consultation runs 1st September - 22nd December 2009 - copies available in the Parish Office)

Cllr S Pope suggested members go into the Parish Office to have a look at the

Noise Action Plan. It was agreed that Mr Alan Davies, Planning and

Environmental Director of Bristol International Airport, would be in invited

prior to the Full Council meeting on the 5th November to answer any questions which members may have

424 Noted: To be discussed at the 5th November 2009 Full Council meeting

 

14. To receive and consider email from NSC dated 8.9.09 regarding Gambling Statement of Principles Consultation

425 Noted

 

15. To receive and consider correspondence from Open Spaces Society regarding membership of their Society at a cost of £40 per annum

426 Resolved: Unanimously that Backwell Parish Council join Open Spaces

Society at a cost of £40 per annum

 

16. To receive and consider email from Digital UK dated 4.9.09 regarding digital switchover in this region

427 Noted

 

17. To receive and consider letter from Nationalgrid dated 14.9.09 re Hinkley Point C Connection Project

The Chairman spoke briefly of the proposed project and asked for volunteers

to attend a meeting ahead of the planned public exhibition (date to be confirmed). 428 Noted: Cllrs B Bucknell, D Sparks and S Ould volunteered to attend the meeting

 

18. To receive and consider letter from Avon and Somerset Constabulary re Community Policing Awards 2009

429 Noted: No nominations at this present time

 

19. To receive and consider email from NSC dated 18.9.09 re changes to waste collection services and invitation for 2 Councillors to attend briefing at the Town Hall, Weston Super Mare on Tuesday 20th October at 7.30 pm

430 Noted: Cllrs J Llewellyn and R Mason to attend

 

20. To receive e briefing from Inspector J Owen, Avon and Somerset Police, dated 16.9.09

431 Noted

 

 

21. To receive and consider reports from working parties of the Council/Cllrs

432 a. Cllr R Mason updated members on the progress of the Community Plan,

and informed members that their findings would probably not be available until

the New Year

 

433 b, c and d -Enhancement Working Party report/Over 60's Afternoon Tea/Village of the Year - Cllr S Pope spoke regarding these matters and confirmed

the final preparations for both the Village of the Year judging and the Over 60s Tea Party. Cllr Pope thanked Cllr S Ould for the decorations provided for the Parish Hall for this event

 

434 e. Cllr R Taylor's report on the History of Backwell was noted by members

 

22. To receive and consider a report from the Clerk of the Council

435 (a) Report noted

436 (b) None

 

23. To receive and consider: - Relevant correspondence (all available at office

for viewing)

437 Correspondence noted

 

24. Accounts

a. To receive and consider the receipts and payments schedule for September 2009

(Checked by Cllr R Taylor prior to meeting)

438 Members noted the schedule previously circulated

 

b. To authorise expenditure for the month of September 2009

439 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure with the additional entries of cheque nos. 101209 and 100044 to Landscape Services in the sum of £450.41 for grass cutting services

 

  1. To receive external Auditor's Certificate and Opinion

440 Resolved: Unanimously the Chairman wished to place on record grateful

thanks to the Clerk for doing a super job for her work in preparing the Annual Return

d. To receive and consider quote for insuring new skateboard equipment at Oatfield

Play Area in the sum of £164.79 (annual premium)

Members debated this issue.

441 Resolved: By a majority vote the new skateboard equipment at Oatfield

Play Area be insured at an annual premium of £164.79.

 

e. To note 2010/11 grant applications received

442 Noted

 

25. Planning Matters

a. To receive and consider questionnaire from Policy Planner at South

Somerset District Council dated 7.9.09 (response due 23rd October 2009)

443 Noted: Cllr R Taylor together with the Clerk to complete on behalf of the Council in accordance with Council policy

 

b. To receive and consider letter from Graham Turner, NSC, dated 8.9.09 re South

West Regional Spatial Strategy

444 Noted

 

c. Appeal Ref. APP/DO121/A/09/2108002/NWF - Cherry Wood Stables, Backwell Hill Road, Backwell -Mr R Walker - temporary living accommodation for worker's dwelling

Cllr R Taylor informed members that following legal advice a letter sent on behalf of the Council had been withdrawn, but he asked for Council's approval to attend the Appeal Hearing on the 20th October 2009 to reiterate Backwell Parish Council's refusal that the application does not comply with Green Belt policy.

445 Resolved: Unanimously that Cllr R Taylor attends the Appeal Hearing on

Tuesday 20th October 2009 to give verbal evidence

26. INVITATIONS

a. Invitation to attend Westonhospice Care 20th Birthday celebrations on

Monday 5th October from 2 pm at Jackson Barstow House, 28 Thornbury Road, Uphill, WSM

446 Noted: Members to notify the Clerk if they wish to attend

 

b. Invitation to attend AED Locator (E.U.) 2nd birthday celebrations (re Chew Valley

Defibrillator project) on Thursday 8th October 2009 between 6pm and 8 pm at

Woodford Lodge, Chew Valley Lake, Chew Stoke.

447 Noted: Members to notify the Clerk if they wish to attend

 

DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS:

Full Council Meeting Thursday 5th November 2009 at 1930 hours in Backwell Parish Hall

Planning Committee Meeting Thursday 19th November 2009 at 1900 hours in Backwell Parish Hall

 

There being no further items of business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 2107 hours