BACKWELL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2015
IN BACKWELL PARISH HALL, BACKWELL
Present: Cllrs R Taylor (Chairman), R Barclay, M Bowerman, R Day, S Edwards,
M Gibbons-Price, J Llewellyn, R MacLeavy, J Sear, S Mitchell, S Ould, and G Simmonite
In attendance: Mrs J Stone, Clerk of the Council. District Cllr K Barclay
Members of the public: 4 members of public present. Ms V Angear, 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
423 Cllrs C Cole, H Power and D Seddon
2. Declarations of Interest
To receive Councillors’ declarations of interests and to consider any written
application for dispensations
Personal interest
424 Cllr S Ould – Agenda Item 5a – Grant application Backwell Parish Hall –
Chair of Backwell Parish Hall
Prejudicial interest
425 None
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
426 Cllr S Ould – Agenda Item 10 – Allotment rent review – allotment tenant
3. Minutes (Circulated)
427 The Minutes of the Full Council meeting held on the 3rd September 2015 were unanimously confirmed as a correct record by those present at that meeting
4. Public Participation
428 A member of public spoke and outlined previous reasons for refusal of
planning permission at Farleigh Fields
5. To consider requests for grants (£2,000 and above) from the following
applicants:
429 Standing Orders were suspended
a. Backwell Parish Hall – £2,000
430 Cllr S Ould outlined the reasons for the grant application. Cllr Ould’s comments were noted by members
b. Backwell Youth Club – £10,000
431 Mrs B Cook and Mrs V Wells outlined the reasons for the grant application. Their comments were noted by members
432 Standing Orders were reinstated
The presentation from Backwell Playing Fields will take place at the 5th
November Full Council meeting (£12,000)
433 Noted
6. To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay before the Council
434 The Chairman advised of a letter received from Nailsea Town Council, requesting
a donation towards replacement of the existing skatepark in Millennium Park.
To be discussed at the 5th November Full Council meeting.
435 The Chairman updated members on the progress of the preparation of the draft
budget. A Finance Working Party to be held soon to discuss, together with
consideration of possibly transferring some funds from HSBC to an alternative
financial institution.
436 The Chairman reported on the ALCA AGM he attended last Saturday.
437 The Chairman asked Councillors to consider anyone they wished to invite
to the Chairman’s drinks to notify the Clerk.
438 The Chairman informed members the Christmas lights had been collected
today from storage in the Parish Hall, and were awaiting inspection
7. To answer questions from Councillors
439 None
8. To receive and consider reports and minutes of Committees
To receive the draft Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on
17th September 2015
440 Noted
9. To receive and consider a report from the Clerk of the Council
a. To receive this report
441 Noted
b. Update on non agenda items
442 None
10. To review annual allotment rent for 2016 (currently £29 for a full plot
and £15 for a half plot)
443 Cllr S Ould left the meeting, have declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest
444 Resolved: Unanimously to increase the cost of a full plot from £29 to
£30 and £15 to £16 for a half plot
445 Cllr S Ould rejoined the meeting and was advised of the resolution passed
11. To authorise expenditure for attendance at SLCC Conference on Wednesday 25th November at Golden Valley Hotel, Cheltenham at a cost of £69 + VAT for Clerk and £89 + VAT for Councillors (if 3 places booked 1 free place available)
446 Resolved: Unanimously the Clerk and up to 3 Councillors to attend
12. To authorise expenditure of £110 for hall hire for Backwell Village Show
(18th/19th September)
447 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise
13. To authorise expenditure of £130 plus VAT to purchase replacement banner
448 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise
14. To receive and consider reports from Working Parties of the Council/Cllrs
a. To receive and consider report from Enhancement Working Party
449 Members noted the report
b. To receive and consider recommendations contained within report from Highways Working Party
450 Resolved: Unanimously the Highways Working Party to progress
item no. 1 Downside Road/Hyatts Wood Road speed limit reduction,
road calming measures and additional pedestrian/cycling access
and item no. 3 Signs at The Avenue, Backwell Common and Station Road junction from the report, and report back to Full Council in due course
c. To receive and consider recommendations contained within report from Communications Strategy Working Party
451 Report noted. To be monitored
15. To receive and consider relevant correspondence
All correspondence is available in Parish Office for viewing, and is also available for inspection at the Parish Council meeting
452 Correspondence noted
16. Accounts
a. To receive and consider Receipts and Payments schedule for September 2015 (checked by Cllr M Bowerman prior to the meeting)
453 Noted
b. To authorise expenditure for the month of September 2015
454 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
c. To receive 2016/17 schedule of grant applications
455 Noted
17. Planning
a. To consider NSC Planning Department (consultation with residents
and problems with website)
456 Resolved: Unanimously a letter be sent to NSC outlining the
Parish Council’s concerns regarding lack of consultation with
residents affected by planning applications
b. Farleigh Fields
i Update
457 Members were informed a NSC Highways meeting with
interested parties was taking place on the 26th October 2015
ii To set up a Farleigh Fields Working Party
458 Matter deferred at present
To consider the following planning applications:
c. Planning application no. 15/P/1916/0 Land at Moor Lane, Backwell –
Outline planning permission for the erection of up to 65 dwellings with
associated car parking, landscaping, open spaces and access. All matters
reserved except for access – Taylor Wimpey, c/o agent
459 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council are very concerned
that this is seen to be a normal outline planning application from
a developer, but in fact it has come about because BPC were chosen
as a pilot under the Localism Bill to produce its own Neighbourhood
Plan, the first in North Somerset and in fact the 30th in the country.
The Plan has been adopted by NSC, and Moor Lane is the suggested
preferred site for reasonable development until 2026. The site is
part owned both by NSC and Taylor Wimpey. In the spirit of the
Neighbourhood Plan both Taylor Wimpey and NSC must take on
board what the Parish Council has indicated in their Neighbourhood
Plan. Their residents will not accept any decision that falls outside
of the Plan, and will expect the Parish Council to use all means at
their disposal to fight any that does not. The question has to be asked
if NSC and the developer ignore the Neighbourhood Plan, then what
is the use of other Council’s developing Plans? BPC has to date had
two meetings with Taylor Wimpey, and there has been a willingness
to co-operate, but there are two main obstacles; the mix of houses
and the traffic problems that would occur in Moor Lane and the
junction with Station Road. The Parish Council are of the opinion
the type of houses Taylor Wimpey are suggesting are very run of
the mill that can be seen on most developments, it is quite clear that
the 3 bedroomed houses offered are not suitable for retirement or
downsizing, but are good for first time buyers. As the overwhelming
demand is for small retirement properties as well as superior bungalows for downsizing, the Council respectfully asks they be
included in the mix, thereby giving plenty of choice. The Council
accept that an outline planning application is to agree it in principle,
but are of the opinion they need more dialogue with both Taylor Wimpey and NSC to address these issues. Therefore BPC request NSC defer the application until all parties are in agreement in accordance with the Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan
d. Planning application no. 15/P/2110/LUP 28 Oakleigh Close, Backwell –
Certificate of lawful development for a proposed single storey side infill
and rear extension to existing garage – Mrs Susanna Stephen
460 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
e. Planning application no. 15/P/2142/WT 77 West Town Road, Backwell –
T1 x Goat Willow – raise the crown up to 5m; T2 x Alder – crown lift
up to 5m and reduce by up to 2m; T3 x Maple – reduce crown by up to 2m
from neighbouring property; T4 x Silver Birch – crown lift by up to 3m –
Swift Tree Surgery
461 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
f. Planning application no. 15/P/2177/F Woodhouse, Backwell Common,
Backwell – Erection of a replacement dwelling following demolition of
existing dwelling and 3no outbuildings and construction of associated
access – Mr & Mrs A Lewis
462 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council objects, as it wishes
to comply with North Somerset Council’s Green Belt Policy
463 There being no further items of business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 2055 hours