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