BACKWELL PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2016
IN BACKWELL PARISH HALL, BACKWELL
Present: Cllrs R Taylor (Chairman), M Bowerman, C Cole, S Edwards, E Langston, J Llewellyn, R MacLeavy, S Mitchell, S Ould, H Power, J Sear and G Simmonite
In attendance: Mrs J Stone, Clerk of the Council
Members of the public: 4 members of public present and Vicky 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
384 Cllrs R Day, M Gibbons-Price and D Seddon. District Cllr Karen Barclay and NSC PLO Natalie Field
2. Declarations of Interest
To receive Councillors’ declarations of interests and to consider any written
application for dispensations
Personal interest
385 None
Prejudicial interest
386 None
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
387 Cllr S Ould – Agenda Item 15 Allotment rent review – allotment holder
3. Minutes (Circulated)
388 The Minutes of the Full Council meeting held on the 1st September 2016 were unanimously confirmed as a correct record by those present at that meeting
4. Public Participation
389 None
5. To consider requests for grants (£2,000 and above) from the following
applicants:
390 Standing Orders were suspended
a. Backwell Youth Club – £6,000
391 Mrs B Cook outlined the reasons for the grant application. Her comments were noted by members.
b. Backwell Tennis Club – £2,000
392 Mr R Gaunt outlined the reasons for the grant application. His
comments were noted by members.
c. Backwell Athletic Junior
Football Club – £2,000
393 Mr B Kent outlined the reasons for the grant application. His
comments were noted by members.
394 Standing Orders were reinstated
The presentation from Backwell Playing Fields Charity will take place at the 3rd
November 2016 Full Council meeting (£14,000)
395 Noted
6. To receive such communications as the person presiding may wish to lay
before the Council
396 The Chairman informed members of the 2017/18 Local Government Finance
Settlement:Technical Consultation Paper, which has a deadline of the 28th
October. Members to contact the Clerk if they wish to respond
397 The Chairman spoke of the current Household Waste Recycling Centre
Public Consultation and suggested members respond. Consultation closes
24th October
398 Members were informed the West of England Joint Spatial Plan and NSC’s Site Allocations Plan consultations would be on the 3rdNovember agenda
7. To answer questions from Councillors
399 None
8. To receive and consider reports and minutes of Committees
To receive the draft minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 15.9.16
400 Noted
9. To receive and consider a report from the Clerk of the Council
a. To receive this report
401 Noted
b. Update on non agenda items
402 None
10. Farleigh Fields
a. Update
The Chairman informed members BPC will be speaking at the
hearing in May 2017. Members also noted the meeting taking
place with NSC on the 18.10.16
403 Noted
b. To approve expenditure of £1,950 plus VAT and disbursements
404 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
11. Update on Moor Lane
405 The Chairman’s comments were noted by members
12. Update on traffic calming measures in Dark Lane
406 Cllr S Mitchell informed members BPC were waiting to hear from
NSC with the results of the speed readings recently undertaken in Dark Lane
13. To approve expenditure of £450 for speed readings at Downside
407 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
14. To authorise expenditure for attendance at SLCC Conference on
Wednesday 23rd November 2016 at Jurys Inn Hotel, Cheltenham, at a
total cost of £187 plus VAT (3 Councillors + Clerk)
408 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
15. To review annual allotment rent for 2017 (currently £30 for a full plot
and £16 for a half plot).
409 Cllr S Ould, having declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, left the
meeting whilst the following was discussed
410 Resolved: Unanimously not to increase the allotment rent for 2017
411 Cllr S Ould rejoined the meeting and was advised of the resolution passed
16. To authorise expenditure of £144 for hall hire for Backwell Village
Show (16th/17th September 2016)
412 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
17. To authorise expenditure for repairs required to gate at Moor Lane
play area (replacement motor kit) in the sum of £340.50 plus VAT
413 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
18. To receive and consider email dated 23.9.16 from Maxema Ltd re
proposed new radio base station installation at Moorside Farm, Station Road, Backwell
414 Noted and no objection
19. To receive and consider email dated 20.9.16 from Bristol Water re Southern Resilience Scheme
415 Noted and no comment
20. To receive and consider Notice of Intent – Backwell Common
416 Noted – no objection but would suggest a warning sign be erected at the cycle
track in Chapel Hill to advise cyclists of the closure
21. To receive and consider reports from Working Parties of the Council/Cllrs
a. To receive report from Enhancement Working Party
417 Cllrs noted Cllr M Bowerman’s report
b. To receive update from Highways Working Party
418 Cllrs noted Cllr S Mitchell’s comments
22. Accounts
a. To receive and consider Receipts and Payments schedule for September 2016 (checked by Cllr M Bowerman prior to the meeting)
419 Noted
b. To authorise expenditure for the month of September 2016
420 Resolved: Unanimously to authorise expenditure
c. To receive 2017/18 schedule of grant applications
421 Noted
23. Planning
To consider the following planning applications:
a. Planning application no. 16/P/2065/TPO Chapter House, Church
Town, Backwell – T1 Beech – balanced crown reduction to
previous pruning points of 1.5-2 metres in height and lateral
extent, careful thinning of outer canopy to reduce crown mass by
up to 15%, remove major rubbing limbs and dead wood and reshape
and balance to a natural flowing outline – All Tree Services Ltd
422 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
b. Planning application no. 16/P/2082/F – 2 The Avenue, Backwell –
Erection of a two storey and change roof including an increase in
the ridge height to expand living space on the first floor – Mr Bennett
423 Resolved: Unanimously Backwell Parish Council objects, as they
are of the opinion it is out of character with the large roof, and
far too many windows. They have concerns that this property is
situated in a private single lane cul-de-sac, giving access to some
24 properties. Construction vehicles would block both The Avenue
and Backwell Common. In the spirit of BPC’s Neighbourhood Plan, they have never been happy with small bungalows being
converted into larger houses, as residents are keen to downsize. Should the Planning Officer have a mind to approve this application, then the Council politely request that any vehicle associated with this conversion, the owner make adequate parking arrangements on the said property, and not on the highway. Backwell Common is also a busy lane used by children accessing Backwell School, cyclists accessing the cycle track in Chapel Hill as well as the normal use of residents, including horse riders
c. Planning application no. 16/P/2150/F 24 Dark Lane, Backwell –
Erection of a two storey rear extension and a roof extension following
demolition of existing workshop – Mr & Mrs Axford
424 Resolved: Unanimously no objection
24. Confidential Items
425 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
25. Staff
Recruitment of new Office Assistant
Members were informed Elizabeth Lacey would be commencing employment with Backwell Parish Council on the 1st November 2016
426 Noted
427 There being no further items of business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 2042 hours