RPC Minutes Apr08

Public Forum

There were five parishioners present, also Mr Arthur Westwood, the retiring clerk, and Mrs Westwood. No issues were discussed.

Apologies

Councillors John Taylor and Mark Rees, Philip Booth

The Chairman read out a letter from Cllr Mark Rees announcing his resignation.

1/04/08 The Council declared a casual vacancy. Action: The Clerk is to issue notices of the casual vacancy. If no election is called the Clerk will advertise the vacancy in The Randwick Runner and on the notice boards.

2/04/08 Minutes:

Amended minutes of the meeting held on March 20th 2008 were approved and signed. Cllr Rendell has written to Orange PCS Ltd with the Council’s response to the proposed radio base station off Ash Lane.

3/04/08 Report from the Clerk:

1. Mr Westwood’s gratuity is £619.10.

2. The subcommittee’s terms of reference from Cllr Williams and the Code of Financial Responsibilities from Cllr Rendell are needed to complete the revision of the Councillors’ Handbook, which will be updated by email.

3. The Clerk has the GCC and National Trust protocols for dealing with unauthorised camping.

4. Agreed: to subscribe to The Gloucestershire Association of Parish & Town Councils at £260.04 for 08/09.

5 Royal Mail's costs for mailing a newsletter would be a minimum of £500 plus £36 per 1000: distribution is by postcode so might overlap other parishes: there is a six-week lead-in period to get a delivery slot. SDC use Royal Mail. The Communications subcommittee will discuss ways of distributing a newsletter at their next meeting.

6. Agreed: the Clerk is to buy a copier/scanner/printer for Council use. Cllr Williams and the Clerk will decide how to safely dispose of the Council’s obsolete computer.

4/04/08 Declarations of interest in items on the agenda:

Cllr Godsell declared an interest in the planning application for Far Westrip Farm. Cllr Rendell declared an interest in the planning application for 1 Coxgate.

5/04/08 District & County Councillor reports:

No District or CC councillors present.

6/04/08 Finance & Personnel Committee:

Resolved to pay the following accounts:

1. Clerk Designate’s expenses £438.08

2. Village Hall Hire Jan –March £33

3. VH Playground maintenance costs £758

4. B Stanley photocopying £4.86

Resolved: for safety, to reimburse the VH & PF Committee £75 for costs of removing rusty barbed wire from hedge on playing field.

Action: Cllr Watkins to contact Harden Flack.

Agreed: to consider land ownership, rents, fencing and trespass at a future meeting.

7/04/08 Planning, Traffic & Transport Committee:

Planning Applications

S.08/0580/FUL - Alterations to approved application for new replacement dwelling - The Ridge Sandpits Lane, Westrip: No comment.

S.08/0518/FUL - Extension to cow cubicle barn- Far Westrip Farm: No comment other than to record that the Council seeks to support local businesses.

S.08/0695/FUL - Proposed two Storey Extension - 1 Hawthorn Rise, Westrip: No comment.

S.08/0375/LBC – Westrip Farm: No Comment.

S.08/0706/FUL - Demolition of rear single storey extension and provision of new 2-storey extension – 1 Coxgate Randwick; No comment.

8/04/08 Environmental Committee:

Received from SDC the schedule for cleaning streets in the parish. Most of the parish streets will be cleaned every 6-8 weeks. Rural roads will be cleaned twice a year. Reaction time for problems should be within 48 hours.

Action: the clerk to contact SDC about a spillage of gravel on Blenheim Pitch.

Resolved: the Environmental Committee will consider a planting programme, with costings, at their next meeting.

Action: Cllr Preece will write an article for The Randwick Runner seeking community involvement.

Cllr Watkins reported progress in renovating the Village Hall. The building will use very little energy for heating. A grant has been received from The Carbon Trust.

9/04/08 Communications Committee

No report

10/04/08Election

Cllr Huxford was unanimously elected as Chairman for the coming year and declared his acceptance of the office. Cllr Rendell was unanimously elected Vice-Chairman.

11/04/08Correspondence

Forwarded prior to the meeting

1. 28th March – Planning Inspectorate – site visit appeal “Glenfield”

2. 4th April- SDC Stroud Area Safer Stronger Communities Partnership Three Year Plan 2008-11

Notified at the meeting

3. 7th March - Glos Rural Community Council - invitation to enter Calor Village of the Year Competition

4. 14th March - SDC - WAP road closure

5. 16th March - acknowledgement from RVH & PFC for donation

6. 20th March – GCC - “Consultation on proposed Local List to validate planning applications submitted to GCC” - passed to planning subcommittee.

7. 27th March – CPRE - notice of Bledisloe Cup Competition

8. March 2008 – Standards Board for England - newsletter “Town & Parish Standard”

9. 2nd April – SDC – “Re Funding Opportunity – Local Action for Rural Communities” – passed to finance subcommittee.

10. 2nd April – SDC – “Rural and Community Investment Scheme” - passed to finance subcommittee.

11. undated – SDC - Notice of road closure 27th – 30th May

12. undated – David Drew - MP’s surgeries April - July

13. undated acknowledgement from Stroud CAB for donation

14. undated - GAPTC - website services & training meetings

15. undated – Cotswold Conservation Board - notice of board meeting held on March 27th

16. undated - SDC - schedule of council meetings Apr-May

17. undated – SDC - District Spring Clean Campaign

12/04/08AOB

1. The Chairman read extracts from the Ofsted report judging Cashes Green School to be “outstanding”. He will write to the school congratulating them.

2. Cllr Williams asked whether Randwick Wap would receive financial support from the Council.

3. A parishioner expressed concern that the concrete base of the water tank that stood at the top of the playing field had been used as a builder’s compound. The VH & PF Committee has written to the resident whose house was being extended.

4 A parishioner expressed concern that a wall bounding the road by the electricity sub-station near “The Change” is collapsing. It was reported that the field owner intends to repair it.

The meeting closed at 8.10 p.m.

The next meeting will be held at 7.00 on Thursday May 15th at Randwick Scout Hut