Gaydon Parish Council

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF GAYDON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON THURSDAY, 14TH MAY 2015 AT 8PM

PRESENT: COUNCILLORS J. BRINE (CHAIRMAN), S. ALDER, A. CLAXTON, T. HUGHES, MRS. D. MORISOT, COUNTY COUNCILLOR C. WILLIAMS, J. RICKMAN (for item 1 only), C. HILL (Clerk) and approximately 10 members of the public

1. Election of Chairman

Mr. J. Rickman requested nominations for Chairman. Cllr. Claxton nominated Cllr. Brine, seconded Cllr. Mrs. Morisot and carried unanimously. Cllr. Brine signed the declaration of chair form. The Chairman thanked John Rickman for the previous leadership of the Parish Council and also thanked the retiring parish councillors. They had an enormous amount of work to do with Mrs. Conway attending so many meetings on our behalf; she is a great loss to this Parish Council. He said that it is a big job and we have a lot to do. He congratulated the new councillors who were elected.

2. Apologies for absence

No apologies.

3. Questions from the public

A resident pointed out that the planning application for Ferndale still showed new dwellings in close proximity to the trees and the working stables.

A resident said that the footway repairs have not been completed.

ACTION: The Clerk to follow up on this.

4. Declarations of Interest

No interests were declared.

5. Election of Vice Chairman and Financial Officer

Cllr. Mrs. Morisot nominated Cllr. Claxton for Vice Chairman, seconded the Chairman and carried unanimously. The Clerk was appointed financial officer.

6. Appointment of Councillors to Committees and to agree Councillor’s responsibilities.

Councillors all took the chance to express their interest and areas of expertise before discussing areas of responsibility.

It was agreed that the Chairman and Cllr. Claxton would be the representatives on the Gaydon Liaison Committee. Cllr. Alder would represent the parish at the Community Forums. Cllr. Mrs. Morisot would attend the M40 meetings regarding the improvements to junction 12. Cllr. Hughes would be our Neighbourhood Watch representative. It was further agreed that Cllr. Claxton would be the parish representative at the FORSE meetings. Cllr. Claxton said that he has resigned from FORSE and will treat the GLH application with impartiality.

In addition, the following responsibilities were agreed:

Cllr. Hughes - footpaths

Cllr. Mrs. Morisot - play area

Cllr. Alder - street lights, litter, street furniture and footways

Cllr. Claxton - drains/ditches and flooding

The Chairman - cemetery

Updates on areas of responsibility will be given bi-monthly.

7. Acceptance of the minutes of the previous meeting (April 2015)

The minutes of the previous meeting had been circulated prior to the meeting. The Chairman proposed that they be approved, seconded and carried unanimously. The Chairman signed the minutes.

8. Matters arising from the minutes of the previous meetings

(a) Clearing of Banbury Road block paving area; requested

The Clerk confirmed that County Highways are aware of this work.

ACTION: June agenda item

(b) Clearing of the Banbury Road ditch; await proposal

The Clerk said that she is still waiting for a response.

ACTION: June agenda item

9. Gaydon/Lighthorne Heath New Settlement Proposal

(a) FORSE update

Cllr. Claxton said that FORSE are objecting to the planning application for 2000 dwellings. They have organised an open meeting in Lighthorne Village Hall on Saturday.

10. To receive reports from District Councillors

(a) To receive report

County Cllr. Williams said that there are now 31 conservative councillors. He also said that if GLH is approved then a town council would be created consisting of Lighthorne Heath, Lighthorne, Chesterton and Gaydon parishes. This would be the second largest town in the District. The Chairman pointed out with no secondary school. Cllr. Williams said that it takes 15 years to plan and build a secondary school.

(b) New Homes Bonus allocation

County Cllr. Williams said that this has been incorporated into the District’s budget. This was discussed with Town and Parish Councils at the budgetary meetings that took place at the end of last year. There is no money for parish councils to assist with incorporating new dwellings into the community. CIL, when the Core Strategy is adopted, will be given to parish councils; 25% to parishes who have a neighbourhood plan and 15% to remaining parishes.

Await response from District Council.

11. To receive report from County Councillor

(a) To receive report

County Cllr. Williams spoke about the reductions in funding and said that the County Council would need to outsource more services and possibly combine with other councils like Worcestershire. Care of the elderly and safe care of children are the highest priorities. Police forces will merge. There is going to be a fire station on the Aston Martin site with 2 engines operating 7 days a week 24 hours.

(b) Grants available for community groups

County Cllr. Williams said that he has a budget of £5,000 for his ward. Community groups should contact him with a request for no more than £500 by the end of September.

ACTION: Magazine item.

County Cllr. Williams reported that he has a £40,000 budget for highways improvements.

ACTION: June agenda item

(d) Safer routes to school funding

County Cllr. Williams said that there is only funding available around schools. There is no funding available for a cycleway to Kineton Secondary School.

(e) Replacement tree on St. Giles Road

County Cllr. Williams said that this will not be replaced.

12. Councillor’s Reports

(a) Cemetery

(i) Request for JLR to fund cutting back of vegetation

ACTION: The Clerk to write to JLR

(b) Lights/Litter/Street furniture/footways

(i) Light outside Last Cottage; repairs requested

The Clerk said that she has asked for this light to be repaired.

(ii) Pimple Lane bench repairs

ACTION: Cllr. Alder to look at this.

The Clerk said that she has received a complaint about the amount of rubble in the play area and that the fence has been taken down.

ACTION: The Clerk to liaise with John Rickman to find out if he has looked into this and then update Cllr. Mrs. Morisot.

(i) Annual inspection

ACTION: The Clerk to request.

(d) Drains

No new report.

(e) Footpaths/footways

No new report.

(f) Neighbourhood Watch

(i) Vehicles parking on Church Road and Banbury Road blocking the footway

The Clerk said that she has received several complaints. The Police will move the vehicles if they are reported.

ACTION: Magazine item.

(g) War Memorial

(i) Grant request acknowledged; response in 8 to 10 weeks

The Clerk said that she has informed the PCC.

(i) Gaydon Liaison Meeting

(i) JLR invitation to meet with us; attendees, agenda

It was agreed that the Chairman and Cllr. Claxton should meet with JLR. The Chairman said that JLR have recognised that there is a problem that affects us and have tried to address it by introducing staggered working hours to reduce the traffic. He also said that the biggest concern, which has been highlighted recently, is the clearing of all the vegetation.

ACTION: The Clerk to arrange the meeting.

(j) Highways England

(i) M40 junction 12 roadworks; update

The Clerk said that Mrs. Conway attended this meeting just before the election. She reported that the bridge will need closing for 2 week-ends for waterproofing. Aston Martin and The Heritage Centres have events on the week-end in June that was suggested and so Balfour Beatty is now looking at different week-ends.

13. To receive planning applications

(a) 15/01161/OUT - Ferndale, Warwick Road

This application was discussed in detail and councillors decided to object for the following reasons; the tree survey identifies a ‘diseased tree’ but with no further information. Given the close proximity of the trees to the new dwellings the Parish Council believes further information is required to ascertain whether it is advisable to build in range of this tree. The Parish Council believes that the dwellings are located too close to working stables. This could result in noise and light pollution, health risks associated with manure heaps and stable bedding, fire risk. Finally, concern was expressed about how the remaining agricultural land is to be managed.

ACTION: The Clerk to respond to Planning.

(b) 15/00993/ADV - Esso Petrol Station, Banbury Road

No comments or objections.

Councillors agreed to support this.

ACTION: The Clerk to respond to Planning.

(d) Proposed settlement land at Gaydon/Lighthorne Heath

Councillors discussed this application and decided to object. The application is premature, the site is a greenfields site, the environmental assessment is very questionable stating that the development will increase wildlife. The site is not sustainable because of lack of infrastructure. There are only 2 exits from the development to the B4100 (M40 relief road). The development needs a secondary school not only to provide education but to give youth ownership in this town. It would also help to form a community. Councillors agreed that they would meet to draft a response based on these concerns.

ACTION: Councillors to meet the Chairman in the office to assist with the drafting of the response. The Clerk to then circulate the draft, update and forward to the Planning Department.

14. To receive results of planning applications

(a) 15/02950/OUT - land adjacent to the Gaydon Inn; withdrawn

15. To receive any correspondence

(a) Avon Valley Indoor Bowls Club

The Clerk said that a representative would be attending the June meeting.

ACTION: The Clerk to let them know the date

(b) Notice of the annual audit of accounts

The notice is on the noticeboard.

16. Financial Report/Administration

(a) Draft 2014/15 accounts

These were circulated prior to the meeting. It was agreed that the Clerk could pass them to the internal auditor.

ACTION: The Clerk to pass the accounts to the internal auditor

(b) Bank balances

The Clerk reported the following balances; Community Account - £6,401.73 and Business Account - £10,599.72

Councillors agreed that Tuesday’s at 7.30pm would be preferable.

ACTION: The Clerk to find out if the Village Hall is available

(d) New bank mandate form

This was circulated and signed and a copy is attached to these minutes.

(e) To appoint internal auditor

Accounting Data Services was appointed.

17. Passing of any accounts for payment

The following accounts were proposed by Cllr. Claxton, seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Morisot and carried unanimously.

(a) C. Hill – Clerk’s gross salary (May) – £342.13

(b) Mr. C. Pickering - grass maintenance - £430.00

(d) e.on - street lighting - £48.26

18. Closure of meeting

Next meeting; 23^rd June at 8pm

The Chairman closed the meeting at 11.20pm.