March Minutes

    The most recent Minutes are belo

The most recent minutes are below. For last year's and previous year's minutes please use the link at the foot of the page or refer to the annual collection of minutes in the collected pdf files section on the Parish Council webpage. Please note that minutes are published as DRAFT minutes and will be approved at the next meeting of the parish council. The minutes for an extraordinary meeting will also be posted to this page. Such a meeting could be held prior to an ordinary meeting or after such a meeting.

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SOUTHWICK PARISH COUNCIL

Chair: Cllr John Eaton, 30 Blind Lane, Southwick, Wiltshire, BA14 4PG 07818 870098

Clerk:  Nicola Duke, April Rise, 81 Studland Park, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 3HN 01373 864127

 Draft Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on

Tuesday 21st March 2023 at 7.30 pm in the Annexe, Southwick Village Hall.

 

Present: Cllr Eaton (Chair), Cllr Snell, Cllr Carey, Cllr Noble, Cllr Jackson, Cllr Heydon, Cllr Porter, Cllr Clayton, Cllr Watson and Cllr Prickett.

In attendance: Nicola Duke (Parish Clerk) and 4 members of the public.

 

Public Participation

Members of the public were invited to make representations to the Council on any matters relating to the work of the Council or to raise any issues of concern:

·         A resident spoke to the Council regarding parking issues at Chantry Gardens (previous minutes refer) requesting any available updates.  Cllr Prickett undertook to chase the relevant officers at Wiltshire Council. Cllr Carey confirmed with the resident that the aim was to obtain some suitable parking for residents by the potential installation of honeycomb surfacing on the grassed area.  It was noted that this could be a potential project for LHFIG to consider and, following Cllr Prickett’s research, could be considered by the PC as a potential bid to WC.

 

                AGENDA ITEM

 2022/101              Apologies for Absence

 Cllr Curry due to family commitments, accepted.

2022/102              Declarations of Interest and Dispensations to Participate

None.

2022/103              Minutes of Council Meetings

 The minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on 21st February 2023 were considered for accuracy.  Cllr Snell requested that the vote in the matter of the planning application at Land at Wesley Lane be recorded.  The Clerk would amend the minutes, reissue and re-present to the next PC meeting for adoption.

2022/104              Wiltshire Council Report 

Cllr Prickett reported that there had been no matters at Wiltshire Council which related specifically to Southwick. It was noted that LHFIG had not been supportive of the PC’s request for the installation of brown directional signs to the Baptist Chapel and the matter may therefore need to be reconsidered by the PC.

2022/105              Highways/Environment

a)  Parish Environment including:

a.       Vandalism and Fly Tipping in Southwick – the Chair reported that the matter had been reported to the PCSO, who had agreed to undertake regular patrols in the area.

b) Highways including:

a.       Single- and double-line requests, requested by LHFIG – Cllr Carey reported that LHFIG had asked parish and town councils to consider sensible, realistic projects for the installation of yellow lines in order that these could be combined into one application, to reduce the costs of processing the applications. Members were asked to consider suggestions and report to the next PC meeting in April.

 

2022/106              Planning Applications, Decisions and Consultations

 PL/2023/00952 - Land West of 3 Bradley Road, Southwick, Trowbridge, Wilts, BA14 9RJ - Erection of 1. no single detached dwelling (Outlined application relating to Appearance, Layout and Scale) it was noted that the WC Highways report had stated that the application site was outside of the settlement boundary for Southwick. It was agreed to verify this statement with WC and request an extension so that the application could be considered at the April PC meeting.

PL/2022/05259 - Land North of Frome Road, Southwick, Trowbridge, Wilts, BA14 9QQ - Erection of 2 no. detached self-build dwellings (Outline application will all matters reserved except access) – Support (6 in favour, 3 abstentions).

 PL/2022/07657 - Land at Poplar Tree Lane, Southwick, BA14 9NB - Close the existing agriculture access that serves the site, relocate and construct a new agriculture access closer to the northern site boundary Support, with the condition that the existing access be closed with the planting of native hedgerow.

 To receive and consider planning applications received after the issue of the agenda (where the response time fell outside of the meeting schedule and an extension cannot be obtained) - None.

2022/107              Finance

a)     The Bank Reconciliation and Consolidated Financial Position Statement as at January 2023 (previously circulated) were noted.

 b)    The below listed payments were approved (proposed Cllr Carey, seconded Cllr Snell).  Cllr Noble tabled an invoice received on the day of the meeting relating to hedge cutting and tree works at the Playing Field.  It was confirmed that the hedge cutting was budgeted work in the Playing Field Committee budget and that the tree works had been required due to the dangerous nature of the trees overhanging the school. Cllr Noble requested, on behalf of the Playing Field Committee, that the PC meet the costs of the emergency tree works. Members discussed the invoice and concern was expressed at the way in which the works had been ordered.  Following debate, it was resolved to pay the invoice, with it being noted that the Playing Field Committee would reimburse the PC for the hedge cutting element.  The Committee was asked to provide the PC with its statement of accounts following its AGM in April 2023, at which point members would consider any allocation from its funds to the emergency tree works (proposed Cllr Carey, seconded Cllr Snell).

  

Payee

Detail

Amount

Clerk and HMRC

Salary and PAYE Feb 2023

537.95

Nicola Duke

Reimburse brochure dispensers

64.74

HMRC

Reissue of cheque 1806

107.59

XYZ Web

Website renewal 2023-24

466.44

Chappel Contracting

Hedge cutting and tree works

2472.00

 

2022/108              Parish Council Accounts Year Ending 31st March 2023 (report previously circulated)

Members addressed the administrative tasks relating to the preparation and submission of the accounts year ending 31st March 2023 and resolved to appoint Mr Simon Pritchard as Internal Auditor and to adopt the Scope of the Internal Audit as circulated (proposed Cllr Porter, seconded Cllr Jackson).

2022/109              Governance Reviews Year Ending 31st March 2023 (documents previously circulated)

Members carried out the reviews of governance documents for year ending 31st March 2023 including:

a)       Review of the Risk Registers – No changes required, adopted (proposed Cllr Heydon, seconded Cllr Carey).

 b)      Review of the Fixed Asset Register – the FAR for the Parish Council was adopted (proposed Cllr Porter, seconded Cllr Heydon).  Cllr Noble stated that she would send the Clerk the adjustments required for the assets listed under the ownership of the Playing Field Committee.

 c)       Standing Orders and Financial Regulations – it was agreed that the documents would be reviewed at the Annual Council Meeting in May 2023.

 d)      Review of the Earmarked Reserves – the Council’s earmarked reserves were confirmed and adopted as circulated (proposed Cllr Heydon, seconded Cllr Carey).

2022/110              Parish Council website

The Clerk had provided information on alternative website providers (January minutes refer), which was considered and it was agreed that the contract for the current website would be renewed for a further financial year and the provision of a new website referred to the budget setting process for 2024/25 in November 2023.

2022/111              The Coronation of HM The King

Members received an update on planned events for the Coronation Weekend with Cllr Noble reporting on the events which had been planned.  These would be taking place over the three days of the bank holiday weekend and a leaflet drop would be carried out to inform residents of the plans.

 Members considered the allocation of appropriate funds in support of any associated costs (February minutes refer) and resolved that 3,000 be allocated form the unallocated fund for 2022/2023 (proposed Cllr Jackson, seconded Cllr Watson).

 The Parish Council thanked the councillors and residents for their work in arranging events for the coronation.  

2022/112              Neighbourhood Plan Review

The Chair reported that the Steering Group would next meet in April once the planning consultants had completed their work on analysing the recent consultation and Call for Sites exercise.  It was reported that the Call for Sites had resulted in 20 submissions, the details of which would be made available to the Parish Council at the appropriate time under guidance from the planning consultants.

 Members were asked to consider approving membership of the Parish Online mapping service at £140 per annum and this was resolved that (proposed Cllr Heydon, seconded Cllr Jackson).

2022/113              Correspondence

Cllr Carey reported that he had liaised with Wiltshire Council regarding the recent data survey and speed survey in the village (previous minutes refer) and it had been suggested that Atkins was asked to consider the appropriateness of a speed limit change to 40mph at a location near the entrance to the Industrial Estate on Frome Road. This would have the benefit of improving safety access to the estate and slowing traffic down prior to the 30mph limit through the village.  It was agreed that Cllr Carey would draft an appropriate letter for the Chair to send on behalf of the PC.

 CPRE Wiltshire re: Best Kept Village Competition 2023 (copy previously circulated) – it was agreed not to enter the competition in 2023, primarily due to the litter problem in the parish.  The Clerk would add the arrangements for a litter pick to the next agenda, with it being noted that no volunteers had come forward to date to organise this event.  

2022/114              Southwick Village News

The Clerk reported that the agreed pamphlet dispensers had been ordered and would be delivered to the Chair in the next few days. Members would agree locations for their installation at the April PC meeting. The Chair confirmed that a spring edition of the newsletter was planned although the editor had received only limited copy to date.  Cllr Noble would provide some information on the events planned to celebrate the Coronation which the Chair would forward on to the editor.

2022/115              Date of next meeting

Tuesday 18th April 2023 at 7.30 pm

2022/116              Confidential Information

In view of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted at Agenda Item 2022/117 members resolved that the press and public be excluded from this part of the meeting (proposed Cllr Jackson, seconded Cllr Porter).

 Such a resolution would be in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 Sec 1 (2), which states "A body may, by resolution, exclude the public from a meeting (whether during the whole or part of the proceedings) whenever publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted or for other special reasons stated in the resolution and arising from the nature of that business or of the proceedings; and where such a resolution is passed, this Act shall not require the meeting to be open to the public during proceedings to which the resolution applies.’’

 Reason for exclusion – Staffing matters.

 At this point the Clerk left the meeting.

 

2022/117              Staffing Matters

Members considered the NJC Salary Scales 2022/2023 and the approval the cost of living uplifts from 2020 and any appropriate salary increment for 2023/2024. The Chair provided a report on behalf of the Staffing Committee. It was resolved that the NJC salary scale uplift be applied and backdated with the payment due of 646.80 being approved and further resolved that the Clerk be awarded a spinal column increment to SCP26 with effect from 1st April 2023 (proposed Cllr seconded Cllr) (one abstention).

 

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.22 pm.

 

 

Posted on 12 Apr 2023 by geoff edwards
 

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