October Minutes

 

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

 Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on

Tuesday 18^th October 2022 at 7.30 pm in the Annexe, Southwick Village Hall.

 

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

In attendance: Nicola Duke (Parish Clerk) and 8 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 asked for an update on the Neighbourhood Plan Review and how residents could get involved with the Steering Group.  Cllr Eaton confirmed he would address this during agenda item 2022/54.

·         A representative from Southwick Baptist Church spoke to the request for signage to the church to be considered under agenda item 2022/51 b) b).  Following discussion, it was agreed that Cllr Prickett would liaise with the Church to take this request forward.

 

                AGENDA ITEM

 

2022/47                Apologies for Absence

Cllr Curry.

 2022/48                Declarations of Interest and Dispensations to Participate

None.

 2022/49                Minutes of Council Meetings

 The minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on 27^th September 2022 were discussed and Cllr Carey requested that the description of the footway on Goose St be adjusted to accurately reflect the proposal and that the vote relating to this agenda item be recorded, given that the Chairman had used his casting vote.  These amendments were agreed and the Clerk would re-issue the minutes with adoption being referred to the November PC meeting.

2022/50                Wiltshire Council Report 

Cllr Prickett reported the following:

·     He had been in meetings at Wiltshire Council all day and a number of items had been discussed of interest to Southwick.  It was agreed that he would meet Cllr Eaton to discuss these after the meeting.

·    Wiltshire Council was gathering information on any planned permanent tributes to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; so that any projects could be fed into a district wide plan.  The Council was asked to send any such proposals to Cllr Ian Thorne.

·     The consultation on the Local Plan Review had been delayed, with consultation not now expected to commence until the summer of 2023.  In the interim, planning applications would continue to be determined against the adopted Local Plan and made Neighbourhood Plans.

·    Cllr Prickett highlighted Wiltshire Council’s policy on responding to correspondence and telephone calls (acknowledgement within 2 days and response within 15 days).  He drew attention to recent correspondence relating to a planning application, whereby contact made with WC on 20^th June 2022 had not been responded to until 26^th September, causing severe delays to the applicant in taking his application forward.  This was felt to be unacceptable and Cllr Eaton would discuss further with Cllr Prickett at their meeting with a view to the PC writing to Wiltshire Council to express its concern at these delays.

2022/51                Highways/Environment

a)  Parish Environment including:

a.       Bus Shelter – the Clerk reported that additional quotations had been sought but not received.  Quotes would be chased and the item referred to the November PC meeting.

 b.       Dog bins – members considered the locations for the new dog bins (September minutes refer) and agreed sites as below listed.  Cllr Eaton and Cllr Porter would provide the Clerk with photographs of the proposed sites, for forwarding to the contractor.

                                                               i.      Breach Lane

                                                             ii.      Opposite 47 Chantry Gardens to replace damaged bin

                                                           iii.      Frome Road at the start of the allotments

                                                           iv.      School Walk

                                                             v.      Hoggington Lane

                                                           vi.      The junction of Green Lane

c.       Drainage ditches in the village – The Chair reported that he had concerns over some of the drainage ditches in the village, which had not been cleared.  It was noted that riparian rights applied to some of the ditches.  Cllr Prickett reported that this had been an issue discussed at Wiltshire Council meetings on 18^th October and he would liaise with Cllr Eaton to take this forward, with a view to contact being made with the landowners.  It was noted that the Flood Warden had issued information and advice to property owners.

 d.       Health and Safety – Cllr Snell reported that there had been an  incident of an adder bite in the village, asking that this be publicised and reminding members that adder bites were poisonous and should be reported to the local hospitals and doctors. It was agreed to include a report on this in the Village News.

b) Highways including:

a.       Members considered a proposal from Cllr Carey that the residual kissing gate monies be used to fund a £1500 contribution towards the installation of the Goose Street pedestrian crossing point, kissing gate and construction of a short tarmac link path connecting to Brokerswood Road (information from Cllr Carey previously circulated). Cllr Carey spoke to the proposal, tabling photographs in support of the suggestion. Following debate, the proposal was resolved (proposed Cllr Carey, seconded Cllr Snell).  The Clerk was asked to liaise with Wiltshire Council accordingly.

b.       Members considered a request that a highway sign be erected pointing Southwick Baptist Church (correspondence from Southwick Baptist Church previously circulated). It was noted that Cllr Prickett had undertaken to liaise with the Baptist Church to take this forward via Wiltshire Council.

2022/52                Planning Applications, Decisions and Consultations

 PL/2022/07441 - Grove House, 6B Frome Road, Southwick, BA14 9QD - Use of building as annex and holiday let and use of adjoining land for associated parking and amenity space to the holiday let (Retrospective) – Following debate, it was agreed that the PC had no comment to submit on this application.

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

 

2022/53                Finance

a)     The Bank Reconciliation and Financial Position Statement as at September 2022 had been circulated to members and was noted.

b)    Members considered a funding contribution of £250 towards office equipment including an upgraded laptop for the Parish Clerk (shared with other parish councils; information on which was provided by the Chair and the Clerk.  Following debate, the contribution was approved (proposed Cllr Clayton, seconded Cllr Heydon).

c)     The External Auditor report for the financial year ending 31.03.2022 (copy circulated) was noted.

d)    The below listed payments were approved (proposed Cllr Jackson, seconded Cllr Noble). Cllr Noble queried whether the Clerk’s salary should be published in the list of payments.  The Clerk reported that the salary was agreed on an annual basis and listed in the Financial Position Statements however, she would seek advice from WALC as to the correct way to record the payments and report to the November meeting. Cllr Carey asked for clarification on the payment to Microshade VSM, which was given by the Clerk.

 

Payee	Detail	Amount
HMRC	PAYE October 2022	£107.59
Nicola Duke	Annual expenses 2021-2022	£353.12
Microshade VSM	Annual IT hosting	£444.00
Southwick Village Hall	Hall hire July and September 2022	£40.00
Greenacres	Grass cut July and September 2022	£582.50

 

   2022/54                Neighbourhood Plan for Southwick

Cllr Eaton reported that Master Land Planning (Aaron Smith) had accepted the appointment as the Council’s consultants on the review of the NDP. Wiltshire Council had confirmed that there was a hold on Rural Housing Needs Surveys and Cllr Eaton reported that an alternative provider for this was being sought.  Members noted the importance of the survey being conducted in both online and paper forms.  Cllr Eaton confirmed that the Steering Group would meet once options to carry out the RHNS had been identified and clarified that existing members would be contacted together with a recruitment drive being carried out for new members. It was reported that Ann Aland, Keith Snell and James Holloway had expressed interest in joining the Steering Group and this was noted. 

2022/55                Correspondence

None.

2022/56                Southwick Village News

Members were introduced to Sean Porter, who spoke to his plans for the relaunch of the Village News, tabling some drafts of a proposed format which he suggested should be printed in A5.  It was noted that the gathering of content would be a particular focus and the relaunch would be promoted through the village with contact details provided for Mr Porter.  The first edition was planned prior to Christmas with a deadline for the submission of content agreed as mid-November, to follow the November PC meeting. It was confirmed that the newsletter would be published on a quarterly basis.

 Members discussed issues relating to printing, distribution and pre-paid advertising and it was agreed that Cllr Noble would liaise with Mr Fox, the retiring editor, to gain clarity on the previous arrangements and identify advertisers who had paid prior to the fold of the previous Village News.

 The contact email address for Mr Porter was noted as southwicknl@gmail.com.

2022/57                Date of next meeting

Tuesday 15^th November 2022 at 7.30 pm.

 

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.06 pm.

 

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