Present:
Kath Noble Chairman, Southwick Parish Council.
Roger Coleman Clerk.
Parish Councillors A Doel, J Jones, S Jones, G Masters, F Morland, E Pomeroy and D West attended the meeting.
Wiltshire Councillor, Cllr. Horace Prickett attended the meeting.
There were five members of the public present.
1. Introduction and Apologies.
The Chairman, Kath Noble, welcomed everyone to the meeting and the Clerk explained the nature of an Annual Parish Meeting.
Apologies for non-attendance were received from Parish Councillors S Carey and G Masters and from the Community Policing Team.
2. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 28 April 2015.
The Minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.
3. Annual Report of the Parish Council.
The Chairman presented the Annual Report of the Parish Council thus:
This year we have had 12 ordinary meeting and 1 extraordinary meeting. Planning applications totalled 29, including the Poplars Residential site tor four new pitches
and two solar installations.
During the year two Councillors, Sally Shave and Zoe Grant resigned. Dan Jackson
was co-opted as a Councillor in August. Currently we are in the process of co- opting
one further councillor to make our number up to a full Council of eleven.
Community Speed Watch - we currently have six volunteers who carry out speed watch
every six weeks for about three hours per week. More volunteers are needed.
In September 'Community Days' ended and was replaced with an 'identified needs' service with
works being reported to and prioritised through My Wiltshire App or by calling 0300456015.
More recently Wiltshire Council have advised that a new parish steward is to be appointed and
he or she will carry out minor works as requested by the Parish Council.
Ringway have been given the contact for highway matters
The Landscape Group will do the grass cutting, litter picking and bin emptying and the Tarmac
Group will undertake the major maintenance and the patching work.
Councillors Noble and Pomeroy attended the Wiltshire Council briefing meeting on Highways.
Arnold Noad Corner parking is still a big problem, A site meeting was held in April with a
representative from Selwood but as yet no response.
Councillors have attended briefings on Neighbourhood Planning, Speed Indicator Devices,
Emergency Planning and also attended the Parish Council Liaison Group Meeting.
It has not always been possible for one of our local Police Team to attend the meetings
but we do receive a detailed report every month and this is included in the Parish Council minutes.
I would like to thank all Councillors for their support over the past year and special
thanks to John Fox for becoming the new editor of the Village News.
End of Report.
4. Statement on the Parish Council accounts for Year ending 31 March 2016.
The Clerk to Southwick Parish Council, Roger Coleman, stated that he had balanced the accounts and had completed the Annual Return and all associated paperwork. He stated that the balance brought forward from FY2014/15 had been £16551 and, allowing for the payments and receipts during the year, the balance carried forward at the end of FY2015/16, was £32301. He added that the total receipts for the year were £45905, payments for the year totalled £30155.
Main Receipts in the year were:
Precept: £17,000
HMRC VAT Refund: £2366
HMRC PAYE £1477
Donations/Deposits(for Play Equipment): £15438
Southwick Village News Advertisements: £232
Scouts Thermoglaze contribution £9379
Bank Interest: £9
Main Payments in the year were:
Staff Costs: £3694
HMRC PAYE £1477
Office Expenses: £496
Playing Field/Play Equipment Maintenan £5336
Insurance: £3076.
Donations/Subs: £1570
Caretaking/Maintenance: £507
Audit Fees: £335
Southwick Village News: £1742
Southwick Village News Editors Honorarium £200
Hall Hire £90
The Clerk reported that the Annual Return had been completed and that the Internal Auditor has undertaken the Internal Audit. Everything was in order. The Annual Return will be submitted to the Parish Council at the next meeting for approval and thereafter it will be sent to Grant Thornton, the External Auditor.
End of Report.
5. Observations from the Wiltshire Councillor, Cllr. Horace Prickett.
Councillor Prickett gave a brief report on topics that directly affected the parishioners of Southwick. In particular he reported on the following:
6. Community Policing Team (NPT).
In the absence of a member of the Community Policing Team no report was given.
7. Southwick Playing Field Management Committee.
The following report was given by Mr Ted Pomeroy, Chairman, Southwick Playing Field Management Committee:
During the last year the committee has met five times and although still small in number it has endeavoured to ensure that the field is maintained to the best of their ability. Once again the provision of well maintained play equipment has been given priority. This was made even more important when over the Bank Holiday weekend the main swings were badly vandalised which meant that they had to be removed for specialist cleaning. This was very kindly carried out by members of Trowbridge Fire Brigade.
The swings have now been fitted with new parts and seats and are in constant use by the young people and also the gym equipment has received some attention. Thanks to Pete Slade the Octagon Tower roof was replaced and two further seats donated by Dave West were positioned on the perimeter by Derek Corbin.
Continuing the need for field safety the next project will be various branch removals from some of the boundary trees. It is pleasing to report that the saga of the land sale with Southwick Car Centre has now been settled thanks to Cllr. Carey’s continued efforts. The continued lack of responsibility by some dog owners continues to cause some concern to the committee and also some villagers.
The field has continued to be used by Southwick Bee Hive cricket teams, Trowbridge Youth football teams, Southwick and North Bradley Scout Group, the Southwick Show and several smaller groups. Regular maintenance has been carried out by Richard Dent, Jackson and Sons and J L Pethers. Thanks also to Tony Doel for his invaluable help when needed and also to Southwick Parish Council for their continued support.
Finally, as Chairman I must thank all thr committee members for their help and also the small band of villagers who help from time to time when needed so that between us all we try to ensure that the field remains an asset for everyone.
End of Report.
8. Report from Southwick Village Hall Committee.
In the absence of Roy Butt owing to illness, no report was given.
9. To consider resolutions of which written notice has been given.
There were no resolutions.
10. To consider other matters raised by those present.
Cllr. J Jones queried when the footpath through the newly constructed Solar Farm is to be reinstated
There were no other matters raised.
11. Close.
The meeting closed at 7.25 pm.
Chairman,