MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STERT PARISH COUNCIL
held in Stert House on 22nd May 2017
Present:
Clive Boyes (CB), Chairman
Chris Lawrence (CL), Councillor
Sam Deacon (SD), Councillor
Lucy Barker (LB), Councillor/Treasurer
William Howkins (WH), Councillor/Clerk
1. Apologies for absence
Alick Edwards sent his apologies.
2. Declaration of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
3. Election of Councillors.
The six members pf the outgoing Parish Council, having been nominated to serve for the coming 4 year term and being unopposed, took up office on 8th May 2017.
4. Minutes of previous meeting
The Minutes of the previous PC meeting held on 26th April were approved (proposed by SD and seconded by LB) and signed by CB.
5. Treasurer’s Report
5.1 Annual Governance Statement. LB tabled the Annual Governance Statement. Section 1, the Annual Return. This was unanimously approved and signed by CB and WH.
5.2 Section 2 of the Statement, the Annual Accounts. LB reported that the annual expenditure for 2016/17 was £1073 compared to an income of £1020, the overspend being due to the cost of holding two village parties during the year. The reserve stood at £2023.57. The accounts which have been submitted to our internal auditor, Neville Burrell, were approved and signed by CB.
LB submitted the Notice of Date of Commencement of Period for the Exercise of Public Rights to examine the 2016/17 accounts and the Declaration of Status of Published Accounts to be posted on the Parish Notice Boards.
5.3 Current year. Since the last meeting, the annual precept of £915.05 had been paid in to our account and the balance of the account on 22/5/17 stood at £2938.62 (confirmed in the pass book by WH).
The PC approved payment of £215.25 for renewal of the parish insurance. LB pointed out that of the items listed on the parish asset register only the salt spreader is insured for ‘all risks’. It was agreed that the other items listed are of relatively low value and therefore not worth insuring.
It was agreed that, in the interests of economy, to discontinue our membership of the mapping service, Parish Online, and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, CPRE. LB would also check whether we needed to continue membership of the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils, WALC. She requested approval to spend £50 on a gift to our internal auditor in lieu of his fee. This was agreed.
6. Neighbourhood Watch
WH reported that, apart from some routine warnings from Wiltshire Police, which he had passed on to residents, there was nothing particular to report.
7. Tinkfield Recycling Centre.
CB and LB reported that they had noticed that considerable earthmoving activities had recently taken place at the Tinkfield site where a new bund had been built in the neighbouring field about 30 metres east of the new sorting shed, outside the boundary of the site. As this work and the eastward lean-to extension of the new sorting shed were outside the limits of the plans for which planning approval had been granted by WC on 4th July 2014, Mr. Dean Thomas, WC’s responsible planning officer, had requested Mr. Nigel Grist to submit a revised planning application for retroactive approval of the works not covered by the original application. So far, the PC has not received any notification that this has been done.
The PC is concerned that the development of the Tinkfield site is being extended towards the village into agricultural land without due planning consent. It was therefore decided that, the PC would seek a meeting with Mr. Grist to review the scope of the intended extension of the site, what measures he intends to take to reduce the mud on the main road and the status of the revised planning application.
8. A342 verge maintenance
CB tabled a letter he had received on 11th May from Mr. John Ericson, Chairman of the Clock Inn Residents Association, complaining about the state of the footpath along A342 between the railway bridge and the entrance to the village. Mr. Ericson complained that the hedge and bank encroached into the footpath making it dangerous for pedestrians. Although WH had notified WC’s roads maintenance department on the My Wiltshire website, no action had been taken by WC to improve the footpath. CB said he would forward Mr. Ericson’s letter to Cllr. Whitehead to ask his help in getting the work scheduled.
9. AOB.
9.1 Potholes in Stert Lane. WH noted ravelling of the macadam surface in the lane down to Barn Cottage and said he would request repairs to be carried out under the Parish Steward scheme.
9.2 Footpaths. LB reported she had contacted Linda Jennings from Urchfont about the overgrown footpath between Crookwood Mill Farm and Bridge Farm. She was informed that WC had said it would install stiles and clear the footpath this summer with the help of the Urchfont ROW group.
10. Next Meeting
The next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting of Stert PC, and held on Monday 17th July at 7.30 pm in Stert House.
Stert Parish 