Stert Parish

MINUTES OF MEETING OF STERT PARISH COUNCIL held in Stert House on 4th June 2018

Present:

• Clive Boyes (CB),   Chairman
• Alick Edwards (AE)   Dty Chairman
• Lucy Barker (LB)     Councillor/Treasurer
• Chris Lawrence (CL)    Councillor
• William Howkins (WH)   Councillor/Clerk

1. Apologies for absence

None.

2. Declaration of Interest  

None.

3. Minutes of previous meetings

The Minutes of the PC meeting held on 1st May 2018 were approved (proposed by CL and seconded by LB) and signed by the Chairman.

4. Treasurer’s Report

4.1  FY 2017/18

LB reported that last year’s audit was now complete and had been approved by our internal auditor, Mr. Neville Burrell. The relevant documents including the financial regulations have now been posted on the parish website www.stertparish.com .  The Notice of Public Rights to inspect the accounts will be posted on the noticeboards and the website.

In his covering letter to the completed audit, Mr. Burrell suggested that, to provide for future telephone box restoration costs,  a memorandum account be set up, simply as a schedule to which into which £50 be added each year. The total accumulated should be declared annually in the financial report tabled at the Annual Parish Meeting.  The PC did not foresee any other cases where infrequent but significant expenses were likely to occur in future.    

4.2  FY2018/19

Since the last meeting, there had only been one expense of £236.25 for parish insurance. This included all risks cover for the telephone box. The balance in the account stood at £2932.79 (as checked by WH in the passbook).   

The decision whether or not to insure the phone box was discussed and agreed. It was also agreed that next year a quote would be obtained to insure the village’s main marquee.

It was agreed to make a donation of £20 to the PCC for loan of the church for the meeting on 30th April. It was also agreed that LB should spend £50 on a gift in lieu of fee for the internal auditor.

5. Telephone box

A quotation for repainting the telephone box in the amount £450 had been received from Mr. Neville Moody and was approved by the PC. CB will email Mr. Moody to confirm this. It was also agreed to ask Mr. Moody to add a sign showing the name of the village on the panel on top of the phone box for a small extra cost. 

6. Neighbourhood Watch

WH reported that he had received confirmations in accordance with the recent government regulations on data protection from the majority of village residents that they would like to continue receiving email notifications from the PC. WH will provide an updated list of these residents to CB.

WH had nothing special to report from Wiltshire Police since the last meeting. However, CB noticed that a new motorhome was parked on Edwards’ land the hill above the village.

7. Tinkfield Recycling Centre.

CB reported that he had talked to Mr. Nigel Grist to get an update on progress with the building works at Tinkfield. He was told that the second weigh-bridge had been installed and work was underway on a concrete apron to improve the entrance to the site to allow access of larger lorries. The bund is now being constructed and will be completed by the end of the summer.

8. Proposed Lydeway railway station

Notes on the Special Meeting held on 30th April in St James Church at which WC Cllr. Philip Whitehead briefed Stert residents on WC’s planning policies governing the proposed Devizes Parkway Station were also tabled. These notes will be posted on the notice boards and the parish website. 

Since this meeting, nothing further has been heard from the Devizes Development Partnership’s working group. WH said he would follow up with Mr. Simon Fisher to hear if any feedback had been received on their submission of 20th February 2018 to the Public Consultation on the GWR franchise and on progress, if any, with the GRIP planning process.

9. Potholes in village lane

WH said he had filed a report with photos on the My Wiltshire website about the deterioration of the tarmac in the village lane just above Barn Cottage. It was requested that repairs be made under the Parish Steward scheme this summer to avoid further deterioration of the surface in the coming winter. Visits to Stert by the Parish Steward are scheduled for 26th June, 24th July and 18th September. WH will check with WC to confirm whether this work will be scheduled for this summer.

10. AOB

10.1  AE has generously offered to build a beacon bonfire on Etchilhampton Hill to be lit on 11th November to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the WW1 Armistice. This will be a joint event with Etchilhampton. Details to follow later.

10.2  Social events: St James’ Patronal Day is on 29th July and will be celebrated with a special service at 10 am and followed by drinks at Stert House from 11 to 12:30 by the kind invitation of Stert PCC. 

David Mitcham is planning another summer jazz barbecue to be held in aid of the church at a date to be fixed later.

11. Next Meeting

The next PC meeting and Annual Meeting will be held in Stert House on 16th July 2018, at 7.30 pm.

held in Stert House on 1st May 2018

Present: 

• Clive Boyes (CB), Chairman
• Lucy Barker (LB),  Councillor/Treasurer
• William Howkins (WH), Councillor/Clerk

1. Apologies for absence 

Councillors Alick Edwards and Chris Lawrence sent their apologies.  Since the last meeting, Sam Deacon had resigned from the Council due to work commitments. The PC expressed their thanks to Sam for her work on the Council over the past 11 years, especially for her expertise in environmental matters, and hoped to be able to call on her professional advice in the future.

2. Declaration of Interest

None.

3. Minutes of previous meetings

The Minutes of the PC meeting held on 22nd February 2018 were approved (proposed by LB and seconded by WH) and signed by the Chairman.

4. Treasurer’s Report

4.1  FY2017/18

LB submitted a spreadsheet summarising the income and expenditure from account for the past year compared with the previous year. This will be posted on the PC’s website. She reported there had been one payment since the last meeting of £40 for use of the church on 19/2/18, and the balance on 31st March was £2253.99 (confirmed in the passbook by WH). 

Excluding the Christmas party, the budget for expenses had been set at £700 and the actual amount spent was £609,25. Including the Christmas party, the total spent during the year was £807.12.

4.2  FY 2018/19

We have received the precept for the current year of £915.05 and the balance now stands at £3169.04 (confirmed by WH in the passbook).

It was agreed to set the budget for the coming year at £1300 as follows:

• £650  for normal recurring expenses, 
• £200  for the Christmas party,
• £450  for phone box renovation.

It was agreed from FY2019/20 to earmark annually a reserve of £50 for phone box renovation, needed about every 10 years, and note the accumulated amount each year. The PC confirmed it could not see any other cases where similar reserves need to be established.             

It was a agreed to accept the quotation of £450 from Mr. Neville Moody for repainting the telephone box as this was in line with the previous bill for £403 in 2009.

4.3 Parish Audit 2017/18

4.3.1 The PC agreed to adopt the set of financial regulations previously circulated by LB. (Proposed by CB and seconded by WH.) These are to be posted on the PC’s website.

4.3.2 The certificate of exemption from external audit was agreed and signed by CB and LB.

4.3.3 It was agreed to reappoint Mr Neville Burrell as our Internal Auditor (proposed by WH and seconded by LB).

4.3.4 The Governance Statement, including a risk assessment of Parish assets, was discussed and approved by the PC and the statement signed by CB and WH as chairman and clerk respectively. 

4.3.5 The Parish account statement for FY2017/18 was approved and signed by CB and LB.

5. Neighbourhood Watch

It was noted that following notice by Wiltshire Council, the caravan beside the road above the Lion Monument had been removed.

WH had nothing special to report apart from a few general theft/scam warnings from the police passed onto residents by email. He reported that, in compliance with Government data protection regulations, he had sent a circular asking residents to confirm they were happy to be on the PC’s mailing list. He had received confirmation from most of Stert residents and CB said he would follow up on those who had not yet replied.

6. Tinkfield Recycling Centre.

It was noted that there had been no progress with the bund earthworks during the past months due to the very wet conditions. CB agreed to visit the site to get an update on the work schedule for the coming summer and the autumn planting on the bund.

7. Crookwood MotoX

Councillor Philip Whitehead briefed Stert residents in the church the previous evening on the issuing of an Article 4 directive by Wiltshire Council to remove permitted rights (14 days a year of non agricultural use of farmland) from Crookwood Farm, in order to prevent MotoX events being held at Crookwood Farm on the basis of inadequate safety and lack of proper access.

8. AOB

8.1 LB wished to table a vote of thanks to the snow wardens (AE and WH) who had been out spreading salt  with the PC’s salt spreader during last month’s snow storm.

8.2 WH had received notice that WC’s Parish Steward will visit Stert on 26th June, 24th July and 18th September. He will request the deterioration of the tarmac by Barn Cottage to be made good.

9. Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held in Stert House on 4th June 2018, at 7.30 pm.