MINUTES OF KINGTON LANGLEY PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING

HELD IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM OF THE VILLAGE HALL ON

MONDAY 9 JULY 2007

PRESENT: Cllr. Peter Hart (Chairman), Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird, Cllr. Dennis Gill, Cllr. D Styles, Cllr. Rev. John Schofield and Cllr. Graham Trickey. County Councillor Mrs. Jane Scott, Mrs. Sue Hart (Clerk) plus four members of the public.

APOLOGIES for absence were received by Cllr. Mrs. Lynn Atwell, Cllr. J Foster and Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles

074.07

RESIDENTS FORUM

Mr. David Sealy expressed concern about the state Church Lane is likely to be in once the contractors have finished the building work at Fitzurse Cottage and asked whether planners should take this into account. Cllr. Peter Hart said the situation was already on record with Highways Department who have been asked to resurface the road when building work was completed. The Parish Council had also requested that a S106 Agreement should be considered if the current application was approved, with a view to creating a footpath alongside the lane or at the least putting the lane back into its former state.

Mr. Sealy also said that in his opinion the Commons erosion problem should be resolved by building a car park on the Common. Cllr. Peter Hart said that this had already been investigated in the past and it would be necessary to go to the Secretary of State for approval and it is unlikely that we would get it. This option was also dismissed at the last Annual Parish Meeting in March.

Mr. Sealy expressed concern that the Council would be liable if a car knocked the boundary stones planned for erection. Cllr. Hart explained that the first three quarters of a metre is under Highways control and after that the car would be encroaching on Parish property which they would have no right to do.

Mr. Sealy was also concerned that more of the Common would be taken when work started. Cllr. Hart said that the width of the road would be determined by where the existing road substructure was found.

Local residents wishing to speak regarding the Glenhaven Planning Application were invited to stay until the Planning Agenda item.

ACTION

075.07

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

076.07

MINUTES

Minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2007 were circulated to all Councillors. On a proposal from Cllr. Dennis Gill, seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird, IT WAS RESOLVED that the Chairman, Cllr. Peter Hart, sign the Minutes as a correct record.

077.07

MATTERS ARISING

None.

078.07

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Cllr. Hart said that as well as his general monthly chairman’s duties he had also been working on the next stage of the Commons Erosion project.

‘Promises’ had been sought from attendees at the Annual Parish Meeting and current support is between £2,500 and £3,000. This would now be broadened to the rest of the village. This would be done as an insert to next month’s Village Magazine and Cllr. Rev. John Schofield suggested a double-sided A5 sheet. Cllr. Graham Trickey was asked if this could also be put on the website.

The possibility of obtaining ‘goods in kind’ to provide the standing stones meant that overall approximately £3,800 had been promised. £6,000 would be needed in order to obtain the full amount of matched funding.

Cllr. Hart had also written a letter to the new District Councillor, Sherry Meadows, regarding planning issues and was hoping to arrange a meeting with her and the new Chairman of the Development Control Committee.

Cllr. Hart

Clerk

Cllr. Trickey

079.07

CLERK’S REPORT

Reference Minute 041.07: Wiltshire County Council had responded to the request that Byway 34 be downgraded to stop motorised vehicles from using it. Mr. David Sealy asked if the response could be copied to himself and Mr. Greenhill, who had raised the issue.

The Clerk also expressed her concern regarding the state of the village notice boards with reference to both re-erecting the original ones and renovating or replacing the older ones which are too hard to pin papers to. One side should also be lockable as papers are being removed.

Clerk

080.07

PLANNING

(a) Planning Issues:

Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird said that permission to install double-glazing in the Kington St. Michael had been refused on the grounds that it was a conservation issue. They had been told they could not appeal. Cllr. Mrs. Jane Scott said that District Councillor Sherry Meadows should be made aware of the issue.

Cllr. Peter Hart raised the issue of tree-felling at Fitzurse Cottage where the bungalow was now demolished and seven of the trees marked for preservation in 06/00348/FUL have been removed, contrary to the conditions applied to planning permission. This had now been raised with NWDC Planning Department who had investigated the site.

(b) Planning Applications decided by North Wiltshire District Council:

07/00998/FUL 8 Plough Lane – Conservatory.	Permission Granted – 26 June 07
07/01257/TCA – Meadow House, Parkers Lane – Fell 2 Conifer Trees.	Permission Granted – 28 June 2007

Planning Application Recommendations decided under powers delegated to the Parish Clerk:

07/01657/TCA The Barn, Ashes Lane – Crown Reduction of Horse Chestnut Tree. (This refers to a tree at Gate Farm, Swindon Road)

Support.

(c) Planning Applications for consideration:

Reissued Planning Applications:

07/01340/FUL Land off Church Lane, Kington Langley. Erection of two detached dwellings following the demolition of the existing bungalow (Amended Plans)	Not supported
Councillors believed that the resiting of the house on Plot 1 had an even more overbearing nature on the adjoining property, Clandooe, and were most concerned that the side and back extensions of Clandooe are not being taken into account.

For Reconsideration with New Information:

07/1490/FUL Steinbrook Stables, Swindon Road – Erection of Garages and Workshop Building (Reconsider following contact from neighbours)

Not supported.

Councillors believed that the structure was oversized (being over 6 metres high) for its stated intention of being just garages and a workshop. Windows in the second storey would over-look the neighbouring garden of Steinbrook House and would be an invasion of the neighbours’ privacy. The structure should either (a) have its height reduced (b) have no windows in the second storey or (c) be repositioned on the site so that it cannot overlook Steinbrook House.

New Applications:

07/01598/FUL Glenhaven, Plough Lane - Demolish Existing Dwelling & erect 2 detached dwellings, garages & access (Re-submission)	Not supported.
Local residents Mrs. Ellett & Mr. & Mrs. Richards expressed their concerns regarding over-development of the site and boundary issues. They also referred to the previous Appeal decision. Councillors believed that: · The application was still over-development of the site (reference a previous Appeal decision APP/J3910/A/06/ 2026499 dated 28 March 2007) · The properties were out of keeping with frontage layouts of adjoining properties. · It was an inappropriate housing design at the village entrance · There was insufficient sizing information
07/01740/FUL – Pound House, Middle Common – Erection of Single Storey Timber Framed Orangery.	Supported.
07/01772/CLE – Plough Lane Nursery – Certificate of Lawfulness for occupation of Agricultural workers dwelling without compliance with agricultural condition.	Not supported.
The Parish Council had objected to the original permission on the grounds that its siting fell in the agricultural boundary that separated Kington Langley from Chippenham. They therefore believed that the property should only be used for agricultural workers’ dwellings and that there were no grounds for making an exception in this case. The current condition should remain in place. Present and future owners of this property should comply with it.

With reference to rural residents affected by nearby developments and which may not be able to obtain sufficient letters of objection to enable the application to be brought to the Development Control Committee, Cllr. Hart said Kennet District Council did allow applications to go to Committee if the Parish Council objected but did not believe this to be the case in NWDC.

County Councillor Mrs. Jane Scott said that the new District Councillor should be made aware of any applications that the Parish Council did not support. The District Councillor can call out applications for consideration by the Development Control Committee if the Planning Officers’ recommendation is for an approval.

Clerk

Clerk

Clerk

Clerk

Clerk

Clerk

081.07

ADOPTION OF NEW CODE OF CONDUCT

Councillors had reviewed the new Code of Conduct for members that came into force from 3^rd May 2007.

On a proposal from Cllr. Rev. John Schofield, seconded by Cllr. Dennis Gill, IT WAS RESOLVED that Kington Langley Parish Council would adopt the Model Code of Conduct including Paragraph 12 (2) which gives members with a prejudicial interest the same rights as members of the public to speak to a meeting on the issue and then leave before the main discussion and vote.

082.07

VILLAGE GREENS REGISTRATION

Councillors had received a map of the village plus suggested areas which might be suitable for registration as village greens.

Following discussion and some additions, it was agreed that the next step would be to put the list into the Village Magazine and ask for comments.

Clerk

083.07

KINGTON LANGLEY VILLAGE MAINTENANCE

As volunteers had not been forthcoming for village maintenance tasks, the Parish Council were asked to consider whether essential maintenance, especially notice boards, should be paid for. On a proposal from Cllr. Dennis Gill, seconded by Cllr. Rev. John Schofield, IT WAS RESOLVED that quotations should be sought for this work.

Clerk

084.07

FINANCE

(a) Cheques issued and transfers since 11 June 2007 meeting:

9 July 07	Open Spaces Society Subscription	984	30.00
9 July 07	Clerk Salary - June	985	333.37
9 July 07	Auditing Solutions Ltd	986	205.62
9 July 07	D Raines – Footpath Strimming	987	80.00
			£648.99

Payments Received:

1 July 07

Scottish & Southern Energy - Wayleave

£37.06

Transfers Made: None.

Direct Debits Paid: None.

Invoices for the above cheques had been inspected and approved by the signatories. On a proposal from Cllr. Graham Trickey, seconded by Cllr. Don Styles, IT WAS RESOLVED that cheques numbered 984 - 987 be approved by the meeting.

(b) Bank accounts: The last reconciliation had been successfully carried out on the 9^th July 2007.

Bank Accounts and Petty Cash as at 30 June 2007:

Current account	£6,405.00
Deposit account	£5,948.01
Petty cash	£10.76
Total:	£12,363.77

(c) End of Year Accounts Action Plan:

All Councillors had received a copy of the Auditors’ Action Plan.

The 4 recommendations proposed by the Auditors were considered as follows:

R1. Review of Regulatory Framework. Councillors agreed with the Auditors’ suggestion that the Council’s minutes should identify the powers under which grants and donations are approved for payment and would implement this suggestion as far as possible.

R2. Assessment and Management of Risk. The clerk advised Councillors that the Insurers had duplicated a Schedule Entry for the newest litter bin and she would arrange for its removal.

R3. Budgetary Control & Reserves. Following discussion with the County Councillor it was agreed that the Parish Council would continue to apply its existing policy.