MINUTES OF KINGTON
HELD IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM OF THE VILLAGE HALL ON
PRESENT:
APOLOGIES for absence: County Councillor Mrs. Jane Scott.
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048.08 |
RESIDENTS FORUM – None.
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ACTION
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049.08 |
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – None. |
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050.08 |
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 10 MARCH 2008
Minutes
of the meeting held on 10 March 2008 were circulated to all Councillors. Cllr.
Gill asked for Minute 047.08 Any Other Business (a) to be changed to read “Cllr. Gill said that Village Fetes had
suffered in the same way as the Village Party.” (c)
“Cllr. Don Giles” should read “Cllr. Don Styles”. On a proposal from Cllr. Don Styles, seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird,
IT WAS RESOLVED that
the Chairman, Cllr. Dr. Maurice Dixson, sign the Minutes as a correct record. |
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051.08 |
MATTERS ARISING
Minute 040.08 – |
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052.08 |
PLANNING
(a) Planning Issues: None. (b)
Planning Applications decided by North
Wiltshire District Council:
Planning Application Recommendations decided
under powers delegated to the Parish Clerk: None. (c) Planning
Applications for consideration:
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Clerk Clerk Clerk Clerk Clerk |
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053.08 |
CHAIRMAN’S BUSINESS The Chairman said that in the aftermath of the
Annual Parish Meeting, the Commons Erosion project was the Parish Council’s main
focus for 2008, followed by downgrading Byway 34 to a Restricted Access
byway. Wiltshire County Council’s move to a Unitary Authority could result in
a centralising body whereby he hoped to see more delegated responsibilities
to parishes. He hoped that becoming a Quality Council may help the Parish Council
to demonstrate the required competence. He asked whether Councillors had a vision of ‘What
is Kington Langley?’ He expressed concern that some villagers may be
encouraging an environment more like a suburb than a semi-rural village. He
said he thought it was good for the village to have fields and cows in its
centre and wanted to work with farmers to resolve issues like drainage and
digging out ditches. The absence of street lighting and the presence of
farming and horse-focused businesses reinforced Kington Langley’s status as a
vibrant, semi-rural village. Councillors supported the Chairman’s perspective
that Kington Langley is a working village and not a retirement village. (20:30 Cllr. Foster joined the meeting.) |
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054.08 |
COMMONS EROSION PROJECT – CHOICE OF BOLLARD Following feedback from North Wiltshire District
Council’s Community and Environment Department, Cllr. Dixson expressed
concern that villagers in their survey last year had voted for timber rather
than the reconstituted bollards now agreed. Councillors who had been on the
Council when a sample reconstituted bollard had been obtained said that the
bollard looked very similar to wood but without the maintenance overhead. Cllr. Hart said that the Area 3 Committee Grant
application has now been submitted for the meeting on 2nd June. Councillors
agreed that the application should proceed on the current time-table and
Cllr. Hart pointed out that Promises would not be called in until the total
amount of matched funding was sourced. Cllr. Hart agreed to write an article
for the next Village Magazine explaining the rationale for the change from
timber to reconstituted bollards and invite feedback if this was an issue for
anyone. |
Cllr. Hart |
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055.08 |
GREENS REGISTRATION PROJECT – NEXT STEPS The
clerk said that the area outside the church which had been selected as a test
case by the Annual Parish Meeting turned out to be covered by the
Registration of Middle Common. She had distributed a list of all the
nominated areas in the village to councillors prior to the meeting in order
to choose another area. Councillors
agreed that Newlands Green would be a good alternative. |
Clerk |
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056.08 |
BYWAY 34 – UPDATE The Clerk was still waiting for a reply to
letters sent in March to the Wiltshire County Council Rights of
Way Officer and County Cllr. Jane Scott asking for the legal situation to be
clarified. Cllr. Scott’s PA has said that the situation is not straight-forward
and Cllr. Scott would like to discuss it with the Chairman further when she
attends the village walkabout on 25 April. Cllr.
Hart said that a lot of effort had been put into making the byway useable by
everyone in the village. Cllr. Foster volunteered to be ‘champion’ for the
project and Cllr. Gill would help with technical advice. The Clerk was asked
to copy Cllrs. Foster and Gill on all correspondence over the past year. |
Cllr. Foster Clerk |
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057.08 |
VILLAGE RED TELEPHONE BOX Kington
St. Michael has obtained Grade II listing for their village telephone box. It
means that it is protected against demolition, alteration or extension. There
are now over 25 listed kiosks in North Wiltshire and 65 across the county.
The Clerk asked whether Councillors would be interested in her investigating whether
the Kington Langley one could be listed. Councillors
agreed that both the Lower Common box and the one by the Plough Inn should be
considered as well as the red post box in the wall at Manor House. |
Clerk |
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058.08 |
COUNCILLOR
RESPONSIBILITIES
Revd.
John Schofield has now agreed to resume his role as the village’s Community
Emergency Volunteer. This
left two councillor responsibilities still to be allocated. Cllr. Foster
agreed, as the Playing Fields Representative, to include the Children’s Play
Area – which had been separated from the PFA responsibilities when there were
a series of seminars and focus groups about it last year. Cllr.
Timbrell agreed to take over Wildlife, Environment and CPRE. |
Cllr. Foster Cllr. Timbrell |
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059.08 |
BOUNDARY COMMITTEE – ELECTORAL REVIEW OF NEW
WILTSHIRE UNITARY AUTHORITY Councillors
had received copies of a communication from the Boundary Committee and a
letter from Wiltshire County Council on Proposed Electoral Divisions. Councillors
did not support the suggestion that Kington Langley should be part of the
proposed Chippenham Community Area 3 and believed that instead the village
should be part of the rural Malmesbury Community Area 1. Cllr.
Mrs. Giles provided councillors with an analysis of the WCC proposal, with
the suggestion that Sutton Benger and Nettleton Wards be moved to Areas 1 and
4 respectively, leaving Area 3 as a purely urban Area. Cllr.
Meadows said that rather than being called Sutton Benger, the name Kington
would also be preferable. The
Clerk was asked to write to the Boundary Committee with the Parish Council’s
suggestions. |
Clerk |
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060.08 |
BECOMING A QUALITY
COUNCIL Cllr.
Foster and the Clerk provided councillors with summary sheets of the criteria
for becoming a Quality Council and what specific procedures the Parish
Council and the Clerk would need to do to quality. Cllr.
Dixson said that a report had been received from the Project Manager
responsible for investigating delegation to Town and Parish Councils when
Wiltshire became a Unitary Authority. He said that the report stated that
whilst not being a Quality Council would not be an absolute bar when
considering negotiations, those councils who have earned Quality Council
status have slightly enhanced powers and councils were encouraged to do so. Councillors
agreed by a show of hands to the Clerk pursuing the matter further. Cllr.
Hart abstained. |
Clerk |
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061.08 |
FINANCE
(a)
Cheques
issued, payments received and transfers made since 10 March 2008 meeting:
2008/9 Financial Year – Cheques Issued:
Payments Received:
Transfers Made:
Direct Debits Paid: None. The invoices for the above cheques had been
inspected and approved by the signatories. On a proposal from Cllr. Peter
Hart, seconded by Cllr. Chris Timbrell, IT WAS RESOLVED that
cheques numbered 1021-1024 and 1028-1036 be approved by the meeting. (b)
Bank accounts: The clerk reported that the last reconciliation had been successfully
carried out on 14th April 2008. Bank Accounts and Petty Cash as at 31 March 2008:
(c)
2008 Asset Register: Councillors had been
sent copies of the proposed 2008 Asset Register. The Clerk had received a
request from the Playing Fields Committee to increase the value of the
Playing Fields Mower by £100. There were no other proposals for changes. On a proposal from Cllr. Don Styles,
seconded by Cllr. Dennis Gill, IT WAS RESOLVED that the Asset Register be approved for the
year. (d)
The Clerk had received an e-mail from (e)
Lower Common Trees
across Greathouse Wall: The Clerk had received an estimate from Tree
Maintenance Limited for carrying out remedial work to the trees at Lower
Common and following discussions with another tree specialist recommended
that the Council accept the estimate. On a proposal from
Cllr. Don Styles, seconded by Cllr. The Clerk had also
investigated the drain blockage with the help of Ms. Anthea Jenkins, who had
taken a specialist to review the problem. Ms. Jenkins did not believe the
issue was for the Parish Council to resolve. (f)
Grants,
Donations and other Financial Actions: 1. Carried forward from
Last Meeting (Min.045.08e1): Request for £150 from the Scarecrow Weekend
Committee for bunting. On a proposal from Cllr. Peter Hart, seconded by Cllr.
Don Styles, IT WAS RESOLVED that the sum of £150 be donated for village
bunting. 2.
Request for Donation from the Bobby Van Trust. £50 has already
allocated for this in the current year’s precept. On a proposal from Cllr. 3.
Carried forward from Last Meeting (Min.045.08e4): Request from the
Clerk to attend a WALC Accounts & Audit 1-day course on 1st
May at a cost of £30 + VAT. On a proposal from Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird,
seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles, IT WAS RESOLVED that this should be agreed and paid for
from the training budget. 4.
2008 3-year Contracts - Update: ·
Commons Cuts: Have gone out to tender (deadline 25 April). ·
Bus Shelter Cleaning / Byway Cutting: The current contractor has been
asked to quote for a 3-year contract for each one. ·
Footpath Maintenance:
The current contractor is unable to commit to a 3-year contract as he is
likely to retire, so someone else needs to be found to do the footpath
strimming. Councillors were asked to provide suggestions to the Clerk. 5.
End of Year Accounts: The Clerk has now received the End of Year Accounts documentation from the Council’s External
Auditors, Mazars, so this will be her highest priority over the next month. |
Clerk Cllr. Dixson Clerk Clerk Clerk Clerk Clerk All Cllrs. All Cllrs. |
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062.08 |
CORRESPONDENCE
From
Kington Langley Helping Hands Committee - Letter dated 6 March
08: reference works to village bench in memory of Helping Hands founder
member which included a donation of £30 and thanks to Mr. Andy Boulton. From
WCC Passenger Transport – The length of the new buses means that cars
parked near the From
NWDC
- Letter dated 4th April: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act
2005 – The procedure for reporting Stray Dogs has changed. The Clerk has
posted copies on all notice boards and put a note in the Village Magazine. From
Wiltshire Police - Questionnaire on neighbourhood policing. All
councillors have had a copy and were encouraged to complete and return it if
they have anything to report. To
The Stables, |
All Cllrs. Cllr. Timbrell |
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063.08 |
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
(a)
Cllr. Don Styles
said that new bus timetables had been much delayed but he had now received
and distributed them. New Bus Passes were now only just coming through. (b)
The Clerk had
received a phone call from Mrs. Debbie Elkins asking her to pass on the
Village Party Committee’s thanks to the Parish Council for their past support.
The Clerk was asked to put a thank you to the Village Party volunteers in the
Village Magazine. (c)
Cllr. Trickey has
received agreement from Wessex Water to allowing a path round the reservoir
as part of a safe route from the school to the playing fields. However, the owner
of the field between Church Farm and the reservoir has just died which leaves
the situation in abeyance for the time being. (d)
County Cllr. Jane
Scott is doing the village ‘walkabout’ on Friday 25th April. (e)
PC Heather Barham
has informed the Clerk that Kington Langley will be the ‘priority village’
for May, June and July and requests for specific attention should be directed
to her at her post box at the Stables or via e-mail. (f)
Cllr. Gill said that
PC Barham had asked if a post box could be installed for her at the Village
Hall and requested that this be an Agenda Item for next month. The meeting closed at 21:43. The next Parish Council
Meeting is the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council at 7:45 pm on Tuesday 6 May 2008. All
Councillors should make every effort to attend. |
Clerk All Cllrs. Clerk |
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