MINUTES OF KINGTON LANGLEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM OF THE VILLAGE HALL ON

MONDAY 9th JUNE 2008

 

PRESENT:  Cllr. Dr. Maurice Dixson (Chairman), Cllr. Mrs. Betty Bird, Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles, Cllr. Dennis Gill, Cllr. J Foster, Cllr. P Hart, Cllr. D Styles, Cllr. C Timbrell, Cllr. G. Trickey, District Cllr. Mrs. Sherry Meadows, County Councillor Mrs. Jane Scott. Mrs. Sue Hart (Clerk) plus 3 members of the public.

 

APOLOGIES for absence: None.

 

081.08

                   

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Cllr. Mr. Don Styles declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in the Planning Application at Elmet House, Fairleigh Rise. Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles declared a Personal Interest in the Planning Application at Elmet House, Fairleigh Rise.

 

ACTION

 

 

 

082.08

 

 

RESIDENTS’ FORUM - None.

 

 

 

083.08

 

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 6 MAY 2008

 

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 May 2008 had been circulated to all Councillors. Minute 066.08 Election of Vice-Chairman was amended from “Cllr. Rev. Don Styles” to “Cllr. Don Styles” and Minute 068.08 Residents’ Forum from “Cllr. Weston” to “Mr. Weston”.

 

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 and amendments as a correct record.

 

 

 

084.08

 

 

 

 

MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES

 

The Chairman asked for the actions from the previous meeting to be reviewed as follows:

Min. 055.08 – Greens Registration:

Still outstanding.

Min. 057.08 – Village Red Telephone Box:

Action – Complete. The Clerk has written to NWDC Planning Dept. regarding BT’s intention to remove the Church Road telephone box.

Min. 060.08 – Becoming a Quality Council:

 

Action – Complete. Following feedback by District and County Councillors, the Parish Council are taking a watching brief on becoming a Quality Council.

Min. 061.08(c) Finance:

2008 Asset Register

Action – Complete. The Asset Register was included in the new Parish Council Procedures Binder.

Min. 073.08 – Commons Erosion Project:

 

The Chairman expressed his thanks to Cllr. Hart and County Cllr. Mrs. Jane Scott for their support on obtaining the Area 3 Committee grant.

Min. 071.08 – Planning:

Action – Complete. All Parish Council responses were submitted to NWDC.

Min. 075.08 – (a) Byway 34:

(b) Cty.Cllr. Village Walkabout:

 

 

 

Action – Complete. The Clerk was in contact with WCC regarding the history of the Byway designation.

Action – Complete. Walkabout notes were circulated to Councillors; a letter was written to County Cllr. Jane Scott re. Church Lane resurfacing; the Clerk established that there was no committee responsible for prioritising Highways works.

 

Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles asked which potholes were likely to get attention and agreed to work with the Clerk to come up with a list of those requiring work.

 

Cllr. Gill asked about people being allowed to put concrete on the highway verge (as at Lower Common). It was pointed out that several walls in the village had been built across highways verge and Highways would have to treat them all equally.

 

Cllr. Gill also asked why it had not been possible to enforce the removal of walls which should not have been built at Field View House. The Clerk was asked to send the relevant planning history to Cllr. Ms. Sherry Meadows.

Min. 077.08 Annual Risk Assessment:

Action – Complete. The Risk Assessment was included in the new Procedures Binder.

Min. 078.08 Finance (c) 1 i-iii:

Min. 078.08 Finance (c) iv:

 

Min. 078.08 Finance (c) 2:

Action – Complete.

 

School to Playing Fields Footpath Maintenance: The Clerk was reviewing this work with a villager.

Action – Complete. Cllr. Gill said that the Village Hall Committee had decided not to put up a police post box at the village hall.

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr. Mrs. V Giles / Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

085.08

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLANNING

 

(a)   Planning Issues: 

 

The Chairman asked Councillors to consider a proposal to set aside a fund for employing professional advice when considering major planning developments in the village. He cited as an example a letter written by a professional planning agent on behalf of a neighbour to the Barncroft application which very eloquently presented objections. The point he emphasised, however, was that it could be advantageous in key planning applications for the Parish Council to be represented by a local established professional in the field with a good reputation in planning circles. County Cllr. Mrs. Jane Scott said that the strength of any submission relied on its reference to Planning Policy documents. The Clerk was asked to circulate copies of the agent’s letter and the Parish Council’s submission.

 

Cllr. Hart pointed out that if such an application was received there may not be time for the full Council to meet to decide on whether an agent should be employed. If this became delegated powers to the Chairman, the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations would need to be changed. The subject should be an agenda item at the next Parish Council meeting.

 

Cllr. Mrs. Jane Scott pointed out that if the Parish Council wished to have an application brought to the Development Control Committee they can do so via their District Councillor. Apart from Local Plan considerations, however, the Committee were most likely to be influenced by the views of local people when making their decisions to refuse planning applications.

 

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

 

08/00070/FUL The Old Apple Store, Plough Lane Nursery – Construction of double garage and garden store with loft studio room above and change of use of part of nursery to additional residential curtilage.

 

Permission Granted – 3 June 2008

 

08/00593/FUL Chippenham Pallet Co, Lower Swinley Farm - Erection of new mess room and offices as an extension to existing business premises.

Permission Granted – 13 May 08

08/00615/FUL The Chestnuts – Conservatory.

Permission Granted – 8 May 08

08/00787/LBC Lime Tree Farm, Middle Common – Improving insulation, boarding and plastering ceiling and walls, installing chipboard floor.

Consent Granted – 30 May 08

08/00832/FUL 2 Lime Tree Cottage – Front and side 2-storey building.

Permission Granted – 29 May 08

08/00855/FUL – Barncroft, The Barton – Erection of five dwellings.

Application Withdrawn – 30 May 2008

08/00975/REM Russet House, Plough Lane – Erection of dwelling and detached garage (approval of siting, design, external appearance of buildings, access and landscaping).

Permission Granted – 30 May 08

 

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

08/01100/TCA Land adjacent Great House, Tree felling and surgery work.

Supported.

 

(c)   Planning Applications for consideration:

 

08/01038/LBC The Glen, Ashes Lane – Replace sash windows, remove secondary glazing and restore shutters

Supported.

08/00918/FUL 7 Ashes Lane – Single storey rear extension and enlarge existing kitchen window

Supported.

08/00968/LBC Lodge Farm - New Porch, conservatory + first floor extension plus associated internal changes.

Supported.

08/00969/FUL Lodge Farm - New Porch, conservatory + first floor extension.

Supported.

08/01036/FUL Offices at Langley Gate Farm, Swindon Road - Extension to Link Detached Office Buildings.

Supported.

08/01037/LBC Offices at Langley Gate Farm, Swindon Road - Extension to Link Detached Office Buildings.

Supported.

08/01217/FUL Sunnydene, Malmesbury Road – Erection of 2-storey side extension.

Supported.

08/01232/FUL Elmet House, 9 Fairleigh Rise – Shed.

Supported with two abstentions.

08/01286/COU Storage Unit, South Site, Kington Park, Malmesbury Road – Conversion of Existing Agricultural Storage Building to form Office Accommodation to Ground and first floor with associated parking.

Supported.

08/01307/LBC – Ivy House, Middle Common – Installation of Condenser Gas Boiler Flue – North Elevation.

Supported.

08/01314/FUL – Bowldown, Days Lane – Erection of an Agricultural Workers Dwelling to replace existing temporary dwelling (Revised proposal).

Supported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

Clerk

 

Clerk

 

 

 

086.08

 

CHAIRMAN’S BUSINESS

 

Cllr. Dr. Maurice Dixson said he wished to record his thanks to Cllr. Peter Hart for all his work on the Commons Erosion project and to the Clerk for a successful end of year Financial Audit resulting in no actions.

 

 

He said that he had obtained clarification on the proposed electoral divisions by the Boundary Committee. Kington Langley would not be part of Chippenham but part of the Sutton Benger unitary division of villages. District Cllr Ms. Sherry Meadows said that a name change from Sutton Benger to the Kingtons had been proposed but it would be a good idea for the Parish Council to write to support this suggestion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr. Dr. Dixson

 

087.08

 

 

 

CLERK’S UPDATE

 

All Councillors had now received the new Councillors’ Handbook. The Clerk said she had put it together to enable councillors to find useful reference materials in one place and it had been done at minimal cost reusing old parish binders and dividers. Councillors can now put the contents of their green folders (containing Standing Orders and other Parish-specific regulations) into this binder and return the green folders to the Clerk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Councillors

 

088.08

 

COMMONS EROSION PROJECT

 

Cllr. Hart said that the application for matched funding (a sum of £5,360) had been approved by the Area 3 Committee at their last meeting on Monday 2 June. The timing for the start of the work would be the beginning of the Langley Fitzurse School holidays.

 

Councillors were given a summary of the quotations received from potential contractors for the kerbing work and for bollard suppliers.

 

On a proposal from Cllr. Chris Timbrell, seconded by Cllr. Don Styles, IT WAS RESOLVED that the contract for the kerbing work should be awarded to Groundscape.

 

On a proposal from Cllr. Peter Hart, seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Val Giles, IT WAS RESOLVED that the contract for supplying bollards should be awarded to Furnitubes. Following a proposal by Cllr. Don Styles, seconded by Cllr. Dennis Gill, IT WAS RESOLVED that the original estimate of 20 bollards should be increased to 35 bollards as the increase in price would be offset by the slightly reduced cost of the edging contract.

 

On a proposal from Cllr. Dennis Gill, seconded by Cllr. Don Styles, IT WAS RESOLVED that villagers’ Promises should now be called in and the Chairman should write letters to all those who had made pledges.

 

Cllr. Hart was also asked to put a short summary into the Village Magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

Clerk

 

Cllr. Hart

 

 

Cllr. Dr. M Dixson

 

 

Cllr. Hart

 

089.08

 

 

VILLAGE POND

 

The Clerk had received an update from Mrs. Lynn Atwell, saying that she had been advised that pulling the Crassula helmsii pondweed out by hand would not be wise because as the roots were broken up it would spread even more. It does after all need to be treated chemically. Mrs. Atwell had taken advice from a company in Reading (Dr. Jonathan Newman, Waterworld) who will submit a quote for professionally treating it. The weed will take 3 years to eradicate and would be treated once a year in autumn. Mrs. Atwell had received a verbal quote of £420 per treatment + VAT.

 

Cllr. Dr. Dixson expressed concern that advice had changed and no action could be contemplated until the Autumn. As the Councillor with responsibility for Wildlife, Cllr. Timbrell agreed to take responsibility on behalf of the Parish Council.

 

 

Councillors asked for clarification on which chemical was to be used and whether any work could be done on the pond during the 3 years of the treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr. Timbrell

 

 

 

Cllr. Timbrell