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Parish Council Minutes August 2005

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Two meetings of the Council took place in August 2005. Minutes of both are displayed below.

The Monthly Meeting of the Parish Council took place in the Village Hall on Wednesday 10th August 2005 commencing at 7.30 pm.

The Chairman, Cllr K Bryan presided; present were Cllrs. M Day, C Hill, Mrs M Metcalfe and C Sleigh with G Russell in attendance. Also present for part of the meeting were District Cllr John Cotton and twenty residents.

1. Apologies for absence

Apologies were accepted from Cllr S Gibbons, Mrs J Nudds and M Williams, and County Cllr J Howell, all of whom were on holiday.

2 Declarations of Interest:

None

3. Public Participation

Several residents raised concerns about the proposed housing development in Kruczko’s Yard (Planning application P05/W0829). These issues included the density of the proposed scheme, the height of the new houses as presently designed, the appearance of the proposed houses being inappropriate within the Conservation Area, the lack of parking spaces provided on site, a feeling that access to the site is too narrow with poor vision of approaching traffic, the damage that would be done to an historic stone wall along Crown Lane, the removal of several well-established trees, and the lack of any proposals for the site to receive any archaeological examination before the work commenced.

District Cllr John Cotton explained that the District Council would also look carefully at the loss of employment opportunities within the village that would result from the proposed change of use and said that the Council’s ‘emerging’ planning policy requires 40% affordable housing provision on a development with 5 or more units.

Cllr Cotton asked if the present use of the site for workshops is unpopular with the neighbours and he was told that no-one objected to the existing use. Any inconvenience is mild and occasional and some considered it advantageous that the site tended to be unoccupied in the evenings and at weekends.

It was generally recognised that some development of the Kruczko’s Yard is inevitable after the firm has moved away and, if it turns out that the site is no longer required for commercial activity, there would be no objection in principle to a well-designed housing development of an appropriate scale. Cllr Cotton commented that it was helpful to learn the views of the residents since these could be taken into account when future proposals are being drawn up.

4 Minutes of the Meeting held 13th July 2005

These were approved and signed as a correct record.

5 Matters Arising from the Minutes

a. The Clerk said that County Cllr John Howell has written to the police about the motor bike nuisance caused by the meet at Berinsfield roundabout on Mondays.

b. The Clerk said that arrangements for Trafalgar Weekend are all going well with a dinner on 21st and special service in the Abbey on 23rd.

c. Mike Smith memorial seat; The Chairman said that he had agreed the site of the proposed seat with Mike’s family. This would be positioned on the York stone area outside the Co-Op facing in the direction of the Abbey. The Council would select the design at its next meeting.

d. Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act; the details have been circulated but are not universally welcomed. The matter will be discussed again at a future meeting.

e. War memorial; the restoration work is in progress and £200 has been received from Don McGregor and Cathy Pepper as a contribution towards the total cost. It was agreed that the chains should be kept.

f. Traffic cones; a supply will be purchased in time for the Dorchester Festival. The Clerk confirmed that the PCC had agreed to meet half the cost.

g. Cycle racks: information has been received and whether or not the Council should provide cycle racks will be discussed in due course.

h The Clerk confirmed Trevor Gwynne has been contacted about the blocked ditches and Trevor Brown about the suspected planning infringement near the by-pass.

6 District Councillor's Report

District Cllr Cotton said the District Council is experimenting with live ‘webcam’ broadcasting of its meetings. He said that SOL Leisure, who operate the leisure centres formerly owned by the Council, have increased the payments which they make to the Council each year and that, in response, the Council will spend money to improve the facilities.

7 County Councillor's Report

County Cllr Howell was away on holiday but information about bus services and the Bridge End car park has been circulated. The Clerk is arranging a site meeting with County and District officials to take place as soon as Cllr Howell returns.

8 Correspondence and Other Business

i). Sports Club Pavilion & Playground;

Regular play area inspections are now being carried out, with reports passed to Cllr Gibbons if anything is found to be amiss. The perimeter hedge has been cut back and stinging nettles removed. The report following the recent RoSPA inspection is expected in time for the next meeting.

ii). Footpaths;

The Clerk has spoken to Veronica Evans about maintenance of the path outside her home. On this occasion the path (from Rotten Row to the Allotments) had been tidied up but Mrs Evans said that she would have no objection if the Council wished to keep this area cut back in the future.

Clle Mrs Metcalfe said that she had trimmed back the brambles from the Drayton Road/Hurst footpath.

iii). Cemetery;

Oxford Preservation Trust have said that starting the work will not prevent them from considering a grant (which could be around £1,500) and IJP have been asked to confirm the start date

iv). Allotments;

Nothing to report

v). Parish Plan;

Cllr Mrs Metcalfe said that she and others would shortly be having a meeting with agencies who may provide funding for the Hidden Britain project. She would report at the next Council meeting.

A meeting with the young people of the Village had been arranged for 12^th August.

Cllr Mrs Metcalfe said that Brian Oliver is finalising the Plan for publication later in the year.

vi). Other letters to Chairman and Clerk

a. Village Hall PEL Licence; It was agreed that the Council had no objection or comment to make about the renewal of this licence.

b. Free trees; The Clerk will confirm to the District Council that the Parish Council was very pleased to receive the quantity of small trees earlier in the year and would be interested in participating again in future years.

c. Town & Parish Council Forum; The Council has been invited to send two representatives to the meeting on 20th September commencing at 6.00 pm

9 Planning

a) Applications:

P05/W0819 9, Oxford Road; Change of use from agricultural land to domestic garden

It was agreed that the Council had no strong views about this application.

P05/W0829 Land between 32 and 36 High Street/ 1 Crown Lane

Demolish existing timber workshops and bungalow and build 9 dwellings

It was unanimously agreed that the Council should recommend that this application be refused. The proposal represented a loss of employment opportunities within the Village and had failed to demonstrate adequate consideration of possible alternatives ways in which the site could be retained for commercial activity.

b) Report on planning decisions, amendments etc

P04/W1296 45 High Street

Sub division of 5 bed dwelling into 2(no) dwellings.

Planning permission granted 7th July

P05/W0624/T Telecoms tower at Orchid Lakes

Application withdrawn by applicant.

P05/W0669 11 Rotten Row

Extension and replacement of 3 roof lights with dormer windows

Planning permission granted 25th July

10 Finance

a). Bank balances:

Current Account at 31st July £1,196.04

Reserve Account at 31st July £42,240.19

b). The following accounts were approved for payment:

Berinsfield Community Business- grass cutting/footpath £142.00

Cathy Pepper –flower bed at war memorial £14.95

Southern Electric – Pavilion £10.87

GGD Russell – clerk’s salary £361.86

Admin expenses June/July £127.85

Geoff Willis Handyman – 4 weeks - (July £261) £204.75

Reading Extinguisher Services £22.92

Scion Estates Ltd – grass cutting £718.23

Total Pest Control – mole control contract £176.25

SODC – Dog bin service £228.21

c). Financial statement April – July

The Clerk circulated the figures and it was agreed that discussion should be held over until the next Council meeting.

d). Internal Auditor

Douglas Jupp has agreed to accept this appointment. He has said that he does not wish a fee but it was agreed that this be reviewed when he sees how much work is actually involved. It was felt that the work should be remunerated in some way.

11 Bridge End Car Park

The letter writing campaign urged by Cllr John Howell has already met with an encouraging response from the County Engineer, holding out the possibility of some action in the year commencing April 2006.

12 By-pass junction

Accident statistics awaited, having been delayed by holidays

13 New Playground equipment

It appears that planning permission does not seem to be required for this project and that the District Council may provide a 50% grant i.e. around £17,500. Cllr Sleigh commented that it was important to research how many of the children who use the playground are actually Dorchester residents. He thought that a significant number come from Berinsfield.

14 Bus Services review

A letter writing campaign has been urged by Cllr John Howell and Dorchester News is also being used to pass on information about the services and proposed changes.

15 Date of Next Meeting

This was agreed for Wednesday 14^th September. Cllr Sleigh gave his apologies because he will be on holiday.

16 Any Other Business

a. It was agreed to obtain quotations for removing the ivy on the Abbey churchyard wall. Cllr Day said that the PCC would pay half the cost.

b. The Clerk was authorised to use his discretion over notices on the Parish Council notice boards. In principle notices advertising non-profit making Village activities would be allowed but any advertising of commercial enterprises would not, the appropriate place for such promotional activity being Dorchester News.

c. Cllr Hill said that he had tidied up the area around ‘Waterloo’ but that this is work which should be carried out by the Village Handyman.

d. The Chairman commented that he had reported the broken cover on the Southern Electricity sub station in Drayton Road several weeks previously but no action appeared to have been taken. He said that he has also noticed that some street light poles did not carry the telephone number for fault reporting.

The Meeting closed at 9.29 pm

A Special Meeting of the Parish Council took place in the Village Hall on 31st August 2005 commencing at 7.30 p.m.

The Chairman, Cllr K Bryan presided; present were Cllrs. M Day, S Gibbons, C Hill, Mrs M Metcalfe, Mrs J Nudds, C Sleigh and M Williams with G Russell in attendance. Also present for part of the meeting were District Cllr John Cotton and nine residents.

1. Apologies for absence

None; all Parish councillors were present.

2 Declarations of Interest:

Cllr Chris Hill declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Planning Application PO5/W0873; Erection of two semi- detached cottages on land adjacent to The Chequers, Bridge End

3 Public Participation

Several residents raised concerns about the proposal to build two semi- detached cottages on land adjacent to The Chequers, Bridge End. The immediate neighbours of the site were worried about being overlooked from the proposed new buildings which have attic rooms and Mr and Mrs Clarke also pointed out that the site plans are inaccurate in that the extension to their home is not shown. Of more general concern, however, was the worry about what impact the development of an integral part of the site which had been used when The Chequers had been a public house would have upon the future viability of the business should it ever be re-opened. The car-park and the pub garden would be considerably smaller if the proposed scheme goes ahead.

There were also concerns about the impact on any future flooding of Bridge End, the lack of any appraisal of the archaeological impact and whether the proposed buildings were appropriate in this part of the Conservation Area.

Cllr Cotton said that some of these concerns were not in themselves grounds for refusal of the application but could result in the imposition of conditions which would be attached to an approval.

4 Planning Application

(Cllr Hill left the room while this matter was discussed)

PO5/W0873; Erection of two semi- detached cottages on land adjacent to The Chequers, Bridge End

It was unanimously agreed that the Council should recommend that the application be refused on the grounds that the proposed housing is too large and unsuitable for the site as well as being un-neighbourly in terms of overlooking adjoining properties. Providing only one parking space for a three-bedroom property was thought to be inadequate, particularly in the road which has to accommodate the majority of village visitor parking every day. The Council also considered that if the development went ahead it made the reopening of the pub less likely with a consequent reduction of employment opportunities and the permanent loss of a village amenity.

5 Hidden Britain campaign

Cllr Mrs Metcalfe reported on a recent meeting with potential sources of funding which had proved to be very encouraging. The scheme as presently costed would require a budget of around £28,000 and this would need to be managed by an existing body such as the Parish Council or the Parochial Church Council. How VAT is dealt with would be a major consideration.

She also said that DEFRA’s rural development advice team is a useful point of contact for funding other projects such as improvements to village halls, playgrounds etc. She suggested that information about these possibilities should be obtained.

6 Mike Smith memorial seat

The Council agreed to order a traditional wooden bench from the Glasdon seating range, costing just under £600. Phil Greenaway would be asked to arrange for the seat to be carved with an appropriate dedication.

7 Any other business

a. Cllr Mrs Metcalfe informed the Council that Olive Bevan of 10 Wittenham Lane would reach her 100^th Birthday on 11^th September and it was agreed that a greetings card should be obtained and signed by the members of the Council.

b. Cllr Williams circulated a report about the planning officer’s comments concerning the potential sites for affordable housing which had been identified within the Village. The District Council is organising a general meeting of interested bodies from all over the area for the end of September. It is thought that few residents of Dorchester have registered a housing need with the District Council.

c. Councillors expressed their concerns about the combined impact upon Village infrastructure that would result from the completion of all the housing projects that are at various stages of planning. These include the High Street garage site, the accommodation above and adjoining the Co-Op, the conversion of Hallidays, the site known as Kruczko’s Yard and the site near The Chequers that had been the subject of discussion earlier in the meeting. Taken together these developments would have a significant impact upon the population of the Village and the Clerk was asked to draft a letter to Adrian Duffield, as Head of the District Council’s Planning Service, asking that the Council’s concerns regarding these matters receive urgent attention. A draft of this letter is to be discussed at the Council meeting on 14^th September.

The Meeting closed at 8.55 pm

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