NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL

2012


AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2012, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mr. D Purnell (Chairman).

Mr K Brown; Mrs K Glancy; Mr S Hale; Mr K Larkin; & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillor: Mrs J Cordwell (From Item 5); and Mr P Smith.

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons & Mrs M King (Burial Clerk).

One member of the public was present for part of the Meeting.

  1. To Receive and Accept Apologies for absence.

Apologies were received and accepted from Mr D Palmer. District Councillor Mrs J Cordwell advised that she would be late joining the Meeting from another meeting elsewhere.

  1. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. There were none. The Clerk reminded Parish Councillors that he required their fresh Declarations of Interest for submission to Stroud DC.

  2. To Approve and Sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on held on 6 August 2012, as a true record. The Minutes of the August Ordinary Meeting had previously been distributed to all members and displayed on the public notice boards and the website. All members agreed the Minutes should be signed, as a true and accurate record. The Minutes were duly signed.


  1. The Council noted Matters arising from the Minutes, not covered by agenda items.

The Clerk referred to his Update Note, which had been issued prior to the Meeting:

  1. He had written to Lady Gass, owner of Westridge Woods, about the condition of some of the trees on the bank of Wood Lane. He also invited her to contact the Parish Council & Knoll Trust about the trees blocking views to and from the Monument. There had been no reply to date.

  2. Mr Ken Brown had cut the grass on Parish Council land at the Knoll.

  3. Severn Trent Water had contacted the Clerk to advise that they were installing a water meter at the Parish Council Breakheart Hill site.

  4. The Chairman had signed-off the Code of Conduct. (Minute 5/08/2012).

  5. The Clerk’s plans to amend and update the Council’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations have been delayed. He had been advised that new Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, taking into account the Localism Act 2011, will become available later in 2012.

  6. The Clerk has been informed he has passed Section 7 of CiLCA qualification. (Minute 9/08/2012). This means that he is CiLCA qualified

  7. On 9 August a group of volunteers, led by Mr Ken Brown, met on Nibley Knoll to pull up ragwort.

It was brought to the Council’s attention that the steps to the Monument were, in places, becoming dangerous. The Clerk agreed to bring the matter to the attention of The Cotswold Wardens.



  1. It was agreed that this Item should be delayed until one of the applicants arrived later in the Meeting.


  1. The Council noted that Stroud District Planning Authority has agreed to give Permission for:



  1. The Chairman closed the Meeting for Public Discussion and Questions.

There were none. The Chairman re-opened the Meeting.



  1. The Council received a Resolution for the Parish Council to adopt “The General Power of Competence”. (See Minute 9/08/2012). The Clerk explained that with his recent re-qualification of CiLCA, the Council now met both conditions in order to adopt “The General Power of Competence”, which had been introduced following the Localism Act 2011. The Council discussed the Resolution and agreed to adopt “The General Power of Competence”.



  1. The Council received a verbal District Council Report from District Council Mr Smith. Councillor Smith explained that the District Council would be discussing the Core Strategy at Tuesday’s Planning Advisory Panel. The main changes were to the number of new builds and the period of the Plan. In response to questions Cllr. Smith explained that the next step would be to identify sites within the District; and to go for further Consultation.

There being no further questions the Chairman thanked Councillor Mr Smith.



  1. Following the arrival of one of the Planning Applicants the Chairman returned to Item 5 on the Agenda. (District Councillor Mrs Cordwell arrived during this Item).

The Chairman closed the Meeting and invited Mr Turk to address the Council. Mr Turk explained the reasons for his application and how the proposed stable, which is for “domestic use for our family”, would fit in with existing buildings at Bush Street Farm. Following questions the Chairman thanked Mr Turk and Re-Opened the Meeting.

Following a brief discussion the Council agreed to Support the Application.

Following discussion the Council agreed to make the following comments. That should the LPA decide to grant Planning Permission, conditions should be attached to the use of the new build. Namely that the building should only be used for the purposes as set out in the application; and that there should be no use of these premises for residential purposes. The Council also questioned why the proposed dormer windows to the rear of the building were necessary for the purposes as set out in the application and requested that the Clerk should raise this with the LPA.

  1. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. Following questions from the Councillors, the Chairman thanked Councillor Dr Cordwell for his report. The Clerk was requested to follow up with Highways the matter of trees obstructing visibility for road users in Barrs Lane.


  1. The Chairman invited Parish Councillors to report on Committees and Meetings they had attended.



  1. Finances.

  1. The Council received and signed-off the Quarterly Bank Reconciliation Report from the Clerk. There were no questions.

  2. The Council approved the Invoices and drew-up cheques for items on the enclosed Payments Schedule.

  3. The Council agreed that in accordance with the decision taken at the November 2011 Meeting (Minute 9(1)/11/2011) the Council should hold informal discussions about the 2013/14 Precept & Budget. It was agreed that the Meeting involving all Councillors should take place on Monday 24 September. It was left for the Clerk to organise a venue.

  4. The Council agreed that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman should carry-out Half Yearly checks of the Accounts at a separate meeting with the Clerk. The Meeting should if possible be arranged before the next Council Meeting. It was agreed that it would take place prior to the informal meeting of Council on 24 September. .



  1. The Council received information from Mrs King about an enquiry about someone’s ashes at the Garden of Remembrance; and of a future internment at the Cemetery.



  1. The Council received for information details of Correspondence & Messages. (See attached). Following a request from Mrs King it was agreed that she should arrange for Mr Pick to replant the borders on the Island near The Black Horse.



There being no further business the Chairman closed the Meeting at 8.45pm.



The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 1 October 2012 at 7.30 pm.

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