AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 3 DECEMBER, 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 D Palmer; & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillor: Mr P Smith.

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons.

There was one member of the public in attendance.

1. To receive and accept Apologies for absence.

An apology was received and accepted from District Councillor Mrs J Cordwell.

2. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. There were none.

3. The Council noted the contents of Peter Woodcock’s letter on “The Code of Conduct for Members: Declarations of Interests”. It was confirmed that the Council met the requirements of Mr Woodcock’s letter. There were no training needs identified for Councillors

4. To approve and sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on held on 5 November 2012, as a true record. The Minutes of the November 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.

5. 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. He:

• had been informed that Gloucestershire “Rights of Way Team” were still awaiting a response from the Land Registry on their request about the identity of the owners of the area of bank adjoining the steps and on right hand side of Wood Lane;

• reported that the work on the Cemetery hedge & footpath had been part completed. Further work to remove moss will be undertaken when the weather conditions are suitable;

• had passed the draft Cemetery Regulations to Mrs King for comment. He will be bringing them to the Council in January 2013;

• had been advised that the Planning Application (S.12/1929/HHOLD. The Round House Whiteway Hill, Woodmancote, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6AD. Two storey extension), which the Council commented upon at their November Meeting, has been amended. The Revised Application is on the December Agenda.

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

The Chairman invited Mr David Ashbee, Cotswold Warden for North Nibley & Stancombe, to address the Council. Mr Ashbee introduced himself having been recently appointed to take on the oversight of the Dursley to Stancombe part of the Cotswold Way. Mr Palmer explained his role as Parish Councillor with responsibilities for footpaths in the Parish. They exchanged contact details. The Chairman thanked Mr Ashbee, who then left the Meeting.

The Chairman re-opened the Meeting.

7. The Council considered and commented upon the following Planning Application:

• S.12/1929/HHOLD. The Round House Whiteway Hill, Woodmancote, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6AD. Two storey extension. Revised plans received 12 November 2012.

Following a short discussion The Council agreed to Support the application.

8. (A) The Council noted that Stroud District Planning Authority has agreed to give Planning Permission for:

• S.12/1913/FUL. The Old Kings Head Nibley Green, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6AZ. Roof extension to existing agricultural barn to provide covered storage for hay & farm machinery.

(B) The Council noted that Listed Building Consent has been granted in respect of:

• S.12/1930/LBC. The Round House, Whiteway Hill, Woodmancote, Dursley. Two storey extension, internal alterations clad twentieth century pebble dash elevations with Cotswold stone, add glazed porch extension on west entrance side. Revised plans received 12 November 2012.

(C) The Council also noted that since the Agenda was issued Stroud District Planning Authority has agreed to:

• award a Certificate of Lawfulness for a Proposed Use or Development in respect of S.12/1011/CPE. The Coach House, New Road, North Nibley.

• give Planning Permission for S.12/2081/HHOLD. 21, The Street, North Nibley. Construction of extension at first floor level, new dormer roof and single storey extension.

9. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Council Mrs June Cordwell, who was not present due to ill health. . Following a brief discussion the Chairman conveyed his thanks to Councillor Mrs Cordwell for her Report and on behalf of the Council wished her a speedy recovery.

10. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr John Cordwell. It was brought to the Council’s attention that Wotton under Edge Town Council had set up a Meeting with Western Power Distribution to discuss problems with intermittent power supplies in the area. A representative from the Parish Council was invited to attend. Following discussions about similar experiences in North Nibley and problems due to a lack of prior consultation, Mr Hale agreed that he would represent the Council at the Meeting.

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

• Mr Larkin reported that he had attended the AGM of the Recreation Field Trust where formal business was conducted. The AGM was followed by a meeting with representatives of the North Nibley Music Festival, at which the Parish Council was also represented by the Chairman of the Council, Mr Purnell and the Clerk, Mr Symons. Following lengthy discussions the Recreation Field Trust and the Music Festival reached agreement on a number of matters which would ensure the continuation of the Festival on the Recreation Field.

• Mr Smitherman & Mr Palmer reported on the Localism Event at Stroud. It emerged that North Nibley PC was one of a few in the County which qualified to use the General Power of Competence. Amongst other matters this enables the Council to trade; and a right to bid and purchase property.

• The Clerk reported that he had attended a drop in event held by Gloucestershire Highways. He reported that this had been useful as it enabled him to find out more about services provided by Highways and enabled him to set up contacts with some key players.

• Mrs Glancy reported on a Meeting of the Board of School Governors. She reported that there had recently been a number of changes in Board membership. During the Meeting the School Development Plan had been discussed. The School is experiencing Budget pressures. A key factor being the number of pupils attending the School, as this affected the budgets and the running of the School. Mrs Glancy brought to the Council’s attention that the School holds a number of events to which parishioners were welcome to attend. She also pointed out that the School needs more adults, particularly men, to volunteer to listen to children reading.

12. The Clerk reported that several parishioners had brought to his attention their concerns about the speed of vehicles travelling on the B4060 through the Village. The particular concerns were about vehicles travelling up New Road and entering the Village from the Stinchcombe direction. The Clerk reported he had used his recent attendance at the Highways Event (see Item 11 above) to agree a meeting between Councillors and Highways representatives to discuss the problem on site. Following discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should arrange a Meeting so that 2 or 3 Councillors could be in attendance. County Councillor Cordwell also expressed a wish to be present.

13. Parish Council Finances.

1. The Council received for information copies of the Parish Council’s Provisional Budget for 2012/13; and Draft Budgets for 2013/14 & 2014/15 (see aside). These had previously been discussed and set at the November Meeting (Minute 10(2)/11/2012).

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

14. The Council received a verbal report from the Clerk. He reported:

• He and the Chairman had met at the Cemetery to reassess the burial space remaining. The Chairman advised the Council that there was an area of the Cemetery near the war memorial, which was not mapped and it was unclear how much space remained in that area. However there were at least 50 vacant plots on the non-conformist side of the Cemetery. He suggested that, carrying out the proposed work to construct a path to access the new area of the Cemetery (as agreed at the November Meeting), would enable the new area to be used. The other unused area could then be brought into use several decades later.

• The Clerk reported that he had met with Mr Horgan (Grimes & Goscombe) to seek advice on the Council’s proposals for a new path. He had been advised that the path needed to be capable of taking a hearse as the new area was a distance from the gate and needed to be directly accessible by vehicle. The Council noted this advice.

• The Clerk reported that he had received a verbal estimate of between £1,000 & £1,500 to carryout repairs to the fence alongside the road.

• Finally the Clerk reported that work to clear the moss on the path was still underway and would be completed when weather permitted.

14. The Council received for information details of Correspondence received. (See attached paper).

At the request of Councillors the Clerk read out an exchange of emails between himself and a parishioner. The Council noted the documents.

Mr Brown brought to the Council’s attention problems that large vehicles are experiencing in driving along the main B4060 (North Nibley Wotton under Edge road) towards Wotton. Overhanging trees are forcing vehicles to drive near the middle of the road, thus causing danger to oncoming vehicles. Mr Brown provided a list to the Clerk who agreed to take up the matter with Gloucestershire Highways.

There being no further business the Chairman closed the Meeting at 9.05 pm.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday

7 January 2013 at 7.30 pm.