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

Present: Mr D Purnell (Chairman).

Mrs J Burton; Mr S Hale; Mr K Larkin; Mr D Palmer & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillors: District Councillors Mrs J Cordwell & Mr P Smith.

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons.

There was one member of the public present for the Meeting.

The Chairman opened the Parish Council Meeting.

1. The Chairman invited apologies. An apology was received and accepted from Mr K Brown.

2. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. Mr Palmer declared an interest for Item 11. Mrs Burton also declared an interest for Item 11

3. The Council approved and signed the Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 3 February 2014, as a true record. The Minutes of the February 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 by the Chairman.

4. 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 advised that:

• 2014/15 Budget. The Budget as agreed by the Council in February had been signed off.

• The 2014/15 Precept has been submitted to Stroud DC.

• The Closed Churchyard. Following the Meeting the Clerk wrote to St Martin’s PCC on the basis agreed by the Council. The letter was copied to Councillors. Work on the south facing wall has not yet commenced. The Clerk has been informed that the contractor is waiting for better weather. The Clerk also reported that on Thursday 27 February a further area of the wall had collapsed, which was now the Council’s responsibility. He advised that on 26 February he had visited the area and there had been no sign of damage. The Clerk has spoken to the contractor dealing with the repairs on behalf of the PCC and been quoted £575 for repairs to the area now the Council’s responsibility. Following discussion the Council agreed that the work should be carried out. The Clerk advised the Council that he will contact the contractor. The Chairman advised the Council that following the further damage to the south facing wall he had been advised by the PCC that they wished to withdraw their application for a Parish Council grant under Item 11.

• The Cemetery. The Chairman had met with Treecreeper Arborists to discuss the planned action on one of the trees. It was agreed that the work should go ahead. Further information on the trees in the Cemetery comes under Agenda Item 14.

• Wood Lane. The Clerk advised that he will be issuing to all parties an invite to attend and a brief Agenda for the Meeting on 17 March.

• Wood Lane. The latest landslip is still across Wood Lane, but a recent inspection of the bank has not revealed any further slippage. The Lane remains inaccessible to vehicles, but should be OK for walkers. The Clerk has reported the matter to County “Rights of Way”.

• Mr Brown has received a cheque for the first month’s rent (March 2014) on the Council land at Breakheart Hill. Arrangements for a bank standing order is being put in place.

• The new Standing Orders for the Council, adopted at the February Meeting are ready for the Chairman’s signature. A copy has been sent to all Parish Councillors by email.

• He has invited a representative of Gloucestershire Rural Council Community Council (GRCC) to attend the June Meeting to discuss Affordable Housing & Rural Exception sites.

• The Agenda for the Parish Meeting on 7 April will be displayed next week.

• He has made the necessary arrangements for the Village Clean-Up Day on Saturday 12 April.

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

There being no questions from members of the public, the Chairman re-opened the Meeting.

6. The Council had received no Planning Applications for the Council’s comments.

7. The Council noted that Planning Consent has been granted in respect of the following applications:

• S.13/1121/FUL. Binley Farm Waterley Bottom, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6EG. Erection of extensions to existing barn complex and change of use of existing barn to form a group tourism accommodation.

• S.13/2757/FUL. Hay Barn Nibley Green, North Nibley, Gloucestershire. Agricultural barn for hay.

8. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Councillor Smith. (See filed aside). Parish Councillors asked questions and Councillor Smith provided replies about Council Tax & the Boundary Commission review. The Chairman thanked Councillor Smith for his Report.

9. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. (See filed aside). In response to questions Councillor Cordwell commented on the issued raised at the recent Meeting with GCC contractor Amey, who take over the Highways contract in April 2014. The Chairman thanked Councillor Cordwell for his Report.

10. The Chairman invited Councillors to report on Committees and Meetings they had attended. There were no reports.

11. The Council received applications for Parish Council Grants in 2014/15 Budget Year. (See paper). The Clerk provided an outline and advised the Council that they had budgeted £1,900 for Grants in the next financial year. Grants would be awarded at the Parish Meeting on Monday 7 April 2014.

The Clerk pointed out that the 10 Applications received amounted to a total of £2,858 (against a budget of £1,900). However, the Council was free to award whatever it wanted, up to the budget limit. In particular they may want to take into consideration the unexpected cost of repairing the Churchyard wall. The Clerk also reminded the Council that there were now 9 applications to consider, following withdrawal of the application (number 4) from St Martin’s PCC.

Mr Palmer declared an Interest in his application for a Grant and left the Meeting. The Council discussed the application (number 7) from Mr Palmer (Northnibley.org.uk) and agreed to approve £66. Mr Palmer rejoined the Meeting.

The Chairman suggested that before proceeding further the Council should discuss and agree how much of the budget the Council wanted to spend on Grants. Following discussion the Council agreed to spend a total of £1,250. This left £650 of the Grants budget either to be spent on different activities or for the Council to spend at a later date.

Mrs Burton declared an interest in the Village Hall application and left the Meeting.

The Council discussed the application (number 2) by the Village Hall Committee and agreed to award £130.

Mrs Burton rejoined the Meeting.

The Council went on to discuss the remaining applications and agreed to make the following awards:

1. North Nibley Pre-School. £254 towards the purchase of Farm buildings & “Story Sacks”.

3. “On The Edge”. £250 towards the continuing & increasing costs of producing OTE.

5. North Nibley Friendship Club. £100 to fund & take members to lunches at the Village Hall.

6. Breakheart Community Project Ltd. £100 towards the costs of purchasing materials and making outdoor furniture.

8. North Nibley Chapel. £300 to support the re-opening of the Chapel (maintenance, insurance & electricity) to run a Messy Church once a month. With the intention of encouraging bands, musicians, singers, table tennis, and after school activities for KLB pupils. Also to seek to establish a village Youth Club. It was noted that should the Chapel re-opening not progress, the applicants have agreed to repay the Council the full amount of the Grant.

9. Wotton Youth Liaison Group. For the development of offering to Young People in North Nibley. Following discussion the Council decided not to support this application. It was considered that support of the North Nibley Chapel proposal (see 8 above) would be a more appropriate use of limited Council funds as that was more likely to achieve a youth provision in the parish.

10. Cotswold Vale Talking Newspaper. £50 to replace special pouches in which CDs are sent out.

The Clerk announced that the awards decisions totalled £1,250. He would be inviting all successful applicants to receive their cheques; and those organisations awarded a grant in 2013/14, to come to the Parish Meeting on 7 April to explain how they had used their grant. He will write to the unsuccessful organisation explaining the reasons behind the Council’s decision.

12. Finances.

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

• Severn Trent Water. Water supply to the Cemetery period August 2013 to 14 February 2014.

• Garden Supplies: Work to cut up and remove a fallen tree, caused by storm damage; to remove other growth in the area adjoining the main gate; and remove debris from the Cemetery.

• GAPTC: Fee for Clerk to attend Clerks’ Networking event (4 March).

13. The Council was briefed by the Clerk on Regulations which apply to Councils disposing of land. (Local Government Act 1972 S.127(1)) . The Council agreed that now land at Breakheart Hill has been leased long term this was no longer relevant to the Council’s current considerations.

13. The Council received a written report (see filed aside) on storm damage at the Cemetery. The Clerk advised the Council that he had contacted Treecreeper Arborists and requested them to reassess the Cypress Pine trees adjoining the road.

Following a full discussion of the impact of the recent storms and damage caused to Southwold House (home of Mr. & Mrs. Orchard), the Chairman proposed and the Council agreed that it would be appropriate in the circumstances for the Chairman’s Budget of £75 to be paid to Mr.& Mrs. Orchard as an ex-gratia payment without admission of liability to part cover the cost of their insurance excess.

The Council received and considered a request to insert an inscription on an existing memorial in the Cemetery. The request was approved.

The Clerk pointed out that the recent storms had destroyed a flowering prunus tree near the gate of the Cemetery. Following discussion the Council suggested that parishioners should be given the opportunity to place a replacement flowering tree in that area. The Clerk will include something in OTE.

13. The Council received for information details of Correspondence received. (See aside).

The Clerk brought to the Council’s attention the request he had received from a parishioner who had asked about a gardening club planting flowering plants and ornamental trees along the edge of The Street between Lower House Lane & the School. The Council decided that the idea to plant bulbs was something it should support and asked the Clerk to speak to the parishioner and further investigate arrangements with Highways.

There being no further business the Chairman declared the Meeting closed at 8.55 pm.

Councillors were reminded that The Annual Parish Meeting will start at 7.00 pm on Monday 7 April.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 7 April 2014 to follow the Parish Meeting.