NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL

2014


AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY 6 OCTOBER, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mr D Purnell (Chairman).

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

District Councillors: District Councillors Mrs J Cordwell; & Mrs L Reeves.

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons.

There were four members of the public present.

The Chairman opened the Parish Council Meeting.


  1. The Chairman invited apologies. The Council received and accepted an apology from District Councillor Mr P Smith.

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

  3. The Council approved and signed the Minutes of the Parish Annual Council Meeting held on 1 September, as a true record. The Minutes of the September Ordinary Meeting of the Council 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.


  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. He advised that:





  1. The Council approved an amendment to the Council’s Standing Orders. The Clerk advised that following legislation, Parish Councils are no longer allowed to use Model Standing Order 31 and must now allow filming, photographing or making an audio recording of proceedings at a meeting. The Council agreed to make the necessary changes to its Standing Orders, in order to incorporate the new provision.


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


The Chairman invited members of the public to speak. The Council were asked what was happening on the Planning Application at Frog Lane (S.14/1287/FUL). The Clerk reported that he had searched the Planning website and that the application had still not been decided. Furthermore that this application was not included in an email of Planning Decisions received that day from Stroud Planning. Finally the Clerk added that he had emailed the planning officer that morning, but had not received a reply. The Chairman thanked the member of public and re-opened the Meeting.


  1. There were no Planning Applications for the Council to discuss.



  1. (1) The Council received and discussed its response to be delivered at the District Development Committee (DCC) on 13 October, in connection with the planning application for a “solar panel farm” at Manor Farm, Upper Wick (S.14/1336/FUL) .

The Chairman closed the Meeting and invited the members of the public to speak. Mr Patteson informed the Council that he would represent the Cotswold Solar Group at DCC and he outlined what he would be saying. Other members of the public expressed their concerns about the forthcoming DCC. The Clerk advised the meeting about his understanding of what would be likely to happen at the DCC. The Chairman thanked Mr Patteson and re-opened the Meeting. Following discussion of the Council’s objections to the application, the Council agreed that Mr Larkin would present at the DCC and approved his draft speech which had been previously circulated. District Councillor Mrs Reeves informed the Council that she would also be speaking at the DCC. The Clerk reminded the Council that he had arranged a meeting for the following day between Mr Larkin, himself and the Alkington Parish Council’s representative to discuss their responses to this application.

It was also agreed that the Clerk should write to each of the District Development Committee members setting out the Council’s Objections to this planning application.

(2) The Council had been earlier copied an email (dated 3 September at 20.00) received from the developer of the proposed “solar panel farm” at Manor Farm, Upper Wick (S.14/1336/FUL). The Clerk informed the Council that he had sent a holding reply, until the Council had an opportunity to discuss its contents at the October Meeting.

The Clerk read out the email. Following discussion it was evident that the developer had not spoken to any of the Parish Councillors about an offer of “community benefit”. He was probably referring to a conversation with County Councillor Dr Cordwell. Furthermore the reference in the email to “Council owned properties” was inaccurate as the Council does not own any properties upon which solar panels could be located.

Following discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should write to the developer pointing out these errors and adding that the Council would consider holding further discussions about “community benefit”, should the planning application be approved.

  1. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Councillor Mrs Reeves. (See filed aside). The Chairman thanked Cllr. Mrs Reeves for her Report.



  1. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. (See filed aside). Following a brief discussion the Chairman thanked Cllr. Cordwell for his report.


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

  1. Parish Council Finances.

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

  2. The Council noted that the second half of the Precept/LCTS for 2013/14 had been paid by Stroud DC.

  3. The Council agreed to defer the planned pre-budget meeting until 24 November.



  1. The Council received a verbal Cemetery Report from the Clerk. Following discussion the Council approved an application to put a plaque in the Garden of Remembrance.

There was also a brief discussion about the condition of the Garden of Remembrance. It was agreed that in the long term the Council needed to take action to improve and extend this facility. This would be a matter to include in future plans for the Cemetery and included within future budget plans.



  1. The Clerk had been unable to produce a Correspondence paper for this meeting. He agreed to update Councillors following the Meeting.

There being no further business the Chairman closed the Meeting at 8.35 pm.



The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 3 November 2014 at 7.30 pm.

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