AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2016, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mr D Purnell (Chairman). Mr K Brown; Mr S Hale; Mr D Palmer; & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillors: Mr K Tucker; 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. Apologies were received and accepted from Councillors Mr K Larkin & Mrs J Burton.

2. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. There were no Declarations of Interest.

3. The Council approved and signed the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 4 January 2016, as a true record. The Minutes of the January 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.

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:

• School Transport arrangements for North Nibley pupils attending KLB. County Councillor John Cordwell had received a reply to his enquiry, which had been copied to Parish Councillors. Parents can appeal the individual decisions, but presumably they have already been informed of this right. The issue for the Council is what further action can they take on this matter? Following some discussion the Clerk was asked to write to Peter Holmes and further challenge the County Council’s decision;

• He had not received a response to his earlier email regarding the erection of a barn in a field in Nibley Green. The Clerk added that when he attended the Parish Council Forum at Stroud DC he had spoken to officers from the Planning Department and requested a response which he could bring to the Parish Council. That reply has not been forthcoming;

• He had spoken with Graham Beer about the ivy on the boundary wall at St Martin’s Churchyard. Mr Beer will give it a further treatment once the weather improves;

• He was still awaiting delivery of defibrillator cabinet. The defibrillator has already been received. The Clerk advised the Council that he had written a letter of thanks to North Nibley Music Festival Committee for their generous donation;

• He had not progressed arrangements for CPR Training as he was still awaiting information from Parish Councillors about local people who might be best qualified to deliver the training. Councillors advised of two people who would support the training;

• Breakheart Hill is on the Agenda. (Item 8).

4. The Chairman closed the Meeting for Public Discussion and Questions. A member of the public said they were about to make a planning application and requested advice on how the Parish Council deal with applications. The Clerk explained the process for the Parish Council to consider applications. There being no further questions the Chairman re-opened the Meeting without further discussion.

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

• S.16/0140/HHOLD. Church Cottage, Frog Lane, North Nibley. Demolition of rear building and stone shed. Construction of new extensions.

Following discussion the Parish Council agreed to make the following comments:

The Council agreed that the cottage is in need of renovation and that plans to develop an extension would improve the building. However the metal & glass finish, as shown in the “Proposed Elevation” facing to the North East and also shown in the artistic impression in “View from the Garden”, planned to be applied to this elevation of the building, is not in keeping with the character of the old building. It would be particularly incongruous as this cottage is on the edge of the Village Settlement and would be readily viewed on approach to North Nibley.

It is noted that the planning officer has sought information on planned parking arrangements. The Council wish to point out that the present parking arrangement, whereby vehicles emerge directly onto the road at the edge of the village, is quite dangerous. Therefore any proposals to improve parking arrangements should be welcomed.

6. The Council noted that the following planning application:

• S.15/2802/HHOLD. Waterley House Waterley Bottom, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6EF. New roof and alterations to existing Store/Garage building. Remove piggery to form new parking area, has been Withdrawn by the Applicant.

6. Breakheart Hill. The Clerk presented the attached paper on taking forward the sale of Parish Council land at Breakheart Hill. Following discussion the Council agreed that the Clerk’s suggestions on possible uses of any income from the sale of Breakheart Hill land were helpful.

1. The Council agreed that the decision they had taken on 7 January to sell the land, should stand.

2. The Council agreed to include information about the sale on the Annual Parish Meeting agenda.

3. The Council agreed that the Clerk should enquire of the Agent about how to include a covenant on the land prior to sale. Such a covenant would restrict the future use is restricted to agricultural of equestrian use.

4. The Council agreed that the Clerk should speak to the Agent and ask him to take forward the sale to tendered offers, with a Reserve set at £25,000.

6. Defibrillator. The Clerk provided a verbal update on the defibrillator and delivery of related CPR training. The Clerk was still awaiting delivery of the cabinet. Once this was received he would make contact with the Village Hall Management Committee and the electrician who had generously offered his services to install the defibrillator. Once installed he would progress arrangements for CPR training.

6. (a) The Council discussed and agreed to adopt and sign-off the following Council policies:

• A Publication Scheme.

• A Complaints Procedure.

• A Risk Management Policy.

• A Training Policy.

• Disciplinary & Grievance procedure.

• & the updated Council Asset Register.

(b) The Council received details of its application for Foundation Status under Local Council Awards Scheme (LCAS). The Clerk advised the Council that their application was ready to be submitted for Assessment by GAPTC. In order to submit the application the Clerk required the Council to pass a Resolution that all the required criteria are in place for Accreditation.

Following discussion the Council passed a Resolution that the required criteria for Foundation Status had been met by the Council. Furthermore it confirmed that all of the documents, which are required to be on the Council’s website, are in place.

6. Finances:

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

2. The Council noted that way leave payments have been received from Western Power Distribution for £5.78, in respect of Recreation Field/Breakheart Hill.

3. The Council received a quote from Sports Ground Maintenance & Supplies for Cemetery grass cutting in 2016. The Clerk informed the Council that the contractor had held his prices at the 2015 level. Following discussion the Council approved the quote.

4. The Council received from the Clerk a paper setting out information on comparative charges for Cemeteries in the area. It was noted that North Nibley rates, last raised in 2015, were the cheapest in this area. Following review the Council agreed to maintain the rates at the current level in order to keep down costs to parishioners and in recognition that the Parish Council element of Council Tax would be increased in 2016/17.

5. The Council noted that Severn Trent Water had started charging for water supply at Breakheart Hill from 16 December 2015.

12. The Council received and approved the Parish Council Budgets & set a Precept for 2016/17.

1. The Budget for 2016/17 was agreed. Following a brief discussion the Council agreed to set the Draft Budgets for 2017/18 & 2018/19 at the same level as for 2016/17. Depending upon the outcome of the sale of Breakheart Hill land the Council would reconsider these draft budgets latter in 2016.

2. The Council approved the Council’s 2016/17 Precept at £18,040.

12. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Councillor Mrs Reeves. Cllr. Reeves confirmed that Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP had been in contact and confirmed his attendance at the meeting on 5 February about broadband services. The Chairman thanked Councillor Reeves for her report.

12. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. The Chairman thanked Councillor Cordwell for his report.

12. The Chairman invited Parish Councillors to report back on meetings they had attended.

• Councillor Mr Brown reported that he was trying to organise a visit by Natural England to the Knoll to discuss grants for future works.

• Councillor Mr Palmer reported that the Monument Trust had met to agree arrangements for the forthcoming celebration of the Monument.

• The Clerk reported on the recent Parish & Town Councils’ Forum at Stroud DC which he attended on behalf of the Council. He brought to the Council’s attention future arrangements for Neighbourhood Warden Service in the Parish. He was hopeful that the newly appointed Warden (Rachel Pratt) would be able to attend the March Parish Council Meeting.

12. The Council received and approved the draft Agenda for the Parish Meeting on 4 April 2016.

12. The Clerk informed the Council that he had nothing further to report on the Cemetery and St Martin’s Churchyard.

12. The Council received for information details of Correspondence received.

See attached.

It was brought to the Council’s attention that boulders had been placed on the grass verge outside of a house in smarts green. The Clerk was asked to take up the matter with County Highways.

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.25 pm.

The Chairman advised the Council the next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 7 March 2016 at 7.30 pm.