AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY 4 JULY 2016, 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.

District Councillors: Mrs C Braun

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell.

The Retiring Clerk: Mr R Symons

The New Clerk: Mrs E Oakley

There were no members of the public present.

The Chairman opened the Parish Council Meeting.

1. The Chairman invited apologies. Apologies were received and accepted from Councillor L.Smitherman and District Councillor G Butcher.

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 Ordinary Council Meeting held on 6 June 2016, as a true record. The Minutes of the June 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 he spoke to at the Meeting. He advised:

• Breakheart Hill. The sale of the Council’s land has been completed. The Clerk had requested that the Council is paid by cheque so that the Council can decide which account to pay the money into;

• Breakheart Hill. Following his request to the Agent, the signs have been removed;

• Clerk’s Training. He has nominated the new Clerk, Elizabeth Oakley, for the two events agreed by the Council;

• Affordable Housing. Karen Phimister (GRCC) has contacted Mr Eley and is awaiting a response. The Clerk has forwarded her email to Parish Councillors;

• Broadband. The Clerk had emailed Matt Lloyd at BT/Openreach for an update on progress. A response had subsequently been received to confirm a site survey was planned to determine the location of the additional cabinet needed as well as the power source. Cllr Dave Palmer and the new Clerk, Elizabeth Oakley, agreed to attend the site survey with the BT contracted engineer at 8.30 am at Warren Hill on the 6^th July;

• Parish Council website. District Cllr Ken Tucker had contacted Stroud DC following the Clerk’s email in relation to the District Council’s recent decision to cease providing website facilities for Parish Councils;

• Internal Auditor. As agreed by Council minute 8/5/2016 the Clerk had delivered a letter and bottle of wine to Alan Kennett. He had subsequently received an email response;

• The Annual Parish Meeting for 2017. He has booked the main hall with the Village Hall Committee for the 3^rd April 2017;

• Repairs to St Martin’s Churchyard Wall. The Clerk has contacted Gideon Ayres who has agreed he will carry out the repairs, either week commencing 4 July or 18 July. The two unsuccessful contractors have been advised in writing. Details of the quotes received will be given to Councillors under a “Commercial in Confidence” label for Council to confirm the Clerk’s delegated decision. (Item 11);

• Wood Lane. He has been advised by Gloucestershire Public Rights of Way that they have seen satisfactory evidence that the gully and sump have been cleared. (This has been copied to Councillors);

• Community Speed Watch Group. He has put in a bid to the Police and Crime Commissioner Fund for a grant to purchase the equipment needed for such a group to operate. Closing date for bids is 1 July 2016;

• Development Control Committee. He represented the council at the meeting on Tuesday 7 June. The DCC agreed to approve the planning application;

• Footpaths report. Following discussion of Cllr Palmer’s Footpath Report, the Chairman has approached Mr Moss about his hedge. The Clerk has also included a note in the Council’s Parish Council entry in OTE to encourage householders and landowners to see whether their hedges are encroaching on public areas;

• Footpaths report. He has sent Cllr Palmer’s report to John Lane (Gloucestershire County Highways) who has promised to take matters forward. (Email forwarded to Councillors);

• “Finger signpost” on Wotton Road. He has forwarded the request to Andrew Middlecote who has promised to include the request in the lengthman’s work list.

• Ivy on the wall at St Martin’s Church. He has spoken to Graham Beer who will be attending to the ivy on the wall.

• Winter salt supply. He has ordered 20 bags of salt to be delivered to Waterley Farm in preparation for the winter.

4. To consider and comment upon Planning Applications (none received).

4. The Council noted that the following Planning Applications have been approved by Stroud DC Planning.

• S.16/1118/HHOLD. The Nook, Vernals Lane, Swinhay, Wotton Under Edge, Gloucestershire, GL12 7PJ. Increase roofline of existing house by less than 1 metre to replace rotten rafters affected by woodworm and enable to walk in centre of loft space.

• S.16/0990/DISCON. Iona, Pitt Court, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6EB. S.16/0376/FUL – conditions 5 (levels, parking area, boundary treatments) and 8 (fenestration).

• S.16/0557/HHOLD. Mount Pleasant, Forthay, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6EJ. Two storey extension and external cladding to property. Demolition of existing garage and erection of replacement in south corner of garden.

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

There were no members of public present. The Chairman re-opened the Meeting without further discussion.

7. (1)The Council received a written report from District Councillor G Butcher on behalf of the ward’s District Councillors. See Report aside. The Chairman thanked Cllr Butcher for a thorough report. He also noted that Cllr Catherine Braun, representing District Councillors at the Parish Council meeting, is also a representative on the Housing Committee.

(2)Cllr Braun confirmed the new arrangements for District Councillors attending Parish Council meetings as outlined by Ken Tucker in his email correspondence in May. The three District councillors have agreed a rotating timetable to attend Parish Council meetings. Consequently Cllr Tucker will attend the August Parish Council meeting.

7. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. The Chairman thanked Councillor Cordwell for his report. Councillor Cordwell added the addendum, that of the three UKIP members in the Forest of Dean, one has now become Conservative and one has become Independent.

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

• Parish Councillor Dave Palmer reported his attendance at (Tyndale) Monument meetings. Cllr J. Burton had been unable to attend due to meeting timings. Cllr Palmer reported that there had been more progress made in the programme preparation for the 1 October 2016 event and this was expected to be sent to the printers fairly soon. The Chairman commented the Bible 24 Hour reading needed readers and the hours through the night might be difficult to fill. A two way radio system was planned for communications up and down from the monument.

• Parish Councillor Dave Palmer reported that the North Nibley Music Festival had received very favourable reports and everyone had enjoyed the event.

Parish Councillor Ken Brown reported that the Knoll Trustees had received an offer of a donation if trees on the hill were cut so there is a better view of the monument from the cemetery, and some trees were cut near the border. Under discussion was also a small gate for cyclists. This would be discussed with Martin Howe. Natural England had expressed concern about cyclists running over rare plants. Fencing was the next main item and two or three price quotes for fencing were planned.

7. Finances.

(1)The Council approved the following Invoices and drew up cheques for items submitted on the enclosed Payments Schedule.

• TW Hawkins & Sons SGMS. Contract mowing at cemetery from 14 April to 2 June & Churchyard April 2016. £746.64

• Clerk’s Salary Quarter one 2016/17. £1,194,09

• The Post Office: Clerk’s PAYE Quarter one 2016/17. £298.40

• Clerk’s Expenses Quarter one 2016/17. £168.77

• Repairs to Council laptop. (Repayable to Clerk) £50.00

(2)The Council noted and endorsed the decision taken by the Clerk to award a contract for works to St Martin’s Churchyard wall. Following consideration of three quotes from contractors, the Clerk awarded the work to:

• Gideon Ayres, North Nibley, £1,400 plus VAT. £1,680

The Clerk spoke to Gideon Ayres who confirmed he would commence the job on either the 4^th or the 18^th of July. The Clerk instructed him to proceed and also wrote to the two unsuccessful contractors to advise them of the Council’s decision.

(3)The Council agreed to pay the proceeds from the sale of the Breakheart Hill Land into the Council’s deposit account. Following discussion of the options it was agreed that the deposit account would receive the proceeds from the sale.

7. (1)The Council received and approved a verbal Report on the Cemetery from the Clerk. The Council noted that two new plots had been sold and the proceeds banked. Brambles have been trimmed and trees, including ash, cut back. The Council planned to meet at the end of the summer 2016 with a view to setting up a sub committee to review cemetery issues.

(2).The Council received and decided upon a written report on St Martin’s Churchyard Closed. The Council acknowledged receipt of recent correspondence concerning the condition of the churchyard wall, especially the growth of ivy. The Clerk reported that he had been in touch with the contractor to request a further spraying of the ivy, but had not had a response to date. The Council agreed that the Chairman would arrange to meet the contractor on site as soon as possible. In the interim the new Clerk would undertake to write in response to the above correspondence to confirm the Council had approved an immediate meeting on site with the contractor to consider the points raised and take to action forward in July. The new Clerk also undertook to write separately to St Martin’s Churchyard Church Warden to inform her of the action taken above.

7. The Council received for information details of Correspondence & Messages received. Following discussion of the report Councillors noted:

• The Council had received details of the Gloucestershire Association of Parish and Town Council’s AGM to be held in Newent on the 16^th of July. The new Clerk would undertake to circulate details and arrange bookings for the event.

7. On the retirement of the outgoing Clerk, a special presentation immediately followed the main Council meeting items in order to acknowledge Rex Symons’ work over the preceding eight years. On behalf of the Council, the Chairman in his address, offered special thanks to the retiring Clerk for his great commitment to and work on behalf of, the community. The Chairman presented the retiring Clerk with a glass decanter, a voucher to be redeemed at the Stinchcombe Golf Club shop and a card signed by the assembled councillors. The new Clerk, Elizabeth Oakley attended the presentation for the outgoing Clerk. She will take over the duties of Clerk with effect from the end of the Council meeting.

7. There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.50 pm.

The Chairman announced the next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 1 August 2016 at 7.30 pm.