THE ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2019, AT THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY, AT 7.30 PM.

Present: Mr Ken Brown (chair), Mrs J Burton, Mr D Purnell, and Mr R Symons.

Two members of the public attended part of the meeting.

District Councillors: Ms C Braun, Mr G Butcher.

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell

The Acting Clerk: Mr R Symons.

The Chairman opened the Parish Council Meeting.

1. The Chairman invited apologies. Apologies had been received from Cllr K Larkin, Mr D Palmer and District Cllr Mr K Tucker.

The Chairman informed the Council that the Clerk was unwell and Cllr. Symons would be acting as Clerk for the meeting.

2. Declaration of Interests. There were no declarations of interest.

3. The Council approved and signed the Minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 7^th January 2019 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.

• North Nibley School. The governor Fiona Yarrow wrote immediately after the January Council meeting to thank the Council for all their support. She has put the date for the annual parish meeting, 8^th April, in her diary. The Clerk will liaise with her nearer the time regarding the format for the school’s presentation.

• Village Clean-up day. The village hall chair requested the base room for equipment for the 23^rd March be moved to the small meeting room to allow a private function in the main hall. This was agreed by the Clerk and Council Chair subject to the availability of four additional tables for the small room. The Clerk has ordered the volunteers’ and councillors’ equipment for adults and children, to include black bags (with circular rings if available), jackets, gloves and litter pickers. She also requested rubbish collected on the day be removed by SDC the end of the same day. It is understood there have been staff changes in this department since ordering, but there is time to finalise arrangements before the 23^rd March with the new team.

• Cemetery. The Clerk wrote to Clutterbucks requesting, and quoting the Cemetery Regulations, that all soil deposited by grave diggers be removed from the cemetery site. The form of wording was agreed with Jean Palmer and Rex Symons. She has not heard further from Clutterbucks.

• Defib. The Clerk liaised with Vicky Smith (Defibshop account manager) and Millie Donagh (Defibshop Manager) regarding the condition of the outer box. They have agreed to assist with the wear and tear issues and requested new photographs. These the Clerk supplied and awaits to hear further.

• Grant applications. The Clerk wrote to previous recipients of grants to make them aware of the new round of applications. Notice was included in OTE and the form for 2019 uploaded to the council website. The Clerk has received one application to date and others are promised from OTE and the Village Hall Committee.

• Planning gain sums. The Clerk has part completed the application process to secure the recreation project sums. The process requires evidence of council prior discussion on the project to include quotations from past minutes. The total sum still available (until 2020) has been confirmed.

• Councillor vacancy. The advertisement was uploaded to the Council website, put on noticeboards and in OTE and noted on the NN Facebook page. The Clerk has received one application for the role the day after the advert appeared on parish noticeboards. No other applications have been received to date. The closing date is the 22^nd February.

• Neighbourhood Warden. Andy Beamish liaised with the Clerk and Chairman concerning the long standing debris outside a property at Waterley Bottom. Andy agreed to site visit and action.

• Buckingham Palace Garden Party. The Clerk has forwarded Dave Purnell’s name as a former Chairman of the Parish Council. Receipt was acknowledged by GAPTC.

• Wood Lane area trees work. The Clerk received the invoice as agreed for trees work, contacted Sarah Macaulay-Lowe and sent her the invoice for payment. This was for work completed against the revised quotation.

• Planning Strategy. The formatted council response to the Stroud District Local Plan Review and Emerging Strategy Public Consultation was sent by the deadline of 18^th January.

• Council and Village Hall communications. The Clerk submitted the schedule of meetings for 2019 to the Village Hall Committee. This included the new date for April 2019. A link under “Regular” items on the Hall website gives the date of the next Parish Council meeting. The Hall site also gives an URL link taking the viewer directly to the Parish Council website.

• SDC new chief executive. The Chairman and Cllr. Mrs Jane Burton attended the meeting on the 15^th January as co-ordinated by District Councillor Ken Tucker. This was an opportunity to meet the new SDC chief executive. The SDC finance officer also attended.

• Ann Lewis. The Clerk sent her a message with a view to meeting shortly to discuss the joint work schedule for internal audit immediately after the end of the financial year, (31^st March 2019). Final audit documents need be agenda items in early June, leaving April and May 2019 for the audit review.

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

Members of the public present were in attendance to comment upon other agenda items.

The Chairman re-opened the Meeting without further discussion.

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

Application Number: S.19/0146/HHOLD. Location, Knoyle House Wotton Road North Nibley Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 6DS. Rear two storey extension and amendments to dormers to the front. Following a brief discussion the Council agreed to make No Comments.

To consider consultation on Proposed Christmas Tree Plantation, Land at Waterley Bottom. Grid Ref: ST 762 960

The Chairman invited comments from members of the public present.

Following discussion by the Council it was agreed that the Clerk should write to David Rowe, Woodland Officer at Forestry Commission to object to this application on the following grounds:

• Waterley Bottom is part of the Cotswold AONB and this plantation of Christmas trees would significantly alter the ecology to the detriment of the area;

• Mains services a two public footpaths cross this land and this development would affect them;

• The applicant has a reputation for failing to complete projects in this area and should the trees not be harvested this would lead to a significant change in the whole area creating a loss of natural light to other parts;

• Should the plan be executed as set out this would result in significant vehicle movements in this part of the AONB by large vehicles using the mainly inaccessible narrow lanes;

• The Council is also interested to know whether Natural England have been consulted as they would expect them to object to the nature and size of this proposed development in this area.

6. The Council noted the following Planning Application decisions by Stroud DC Planning:

Application Number: No: S.18/2582/FUL. Location, North Nibley Church Of England Primary School The Street North Nibley Dursley Gloucestershire GL11 6DL. Erection of detached, timber framed flat-roofed classroom building for D1 educational use. Permission.

Application Number: S.18/2474/FUL. Location, the Old Stables Millmans Farm Wotton Road North Nibley Wotton-Under-Edge Gloucestershire GL12 7PD. Reduce number of roof lights, amend 3 windows, use of vertical timber boarding and horizontal louvres plus the provision of timber steps from a former full height opening (Revised scheme to S.16/2227/FUL). Permission.

Application Number: S.18/1729/FUL. Swinhay Small holding, North Nibley, New agricultural and equine barn, conversion of existing stables into tool and machine sheds. Permission.

6. The Council received a written District Council Report. The Council received a written report from District Cllr Catherine Braun. She advised the Council that an increase had been agreed by the District Council for their element of the Council Tax by 2.99% to £207.52 at Band D. This is an increase of less than 12p per week for the services provided by Stroud District Council. The chairman thanked Cllr Braun for her comprehensive report.

6. The Council received a written County Council Report. The Council received a written report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. Cllr Cordwell advised the Council that his part of the Highways budget for 2019/20 had been maintained at £20,000. The Chairman thanked Cllr Cordwell for his contribution from the 2018/19 budget towards Highways works in the Parish. The Chairman thanked Cllr J Cordwell for his report.

6. To receive and discuss Reports of Committees and Meetings attended by Parish Councillors and the Clerk.

Cllr K Brown reported that works on fallen trees in Wood Lane had been completed and the invoice forwarded to Sarah Macaulay-Lowe, County Rights of Way team.

Cllr K Brown informed the Council that he had visited the Knoll with a new member of the Natural England team to discuss possible grants for the Trust and Parish Council. He was optimistic that this might lead to increased levels of grant. The matter of resolving how much grant would be forwarded from the Knoll Trust to the Council was still under discussion.

Cllr K Brown advised that following an informal discussion with Chair of the Village Shop Committee it appeared that matters were moving forward.

Cllr K Brown informed the Council that Nick Turner, a photographer had approached him about filming on the Knoll for Stroud DC. After a brief discussion it was agreed that it would not be appropriate in this instance to expect a donation from Stroud DC.

6. Parish Council Finances:

Parish Council Finances.

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

1. Village hall meeting room hire, November 2018 to January 2019. £36.00

2. Defibrillator full service £165.50 Inc. VAT £198.60

c. Hawkins, invoice 008317 cemetery contract mowing £390.00

2. To consider quotes for scheduled work on the trees at the Cemetery and Churchyard. A detailed breakdown of costs per tree or group of trees had been received from three prospective contractors. However following a lengthy discussion it was decided that the Council needed further time to consider the priorities to be afforded to the work before it could reach a decision on which contractor(s) to use. The matter to be decided at the March Meeting of the Council.

3. The Council received and approved budget for 2019/20.

4. To Council received statements of the latest Council balances. It also received a record of expenditure from the Breakheart land sale receipts.

12. There were no Cemetery and Closed Churchyard Reports for this Meeting.

12. The Council approved the proposals for headstone dimensions. These should now be incorporated into the Cemetery Regulations.

12. The Council received and noted the update on emerging planning strategy review.

12. The Council received and discussed an application under the Licensing Act 2003 for Ashen Plains Campsite.

Following a lengthy discussion it was agreed by the Council that it should object to this application on the following grounds:

1. A number of Temporary Events Notices were granted to the Field last year which gave rise to public nuisance by virtue of late night noise and disturbance to nearby residents in Waterley Bottom and Whiteway Hill as well as additional traffic in the locality. Those TENs were on a much more restricted basis than the application now made and the evidence therefore suggests the site owners are unable to control the use on a proper basis.

2. This application for a permanent licence is for much longer hours and covers a wider area including both the Campsite and adjoining field and now includes the sale of alcohol every day of the year from 10am to 11pm. If granted as a licensed premises it is understood the Live Music Act 2012 grants the right to hold live and recorded music anytime during opening hours in addition to Friday evenings and Saturdays. This intensification of use would undoubtedly lead to regular intrusion and noise to residents in Waterley Bottom and Whiteway Hill and create a strong public nuisance.

3. The application for sale of alcohol every day of the year cannot be justified as the Camp Site has a Planning condition restricting it to a maximum of 10 tents and 5 caravans. Such a limited use does not give rise to the need for such a licence. In addition the adjoining field does not have planning permission for the use in the buildings and as such has been operating in breach of planning control. This has been raised by the planning authority with the site owners.

4. The granting of this license on such a permanent and extended basis would create a strong public nuisance as well as threat to public safety and is wholly inappropriate on this location. In the circumstances the Parish Council urge the licensing authority to reject the application.

5. The site does not have either running water (last year water was brought in by water tanker) and there is inadequate drainage on site to sustain this licensing.

12. The arrangements for Annual Parish Meeting were approved.

12. To consider issues related to recreation project. Cllr. Purnell reported that he had had a meeting on site with representatives of the Recreation Field Trust and it was agreed that the leisure equipment should be sited adjoining the Jubilee Tree entrance to the Field. The Council agreed the proposals for the purchase and asked Cllr. Purnell to work with the Clerk. It was agreed that should the two grants already received not meet the full cost of the project any balance should come from the Council’s contingency fund.

12. To consider issues related to speed control. The Council received and discussed the Sub-Group report on traffic calming. Following their discussion the Council agreed that further work should be done and that all of the Proposals, with the exception of 9, should be progressed in line with the Report submitted. The Sub-Group will further report on progress at the March Meeting with a view to presenting the Council’s plans at the Annual Parish Meeting.

12. To consider issues related to parking. Complaints had been received by the Council received from residents about visitors to the Knoll parking on the front of houses and on pavements in Wotton Road. Whilst it was acknowledged to be a growing problem the Council could not resolve it as such matters do not fall within their authority. However ideas to deter such actions were put forward and it was suggested that this could be further discussed at the Annual Parish Meeting.

12. The proposed headed notepaper produced by the Clerk was approved.

12. To receive an update on parish information board. There was no further information available.

12. Other items. Councillors requested the clerk inform Highways of the need to re-fill salt containers.

12. The Council received for information details of Correspondence.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 4^th March 2019 at 7.30pm