MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL

HELD ON 16^th August 2004 AT 7.15 p.m. IN THE JUBILEE HALL, ALVESTON

PRESENT: - Mr J Head, (Chairman), Mr J Cutland (Vice Chairman), Mrs J Rodell, Mr M Perry, Mrs S Phillips, Mr P Taylor, Mr J Veasey, Mr. M Webb, Mrs. A Wilkins.

Mr R Fergyson (Clerk)

1 ACCEPTANCE OF APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Mrs. Janet Painter (Holiday), Gary Fox (Ill)

2 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

Master Max Golding represented a delegation of four youths who use the skateboard park. Master Max Golding requested that the council give consideration to the provision of a new ramp at the skateboard park adjacent to the Youth centre.

Mr John Head explained that when the skateboard park was originally set up the ‘skate boarders’ raised money to show their commitment to the project. This group will have to show equal commitment by forming a committee (with their parents) and then raise some money. The Council would then be able to consider their request. The youths were given the telephone number of the clerk who would organise a meeting of the parents, youths and members of the council.

The youths were invited to attend the next council meeting in October to discuss progress.

3 MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The minutes of the Parish Council meeting of Monday July 19^th 2004 were read and accepted with the following amendments:

Mr John Cutland had asked if the Clerk had distributed the P60s to the employees. The Clerk confirmed he had.

Mr Brian Davis had requested a catalogue of play equipment to be used to consult with ‘Team & Co’ charity for their consideration in using the donations collected.

4 RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMITTEES: -

Mr Brian Davis introduced the Footpaths committee minutes of the 2^nd August. (Green pages) There were no recommendations to be put to the council. The Thornbury Ramblers ‘current report and the previous report had been sent to Rennie Dickins, but no reply had been received. Mr Mike Perry reported that Mr Mike Watson and Mr Tom Vincent had walked the proposed Ten trails walk. Mr Tom Vincent was impressed and thought the walk could be included in the booklet.

Mr John Cutland introduced the Finance & General Purposes committee minutes of 2^nd August. (Pink pages) The main points raised was the effect of the Clerks salary increase and the increase in the casual users’ allowance the clerk would claim for delivering the agendas and general use of his car.

The change in the budget would be discussed as a separate topic.

Mr Mike Webb introduced the Planning Applications committee minutes of 2^nd of August (Blue pages).

Mr Peter Taylor asked if the upholding of the council’s appeal against the Kennels at Meadow Cottage Shellards Lane meant that the kennels would be closed down. Councillor Neil Halsall agreed to look into the matter and report back.

Mr Mike Webb also reported on the committee meeting held at 7.00 pm this evening.

The following planning application was considered and the council wished to make no comment.

PT04/2529/F 12 Greenhill Gardens Alveston. Erection of single story rear extension to dwelling and rear extension to existing garage (amendments to previously approved scheme PT04/0449/F)

The following planning refusals were considered.

PT04/2159/O Grove House Silverhill Brake Rudgeway Erection of 1no. dwelling outline.

Refused on the grounds on building in the green belt.

PT04/2112/O 1 Quarry Road Alveston. Erection of single dwelling on 0.03 Hectares of

land. (outline)

Refused on the grounds of the site being too small.

Mrs Sara Philips represented the council at the on site enquiry at 51 Gloucester Road on 13^th August 2004 at 11.30 am. Mrs Sara Philips addressed the enquiry expressing the council views that the density was too high and increased access at a busy junction is not desirable. The increased number of bins further decreased the available space for car parking. The application will be considered by the planning committee of South Gloucestershire Council on Thursday 19^th at 3.00pm. Mrs Sara Philips hopes to attend.

5 BUDGET CHANGES.

Mr John Cutland introduced the budget changes needed to meet the forthcoming expenditure which will be needed on the play areas.

(See pink budget pages. The right hand columns have the changes entered; all the other

budget amounts will remain the same. When the changes are finally agreed all the budget figures will be brought across and a new budget book printed.)

Mr John Cutland presented the following report.

Alveston Parish Council Revised Budget August 2004

The finance committee reviewed the original budget, which is £37215, the precept for the year is £34555 which would represent an over spend of £2660. The known additional expenditure is £4380 this with the over spend of £2652 represents a total over spend of £7032.

The Parish has 2 Play Areas Lime Kiln and Cross Hands which means the Parish has to provide twice the maintenance cost compared with many other locations. As you know these areas are well maintained and are a credit to the Parish. The play areas have become more expensive since the Health and Safety Act has been amended meaning that repairs to the equipment must be undertaken by a professional person where previously work was undertaken by the Clerk or handyman. This means the cost of maintaining the play areas will escalate.

Precept for 2004/5 £ 34,555

Major expenditure committed by the Parish is as follows:-

£

Clerks Salary 9745

Nat Insurance 615

Salary Playing Fields 1225

Salary Cemetery 992 12577 (-) 36%

21978

Long service Provision 945

Long service Previous Clerk 1152 2097 (-) 6%

19881

Alco 610

Insurance 2850 3460 (-) 10%

16421

Grass Cutting Jubilee/Lime Kiln 3575

Cross Hands 240

Cemetery 2180

St. Helens 435 6430 (-) 18%

Available to spend 9991

The total of all fixed costs is £24564 (70%) this leaves £9991 (30%) to cover all other expenditure including making a provision for the Development Fund for further major expenditure.

The Council discussed various points concerning the budget and costs.

Mr John Head pointed out that other committed costs included the Insurance of the Jubilee Hall and the Youth Centre (The Clerk has been advised that the Council should not commit to specific unknown expenditure of this nature, but agree to make a donation). Currently the estimate is £1825.

Repairs to the play equipment is some £396 with a bill from G.B. Sport and leisure to come..

The question was raised as to the wisdom of agreeing to spend £400 on the 10 trails. The council agreed with Mr John Cutland that as most of the money was spent on children, then a little spent on other rate payers was acceptable. This sum will contribute to the total cost of the walk enhancements estimated at £4000.

The all weather cricket pitch maintenance of £1600, would not take place this year, and grants were being sought.

The Development fund can be used for the expenditure, but needs to be reimbursed. To do this the council considered several options.

The precept may need to be increased. The precept is a fixed sum asked for by the council, and does not increase during the year with new builds. This year’s increase is 3%. It was felt, this may need to increase more in future years. As a council we are in the middle of the range of precepts per band D property. (See the South Gloucestershire Council web site).

The Cross Hands Play Area could be closed. This was disagreed with on the grounds of providing a facility for the children at that end of the village.

The other way is to cut other expenditure where possible.

Mr John Cutland recommended that the income heading ‘Multi play apparatus’ be replaced with a more general heading ‘Play area reserve’

The council agreed the revised budget.

6 REPRESENTATIVES REPORTS.

There were no representatives’ reports.

7 SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCILLOR'S REPORT.

Councillor Neil Halsall attended the meeting to represent Councillor Gary Fox who is unable to attend due to illness.

Councillor Halsall reported that after six months of non-attendance at council meetings Councillor Fox needed special dispensation to continue as a councillor. This would be considered at the September Council meeting. He appreciated that in the meantime Alveston was in fact disenfranchised.

Councillor Halsall had four topics to report on.

1. The Boundary Commission and its implications for South Gloucestershire Council. Parish councils are to be given the opportunity to be briefed in the near future. There will only be limited consultation, as the Commission will not change Parish boundary. It is thought that South Gloucestershire boundary will change, but how is not yet known.

2. The NHS Accident and Emergency department at Southmead hospital will close. The reasons are on the grounds of safety, eg not being near some of the major facilities and wards. The fact that great savings are to be made may lead one to a different conclusion. The replacement of the two hospitals with one is a long-term project. The money has to be bid for at each stage; this could take many years, 10 or even more.

3. The Government has requested the regions and sub-regions to develop a vision of the future, for the next 20 – 30 years. This takes into account the location of jobs, housing, transport. This is required to be submitted in a year or so. South Gloucestershire Council will need to discuss and consult on a land strategy. This will then be the Governments basis on the placement of houses, and the number.

4. The Government urges villages to have a Village Plan. This needs to be developed by the whole village, written down and then it can be adapted into the South Gloucestershire Council strategy and used for bidding for funding. The Parish Council should see this as the plan of a future Alveston, what it contains and how it will develop.

Councillor Halsall was asked several questions:

If Councillor Fox is granted dispensation, how long is it for. Councillor Halsall was unsure, as South Gloucestershire Council had not done this before. If it is granted then any issues usually addressed by Councillor Fox should be addressed to himself.

Mr John Cutland asked what was happening with the Hortham Hospital site have services been taken into account on deciding the application. To date there have been two planning applications for housing, each one has been called in by the secretary of state and refused. The Government view is that affordable housing should compose 30% of such developments and as high as 30 – 50 houses per hectare. There is little money available from a section 106, which would mainly be used for education.

Land at the old Esso garage is still dormant; what are the plans? Councillor Halsall would find out.

Mainly children from around Alveston, not Thornbury, use Marlwood School but there is a Thornbury Town representative on the board of Governors. Will the Boundary commission be able to bring it into Alveston? Councillor Halsall stated it would not. The school was deliberately placed in Thornbury as it was the replacement for Thornbury Grammar School and attracts grants if it remains in Thornbury. If the council wishes, it could apply to Gloucester County Council for a boundary change.

8 CORRESPONDENCE -

The following correspondence has been received and requires consideration by the Council: -A letter was received from Protree in May following a request from the council for the ash tree by St. Helen’s church to be examined for obstruction of the electricity cable which go through it. A telephone call from Sally Murray confirmed the need for trimming as a matter of urgency.

E-mail was received from Thornbury Police.

“Dear Russ
Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns at the secondment of
PC Chorley on behalf of your parish council. Paul Chorley will return to
Thornbury on 1st October 2004.

He is currently attached to the District proactive Team which is based at
Staple Hill but has responsibilities for action against serious crime and
class A drugs across South Gloucestershire.

This temporary posting is one which Paul requested some time ago in order to
increase his policing skills in the areas for which that unit has
responsibility.

When he returns to the Thornbury area he will be better able to carry out
certain policing operations of a specialist nature which will be of
considerable benefit to Alveston and the Thornbury police area in general.

Whilst I am acutely conscious of the concerns expressed in the absence of a
beat manager for this three month period, Inspector Keith Farrow, who is
responsible for the area, is anxious to ensure that the beat managers he
appoints are of the highest quality. It would be impossible for him to
attract such high quality officers to this role if he was to then deny them
the opportunity to develop their career and policing skills by use of
attachments such as this. I am sure you will agree that your area is better
served, in the long term, by having an officer of the quality of Paul
Chorley, despite this brief absence, than an officer who might be less
motivated and effective .

The beat managers under the command of Sector Sergeant Simon Ellis at
Thornbury work closely as a team. Specific issues within your area will
continue to be addressed and 24 hour policing coverage of the area is
unaffected. The beat surgeries at Haddrell Court are continuing and will be
held on 17th August and 21st September, these will be attended by PC Neil
Whyman, a member of the Thornbury Beat team. PC Chorley will then attend the
next planned beat surgery on the 26th October.

Should any issues come to light that you feel need specific police input
please contact Sergeant Simon Ellis at Thornbury, or myself, Sergeant
Elizabeth Keogh who is performing that role until 26th August 2004. Either
can be contacted on 0117 9455980 where a message can also be left.

Please do not hesitate to contact me on the above number if you require any
further information.
Inspector Keith Farrow who is based at Chipping Sodbury can be contacted on
0117 945 5938 if you wish to discuss with him any of the issues I have
raised.

Yours sincerely

Sergeant Liz Keogh 
Thornbury Police Station. “

Other Correspondence

The following is included in the correspondence wallet.

South Gloucestershire Council

Cabinet and executive decisions several

Forward plan of executive decision-making

Bulky Household Rubbish

Alternating Collection Service ( Reply to Mr Brian Davis’s question)

Joint Strategic Planning and Transport Unit Waste Planning

Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study.

Heritage Lottery Fund Workshop

Review of Bus Services – Consultation

Corporate Service Plan

Landscape Character Assessment

Other Bodies

The Aviation Campaigner’s Seminar

Oldbury / Berkeley Local Community Liaison Council Progress Update

The Boundary Committee, further arrangements for South Gloucestershire.

Friends of War Memorials

Alveston Jubilee Hall Management Committee Budget proposals.

Avon Local Councils Association several items.

Circulars and Magazines.

Local Council Review July 2004

ALCA newsletter

South Gloucestershire Deaf Association

Community Action

Street Furniture catalogue.

AUTHORISATION OF PAYMENTS.

The following payments were scrutinised and authorised by Mr John Veasey and Mr Mike Webb.

Payee	Purpose	Chq. No	Amount £
Alveston Jubilee Hall	Room hire June/July 2004	997	48.40
Garden Manicures	Grounds Maintenance June 2004	998	633.86
Garden Manicures	Grounds Maintenance July 2004	999	633.86
Garden Manicures	Grounds Maintenance August 2004	1000	633.96
J.L. Massie	Audit fee 2003/2004	1001	150
Wicksteed Leisure	Inspection of Play areas	1002	117.50
Bristol Water PLC	Water Rates Cemetery	1003	8.80
Mr R Fergyson	Salary and expenses	1004	691.01
Mr B Painter	Salary	1005	77.22
South Gloucestershire Council	Dog bin maintenance and emptying	1006	94.70
British Telecom	Telephone Bill	1007	58.77
	Total		3148.08

The Clerk reported the following income has been received.

Payment by	Purpose	Amount £
	Total	0.00

10 ANY OTHER BUSINESS

A telegraph pole on the corner of Quarry road by No.1 has been there for over a year , if it is not needed can it be removed.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 8.40pm.