MINUTES OF THE LYNEHAM AND BRADENSTOKE ANNUAL/PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 9th OCTOBER 2007
AT LYNEHAM VILLAGE HALL

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Cllr M Petch (Chairman)
Cllr J Jardine (Vice-Chair)
Cllr Ball
Cllr Bullock
Cllr Bunney
Cllr Lightowler
Cllr Miss Palmer (from Item 7)
Cllr Potter
Cllr Mrs. Turner
Cllr J Webb
Cllr T Webb
Mr M Edwards - Parish Clerk

District Councillors Mrs A Bucknell and Mrs S Still.

Mrs Carol Southall & Ms P Bell (Community First until Item 7), Wing Commander Collinson (Until Item 5), Police Representative and 5 members of the Public

The Meeting started at 7.15pm.

1. Apologies:

Apologies for Absence were received from District Councillors Mrs A Bucknell and Mrs S Still

2. Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 11th September 2007:

Minutes of the meeting held on the 11th September 2007 having been circulated and read were approved and signed.

3. Register of Interests under the Parish Councils (Code of Conduct) Order 2001):

4. RAF Matters:

Cllr Petch welcomed Wing Commander Collinson to the meeting, The Wing Commander reported that the RAF contractor was continuing to carry out works on the stream at Pintail Court. The former contractors hut at the rear of the Old NAAFI would be demolished shortly once the necessary risk assessments have taken place. The rubbish bin on Slessor Road Playing field will continue to be monitored to ensure that it is emptied as per the agreed schedule. The lights on the path to the Youth Shelter have been vandalised and would cost in the region of £3,000 to replace. It was noted with regret that these will be removed. The Thrift Shop will cease trading at the end of December as the site including the Catholic Church is being sold. A repatriation ceremony will take place on Wednesday the 10th of October.

Questions asked on the following RAF Matters (including leased land) included the access to the old NAAFI. The Wing Commander will request that the contractors secure the building. The future of the Catholic Church was also raised. The Wing Commander confirmed that the Church building was included in the sale and any purchaser would be required to provide access or re-provide the facility. Cllr Petch thanked the Wing Commander for attending the meeting.

5. To Receive Public Questions:

Questions for the Local Police

Cllr Petch Welcomed to Mrs. Carol Southall & Ms Penny Bell - Rural Housing Enablement Team to the meeting. Mrs. Southall outlined the work of the Rural Enablement Service. The service is independent of Housing Associations and is run by Community First and seeks to identify local housing needs within the district and bring forward sites for development. The last survey carried out by North Wilts DC had identified a need for affordable housing in the Lyneham & Bradenstoke parish. A new survey is due to sent out by North Wilts DC to all households to establish the current extent of housing need. Anyone who does not live in Lyneham, due to the lack of affordable housing, but who would wish to come is also asked to request a survey form.

Discussions included the status of exception sites, the proposal for 12 homes by Westlea at Pound Close and the local feeling against it, the rent at which properties would be let and eligibility of Service people in applying for any homes. Further discussion took place over the lack of affordable housing in the event of the RAF withdrawing and Married Quarters being sold. It was confirmed that the Planning Authority would require evidence of housing need before it would grant any exception site status. Eligibility for any new homes on an exception site would have to prove local connection rather than the normal housing allocation points. It was unlikely that due to funding shortfalls that more than one development in Lyneham would take place.

Cllr Petch thanked Mrs. Southall and Ms Bell for attending the meeting and looked forward to receiving an update when the survey is completed.

6. Matters Arising from Previous Meeting: not contained elsewhere on the Agenda

Casual Vacancy & Co-option - Miss S Palmer, the only applicant for the casual vacancy was proposed by Cllr Petch. Cllr Miss Palmer joined the meeting.

7. Public Toilets:

a. Update – The legal agreement is being reviewed. It was proposed by Cllr Mrs. Jardine and Seconded by Cllr J Webb that the revenue grant be taken on 3 years decreasing to zero over a further 10 years. The electric meter has been read and is below the estimated figure taken over from North Wiltshire DC.

8. Planning:

The following applications have been approved:
07/00772/FUL Brookside Cottage Preston – Agricultural Building,
07/02004/LBC – Thickthorn Farmhouse, Preston – Single Storey Extension,
07/02161/FUL – 2 Lancaster Square – Extensions,
07/02140/FUL – 35 Bakersfield – Extension
07/02085/FUL – 9 Elm Close – Extension.

The following application has been refused:
07/02184/FUL – Land adjacent 55 Bradenstoke – Erection of Dwelling.

9. Highway Matters and Transport:

a. Bus Shelters (Lillybrook, Slessor Road, Preston Lane) – The Bus Shelter at Lillybrook is due for delivery during the first week of November. The Police have supplied details of the address of the person responsible for damaging the Slessor Road Bus Shelter.
b. Seats – No further work will be carried out for the Stanley Taylor Memorial Bench pending the outcome of the investigations relating to the Village Green
c. Maintenance Issues in Pound Close (including ditch) – North Wilts DC have confirmed that the Pound Close litter bin is emptied on a fortnightly cycle. No further progress has been noticed on the ditch.
d. Other highway and transport matters – A list of outstanding issues will be supplied to the Parish Steward. The next scheduled visit is on the 22nd and 23rd of October.

10. Play Area & Open Spaces:

a. Pound Close Play Area (Fencing & Maintenance Issues) – The fencing has been replaced and an invoice received for the work. A letter of complaint has been received from Mrs. Bain about the impact of the new fence. The matter was discussed and agreed that the Clerk write back stating the need for the new improved security fence and the matter raised would be re-considered in the spring once the fence had time to weather through the winter,

b. Bradenstoke Play Area (Maintenance Issues) – No matters were reported.

c. Rospa Safety Inspection – The report is expected and will be considered at the November meeting.

d. Grass Cutting Contract and Issues – The Council owned verge in front of Church Farm Mews will be added to the contact.

e. Pintail Court Project. Cllr Lightowler confirmed that the Landfill Tax Credit application is due to be submitted this week. A declaration of support for future maintenance is required and a draft letter circulated. It was agreed that the Clerk check with North Wilts DC’s Solicitor before signing by the Chair.

11. Allotments:

a. Allotment agreements 2007-2008 will be sent out shortly. A number of requests have been received as to their position on the waiting list or to be added to the list.

b. Maintenance Issues. Cllr Miss Palmer reported a request by a resident of Church Park to cut the boundary hedge. No objection was raised to this subject to all cuttings to be cleared from site.

12. Finanace and Administration:

a. Accounts & Budget Review – a review of the 2007-2008 accounts and budget took place. It was agreed to convene a Budget meeting prior to the November meeting starting at 6pm. The 2006-2007 Annual Return has been completed and received from Mazars.

b. Payment of Invoices – The following payments were approved and cheques signed by Cllr Potter and Cllr Petch – Envisage (Grass Cutting) 741.61 (659), Wyatt & Sons (Play Area Fencing) £8111.32 (660), Colin Cowdry £685.50 (661), Powergen (662) Awaiting revised bill, Clerk £353.47 (663), Lyneham Village Hall – Hire £13.50 (664), Mazars £358.38 (665)

c. Correspondence Received:

To review the list:

d. Items for consideration in 2008-2009 Budget are requested. The Application from Bradenstoke Village Hall was circulated.

e. Council’s Own Website – Cllr Lightowler reported that use of the Community Web will not progress. An alternative will be submitted to a future meeting.

13. Councillors’ Observations & Items for Next Meeting:

Cllr J Webb had been asked by a local resident about markings for the Bus Turning area by St Mary’s Church – As this is not WCC land Highways would not be able to provide lines. It was agreed to ask the resident to monitor the number of occasions when this is a problem.

Cllr Mrs. Turner attended the Dauntsey Vale Transport Group meeting.

Cllr Lightowler – asked about progress with the use of the Green by Piggies – It was noted that part of the area belongs to Persimmon.

Cllr Petch read out a message received from Mrs. Sue Copp thanking the Parish Council for the card and gift voucher.

14. Date of Next Meeting:

Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 13th November 2007 at 7.15pm at Bradenstoke Village Hall. (A Budget meeting will take place at 6pm prior to the meeting)

The meeting closed at 9.35 pm