Gaydon Parish Council

DRAFT MINUTES OF AN ORDINARY MEETING OF GAYDON PARISH COUNCIL HELD IN THE VILLAGE HALL ON THURSDAY, 2^ND JANUARY 2014 AT 8PM

PRESENT: COUNCILLORS J. RICKMAN (CHAIRMAN), MRS. A. CONWAY, MRS. M. FOX, D. PIRIE, B. PRICE, COUNTY COUNCILLOR C. WILLIAMS, DISTRICT COUNCILLOR C. MILLS, A. SCORER, C. HILL (Clerk) and approximately 13 members of the public

1. Apologies for absence

There were no apologies.

2. Questions from the public

The Chairman said that he would take questions from the public under the individual items on the agenda.

3. Declarations of Interest

The Chairman declared a pecuniary interest in item 13(h) as a member of his family is the recipient. He also declared a personal interest in item 13(f) as a member of the Village Hall Committee. Cllr. Mrs. Conway declared a pecuniary interest in item 13(g) as a recipient.

4. Acceptance of the minutes of the previous meeting (November 2013)

The minutes of the previous meeting had been circulated prior to the meeting. It was agreed that they represented a true record of the meeting and were signed by the Chairman.

5. Gaydon/Lighthorne Heath New Settlement Proposal

(a) FORSE/Parish Liaison; update

Cllr. Mrs. Conway reported that FORSE now have a proper constitution. The Senior Planning Officer at the District Council has confirmed that the development extension to Pimple Lane has been removed from the draft Core Strategy.

(b) To write to the District Council requesting a new consultation

It was agreed that a letter will not be written until the Council fully understands when the District Council plans to produce the next draft of the Core Strategy.

The Chairman reported that he met with Tim James and Clive Dorney from Jaguar Land Rover. They said that they would not support development behind the Esso garage in Gaydon. They confirmed that the work to ensure that The Heritage Centre entrance and associated internal road scheme could cope with traffic from a dual carriageway would be finished at the same time as the dual carriageway.

(d) Response to Community Infrastructure Levy

Cllr. Pirie confirmed that our response had been submitted.

6. Matters arising from the minutes of the previous meetings

(a) Cottage Farm, Banbury Road; lighting issues

ACTION: The Clerk to write to the residents.

(b) M40 junction 12 extension; response submitted to County Council

The Clerk confirmed that the response regarding the initial application has been submitted to the County. The County has now submitted additional information requesting that the new dual carriageway and link road to the Gaydon roundabout be lit.

This has been installed. The Clerk said that she has requested it be filled.

ACTION: The Clerk to find out when it will be filled.

(d) Starbold Wind Farm; update

Cllr. Mills reported that a decision will be made by Eric Pickles M.P. at the earliest April 2014.

(e) Website; letter from resident

The Chairman read out the letter. He explained that the website is registered in his name and he has owned it for about 10 years. He manages the website for all of the village groups. Each group has control over the contents on their page but not the style of the site. Following comments from residents he confirmed that he has changed the front page.

Mr. Conway said that he thinks the Parish Council should have a ‘face book’ page. Several residents agreed with this.

Cllr. Mrs. Fox explained the background to the setting up of the website.

A resident said that other Parish Councils have taken ownership of their websites.

The Clerk explained that WALC provides a one page website for some parishes.

ACTION: The Clerk to find out which parishes use this service. The Clerk to request via the magazine for volunteers to assist with the website.

(f) Clock; improvements to access

The Clerk explained the background to this. The Chairman confirmed that a faculty is not required because the ladder is removable. The labour costs for this work would be £170 plus materials of £90. It was agreed that this work must take place since it is a health and safety issue.

ACTION: The Chairman to liaise with the PCC and arrange for the work to take place.

7. Councillor’s Reports

(a) Cemetery

(i) Woodland Trust Trees

ACTION: The Clerk to send the email to Cllr. Price.

(ii) Request for Jaguar Land Rover team to cut back vegetation

ACTION: The Chairman to contact Jaguar Land Rover.

(b) Lights/Litter/Street Furniture

The Clerk confirmed that she has reported the light outside Last Cottage on the Banbury Road.

Mr. Thomas asked if she could report the light at the end of Pimple Lane and outside Bedford House.

ACTION: The Clerk to ask the County to fix the lights.

(i) Lights on bollard along Banbury Road

County Cllr. Williams reported that the County Council are trying to find a supplier for these lights.

(i) Coping stones; update

District Cllrs. Mills and Scorer said that they have been chasing Orbit.

ACTION: District Cllr. Mills to contact Orbit again.

(d) Drains

Mr. Thomas said that the drain by the fire hydrant along the Banbury Road is sinking.

ACTION: The Clerk to contact Highways.

Mr. Wells reported that the water in the ditch outside his property is only reducing slightly. He believes there could be a blockage in the pipe.

ACTION: The Chairman agreed to look into this.

Another resident said that the pond along the Kineton Road is being filled in by the builders. The Chairman said that he has looked at this pond and doesn’t believe it is but he will keep an eye on it.

A resident said that since the Kineton Road has been resurfaced the water is flowing across the road and is an accident waiting to happen.

ACTION: The Clerk to make Highways aware.

A drain at the top of the Kineton Road appears to be blocked.

ACTION: The Chairman to investigate.

(e) Footpaths

Cllr. Price reported that some footpaths have not been reinstated.

ACTION: The Clerk to send a letter to the landowners once the weather improves.

(f) Gaydon Liaison Meeting; update

Cllr. Mrs. Conway reported that the traffic issues dominated the meeting. Taking the registration number of vehicles that are speeding is beneficial since JLR are acting on this information. The mud on the road was noted and for future planning applications we could request that wheels are cleaned before exiting the site. 300 employees use the JLR buses but the buses are now using the Fosse Way instead of M40. The Clerk mentioned fly tipping just before The Heritage Centre and asked if the meeting could be made aware of this to enable quicker reporting and removal.

ACTION: District Cllr. Mills said that he would action the fly tipping.

A resident asked if the minutes from this meeting could be displayed on the Gaydon website.

ACTION: The Clerk to ask the Secretary of the Liaison Meeting.

Cllr. Price said that the parking along Church Road just before Christmas was unacceptable. He has taken the numbers of the cars to pass to JLR.

ACTION: Cllr. Price to pass the numbers to the Clerk for reporting to JLR.

(g) Neighbourhood Watch

No new report.

(h) Community Forum update

No new report.

(i) Flood Defence

(i) Severn Trent’s report on sewage; response

The Chairman said that since Gaydon is coping with the extreme weather he does not believe there is a need for this letter at the moment. Councillors agreed.

(ii) Flooding works at the back of the Kineton Road; update

The Chairman reported that this work has taken place.

(iii) To consider additional funding works to the ditch at the back of the Kineton Road houses

The Chairman explained the scheme. The estimated cost would be £1200. The Clerk confirmed that we have funds from the grant we received from the District Council for Flood Defence.

ACTION: The Chairman to obtain quotes.

(iv) To consider requesting that the ‘sand bin’ be secured firmly

It was agreed that this should be secured in the same way as the grit bin.

ACTION: The Clerk to ask Mr. Pickering to liaise with the Chairman regarding this work.

8. To receive reports from District and County Councillors

District Cllr. Mills said that the Christmas period was very quiet.

The District Council will be concentrating on the budget.

He said that he has received no more information regarding the need for lighting on the new dual carriageway.

ACTION: District Cllr. Mills to keep the Chairman updated on the lighting situation.

County Cllr. Williams said that the Fire Service strikes are continuing. This is regarding a dispute between the Fire Service and the Government over pensions.

The County is focusing on the budget; front line services will continue. The number of staff will be reduced by 600. County Cllr. Williams said that if council tax does not increase then the County will have to find another £12 million and services will be cut.

There will be a boundary review within the County.

A public interest debate will take place on unified councils on either 23^rd or 24^th February at Shire Hall.

Cllr. Mrs Conway asked County Cllr. Williams to explain whether there would be a 1.5 day public consultation on the new dual carriageway as stated at the last meeting. County Cllr. Williams said that there would not be a further consultation.

A resident spoke about the difficulties with the children’s centres and the effect this was having on local schools. County Cllr. Williams said that there would be no cut backs in the children’s centres but the way they are managed is changing.

9. To receive planning applications

(a) M40 Junction 12; comments requested from Highways Agency

The Chairman explained that our response, which has been submitted, included 3 requests; a safe access across the M40 for pedestrians, horses and cyclists, more planting and no lighting. This had been agreed at an extraordinary meeting.

(b) 13/03024/FUL - Gaydon Inn

The Parish Council had agreed at an extraordinary meeting to object to this application.

Agreed at an extraordinary meeting to object.

(d) New dual carriageway between junction 12 M40 and Jaguar Land Rover; response to District Council

The Chairman explained that this application includes ‘additional information’ received by the Parish Council between Christmas and New Year. The additional information concerns the illumination of this road together with the link road to the Gaydon roundabout. Cllr. Mrs. Conway said that the lighting is in direct contradiction to the Atkins Report. The Chairman said that he would ask the residents attending this meeting to let the Parish Council have their view on whether the road should be lit. Comments as follows:

No to the lighting. The County talks about saving energy and yet they are now installing more lights. Where has this come from?

This will cause light pollution.

This is not a sustainable model for the junction and nor is it a positive solution to the JLR traffic problems.

Who is paying for the installation, maintenance and on-going cost of these unnecessary lights?

The residents voted unanimously to object to this application.

Further questions were raised by councillors.

This lighting is purely for Jaguar Land Rover and it sounds expensive.

Environmentally it is a disaster.

Expensive and how are they going to be controlled?

It is a step towards urbanisation. Ask JLR why we are paying for this.

We were consulted on a strip of tarmac with no solution to the JLR site access issue.

The question of the sustainability of the lights should be questioned as well as the whole project.

The area is congested for a maximum of 2 hours a day; a waste of tax payers money.

The Chairman said that this was a late amendment. It came after Lighthorne and Chesterton Parish Councils had responded. When the engineers came to see us early last year they said that the road would not be lit. We want the roundabout removed and the associated lights. We have been told by the County that it is too expensive to remove the roundabout but now money has been found for lights out of a budget where there are cuts. The Chairman asked District Clls. Mills and Scorer for their support in objecting to this application. Both said that they would support Gaydon.

County Cllr. Williams explained that the dual carriageway is being paid for by central government. The Police have requested that it is lit. The lighting will be paid for by the County Council. To remove the roundabout is a cost to the County Council as the grant is purely for the road.

It was suggested that JLR could pay for the removal of the roundabout under a section 106 agreement. County Cllr. Williams explained that there are no section 106 agreements on roads.

Cllr. Mrs. Conway proposed that the Parish Council objects to this application and the application by the County based on the additional information, seconded Cllr. Pirie and carried unanimously.

10. To receive any correspondence

(a) Avon Valley Bowls Club re. facilities at JLR

It was agreed that this would be discussed at the Liaison Meeting.

ACTION: Cllrs. Mrs. Conway and Price to mention at the next meeting.

(b) Letter from resident regarding alternative plans for new dual carriageway

This had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting. It was discussed and agreed that it was a better proposal than the one submitted by the County. Cllr. Mrs. Conway said that the resident had made the County aware of this proposal several years ago and yet they have not considered it.

A resident said that the County should consider this proposal and review the plans for the dual carriageway since 18 months ago they were not aware of any additional development and we are now in a situation where there could be additional development. Their plans do not take this into account whereby this proposal is a future one and does.

Another resident commented that if the junction needs improving then the government funding will be there in the future.

Cllr. Mrs. Conway said that the work Mr. Claxton has done should be applauded.

Cllr. Mrs. Conway proposed that we support Mr. Claxton’s proposal, seconded and carried unanimously. The Clerk was asked to include this in the letters regarding the dual carriageway and also to write to Jeremy Wright MP asking for support and an investigation into the handling of the County scheme.

ACTION: The Clerk to draft a letter to Jeremy Wright MP

The Clerk explained that the contents of this letter had been incorporated into the draft budget.

11. To agree 2014/15 budget and to set precept

The draft budget had been circulated prior to the meeting. Cllr. Pirie proposed an increase of 2% on the precept, seconded by Cllr. Mrs. Fox and carried unanimously. It was further agreed to adopt the draft budget, a copy is attached to these minutes.

12. Financial Report/Administration

(a) Bank balances

The Clerk reported the following balances: Community Account - £4,396.83 and Business Account - £10,590.47

(b) 2014/15 grass cutting contract

The Clerk confirmed that Mr. Pickering had agreed the same price for this contract as last year. We need to review the contract next year for 2015/16.

10pm The Chairman and Cllr. Mrs. Conway left the meeting. Cllr. Price took the Chair.

13. Passing of any accounts for payment

The following accounts were proposed by Cllr. Price, seconded by Cllr. Pirie.

(a) Mrs. C. Hill - Clerk’s gross salary (Jan) - £200.85

(b) Mr. C. Pickering - grass cutting plus installing grit bin - £205.00

(d) Wybone Ltd. - bins for grit and sand - £385.21

(e) Farm Services Ltd. - flood prevention work - £894.00

(f) Village Hall annual rent - £1000.00

(g) Mrs. A. Conway - reimbursement for printing of plans - £16.00

(h) Mrs. J. Rickman - reimbursement for magazine paper - £19.00

10.10pm The Chairman and Cllr. Mrs. Conway returned to the meeting. The Chairman took the Chair.

14. Closure of meeting

Next meeting Thursday, 6^th February at 8pm.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.15pm.