Clerk’s Report: March 2016

Notes from the Parish Council (PC) meeting held on Wednesday 9th March.

Six Councillors, the Parish Clerk, 10 members of the public and Wilts Cllr H Greenman attended the meeting.

Finance

Annual Maintenance contracts for the Gossip Areas, to include grass cutting, and the Bus Shelter were approved for 2016-17.

A Community Grant of £500 was approved for the PCC for maintenance of the churchyard.

The PC agreed to give the VHMC the old 3-door wooden noticeboard, currently situated at the Playpark.

Planning Applications

Consideration was given to 4 planning applications:

  1. 16/01017/TCA at All Saints Church
  2. 16/01238/FUL at 19 Queens Close
  3. 16/01508/FUL at 1Chestnut Road
  4. 16/01892/TCA at 4 Church Piece. The PC resolved to make no objections to any of the applications.

New Councillor

Mr Leigh Varnham was co-opted onto the Council – he was warmly welcomed by all present.

Highways and Transport

Cllr P Jones has again raised the following issues with Richard Dobson, Wiltshire Council: the gully clearing at the B4069/B4122 junction, the missing 50mph repeater sign and the re-surfacing of the B4069.  The large pothole on the High Street opp. Manor Farm Drive has been reported and passed to the Contractors.

Crossing on the High Street – Cllr P Jones agreed to measure the High Street to see if a suitable site was available for a pedestrian crossing on the High Street before carrying out our own informal pedestrian count.

Community Asset Transfer of the flowerbed on the High Street – Wiltshire Council have advised that a Section 96 Licence allowing maintenance of it would be appropriate but the PC wished to proceed with a CAT to have total ownership if possible.

Parking Spaces at College Green – Cllr H Greenman agreed to investigate the possibility of securing funding for extra car parking spaces at College Green.  The PC fully supported this matter and would help in any way it could.

Annual Parish Meeting

The Council will be inviting the following to give presentations at the APM:

  • Meril Morgan, Wilts Council Arts Development Officer on the S106 Arts Contribution of £24,000 awarded to the village. If you would be interested in joining a small team (4-5 people) to discuss possible Arts Projects for the village please contact the Clerk.
  • Daniel Everett. Flood Drainage Engineer, Wilts Council on the flood mitigation works in Seagry Road and the High Street

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 13th April 2016 starting at 19:30. This will be your chance to get an update from village organisations, including the Parish Council, about what has happened in the last 12 months and their plans for the future.  There will short presentations with ample opportunity to ask questions during the meeting followed by light refreshments and informal discussion afterwards.

Next Parish Council Meetings

The date of the Annual Parish Meeting is Wednesday 13th April 2016 and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council is Wednesday 11th May 2016 both in the Village Hall, starting at 7.45 pm.