Update From Sutton Benger Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 13th July 2016.
School Council – Four members of the School Council were warmly welcomed to the meeting and they presented the Parish Council with a copy of the School’s Draft Travel Plan 2016.
Parking at College Green – The PC fully supported the application by Cllr H Greenman to create additional car parking at College Green and approved a contribution of £1,000 so that the project could go ahead. Thanks was given to Howard for all his work on this issue.
Planning – Consideration was given to 3 planning applications:
16/05575/TCAL – 11 Manor Farm Drive – Fell 2 Cypress Trees – No Objections
16/04961/OUT – Arms Farm – Outline planning for 14 dwellings – Object and request Cllr H Greenman to call it in to committee
16/05808/FUL – 4 Box Cottages – Single storey rear extension – No Objections
Highways and Transport – The Clerk gave an update on the response from the Associate Director of Highways and Transport concerning the disrepair of the B4069 High Street. She will be pursuing the matter further by requesting temporary safety signs warning road users of the potholes and broken surfaces and for another scan of the road to be carried out. She urged everyone to use the MyWiltshire App/Website to report the potholes.
High Street Crossing – Cllr P Jones has carried out an informal pedestrian count at the potential site for a crossing on the High Street – it was agreed to liaise with the School and carry out a second count in Sept/Oct 2016.
Reintroduction of the Parish Steward Scheme – Wiltshire Council have reintroduced the scheme by contracting Ringway Plc as providers for the next five years. So, from October 2016 we will get a visit from our assigned Parish Steward every few weeks, to tackle those little jobs which so improve life in the village but which have not, perhaps, been so readily completed of late.
Ringway have invested in twenty bright yellow Ford Ranger 4x4s, so there will be no problem noticing his presence! Each vehicle carries the equipment to tackle jobs which one man can handle, such as hedge cutting, strimming, invasive weed control, small pothole filling etc. Equally importantly, they are establishing protocols to ensure the scheme is effective.
To that end, the Parish Council has a nominated member who will collate and submit a monthly, prioritised list for action. Reports can be submitted to the Parish Clerk.
It is important to realise that our Steward is responsible for and to County Highways, so he will not empty litter-bins or look after the play park. The aim is that, in time, our assigned Steward will get to know the Parish well and become more pro-active in seeking out tasks to complete, always assuming our priorities have been met.
Everybody in the Parish can help in reporting Highways issues these days, by using the MyWiltshire app, which I urge everyone with a Smartphone to obtain. A brief message to the PC Clerk would be helpful, if you have time, as that will alert our nominee to issues reported. As he gains familiarity with the Parish, he will become more pro-active, which will be simply marvellous!
Grass Verges – it was agreed that the PC would take on the responsibility of mowing/strimming the unregistered grass verges in the village at Sutton Lane and fronting 62-64, 68 High Street in an effort to keep the village looking a bit tidier.
Tree Works – Cllr Pope reminded everyone that as most of Sutton Benger is in a Conservation Area you must apply for planning permission to carry out works to any trees in your garden. Apply here – https://www.planningportal.co.uk/applications.
Village Hall – a community grant of £456 for the VHMC to purchase 12 replacement chairs was approved. Further discussions need to take place with regard to possible projects for the S106 Indoor Leisure funds.
Rights of Way – there is a need to take on the maintenance of our Rights of Way as Wiltshire Council do not have the resources to do so.
Parish Path Liaison Officers (PPLOs)
Rights of Way – Sutton Benger/Draycot Cerne
Do you like walking in our beautiful countryside? Would you like to help maintain and preserve our Rights of Way? Parish Path Liaison Officers (PPLOs) are volunteers who are provided with a handbook and offered a toolkit to help look after their local parish path network. Walking and surveying the paths in the local area they report problems and tackle minor practical tasks.
To apply please contact the Parish Clerk
Wheelie Bin Speed Limit Stickers – the PC have some 30mph and 20mph wheelie bin stickers to be available on a first come first served basis – please contact the Parish Clerk.
Neighbourhood Development – the PC agreed to fund the printing costs of 1,150 questionnaires to be distributed later this month – anyone wishing to volunteer to help the NDP Group should contact sbbigplan@gmail.com or register your interest on their Facebook page.
Next Parish Council Meeting – The date of the next Parish Council Meeting is Wednesday 14th September 2016 in the Village Hall, starting at 7.45 pm.
Councillor Vacancies – there are 2 vacancies for Parish Councillor. Please contact the Parish Clerk for further details and an Application Form if you would like to join our team.
You will have received a copy or two of the NDP Questionnaire through your door by now and we hope to have one Questionnaire completed by everyone in the Parish of age 18 or over.
A fleet of green and yellow vehicles driven by parish stewards conducting minor highways work will be a regular feature on local roads by the autumn as part of Wiltshire’s new multi-million pound highways contract.
