HELD AT: The Pratten Building, Hullavington School

Cllrs. Bawden, Fenner, Greenman, Hadley, Haffenden, Harmer, Redman, Stokes.

4 members of the public attended

The RFO was in attendance

 

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Mrs. Clothier was engaged to take minutes in the Clerk’s absence.

1. APOLOGIES

• Apologies were sent by County Councillor Thomson District Councillor Henderson and P.C Humphries of Malmesbury Police.

1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

• There were no declarations of interest regarding items on the agenda.

• The minutes of 8^th December 2004 were approved by the Council for signing by the Chairman at the February meeting of the Council pending amendments by the Clerk.

4. MATTERS ARISING

• There was no further information available regarding a fixing for a new Neighbourhood Watch sign. Given the cost of having it fitted by an electricity company (as recommended) the Council decided not to proceed with the new sign.
• No reply had yet been received from Highways regarding the surface dressing of Hullavington’s roads.
• The Chairman reported that he had sent a personal acknowledgement of Mrs. Croft’s letter.

4. PLANNING

• No planning applications had been received by the Clerk.
• Cllr. Bawden reported from the last Area Development Control Committee that the application relating to a housing development at Wilson’s Coal Yard had been deferred pending a site visit by a viewing panel.

4. CAR PARKING/TRAFFIC MATTERS

• Cllr. Hadley reported a complaint from a parishioner and as a result, tabled the motion that a sign reading "please keep the gates clear" be attached to the cemetery gate. The vote was deferred pending discussion of Mrs Croft’s letter under item 7.

4. CEMETERY/BURIAL MATTERS

• The Clerk’s report was deferred until the next meeting.
• A reply is to be sent to Mrs Croft thanking her for sharing her concerns and indicating that the issues raised will be considered by the Council in conjunction with other road safety issues over the coming months. The Council also wished the reply to point out that over the last six months of the cemetery gates being left unlocked there has been no evidence of parents using the car park at school pick up and drop off times.
• The proposal tabled in the previous agenda item was then voted on. The motion failed with 3 in favour, 4 against and 2 abstentions. A notice to the effect of "please keep the gates clear" is to be placed in the Hullavington News. The matter of the notice is to be raised again in six months time, in conjunction with a review of the opening of the cemetery gates.
• The Chairman and Cllr. Hadley reported that they recommended the removal of the hedgerow separating the two areas of the cemetery. This will involve the removal of four trees, for which a quote from Bartlett Tree Experts will be sought. Cllrs. Stokes and Hadley offered to arrange the removal of the remaining hedge using voluntary labour.
• The Council noted that some vandalism had occurred in the cemetery. A gravestone was broken and the lock on the bier shed was forced, though nothing had been taken. A dead fox had been laid across a gravestone.

4. VILLAGE HALL UPDATE

• Cllr. Fenner reported that three quotes had been obtained for the village hall project, two of them being to detailed specifications. The Village Hall Committee will soon formally ask the Parish Council how to proceed with the tender process and how many quotes must be sought. Clerk to ask NWDC for professional advice .
• Cllr. Fenner sought assurance that the Parish Council would definitely be in a position to decide Village Hall matters at the next meeting. Mrs. Clothier confirmed that this should definitely be the case when the Standards Committee have met on 24^th January.

4. PARISH PLAN

• It was resolved that the current questionnaire working group would continue the analysis of the raw data from the questionnaire in order to create a series of "SMART" objectives for the Council’s consideration. It is hoped that this process can be timed to feed in to the Area Core Working Group to help produce a District plan.

4. VILLAGE MAINTENANCE

• Pot holes at the end of the Street have been filled
• The wrong Christmas tree was delivered by Foxley Road Nurseries and was subsequently replaced by a bigger one. Cllr. Hadley has retained the Parish Council’s tree lights.

4. NEW BUS SHELTER UPDATE

• Ashlar coping is now in place and the contractor is waiting for the wood to be delivered.

4. FINANCIAL MATTERS

• The presentation of the schedule of payments and the signing of cheques was deferred until the next meeting.

4. EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION/REPORTS FROM MEMBERS

• Cllr. Bawden reported that she would be unable to attend the meeting of the Area 1 Committee on 19^th January. Cllr. Greenman is hoping to attend in her place. Cllr. Fenner will be attending of the Core Area Working Party on the same evening.

4. MEETING DATES FOR 2005/06

4. CORRESPONDENCE

4. CLERK’S PAY AND EXPENSES