MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL, HELD ON MONDAY 2 APRIL 2012, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 8.30PM.

Present: Mr. D Purnell (Chairman); Mr K Brown; Mrs K Glancy; Mr S Hale; Mr K Larkin; Mr D Palmer; & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillors: Mrs J Cordwell; & Mr P Smith

County Councillor: Dr. J Cordwell.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons.

1. To Receive and Accept Apologies for absence. There were none.

2. The Chairman invited members to declare any interests. There were none.

3. To Approve and Sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 March 2012, as a true and accurate record. The Minutes of the March Meeting had previously been distributed to all members and displayed on the public notice boards and the website. All members agreed the Minutes should be signed, as a true and accurate record. The Minutes were duly signed.

3. The Council noted Matters arising from the Minutes that were not covered by agenda items.

The Clerk referred to his Update Note, which had been issued prior to the Meeting. He also provided additional verbal information.

1. Reference Minute 12(4)/03/2012). The Clerk had contacted Audio Visual Direct UK and successfully renegotiated the price for a laptop computer, projector and a screen using their guaranteed “Lowest Price Promise” and the information provided by Mr Palmer. As a result he was able to purchase the three items, plus a Microsoft Office software package for £789.99 plus VAT. This excluded installation costs of the screen, which has been arranged locally. This new price compares with the original quoted price of £1098.00 plus VAT.

2. The Clerk arranged for Mr Ian James to install the projector screen at the Village Hall on 31 March.

3. An appeal has been lodged following the Refusal of Planning Permission on S.11/2449/FUL at Bird Farm, Stancombe, Dursley, GL11 6AY.

4. He has responded to Stroud DC on the Core Strategy Consultation.

5. The Clerk contacted Stroud DC about the rubbish bin outside the Cemetery. It was reported that the bin has now been properly secured to its base.

5. The Chairman closed the Meeting for public discussion and invited questions. There were no questions. The Chairman re-opened the Meeting.

The Chairman moved to Agenda Item 7 to allow time for the Applicant (Agenda Item 6) to attend.

7. The Council was advised that an Appeal had been made to Secretary of State against the decision by Stroud Planning to Refuse Planning Permission for a temporary agricultural worker’s dwelling with treatment plant at Bird Farm, Stancombe. The Council were also informed that an Appeal had been made against the Enforcement Order to remove the mobile home.

The Clerk set out the situation and advised the Council about the time limits for Submissions to be made to the Planning Inspectorate. Following discussion the Council agreed that the Clerk should write to the Planning Inspectorate setting out the Council’s most recent Objections to the Planning Application. It was also agreed that a similar submission should be made against the Appeal into the Enforcement Order.

7. Finance.

The Council received the attached Payments Schedule and agreed the Invoices and drew up cheques for each of the items listed on the Schedule.

The Clerk informed the Council that he was in receipt of a request from Moore Stephens for the Council’s 2011/12 Accounts. The Clerk informed the Council that he will be working on the Accounts during April and plans to bring them to the next Meeting.

7. The Council agreed that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman should meet with the Clerk to review his last year’s performance. The parties will agree a suitable time and place in advance of the next Meeting.

7. The Cemetery Report. The Clerk informed the Council that Mrs King was away and had no matters to report.

Mr Palmer reported that Mrs B Baxter of Pittcourt and Mrs Bunn of Barrs Lane had been working in The Memorial Garden of the Cemetery. They had done a lot to clear up the area. They had reported to Mr Palmer that a buddleia tree had grown in between and lifted the flagstones in the Memorial Garden. Mr Palmer also reported that the conifer near the gate needed trimming. Mr Purnell & Mr Palmer agreed that they would attend to these matters. The Chairman asked the Clerk to write to Mrs B Baxter and Mrs Bunn to thank them for their work on behalf of the community.

Mr Palmer also reminded the Council that in time the wall of the Garden of Remembrance would need to be moved in order to create a pathway to access the new ground at the rear of the Cemetery. After discussion it was agreed that the Council should meet at 6.45 pm on 2 July, prior to the July Meeting of the Council, to assess the work that need to be done. It was also agreed that all interested bodies would need to be informed prior to carrying out any work in the area.

7. The Council received a written report on Correspondence. (See attached).

6. The Council considered an Application for Planning Permission:

• S.12/0560/FUL. Resubmission of Planning Application S.12/0055/FUL for the “conversion and extension to stable block to create one dwelling at Katharines Farm, Swinhay Lane, Swinhay, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, GL12 7PH.”  

The Applicant was not present.

The Clerk reminded the Council that at an earlier Meeting the Council had considered an Application for a dwelling on this site. That application had been subsequently withdrawn. The Clerk read out the relevant document from Stroud DC and reminded the Council of their earlier decision. .

The Council carefully considered this new application and compared it against the previous application. The Council recognised that significant changes had been made to the original Application. But during discussion it was highlighted that this application continued to rely upon a significant extension to the current non-residential building.

Following further discussion the Council agreed by 5 votes with 2 abstentions to “Object” to the Application on the following policy grounds:

Stroud District Local Policy HN10. This proposed two bedroom dwelling is outside the defined settlement boundaries for North Nibley and is not “essential to the efficient operation of agriculture or forestry”. Clearly this Application does not meet the requirements set out in this Policy, as the building is designed for domestic use.

Therefore the Council discussed whether the Application met the criteria set out under Stroud District Local Policies BE 16 (& BE17). It decided that this development is an adaptation of a current building in a rural area, (and therefore in part meets BE16 & BE17).

However the plans only utilise part of an existing building in a rural area. The application still relied heavily upon a “major extension” at the front of that building and in their opinion did not meet the definition of BE16 (7). In the Council’s opinion the extension will still significantly increase the footprint of the present property, which is only in part being utilised for this dwelling. As a result the extension will produce part of the dwelling which in their opinion is not covered under these Policies (BE16 & BE17).

There being no further business the Meeting ended at 9.25pm.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 14 May 2012 at 7.30 pm. (Please note that this Meeting will be the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.)