NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL

AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 11 JUNE 2012, IN THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mr. D Purnell (Chairman).

Mr K Brown; Mr S Hale; Mr K Larkin; Mr D Palmer; & Mr L Smitherman.

District Councillor: Mr P Smith; & Mrs J Cordwell (From Item 9).

County Councillor: Dr J Cordwell (From Item 9). Dr Cordwell had explained that he would be late as he was attending Kingswood Parish Council meeting first.

The Clerk: Mr R Symons.

Two members of the public were present.

  1. To Receive and Accept Apologies for absence.

Apologies were received and accepted from Mrs K Glancy.

  1. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any Interests relating to this Meeting. There were none.

  2. To Approve and Sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 May 2012, as a true and accurate record. The Minutes of the May Annual 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 and he provided additional verbal information:

  1. He had forwarded to Mrs Glancy and Mr Brown new Declaration Forms of Personal Interests for them to complete.

  2. The Accounts for 2011/12 have been signed off by Mr Kennet, the Council’s Internal Auditor and were on the Agenda for the Council to sign-off.

  3. The Chairman had presented the Jubilee mugs to North Nibley Village School pupils and the children attending the Village Pre-School Group at St Martin’s Church on Friday 1 June.

  4. Severn Trent Water have inspected the trough and have said it is ready to be connected to the mains supply. The Clerk has given permission for them to enter Parish Council land to carry out the work.

  5. The Clerk has arranged to meet Richard Gray from Gloucestershire Highways on Tuesday 12 June to discuss the recent problems with vehicles accessing Barrs Lane at speed; and associated problems with vehicles parking on the corner of Tyndale Close and obstructing pedestrians’ access to the footpaths. These matters had been brought to the Council’s attention at the May Meeting.

  6. Work on the Draft New Code of Conduct is ongoing. The Clerk will bring it to the Council when it becomes available.

  7. The Clerk has received three responses, following his article in OTE, about the approach from Nibley City, Utah USA for North Nibley to become a “Sister City”. The Council will need to decide at July Meeting how this should be taken forward.

  8. Following the request from one resident, asking the Council to consider a request for allotments to be provided, the Clerk received two suggestions. Some allotments at Horsley were brought to the resident’s attention. These were deemed to be too distant. An area of land, on Mr Mason’s fields, previously used as an allotment, has subsequently been planted with fruit trees. The Clerk included a request in the “On The Edge” article to see if any landowners in the Parish are willing to make a small piece of land available.

  9. He had written to the Chairman of the Recreation Field Trust to inform that, in line with the lease (Schedule 2 Para. 1.4) the Parish Council proposes that the rent should remain at £1 per annum, for the period to the next Review (5 years hence).

  10. He had instructed Lloyds TSB Bank to carry out transfers into the Parish Council deposit Account, as decided at your May Meeting. I have not yet received statements to confirm this has happened.

  11. The signs commissioned for the Memorial trees and time capsule, have been installed.



  1. The Council considered an Application for Lawful Development Certificate in respect of: The Coach House, New Road, North Nibley, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6DR. “Application for Lawful Development Certificate to prove the use as an independent residential dwelling”. (S.12/1011/CPE).

The Clerk read out part of the statements submitted with the Application and invited the Council to comment. From their knowledge Councillors were able to confirm parts of the statements. They were not aware of any inaccuracies.

The Chairman Closed the Meeting to permit Mr Machin (a resident whose property adjoins Innocks House) to bring an associated matter to their attention. Mr Machin had previously written to the Clerk to set out his concerns about how this application might affect a current “Remedial notice under the terms of part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, High Hedges”. The Notice is served on Innocks House in relation to a leylandii hedge, which adjoins both Innocks House and the Coach House. The Notice makes no mention of the Coach House which is an ancillary property within the curtilage of Innocks House. Mr Machin is concerned that the award of the Certificate could have an impact on the Notice.

Following further discussion the Chairman Re-Opened the Meeting.

The Council agreed to inform Stroud DC that as far as they were aware the statements were accurate. They also agreed to bring to Stroud DC attention the concerns as expressed by Mr Machin.

  1. The Council noted that Stroud District Planning Authority had granted a minor amendment to planning permission (S.11/1608/HHOLD), changes to roof design to include velux windows at Brookside, Stancombe, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 6AY (S.12/0976/MINAM).

  2. The Council considered how it should respond to the Appeals into the Bird Farm Planning Application (Reference: S.11/2449/FUL. Bird Farm, Stancombe).

The Clerk explained the arrangements for the Appeal and informed the Council that he had notified the Planning Inspectorate to advise them that the Parish Council wanted an opportunity to speak at the Hearing.

Mr Larkin went through the details of the case which the Council wanted to make. Following discussion it was agreed that Mr Larkin would represent the Parish Council at the Hearing and that the Clerk would attend to be in support. It was also agreed that the Clerk would speak to Stroud District Planning to clarify some matters. Mr Larkin and the Clerk will draw up a statement of the Council’s case to be used at the Hearing. This will be circulated to Councillors in advance of 26 June.

  1. The Meeting was opened for Public Discussion and Questions.

There were no questions. The Chairman re-opened the Meeting.

  1. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Councillor Mr O’Connor. (See filed aside). Councillor O’Connor was not present.

District Councillor added that Stroud District Council have decided to move from a Cabinet, to a Committee style Council.

(District Councillor Mrs June Cordwell and County Councillor Dr John Cordwell arrived at this time.)

  1. The Council received a written County Council Report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. (See filed aside). There were no questions.

Dr Cordwell informed the Council that he would be joining the Clerk at the Meeting with Richard Gray of County Highways on Tuesday 12 June.

  1. The Chairman invited Parish Councillors to report on any Meetings they had attended. There were no reports.

  2. The Council received a report on the Applications received for this year’s Parish Council Grants. (See Paper aside).

The Clerk advised the Council that there remained £1757 of the Annual Grants, once expenditure for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee events had been paid.

The Council had received 7 applications for Grants. During the afternoon a representative of the Village Shop had spoken with the Clerk and requested to make a late application. The Grant was required to enable the The Village Shop Management Committee to carry out necessary alterations to enable tthe m to set up a “Local Post Office”. The Committee are expecting some financial support from the Post Office but needed Council help to complete the works.

Council discussed this request and agreed to accept a late application from the Village Shop Management Committee.

It was brought to the Council’s attention that at the 2012 Parish Meeting the representative of the Village Shop Management Committee “had used the £500 Grant (provided in 2011) to carryout necessary minor improvements to the layout and alterations to electrics in the shop”. The Grant of £500 made in 2011 had been made by the Parish Council “towards the costs of improving the shelving and display facilities at the Shop”. The Council was advised that it was accountable for how it used public money and following further discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should advise the Chairman of Village Shop Management Committee that grants must be used in connection with the purpose for which they are awarded.

The Chairman Closed the Meeting to enable Mr Hall (representing St Martin’s Church Parochial Church Council) to speak on behalf of their application.

The Chairman Re-opened the Meeting. Following full discussion of all applications received (including from the Village Shop Management Committee) it was agreed by the Council that the following Grants will be awarded:

  1. North Nibley Pre-School. £350 “to part fund, the landscaping of the area between the Village Hall and the Play Area”. (LGA 1972 S.137)

  2. On The Edge. £200. “To scan & copy all past numbers of OTE and store in them at County Archives”. It was also agreed to Fund the cost (£40) of printing the Village Directory which is published by On The Edge Editorial team. (LGA 1972 S.137)

  3. Stroud Citizens Advice Bureau. £150. To “Support running costs of CAB”. (LGA 1972 S.142(2A))

  4. North Nibley Friendship Club. £100. To fund outings for members. (LGA 1972 S.137)

  5. St Martin’s Church. £500 “Towards the costs of churchyard wall repairs and maintenance of churchyard. (LGA 1972 S.215)

  6. Cotswold Vale Talking Newspaper. £50. Contribution towards their Running Costs. (LGA 1972 S.137).

  7. North Nibley Village Shop Management Committee. £367. Contribution towards the costs of converting the premises to accommodate a “Post Office Local” outlet.

  8. North Nibley Village Hall. It was decided that the Council will not award the Village Hall Management Committee with a grant this year. This was in recognition that their spokesperson at the Parish Meeting had advised the Council that if there were insufficient funds this year the Hall could manage without a grant; and that the grant to the Pre-School Group was for the purpose of carrying out improvements to the area adjoining the Hall.

  1. Finances.

  1. The Council received a Statement of Finances for the first two months of 2012/13 Financial Year. The Clerk confirmed that the recent income for the Cemetery was included in this Report. There were no further questions.

  2. The Council approved the Annual Return for the Year ending 31 March 2012 in preparation for Audit by Moore Stephens. The Chairman and Clerk signed off the Accounts Return.

  3. The Council approved the Invoices and drew up cheques for items on the enclosed Payments Schedule. (See aside)



  1. The Council received and approved the Cemetery Report. The Clerk reported that Mr Dommett’s fees had been paid. The Council agreed that a contractor should be hired to cut the hedge around the main entrance to the Cemetery. It was also agreed that the gates to the Cemetery needed to be repainted. The Chairman agreed to carry out this work.

  1. The Council received for information details of Correspondence & Messages. (See aside).

Mr Brown brought to the Council’s attention that the grass on the Knoll would need cutting after mid July. He suggested that when the Knoll Trust arrange for their grass to be cut he should also arrange for the Council land to be cut. After discussion this was agreed by the Council.

  1. The Council received notification of dates set for future Parish Council Meetings for the period to the Annual Meeting in May 2013.

There being no further business the Meeting closed at 9.05pm.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday 2 July 2012 at 7.30 pm.