AN ORDINARY MEETING OF NORTH NIBLEY PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2010, THE VILLAGE HALL, NORTH NIBLEY AT 7.30PM.

Present: Mrs EA James (Chairman); Mr D Purnell; Mr K Brown; Mrs A Hale; Mr. D Palmer; & Mr R Smith.

District Councillors: Mrs J Cordwell; Mr P Smith; & County Councillor Dr. J Cordwell

The Clerk: Mr R Symons

1. Apologies. The following apologies were accepted: Mrs. P Kelly; & District Councillor Mr. C. Routledge.

2. Declaration of Interests. The Chairman invited members to declare any interests.

There were none.

3. To Approve and Sign the Minutes of the Meeting held on 4 January 2010, as a true and accurate record.

The Minutes had previously been distributed to all members and displayed on public notice boards and websites. All members agreed that the Minutes should be signed as a true and accurate record. The Minutes were duly signed.

4. The Council noted Matters arising from the Minutes that were not covered by agenda items. The Clerk’s Update Notes, which had been issued prior to the Meeting, informed the Council that:

• the Council has finally been advised by the Planning Service that approval has been given for the roofing materials for the Recreation Field Pavilion. The Council’s application for a loan has subsequently been submitted to the Public Works Loan Board and it has been confirmed that the money has been transferred to the Parish Council bank account on the day of this Meeting. (Minute 8/11/09).

• the Clerk wrote to County Councillor Dr Cordwell and our District Councillors seeking their support on the petition about the Travellers’ Encampment on the road to Stinchcombe Hill, in the vicinity of Hermitage Wood. (Minute 6/01/10)

• he has used the Parish Council “On the Edge” article to invite parishioners to suggest other topics for the Parish Meeting Agenda. (Minute 15/01/10)

• he has spoken to Julian Wilson about the state of hedgerow in Snite Lane and the need to carryout out work. As a result the work was carried out on Tuesday 26 January.

• he has advised Julian Wilson (County Highways) of some of the bad pot holes around the parish.

• he has spoken to the person from Forest Schools who contacted him about their ideas of buying Nibley Hill. Forest Schools has decided not to progress with a purchase and have now bought land in Forest of Dean.

• he has booked the Village Hall for the Parish Meeting on 12 April at 7.00pm and arranged for Paul Findlay and Roly Brown (Recreation Field Trust) to attend to give an update on the pavilion.

• the Notice Board in Barrs Lane has been constructed.

The Chairman invited County Councillor Dr Cordwell to comment on the position regarding the Travellers at Warren Hill/Hermitage Wood. Cllr. Dr Cordwell advised the Council that he had spoken to the Travellers’ Officer of Gloucestershire CC and been advised that the Council is no longer responsible for providing sites for travellers. The County Council is awaiting adoption of the Regional Spacial Strategy which will address these matters. He also informed the Council that the District Council will have to identify suitable sites for travellers and that the Stroud DC policy will be informed by the District Council Core Strategy which is currently being put out for public consultation. Neither Council were responsible for funding travellers’ sites.

The Chairman thanked Mr.& Mrs. Ray Smith for collecting the rubbish exposed during the recent hedge cutting in Snite Lane. It was reported that the District Council had not collected the rubbish. The Clerk agreed to follow-up this issue.

It was suggested that the parish should have a Clean-up Day. This had been raised in the 2008 Survey and received substantial support. The Clerk will include something in the Parish Council OTE article.

Mr Ray Smith advised the Council that the Monument Trust’s application to register the land on which the monument stands is awaiting evidence of ownership of the adjoining land from Mr Mason.

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

With regard to the end of the lease on the land at Breakheart Hill in May 2010 it was suggested that the Council should get an estimate for the cost of fencing the land. Mr R Smith agreed to get a price from contractors into two different types of fencing and report back to a future meeting.

The Clerk was asked to write to Mr Owen regarding the ending of his license for the land and to advise him that the Council were intending to fence their land and that this would involve contractors visiting the land in the coming months, to cost the work.

It was brought to the Council’s attention that during the recent spell of bad weather some areas of the parish were without the means to salt the roads. This particularly applied at the junction of Forthay and Barrs Lane; and at the bottom of Frog Lane. Councillors were surprised that action hadn’t been taken following the assessment which was carried out by the Parish Council in July 2009, during which the omission of certain bins was highlighted. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to Gloucestershire Highways to point out that these salt bins still need to be replaced and filled.

Mr R Smith & Mr Brown, the two nominated snow plough operators, advised the Council that their efforts had been less effective than in the previous year because ice had formed under the snow and the ploughs were unable to deal with these conditions. This has been reported to County Highways.

6. The Council noted that Planning Consent has been granted in respect of:

• S.09/1923/HHOLD. Erection of garage, conservatory and alterations to access at The Cottage Nibley Green

7. The Council received information about the conversion of some of the parish street lighting to part night operation. A map showing the street lights affected by these changes was displayed at the Meeting. The Clerk reported that under this conversion, proposals for which first came to the Parish Council in Summer 2007, 16 of the Parish lights will be switched off between the hours of midnight and 5.30am. The Clerk has been advised that this should come into effect during the last week in February.

8. The Council received a written District Council Report from District Councillor Mrs J Cordwell and a Report on the swimming pool in Wotton under Edge. (See attached).

Cllr Cordwell brought to the Parish Council’s attention the difficult financial position of Stroud Citizens Advice Bureau. The Clerk confirmed that the CAB had made a recent application to the Parish Council, which would be considered by them at their June Meeting, along with all other Grant Applications.

Cllr. Cordwell also explained the current Housing Management Restructuring at Stroud DC and the latest stages of the Sheltered Housing Review.

9. District Councillor Mr C Routledge did not submit a written report for this Meeting.

10. District Councillor Mr P Smith did not submit a written report for this Meeting, but advised the Council about the forthcoming Consultation on the Core Strategy for Stroud District and the importance of Parish Councils submitting their comments. The Clerk was asked to contact Wotton Town Council offices, who are organising the meeting for this area.

11. The Council received a written report from County Councillor Dr J Cordwell. See report aside.

Cllr Dr Cordwell informed the Council about the recent exchange of e-mails between himself, Mr Iain Mc Murtry, Gloucestershire Highways and the Clerk over the road conditions in the village which have been affected by tipper lorries travelling from Sainsbury’s site at Dursley and a property in Swinhay Lane. Mr McMurtry has given some assurances to Cllr Dr Cordwell, including about the daily use of a sweeper machine to keep the road clear; and the temporary closure of the Swinhay lane site once the work is finished at Sainsbury’s and Blurr Homes.

Julian Wilson (Highways Department) has e-mailed the operators of the tipper vehicles demanding that they take immediate action to improve the road conditions or close down their operations until they are able to do so.

11. To Receive and Discuss Reports of Committees and Meetings attended by Parish Councillors.

The Chairman invited Councillors to report back on any meetings they had attended.

• It was reported by Mrs Hale, Parish Council representative on the Board of Governors at North Nibley Primary School, the Head Teacher is planning to retire at the end of the school year.

11. Finances.

• The Clerk presented his Quarterly Report on the Finances of the Council.

In response to questions he informed the Council that £960 was planned in the 2010/11 Budget for the purposes of fencing land at Breakheart Hill.

The Chairman thanked the Clerk for his report.

• The Council discussed the proposed arrangements for Grants & Donations for 2010/11 Year. They agreed that the system used in 2009 should be continued with organisations being invited to apply for grants. The deadline for receiving applications would be 31 May, with the Council deciding what grants it should make at its June Meeting. It was agreed that the Clerk should mention those arrangements in the next Parish Council article in OTE and would subsequently write to all organisations which applied in 2009 inviting them to apply for 2010.

• Following discussions the Council agreed to pay and signed cheques for the following Invoices:

1. Severn Trent Water Service Bill for Cemetery. (£11.48)

2. Cole Builders. Invoice for Notice Board in Barrs Lane. (£441.00)

3. North Nibley Village Hall hire, July to December 2009. (£72.00)

• With the Loan from Public Works Loan Board being paid into the Parish Council main account at Lloyds Bank it was necessary for the money, less £2,219.50, to be transferred into the Loan Account, which has been set up to manage this money. The Council agreed to sign a letter to Lloyds Bank authorising this.

11. To Receive and Approve the Cemetery Report.

The Council has received a quotation from Hawkins & Sons for grass cutting the Cemetery in 2010. It was proposed by Hawkins and accepted by the Council that the rate should remain at £96.40 plus VAT per cut.

11. The Council received, for information, details of Correspondence received. A written report was issued. (See attached).

The Meeting closed at 8.45pm.

The next Meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the Village Hall on Monday

1 March 2010, at 7.30 pm.