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AVON DASSETT PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Meeting held at the Reading Room on

1. Apologies:

2. Dclaration of Interest:

Monday 4 December 2006

A Fraser; D Brcngwyn; L l-ftcpe-FrosQ K Martin;CIlr C Williams; Clerk

Part attendance: R Husband; J M Ockenden; S Ockenden;R M Milner; P R Milner; C P A Worall; M J Edgington;I R Bailey

J Burgess; Cllr D Booth

A Fraser declared an interest regarding item 5. Correspondence, suFsection Planning withspecific regard to 2 sets of plans for garages near Lower End - see below for details.No other declaration of interest was made.

3. Confirmation of Minutes:The minutes of the.previous meeting were appror,red as correct by K Maftin and seconded by LHope-Frosfi they were then signed by A Fraser.

Note:i) To accommodate Mr Jamie Hickman fiom Wanruickshire County Council's RuralTrafficManagement Department, item 4. c) on the agenda was discussed first.ii) To accommodate 7 members of the public, item 5. suFsection Planning on the agenda was

discussed second.

4. Matters Arising:a) Relocation of Tree & Memorial Plaoue - Agreement was reached to spend up to f50 on a

reflacement shrub/specimen tree. Clerk to infurn Sandra Rice.

b) Readino Room - D Lawson instructed to go ahead with the repairs to the porch and window;start-date for this wod< unknown.A Fraser to replace light bulb to lamp outside Reading Room,

A Fraser suggested that storage heater switche be corered and that notices be placed byheaters and on the exit door to remind visitors to the Reading Room that, prior to theirdeparture, they ensure that heaters are left at the minimum temperature setting.

c) Traffic Calmino - J Hickman attended the meeting to deliver his assessment. After much

discussion regarding suitability of rarious traffic calming measures to Avon DassettConservation Area the following was agreed:- Parish Council to respond to J Hickman regarding his suggestion for beige-colourcd rcadtarmac on a stretch of road at the centre of the village, near the Avon Pub. Decision to bereached at next meeting.- J Hickman to investigate re-painting of current road markings.- J Hickman to investigate the possibil$ of placement of caution signs indicating thepresence of children and animals.

d) Playoround - Planning permis$on now obtained to remore/replace paft of hedgerow formingplayground boundary (see below); decision reEarding acceptance of quotes to be deferred toJanuary meeting.

e) Buriaf Ground - Awaiting receipt of quote from J Davies for repair to cemetery gate-post.

Review of the 'Rules for the Avon Dassett

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L43f) Parish Website - J Burgess and Clerk attended 'scoping' meeting at SDC on Monday 13

Norember. Clerk provided update to Council. SDC indicated that basic website could beavailable by June 2007.J Burgess and Clerk investigated possible altemative to the laptop provided by SDC.

SDC requested that definitive hardware/softurare requirements be made known b them inJanuary 2007.

g) Parish Plan - Meeting had taken place with Parish Plan Steering Grcup and Parish Council onThursday 30 November to make progress on Draft Action Plan; a fufther meeting will takeplace on Thursday 7 December.

h) Budoet 2007/8 - Budget issues dirussed by the Council.

Quotes for mowing of burial ground and playground to be incorporated within the draftbudget. It was agreed that final discussions be defened untilthe January 2007 meeting atwhich time precept documentation to be completed and lssued to SDC.

i) Neiohbourhood Watch/Communitv Policino - Cllr Williams to confirm attendance ofNeighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator and/or Community Police fficer (subject to theiravailability) at the January 2007 meetirp of the Parish Council.

Correspondence:Conservation Area - Thanks o<pressed to Cllr Willlams for providing a map depicting the AvonDassett Conservation Area boundary; R Husband volunteercd to laminate map. Cllr Williams toprovide additional copy of map so that this may be flamed and hung in the Reading Room forfuture reference.Warwickshire Advisorv Lgrrv Route Map - WCC requested comments pior to issuing a secondediUon of the document in the new year. Clerk to action.Warwickshire Wildlife Tru#s'Natural Connections' Proiect - e-mail from \A/WT asking forassistancdcomments reference this pl'ogramme. Reading Room suggested as possible venuefor meetings if required; Clerk to action.Christrnas Liohts Comoetition - unfortunately the application for a grant from Central Networkswas unsuccessful.ESPO (ioint orocurefnent Aoency) - e-mail ftom WALC informing that Parish Councils inWanrvickshire may take advantage of local authority bulk purcha$ng armngements; Clerk tocontact ESPO Marketing to undergo vetting process.

SDC Area ffices Surverr - Questionnaire issued to all Parish Councillors for completion prior tothe meeting in order that the deadline of 30 November was met.Seat Belts on School Buses - e-mail from Cllr Booth copytng conespondence from Corrine Hill-governor of the Dassett School - requesting change in WCC policy.

WCC Definitire Mao - notice of modification of order to include fuotrath currenUy known asE6990 at Arlescote.Electoral Reoister 2007 - rs/ised register updated at 1 December 2006.Manaoino Housino Suoplv - Suoolementarv Plannino Document - adoption of theSupplementary Planning Document by SDC on 13 November.Plannino - A provisional date was set for the no<t oGraordinary planning meeting on Thursday21 December 2006 at 7.30 pm in th Reading Room, should responses to applications berequired prior to the next ordinary Parish Council meeting.An application was considered to construct 5 garages on land south-west of 3 Loarer Terrace onbehalf of the Trustees of Colonel C Worrall Deceased; the following comments were made bymajority agreement of the Parish Courrcil: Yhe Parish C.ouncil are aware of the concems of theresidents of Lower End, ie the affordability of the garages and of the rchicular traffic down thepnvate lane access". Residents attending the meeting were requested to make their viewsknown dircctly to SDC.

An application was considered to construct a garage on land to the rear of 1 and 2 Lower End

Cottages on behalf of the Trustees of Colonel C Worrall Deceased; there was no representationto make.

t4An applicaUon was considered to re-site eristing stables at Pump House Cottage on behalf of MrN Paxton; there was no representation to make.Consent was given to remove/replace part of the hedgerow at the boundary of the playgroundto the Parish Council.Consent was given for a proposed single storey rear octension at The Old Coach House, 16Avon Carrow to Mr & Mrs N Millington.Consent was given to erect oak entrance gates and 4 timber stables at Dassett Fields to Mr &Mrs P Raher.

Financial Statement:Balances at dose of business on Monday 4 December 2006:

Current account 8292.12 creditDeposit account 8Lt,672.92 credit

Cheques to be issued:a) M Maughan (Clerks pay & o<penses)b) J Kipling (Cleaning)

t106.,10€15.00

The payment of cheques was proposed by K Martin and seconded by D Brangwyn.

7. Council Report:Cllr Williams presented his report - attached.

8. Any Otrer Business:a) A trcadstone was reported missing from the St John the Baptist cemetery and the

commemorative plaque was reporEd mis$ng frorn the bench located at the burial groundnear Top lodge; vigilance was rcquested.

b) K Martin enquircd why the Iamp over the gate at St John's was on wernight? The lamp waspart of the street lightirg regime and was not set up on a separate time switch.

c) Community Action on Traffic Speed - information from pressure group to be deferred to no<tmeeting.

d) Surface water on road. It was suggested that water from Sevem Trent supply was adding to'normal'water runoffto o<acerbate road conditions fullowing the recent wet weather.Severn Trent working near Post Box Cottage.

e) Clerk met with @ Romano - County Highways - on 29 Norember to idenUff Uocked drains,and ongoing dainage problems in Avon Dassett. G Romano agrced to organise )effiing'ofall drains through village and to clear blocked drain-covers.

f) Path from Top lodge to St lohn's requircd clearing of (primarily) leaf debris. A Fraser toorganise. It was suggested that Bitham Hall residents be invited to contribute to costs ofclearing leaf- and branch-fall from trees growing on their tand in the future; no decisionreached.

g) 'Best Kept Village Competition Gold Merit Certificate' frcmed and hung in Reading Room.Thanks o<pressed b Mr Peter Watts of The Picture Frame' for framing the certificate free ofcharye.

9. Questions from the Public:None.

lO.Date of Not Meeting:The no<t meeting will be held on Monday 8 January 2007 at 7.30 pm in the Reading Room.

Meeting closed at 10.20pm.

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Avon Dassett Parish Council Meeting 04.12.06.District Councillor's Report

The White Paper for Local Government has been considered by the Executive. There aremany proposals - some of which are quite sound. Basically the government intends to rela:rsome of the control it has adopted over local authorities in the last eight years. Of particularinterest is the invitation made to councils for them to make proposals for future unitarystnrctures. (Unity Stnrctures are the result of combining district and county councils). Analternative proposal is to establish a new two tier model where there is closer workingbetween the district and county council. At the present time there are significant areas ofduplication with both councils. The District Council voted not to become a Unitary Authorityand that they would investigate the new two tier model thereby retaining their identity. Onecould say, why would a turkey vote for Christmas?

The White Paper is still evolving and is e,ffectively a discussion document. At this stage, it istoo early to comment definitively as many of the ramifications of the proposals are still beingevaluated. For example, there is a proposal to introduce legislation to reform Parish Councils.The thinking is that Parish Councils should consider joining with other Parish Councils toform a single authority with budgetary obligations, a greater influence in planning etc. Thisopportunity is the sort of issue that has significant ramifications.

I attended a training session on the Code of Conduct for all councillors and I was advised thatParish Councils have to maintain a record of all councillor's interests. I understand that theMonitoring Officer will be examining Parish Council members' book ofinterests and this is atimely reminder to make sure that all of your interest are up to date. The Parish Clerk has thetemplate for this document should it be required.

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CRW03.12.06.

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