BAYDON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 30 June 2014 at 8.00pm in the BYPA Hall
RE-DRAFT
PRESENT: Cllr A Knowles (Chair), Cllr J Cockcroft, Cllr K Howell, Cllr A Prior, Cllr T Witt,
Cllr J Sheppard- Wiltshire Council, Mrs A Grieve (Clerk)
1. APOLOGIES Cllr A Tomkins
2. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS None
3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 19 May 2014 were approved with the following amendment
Item 5.1 should read “stand pipes” not “water tanks”.
4. SUSPENSION OF MEETING FOR PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
4.1 BAYD1 needs maintenance as there are dead beech trees which could cause a danger to the public. It was noted that the Mrs C Lloyd, Baydon House, was present at the meeting.
4.2 BAYD 8 has a way mark missing at the road.
4.3 BAYD24 has a way mark missing near the M4 Bridge.
4.4 The manhole cover by the gas station in Manor Lane is loose.
4.5 The road repair in Downsmead has not been successful.
4.6 The hedge opposite Downs House needs cutting to improve ease of car parking.
4.7 The footpath between Ermin Close and Manor Lane is in a poor state. Cuttings have been left on it and the street lighting is not functioning.
4.8 Hedge cuttings have been left on the verge in Manor Lane instead of using a green waste bin.
5. CORRESPONDENCE
5.1 Japanese Knotweed
It was agreed the Council would contact the land owner who lives in Ramsbury Parish by email or letter
requesting he takes measures to eradicate it, thereby preventing it from spreading from his land. It was
pointed out that he could be held liable for any damages caused elsewhere.
5.2. Ermin Close/Manor Lane footpath
Cllr Prior queried why residents were willing to cut the weeds but not prepared to remove them
afterwards.
5.3. Pittams grass cutting
Completed.
6. PLANNING
6.1 14/05491/FUL Land behind Foxfield and Escots. Erection of 4 detached dwellings and garages, parking,
entrance and private access.
The Council unanimously objected on the grounds that 5 bedroom houses are not compatible with the
Village Plan which identified a need for 3 bedroom houses.
6.2 14/04699/FUL Woodley Cottage, Ermin Street. Replacement of ground floor windows.
The Council supported the application.
6.3 14/05871/FUL Baydon House Farm Laying of surface 2 – 2.6m wide on existing track in use as
a permissive restricted byway.
The Council supported this application.
6.4 14/05472/FUL Baydon Valley Farm, off Manor Lane.
Erection of agricultural worker’s dwelling, garage, farm buildings and access applied for by Baydon House
Alpaca Stud.
The Council supported the application with the two conditions (i) the applicant maintains the lane from
Manor lane to the proposed farm (ii) the dwelling be tied to the land and other buildings so that the farm
could only be sold as a complete entity.
7. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION
7.1 The Church clock maintenance had been carried out by Smiths of Derby. An invoice for £235.20
incl VAT was approved. Action ANP
7.2 Pains Fireworks had offered to refund £72 or hold it in credit for the next purchase. It was agreed that
the refund would be preferred so that the Council balance in the account would be zero. Confusion about
VAT on a future order would thereby be avoided. Action ANP
7.3 Annual Return – comments from internal auditor.
7.3.1 Every “vatable” invoice should be addressed to Baydon Parish Council and include its VAT number.
7.3.2 All Councillor’s personal expenses must have a receipt and a completed expenses form.
The Council approved a new expenses form.
7.3.3 Expenses up to and including £5 should be paid from Petty Cash and recorded in the Minutes.
7.4 Review of NALC draft of Council Financial Regulations.
Cllr Prior outlined those items he thought relevant to the Council.
7.4.1 An annual governance statement should be reviewed every year.
7.4.2 A chairman may authorise up to £500. Cllr Prior suggested this possibility could prompt the Council to consider whether the limit of £300 for approval of a single quotation should be reviewed.
7.4.3 No income should be paid into Petty Cash.
7.4.4 A Council should strive to obtain 3 quotations when necessary but situations could arise when that was not possible.
7.4.5 A Council does not need to accept the lowest tender.
7.4.6 An annual risk assessment should be done before an insurance renewal is paid so that a check can be made that the policy covers all the identified risks.
This point prompted Cllr Prior to ask when the annual playground inspection would be carried out. The Chairman said it was scheduled for August. Action AK
In summary Cllr Prior considered further review should take place when the final document was available and he proposed that now the Council had a Clerk its legal/procedural documents should be checked. Also the Clerk could restart the work on the Council becoming the custodian trustee for the BYPA hall.
7.5 Hedge cutting. Four locations of hedges requiring management had been identified namely, Manor Lane near the junction with Manor Lane, Walronds Farm House, Manor Lane/Aldbourne Road junction and the beech hedge on a corner in Downsmead. Sighting for vehicles was a problem and the latter would cause access for push chairs etc in the future if left to grow further over the pavement.
It was noted that requests can be made by the Council but it has no enforcement powers. It was thought that letters to householders and Wiltshire Council had not been successful in the past.
Wiltshire Council does have a power to intervene and do work and invoice accordingly in some situations but it is expected that there is a process of consultation and warnings before action can take place.
The Council agreed this subject should be pursued.
7.6 Cllr Prior proposed that a Councillor be appointed to act as the co-ordinator with the Parish Steward and identify work per visit. Another suggestion was that working parties could be established to be responsible for keeping their areas tidy.
7.7 Another aspect of plant growth is the nettles area by the zip wire in the playground. This area is spreading.
Cllr Prior pointed out that the late Cllr Edmunds used to control the area. The Council has to responsible for
the safety of children nearby and he suggested weed-killer should be used and carried out by Pittams.
7.8 Cllr Howell advised that an electrician, Part P qualified is necessary to complete the work on the electrical
box on the Green. Action KH
7.9 The Chairman suggested that a weed suppressant plastic sheet is used to cover vacant allotment plots. No decision was made as to the way forward.
8. FINANCE
8.1 Possible bank change for Council accounts.
Cllr prior reported that the 15 June RBS statements had not been sent on time. He felt his recent experience
had reinforced the case for change. A visit to the Newbury branch had revealed that the current bank
mandate required three signatures whereas cheques had been cleared with two of them. RBS advised that a
new mandate would be required. Action ANP
Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest had been visited in Marlborough ie more accessible than Newbury. Lloyds
expected the account to be opened in the branch by computer entry – not suitable for the Council. The
other banks had sent information packs but there was a need to check the “small print” terms and
conditions. Action ANP
8.2 Progress with real time recording of Clerk’s salary.
It was noted that HMRC paperwork was not now acceptable for these payments. Salary has to be inputted
using the Government Gateway online procedure. Action ANP
8.3 Payments approved between meetings.
The Clerk’s salary letter dated 2 June 2014 to RBS, £525.51 and then £273.27 paid on 25th of each month
was approved.
Beefy 1 tonne bag £64.00 Approved
Scene in Baydon £40.00 Approved
Southern Electricity £23.06 Approved
Donation to Annual fete £50.00 Approved
8.4 An HMRC demand for £361.00 including income tax and national insurance contributions for 2013-14
had been received. Cllr Prior had sent a letter querying this amount together with an explanation of the
Council payments. Action ANP
8.5 Thames Water.
Following an estimated reading Cllr Prior had sent an actual reading resulting in a credit balance of £7.97.
8.6 RBS statements.
Treasurers a/c 25877.53 at 13 June 2014
Reserve a/c 2904.04 at 15 May 2014
Petty Cash 17.11 at 30 June 2014
Total £28798.68
8.6.1 The Chairman said he would arrange a transfer of £79.08, arising from a gross payment made to the
Clerk in 2013-14, into the Treasurers account.
8.6.2 Cllr Prior repeated his point that the Council is not a bank and a guide line total in reserves should
approximate to a year budget amount. On that basis there is £11000 available for as yet non-defined
projects (excluding £3000 for the chicane). Further traffic calming is a target area and some outline
plan should be developed in the not too distant future. Cllr Witt stated that she strongly believed that
having £11000 un-allocated is a very good reserve for future projects.
9. ITEMS TO NOTE
9.1 A resident had offered to become Editor of the Scene in Baydon. An offer to carry out the administration of invoicing and advertising was required.
9.2 The lighting on the chicane was still outstanding.
9.3 A village lunch will be held at the Red Lion on 10 July at 12.00pm
9.4 £2600 approximately was raised at the Village Fete.
9.5 The meeting was informed that there is a vacancy for a Parish Councillor.
9.6 It was requested that Councillors’ home telephone numbers are NOT used for leaving abusive messages
about village matters or decisions made by the Council. It was noted that one had been received
regarding the removal of the trees at the Red Lion despite the fact that that the Council
had objected to the planning application.
9.7 The Council will write a letter of thanks to Brydgette for her work preparing the Scene in Baydon.
It was agreed that a gift of flowers and/or a picture of Baydon would be presented to her. Action TW
10. ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
10.1 Update on Japanese knotweed situation
10.2 Agree co-ordinator for Parish Steward visits.
10.3 Extension of grass contract to include nettles spraying
10.4 Approve new mandate for two signatories.
Signed ………………………………………… Chairman Cllr A Knowles
Date…………………………………………….
Click here to return to the main Homepage