Council Meeting Minutes
Hewelsfield and Brockweir Parish Council
Minutes of the Meeting held on 31st August 2010 in the ‘The Loft’, The Village Shop, Brockweir
Present: Cllr. Mr. Wilson (Chairman), Cllr. Mr. Summers, Cllr. Mr. Fox, Cllr. Mr. Skinner, Cllr. Mrs. Mackey and the Parish Clerk.
Also present was Mrs. Carole Knight, applicant for Planning Application P1585/10/FUL.
1611. Apologies for Absence
Cllr. Mrs. Mayo and Cllr. Mr. Stott sent their apologies.
1612. Declaration of Interest
There were no declarations made.
1613. Confirm the minutes of the Hewelsfield & Brockweir Parish Council Meeting held on 6th July 2010
The minutes of the meeting held on 6th July 2010 were confirmed; this was proposed by Cllr. Skinner and seconded by Cllr. Mackey.
There followed a change in order of the agenda.
1614 .Planning Applications
1614.1 P1585/10/FUL – Beaumont, Coldharbour Road, Brockweir – change of use of paddock to residential curtilage and construction of decking
There followed an adjournment of the meeting to allow Members of the Public to raise matters.
Mrs. Carol Knight explained her application to get a small part of her paddock changed to residential curtilage to enable the completion of the decking by her property. Mrs. Knight pointed out that the area concerned had been used as a garden for over 30 years but had not been registered as such.
The meeting resumed at this point.
There were no objections to this application.
Action Parish Clerk
Mrs. Knight left the meeting at this point.
1615. Matters arising from the minutes of the Meeting held on the 6th July 2010
1615.1 Brockweir Quay
The Parish Clerk confirmed that she had written to Forest of Dean District Council and Gloucestershire County Council to see if either of them would consider extending their insurance policy to cover Brockweir Quay, if possible; however there has been no response as yet.
Cllr. Skinner confirmed that there is a safety device on the riverbank however there are no indications of who is responsible for its provision or maintenance.
Cllr. Wilson had contacted Gloucester Archaeological section and that they had first suggested that the Parish Council should use its own insurance and that they definitely could not cover the quay and that they knew of no other monument that was unowned within Gloucestershire. In the end they could offer no advice.
Cllr. Wilson also reported that he had examined the Parish Council’s archived documents from 1860 to 1949 and could find no owner of the Quay. He had discovered that Mr. Simpson had been taken to court in the early eighties but because the owner of the Quay could not be established the case failed.
Therefore following all the information received from various sources the Parish Council must conclude that it does not own the Quay and because of this the Quay is not covered by its Public Liability Insurance. Therefore, anyone using / carrying out maintenance on the Quay must understand that they do so at their own risk.
There followed a further change in order of the agenda.
1616. Planning Applications
Cllr. Mackey left the meeting at this point.1616.1P1495/10/FUL – Harthill Cottage, Sandy Lane, Hewelsfield – alterations & extension to dwelling
There were no objections to this application.
Action Parish Clerk
The meeting returned to the order of the Agenda.
1617. Matters arising from the minutes of the Meeting held on the 6th July 201
1617.1 Dog Mess
Cllr. Wilson confirmed that the Parish Council had received 3 Dog Litter Signs. It was agreed that Cllr. Summers would attach one to a post near the Moravian Church and that Cllr. Fox would ask the parishioners for their suggestions for the location of the other two in his Village News article.
Action Councillor Fox / Parish Clerk1617.2 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she contacted Age Concern Forest of Dean Meals Service to find out how many parishioners benefit from their services but she had yet to receive a reply.
1617.3 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from SARA – Severn Area Rescue Association.
1617.4 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from Forest of Dean Citizens Advice Bureau.
1617.5 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from Forest of Dean Health Forum.
1617.6 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from Brockweir and Hewelsfield Green Shoots Project.
1617.7 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from Brockweir and Hewelsfield Playarea Committee.
1617.8 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the application for financial support from Brockweir and Hewelsfield Village Shop Committee – towards the cost of postal services in the community.
1617.9 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the request for s.137 grant for 2010 from HAQ (Hewelsfield Against Quarrying).
1617.10 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to planning application P0083/10/DISCON – Wilmot Farm, Brockweir Road, Hewelsfield – discharge of conditions of planning permission P0469/06/COU.
1617.11 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to planning application P1055/10/FUL – Poolfield Farm, Poolfield, Hewelsfield – erection of single storey extension.
1617.12 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to planning application P0088/10/DISCON – Recreation Field, Mill Hill, Brockweir – discharge of condition of planning permission P0753/01 (i) childrens play equipment.
1617.13 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to planning application P1099/10/FUL – Greystones, Poolfield Farm, Hewelsfield – alterations & extensions of a single storey extension.
1617.14 Brockweir Drainage
Parish Clerk confirmed that she replied to the concerned parishioner.1617.15 Parish Information Pack
Cllr. Wilson told those present that the Parish Clerk had updated the information contained in the Parish Information Pack and that she would send the revised version to St. Briavel’s Parish Clerk for their alterations.
Action Parish Clerk1617.16 Litter Picking
Cllr. Wilson reported that the Youth Club had picked up eight large black bags of litter in the Parish. It was agreed that Cllr. Fox would thank Barbara French and the members of Youth Club for their endeavours in his Village News article.
Action Cllr. Fox / Parish Clerk1617.17 Affordable Housing
Cllr. Fox reported that along with Cllr. Skinner and Cllr. Summers he had met up with Martin Hutchings. They had been interested to find out that there was a map which shows the area in the Parish in which the District Council may consider the building of new houses. This map is available on www.fdean.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=6466&tt=graphic. Any proposal outside the highlighted area would not be considered under any circumstances. Three sites were felt to be worth considering – the most significant of which was the site at CPL. The other two were the area of land next to ‘Quay House’ and the small piece of land opposite ‘Herries’. Martin Hutchings will speak to Keith Chaplin of the planning department at Forest of Dean District Council for his views and then he will contact the Parish Council with his findings.
1618. Confirm the minutes of the Hewelsfield & Brockweir Parish Council Meeting held on 3rd August 2010
The minutes of the meeting held on 3rd August 2010 were confirmed; this was proposed by Cllr. Skinner and seconded by Cllr. Summers.
1619. Matters arising from the minutes of the Meeting held on the 3rd August 2010
1619.1 Request for representative of Parish Council on Brockweir & Hewelsfield Playarea Committee
The Parish Clerk confirmed that she wrote to AONB confirming that the Parish Council will provide a non-voting representative on the Brockweir & Hewelsfield Playarea Committee and that it is understood that along with the land owner i.e. Mackenzie Hall, the Parish Council has an obligation to our Parishioners for the continued success of this project and therefore we will endeavour to work with the Play Area Committee and the Mackenzie Hall Committee to ensure the ongoing maintenance of the site. It was agreed that it should be noted in the Standing Orders that the Parish Council would provide such a representative on the Brockweir & Hewelsfield Playarea Committee for the information of future councillors.
Action Parish Clerk1619.2 The Parish Clerk confirmed that she responded to planning application P0095/10/DISCON – Hopewell Barn, Bailey Lane, Hewelsfield – discharge of condition of planning permission P0646/08/COU allowed on appeal, (02) samples of materials to be used, (03) boundary treatments.
1620. Finance
1620.1 Financial statement – July 2010
The councillors confirmed they had all received a copy of the Financial Statement for July 2010 and the accrual figure is £11,251.81.1620.2 Financial statement – August 2010
The councillors confirmed they had all received a copy of the Financial Statement for August 2010 and the accrual figure is £11,253.16.1620.3 Cheques were signed for Moore Stephens £141.00 (658), A.E.B. Price £160.00 (659), Michele Compton £193.71 (660), SARA £50.00 (661), Forest of Dean Citizens Advice £50.00 (662), Brockweir & Hewelsfield Village Shop £100.00 (663).
1621. Planning Decisions
The following planning decisions were noted:
1621.1 P0938/10/FUL - Beaumont, Coldharbour Road, Brockweir – Granted Permission1621.2 P0083/10/DISCON – Wilmot Farm, Brockweir Road, Hewelsfield – Granted Permission
1621.3 P1055/10/FUL – Poolfield Farm, Poolfield, Hewelsfield – Granted Permission
1621.4 P1099/10/FUL – Greystones, Poolfield Farm, Hewelsfield – Granted Permission
1621.5 P0088/10/DISCON – Brockweir Play Area Project, the Recreation Field, Mill Hill, Brockweir – Granted Permission1621.6 P0095/10/DISCON – Hopewell Barn, Bailey Lane, Hewelsfield – Granted Permission
1621.7 P1404/10/NONMAT – Glensunar, Brockweir Road, Hewelsfield – Granted Permission
1622. Return of Annual Accounts from External Auditor
The Parish Clerk confirmed that she had received the annual accounts back from Moore Stephens and that she had put the official notices on the notice boards. It was noted that the internal auditor had marked that the Parish had no assets whereas the Parish does have some assets which are kept on a register by the Parish Clerk.
1623. Winter Maintenance and Adverse Weather
Cllr. Wilson confirmed that he is happy to remain as Snow Warden. He had asked Mr. Nick Davies of Belmont Road if he would operate a snow plough and he had agreed. However, for Mr. Davies to be an official operator he will have to undertake a training session. It was agreed that if Mr. Davies was prepared to undertake the training the Parish Council would pay for the training and Mr. Davies’s expenses.
In order to ascertain the location and condition of the Parishes grit bins Cllr. Wilson gave out maps to the councillors who agreed to mark the location of existing bins. Cllr. Wilson asked the Parish Clerk to contact Gloucestershire Highways to see if it has a map indicating where the grit bins should be.
Action All Councillors / Parish Clerk
1624. Status of CPL yard
Cllr. Summers reported that Mr. Peter Jones of the Environment Agency had visited the CPL site and had expressed his discontent with the work that has been carried out there. Mr. Jones had told Mr. Summers that he would contact Forest of Dean District Council with his findings and Cllr. Summers offered to follow up this action in order to keep the Parish Council involved. It was agreed that Cllr. Summers would inform Mr. Martin Hutchings with the details of the contact at Forest of Dean District Council to try to speed up communications.
Action Cllr. Summers / Parish Clerk
Date of Next Meeting is Tuesday 5th October 2010.