Minutes 17th October 2017

• A resident asked if there were any updates from the air quality monitoring at the level crossing.  Cllr Durrant confirmed that it has been installed and producing data.  There will be a full update at the November meeting.
• Cllr Capel noted residents concerns about parking by North Row and Moat Close – lots of cars parked are making driving in the area dangerous.
• A resident noted that Bow Brook is very low to the point of being dried up.  The brook is a bit overgrown by the bridge – Clerk to check with BDBC re undergrowth clearance.
• Cllr Capel noted that Network Rail has raised concerns about pedestrians leaning on the level crossing barrier when down, which is what lead to the recent breakdown and closure.  Cllr Capel to contact Network Rail for written details of the issue.

Clerk

Cllr Capel

5.1

17/03072/HSE – Ashgrove The Street Bramley

Conversion of existing garage to habitable room

No objections unanimously agreed.

5.2

• Beech Farm Cottages – the Stratfield Saye Estate is going to try and protect Beech Farm Cottages with a large security fence.  The PC would support this as a temporary measure until the cottages are restored.  Cllr Bell to ask the Stratfield Saye Estate for a detailed plan of what is proposed.
• Razors Farm application– no answer re balancing ponds.  Clerk to chase.
• Minchens roadworks – check with Highways as to what is being done to prevent right turn from the estate.

Cllr Bell 

Clerk
Clerk

5.3

Cllr Bell has been in touch further with the planning officer re the modelling for sewage and waste water.  The report on this will be ready in November, and the officer has been asked to take this into account before making her decision.  This report will be available for public view once released.

5.4

The Clerk has heard from an agent of Taylor Wimpey, who has bought this site.  They wish to meet with the Parish Council to discuss the development with particular reference to the Neighbourhood Plan.  A couple of dates for the meeting are being discussed at present, and the meeting should take place by the end of October.

5.5

17/00206/ADV – Bramley Post Office Sherfield Road Bramley – the Clerk has chased the planning officer, who has come back with the following reply:

‘Thank you for your email. With regards to the above application I have chased the agent again recently for the requested information. From an initial look into the planning history of the site I couldn’t see that the previous sign had consent. Are you aware of how long the previous signage had been in place?

In speaking to my line manager, she did have concerns with how the white background was quite reflective especially given the rural location and its impact upon the amenity of the area although it is acknowledged that the illumination level and size of the sign does fit within the lighting guidance.

I will be looking into the history of the site in more detail in the coming days which will help to establish if the principle of signage has been established or not, following this the assessment with regards to impact upon the neighbouring amenity and character of the area will need to be established.

It may be the case that if the additional information is not received to evidence how the signage will not be harmful to the area that the application is refused and passed over to our enforcement team to take action.’

The Clerk will continue to chase for updates, and respond to the officer with the relevant information.

17/00942/FUL – Land Adjacent To The Oaks Cufaude Lane Bramley – the Clerk has chased enforcement officer with regards to the status of this site.  It appears that they have now received the map of the injunction area from the courts, and have been advised by Counsel that they will need to seek to vary the injunction.   This is being pursued.  In the meantime, the planning application has gone to appeal on the grounds of non-determination.  The Clerk will continue to chase for updates.  Cllr Tomblin suggested writing to BDBC Chief Exec re the non-determination issue.  This was agreed – Cllr Tomblin to draft.

17/00449/RET – Land To The Rear Of 29 And 30 Farriers Close Bramley – the Clerk has been in touch with the planning officer.  He confirmed that the appeal process is going through, and that enforcement cannot take place until the appeal decision is reached.  In the meantime, the Borough ward councillors are maintaining pressure on BDBC land management departments on the issue of ownership of the land.

Clerk 

Clerk

Cllr Tomblin

5.6

Cllr Durrant noted the recent consultation, and further noted that a few sites in Bramley had been identified as possible sites.  Cllr Rowland has raised this issue with Joanne Brombley at BDBC, as some of the sites mentioned were originally dismissed.  However, it seems these sites are being reconsidered, and the assessments will be available in January 2018.

5.7

The Clerk has also received a letter from BDBC asking for possible future projects for s.106 funding allocation.  She will contact officers to set up a meeting in the near future.

Clerk

6.1

6.2

• Clift Meadow car park – this encampment was eventually moved on by the Police, but only after the preparation work had been completed by the Parish Council solicitors.  Therefore, £3000 of costs has been incurred.  However, as the preparatory work has been completed, this should not need to be done again if there is a repeat occurrence.  The encampment subsequently moved onto National Grid land off Minchens Lane, and is currently set up at Campbell Court.  The land owners are aware and dealing with the issue.
• Ordinance Road – there has been no apparent action from the MOD since the last meeting.  The Clerk has contacted various MOD personnel, and has received no reply to date.  She is also attempting to escalate the issue.  However, contact information for senior staff in the relevant department is proving difficult to locate.  Councillors noted that local residents are now experiencing issues directly associated with the encampment – the Clerk has raised this with the MOD, and the police are also aware.

Councillors noted the MP Ranil Jayawardena’s recent speech in the Houses of Commons, asking for changes to be made to the law regarding such encampments.

Issue needs to be escalated through Borough Council.

Clerk to contact solicitors and HALC to see if there is any kind of enforcement that the Parish Council can use.

Cllr Durrant noted that the PC is investigating a parish wide injunction.  Cllr Bell has contacted senior staff and councillors at BDBC, who have not responded thus far.

Clerk

6.3

BDBC have agreed in principle to cutting back the vegetation, and are willing to consider closing the play park completely.  They are also looking at a temporary closure of the unofficial path whilst any works to remodel the area are carried out.

Residents have been carrying out an unofficial survey of users of the cut through and the park, and report that very few people have been using either of them.

Cllr Durrant will continue to liaise with residents and BDBC.

Clerk to investigate agents for planning application for fencing.

Cllr Durrant

Clerk

6.4

Cllr Durrant noted the above campaign, launched in Basingstoke within the last two weeks.  He has contacted BDBC and asked that the campaign be extended to include Bramley, and BDBC has agreed to Civil Enforcement Officers and Community Safety Officers visiting the area and issuing leaflets to offending vehicles.

Cllr Rowland noted that parents from the school have been in touch with her, and as a result she has contacted Cllr Bound who is looking to get a strategy out to the rural parishes in the coming weeks.

7.1

Cllr Ansell has sent in the following update:

Within the next step of the IT upgraded plan for the Parish Council it is recommended that a gov.uk site be sourced.

Shared with my briefing notes I have sourced a single source supplier for Web hosting / management.

Migration to a word press, templated site would ease current support mechanism.

Actions:

• Source of gov.uk hosted service for Parish web address
• Migration of existing Web content to gov.uk wordpress template
• Migration of Councillors’ email address to gov.uk
• Source of dedicated IT platform for Councillors

A full proposal and decision will be made ready for the November meeting.

8.1

a.

Plots currently under lease agreement

• X2 full plots
• X16 half plots

Total plots available for lease –

• No available plots – Waiting list is 7
• NP Tree Management has processed the Parish Application for tree works in the Allotment area and await Borough Council clearance.

3 bay composter has been cleared to composted soil levels, guidelines need to be issued to leaseholders concerning the use of the composters.

Actions:

• Commence tree surgery work along path to improve light across allotments.

b.

• Trustees are very happy with the audio equipment.  They have asked whether the Parish Council would be happy for them to use the audio/visual equipment as an extra rental option for the Village Hall.  It was agreed unanimously that the equipment should only be used for PC meetings and for film nights.  Any other usage should be considered by the Parish Council on a case by case basis.  It was unanimously agreed that the PC should pay for the extra premium for the equipment on the VHT insurance.
• Film nights are going well.
• The VHT is looking for LIF funding for an extension to the Hall, but an application has not yet been submitted.

c.

• New sound system now installed in The Pavilion.  So along with the projector it now offers a good facility for business meetings. Thanks to Four Lanes Trust for the grant.
• Website should be up and running end of this week.
• Two new bookings this month and possibly another returning booking too.
• Wine tasting a big success taking £620 on the door. An excellent evening showcasing wines, cheeses and salmon.
• Pamper evening on 28th cancelled.
• Quiz night in November.

i.            Security at Clift Meadow – Cllr Durrant proposed that CMT should put up a security camera of some kind at the barriers to the car park.  Cllr Capel to raise with CMT, and Cllr Durrant to raise directly with the CMT Chair.

Cllr Capel Cllr Durrant

d.

Cllr Capel has submitted the following report:

• Classrooms and communal areas have been refurnished over the summer.
• The summer transition sessions were a great success and have helped the new children settle in well.
• Open day for year 6s in November.
• More updates to follow soon.

e.

No report received.

f.

No new issues reported.

Actions:

• Explore options for path linking Sherfield-on-Loddon to Bramley Parish as per NDP.

Footpaths – Bramley Green path is covered in leaves.  Also overgrown at Campbell Road.  Clerk to contact Lengthsman.

Cllr Durrant to write to residents in Bramley Green road re overgrown greenery from gardens.

Water main works have begun at Little London.

Clerk

Cllr Durrant

g.

Councillors have met with Sue Washington at BDBC to give update on project.

Network Rail will not release permissive rights for any path across their land.

Actions:

• HCC to provide update against design programme
• HCC to progress detailed design
• HCC to confirm permissive access proposal with ROW (HCC Rights of Way) and impact on existing ROW for footpath13

h.

Last month’s CSW report was noted.  The CSW group are actively seeking funding from various sources going forward, and have asked whether the Parish Council would be prepared to consider continuing its existing support for the group, or whether it would be willing to consider a grant of £1750 towards the cost of buying a Speed Indicator Device.  Cllr Durrant requested a consolidation of the statistics for the last six months.  Clerk to request details.

Cllr Capel noted residents’ comments that some kind of speed control scheme is required in the parish, particularly as most neighbouring parishes all have schemes in place.

Clerk

8.2

• Good result regarding the fence and the removal of the play area at Yew Tree Close.
• Patricia’s Cottage – the plans shown on the portal are wrong. The staircase is to be moved to the other side away from the neighbour’s property.  I spoke to the applicants on Saturday, and they and their neighbours are very pleased.
• Cufaude Lane unauthorised encampment – the injunction does not cover the bit of land they are on so enforcement are seeking a variation of the order.  It’s taken far too long to get this far so I am pushing it as hard as I can to get a result.
• Last week we had a design workshop, and I raised the issue of the difference between urban and rural design, provision for electric car charging in all new developments. To avoid power leads trailing across pavements all houses will need onsite parking. I also complained that they always put the tallest buildings on the high ground where they are the most visually intrusive.

Cllr Rowland gave the following verbal report:

• BDBC are keeping weekly bin collections.  BDBC is looking at ways to improve recycling rates.
• She has been chasing information on s.106 allocation – the issue appears to be a bit of a mess.
• Cllr Rowland is trying to get the bottom of various traveller encampments in the ward.  She has been investigating how to go about pre-emptive injunctions.  She is also applying pressure to get the Dummer traveller site re-opened.
• Dixon Road site – the fine has not been paid in full.  Action is being taken to retrieve the money.
• Tree issue in St James close – a tree is diseased and needs to be felled.

8.3

• He has met with Highways re signs at the level crossing to get people to switch engines off.  Signs will be installed near Longbridge Road, near Sansome and George, and one by the mobile phone mast, also one near bus shelter near level crossing, one just past the pub, and one by the last house before the level crossing.  These will be installed in around 1 month.
• 2^nd November – an announcement is expected on how HCC are going to save £140 million pounds.
• Lengthsman – Cllr Vaughan requested that the road signs coming in from Tadley should be cleaned and cleared of vegetation.  Clerk to speak to Lengthsman.

Clerk

8.4

i.            Parish Council newsletter – postponed to November meeting.

Clerk

10.1

The Clerk has distributed details of this grant request – CMT have requested £1500 to plan and prepare the fete for next year.  It was agreed that the grant be conditional on thanks to the PC being recorded in fete programme.  Cllr Durrant proposed the motion and Cllr Marshall seconded.  Unanimously agreed.  Clerk to process.

Clerk

10.2

CMT have noted that ongoing maintenance costs for the existing shutters at the Pavilion are currently running at around £1000-£1500 a year.  They consider this to be unsustainable moving forward, and are looking to move to a much more robust and simple method of security by installing electric security gates instead.  The cost of the gates is £1959+VAT.

Agreed unanimously in principle, dependent on answers re glass behind barriers.  May be prepared to pay more for more secure barriers.   Clerk to process.

Clerk

11.1

The Clerk noted the payments on the reconciliation, with particular reference to the following:

• The first three invoices on the reconciliation have already been paid, as they were urgent and need paying immediately.
• An invoice has been received for the temporary repair of the CMT car park barriers.  A further invoice is expected in due course for the full replacement of the barriers.
• All other payments are as expected.

It was unanimously agreed to approve the payments for October – Clerk to process.

Clerk

11.2

Receipts were noted.  The Clerk noted that the VAT claim for the end of the previous financial year was not submitted as she thought.  This has now been done, and a claim for the first two quarters of this year will be submitted by the end of this week.

The meeting closed at 9.59pm