BOXWELL WITH LEIGHTERTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 7th December, at 7.30pm via Zoom

PRESENT: Chairman: Mr C. Alden (CA) Mr T. Clark (TC)
Mrs R. Danton (RD) Mr D. Hyde (DH)
Mrs J. Ursell (JU) Clerk: Mrs J. Weyman (JW)
Mr A. Batten (AB) Resident

1.Welcome: In line with government guidelines during the Coronvirus pandemic, the meeting was held virtually. The Chairman welcomed everybody, including AB, and requested that he remain muted during the body of the meeting and save any comments, questions etc to the AOB section near the end of the meeting.

2. Apologies: None.

3. Approval of Minutes: The Chairman and the Clerk thanked DH for taking the minutes at the previous meeting on 14th September which were approved.

4. Matters Arising: ) To save duplication, decided both be
5. Emails or comments from residents: ) discussed under item 11.

6. Clerk’s Financial Report: Balances as at 7.12.20:
a) Bank balances: Current Account £1,143.90, Earmarked Reserve Fund £6,910.02
b) Transactions since last meeting:
Payments in: £295.00 Sept Precept, £477.90 Community Infrastructure Levy
Payments out: £91.04 website, £80.00 Clerk’s expenses June-Sept.
c) Payments approved: Barrier tape for playground £13.00 cheque required for RD.
Clerk’s expenses Oct-Dec: 50% of broadband fee 3 months @ £20.00 = £60.00
d) CIL: Clerk reminded any unspent within 5 years has to be returned & that first report due April 2021. CA commented underspend unlikely in view of play equipment issues (see item 10).
e) Items due for payment before next meeting: none expected.
f) Change of signatory: RD confirmed CA, RD & JU now set up.
g) Internet banking: CA not yet set up.
Lead contact: JW. Presumably the reason that some correspondence for CA sent to JW’s address! To be picked up again in the New Year.

7. Precept setting for 2021/2:
Decided to set at £1,145 (£35 less than last year due to reduction in tax base) so will remain at £10.03 for a Band D property. JW to send off form to CDC by 31.1.21.

8. Website issues:
a) CA thanked DH for his work on the website which all agreed looked great.
b) DH confirmed accessibility statement complete.
c) DH indicated there are many possibilities for additional features etc but unclear whether would be worthwhile. However, he could easily and quickly add Google analytics at no cost which would track traffic & give an idea of usage.
Continued ……./…….
d) Results of tracking & implications to be discussed at next meeting.

9. Planning:
a) Meads House application to remove a poplar tree of which 50% died. All happy.
b) Bennetts’ Farm: removal of old stable block and erection of new. All happy.
c) Grange Barn – erection of double garage. Decision awaited following appeal.
CA to forward PC’s response to appeal to Councillors.

10. Playing field & equipment:
a) Wicksteed inspection results: CA has dealt with safety issues.
b) Other issues include: igloo probably approaching end of life & matting under swings needs cleaning, relaying & rotten wooden edging replaced.
c) CA has discussed with families in the village and 4 are happy to do the above work in the Spring and form a sub-committee to research what equipment the children would actually value.
d) TC confirmed he is happy to help with any heavy lifting.

11. Roads, flytipping & bad weather:
a) Potholes: all those reported by JU have been repaired and, as TC indicated that Whitewater Lane is yet again bad, she will report those again.
b) Signs: CA commented no change to sign by pub (rusted almost through) despite JU having received email indicating it is on list. JU to chase.
c) Flytipping: TC commented there had been various incidences but all had been cleared up very quickly after being reported.
JU to email newsletter (Jane Bullock) to advertise link on PC website for reporting problems. Copy email to JW so same ad can be put on noticeboard.
d) Bad weather: Snow report (email received 4.6.20 from GCC Highways): CA has provided all required information by telephone including snow plough contact details (John Huntley), salt stock location (TC’s barn) etc.
e) Village Emergency Plan: discussed at length. JU pointed out that it is a Community EP, not a Parish Council plan and explained that the most likely scenarios are a farm accident or a collision on the A46, perhaps combined with bad weather. The aim was to provide immediate help prior to the arrival of the emergency services.
Designated safe place – currently the school but this may not be sensible if incident occurred during school hours. (Jackie Batten is now the Chair of the School Governors and AB indicated that the equivalent for the school is the church).
Storage of holdall containing items purchased with 2012 funding (tape, hi viz jackets, foil blankets etc): phonebox discussed, but not secure.
CA queried exactly who would inform us (GCC, emergency services??) as typically we are only made aware of incidents by the emergency services’ arrival.
RD & TC respectively confirmed happy to continue as the PC rep & to take over duties listed for Mr P. Clark.
JU suspects that, as it was drafted in 2012, many people listed for the various roles may have forgotten about its existence or left the village and suggested a separate meeting to discuss it fully, which would take account of the changes in the village population, technology etc. Councillors agreed.
JU to advertise the various roles on social media (DH can assist with Facebook) & the noticeboard calling for volunteers.
f) On street parking: CA has been approached by various concerned residents and all agreed it had been a much bigger issue this autumn causing greater access problems eg for farm or emergency vehicles than previous years, possibly linked to Covid, the arboretum having to limit numbers plus articles in the national press. With no shop & little increase in pub trade, seems to be few benefits for the village.
CA indicated that the issue had been raised a few years ago with the possibility of parking restrictions at pinch points mentioned but not popular. He was keen to gather any ideas for avenues to explore.
All were not in favour of double yellow lines or parking permits and various other suggestions were discussed – conclusions shown:
– using the school car park at weekends – CA: weren’t keen when approached previously probably due to liability issues;
– repurpose a fallow field – TC: they change each year;
– use field opposite cemetery – owned by church, suspect permission unlikely;
– traffic cones – would need a rota to put out & gather in, can be moved.
Options which merit further consideration – CA to investigate and report back:-
– approach the arboretum and The Hare and Hounds;
– use of notices – eg Willesley.

12. AOB:
a) Road sweeper – resident had commented to TC that we need to request it. JU to investigate whether on a rota etc.
b) Bus stop sign – email received from resident requesting its removal. All in favour of retaining it. CA to reply to resident.
c) JW had received Winter issue of “Grapevine” from Glos Age Concern. JW to deliver the one requested following Autumn ad in newsletter & ask if pub would like the rest.
d) JW to forward Covid survey to DH to judge whether genuine & advertise on Facebook.
e) CA asked AB if there was anything we could help him with. He thanked us and indicated that, as a newcomer to the village and newly appointed Treasurer of the PCC, he’d found the meeting most informative.
He was keen to find out who was responsible for the allotments & the buildings on them as the “old woodcutters’ shed” was in a state of disrepair and its roof overhangs his property (The Old Rectory).
TC indicated that Jamie Pike (Meads House) rents the field from the church Diocese & deals with the allotments, so CA suggested that he contact Jamie in the first instance.
AB pointed out that his occupation involves working with the GDPR & offered to share his knowledge with us.
13. Date of next meeting:
Monday 8th February, 2021 at 7.30pm at Leighterton Primary School, unless CV19 restrictions dictate otherwise. All welcome.