Wraxall & Failand Parish Council
Chairman’s report to Annual Parish Meeting on 21st
April 2009
@
7.30 pm in Saw Mill Tyntesfield
Introduction and Thank you; The year started with a full compliment of Councillors and Chris Ambrose re-elected Chairman.
It is pleasing to note that all our scattered communities are now represented by a Parish Councillor who lives in that community.
Thanks must go to our Clerk and Councillors’ for their hard work and dedication over the year.
I again draw particular attention to the amount of work our Clerk, Freda Shattock, does each year, this is over and above the call of duty. This benefits us all but she accepts no additional reward.
David Shattock has again supported Freda, by his deliveries of Council papers etc. and always on time, to each Councillor. He also undertakes any number of ad hoc activities that come up throughout the year.
Again he does all this at his own cost. Many thanks David.
The Councillors’ give their time freely and carry out their duties with enthusiasm and always to the best of their ability.
To day, as last year, Violet Delmas will take the minutes. Many thanks Violet.
Refreshments are provided by Sarah Tavener. Many thanks Sarah.
The venue, this refurbished Sawmill, is provided by courtesy of the NT.
Many thanks.
To Doug Macmillan Chairman of the PP Steering Group a big thank you for sticking with what has turned out to be a large exercise on which he will report shortly.
Thank you Doug.
I also wish to thank our District Councillors Bob Cook and Howard Roberts and our liaison officer Sally Varley. They attend our Council meetings regularly. They offer support and guidance and intercede for us as necessary with NSC. This is much appreciated.
Also, thank you to Constable Adam Clarke, our beat officer, who provides monthly updates on crime figures and matters of interest.
Finance; The precept increased this year to cover the cost of producing the Parish Plan. This was intended to be covered by sponsorship from local business. However, sponsorship has been deleted from the budgets of business following the economic collapse and rather than abandon the large amount of work already undertaken the PC agreed to cover the final stage to brochure production from the Precept. We will continue to seek Sponsorship.
Again, I must record that the Clerk has agreed to cap her salary and not to charge for other items. This means the Precept is saved the costs of, office provision, mileage, gratuity, and of course the extra hours worked. This suggests that the provision of a Clerk should really cost double what we actually charge.
The issues that continue to be a difficulty for us as PC are the perceived inconsistencies of the planning decisions. This makes it difficult for the PC to be even handed.
Planning approvals with conditions which are then not enforced and others subsequently rescinded, overturned or allowed to be amended.
The
Big ticket items are;
Our endangered rural living and village communities with the Green Belt under threat
This Government says one thing, and then its observable behaviours demonstrate that it doesn’t care about the countryside.
It uses words like communities in control: real people, real power, but every action says the opposite.
The values of a community are ignored in
preference to the demands of the developer and the corporations. On our
doorstep is;
This is “Politics today” it is not democracy. It is not even a Political system it is market economics.
Looking
forward to 09/10
This will be a very difficult year for many; the financial impacts will be felt across the socio - economic spectrum. The threats locally will probably come to a head; either the RSS will be delayed until after an election or it is passed by the Government in the next three months and NSC will be flooded with planning applications.
I
will stop here and refer you to the papers in your possession for quiet
reading.
The
key issues this year, in chronicalogical order have been;
May
08 - The 10,000 houses proposed for
At a planning workshop, held at the Bristol City football ground, as a “consultation“ on the proposals, it was evident that there was a predetermined position with proceedings controlled by a facilitator with a set agenda, and dominated by people with a vested interest, such as, developers, planners, agents, consultants etc, locals voices were ignored.
This was compounded by statements made later that the event had been well supported with everyone contributing positively and all supporting the outcomes. This was far from the case as no PC’s, CPRE or District Councilors agreed with the proposals even some NSC officers were unhappy at the outcomes.
This Issue will be around for some time to come.
The Parish Plan Questionnaire was ready for the printers. Thank you to Doug and his Steering Group.
A Boundary committee was established in anticipation of the request from NTC to annex the Elms and the land down to the Land Yeo.
Further enquiries as to the ownership of the Quarry on the B3130 opposite the Battle Axes proved inconclusive and the position remains unknown.
June 08 - An application to Long Ashton PC re a footbridge over the B 3128 opposite the BG playing fields is received by WFPC for information, the application is refused.
Councillors go on training course.
July 08 - The PP Q is delivered to all households with returns to be received in August.
August 08 - This month saw the PC receive copies of the NS replacement plan (2Vols)
And a Government document entitled “Improving our communities together” A somewhat misleading title In the light of what is going on.
The PC requested a speed limit be imposed on the B3128, this was turned down.
The PC allocated geographic highway areas to each Councillor to monitor and report on there condition. This improved the reporting but not the condition of the roads, which are in a terrible state.
We discovered that, only injury accidents are recorded now by the Police, this distorts the actual accident figures and the accident black spots.
The NS Agricultural Show Ground applied for a name change which would have allowed for a variation to the type and numbers of events held there and increase its usage.
The PC was not supportive of the proposal and re emphasized our support for Agricultural activities only.
Meeting on B I A proposals held at the Airport.
September
08 - The Local Access forum raised the question of
creating Quiet lanes in the area and problems created by
The petition on the boundary was distributed to all households.
The Parish Plan Steering Group continued to apply for further grants to continue the work required to produce the plan.
Budgen’s apply to amend their planning conditions on deliveries. This was subsequently granted despite the PC’s objection.
October 08 - Boundary petition and letters of objection presented to full council by District Councillor, Bob Cook
Proposed changes of use to Moat House Zoo Farm are raised. The PC felt the revised PROW needed agreeing prior to any applications being approved.
A proposed vodaphone mobile phone mast adjacent o the Granary at the elms is objected to by the PC and subsequently rejected. Note, that in March 09 it was erected some 100m further away from the Granary without reference to PC or NSC.
November 08 - A PC budget meeting held
December 08 - Parish Plan analysis completed, interpretation still required.
January 09 - Corporate governance issued as draft for comment to councilors
The PC responded to transport proposals green study.
February 09 - Meeting received a presentation from Charles Cave Chairman of Long Ashton PC re the Weston Road Proposals.
PCAA received a robust presentation from BIA, CEO, Robert Sinclair, with much evidence as to why they need to expand. BIA is working on the basis of more passengers but fewer planes it is also working with the developers of the Ashton Vale Proposals, on transport links etc.
March 09 –
The PC responded to the consultation on the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.
The PC stated that communication and publicity were two important aspects for PC’s to deal with. They are difficult to achieve and are costly.
The PC considered that despite the title of the document “Communities in Control, real people, real power,” we have less power and less control in our communities now than ever before.
Public representation on the “proposed
development at
The PC responded to the Planning for Waste Treatment Facilities by supporting option “C” a decentralized approach recommending the use of thermal treatment plants having no waste to land fill or emissions from chimneys.
Retrospective planning application received for Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm. It was supported subject to conditions.
The application for a Tiger House caused the PC to have grave concerns and was unable to support the application as presented.
PROW, they were of major concern and in particular the inability to resolve the matter prior to the Planning Application.
April
09 – Work commenced on the Cross Tree Community
Centre.
There was request to have an agenda item to discuss the quarry, opposite the Battle Axes, which has been taken over by the Wraxall Wildlife Volunteers to prevent illegal tipping. The group is keen to see the area improved and made into a wildlife area with seating for quiet reflection. This follows the failure of the PC to establish the Owners of the quarry, which will continue.
A request was received for the PC to write to The National Trust re its Policy on Affordable Housing.
Parish Plan brochure is presented in final draft for comment.
BIA open letters from CEO, Robert Sinclair and PCAA’s Chairman, Hilary Burn are acknowledged.
The Severn Barrage information event was attended by Councillors.
Each Month the finances are recorded and considered for acceptance by the Council.
Commenting
on issues raised in last years report;
The road safety scheme through
Speeding along the B3128 continues and there is no interest from Highways to impose a speed limit.
Budgen’s Service Station is proving popular and offers quality food and service; however, they recently requested a change to their planning conditions on deliveries which was granted. This impact’s detrimentally on the immediate neighbours.
The exit “no right turn” is not always complied with and will result in a serious accident.
The success of their take away generates considerable litter along the road and in the THL “lay bye” and lane. These issues were asked to be taken into account at the time of the planning application and conditions imposed but were not enacted.
Affordable Housing; This is still at the pre application stage and is associated with the redevelopment of the Battle Axes.
Litter; This continues to blight our lanes and hedge rows. The public at large must either be poorly educated, it cost us all money to have it collected and/or lacking in acceptable codes of behaviour, as even where a bin is adjacent to their car or to them, the litter is discarded into the hedge or the road.
Pot holes continue to increase throughout the Parish and little is done to repair them although some do get a yellow line round them.
At the 08 APM we raised the likelihood of fuel prices rising dramatically, this proved to be the case later in the year followed by the economic collapse somewhat prophetically identified in relation to the Government and the story about Mr. Macawber’s definition of “happiness” - Income £20 expenditure £19-19s and 6p; – Happiness.
Income £20 expenditure £20 and 6p; - Misery.
Expect “misery” for all of us, and for many years to come, if the only solution is to borrow more money when the real cause of the problem was, just that, borrowing and spending more than our assets.
Thank you for reading the report. I trust it is informative, further information can be obtained from the Wraxall & Failand web site or NSC web site.
Please feel free to give us feed back on what you think we do well, and what you would like improved.
Regards
Chris Ambrose