PLEASE READ THESE BEFORE THE MEETING

MINUTES OF THE WRAXALL & FAILAND PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN

FAILAND VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30PM 11.9.2007.

PRESENT – Cllrs. Ambrose (Chairman), King (Vice Chairman), Law, Mrs Shaw, Smith, Delmas, Sage & Sheppard (from 8.52 onwards).

IN ATTENDANCE – Nick Burroughs, Local Planning Team Leader, Development & Environment, D/Cllrs. Roberts, Liaison Officer Sally Varley & Clerk.

APOLOGIES – D/Cllr. Cook & Cllr. Mrs Moon.

PUBLIC – Ruth Gofton (National Trust) & 18 others.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Cllr. Ambrose 86 c & d.

Cllr. Delmas 87 b

84 MINUTES – The minutes of the meeting held 14 August were agreed and signed.

85 CRIME FIGURES – PC Adam Clarke 2707 gave a comparison between July &

August 2006 & 2007. Criminal damage has gone down, assaults have risen. Burglary

has gone down from 1 to 0 whilst thefts from sheds/garages & robbery remain the

same as last year at 2 & 1 respectively.

86 ISSUES

a) NORTH SOMERSET CORE STRATEGY – NICK BURROUGHS, LOCAL PLANNING TEAM LEADER spoke on this subject and left a copy of his talk with the Clerk, together with maps showing possible building sites. There is to be various exhibitions around the district, The nearest one to this parish will be at Nailsea Somerfield supermarket from Wednesday 17 October 3.30pm to Tuesday 23 October at 1pm (staffed Friday 19 October 3.30pm to 7.30pm)

b) THE GROVE, WRAXALL –As Mrs Hawkins did not attend this item was not discussed.

c) TOWER HOUSE LANE / LAY BY

MEETING CLOSED 7.59PM

Mr Tony Lock addressed the meeting regarding the taking down of the ‘No

Entry’ & ‘Access Only’ signs at the top and bottom of THL.

He particularly asked if the Executive member was acting legally when he

ordered that the signs should be removed; stated that, although the signs were

advisory, they did help to reduce the traffic & he also thought that Wraxall Hill

& the bottom of Tickenham Hill should be improved to encourage their use

rather than the ‘single track’ THL.

Mr Alan Bannister agreed with all that Mr Lock had said.

Mr Jonathan Hart asked the Parish Council to support the residents to get the

signs replaced.

MEETING OPENED 8.03PM

Cllr. Ambrose stated that the signs were removed by direct order from the

Executive Member to Highways Dept. The signs in their component parts were

legal but not in that situation. He pointed out that a TRO would cost £2500 and

NSC will not spend that on the lane

D/Cllr Roberts stated that D/Cllrs should have been consulted. He is still

looking into it but has to go down legal avenues.

MEETING CLOSED 8.07

Because of the 2006 change in the law the signs would have come down

anyway. New signs may now be more apposite. Pursue re. ‘lawful act’

and what we want now. Pursue with D/Cllrs. & P/Cllrs.

MEETING OPENED 8.16PM

d) BATTLE AXES – Mrs Patel did not attend so this item was not discussed.

e) COMMUNITY ROOM – D/Cllr. Roberts had been pursuing the fact that there was no consultation prior to the closure. He had the surveyor’s report on the reasons for closure which showed many and varied reasons, which would be very expensive to rectify He was thanked for his help but it was felt that no purpose would be served by his continuing to try to have the room reopened as NS Housing had made the decision to close it on Health & Safety grounds..

f) AFFORDABLE HOUSING – The report re. sites is awaited. Cllr. Smith said that Mrs Patel was interested in selling the lower car park for affordable housing. She has already been offered £1 ¼ million. He was told that Affordable Housing does not pay the ‘going rate’ for land.

g) PARISH PLAN – There will be a public meeting in FVH on 20 Sept., run by Chris Hunter, and another, in the Battle Axes, on 27 Sept., run by Doug MacMillan.

h) EMERGENCY CONTACTS – FAILAND Cllr. King.

WRAXALL Cllr. Ambrose.

87 PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT

The following were discussed in the order c,d,a,b, extra.

a) APPLICATION 07/P/2046/F – Erection of a dwelling with a detached double garage and workshop, stable block including feed store and tack room following demolition of existing property, garages and outhouses for Mr A Franklin at Ridge House, Horse Race Lane, Failand

RECOMMENDATION – Support in principle – Questions were raised re. volume & site. Whether they are to be calculated on the existing building or with the P/A approved but not yet built.

b) APPLICATION 07/P/2059/F – Erection of a first floor side extension over existing garage and a single storey rear extension to breakfast room for Mrs J House, 1 Elm Lodge Road, Wraxall.

RECOMMENDATION – APPROVE

c) APPLICATION 07/P/2115/F – Loft conversion with front and rear dormers. Raise Hip ended roof to gable finish for Mr A Powell, 14 Sixty Acres Close, Failand.

MEETING CLOSED 8.35PM

Residents made representations regarding this application – mainly regarding the dormer windows which they felt were intrusive and velux should be substituted..

MEETING OPENED 8.45PM

Cllr. King said that he would look at the site regarding trees which residents had said had been removed. He felt that Tree Dept. may be able to throw some light on the reasons.

MEETING CLOSED 8.46PM

Residents stated that No. 8 had been allowed to get planning permission for dormers despite their objections.

MEETING RE-OPENED

RECOMMENDATION – Parish Council rejected this P/A on grounds of ‘Out of character’ with the area. Overlooking other properties and generating more cars, which would have to be parked on the street, However, the reasons for objecting have to be considered in the context of No. 10 (07/P/2211/F) and the fact that the P/A at No. 8 (07/P/0398/F) has been approved. We ask that the Planning Officer makes a site visit before making the decision.

d) APPLICATION 07/P/2211/F – Erection of a two storey rear extension. Conversion of loft and erection of a first floor roof extension to include 3 no. dormers to the rear elevation, 3 no. dormers to the front elevation, a dormer and rooflight to south side elevation and a rooflight to north side elevation. Demolition of existing rear conservatory (Amendment to planning permission 07/P/1268/F)[which was refused on 10.7.07] for Mrs S Davis, Hollington Lodge, 10 Sixty Acres Close, Failand.

Two of the Cllrs. who had considered this application said that the height was 1m higher than at present on the original ‘refused’ application. This ‘new’ application shows the roof as ½ m higher than at present. The proposal shows that the room ‘in the roof’ was being retained by making the top flat. A prepared report was read to Cllrs.

Cllr. Sheppard arrived whilst this was being read.

MEETING CLOSED 9.05PM

The resident of the property opposite to No.10 stated that his lounge would be overlooked from the dormers which would intrude on his privacy and lower the value of his house.

The gentleman with Mrs Davis stated that he had never heard such inaccuracy and spurious facts. The roof increase was only 300mm.

He explained the reason for the application as progress – No 10 was an immaculate 1957 property and that was the reason for buying. Extending was progress. They want to stay in Failand not extend and sell.

He had objected to the application at No. 8 but the objection had been dismissed.

MEETING OPENED 9.16PM

Cllr. Sage said that there were no dimensions on the plans sent from Planning Dept.

Cllr. Ambrose said that we have asked for dimensions before but NS say ‘scale off’. Architects, for many reasons, leave off the dimensions.

300mm is still higher than the original – technically above the ridge line.

Planning Officer may say that doesn’t matter. He then asked the applicant if they had talked to the neighbours. They said ‘No’.

MEETING CLOSED 9.21PM

Cllr. Sage said that it was purely on the dormers at the front.

Cllr. Ambrose said that the plans scale 450mm higher. If the height had not been increased then it would only be the dormers for consideration.

MEETING OPENED 9.24

RECOMMENDATION – REFUSAL, by a majority decision (6 for the refusal and 2 abstentions), as Out of Character in respect of other properties in the vicinity; overlooking other properties and the roof height. However, we feel we should point out that No 8, next door, has Planning Permission for a similar roof development. The Councillors were unable to calculate the volume increase so could not comment on that and we would like further guidance on what the ‘character of the area’ means. We ask that the Planning Officer makes a site visit before making the decision.

EXTRA

APPLICATION 07/P/2262/F – Erection of a barn for storing feed and bedding material following the demolition of the existing barn for G P Jones & Sons, Manor Farm, Green Lane, Failand.

RECOMMENDATION – Approve 7/1

88 HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

a) SLIP ROAD & LAY BY

Slip Road is staying closed. Parking in the lay by is being monitored.

b) LOCAL SAFETY SCHEME B 3130 – This should be finished by the end of Sept.

89 PROW

Steps have been repaired by PROW section. Reported that they are now unsafe – may be because of the recent bad weather. PROW section will investigate.

90 TYNTESFIELD

Ruth Gofton reported that there is to be a Free Open Day from 10am on Saturday. Water main project is ahead of schedule. Visitor facilities – one meeting in November with Planners – One with PC & DC’s

Upstairs tours can be pre-booked for the end of October.

91 CORRESPONDENCE

a) LETTER FROM FORMER CLLR. SYKES RE PRESENTATION - Noted

b) DRAFT HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY- N/A

c) REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS & POLLING PLACES

This is fine as it stands – If there is an election when work is being carried out on the building at the back of the Churchyard, other arrangements will have to be made. However, this could be some time away.

d) PARISH COUNCIL MAIL – New arrangements will start from 3 September 2007 and reviewed in February 2008. Concern was expressed re. Parish Council having to use more paper & toner to get hard copy which has been previously provided by NSC.

92 MEETINGS

a) BUILDING THE FUTURE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES

NALC CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION – BOURNEMOUTH 5-7

OCTOBER – No one.

b) COMMUNITY ACTION – DROP IN INFORMATION DAY FRI. 12 OCTOBER – Noted.

c) COMMUNITY ACTION AGM – LONG ASHTON COMM. CENTRE FRI 19 OCT. – Cllrs. Ambrose & Delmas will attend.

d) ALCA NS GROUP MEETING – 2 October at Churchill – Cllr. Delmas will attend.

e) ALCA AGM 13 October 2007 at Yate – Cllr. Delmas will attend.

93 FINANCE

a) SECOND HALF OF PRECEPT RECEIVED

b) RENTAL FROM WI, FOR COMMUNITY ROOM, RECEIVED.

c) ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT - APPROVED

Chq No. Payee Details Amount

1624	Cllr. Smith	Travelling Exp. Cllrs. Seminar – Bath	28.29
1625	Connaught Environmental	Emptying Dog Bins – July 2007	21.15
1626	ERC Cobb	Safety Reports – Mill. Green – Aug.	40.00
S/O	Mrs F Shattock	Salary – August	1043.91
1627	The Office Shop	Envelopes	7.75
1628	Mrs F Shattock	Expenses – Underpaid postage 1.16 & Tel. calls 18.84	20.00

94 CHAIRMAN’S URGENT BUSINESS

Cllr. King stated that he was concerned regarding the press coverage of proposals at Moat House Farm, Wraxall as there is a Right of Way through

the main entrance.

It is noted that Mr Bush of Moat House Farm builds before putting in the P/A .

There is a major plan now and the PC should have an input.

Clerk to write to PROW section with copies to D/Cllrs. Roberts & Cook.

And also to Mr Bush (with copies to D/Cllrs) asking for a meeting to discuss the rumours which are in the public domain,