MINUTES OF THE WRAXALL & FAILAND ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
HELD 7.30pm 20 APRIL 2010 AT CROSS TREE
CENTRE WRAXALL
PRESENT: Cllrs. Ambrose, Delmas, Sage, Law, Pratt & Robinson and Liaison Officer Sally Varley + 15 Public and the speakers.
APOLOGIES: Cllrs. Mrs Shaw, King, Sheppard & D/Cllrs Cook & Roberts.
IN ATTENDANCE: Clerk.
Cllr. Ambrose gave his Chairman’s Report which had been placed on all seats in the hall (and subsequently sent to all Cllrs. who were not present).
Cllr. Ambrose touched on the various major Planning
Applications which had been before the Parish Council in the past year and the
increase in Precept to allow the PC to appoint a Barrister & Planning
Expert to attend and defend at the Enquiry re. the
application on '‘land to the East of Weston Road, Failand’ and to have funds
should it be necessary to make similar representation re. the
‘
He thanked the Councillors & Clerk for their hard work and dedication over the year, and John Chapman as Chairman of the Working Group re Failand Green Belt for his hard work and for attending the Enquiry in its entirety. Cllr. Pratt for producing the report re. Pylons and the Cllrs. Delmas, Law, Thompson & Mrs Shaw for producing Emergency Plans for each of our two villages.
Cllr. Ambrose mentioned that the Millennium Green was to be
refurbished with Government monies under the Play Builder – Plan
Affordable Housing was being pursued on the Battle Axes car park site but this will not now be happening as the Battle Axes has been leased for 15 years and is in the process of being re-furbished.
The Web site is to be made more ‘user friendly’. The road surfacing on the B3130 seems to have reduced speed on that road. The B3128 is still a problem but is being worked on.
Customers using Budgen’s takeaway cause a large amount of litter and the ‘No right turn’ out of the site is being ignored by most drivers. This has been reported to the Police and the Highways Dept.
Pot Holes on our roads have
increased due to the bad winter but North Somerset Council are working hard to
repair the damage. This is a huge job as
they are responsible for all of the
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: This report was given by Mr Anthony Tavener, Area Co-ordinator. He thanked PC Adam Clarke of the A&S Police. NHW (Community Watch) produces a quarterly newsletter. He stressed that co-ordinators and newsletter distributors are always needed. He thanked everybody for their involvement.
He mentioned the speeding west of Longwood crossroads, on the B3128, and east of the Nailsea boundary on the B3130.
WRAXALL CHARITIES: Mr Anthony Tavener explained that the Charity was formed long ago by gifts from individuals and families in the form of cash and land; some specifying the area in which the gifts were to be used. Distributions were made by Trustees at Christmas Time on a ‘need’ basis, within the old parish of Wraxall, benefiting older people, families and the less able. Trustees have changed over the years but with a 50/50 balance from Wraxall & Failand.
In 1985 a trial Mini-bus service was introduced and has operated regularly since then. A new occupier of charity land in Wraxall has increased the income from that land. He thanked the PC for their grants over recent years. The Charity will remain in existence whilst there remains ‘a need’. A statement of accounts was given to all attendees.
FAILAND GREEN BELT – John Chapman, Chairman of the Working Group, gave a comprehensive report of the 9 day Enquiry re. ‘land to the east of Weston Road’ which was undertaken by a ‘balanced’ Planning Inspector who will give the report, with decision, on 11 June to the Secretary of State who will give his/her decision on 16 August.
North Somerset Council made their case for non-compliance – does not comply with RSS, Failand is not a sustainable community. Mr Chapman’s group put their case against building in the Green Belt.
PYLONS - Cllr Hugh Pratt gave a
talk on National Grid's attempt to put pylons though our area without
considering alternative under sea route. He explained types of electricity, (AC
versus DC), undersea cable construction, cable laying and costs. These
construction costs were similar for sub-sea as overland but lifetime costs
weigh heavily in favour of undersea. Having put out our document we are waiting
for National Grid to find fault or to accept it.
Mr Reep spoke of the Development pressure on the south west
The meeting closed at 9pm.
Mr Alec Ewens gave a Vote of Thanks to Cllr. Ambrose for hosting the
meeting, the Councillors for all their good work and the Clerk for all her hard
work.
This received a round of applause.