BARKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of meeting of the Barkham Parish Council held on 13^th February 2007

in Barkham Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Present: Mr. R. Newman (in the Chair), Mr. M. Clark, Mr F. A. Scott, Mr.J.Shepherd, Mr. P. King,

Mr. D. Oxbrough, Mr. F. Postlethwaite, one member of the public and the Clerk.

Apologies: Mrs P. Stubbs (attending a meeting at WDC), Mr. S. Goldring (work commitments), Dr. R. Loader (unwell).

07/900 Minutes of meeting held on 9^th January 2007 were approved and signed as a true record.  The Planning Meeting which was due to be held on 23^rd January 2007 did not take place due to insufficient planning applications.

07/901 Matters arising

07/891  Reply received from WDC stating that Southern Electric inspected the sign at the side of 1 Bridge Cottages (no S183) on 21.12.06 and replaced the lamps and starter switch and believed the fault had been repaired.  Instructions have now been issued to undertake a second inspection and repair.  The two lamp columns to the east of the bridge (nos 115 & 116) will also be looked at and repaired.

07/894  Reply received from Mr. Napper, the Drainage Maintenance Manager at WDC regarding the blocked drains along Bearwood Road .   He states that contractors have recently cleared these gullies and jetted the highway drain that runs down the length of the road, the gullies are cleared approx every 3 months.  The standing water on parts of Barkham Ride which BPC brought to the attention of WDC will be investigated.

07/894  Reply received from Mr Gilbert the Highway Inspector at WDC regarding the repairs to the road and pavement in Elizabeth Park.  The contractor missed the footway repair in front of 3 The Junipers, the work in Sandy Lane was not completed due to parked vehicles preventing access to the area to be repaired.  This work to be completed by the end of February.  The poor reinstatement in Bearwood Road near the junction of Coombes Lane has been passed back to the utility company and new reinstatement has now been completed.  The footpath along Barkham Street which requires sweeping will be dealt with by the Waste Team who will instigate any remedial action.  To date this has not been done, Clerk to remind WDC.

07/902 Public Session

None.

07/903 Youth Workers Report – Louise Morris

The young people have been participating in a variety of activities, which aims to bring the group together as a whole.  They have been celebrating Chinese New Year and have tasted a variety of foods from China .  The group have put together a collage of pictures they have taken with their friends and this will be displayed on the notice board.  They have organised a movie night which will take place in March.

Mobile Provision

The Provision is still visiting areas of Barkham particularly Elizabeth Park, with lighter evenings approaching we will hopefully be meeting more young people.  During half term the van will visit Elizabeth Park on Monday 12^th and Wednesday 14^th from 11.00 – 3.00 p.m.  There will be a variety of fun games and activities for the young people to enjoy along side the promotion of our “pledge wall”.  The pledge wall is where young people sign their name and pledge not to carry knives – this campaign is in memory of Damilola Taylor and was introduced by his family.

Current Projects

BACYP will be visiting Barkham Youth Club in February and March.   Activities will include big box hockey and space hoppers.  The young people will have the opportunity to look at a variety of foods and get the chance to cook, linking into national events as Shrove Tuesday, Valentines Day, Fair Trade Fortnight etc.  The pledge wall will also be visiting the club on Friday 16^th February.

It was suggested that the club would benefit from having a fixed venue which could even be a container so long as it was a dry meeting place for the young people to meet, the problems would then arise of location.

07/904 Planning

Mr. Newman reported that there were two planning applications which were of significance to be reported to the full Council:-

F/2006/9281                           Land at junction of Park Lane and Hogwood Lane ,                       Approved

Finchampstead.

Proposed erection of temporary changing facilities including

canteen, dining area, gym, physio area and relaxation room,

new press room facility, relocation of existing groundsmans 

store and inclusion of new groundsmans workshop.

Alterations to car park.

Conditions:  The limited period for the retention of the buildings shall be until 3 years from the date of this approval, on or before the expiration of which period the buildings shall be removed and the land restored to its former condition within 3 months of the use ceasing.

Clerk to write to WDC requesting an explanation as to why this application was approved when the previous application was refused no. F/2006/7772 when there would appear to be very little difference in the plans.

F/2005/6378                           14 The Lilacs                                                                        Granted At Appeal

                                                Proposed additional fencing to side of dwelling.                           

The proposed development would not create a tunnelling effect or adversely impact upon the perception of safety for users of the footpath.  The Inspector also pointed out that it is suggested in the deeds of the properties that high fences are precluded on the estate it is a civil matter rather than an obstacle to the granting of planning permission.

07/905 Highways

Reply received from WDC regarding the speed survey in Bearwood Road plus a report which details the effectiveness of current VAS (Vehicles Activated Signs) throughout the District which are monitored in order to maximise their impact.  The Bearwood Road VAS has been shown to have a positive impact on vehicles speeds and WDC are satisfied with the current situation.  The report shows:-

Bearwood Road                     40mph speed limit

                                                45mph    85^th percentile speed before VAS installation 

                                                39 mph  85^th percentile speed approx 6 months after VAS installation

                                                13% decrease

It would appear that for the three years that the sign has been in position it has been very successful, however concern still lies in the early mornings and just before the school leaving time when traffic would appear to be travelling very fast.  Clerk to write again to WDC to request the rubber strips are placed across the road to collect the data, BPC are willing to fund the cost of this in order that the information is relayed back to the Council.  Then depending on the findings BPC to borrow the SID (Speed Indication Devise) to bring to peoples attention the speeds they are travelling at.

07/906  Barkham Village Design Statement

Mr Newman reported that the VDS for Barkham had now been handed over to Jane Ireland at WDC.  This will then be submitted to the Executive on 27^th July to be formally accepted as a Supplementary Planning Guidance Document.  15 copies have been printed at a cost of £45 in order that each member of the VDS team can have a copy of the finished document.  One copy has been placed in the Distribution File and one copy to be retained by the Clerk.

07/907  Development of the Speed limit Policy by WDC

Mr Newman attended a discussion at WDC on 29.1.07.  David Chopping Chairman of the Highways Board chaired the informal discussion.  WDC finalised a revised Local Transport Plan in July 2006.  In August the Government after a lengthy consultation period published their revised guidance on speed limits, also information has been received that the Government had relaxed its previous opposition to variable speed limits and the operation of part time traffic lights on roundabouts.  The discussion on District wide speed limits took place where it was apparent that all present were in favour of the speed limits being uniform through out the District.  Sensible speed limits would be imposed, it may be that some limits would be increased and some

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limits decreased to maintain a uniform system, whereas a motorist would be more aware of the speed limit from the condition of the road.  The yellow signs are only advisory and cannot be enforced, also it was noted that a motorist cannot be prosecuted under 30 mph.  A proposal was aired as to the possibility of removing all the traffic calming measures around schools and replacing them with a large sign which would be illuminated at the times when schools are arriving and leaving with a speed limit of 20 mph and this limit would be enforceable.  The majority voted in favour of this idea.

07/908  To Discuss the necessity for a footpath/cycleway along the Bearwood Road

A cyclist was recently knocked off his bicycle and killed along the stretch of road opposite St Catherine’s Church, there is a footpath at this point but no provision for cyclists.  The footpath from the junction of Barkham Road ends at Highlands Ave and from there to St Catherine’s Lodge there is no path.  The suggestion was to insert a pipe into the ditch for drainage purposes which would allow the ditch to be filled in and this land then used to create a cycle path.  This path would then allow access to the bridle path Chestnut Ave and Sadlers Lane which exit on to the Reading Road and could be used as a route to the Forest School .  As this area comes under Wokingham Town Council it would be beneficial to write to Wokingham Town Council seeking their support before we approach Highways at WDC.

07/909  To Discuss the storage of Parish Council Information

With the growing amount of documentation being received from WDC storage is now becoming a problem.  Berkshire Records Office at 9 Coley Avenue , Reading provide a service to Parish Councils where Minutes and other items can be deposited for no charge.  Items can be withdrawn by appointment and the storage boxes are provided by Berkshire Records Office.  It was decided that any minutes older than 5 years can be put into storage, Clerk to arrange this.

07/910  To Discuss the Agenda for Parish Council Meetings

In the absence of Mr Goldring this item to be placed on the agenda for the March meeting.

07/911 Finance

WDC – printing of 15 Village Design Statements                                           58            £45.00

WDC – 1 skip at The Junipers and 1 refuse lorry for January                      59            £259.68 (£221 exc VAT)

WDC – cost of 2 youth workers for the senior youth club – term 2            60            £2000.00

Standing Order for Clerk’s salary for February                                                               £485.76

Standing Order to Royal Bor. Windsor – Pension Fund for Clerk                               £89.76

for month of February  (Employee & employer contribution)

To date 817 books have been sold, an income of £4282.24, thus leaving 183 unsold, and the Council is now in credit to the amount of £316.57.

The expenditure for the year was discussed and agreed.  A Precept of £28,000 for 2007/2008 was formally adopted.  Unanimous.  Details are documented in Appendix A.

07/912  Unitary Authority Councillor's Report

None.

07/913 Correspondence

BPC support the retention of the Post Office in Barkham which would be a loss to the whole community especially the older residents who maybe unable to travel to a main Post Office in Wokingham and with a very limited bus service would make a very vulnerable section of the community even more vulnerable.   Clerk to write to John Redwood to seek his support, Dianne King, the Chairman of the Council and John Heggadon who is a member of Post Watch for our Region to seek his support for the retention of Barkham Post Office.

Page 07/525

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Standards Committee 17.1.07.

Finchampstead Magazine.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 1.1.07 – 5.1.07.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 8.1.07 – 12.1.07.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Executive 25.1.07.

WDC Staff Bulletin Issue 2.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 15.1.07 – 19.1.07.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Highways Consultative Board 29.1.07.

Barkham Village Design Statement.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Planning Committee to be held on 31.1.07.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Personnel Board on 31.1.07.

WDC Environment Bulletin No. 18 February 2007.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Scrutiny Committee 6.2.07.

Arborfield News Spring Edition.

WDC Agenda For A Special Meeting of the Scrutiny Committee 12.2.07.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the Period 22.1.07 – 26.1.07.

WDC Staff Bulletin Issue 3.

WDC Agenda for Special Meeting of the Executive 13.2.07.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 29.1.07 – 2.2.07.

WDC Governor Vacancies.

Meeting closed at 10.00 p.m.

Next meeting of full Council will be held on 13^th March at 8 p.m.

Next meeting of Planning Committee will be held on 27^th February 2007 at 7.30 p.m.