November 2005
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BARKHAM PARISH COUNCIL

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Minutes of meeting of the Barkham Parish Council held on 8th November 2005

in Barkham Village Hall at 8.00 p.m.

 

Present: Mrs P. Stubbs (in the Chair), Mr. M. Clark, Mr F. A. Scott, Mr.J.Shepherd, Mr. S. Goldring,

Mr. R. Newman, Mr. D. Oxbrough, Mr. F. Postlethwaite, three members of the public and the Clerk.

 

Apologies: Mr. C. Clarkson (work commitments)

 

Presentation from Kate Fuller from Traffic Management at WDC

Kate Fuller, the Team Leader from Traffic Management at WDC gave BPC a presentation regarding speed limits and other highways issues.  All speed limits are set with guidance from the Dept. of Transport and must be enforceable.  WDC are aware that some areas do have speed limits which need reviewing, new guidance is scheduled to be received soon and then a review can take place.  Areas where a 30 mph restriction has been imposed must have suitable traffic calming measures.  In some Parishes a scheme called “Speed Watch” has been introduced which is a community scheme drawing peoples attention to the need for slower driving with greater care.

Several issues in Barkham were raised which will be looked at by WDC.
The roundabout on the brow of the hill needs painting white.
The Vehicle Activated Signs on Barkham Hill are not positioned to create maximum effect and are activated by traffic travelling in the opposite direction.
The speed trap which is often parked in the entrance to the Old Rectory to be moved to different locations, such as on the forecourt of The Post Office to catch motorists speeding down Bearwood Road.
The garage in Langley Common Road constantly parks cars for sale on the pavement and in the road, thus obstructing the pavement, it was suggested that double white lines be painted in the middle of the road, therefore it would be an offence to cross the white lines which would be impossible with vehicles obstructing the road.

 

The Parish Council thanked Ms Fuller for a very informative discussion.

 

05/725 Minutes of meeting held on 11th October 2005 were approved and signed as a true record.

 

05/726 Matters arising

05/711 Reply received from WDC concerning Plot 8  at Coppid Hill which will be named “The Coach House”, this is a duplication of a property also called “The Coach House” in Barkham Manor.  The addresses for the properties in Barkham Manor are numbered 1 – 10 (no. 6 is also The Coach House), if a numbered property is also given a name this is kept in an alias file by Royal Mail and not seen on the data base or web site.  That is why it is important not to drop the number if a name is added, to have the number visible on the property and to use the number in all correspondence.  When Royal Mail sort the post it is done by property number and post code and this is another reason they do not need to be notified if a numbered property has a name added.  The new property Coach House does not have a number and therefore the name was screened by Royal Mail and found to be acceptable.  Clerk to reply to WDC requesting that all requests for house names should be referred to BPC before approval is granted as with our local knowledge it would prevent duplications of house names.  Also, to recommend that the new properties at Coppid Hill are numbered 1 – 8.

05/706  Reply received from Mr. Philips at the Environment Agency, he was able to meet with Mr. Shepherd and walk over the site, he confirms that the correct pond has been tested and it was agreed that there was not going to be any pollution problem.  It was agreed that the pile of manure would be kept to a minimum; this BPC will have to keep a watchful eye on.

05/717  Reply received from Kate Fuller (Traffic Management) at WDC regarding the additional parking lay-bys in School Road .  The scheme for School Road is being designed and will be reported to a Committee in the near future.

05/717  Reply received from Gary Marcham, Street Care Services at WDC regarding the bin outside The Bull Public House this is emptied on a Wednesday, if we notice that it has not been emptied by Thursday then we should let Waste Services at WDC know who will instruct contractors to empty at once. This bin is still not being emptied on a regular basis, Clerk to contact to WDC and request that it is emptied on a weekly basis. Secondly, contractors have been instructed to remove the weeds and detritus along the pavement outside The Well House, the work will be checked on completion.  Also, the gullies in Barkham Road will be cleaned out

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the week commencing 31 October.  Ken Lambert the Highways Inspector has requested a Land Registry search for the land by Barkham Bridge where the vegetation is encroaching, once this is received he will then write to the land owners requesting the overgrown vegetation is cut back.

05/717  Reply received from Countryside Service regarding the footpath map at The Post Office.  The map and stand was produced several years ago and the artwork is no longer available.  There is no budget for reproducing the map at the moment but maps and publicity will be looked at as a result of the Rights of Way Improvement Plan.  It was suggested to add the new path behind Barkham Manor by hand, Mr Shepherd will add the new footpath with a red pen.

 

05/727 Election of a Vice Chairman

Mr. Robert Newman was nominated for the position of vice Chairman

Proposed:  Mr. Postlethwaite

Seconded: Mr. Goldring

Unanimous decision.

 

05/728 Election of a Finance Committee Member

Mr. Shepherd was duly nominated to serve on the finance committee.

The committee currently consists of Mrs Stubbs, Mr. Goldring, Mr. Newman, Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Clarkson, a core membership of five is required with a quorum of three for each meeting.

 

 

05/729 Planning

 

VAR/2005/6087                                     331 Barkham Road                                                               Delegated

                                                                Proposed relaxation of condition 4 of consent                No Comment

                                                                F/2005/4571 to allow occupation of dwelling prior

to bonding surface of access.

 

F/2005/5863                                           27 & 29 Bearwood Road                                                     Approved

                                                                Proposed single storey rear extension to form

                                                                conservatory on each property.

                                                                (Amendment to consent F/2004/3560).

 

CLE/2004/1851                                      Land Rear Of 41 Bearwood Road                                       Approved

                                                                Application for a certificate of lawful existing use for

                                                                parking of vehicles to include dismantling of scrap

                                                                vehicles at a rate of not more than 25 vehicles per annum.

 

F/2005/4130                                           Plots 7 & 8 Coppid Hill, Barkham Road

                                                                Alleged Breach: Development not in accordance with approved plans

                                                                (rooms in roof).  Enforcement Officer to visit the site.

 

F/2005/5743                                           Windmill Farm Cottage, Land Adjacent To Commonfield Lane

                                                                Alleged Breach:   Siting of 3 to 4 mobile homes.

                                                                Enforcement Officer to visit the site.

 

F/2005/4452                                           28 – 30 Langley Common Road

                                                                Siting of two mobile homes, storage of building materials and

                                                                parking/storage of motor vehicles on agricultural land.

Clerk requested the Enforcement Officer at WDC to visit the site.  Mr. Lettin has reported that a retrospective planning application was to be submitted for temporary permission for the two mobile homes but this has not been received.  The Senior Enforcement Officer has agreed that the two mobile homes may be temporarily kept where they are currently located, on the understanding that they are only occupied by those persons who will be occupying the two authorised dwellings and that they are removed from the agricultural land as soon as those dwellings have been completed.  The motor vehicles in every day use and the building materials currently stored

 

 

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on agricultural land be re located on the authorised development site an that any other motor vehicles be completely removed for the land by Tuesday 29th November.

 

05/730 Highways

Concern is again raised about the condition of The Coombes which has deteriorated over recent years.  Burnt out vehicles along Coombes Lane and fly tipping are not uncommon.  Recently motor bikes and quad bikes are a regular sight at the weekends, signs have been torn down, gateways smashed and jumps built.  Horse riders have taken to riding all over the area rather than keeping to the briddlepaths.  Clerk will write to all the local stables advising them of the requirement to keep to the bridlepaths, many riders may be unaware of the restrictions especially if the horse is rented for a ride.  The police have not been very helpful and could only suggest that they contacted by dialling the non emergency number and they would try to attend the scene,  BPC believe that in other local areas the police have confiscated motor bikes and quad bikes on the spot and hence this antisocial behaviour has stopped.  Concern is that a child or pedestrian will get hurt if action is not taken.  Mr. Newman volunteered to be the liaison from BPC for Thames Valley Police with regard to the latest initiative regarding Neighbourhood Policing  and will contact them requesting ways of stopping this behaviour.

 

05/731 To Discuss the provision of skips/refuse lorry in Barkham

It has become apparent that the refuse lorry at the site of the Old Village Hall is not being very well used which has raised the question of value for money, the cost being £131 for each lorry and £72 per skip.  When the skip was at this location on a Thursday it was being filled with trade refuse which was not the intention.  The Clerk has placed an article in the BVRA Newsletter asking for residents to comment on the service and the location of the refuse lorry.  One suggestion was to have the lorry at the OVH for 1 1/2  hours (8.00 – 9.30 a.m.) and then move to The Junipers for the remainder of the time (9.30 – 11.00 a.m.).  Clerk to contact Mr. Baveystock a WDC to see if this is a possible solution, also to deliver letter to the residents of The Junipers requesting comments before any decision is made.  This item to be reviewed in January when feedback has been collated.

 

05/732 Finance

Neat Ideas – stationery                                                                                       971          £37.58 (£31.98 exc VAT)

WDC – 1 refuse lorry at Old Village Hall & 1 skip at The Junipers              972          £238.53 (£203 exc VAT)

for October.

 

Standing Order for Clerk’s salary for November                                                             £426.23

Standing Order to Royal Bor. Windsor – Pension Fund for Clerk                               £67.77

for month of November  (Employee & employer contribution)

 

To date 797 books have been sold, an income of £4170.74, thus leaving 203 unsold, and the Council is now in credit to the amount of £205.07.

 

05/733  Unitary Authority Councillor's Report

Mrs Stubbs had nothing to add after Kate Fuller’s presentation with regard to highway issues.  She did report that the requests for licenses within WD had now quietened down as the deadline had now passed to apply for a new license.  None had been refused but some had accepted restricted hours.

 

05/734  A Village Design Statement For Barkham Update Report

A meeting took place on 18th October at the Village Hall, this was chaired by Mr. Newman and also Jane Ireland from WDC attended.  There was a good attendance from those who had registered an interest with Mr. Newman taking on the role of Chairman.  The next meeting will be held in a private house when a speaker from Sonning will give a talk on his experiences with undertaking this project.  Mr. Newman has divided Barkham into five geographical areas with a group of people allocated to each area to walk, photograph and research.  A sum of £1000 will be forthcoming from WDC towards publication costs of the finished article, but in the meantime Mr. Newman explained that he may well ask BPC for a small sum to be allocated to the project on a draw down arrangement as and when required, this would be ready for when the Precept discussions take place in January.

 

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05/735 Correspondence

Berkshire Rural Towns Partnership – A Plan For Community Action to be held on 19.11.05.  No one wished to attend.
B.T.  Proposal to make the payphone at the junction of Aggisters Lane and Barkham Road a cashless phone.  B.T. are not proposing to remove the payphone but to change the mechanism to cashless.  This payphone receives very low usage and by changing the mechanism will reduce the running costs.  A cashless phone would not allow payment by cash but will allow BT chargecard calls, 100 operator calls, 999 emergency calls, transfer charge calls, prepaid calling card calls and freefone 0800 calls.  Clerk to reply stating that BPC are willing to permit this phone box to be converted to a cashless phone.
WDVSF The Voluntary Sector Conference 2005 to be held on 10.11.05.  No one wished to attend.
CCB – Offer of a presentation on Affordable Housing.  It was decided to keep this for the future once the Village Design Statement has progressed further.
The Rural Housing Trust – Affordable Housing Seminar to be held on 16.12.05 at Hampstead Norreys Village Hall.  Mr. Newman and Mr. Postlethwaite to attend.

 

 

Distribution

The Planning Inspectorate Appeal Decision – 32 Barkham Ride, Finchampstead.

WDC Minutes of Meeting of the Scrutiny Committee 14.9.05.

WDC Planning Commitments For Housing March 2005.

WDC Local Plan Survey Number 8.

WD Sports Council Minutes of Meeting held on 12.9.05.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 3.10.05 – 7.10.05.

Wokingham Police Neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood Action Groups

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the District Council / Parish Council Conference 19.10.05.

WDC Consultation On Draft of the Wokingham District Council’s Local Transport Plan.

WDC Staff Bulletin Issue 18.

WDC Development Control Meeting 26.10.05.

WDC Agenda for Meeting of the Council 27.10.05.

WDC Agenda for meeting of the executive on 27.10.05.

WDC Minutes of Committee Meetings for the period 7.9.05 – 29.9.05.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 10.10.05 – 14.10.05

WDC Corporate News Issue 25.

Local Council Review.

WDC Planning Applications Input & Decisions Issued for the period 17.10.05 – 21.10.05.

Thames Valley Police – Neighbourhood Policing.

WDC Staff Bulletin Issue 19.

WDC Waterford Times.

Royal Berkshire Fire Authority – Integrated Risk Management Plan Year III Summary.

 

 

Meeting closed at  9.50 p.m. .

 

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

Next meeting of Planning Committee will be held on 22nd November 2005 at 7.30 p.m.