24/170. Public recess.
4 members of the public.
A resident read out the majority of their statement with regards to a FOI they had submitted for the planning application made by Hannick Homes for Hodson Road land.
His comments included his findings from his FOI and his thoughts on what the council could change with regards to the processes followed at the time. The residents time limit expired before he could reach the end of his document. Cllr Kearsey accepted the document and advised it would be sent to all Cllrs.
A resident who is a childminder is interested in hiring the Rec hall for 4 days per week but understands there are roof issues with the hall at the moment. The resident has contacts in the roofing industry so has offered to try to get more quotes for the work. Full use Mon-Thur apart from the Full council meeting would be desired. 7.30am-5pm.
The council indicated they’d like to discuss this further and the Chairman asked the resident to keep in touch with the Clerk to discuss further to try to get some definite plans in place for the council to discuss further.
3 of the residents left the meeting at 19.37.
24/171. Approval of apologies given.
Absence with apologies: Cllrs Jackson and Quidwai have work commitments.
No apologies from Cllr Whitehead.
A proposal was made to approve the apologies given with the reasons stated. The proposal was seconded and the majority of Cllrs were in favour. 2 Cllrs voted against the proposal.
24/172. Co-option of Parish Cllrs. No candidates
24/173. Declarations of interest. None
24/174. Approval of minutes from 9th December 2024. No changes.
A proposal was made to approve these minutes as an accurate account of the meeting. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/175. Action points from previous meeting.
Clerk
24/92. To include planning app S/OUT/24/0982 on all Full Council agenda’s until further notice. PENDNG – waiting for further updates from SBC.
24/151. Add an agenda item to a future agenda to discuss how the PC feel about the proposed devolvement options for SBC. DONE
24/154. Load the new policy onto the council’s website. DONE
24/162. To arrange for the precept paperwork to go back to SBC, along with the RFO. DONE
24/163. Respond to organiser of the thermal imaging scheme that CPC are interested in finding out more. DONE – no feedback received yet.
24/164. Advise on 2 new Cllrs joining SLCF. DONE
24/165. Create and send a document to SBC and Ward Cllrs ref no confidence vote. PENDING. To be added to March full council agenda for vote on final content.
24/166. Arrange for CPC to be signed up the Civility and Respect pledge. DONE
24/167. To talk to other rural south PCs about a coalition. DONE. Waiting for further feedback
24/168. Add agenda item to Jan 25 to discuss the Rec Hall future. DONE
Ward Cllr Hopkins and Elliott
20/16. Investigate end of Badbury footpath being blocked. Waiting for SBC officer update. Update not expected until new Financial year starting 1.4.25
24/176. Police and Community report. Cllr Sunners
December crime stats. 9 for Chiseldon and Badbury Park area. 6 specific to Chiseldon. The new crime plan for 2025-29 is now published on the PCC website.
24/177. Ward Cllrs reports.
Ward Cllr Elliott – Chiseldon Ward
The Local Government Boundary Commission results have been published. There will be the same total number of Ward Cllrs but an increase in ward numbers by 5. 24 proposed boundary changes.
The electorate is expected to rise from around 166500 to 177000 between 2023 and 2030.
The Chiseldon and Lawn ward is to be split. Lawn will be added to Old Town and East Witchel etc.
Badbury Park will be added to Eldene, Nythe and Dorcan.
Each ward will have 3 Cllrs.
Chiseldon will join Ridgeway Ward. This will then have 2 Ward Cllrs. This new ward will include Liddington, Wanborough and the new Eastern Villages.
This will be debated in Westminster in May 25. Would come into effect from May 26 if approved.
WC Elliott attended a meeting that Danny Kruger MP held in New Road that Cllrs Kearsey and Jefferies also attended. This was to discuss the Build Out. A petition has been created to assist our MP with a request that it be removed. As of 7th Feb there are 203 signatures added. The petition offers no other speeding solutions. It was confirmed that during the meeting it was stated that Chiseldon PC wanted changes to the site as well and had even offered to pay appropriate costs to have it removed, however we must have SBC approval.
Earthline – an agricultural business has moved into the site and are using 1 of the hangers. WC Elliott was asked by CPC to check with SBC enforcement to make sure the decision of the enforcement is still being enforced according to the legal ruling.
Cllr Rawlings mentioned that Baldwin Close is suffering flooding since the New Road re-surfacing. A drain is also blocked by tarmac. SBC are aware.
Ward Cllr Sumner – Ridgeway Ward.
With regards to devolution plans across the country. SBC is keen to engage with the Thames Valley proposal. There is no common boundary with Berkshire however so this will pose an obstacle. SBC are creating a working group with 3 Cllrs from Labour and Conservative to look at the economic benefits of the proposal. Mayoral authorities have greater powers on infrastructure spending. If this is agreed then nothing is likely to be in place until 2027.
SBC is in a tough place with regards to the current economy. It has been described as “existential”. SBC have taken on extra Gov financial support.
SBC will sell income generating assets and will be allowed to use these funds for revenue. They can also borrow funds. Selling assets will pay off short term borrowing.
The forecasted figures for 26/27 are looking more severe. When the 2026 elections are concluded that administration will inherit the situation.
The Badbury hedge is due to be cut in the next 2 weeks. Residents at Meadow Way have reported issues with mud on the road at Dayhouse Lane. WC Sumner has requested the road sweeper visit.
Recent break-ins in the area. Police advise getting Ring doorbells and security lights.
A new SHELAA** will go out for consultation shortly. All Ward Cllrs have a meeting in 2 weeks to find out more.
All Ward Cllrs leave at 20.07.
24/178. To vote on Cllr James Whitehead no longer being a Parish Councillor due to non-attendance to all council meeting for over 6 months with no apologies given.
A proposal was made to approve the removal of Cllr Whitehead as a Cllr. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/179. To vote on the approval of the following policies.
A proposal was made to approve the new Dignity at Work policy. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
A proposal was made to approve the existing Grievance policy. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
A proposal was made to approve the existing Disciplinary policy. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
A proposal was made to approve the existing Complaints policy. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/180. To vote on whether to request the Patriots Arms in Chiseldon and the Calley Arms in Hodson be listed as Assets of Community Value (ACV) for another 5 years with SBC.
A proposal was made to re-list both pubs as ACV’s for the next 5 years. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/181. PLANNING. To vote on any applications provided by SBC after the agenda was published. There were none.
24/182. To discuss and vote on the future of the Rec Hall due to the cost of repairs required.
The Clerk has a note to check insurance for a child-care facility being on site.
To note if the council hired the Calley Hall for its meetings instead it would cost £15 per hour.
To only replace the tennis club side of the building with a brick building would be around £36,000. A modular building would cost around £40000 and dismantling and taking away the existing hall around £10,000. This is based on 1 set of broad quotes to provide approximate costs to work from.
Costs so far for roof repairs are around £15000 for a new roof, £8000 to cover the whole roof in a rubberised material and £4000 to just cover the tennis club area.
It was discussed to create a focus group to look at this in more details – Cllrs Ford and Stevens have offered to look at this further. There will be a standing item on each planning meeting to review any progress made.
The Clerk will look for quotes for new broadband in the hall for the next full council meeting. EE, Three and Vodaphone have been suggested.
The Clerk will progress discussions with the resident who wishes to use the hall for a nursery provision.
24/183. Devolvement plans for Swindon Borough Council.
From the comments received by Ward Cllrs this project will not be happening for some time. The Clerk will add this to an agenda for 6 months’ time to discuss again.
24/184. To approve the council’s bank reconciliation for November and December 24, and January 2025.
A proposal was made to approve the details of the bank reconciliations. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/185. To approve the November 24, December 24, and January 25 Finance figures.
A proposal was made to approve the Nov 24, Dec 24 and Jan 25 financial reports as an accurate representation of the councils finances. The proposal was seconded and all Cllrs were in favour.
24/186. To approve Cllr Jo Stevens as a signatory on the CCLA* Public Sector Deposit Fund account and to also re-approve Cllrs Ian Kearsey, Chris Rawlings, Jon Jackson, the Clerk Clair Wilkinson and the RFO Nina Hempstock as signatories.
A proposal was made to approve the names above as signatories on the CCLA account. The proposal was seconded and all voting Cllrs were in favour.
Cllrs Kearsey, Stevens, and Rawlings didn’t vote as they had an interest in the item.
24/187. 6 month review of council website.
No issues or updates needed.
24/188. Committee reports, Correspondence and risk assessments.
Finance – Cllr Kearsey. No committee meeting since last council meeting. Next meeting 5th March.
EGPA – Cllr Rawlings. Annual litter pick date of 5th April approved. New bin approved. A meeting with Allbuild ref parish appearance and litter picking is being arranged. New street sweeping trolley purchased.
Planning – Cllr Jefferies. Still waiting for Hannick Homes application to be on SBC planning committee agenda.
Risk Assessments. To be updated at the March meeting.
24/189. Items for next agenda. To progress the childcare proposal and hall situation. Cllr Sunners has given his apols for the March meeting.
How can we get more Cllrs to join to the council. Can we ask local media students at colleges to do short videos etc?
Meeting closed 20.55
Actions
All Actions to be completed by the next Full Committee meeting unless otherwise specified.
Clerk
24/92. To include planning app S/OUT/24/0982 on all Full Council agenda’s until further notice.
24/165. Create and send a document to SBC and Ward Cllrs ref no confidence vote.
24/170. Scan document provided in public recess and email to all Cllrs.
24/170. To talk to child minder to obtain more information for future meetings.
24/178. Advise SBC electoral services that James Whitehead is no longer a Parish Cllr.
24/179. Add 4 updated policies onto the website.
24/180. Create 2 new ACV documents for the pubs and submit to SBC for consideration.
24/182. Check with insurance ref child care business in hall.
24/182. Remind Cllrs Ford and Stevens about their focus group for the hall. Add item to each planning meeting.
24/182. Get quotes for new broadband for the Rec Hall.
24/183. Add devolvement discussion to full council meeting for Aug 25.
24/189. How to add more Cllrs to the council. Clerk to talk to local college and add to future council agenda.