Minutes of the Parish Meeting of Grafton Parish Council held on 4th July, 2006 at 7.15p.m. in the Coronation Hall, East Grafton
Present: Mr Lemon, Mrs McBride, Mr Beese, Mr. Haddrell, Mrs Fleckney,
Mr Symons, Mrs Dudney, Mr Parkin, Mrs Heard (Clerk) and eight members of the public.
1. Apologies: Mr Veasey (KDC – Shalborne Ward)
2. The Minutes: The Minutes of the meetings of 2nd May 2006 were approved. (Proposed Mr Symons, seconded Mrs Fleckney and approved by the P.C.)
3. Resignation of Mr Baxter and co-option of new member. Notices are being posted.
4. Matters Arising a) Community Policing, complaints received from Lynden Close, E. Grafton (antisocial behaviour) – Mr Parkin advised that the police have issued a six-month Harassment Warning to the main offender. Any new offence in progress should be notified to the police 999 service, at other times Community Officer PC MacDonald can be contacted on 0800 408 7000 and a response unit will be despatched when available. Mr Lemon has reported an arson offence in the field beyond Lynden Close, but otherwise the public report improvements. b) Primary Trust-Savernake Hospital, possible closure – Huge attendance numbers prevented Mrs McBride gaining access to recent public meetings but she reported on the widespread movement to prevent closure or any reduction in this service. The Chairman of the Marlborough Community Area Members Forum has called on GPs, Councillors, Friends and the community to keep up pressure by writing to the authority, and the PC agreed to lend every support. c) New Refuse Collection Arrangements –Mr.Parkin has discussed with KDC some concerns raised in the Parish, and they advise that they will be using July collections as a test of capacity and use. KDC will review any individual concerns and the public should contact them directly. [Note: extra black boxes are available free of charge at Manor Farm Wilton, which KDC are using as a local store for members of the Parish . Contact Peter Lemon on 870266.] Alternatively ring KDC 01380 724911, email: kennet@kennet.gov.uk).
5. Hall Report: a) New Build/Restoration The PC is considering replacing the existing Village Hall as the current structure built in 1937 is in need of extensive and costly repair and updating. Any changes to the Coronation Hall will need to be approved by a majority of the members of the parish at a public meeting as well as the Charity Commissioners.
Mr Symons reported on the recent meeting with the School Governors who had approached the Parish Council to explore the possibility of building a hall on the school grounds. During this meeting the school outlined their plans and requirements, and explained that they will discuss their proposal with the dual owners of the school land. The Parish Council will await the outcome of their discussions.
Mr Symons explained that the complications regarding land ownership and the size of the sports hall being proposed would make the time taken before decisions could be taken would far exceed the time available before the Village Hall improvements had to be undertaken. He also told the meeting that a hall of this size requiring a steel structure would be very expensive and recommended that the hall should be rebuilt on its present site. He then showed the Council a drawing of the proposed hall which he recommended the Parish Council should use it its application to KDC for outline planning permission.
The chairman then asked each member of the Parish Council to give their views.
Each member gave their views and all agreed that, on current information, they felt the hall should be re-built on the present site as this was a more suitable position in the village.
The chairman then adjourned the meeting to allow questions and comments from the public present. General Walsh told the meeting that he agreed with the views of the Council and there were further discussions as to whether the school would be able to use the hall for sports or teaching if it was built on its present site. Mrs Goldstein, chairman of the school governors, explained that this would not be possible. She said that the LEA had allowed the school to use the hall as a temporary measure while their new IT classroom was being built, but they would not allow this on a permanent basis.
The meeting was re-convened, and in the light of likely legal delays regarding land ownership, the high costs involved with the School’s plans and the urgent need to update the present structure, the Parish Council unanimously voted to apply for outline planning permission to replace the Hall on its current site. Mr Symons said he would kindly donate the architects and planning application fees to date, and future fees to be at the cost of the PC (proposed Mrs Fleckney, seconded Mr Beese and approved by the PC).
The chairman said that he wished to have a continuing dialogue to help the School, and that a public meeting will be held to take full account of the views of the members of the Parish. He said that once these views have been taken into account, the Parish Council will consider the whole matter again and then at a further public meeting they would ask the members of the Parish to vote on the proposal put forward by the Parish Council.
b) Hall, general - Mrs Dudney reminded the meeting that there are health and safety, and renovation cost issues making a decision on the Hall’s future more pressing. Mrs Dudney also advised that the Women’s Institute had expressed an interest in starting a Grafton branch at the Hall from September 2006.
6. Annual Parish Accounts: The PC acknowledged their responsibilities under the Auditors’ Statement of Assurance and approved signature of the Parish Council and Hall Accounts for forwarding to the external Auditors (proposed Mrs Dudney, seconded Mr Parkin). Mr Lemon thanked Miss Creese for once again kindly undertaking the internal audit.
7. Planning Update: Mr Symons reported on current applications, further information available from the Clerk.
8. Parish Welcome Pack/Grafton Website – Mr Lemon thanked Mrs Dudney for her hard work in preparing a new welcome pack and building a parish website. The PC is looking into ways to ensure the pack is received by new parishioners soon after their arrival. Local information and links appear on the website. The Site can be accessed via Google search by typing ‘East Grafton’.
9. Community Cleansing Grant/Skip – It was agreed to order three skips, one each for Wexcombe, Wilton and E. Grafton, dates to be advised - £55 each (proposed Mr Symons, seconded Mr Haddrell).
10. Correspondence:
a)Mr Lemon advised that the next Emergency Planning Meeting will take place on 9th November.
b)Mr Parkin has received notification that the Parish Lengthsmen service is to be replaced by a parish Steward service, more details to follow.
11 A.O.B. – It was agreed that Mrs Heard look into the cost of obtaining a document laminator so that parish information can be displayed on the open noticeboards.
Dates of future meetings
5th September 2006, 7th November 2006, 2nd January 2007, 6th March 2007,
27th March 2007 (AGM) |