Odstock Parish Council

The Annual meeting of Odstock Parish Council was held on 14 May 2015 in the Radnor Hall, Bodenham.

Present: Rod Poynting (Chairman), Stephen Stapley (Vice-Chairman), Nigel Start, Colin Berry, Sally Nelson, Richard Parsons (Clerk), Wiltshire Cllr Julian Johnson and seven members of the public.
Apologies: Gavin Simmonite and David Williamson-Jones.

12/15 Annual Parish Meeting: a) Annual OPC Report: The Chairman delivered his report.
b) Financial Report for y/e 31 March 2015: Income of £27,899.22p for the year includes a grant of £11,000 from the Landfill Community Fund, R2 funds of £3,786.57p and other grants from Wiltshire Council totalling £1,627.05p, donations of £1,900 and the balance of £9,585.60p from the precept and a small amount of bank interest. Expenditure of £35,405.02p includes £24,190.46p spent on play equipment in Odstock playing field, £2,418.16p on resurfacing the footpath between Nunton and Odstock, £3,312.23p on rents, grass-cutting and maintenance, £1,250 on grant support for village groups and £4,234.17p on general administration. The balance of £6,364.12p being carried forward includes £3,400 reserved for Capital Funding and £1,500 earmarked for incidental maintenance expenses in the Nunton Recreation Field.
c) Steering Group for Neighbourhood Plan: There was a discussion about how village representatives would canvas parishioners for their views on the production of a document to assist planners with future planning applications. Active involvement with this group will be encouraged with the objective of producing Statutory Supplementary Planning Guidance which would be adopted by Wiltshire Council.

13/15 Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman: Cllr Nelson proposed and Cllr Berry seconded, Cllr Poynting as Chairman. The Chairman proposed and Cllr Start seconded, Cllr Stapley as Vice-chairman.

14/15 Declaration of Interest: None.

15/15 Minutes of the Ordinary OPC meeting held on 5 February were approved and signed by the Chairman.

16/15 Delegation of Functions: LGA 1972 s101 allows for the functions of a statutory authority to be discharged through a committee, sub-committee, officer or any other local authority. It was unanimously agree that when necessary, statutory functions would be delegated to the Parish Clerk as Proper Officer of Odstock Parish Council.

17/15 Meeting Dates: 2 July, 10 September, 10 December, 11 February 2016 and the Annual meetings on 12 May 2016. In accordance with LGA72 sch.12 s.9(1), Extraordinary PC meetings can be called by the Chairman at any time and may be subject to LGA72 sch.12 s.10(2) requiring three clear days notice. Meeting cancellations will be similarly advised.

18/15 Nunton Recreation Field:
a) Grass Cutting: The terms of the contract for cutting the grass in both Nunton and Odstock is unchanged for 2015/16.
b) Gate Posts: The Chairman undertook to supply and install new field gateposts and play-area posts at cost.
c) Septic Tank: Cllr Start had arranged for a local builder to repair the drainage pipe leading to the septic tank.
d) Safety Surface: The Chairman requested that the 20cu m of bark be delivered on a Friday so that volunteers would be able to spread it in the play-area on the Saturday morning, preferably at a weekend without a car-boot sale.

19/15 Community Initiatives:
a) Radnor Hall Committee: It was noted that Radnor Hall funds are being supplemented by the proceeds from car-boot sales held on the Nunton Recreation Field. It was agreed that the amount of the Annual Radnor Hall Grant would be reviewed in the current financial year and the proceeds from the car-boot sales taken into account.
b) Shepherds Close Car Parking: It was unanimously agreed to abandon any plan to increase the size of the Shepherds Close car-park for the foreseeable future.
c) Request for Funding: It was unanimously agreed to provide financial support in the sum of £250 towards the costs of the Steering Committee set up to create the neighbourhood plan.

20/15 Transport, Roads and Footpaths:
a) Wiltshire Council Highways: Maintenance had been carried out as requested by the Chairman.
b) Parish Footpaths: Cllr Start reported that one of the Kissing Gates on the Avon Valley path has sunken and will require additional maintenance. The Chairman agreed to review the situation.
c) Community Area Transport Group: Cllrs Berry and Start agreed to attend the next CATG meeting.

21/15 Planning: The Chairman reported that he was not aware of any fresh proposals concerning the Nunton Dairy Unit under Planning Application no. 14/10390/FUL – The erection of an extension to an agricultural storage building and the erection of an agricultural building to be used to house livestock.

22/15 Reports and Correspondence: The next Area Board meeting is in Winterslow Village Hall on 28 May. The Clerk agreed to attend on behalf of OPC.

23/15 Finance:
a) Bank Accounts: It was agreed to continue maintaining Odstock PC's Bank Accounts with Lloyds Bank plc.
b) Staff Costs for 2014-2015: The Parish Clerk's salary of £50.77p per week was in line with expectations.
c) Accounts for 2014-2015: OPC's Internal Auditor had verified Odstock PC's accounts as presented.
d) Annual Return for 2014-2015: Members answered all of the Governance questions in the affirmative.
e) Chairman's Allowance for 2015-2016: Up to £100 will be made available to the Chairman for expenses of office.
f) Zurich Municipal Insurance Premium for 2015-2016: The invitation to renew, for £518.51p, was approved.
g) WALC Membership for 2015-2016: Subscription renewal of £205.02p inc VAT was approved.
h) Receipts: Wiltshire Council – First instalment of the precept £5,777.83p
i) Payments: The following were approved:
Ebble Building – Repair of Drain to Septic Tank 536 £495.00p
Wiltshire Association of Local Councils – Subscription 537 £205.02p
Community First Trading – Zurich Insurance Renewal 538 £518.51p
Bawden Contracting Services Ltd – Grass Cutting 539 £403.12p
R Parsons – Clerk's salary and expenses, on account 540 £912.00p
Groundshield – Bark Safety Surface Material 546 £1,581.12p
Southern Electric – Nunton Field Electricity DD £22.14p

24/15 Any Other Business (for information only): None

25/15 The next Ordinary OPC meeting is scheduled for 2 July.

The meeting closed at 8:55pm 

Signed without amendment by Cllr Start on 2 July 2015.
Download here   as a .pdf file.

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