0796

COLWALL PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Countryside Committee held on Wednesday

18th May 2011 at 7.30pm in the Jean Simons Room, Colwall Village Hall.

 

Present: Councillors, N Abbotts, J Jackson, J Mills, M Milne, R Trafford –Roberts, G Rees. Co-opted members F Ballard, J Cooney and the Clerk.

 

  1. Welcome and Apologies

The Chairman welcomed those present and new Councillor and committee member Roland Trafford-Roberts.

Apologies were received and accepted from Councillor N Carless, B Ashton and Co-opted member S West.

 

  1. Declarations of Interest:

None were declared.

 

  1. Minutes of previous meeting:

The minutes of the meeting held on 2nd March 2011 were agreed as a correct record and signed.

 

  1. Countryside Budget.

i)                    A summary of the 2011/12 Countryside Committee’s year to date accounts was not available, but Councillor Mills confirmed that the committee was within budget and that a detailed breakdown would be available at the next committee meeting.

 

5.      Charlie Ballard Nature Reserve

The clerk reported:-.

Frog spawn had been laid in the main pond and the pond is a mass with tadpoles.

 

S Maund the Village Maintenance contractor has completed a second strim of the paths in the reserve.

 

Following some recent vandalism involving signs being uprooted, the handrail on the steps and general debris being thrown into the pond, this has all been cleared up and the Clerk had reported the incident to the Police.

 

The Nature Reserve is flourishing well and many birds are nesting in the area.

 

6.      Footpaths

John Cooney the new footpath officer reported the following:-

CW26 a@ Cummins Farm. The landowner A Lloyd has now agreed to an easy access gate on this footpath subject to discussing with the footpath officer.

J Cooney will liaise with A Lloyd about this and the gate will be supplied from the supply currently held in stock and for installation by the landowner.

0797

CW13a. – Cowl Barn Lane is permanently obstructed due to flooding. The Clerk confirmed this has been reported to the County, who need to liaise with the landowner about the obstruction caused by recent building works. Many complaints have been received from Parishioners. The Clerk will advise the Councillors of Chris Gardiner’s contact details – the Rights of Way Officer, so that they can log individual complaints and also advise Parishioners to so directly.

 

CW3 @ Hoe Court – gate padlocked. The County are attempting to contact the landowner, who is believed to be abroad. regarding this unlawful obstruction.

 

Freda Ballard had identified a potential route for a wheelchair/ motorised scooter easy access path. CW32a opposite The Winnings, Walwyn Road onto CW36a which runs parallel with the Chase Road and rejoins the Walwyn Road on the hairpins. Users could park along the Chase Road to access the route. A pedestrian gate with a radar for permit holders of blue badges would need to be installed (where there is a padlocked vehicular gate presently), much of the surface is tarmac which would need some clearing from mud and vegetation. This route has good potential as it gives good views of the countryside from an elevated position and is a circular route. Councillor Jackson will access the route on her motorised scooter and report back to the committee at the next meeting.

 

7.   Correspondence:

i) P3 notification for 2011/12. The grant offered for the forthcoming year is £700, previously £2,475 in 2010/11 and £1,200 in 2009/10. The Clerk confirmed she has queried the reduction in the grant but no response has been forthcoming to date from Tim Thompson the Public Rights of Way Officer and Warden Manager.

Councillor Mills will review the budget and consider if there is a need reallocating some budgeted funds. The committee will consider this at the next committee meeting; in the meantime the grant offered will cover the expected expenditure on maintaining the footpaths

 

 ii) Email from J Cooney accepting invitation for co-option as footpath officer for Colwall for the 2011/12 year. Committee members thanked John Cooney for offering to undertake this role.

 

8.      Date of next meeting:

This was confirmed as 7.30pm in the Jean Simons Room of the Village Hall on Wednesday the 6th July 2011.

The meeting closed at 8.08pm

 

 

 

 

 

Signed…………………………         Date………….