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VILLAGE AMENITIES COMMITTEE

Minutes of the meeting of the Village Amenities Committee of Colwall Parish Council held on Wednesday 2nd June 2010 at 7.30pm in the Jean Simon Room, Colwall Village Hall.

 

Present:

Councillors: Mrs N Carless, Mrs G Rees, Mrs H Turner and Messrs Abbotts, Beard, Hunt, Mills and Milne.

Co-opted member D Fisher, one member of the public and the Clerk.

 

1.         Welcome and Apologies.

The Chairman Councillor Beard welcomed those present.

Apologies were received for Councillor Mills who was expected to arrive late as he was on parish Council business in the village. This apology was accepted. Councillor Mill arrived during item 7 of the agenda.

 

2.         Declaration of Interests.

None were declared.

 

3.         Minutes.

The minutes of Village Amenities Committee held on Wednesday 7th April 2009 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

 

4.         Amenities Budget.

i) A summary of the 2010/11 Amenities Committee’s year to date accounts will be circulated at the next committee meeting.

ii) The Clerk had obtained a quotation for repairs to the lettering on the War Memorial. IT WAS RESOLVED that the quotation from A C Davis, the stonemason who has preciously undertaken works in the War Memorial for the Parish Council, for £720 plus VAT be accepted and the Clerk place an order for the works to be undertaken.

 

5.         Sites Overview.

  1. Orlin Road Play Area (TH) – Reported to be in good condition.
  2. War Memorial Garden (NC/GR) – Reported to be in good condition. Councillor Carless commented that the paths need clearing of weeds. The Clerk will ask the Village Maintenance contractor to undertake this job.
  3. Allen’s Meadow (TH) – Reported to be in good condition.
  4. Walwyn Meadow and Library Building (JB) – Reported to be in good condition. The condition of the bin at the entrance was discussed and IT WS AGREED the Clerk will obtain a quotation for a suitable replacement and put to the committee at the next meeting.
  5. Colwall Green (DF) – Reported to be in good condition. David Fisher commented that whilst the ditch which runs parallel to the footpath near the school and Elm Drive and had been strimmed in part by the Conservators contractors it still needs to be properly cleared out/re-ditched. The Clerk will liaise again with the Conservators about this.
  6. Brookmill Close play area (JB) – Reported to be in good condition.
  7. Aunt Alice – (GR/JB) Councillor Rees reported that the time keeping of the clock is regularly monitored and adjusted when it is 5 minutes off time.
  8. Railway Gardens (MM) - Reported to be in good condition. Councillor Milne asked that the gardener digs the soil around the plants on the platform where the new shelter has been installed as this has become compacted. The Clerk will action this point.

 

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6.         Parish Notice Boards. Village Seats and Litter Bins.

All seats and bins were reported to be in good order. The Clerk advised that the Conservators have installed a new bench in Upper Colwall near the bus-stop following a request by the Parish Council.

The Clerk advised that the new seat opposite Aunt Alice in Walwyn Road will be installed as soon as the contractor at Amey has returned from annual leave.

The Clerk reported that the Notice Boards were all in good condition.

 

7.         Grass Cutting regime on Colwall Green.

           

The meeting was adjourned to allow the member of the public present to speak.

The member of the public was representing the views of his family particularly his son who is at school at Colwall Primary School. He spoke of the amenity value to the village in having this unique wildlife area and the value that it brings to the children in the Primary School, as it is used as a nature reserve and for learning about the flowers and fauna.

 

The meeting was reconvened.

 

After a period of extended debate IT WAS RESOLVED that the existing grass cutting regime of twice yearly in the wilder areas would continue and fortnightly in the cut areas. The regime will be reviewed April 2015 with the option to review with the Conservators in the interim should the need arise.

IT WAS RESOLVED that the Clerk would advise the Conservators of this decision and that Councillor Rees would write a short article for the Parish Magazine explaining the Parish Councils decision.

Councillor Mills did not vote in favour of this scheme.

 

8.         Correspondence

            i) Email from the resident of Wycheholme, Walwyn Road regarding the new seat. Queries were raised regarding the legal responsibility or the slab and seat and concerns were highlighted regarding anti-social behaviour in Walwyn Meadow and concerns that this may spill over onto the new seat which could have a direct impact on the residents. IT WAS AGREED the Clerk would reply to the letter answering the legal questions and confirm that the Parish Council would consider reviewing the location of the seat should its current location cause the residents a problem due to anti-social behaviour. The Clerk would also provide details of the local CSO and contact details so that any such incidents can be immediately reported to the police for their investigation and actioning.

 

9.         Date of next meeting.

The next meeting of the Village Amenities Committee will be held on Wednesday 4th August 2010, in the Jean Simon Room at Colwall Village Hall.

 

The meeting closed at 8.17 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chairman…………………………….            Date……………..