PARISH COUNCIL: The monthly meeting was held in King Georges Hall. Coun L Stowe chaired the meeting and all councillors were present including coun Gillam the district councillor and coun J Girling county councillor. It was a short meeting preceding the precept meeting. The parish grass cutting tender has been advertised for and all applicants estimates will be read out at the January meeting when the decision of the successful applicant will be named. The Christmas Carol Concert will take place at The Plantation, outside The Three Ways Hotel on December 21 at 7.30pm. Bretforton Brass Band will play the carols. The Vicar and Methodist Minister will preside and the collection this year will go to the Friends of the Surgery. Soup will be supplied by The Three Ways. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to go for a shorter Christmas tree of 14' on the Plantation, but a taller aluminium pole will be used for the electric wires to clear the road over to The Three Ways. It was due to be put in position on Tuesday, providing there were sufficient helpers. The tree will be paid for by the owner of The Butchers Arms.
The Parish Plan: It was agreed that the clerk should write to all village groups asking if any of their members would volunteer to assist in carrying out a task to compile an updated village plan, before any meeting takes place.
Cemetery regulations: After private talks held by the Burial Board Committee, the new burial roster will commence from January 1. These will be distributed to all undertakers, stonemasons and bereaved persons, and this hopefully will prevent all previous problems reoccurring. One or two graves are in need of levelling, as they are too high and the undertakers will be notified. A letter had been received from relatives of the late Mr and Mrs L Kinchin requesting if an overgrown evergreen tree covering the graves could be attended to. This and a cherry tree in need of pruning, will be inspected and attended to. Terms of reference for a planning sub-committee have been agreed upon. Minor planning applications can be settled by the sub-committee if a deadline has to be reached and met, before a parish council meeting, but on a matter of major planning applications all councillors and general public, will and must be informed before any decision is made. A schedule of outstanding non repairs to all roads and footpaths throughout the village, has been drawn up. A copy has been given to both councillors Gillam and Girling and others will be sent to the highway department and a copy will be displayed in the notice board and will be updated as and when the repairs are carried out. Fresh pot holes were noted, requiring attention.
Maintenance of grounds: A new latch is needed to repair the one broken on the junior playing fields new gate. Coun J Smith will see to it.
Sub-committee reports: The annual safety check has been carried out in the junior playing field says coun L Stowe. Coun C Spencer reported on both the millennium and village hall. The former is holding a disco on New Years Eve, for the over 16 years of age in King George Hall and the latter a quiz held for the village hall raised £218. Coun A Trainor announced again, that more volunteer drivers are required by the Hedgehog Bus Committee.
Planning applications: Amended plans for a house behind Meadow View, Granbrook Lane - previous water tower, making it less obtrusive received no objections. Sommerville applied to extend a single storey building on site. They are manufacturing pre-cast concrete garages. There is a possibility of them infringing the use of land as B2/B8 use, was not wanted on this site. Coun Gillam is keeping a strict eye on procedures here. Also there is a lack of landscaping and screening taking place as promised.
Correspondence: A letter was read out from Mrs Newcombe, High Street who is requesting with the councillors help to increase the length of white lines across her drive way - failing that to make an application for double yellow lines. The latter are definitely not wanted by all councillors. It was thought that several of the cars parked along the High Street by Cost Cutter actually belonged to residents and few shoppers. If Mrs Newcombe was unable to use her drive because of badly parked cars it was more of a police matter and nothing to do with parish matters. There was reports of more flooding in Nursery Close from a resident Mrs Colicutt. Fosseway Housing will be called upon again to resolve the problem, which has resulted since they built houses, behind private dwellings. A letter received from The Butchers Arms suggesting as a matter of goodwill, that they will pay for the Christmas tree on The Plantation because of controversy of their sign, which is on The Plantation against parish council wishes. They state that they have applied for the Brown Tourist sign and also wish to have a plaque positioned on the wall of Barn House advertising their business and lastly, have promised in writing to remove their sign off The Plantation on January 2.
AOB: It was agreed by all councillors to pay £30 towards the poppy wreath this year. There is no December meeting for the parish council, next meeting is January 30.
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