VACANCY FOR CLERK TO THE PARISH COUNCIL

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL
VACANCY FOR CLERK TO THE PARISH COUNCIL

Due to the retirement of the current Clerk, a vacancy has arisen for a new Clerk from 1st January 2008.

Working from home, the hours are nominally 4 hours a week.

Pay in accordance with the NALC pay scale

For more information contact:
Mary Cowdery 981 2165
Mary@Midghamparish.co.uk

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL Sept07 minutes(approved)

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL


Minutes of the meeting held in the Village Hall on Tuesday September 25th 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Present were Mr. R. Disson, (Chairman), Mr. S. Sawyer (Vice Chairman), Mr. J. Ormrod, Mrs. M. Rusbridge, the clerk Mrs. M. Cowdery and three members of the public.

Apologies were received from Mrs. I. Neill (District Councillor) and Mr. D. Lombardo.

Declarations of interest:
Mr. Sawyer declared and interest in Midgham Green being a resident thereof

Minutes:
The minutes of the previous meeting were read approved and signed.

Matters arising:
New Councillors course: Mr. Ormrod and Mr Sawyer had attended a course for new Councillors, and reported that it had been both interesting and helpful.
Repair of seats in the parish: the Clerk had asked Mr. Pike to inspect the seat on Midgham Green and the one by the church with a view to repairing both. As no response has been received, Mr. Ormrod volunteered to ask his carpenter to look at the seat on Midgham Green. A member of the public that the seat by the church was in a dangerous condition reported it. Mr. Sawyer volunteered to remove the seat to a safe place within the churchyard.
Midgham website: Mr. Sawyer has posted information about the Parish Council on the new website. He would ask the webmaster if a separate page could be created for the different organisations within the parish, to make the site easier to navigate. A notice has been put on all village noticeboards advertising the fact that a new website is up and running. A notice to the same effect will be put in the next edition of the Church Magazine.
Capital bids: two bids have been lodged with WBC, one for a parking bay for the Village Hall and one for two new bus shelters to replace the ones in the A4.
Planning conditions in Goddards Drive: no conditions had been attached to planning applications no. 03/01975 andn03/01281 requesting residents to replace fences between the agricultural land and domestic land within their curtilage.

Retirement of the clerk:
The Clerk announced that she would be retiring as of 31st December 2007. Mrs. Rusbridge said that she would be sorely missed. It was agreed to start the advertising campaign locally with notices in the Church Magazine and on the village notice boards.

Parish Plan update:
Nothing to report

Clerk’s report:
Financial statement: c/a £144.63 d/a £14,523.90
Bills to be paid: Mrs.M. Cowdery £378.80 salary + £63.55 exp. = £442.35
H. M. Revenue and customs £106.70
The Councillors approved these amounts for payment.

Planning:
Planning committee:
07/01516 Hallcourt farm Change of use of land, and construction of tennis court
a decision has been deferred until more information has been submitted.
Appeals
Spire Ridge live/work units – the appeal was heard on September 25th.




Correspondence:
WBC Traffic management processes and procedures – Cox’s Lane will be included in a future works programme, and a home to school survey for schoolchildren will be carried out.
District Parish Conference - Monday 15th October at 6.30 pm Council offices –
Mr. Disson and Mrs Rusbridge to attend.
Flood relief funding
GOSE Regional Spatial Strategy – panel report
Clerks and Councils Direct
Local Council Review
CPRE Voice

Maintenance and renovations of Midgham Green:
Mr. Disson had received an email from the owner of Channel Wood to the east of Midgham Green, expressing concern about the proposed works on the Green, as he uses footpath 7 across the green as a means of access and egress for timber extraction from the wood. The clerk was asked to contact Mr. Harris (Solicitor) with regard to the owner’s legal position in using the footpath and track as a vehicular access.
Mr. Ormrod and Mrs. Rusbridge volunteered to liaise over the regeneration of the Green, and would try to get three quotes for pruning the trees to allow some light in, and to re-seed the area.

Village Hall:
Mrs. Rusbridge reported that a new sign board has been donated for the village hall, and the committee were looking for a sign painter for the lettering
A Race Night was planned for 12th October.

Public time:
It was reported that the phone box on the A4 has been vandalised. The Clerk was asked to report it to BT.
Mr. Sawyer proposed that ‘Public Time’ be moved to the beginning of the Agenda to allow members of the public to comment on items on the agenda before they were discussed.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 8.40 p.m.

The next meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Tuesday October 23rd 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Email contacts for Midgham Parish Councillors

steve@midghamparish.co.uk

mary@midghamparish.co.uk

james@midghamparish.co.uk

john@midghamparish.co.uk

moira@midghamparish.co.uk

derek@midghamparish.co.uk

ray@midghamparish.co.uk

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL - AGENDA Sept07

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

AGENDA

For the meeting to be held in the Village Hall on Tuesday September 25th 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Apologies:

Declarations of interest:

Minutes of the previous meeting:

Matters arising:
New Councillors course
Repair of seats in the parish
Midgham website
Capital bids
Planning conditions in Goddards Drive

Retirement of the clerk:

Parish Plan update:

Clerk’s report:
Financial statement: c/a £144.63 d/a £14,523.90
Setting up internet banking
Bills to be paid: Mrs.M. Cowdery £378.80 salary + £63.55 exp. = £442.35
H. M. Revenue and customs £106.70

Planning:
Decisions:
07/01516 Hallcourt farm-Change of use of land and construction of tennis court
Appeals
Spire Ridge

Correspondence:
WBC Traffic management processes and procedures
District Parish Conference - Monday 15th October at 6.30 pm Council offices
Flood relief funding
GOSE Regional Spatial Strategy – panel report
Clerks and councils Direct
Local Council Review
CPRE Voice

Maintenance and renovations of Midgham Green:

Village Hall:

Public time:

Date of next meeting: October 23rd 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Parish Council - Areas of planning responsibility

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Planning Area Responsibility

Councillors are assigned planning application areas of responsibility for when a new application is made. If you have any questions on a new application please contact the relevant Councillor.

John Goddard New Road Hill up to East Lodge, inclusive

James Ormrod School Hill from Shooters Lodge to Keepers Cottage, inclusive. Midgham Park

Moira Rusbridge Bath Road east of Church Hill to junction with New Road Hill, Woolhampton boundary); Brimpton Road

Ray Disson Midgham Green to Button Farm inclusive

Derek Lombardo Cox’s Lane, Bath Road, West of and including ‘Coach and Horses’ and houses opposite; Church Hill to Gower Cottage and Nursery Copse

Steve Sawyer Birds Lane and West Lodge to Hameldown inclusive

Parish Council Minutes Aug 07

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held in the Village Hall on Tuesday August 28th 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Present were Mr. R. Disson (Chairman), Mr. S. Sawyer (Vice Chairman), Mr. D. Lombardo, Mr. J. Ormrod, Mrs. M. Rusbridge, Mrs. I. Neill, District Councillor, the clerk Mrs. M. Cowdery, and four members of the public.

Apologies were received from Mr. J. Goddard who had family commitments.

Declaration of interests:
Mr. Sawyer declared an interest in matters to do with Midgham Green, being a resident thereof.

Minutes of the previous meeting:
The minutes of the previous meeting were read approved and signed.

Matters arising:
Flooding in the parish - WBC has received some money from the Government to help the flood victims and will be inviting them to apply for grants.
Mrs. Neill proposed that a list of culverts within the parish be drawn up, and each Councillor take an area of the Parish and monitor the state of the said culverts.
The Clerk had been sent a map of the Parish and asked to show the areas worst affected by the July floods. This had been done.
Mr. Reynolds of WBC had replied to the Clerk’s letter about the culverts by the railway bridge and the balancing pond at Colthrop, saying he would contact Mr. Michael Goddard with a view to inspecting them.

District Councillor:
Mrs Neill reported that other parishes in the Aldermaston Ward were drawing up a list of vulnerable people within the parish in the event of any future emergency, such as flooding.
It was suggested that this could be done in Midgham also.
Mrs Neill also reported that the matter of Nursery Copse is progressing, albeit slowly.

Parish Plan up-date:
No progress to report

Clerks report:
Financial statement: c/a £195.46 d/a £14,573.90
The Clerk reported that the Audit for 2006/07 has been successfully completed
Bills to pay; UHY Hacker Young £141.00 Annual audit
BALC £74.00 new Councillors course
These amounts were approved for payment.
The Clerk reported that she has applied to have access to internet banking for the PC.

Planning:
New applications:
07/01579 Nevasa, New road Hill loft conversion no objections
07/01516 Hallcourt Farm change of use of land to build a tennis court
no objections subject to compliance with Policy ENV 22
Decisions:
07/01222 Wisteria Cottage, Old Acre extension approved
07/01178 Hallcourt Farm telecomms. compound refused


Appeals:
Spire Ridge kennels site - 3 live work units. The appeal will be heard on September 25th at 10.00 a.m. in the Council Offices. Mr. Disson to attend.

Correspondence:
WBC Antisocial Behaviour website
Area forum minutes
Berkshire West NHS Trust - 3 year Commissioning Strategy – Mrs. Rusbridge took to read.

Mrs. Caiger Smith re – information on Telecomm compound in New Road Hill
Report on Midgham Green from Edward Harris Solicitor
CPRE AGM 11th September Bucklebury Village Hall 7 pm
Reducing Light Pollution – Mr. Disson took to read

Capital bids:
For Highway and Transport Capital Programme:
Village Hall parking – WBC has drawn up plans for a proposed parking bay outside the Village Hall at a cost of £15,000. Mrs. Rusbridge will complete the capital bids proposal form for this.
Bus shelters – Mr. Disson will complete the capital bids proposal form for replacement bus shelters on the A4.

Maintenance of Midgham Green:
The residents of Midgham Green had been informed of the Parish Council’s proposals to install dragon’s teeth along the edge of footpath 7, to reduce the width of the footpath to 3m and to dig out the ditch. Correspondence had been received from the residents with counter proposals. Following much discussion it was agreed that Mr. Disson write again to the residents.


Mr. Sawyer raised concerns about the contractor leaving the grass cuttings on the Green. Mr. Ormrod suggested that the whole of the Green needs re-vamping with advice from a landscaper gardener. This will be put on the agenda for the next meeting, and Mr. Disson asked Councillors to give the subject some thought before then.

Repair of seat on Midgham Green:
The seat on Midgham Green, that was bought with public money for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937, is in need of repair. Similarly the seat by the Church that was bought with public money for the silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977, is also in need of repair. The clerk was asked to contact Mr. Pike of 32 Bath Road, and ask him to inspect the seats with a view to restoring them.

Midgham Website:
It was agreed that Mr. Sawyer act as webmaster for the Parish Council page on the Midgham website. Things to be included at this stage would be the current agenda, minutes, list of Councillors with contact email address, and area of planning responsibilities. Mr Disson would set up the email addresses using the Midgham domain name.

Village Hall:
Mrs. Rusbridge reported that there were problems with the contractor engaged to build the new access to the village Hall., but the Village Hall Committee were trying to resolve the matter.

Public time:
Dr Powell, from Water Oak on Midgham Green, raised concerns over the bank that the PC was proposing to construct along the edge of the ditch on Midgham Green. His fears centred around the fact that his house was flooded in the July flood, and he thinks that a bank along the edge of the ditch will exacerbate the problem in the future. Mr.Disson agreed that the PC would take these concerns on board when the final plans were drawn up.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.05 p.m.

The next meeting will be held in the Village Hall Tuesday 25th September 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Parish Council Minutes July 07 (Approved)

MIDGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held in the Village Hall on Tuesday July 24th 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Present were Mr. R. Disson (Chairman), Mr. J. Goddard, Mr. D. Lombardo, Mrs. M. Rusbridge, the Clerk Mrs. M. Cowdery, the District Councillor Mrs. I Neill, and thirteen members of the public, including Mr. J. Ormrod, one of the applicants for the vacancy on the Parish Council.

Apologies were received from Mr Sawyer who was abroad on business, and Mr. J. Carey one of the applicants for the vacancy on the Parish Council

Co-option of new Councillor:
There were two applications to fill the vacancy on the Council. The Councillors withdrew to discuss the merits of the two applicants. After discussion, Mr. Disson proposed that Mr. Ormrod be invited to join the Council. This proposal was seconded by Mr. Lombardo .The other Councillors unanimously accepted this proposal.
Mr. Disson invited Mr. Ormrod to join the Council, and he duly signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Declarations of interest:
Mr. Disson declared an interest in the planning application for Wisteria Cottage, Old Acre, being a neighbour.

Minutes:
The minutes of the previous meeting were read approved and signed.

Matters arising:
Code of Conduct training report - Mrs. Rusbridge attended the Code Of Conduct training session at WBC, and reported that it had been both useful and informative.
Area Forum report - Mrs. Rusbridge reported on the Area Forum meeting she had attended at Aldermaston, where she raised the problem of heavy vehicles using Midgham Roads as short cuts to Bucklebury and Bradfield.
Freight Route Survey response forms – each Councillor had been supplied with a response form and urged to fill it in and return it to WBC by the deadline of 31st August. The Clerk would complete a response form on behalf of the Parish Council.

Parish Plan update:
No progress has been made to date.

District Councillor:
Mrs. Neill reported that members of WBC were working non-stop at the moment following the recent flooding in Thatcham and surrounding areas.
WBC Officers dealing with Nursery Copse had met with Barristers on July 18th, but there was nothing to report at the moment.

Clerks’ report:
Financial statement: - ca/ £157.24 d/a £14,823.90
Payments: CAB £150.00 donation - as agreed at last meeting
WBC £100.00 election expenses
These payments were approved by Councillors.
Receipts: SSE £86.16 back pay for wayleave on Midgham Green

Planning:
New applications:
07/01516 Hallcourt Farm change of use of land to construct a tennis court – this new application will be circulated to Councillors for comment. Councillors will also visit the site, by arrangement with the applicant.
07/01178 Land at Hallcourt Farm Estate – telecomms. Compound
amended plans received to reduce the size of the compound.
The PC objected to the plans, as it was thought to be out of character for the area.


Stopping up order:
April Cottage, Birds Lane – new order received.
The PC decided not to comment on the new order.

Decisions:
07/01044 Hallcourt Farm – change of use of land and construction of tennis court
withdrawn 07/00882 West Grange Hotel. extension providing seven extra bedrooms
granted Amendments:
07/01222 Wisteria Cottage, Old Acre – no further comments were lodged
Appeals:
Highcroft Kennels – demolition of existing log store and erection of machine store/office- Dismissed


Correspondence:
WBC Parish bids for Highway and Transport Capital Programme – the Clerk was asked to ascertain what sort of things could be included.


A4 Corridor study, Newbury to Reading schemes of work –work on Brimpton/Midgham crossroads will start in October


Highway Improvement Schemes – New Road Hill is scheduled to be resurfaced in the 2007/08 programme of works.


Review of Polling Stations – Midgham Village Hall has been deemed as unsuitable for use as a polling station by WBC, because of poor access for the disabled, and poor parking facilities. The Clerk was asked to write to WBC to inform them of remedial works that are being carried out.


BALC :New Councillor training day on Sept 22nd at Reading University 10 til 3.30
Mr. Ormrod would like to attend this event. Mr. Sawyer would be invited to attend also.


Clerks and Councils Direct
Local Council Review
CPRE Countryside Voice

Maintenance of Midgham Green:
A quotation has been received from Darrin Vass for the remedial works on Midgham Green. It was agreed to accept the quotation of £633.40 to dig out the ditch, and use the arisings to form a bank. Other work would entail the installation of 3’ x 6” Ø posts around the edge of the Green to prevent vehicular parking, at the same time reducing the width of the path to 3m.
The residents would be informed of the work to be carried out.

Public time:
Mr. Pike raised the matter of the recent flooding, and asked the Council what could be done to prevent a re-occurrence. The matter was discussed, and items mentioned that contribute to the problem included the concreting of what was marshy areas at Nursery Copse, and culverts near the railway bridge being either too small or being blocked.
The Clerk was asked to contact Andrew Reynolds at WBC to bring his attention to the continuing problem.
Mr. Lombardo is concerned that planning conditions on two properties in Goddards Drive have not been adhered to. The Clerk was asked to check with WBC whether the conditions are still live.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.05 p.m.

The next meeting will be held in the village Hall on Tuesday August 28th 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Midgham Parish Councillors - Oct 07

The vacancy on Midgham Parish Council has been filled by James Ormrod. The PC is now at full strength. The list of members is as follows:

Ray Disson (Chairman)

Steve Sawyer (Vice Chairman)

John Goddard

Moira Rusbridge

Derek Lombardo

James Ormrod

Clerk to the Council is: Mary Cowdery