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Minutes of Town Council meeting held on Monday, 3rd February 2025

Mere Town Council

Town Clerk – Mrs. L. C. Wood

 

Minutes of a meeting of Mere Town Council held on Monday, 3rd February 2025 at 7.00 pm in the Andy Young Pavilion, Duchy Manor, Springfield Road, Mere, Wiltshire.  BA12 6EW

Present:  Councillors John Jordan (Chair), Glen Ings (Vice-Chair), Debbie Beale, Sandra Catley, Aubrey Colman, Philip Coward, Rachael Hansford, Clive Hazzard, Raymond Hill, George Jeans, Linden Stone, Kate Symonds & Lesley Traves.

Also Project Co-Ordinator, Roger Pipe + 1 member of public.

Public Participation Session

Clive Hazzard raised the matter of funding for Mere Matters and said he did not want it to get to the stage where it was necessary for people to pay to get the magazine.  The Chairman said that this should be raised as a future agenda item.

Glen Ings said that he had been requested by several parishioners to pass on thanks to the Town Council for the new play equipment and refurbishments at Castle Hill Play Area.

Hamish Bell reported on the Grove Building Audio Visual system that was now installed and fully working and had already proved to be a great benefit for the users of the hall.  The Town Council was thanked for its financial support towards this.

  1. Apologies for absence received from Cllrs. Nick Beale & Rodney Coward

 

  1. To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests from Councillors on matters to be considered at the meeting.
  • Rachael Hansford declared a personal interest in Minute No. 527 a)
  • Jeans declared a pecuniary interest in finance – Minute No. 532 a)
  • Jeans stated that although he had property adjacent to the public toilets, he did not have any personal or pecuniary interest to declare.

 

  1. Minutes – RESOLVED that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday, 13th January 2025 be approved as a correct record with the amendment that Cllr. P. Coward was not amongst those present.

 

  1. Matters Arising from Public Session
  • None

 

  1. Matters Arising from previous Meetings (not covered by other agenda items)

*a) Consideration of proposal for temporary art installation on Castle Hill – Solstice Beacon – (attached paper prepared by Elaine Stallard on behalf of the Tower Stories Community Group) – the Chairman reminded members that the Town Council had allocated £1250 from the Wiltshire Towns Programme Funding towards this event.  Elaine Stallard was present to answer questions from councillors and clarified points about the concrete slabs and confirmed that the beacon would not be visible from the A303, grazing and grass cutting.   Risk Assessments and insurance was also raised and it was confirmed that this would be given consideration.   RESOLVED that this should be fully supported by the Town Council

*b) Covenants/restrictions relating to the disposal of the land/property registered at St. Marys Church, Pettridge Lane, Mere – response from charity solicitor (response in Clerks Report) – members felt that the response from the solicitor had answered the Town Council’s question.

*c) Public Toilets refurbishments – reports attached – questions were raised about the vinyl flooring and the cost of the door that allows the toilets to be used at night with contactless payment.  It was pointed out that the labour caried out by Town Council staff is not included in the costings and we would be asking them to do a lot of painting and repairing in order to save money.  The Town Clerk pointed out that this work would need to be carried out after the grass-cutting season if we wanted to do it ‘in house’ or alternatively use outside contractors.  Clarification on contactless payment or swipe payment & the door locking mechanism was requested. The Clerk pointed out that the budget allocation for this project currently stands at £17k.  Cllr. Jeans said that he felt there was sufficient funds in reserve to vire £12k.  There were discussions on hand driers, and steam cleaning and it was agreed that outside contractors should be used to do the decorating in order to get the project completed sooner. Cllr. Rachael Hansford said that she felt that, overall, members had agreed on the main points of the refurbishment but minor details and refinements on variables can be given further consideration.  RESOLVED to make headway with painting & decorating, prepare urinal, put Wallgate unit in, plastic toilet cisterns, no vinyl on floor, sensor lighting and plumbing and try to get the gents toilets open.

*d) Communications Plan for Mere Town Council – Cllr. Rachael Hansford (Draft plan attached) – RESOLVED to accept it although it was agreed that it was not appropriate to highlight the Minutes.

 

  1. Reports & Consultations
  2. a) Wiltshire Councillors Report – Cllr. Jeans explained the significant impact that the new governments Planning Policy has on Wiltshire Council’s Local Plan. He also explained that Wiltshire’s Council Tax is likely to be increased by 4.5%.  A sum of money has been paid by the developers of the Care Home at Norwood Park for a junction improvement scheme on the Gillingham Corner junction which should improve pedestrian safety.

 

  1. Planning
  2. a) Applications for consultation response:

 

Application No: PL/2025/00254
Application Type: Full planning permission
Proposal: Erect 2no detached dwellings
Site Address: Land off Downside Close Adjacent to 1 Old Hollow, Mere
Planning Register Link: https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000BrJB3

 

 

The Chairman reported that this was the third or fourth planning application for this site.  He confirmed that the last application which received planning approval even though the Town Council objected on grounds of Overdevelopment and Parking/Turning/Access, was for one large building.  The application now was for two detached properties.  Although members felt that these two detached properties were more in keeping with the surrounding area there were concerns that the previous properties might be more affordable.  RESOLVED to submit the following response:   Approve, subject to conditions – Given that the previous application (PL/2021/06674) for this site has been approved, members of the Town Council prefer the design of the two separate dwellings being proposed here to the application that has approval.  However, the Town Council’s reservations about parking and vehicle manoeuvrability within the site remain.

Parking/Turning/Access: Members of the Town Council feel that the parking, turning and access for the car parking spaces will be restricted in this small area and manoeuvrability of the vehicles will be difficult to achieve.

 

  1. Highways, Rivers, Footpaths, Traffic & Transport
  2. a) To identify jobs for the Parish Steward, Sparkle Team and MyWiltshire reports:
  • Clear vegetation obstructing signs along White Road directing drivers onto the A303.
  • Pothole repairs Denes Avenue
  • Large pothole on Zebra crossing in White Road
  • Potholes in Queens Road

*b) To note the Town Council’s response to Wiltshire Council’s LTP4 Consultation (response attached) – members noted the response.  Cllr. Jeans said that there was an Emergency Full Council meeting on 11th March to consider the LTP4 Consultation.

 

  1. Buildings, Open Spaces, Play Areas, Sports Grounds, Car Parks, Allotments & Cemeteries
  2. a) To consider quotations for Tree Inspection, written reports, survey schedules etc. – The Clerk confirmed that she had contacted four companies last year with a view to providing a quotation for the 5-year Tree Inspection & Survey and had only received two quotations back:

Company Y was £2210 + VAT & Company X is £2905 with no VAT.

RESOLVED to accept the quotation from Company Y

 

  1. Finance, Policy & Resources

*a) Payments – RESOLVED to authorise payments as detailed in the schedule of payments (attached)

  1. b) To note the reconciliations for December 2024 – the Chairman confirmed that he had verified the bank reconciliation against the bank statements and signed accordingly.
  2. c) To authorise signature of the Grant Agreement for the Provision of the Wiltshire Towns Programme – Activity Generation Allocation Funding for Y3 2024/25 and Y4 2025/26 – RESOLVED that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman should sign the Agreement documents for return to Wiltshire Council’s Legal Services.

*d) Review of Mere Town Football Club’s fees & request for reduction in lieu of work carried out in the changing rooms. (information in Clerks Report) – the Chairman reported that he and the Clerk had viewed the Changing Rooms and they looked to be in good order apart from one place where the drains were blocked due to footballers washing their muddy boots in the showers.   Last year we gave them a reduction because they bought goods for redecoration and this year, they have carried out further decoration works. RESOLVED that the Town Council apply a further £150 +3% reduction on this year’s fees in lieu of the redecoration work that has been carried out.

 

  1. General Items
  2. a) To set date, time, venue and format for Annual Town Meeting – RESOLVED to continue the Annual Town Meeting on a similar format to last year but to make the information boards more readable and add a Q & A session to the end of the meeting. Date: Wednesday, 23rd April 2025 at 6.30 pm Venue: Duchy Manor

*b) Briefing Note 25-01 Electric Refuse Collection Vehicle (eRCV) trial (Briefing Note attached)

 

  1. Future meetings and events
  2. a) LHFIG meeting, Wednesday, 5th February 2025 14:00 -15.50 at Nadder Centre, Tisbury, SP3 6HJ – The Chairman confirmed that he would be attending the meeting.
  3. b) South West Wiltshire Area Board meeting – Wednesday, 19th February at 6.30 pm at Wilton Community Centre, West Street, Wilton SP2 0DG – the Chairman confirmed that he would be attending the meeting.

*c) Town & Parish Council Planning Forum – Wednesday, 5th March 6pm – 8 pm online (see Clerks Report)

 

  1. Future agenda items

Funding for Mere Matters – is the future of the magazine in jeopardy and what sort of money would make a difference?

 

Note:  Members are reminded that the Town Council has a general duty to consider the following matters in the exercise of any of its functions: Equal Opportunities (race, gender, sexual orientation, marital status and any disability), Crime and Disorder, Health and Safety and Human Rights.

 

*Further information on these items enclosed/attached

 

 

 

 

Approved at Mere Town Council meeting held on 3rd March 2025

 

 

 

Signed:                                                                                                                                                                 Chair of meeting.

 

 

 

 

Signed by the Chair of the meeting