Minutes of Town Council meeting held on Monday, 7th April 2025
Mere Town Council
Town Clerk – Mrs. L. C. Wood
Minutes of a Town Council meeting held on Monday, 7th April 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, Nick Beale, Aubrey Colman, Rodney Coward, Clive Hazzard, George Jeans, Linden Stone, Kate Symonds & Lesley Traves.
1 member of public
Public Participation Session
Mr. Fineman spoke in favour of his planning application at Breaches Barn.
Clive Hazzard congratulated the Clerk on her April Fools email. He also asked whether any potential Town Councillor candidates had thoughts on putting together an election leaflet and suggested that a candidate may like to gather a few lines from each candidate and put them all together on a leaflet that could be published on social media etc.
John Jordan thanked the volunteers who came out to do the Spring Clean litter pick with him yesterday. He said that there was good turnout and the litter pick was carried out with great enthusiasm.
John Jordan also suggested that perhaps an experienced ex-Chair might want to take on the role of Vice-Chair to add support to a new Chair for the new Council after the elections in May and stressed that it is an honour to take on the role of Chair to the Town Council and encouraged someone new to take on the role.
Reports from local police representatives
- None present
- Apologies for absence received from Cllrs. Sandra Catley & Raymond Hill.
- To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests from Councillors on matters to be considered at the meeting.
- Hazzard declared a pecuniary interest in Minute No. 557a) Finance (recipient).
- Jeans declared a personal interest in Minute No. 556 in respect of Coles Funfair’s request to use Salisbury Street Car Park.
- Minutes – RESOLVED that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 3rd March 2025 be approved and signed as a correct record. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the working group meeting held to review & assess the effectiveness of Internal Control Measures held on Tuesday, 25th March 2025 be approved and signed as a correct record.
- Matters Arising from Public Session
Cllr. Jeans said that he thought it would be a good idea for candidates to get together and produce a leaflet. He did, however, suggest that if these are to be published on social media then it would be advisable to turn off comments because he said that people can be very rude on social media. The Chairman said that this was not a Town Council responsibility but could be done outside the Council by a group or by individual councillors.
The Clerk said that the Notice of Poll would be printed off and placed on the noticeboards, post office window and put on social media sites as a reminder for people to go and vote (with comments turned off).
- Matters Arising from previous Meetings (not covered by other agenda items)
*a) Annual Town Meeting – draft Agenda attached. The agenda was approved without amendment. The Chairman encouraged members to attend the meeting.
- Reports & Consultations
- a) Wiltshire Councillors Report – Cllr. Jeans reported that he had made 6 trips to Salisbury with 45 sets of nomination papers for Town & Parish Council candidates in the last couple of weeks. He said that he had received a lot of reports of dog fouling in public places. Double yellow lines in Salisbury Street have been painted in the wrong place and are covering three on-street parking spaces. Horse riding has now been included in the LTP4 document.
- Planning
- a) Applications for consultation response:
| Application No: | PL/2025/01982 |
| Application Type: | Householder planning permission |
| Proposal: | Single Storey Extension |
| Site Address: | THE PAX, LIMPERS HILL, MERE, WARMINSTER, BA12 6BD |
| Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000D7N8U |
As the extension has an exterior door and could, potentially, become self-contained it was RESOLVED to recommend approval of the above application with the following condition:
That the extension remains ancillary to the occupation of The Pax and cannot be occupied separately, rented out as self-contained accommodation or sold off separately.
[In order not to compromise his position as Wiltshire Councillor, Cllr. Jeans abstained from voting on this matter.]
| Application No: | PL/2025/02086 |
| Application Type: | Full planning permission |
| Proposal: | Self build bungalow |
| Site Address: | The Acorns, Barrow Street, Mere, Warminster, BA12 6AB |
| Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000D93Yf |
It was pointed out that this proposal was an alternative development scheme for the barn at The Acorns which was approved under Class Q on application number PL/2024/07389 and that if this proposed development were to receive planning permission then the barn, subject to the Class Q conversion would be demolished. The Clerk also pointed out that the Class Q permission on the barn was subject to an agricultural tie. The Chair pointed out that the location of the proposed bungalow was closer to footpaths. RESOLVED to raise an objection to the above planning application as the proposal would place development in agricultural land in the open countryside and would place a detrimental visual impact on the landscape when viewed from Bridleway MERE45/10 and Footpaths MERE 27/10 & MERE 44/10. The fall-back option is preferable as the residential conversion of the barn approved under PL/2024/07389 is closer to the concentration of existing farm buildings and will have less of a visual impact on the rural landscape.
| Application No: | PL/2025/02348 |
| Application Type: | Full planning permission |
| Proposal: | Demolition of an existing dwelling and barn and the proposed replacement dwelling comprising of a three bedroomed property |
| Site Address: | Breaches Barn, Barrow Street, Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6AB |
| Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000DDSc6 |
RESOLVED to recommend approval of the above application.
| Application No: | PL/2025/02698 |
| Application Type: | Notification of proposed works to trees in a conservation area |
| Proposal: | T1 Cherry, Remove lateral branch overhanging no 3 Castle Lane. Reduce lateral branch by 1.5m to leave at 1.5m |
| Site Address: | THE MALT HOUSE, CASTLE STREET, MERE, WARMINSTER, BA12 6JE |
| Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000DOGlh |
RESOLVED to recommend the above application for approval.
| Application No: | PL/2022/09365 AMENDED PLANS/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
| Application Type: | Full planning permission |
| Proposal: | New employment building (Use Class B2) with associated offices, access, car parking, service space, landscaping and associated development infrastructure. |
| Site Address: | Land adjacent to Quarryfield Industrial Estate, Castle Street, Mere, BA12 6LA |
| Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z000019AweX |
RESOLVED to recommend the above application for approval.
| Application No: | PL/2025/01494 & PL/2025/01909 |
| Application Type: | Full planning permission & Listed Building Consent |
| Proposal: | Replacement front and rear door, replacement kitchen windows, replacement dormer windows, new dormer roof with slate tiles and timber fascia to be painted |
| Site Address: | The Stone Cottage, Salisbury Street, Mere, Warminster, Wilts, BA12 6HE |
| Planning Register Links: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning -application/a0iQ300000CkzMX
https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0iQ300000D5Md7 |
RESOLVED to recommend the above applications for approval subject to the following condition:
The Town Council could find no mention for the materials of the replacement doors, windows, and dormer windows and assume that, as this is a Listed Building, that these will be made of timber. Can this please be conditioned.
- 555. Highways, Rivers, Footpaths, Traffic & Transport
- a) To identify jobs for the Parish Steward, Sparkle Team and MyWiltshire reports.
- Potholes in Manor Road and Denes Avenue
- Buildings, Open Spaces, Play Areas, Sports Grounds, Car Parks, Allotments & Cemeteries
*a) Request for the use of a part of Salisbury Street Car Park for Charles Coles Family Funfairs to have a small funfair for the Mere Carnival event on 13.9.25 (information in Clerks Report + attachment)
Cllr. Jeans declared a personal interest in this matter and left the meeting whilst it was discussed. The Clerk confirmed that she had made an approach to Wiltshire Council who had agreed, in principle, to depart from the terms of the lease for this one occasion and use part of the car park as detailed.
Members noted that it was not clear whether the area identified was just for rides or whether it would also include trailers and vehicles for the funfair operators. There were no proposals as to how the area would be made clear beforehand. Members felt that, generally, the area that was marked on the plan was too big an area and would take up too many car parking spaces but felt that they should go back to Charles Coles Family Funfairs and ask if it might be possible for them to use a smaller area for just toddler rides etc. and provide a bit more detail about how they plan to maintain access, consult with residents that need access, consult with the doctors surgery and how they proposed to stop people from parking on the area that they want to use. There was a brief discussion about whether or not the Town Council could offer alternative parking spaces for those that might be displaced.
- Finance, Policy & Resources
*a) Payments – RESOLVED to authorise schedule of payments (attached)
- b) To note the reconciliations for February 2025 – the Chairman confirmed that he had verified the bank reconciliation against the bank statements and signed accordingly.
*c) Effectiveness of Internal Control Measures – RESOLVED to adopt recommendations of working group as outlined in Minutes of Working group meeting held to review & assess the effectiveness of Internal Control Measures held on Tuesday, 25th March 2025 (Minutes attached) and RESOLVED to approve and sign the Statement of Internal Control 2024/25 (draft attached).
*d) To report on allotment rent audit (see Clerks Report) – Noted without comment.
- e) 2023/24 Annual Governance & Accountability Return external auditor instructions – the Clerk reported that instructions had now been received from the External Auditor and that the Town Council would be subject to an intermediate review – the additional requirements for this year related to the Annual Review of Risk Management arrangements was discussed.
- General Items
Briefing Notes
- Briefing Note no. 25-02 Management of Council business and publicity, during the pre-election period.
- Briefing Note 25 -03 – Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) update
The Clerk pointed out that she had viewed the map and it would appear that Castle Hill & Long Hill had been identified as wooded areas in this strategy. Cllr. Rodney Coward felt that this strategy was possibly contradicted by the governments new ruling to stop all new applications for Sustainable Farming Initiative grant. It was agreed that members would spend more time looking at this.
- Future meetings and events
Annual Town Meeting – Wednesday, 23rd April 2025
- Future agenda items
NB – Please note that the next Town Council meeting will be the Annual Town Council meeting and will be held on Monday, 12th May 2025
Cllr. Jeans asked for the resurfacing of the uneven paved surface by the bus stop outside Balcony Cottages in The Square to be discussed at a future meeting.
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
Meeting closed at 8.09 pm
Approved at Mere Town Council meeting held on 12th May 2025
Signed: Chair of meeting.
Signed by the Chair of the meeting
MERE PEACE MEMORIAL SPORTS AND RECREATION GROUND
Registered Charity No. 1093497
Meeting convened at 8.09 pm
For the Trustee to consider the following:
- Lease between Mere Peace Charity and Seeds4Success – please see attached documents:
- Project Co-Ordinator’s Report (attached)
- Draft Lease prepared by Wellers Hedley (attached)
- Rental Valuation report for Youth Centre Building (attached)
- Schedule of Condition for Youth Centre Building (attached)
RESOLVED to send the Draft Lease and the two commercial documents to Seeds4Success for comment and review.
- RESOLVED to authorise the following payment:
Water2Business – Standing Charge for water supply to old cricket shed £ 30.99
Wiltshire Council – Business Rates for Recreation Ground £ 0.00
Meeting closed at 8.12 pm
Approved at Mere Town Council meeting held on 12th May 2025
Signed: Chair of meeting.
Signed by the Chair of the meeting