Ruscombe Parish Council
Minutes of Meeting of the Parish Council
Held in the Twyford Room, Loddon Hall, Twyford
On Wednesday 1st December 2021 at 7:30pm
Councillors Present: Mr M Evans (Chair) and Mr P Cassidy.
Councillors Present via Zoom: Mrs C Bulman connected to the room via RPC laptop.
Clerk in attendance: Mrs Ruth Reid.
Also in attendance: Twyford Parish Councillor Mrs L Jarvis (via Zoom) and Stephen Loyd and two members of the public in person.
7:32pm Mr M Evans opened the meeting.
Mrs Reid informed RPC that with not enough councillors present in the room the meeting was not Quorate, RPC did continue with an informal meeting.
182/21 Apologies for Absence: Mr G Howe, Mr P Evans, Mr J May, Mrs J Holmes and Mr G Merrick.
183/21 Declaration of Interest: None.
184/21 Minutes: Minutes for 3rd November 2021 circulated via email but not voted on due to not being quorate.
185/21 Public Comments sent to the Clerk or Councillors: Two members of the public attended to talk to RPC about planning application number 213658 Stanlake Park Estate. This application seeks to build an agricultural barn seven meters from the resident’s house and the residents are concerned about fire risk as well as visual intrusion and access. The residents report that Stanlake Park Estate have recently changed their storage barns into a wedding venue and the resident felt it was unreasonable to then be requesting a storage barn directly next to their house. RPC are not Quorate but Councillors in the room and on Zoom have asked Mrs Reid to submit a comment on this application to object to the application on the bases that it will cause an unsightly visual intrusion from the neighbouring property, there is no clear need for the building to be built or built in that location and that given the location of this application it should be a full consultation application not a prior approval application. RPC also felt that the application has attempted to mis-lead the consultation because the site plans provided do not make it clear that the nearby building is a residential property and not just further agricultural outbuildings.
Two members of the public left the meeting.
186/21 Update from Twyford Parish Councillor: Mrs Jarvis updated that TPC had a very successful Tree festival, and this included planting a tree in memory of Gordon Storey. They have agreed a quote to restore the pillars at the entrance of King George’s field.
187/21 Update from Wokingham Borough Councillors: No one in attendance.
188/21 Planning Applications
213620 Applecote, Ruscombe Lane: RPC object to this application because it is overdevelopment of the site and the proposed dormer window would cause an invasion of privacy to the neighbouring property on Ruscombe Road.
213816 6 Garraway Close: No comment
213907 Land adjacent to highway CMA House Ruscombe Business Park: This application has only just come through; RPC would like to wait and see how residents feel about the application.
The Councillors in the room and via Zoom have asked Mrs Reid to submit these comments.
189/21 Glebeland proposal: The Councillors in the room and on Zoom have asked that Mrs Reid ask the Diocese for a lease of preferably 100 years and that they would like to create a contemplation garden, somewhere quiet that could be used for reflection with a seasonal pond, benches, Character trees, scented plants, a wheelchair accessible path through it and maybe some parking if the space allowed. RPC would ask for a volunteer group to maintain it but accept that RPC would be liable to maintenance costs if that volunteer group were unable to maintain it.
Stephen Loyd left the meeting.
190/21 2022/2023 Budget: Councillors in the room and on Zoom have gone through the budget and approval of this will be moved to January 2022 RPC meeting due to not being Quorate.
191/21 Neighbourhood Plan: No change, the submitted Neighbourhood Plan is with WBC.
192/21 Boundary Sign Ruscombe Lane: Mrs Reid, Mr Merrick and Mr M Evans meet with SSE at the boundary on Ruscombe Lane and SSE have approved RPC to amend the location of the fence to allow for a boundary sign. Mrs Reid has also met with WBC and they are producing a draft plan of the sign. WBC have advised traditional metal poles would be easier because their base is narrower which would suit the space better.
193/21 Fly tipping: Mrs Reid reported that WBC had said as a gesture of good will, they would clear the fly tipping from Pennfields land but it has not been cleared, Mrs Reid will ask them again.
194/21 CIL money
Trees: Mrs Reid reported that Colleton School have responded to say they could host a character tree in their land. RPC will continue to think of other locations to do all ordering and planting together.
Ruscombe legacy: No update.
Mrs Jarvis left the meeting.
195/21 Finance: Payments to consider: –
Grant request – Keep Mobile. Postponed due to not being Quorate.
The following payments will be made because they are all invoices that RPC have prior agreed.
CRoW £60 for work on the Glebeland hedges: Paid #1/12 2021 Section 137 donation
CR Landscapes £120: Paid #2/12 2021
CR Landscapes £180: Paid #3/12 2021
CR Landscapes £1,029.60 (Northbury trees Materials): Paid 4#/12 2021
Window Flowers £247.20: Paid #5/12 2021
WBC Election fee £255: Paid #6/12 2021
Clerk wages and expenses £770.45: Paid #7/12 2021
Nest pension £68.69: Paid #8/12 2021
SSE (November) £53.59: Paid via Direct Debit
196/21 Reports from liaison rep: None to report.
197/21 Any other business
Mrs Reid informed RPC that she will purchase 8 boxes of chocolates as usual for Adopt a Street volunteers and distribute.
Mrs Reid will purchase a conference microphone for RPC.
Mrs Reid will ask Mr Cassidy or Mr May to ring NatWest because RPC have not received a paper statement from them for 2 months, Mrs Reid expects this is because there has been no activity on the account but RPC need to check this. Last month Mr May did a printout from NatWest online banking but this is not ideal. Mrs Reid will forward on bank reconciliations once the statements are received.
Mrs Reid has completed the Bank Mandate to add Mrs Holmes as signatory and is trying to find out how to do this for Unity as well.
Mrs Reid shared a photo of the proposed location for the history board and councillors in the room and via Zoom all agreed on the location to the left of the bench when facing the church. The history board is due to be put up Saturday 4th December 2021.
Date of next meeting: Wednesday 5th January 2022
Mr M Evans closed the meeting at 8:26pm.