MINUTES OF THE HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE MEETING
ON TUESDAY 26th MAY 2009

Present:   Cllr Winney  Cllr M Jones  Cllr Cusack  Cllr S Jones

Apologies:   Cllr Frank, Cllr Dowler
In attendance:  Cllr Boulton, Penny Ibbotson

H01 To elect a Chair for the Highways committee
Cllr M Jones nominated Cllr Winney as Chairman, Cllr S Jones seconded – all in favour. It was RESOLVED that Cllr Winney was Chairman of Highways.
Cllr Winney thanked Albert Alder for his ongoing hard work on behalf of Fairford Town Council.

H02 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Cusack declared a personal interest in item H04 – Residents Parking

H03 To confirm the Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 24th March 2009 (pp179-181 08/09)
It was RESOLVED to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 24th March 2009 (pp179-181 08/09) as a true and accurate record of the proceedings.

H04 Review of Matters Arising from Previous minutes:

Bins on Back Lane: Cllr Cusack has spoken with the business and residents concerned and an arrangement was set up that only full bins were to be put out onto the highway and empty ones stored in the yard. There was concern that this arrangement does not seem to be being adhered to and Cllr Cusack will contact the business again.

A further resident has been in contact with concern about the bins and Cllr Cusack will also contact them to discuss the issue.

Street Light No 10 Horcott Road: This work still has not been carried out.
ACTION: The Clerk to chase Street Lighting and ask for a date when the work is to take place.

 Pavement from The Garretts: There have been camera units pointing along Welsh Way, so it is assumed the survey work has been carried out. There was only one response to the Newsletter request for residents to write in support of a new pavement along The Garretts. Cllr Winney has contacted this person and asked them to encourage others to write in – still no further responses received. It was agreed to wait for County Highways to respond before any further action is taken.
ACTION: The Clerk to write to resident to explain the situation.

 Residents Parking: A letter from residents has been sent to CDC with 12 signatories requesting residents parking permits for the Market Place/High Street area – no response received to date. ACTION: Cllr Cusack to chase CDC for a response

Relocation of plastic recycling bin: The plastic recycling bin is to be relocated to the Horcott Road Football Club car park on 27th or 28th May. Notices have been put up to advise residents of the move.

Litter on Lover’s Walk: Cllr S Jones reported that Fairford Environmental Society (FES) carried out a litter pick along Lover’s Walk on 25th April and a lot of rubbish was collected. Cllr Cusack expressed thanks to FES for organising this work.

H05 To receive income and expenditure for Highways committee
There has been little expenditure to date except for grass cutting work.
The committee has £28,400 in the budget and £27,990 left to date.

CHURCHYARD/BURIAL GROUND
H06 To discuss the Risk Assessment on the Churchyard and Burial Ground
A risk assessment was carried out by Cllr Winney, Cllr Cusack & Mike Gray on 5th April 2009. There was concern about the stability of the wall between the New Burial Ground and Mill Lane. The ivy has since been cleared off and John Maunder has been asked to assess the wall.

The need for Topple Testing was raised. This item is to be deferred to the next meeting as Cllr Frank has carried out some research on the subject.
ACTION: Clerk to add to the July agenda

There was also concern about the safety of the fixing for the hanging Church sign. Following the Risk Assessment, the sign has been removed and a new one is to be fixed.

Values for the hazard and risk columns need to be completed for the Risk Assessment.
ACTION: The Clerk to circulate the forms to the committee members to complete values.

H07 To discuss the management of grave spaces in New Burial Ground
It was RESOLVED that the committee should direct the gravedigger as to the order in which the empty graves should be filled.
ACTION: Cllrs to mark up a plan of the Burial Ground to show the order the spaces are to be used.

H08 To review the situation to date ref Next Burial Ground
ECT is to write a Letter of Intent to FTC confirming that the Trustees have agreed to sell the plot of land at Redbarn ground for use as a burial ground when the need arises.

H09 To review Burial Fees
It was RESOLVED to maintain the current fee structure for burial for the time being and review the situation in January 2010.
ACTION: The Clerk to add item to the January agenda

HIGHWAYS
H10 To consider quotes for lighting of Horcott path
Quotes from Street Lighting have been received for lighting from the Horcott notice board to Dilly’s Bridge. The cost to use low level bollards is £8,200 and the cost to use standard 5m columns is £10,700. It was agreed that the bollards should be inspected in situ before going ahead with the project.
ACTION: The Clerk to find out a nearby location where the bollards have been installed and Cllrs to carry out a site visit

H11 To discuss possible purchase of further grit bins at a cost of £170 + VAT and relocation of grit bin from Horcott Road
Cllr Winney will carry out a survey of existing grit bin locations and report back.
ACTION: Cllr Winney to survey grit bin locations in Fairford

H12 To discuss bus shelter on Hatherop Road
Cllr Winney suggested meeting the Highways rep along Hatherop Road to discuss possible locations for a bus shelter. Concerns have been raised by some residents about having a bus shelter located outside their house.
ACTION: Cllr Winney to arrange a meeting and advise other Cllrs of date and time.

H13 To elect a representative on Lechlade Footpaths committee
The committee queried why a third rep is needed as Cllrs S Jones and Harwood are already on the East Cotswold Strategic Partnership.
ACTION Cllr S Jones to discuss the issue with Cllr Harwood.

FOOTPATHS
 H14 River Walk and Barrier by Dilly’s Bridge update
 The Clerk has been chasing Public Rights of Way for a response following the site meeting – there has been no action to date.

 The role of the River Coln Project Team in this project was queried.
ACTION: The Clerk to discuss with Cllrs Hing & Roberts.

MAINTENANCE
H15 Review of grass cutting to date
The grass cutting is proceeding well and there have been compliments on the Churchyard. It was suggested the Walnut Tree Field cutting could be a little lower.

H16 Maintenance of Snake Lane
The contractor has asked if a flail mower could be used to cut along Snake Lane. It was agreed that this would be acceptable providing the width of the total cut was no wider than 4ft and that there was someone on the ground to warn pedestrians using the path.
ACTION: The Clerk to write and confirm the above with the contractor

H17 Planting and watering of Flower Tubs in Market Place
Coln House School planted the tubs on 21st May at a cost of £220.

Albert has asked if it would be possible to have an outside tap fixed to the back of the Community Centre to allow easier access to fill up the water carrier. It was agreed that this would be a good idea. The possibility of using water butts was also raised.

H18 Items the Chair considers urgent.
· There has been no response to date to the request to Stagecoach to divert the Swindon bus via Horcott Road
ACTION: The Clerk to chase
· The PCC does not have sufficient funds to cut the grass in their section of the Churchyard to the standard of the FTC run areas. It was RESOLVED not to offer funds at this stage.
· Keble Alley is becoming overgrown – Albert has been asked to cut this back. The condition of the surface has been raised previously with Public Rights of Way and a tarmac surface requested – feedback is being awaited
· Ivy at the entrance to The Plies needs to be cut back
ACTION: The Clerk to write to landowner to ask for ivy to be cut back.
· A manhole cover is in a poor state of repair along Milton Street
 ACTION: The Clerk to report to County Highways
· Overhanging vegetation along Keble Lawns and Morgan Hall boundaries with London road has been requested to be cut back

H19 Date of next meeting – Tuesday 28th July 2009

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.04 pm

     __________________Chairman

     ___________________2009