MINUTES OF THE HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE MEETING
ON TUESDAY 23rd NOVEMBER 2010
Present: Cllr Boulton Cllr Cusack Cllr Hinton Cllr Winney
Apologies: Cllr M Jones, Cllr Mumford
In attendance: Cllr Harwood, Penny Ibbotson
H65 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Boulton declared a personal interest in item H72.
H66 To confirm the Minutes of Previous Meeting held on 3rd November 2010
The minutes of the extra-ordinary meeting held on 3rd November 2010 (pp 084-085 10/11) were signed as a true and accurate record of the proceedings.
H67 Review of Matters Arising from September 2010 minutes:
• Footpath link from Burdocks to Horcott Lake: No progress to date. The Clerk has been chasing Hanson for a response.
• Ramp at Broadboards bridge: The Clerk has spoken to Mike Barton of PROW and he will look at the bridge and report back.
• Storage bin for Albert: The bin has been installed and is in use.
• Cutting back of tree in St Mary’s Drive Open Space: The overhanging branches have been removed.
• Trees in Beaumoor Place: The CDC Tree Officer has carried out a site inspection and can see no problem with the trees. He confirmed there is no right to light with trees and the end tree was reduced last year. CDC will obtain quotes for reducing the trees by 25% of their current height.
• Jeffries Close: Residents were offered a site meeting but there was no response.
• Market Place bus shelter roof: Cllr Boulton has spoken to Fairford Roof Tiles, they will provide a quote but need number and size of tiles. Concern was raised whether the tiles were a unique design to Fairford Roof Tiles.
ACTION: Cllr Boulton to advise on number and size of tiles.
H68 To receive income and expenditure for Highways committee
The income and expenditure to the end of October was reviewed. There are still invoices for grass cutting in November to be deducted and the new railings for the Burial Ground.
The Highways budget is looking very healthy and it was agreed that a significant reason for this was all the volunteer work carried out by Albert Alder, Sid Flatman and Cllr Winney along with the overseeing by Cllr Boulton as Chair.
CHURCHYARD/BURIAL GROUND
H69 To review actions from Risk Assessment of Churchyard & Burial Ground
All the actions have been carried out except new signage, labelling of bins and repair of wall adjoining PCC wall along Mill Lane.
New signage: it was agreed to purchase 2 ‘Uneven Surface’ and 2 ‘Slippery Surface’ hazard signs for the paths in the burial Ground and Original Churchyard.
ACTION: The Clerk to order signs.
Labelling of Bins: It was suggested to create laminated signs rather than painting the bins themselves
ACTION: The Clerk and Cllr Winney to produce signs.
Repair of Wall: The PCC does not currently have finance to repair their part of the wall.
ACTION: The Clerk to write to the Chair of PCC to consider allowing funding in next year’s budget for wall repair.
H70To sign contract for the gravedigger
Cllr Boulton signed two copies of the contract.
ACTION: The Clerk to send two copies of contract to AC Slade for signing. One is then to be kept by AC Slade and one kept by FTC.
HIGHWAYS
H71 To discuss the proposal to purchase a dog waste bin near the junction of Cinder Lane and footpath No.30 (near Football Club) ref email sent 7th October 2010
It was agreed that as CDC will not collect waste from the Football Club end of Cinder Lane, there was no point in installing a dog waste bin. It was thought there was not a need for signage to advise dog waste could be placed in normal waste bins.
ACTION: The Clerk to advise Football Club.
H72To discuss concerns with the Town Car Park surface and agree possible solutions
The Ernest Cook Trust will consider an alternative surface to the Town Car Park to make it more suitable for walking on. They would however, like to retain the ‘grass’ effect. A footpath was suggested for the middle of the car park.
ACTION: Cllr Boulton to discuss this suggestion with ECT
H73 To consider and agree whether to take control of local salt supplies and distribution within the community ref email from Glos Highways sent 11th Nov 2010
It was resolved not to take control of local salt supplies and to ask Highways to replenish supplies in current bins.
It was felt control of salt is too much of a mammoth task for volunteers to deal with and the Town Council does not have the financial resources either. It would also result in Highways removing all the existing grit bins.
The grit bins outside the Bull tap and Lakeside need clearing out and re-filling. A survey of grit bins was carried out last year.
ACTION: The Clerk to locate the survey of grit bins and ask County Highways to replenish grit where necessary.
H74 To consider suggestion from Public Rights of Way to erect a metal mobility gate on footpath 30 (near Cinder Lane) to prevent access by motorbikes
Mike Barton from Public Rights of Way has offered to install a metal mobility gate near the Cinder Lane Football Club to reduce the problems of youths gathering with mopeds and motorbikes. The gate is supposed to prevent access by mopeds and motorbikes but allow mobility scooters and wheelchairs through. It was agreed to approve the concept but Cllrs would like to see a picture as it was not sure how the gate worked.
ACTION: The Clerk to thank Mike Barton and obtain a picture of the gate, and also ask PROW when they are planning to install it.
H75 To consider and agree the next stage to progress the Lechlade to Fairford path
A letter needs to be written to ECT to ask about the principal of opening up the old railway line for a permitted path. When this is approved, working groups need to be set up to clear away the overgrowth. The bird nesting season needs to be avoided. Community Payback may be an option and local groups such as Fairford Environmental Society could be approached to help. This work would create a new circular walk and act as a start to the main scheme (Fairford to Lechlade multi use path).
ACTION: The Clerk to write to ECT
MAINTENANCE
H76 To approve grass cutting and footpath maintenance contracts for 2011 and agree procedures for tender.
The contracts were approved. Only one contractor has responded to the advert, so it was agreed to send out the tenders to the existing contractors and new applicant. The tenders will be sent out to allow a reply before the next Highways meeting.
ACTION: The Clerk to send out tenders
The level of grass cutting in the Churchyard was discussed.
ACTION: Cllr Winney to discuss with Rev Atkinson.
BUDGET
H77To consider and agree budget figures for 2011/2012 financial year
The following figures were agreed to be put forward to the Finance committee:
Churchyard
Grass Cutting £3,500
Maintenance & repairs £1,000
Tree Works £500
Gravestones/Equipment £500
Environment
New Bus shelter £0
Flower Tubs & Bulbs £800
Grass Cutting – Verges £5,500
Footpath maintenance £900
Grass Cutting – WTF £1,500
Maintenance & repairs £500
Town Lighting £750
It was thought that a service charge should be made to the grave digging fee.
ACTION: Item for next agenda – To Review Burial Fees
H78 Items the Chair considers urgent:
• Footpath from Dilly’s Bridge to Gas Lane: There is a new owner at Colnside, who is keen to see improvements to the footpath. The problem with the footpath surface was highlighted in the recent Footpath Report produced by David Lawrence: The path is very vulnerable to rainfall and it is frequently virtually impassable, puddles forming across almost its entire width. Unlike most of our footpaths this Public Right of Way is not simply used for recreation, but is the access route for those living in Horcott, who are travelling on foot to central Fairford.
It was agreed that £1,000 of the grass cutting budget that was not required this year due to dry weather, should be used to offer to PROW to improve the surface of the path from Dilly’s Bridge to Gas Lane.
ACTION Recommendation to go to Full Council
• The lights next to the skate ramp and Cricket Club entrance are not working.
ACTION: The Clerk to report to Street Lighting
• The gullies along Milton Street, London Street and near the Post Office need clearing out asap. There is also a drain near Mount Pleasant that needs attention.
ACTION: The Clerk to chase County Highways for a date.
• David Lawrence has carried out his annual survey of fairford footpaths. This was circulated by email. A copy also needs to be sent to PROW.
ACTION: The Clerk to send a copy to Mike Barton at PROW.
H79 Date of next meeting – Tuesday 25th January 2011
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