lydiard millicent

Parish Council elections, your chance

March 13, 2017 by admin 2 Comments

Ever wondered what the Parish Council does, or do you have strong views on what it should be doing?

Well, here’s your chance to find out more, and to influence what happens in your parish over the next four years.

On Monday, 20th March, between 7.30 and 9 pm, parish councillors will be holding a drop-in session at the Jubilee Club House to explain what’s involved in being a parish councillor, and to encourage residents to stand for election. Why not pop in, and find out more?

In the meantime, here is a potted Q & A about becoming a parish councillor

What does the Parish Council do?

The Parish Council is not a voluntary organisation. Although its councillor members are not paid, they are technically not volunteers, but holders of a public office. A parish council is the lowest form of local government, responsible for the provision of certain local services. It raises money through the Parish Precept (which is added to your Council Tax), and may also raise money by applying for grants.

Activities will vary from parish to parish, but parish councils may maintain or contribute to; village halls and community centres, allotments, parking, crime reduction schemes, play grounds, youth projects, bus shelters, litter bins, street cleaning, traffic calming measures.

In Lydiard Millicent, for example, the Parish Council maintains the Jubilee Club House, and sports ground, and the playgrounds. It organises grass-cutting, and is consulted on planning applications. The Parish Council has been instumental in organising street-calming measures, the creation of footpaths, and the community field/car park project.

The Parish Council is supposed to be the collective voice of the community.

Why is the Parish Council holding a drop-in session now?

As a democratic body, a Parish Council is elected every four years.

Local elections take place on 4 May 2017. There are eleven vacancies for Parish Councillors in Lydiard Millicent, and if more than eleven people in the parish put their names forward, there will be an election here.

In recent years, a number of parish councillors have resigned, and it has not always been easy to find new councillors. The forthcoming election is an opportunity to get more residents involved, and for the council to become a more diverse and more proactive body.

Who can become a Parish Councillor?

It is important that the Parish Council, as a democratic body, reflects the whole community. You may have a picture in your head of a typical councillor. However, there really is no such thing. The most important thing is caring about your community, and being prepared to share some of your time and ideas.

That said, there are some qualifications.

You must be over 18, and either be resident in the parish, or within three miles of its boundary, or have your main work place, or place of business here. Certain exclusions also apply, but if you pay council tax here, and you are not a convicted felon, then the chances are you’ll qualify.

Why should I be bothered?

Any organisation is only as good as its members, and a strong local council can impact positively on its community.

If you want to see changes, or just to keep your village the way it is, consider joining the council, and make your voice heard.

How do I find out more?

Come along to the drop-in event on Monday, 20th March, at the Jubilee Club House, between 7.30pm to 9.00pm.

You can also find out more in the WALC Local Council Elections Guide 2017 (just click on the link to downlaod the pdf).

But, don’t delay. Nominations have to be delivered to Wiltshire Council on or before 4 April 2017.

M4 Junction 16 reopens

January 6, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

M4 Junction 16 is back open, and traffic is flowing relatively freely.

Yesterday’s closure brought chaos to Lydiard Millicent, with traffic queuing from the Greatfield crossroads to Holborn. Gridlock ensued as diverted cars, HVGs and rerouted buses, tried to negotiate roads which, in places, are effectively single- track.

Highways England and the Police closed both slip roads Thursday morning, following a gas leak near Spittleborough. Local residents were advised to stay indoors and keep windows closed.

Traffic initially diverted largely to Hook Street, a single-track road. However, police subsequently closed this route to clear it after it had become impassable. Throughout the day, Hook Street was closed, opened, and partially closed in one direction to allow traffic to flow from Swindon to Bassett. Whilst open in one direction only, it was reported to be taking 45 minutes to pass. Tempers became frayed as HVGs, buses and and vehicles clogged the narrow road, passing places, and prevented residents from entering or leaving their properties.

Police suggested Hook Street, a single-track road, may not be the best alternative route to take. As the M4 slip roads and Churchill roundabout remained closed, they advised motorists to “find alterntative routes”, and directed them to drive through Greatfield, and Lydiard Millicent, to reach Swindon.

Wales & West Utilities worked hard through the day, and early evening, to repair the broken pipe.

A spokesman for Wales & West initially said that the damage had been caused by a “third party” and was unable to say whether there was any connection to the M4 Junction 16 works currently being carried out, and scheduled to be ongoing until Spring 2018.

However, this morning, Bill Frost, Wales & West Utilities Senior Operational Manager for Swindon said the damaged had been caused by contractors working for the local authority near Junction 16. He urged “anybody planning to work on the public highway or private land to please dial before they dig and contact our Plant Protection team to check the location of our gas pipes before they start work.”

Parish Council Meeting, December

December 2, 2016 by admin 3 Comments

Parish Council Meeting, December Summary

The Parish Council met on Thursday, 1^st December 2016. The planned official switching on of the Christmas tree and carol singing failed to materialise. The lights had already been switched on.

Five members of the public attended. Councillors Harris, Dodge, Baggs, Sharp and Hearn attended. Councillors Montgomery, Cobb, Pfleger and Kayani sent apologies. Deborah Bourne attended as clerk to the Parish Council.

There were no questions from members of the public.

There were no reports from the Working Groups, or County Councillor. Councillor Sharp gave his Neighbourhood Watch update.

Draft budget for 2017/2018

Councillors discussed the draft budget for next year (April 2017-March 2018). The clerk explained that the Parish Council receives no funding from Wiltshire Council or Central Government. All expenditure must be raised from the Parish (through the Precept, or Reserves). The money raised is spent purely in the parish.

Councillors discussed first the base budget (what is needed to stand still, i.e. to continue to provide services the Parish Council currently provide, such as grass verge-cutting and cleaning of the Jubilee Club House). The current year figures show a surplus of £10,157. (Expenditure of £31,117 and income of £41,274).

Once councillors agreed this, they went on to discuss any additional items of projected expenditure. These comprised; £5,000 towards parking restrictions, £10,000 for the Neighbourhood Plan, and £1,350 should the Parish Council agree to buy-in additional resource for tasks the parish steward cannot undertake.

Planning matters

Nothing contentious. The Parish Council noted that Taylor Wimpey had withdrawn its application to build in Lydiard Park.

The planning working group had no objections to the application to vary a condition which related to the external appearance of the key worker’s dwelling at Lydiard Field Stud. However, the Chairman raised the point of whether the meeting should be referring to the property as Lydiard Field Stud, since it was the Parish Council’s view that the property was still an agricultural unit, as there had been no official change of use.

Parish Council Elections

The draft budget made no provision for election costs. The Parish Council elections are due to take place in May, and Wiltshire Council should be bearing the cost of these.

There had been changes to the nominations process, with the need apparently for papers now to be delivered by hand to Chippenham.

The deadline for nominations is 4 April 2017.

Only 30% of parish council elections are contested, and the Chairman wondered whether other parishes encountered the same difficulties and issues in recruiting parish councillors. Councillor Sharp reflected that he thought the situation in Lydiard Millicent was quite typical.

Neighbourhood Plan

Councillor Dodge reported on progress. The steering group had met twice since the last Parish Council meeting, and another meeting was planned for 20^th December. The group is currently rewriting and reformatting the information that was contained in the Lydiard Millicent chapter of the New V Neighbourhood Plan.

Fly-tipping and drug taking

There had been reports of drug taking in the lay-by in Green Hill, with paraphernalia and bottles of Vodka (empty) being left at the site. The community police are to be informed. There had also been fly-tipping on the bridleway between Washpool and Stone Lane. Wiltshire Council had been informed, but were disputing responsibility for clearing it up.

White, yellow lines and parking restrictions

No update on the progress with the parking restrictions around the school, nor the school’s protean travel plan.

It was felt that the parish could expect little help from Wiltshire Council, and so would have to fund any improvements itself.

The Parish Council had previously discussed the line/lane markings between Tewksbury Way and Washpool. These were felt to be a safety hazard, and many villagers used that road every day. The Clerk is to investigate the cost of the parish updating the faded line markings. Councillor Sharp mentioned the need to liaise with Wiltshire Council to ensure the Parish did not spend money on new lines only to have Wiltshire then resurface the road.

Parish Steward and extra work around the parish

The Clerk reported there had been some miscommunication with the Parish Steward. There are also jobs he cannot do. These include clearing leaves. He can’t clear leaves because, apparently, this isn’t a Wiltshire Council responsibility. He can clear drains, and has visited the Butts.

Th Chairman said it was a concern of parishioners that these types of jobs weren’t being done, and the idea of employing a part-time handyman or contracting out on an ad hoc basis was discussed again. Councillors agree to include a provisional sum in the draft budget, but made no definite agreement on the way forward.

Community Field

Provisionally, nothing was included in the budget to cover the development of the Community Field. This year, the field generated £100 of income from grazing rights, and is likely to do so in the next year too.

The Church has asked for the return of its donation until the car parking project is progressed.

Next meeting

The next Parish Council meeting will take place at 7.30pm, on 5^th January 2017 in the Parish Hall.

Parish Council Meeting, November

November 4, 2016 by admin 6 Comments

Parish Council Meeting, November Summary

The Parish Council met on Thursday, 3rd November 2016. Highlights included plans for this year’s Christmas tree and light switch-on, more complaints over parking, lorries, drains, leaves, traffic and verges. Delay to Purton’s plans to use the cricket pitch, and little progress on the yellow lines (but not for want of trying). And Car Park Lite is back on the agenda.

Councillors Harris (Chair), Pfleger, Cobb, Sharp, Dodge, Hearn, and Kayani attended. Apologies received from Councillors Baggs and Montgomery. County Councillor Groom also attended part of the meeting to give her report.

Councillor Harris was the chairman, Deborah Bourne the clerk.

Public Questions

The Chairman prefaced the meeting by saying that the parish steward only spends a limited amount of time in the parish, and the Parish Council may need to look at employing someone themselves for one or two days a week during peak time. It was frustrating when residents were raising issues, which never seemed to get resolved fully.

Clearing the leaves, particularly around the Butts

This was becoming a perennial issue. Build-up was particularly bad after the recent wet weather. They were a hazard to children going to school. On occasion, children risked injury on slippery leaves that were obscuring the demarcation between pavement and road. Parents didn’t complain because they didn’t believe anything would happen, even if they did.

The Chairman acknowledged this was a problem. One possibility was residents joining together to clear the leaves.

Councillor Cobb, however, said that there were issues with insurance and liability. The clerk said there was a possibility that liability could be covered by the Parish Council’s policy, but this needed further research and consideration. For example, the leaf clearing would need to be organised, a safe system of work put in place. In the meantime, the Chairman said leaf clearing (and freeing up drains) should be a priority for the parish steward.

What’s happening to the defibrillator?

The resident was concerned about the potential cost to the parish. However, Councillor Pfleger confirmed that the parish council had shelved this project after he had taken the advice of a senior paramedic, who had told him he didn’t know of a single life being saved through a defibrillator that was not on site.

Who is cleaning the free-standing bus stops?

A local resident has taken on responsibility for cleaning one of the bus shelters. The Chairman said the Parish Council would welcome other volunteers, and Councillor Pfleger warned councillors not to hold their breath.

What is happening to the telephone box in the Street?

A resident was concerned that, if kept, the telephone box would become dilapidated and a magnet for graffiti and vandalism. The resident was also concerned that the Parish Council did not consider fully the cost of its maintenance before deciding to keep it.

The Chairman said that this had slipped down the Council’s list of priorities in recent months, but there was a desire in the village to keep the telephone box. Two or three people had volunteered to take the telephone box on.

Councillor Pfleger said that if this did not happen, it would get taken away.

War memorials, can someone clear them?

A resident buys crosses to put on war graves in the cemetery, but some cremation plots can hardly be found, and the names illegible, because they are so overgrown. Can someone clear them? The Chairman said he would add this to the parish steward’s list.

What’s happening about all the heavy vehicles using the village as a thoroughfare?

The Chairman referred to two articulated lorries seen overtaking, and damage to this own wall. Others had also experienced inconsiderate driving, and lorries using roads that were weight restricted.

During a lively debate, Councillor Pfleger (Lorry Watch) said he could take no action without reports (registration number plates and times). People were, he said, possibly victims of their own complacency.

The Chairman asked County Councillors Groom and Lay to keep on top of the issue, and press the case with Wiltshire Council. He also voiced concern over what would happen when the M4 Junction 16 Works started as more vehicles would be using the village as a diversion. The results, potentially, would be chaotic.

The area of amenity land between Buryfield and the Close needs some TLC.

The area was planted by the Parish Council 10-15 years ago, but is now looking very untidy. The Chairman said he would get Open Spaces Working Group to look at it.

Application for change of use at Bagbury Business Park

Two representatives of Accelerated Learning and Certification Limited attended the meeting to talk about the merits of their application for change of use. Their intention is to run training courses for gas engineers and other construction professionals from the unit. There would, they said, be no issues with parking, and they liked quiet as all their students would be sitting exams.

(Later in the meeting, the Chair of Planning Working Group said their recommendation would be to oppose the application because of parking and the potential issues to residents because of evening and weekend working).

County Councillor’s Report

The Chairman welcomed County Councillor Groom to the meeting. Councillor Groom updated the meeting on cuts to Wiltshire Council’s budgets (with the possible knock-on effect on parishes), drain surveys, Junction 16 works, Taylor Wimpy application at Lydiard Park (and the possible flooding issues), the Wiltshire Safety Centre at Wroughton, planning applications, developments in social services, children services and the fire service.

The Chairman asked what was happening over the road between Swinley Drive and Casa Paolo. Councillor Groom said she would check, but believed this was to be a green lane. There was also a debate over what had happened to any developer’s contributions towards road improvement or other works. Nobody seemed sure of the answer to this, but it was mooted that the planners had never been very clear over what was happening and that most of the money had gone to Swindon.

Neighbourhood Watch

Councillor Sharp said it had been a quiet month, but warned residents to be on their guard during Bonfire night and the run-up. In previous years, there had been cases of thieves using people being out of their houses as an opportunity.

Lydiard Millicent and its Neighbourhood Plan

Councillor Dodge gave an update on the first meeting of the steering group held on 18th October. The next meeting is to be held on 8th November.

Leaving the New V Neighbourhood Plan

The Clerk reported Wiltshire Council are not happy with the form of wording Lydiard Parish Council used to say they will be leaving the New V Group, and have proposed new wording. The main difference appears to be that Wiltshire Council want Lydiard Millicent to say they [Lydiard Millicent] want to leave New V. However, Lydiard Parish Council appear not to want to say that. They say they are only leaving New V because Wiltshire Council say they can’t continue to be part of New V when/if Lydiard Tregoz leave (because that will create a non-contiguous area).

Wiltshire Council allegedly want the departing parishes to leave sequentially.

The Chairman queried whether this stance from Wiltshire Council meant there would be less money available for Lydiard Millicent, which was being forced to go it alone.

Another debate on leaving New V ensued.

Councillors Dodge and Sharp pointed out that the resolution proposed in this instance did not affect Lydiard Millicent, but was necessary for Purton to leave. If the Council did not agree it, New V would just continue to limp on, achieving very little.

The wording proposed by Wiltshire was agreed. This consents to Purton leaving the group.

However, the resolution for Lydiard Millicent formally to leave New V (Wiltshire Council wording) appears yet to be approved, so it looks like the issue is still on-going.

The JCH and Recreation Ground

Purton Cricket Club will now not be using the Recreation Ground for 2017 season. The wicket is in a worse state than they originally thought, due in part to ant hills and a lack of maintenance in previous years. They remain committed to using it for the 2018 season. Due to the number of pitches having been converted to all weather surfaces, Lydiard’s could be in high demand and it was felt that work on it should progress.

Anti-pigeon spikes have now been fitted at the JCH.

The Community Field

The Chairman reflected on the resolution that the Council passed in November last year. This was not to abandon the car park project, but to postpone it because of the cost. The Open Spaces Working Group had been looking at alternatives and ways of reducing cost.

It was resolved that the Working Group should continue to progress matters. It would do so by considering ways of reducing costs; through discussions with Wiltshire Council over reducing the car park specification, seeking additional funding (possibly from the Church, Parish Hall, School – in conjunction with the development of its transport plan) and utilising self-help schemes involving the community.

Yellow lines to combat school-time obstructions

Councillor Cobb reported that he was trying hard to progress the parking restrictions, but wasn’t getting much joy from Wiltshire Council. He suspected that Wiltshire Council wanted to “save up” several requests from different parishes so that it could save time and costs by dealing with them in a single order.

Christmas Tree

Councillor Pfleger was organising this, and would be putting the tree and lights up on 26 November. However, it was agreed that the lights would be switched on for the first time on 3rd December, to coincide with the Christmas event organised by the Parish Hall Trustees on that day.

The meeting closed at 8.50pm. The next meeting will be held at the Parish Hall on Thursday 1st December, at 7.30pm.

Parish Council Meeting, October

October 10, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Parish Council Meeting, October Summary

The Parish Council met on Thursday, 6th October 2016. Highlights included the possibility of cricket returning to the village and why school parking looks set to be a continuing problem.

Councillors Harris, Baggs, Cobb, Sharp, Dodge, Hearn, Montgomery and Kayani attended. Apologies received from Councillor Pfleger and County Councillor Groom.

Councillor Harris was the chairman, Deborah Bourne the clerk.

Parish Steward

Before public questions and the main body of the meeting, the Clerk explained how the Parish Steward scheme works.

Basically, the Parish Council submits requests for works to the Parish Steward. However, this does not mean all jobs will get done. The Parish Council may prioritise up to three. However, the parish only has a limited amount of the steward’s time; one day a month. It is down to the steward to allocate his time to certain jobs. Jobs not completed, however, are carried forward.

The clerk agreed to send councillors a list of outstanding jobs.

It was embarrassing when parishioners were raising the same points as jobs had not been done, the Chairman said. One option would be for the parish in the future to employ someone itself.

Public Questions

Leaves in the Butts

This was an item carried forward from the parish steward’s list and last meeting. Leaves still need to be cleared.

Cleaning of the bus shelters

This fell to the parish council to do. Councillor Blackmore used to clean the one in the village. In the absence of a new volunteer coming forward, the cost of doing this would have to be added to the precept.

Speed Watch

The resident appreciated Councillor Pfleger was not there. However, he wondered how many of the trained Speed Watch volunteers were still active.

Councillor Cobb said he thought about 6-8. Councillor Sharp said there were 11 names on the email circulation list.

Councillors considered whether they should be re-advertising for volunteers. It was agreed it would be a good idea to “spread the word” and to seek new volunteers, to help spread the load.

State of the road in The Beeches

The bad state of the road was mentioned. It had not been resurfaced since the drainage was put in. It was agreed the state of the road was very poor, but it was a no-through road and there was felt to be more chance of residents winning the lottery than Wiltshire Council treating it as a priority for a proper resurface. But Councillor Cobb said he would try, by raising it as an issue and it would help if residents could do so too with Wiltshire Council.

The Neighbourhood Plan

Tom Pepperell said he was surprised this was not on the agenda as an item. However, Councillor Dodge said he was hoping to hold a meeting of the steering group next week. No volunteers had come forward and it was felt the village was suffering from mass apathy.

The clerk confirmed that she had submitted the neighbourhood designation order application, and was awaiting to hear back from Wiltshire Council on it.

Neighbourhood Watch

Councillor Sharp gave his update. It had been a quiet month. The new local police team working arrangements were being introduced on 17th October, and he was attending a meeting about this on Wednesday.

County Councillor Report

County Councillor Groom sent her apologies. There was no report, and the Chairman said this should be raised with Councillor Groom as many county council matters affected the parish.

Attendance at other meetings and events

The Chairman had attended Harvest Festival at the Church. The Parish Council had purchased a wreath for Remembrance Sunday and Councillor Sharp would be attending.

Wiltshire Council Budget Meeting

Councillor Sharp and the Clerk had attended. The main issue arising was the Government’s consultation on the Local Government Finance Settlement and the proposed referendum principle on precept increases.

The latter, if passed, would require a referendum on precept increases above 2%. In its current form, it would not affect Lydiard Millicent as the prospective cap would apply only to larger authorities. However, the Parish Council were opposed to it in principle since, if rolled out to smaller authorities, it would affect its ability to raise the precept for the provision of services and was “not workable” for Lydiard Millicent.

The Clerk’s Report

This was a new agenda item.

The Clerk reminded residents she was available at the Jubilee Club House on Tuesdays 10-12 and Thursdays 2-4.

The Clerk is meeting with the parish steward and also attending the Local Government Clerks’ Conference. She reported on Finance Meeting, Jubilee Club House cleaners, discussions over the cricket ground and submission of the application for the designation order for the neighbourhood plan.

There were still two casual vacancies for new councillors.

Planning Matters

Nothing controversial. Notice was received too late for a change of use application at Bagbury Business Park. The Clerk is to ask Wiltshire Council for an extension so that the Parish Council can respond.

Jubilee Club House Grounds and Purton Cricket Club

The Parish Council is in discussions with Purton Cricket Club over use of the sports ground/recreation field. Councillor Cobb gave the update in Councillor Pfleger’s absence.

The potential quality of the wicket at Lydiard Millicent is very good, and would be suitable for club play if brought back into condition. Purton are looking to share their expertise, and hire the ground, if a deal can be reached. (Lydiard Millicent would help with any grant application, and maintain the pitch, which would probably involve training volunteers). Women and girls’ cricket in North Wiltshire could potentially be developed at the site, as well as club play and the possibility of a local team being set up.

The working group were keen to progress discussions and the Chairman described this as “a very exciting opportunity.” It was unanimously agreed to continue discussions and research.

School Parking and update on the road markings

Councillor Cobb talked about his battle to get the road markings from the Butts to the Beeches progressed.

Basically, the request is now with Wiltshire Council. However, despite Councillor Cobb pushing for this to be resolved finally, progress is slow. The school are apparently not happy with the proposals. It was reported that they thought the imposition of lines would pose a safety hazard for children. This was disputed, and the general feeling was that any safety hazard came from the crazy antics and bad parking of a minority of parents.

The School had prepared a draft travel plan, but this needed to be sent to parents and consulted upon. Wiltshire are waiting on this.

Other reasons why progress was slow; Wiltshire Council says there is little or no money available for line marking and signage, even if broken. Wiltshire would also need to consult on the line marking proposals, and include in an order which covers other schemes and works, all of which add to the delay.

The Council would keep pushing Wiltshire, and asked residents to keep the pressure up. Any pictures of irresponsible parking or the problems caused around the Butts should be sent to the Parish Council.

Lines may not be the complete solution to the traffic problem, but it was felt they would be a good first step. The proposed restriction would be 8.30-9.30 and 2.30- 3.30. The local PCSO at Royal Wootton Bassett was amenable to come over on an ad hoc basis to ensure compliance.

The Parish Council agreed something needed to be done and would push Wiltshire Council on this one.

Other highway issues

The issue of signage in Greatfield has now been closed by Wiltshire. Since the speed restriction road signs are visible, they do not think there is a problem.

The issue of the Beeches bus stop being made disabled friendly has also been closed as there is not enough room to alter the stop apparently, and there is disabled access on the other side of the road (their logic, not mine).

The County’s Freight Management Scheme had been discussed. Councillor Cobb expressed surprise at Wiltshire Council’s view that the Lydiards area did not have a problem.

Tregoz break rank over Taylor Wimpey application

September 27, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Swindon Councillors have expressed “grave concern” at Taylor Wimpey’s proposals to build 48 new homes in the shadow of Lydiard House. The plans have also provoked criticism from MPs Robert Buckland, James Gray and local community groups. Online, Taylor Wimpey’s application has provoked hundreds of objections.

Lydiard Millicent Parish Council have formally written to Wiltshire Council telling them why the development should not go ahead, citing conflict with a number of its Core Policies. Planning policies which restrain further development on the west of Swindon, and protect the distinct character and identity of the surrounding villages, are also quoted by the Lydiard Park Heritage Action Trust in their objection.

But not every one is against the application, not quite.

Lydiard Tregoz Parish Council has given its formal reponse as one of support.

At its September meeting, Lydiard Tregoz Parish Council unanimously agreed to note Taylor Wimpey’s application. A spokesperson for Tregoz subsequently explained this meant the application did not give them any cause for concern, being some distance from St Mary’s Church.

If the proposed development goes ahead it would be over three miles by road from Hook, where most of Lydiard Tregoz’s population resides.

Geographically, the development would be much closer to Swindon and Lydiard Millicent than Hook. Indeed, two major criticisms of the proposals are the additional strain the new houses would put on the local infrastructure, and the erosion of the rural buffer between West Swindon and Lydiard Millicent.

Taylor Wimpey have sought to counter the argument that the development would encroach upon the rural buffer. This includes an offer to gift the remainder of its land holding at Lydiard Park to “an appropriate local community body” to protect it from future development. This, they say, “will preserve the surrounding areas, rather than ‘open the door’ to the rest of the fields being developed.”

Not everyone is convinced. Kevin Fisher of the Lydiard Heritage Action Group questions the genuiness of the gift proposal. Rather than make the gift of land conditional on the success of their planning application, he thinks Taylor Wimpey should “simply draw up a contract and gift the land… with no strings attached.”

“By linking the so called ‘gift’ to a Parish Council being required to support their planning application and only then being rewarded with a discussion as part of Section 106 agreement, suggests they are being disingenuous at best,” he says.

A Section 106 Agreement is a term used to describe planning obligations which a developer may enter into with the local authority, linked to a planning permission. Usually its purpose is to mitigate the impact of a development proposal. It is intended to make a development, which otherwise would be unacceptable, acceptable by offsetting the impact on a particular location. A common example is requiring a substitute provision for the loss of open space, or a contribution to the cost of the infrastructure serving the development (for example, through the provision of highway improvements or a new classroom at a school in the new estate’s catchment area).

Critics say Taylor Wimpey is not really giving anything away, that there is no compensation in the gifted land for the potential loss of amenity. Much of the land is within the Historic England listed boundary of Lydiard Park, some is flood plain. Lydiard Park Heritage Action say that “no one would ever get planning permission for that land” and that the pastures are “a liability and not an asset to anyone that is or becomes their caretaker.”

In addition, there is the issue of to whom the land should be gifted, on what terms, and for what purpose.

Earlier in the consultation exercise, there were calls for a three-way lock to prevent future development. In the event of the planning permission being granted, this would have seen the developer entering into covenants with Swindon Council, Lydiard Millicent and Lydiard Tregoz Parish Councils.

However, it appears Lydiard Tregoz will now be the sole beneficiary of any “gift.”

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said, “Our intention is to gift the remaining part of the land to Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council, on the condition that the land must be safeguarded from inappropriate development in perpetuity.”

“Once the legal process has been completed, Lydiard Tregoze Parish will undertake management of the land.”

The land in question is within the parish of Lydiard Tregoz, so too is the application site.

Taylor Wimpey state, in their Planning and Sustainability Statement, dated July 2016, that the “site is a draft allocation in the emerging Lydiard Tregoz Neighbourhood Plan,” which “therefore, represents a significant material consideration in favour of granting planning permission for the development proposed.”

However, Lydiard Tregoz Parish Council voted in May 2016 to leave the New V Neighbourhood Planning Group. To date, no order has been made designating Lydiard Tregoz a discrete neighbourhood planning area, nor has any draft plan been the subject of any public consultation or publicity. So any draft neighbourhood plan appears, at best, amorphous.

No doubt Wiltshire Council will form their own view on what amounts to a “significant material consideration in favour of granting planning permission,” particularly given the potential conflict with its own Core Policies.

Wiltshire Council has a target date of 2 November 2016 for determining Taylor Wimpey’s application. However, there is always the possibility that this timeframe may be extended. And, if unsuccesful, Taylor Wimpey may choose to appeal.

Whatever the outcome, one thing is for certain. The future of Lydiard Park, and the rural buffer, will be hotly debated in the months to come.

Parish Council to oppose Mews Appeal

September 10, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Thursday evening saw an Extra Ordinary meeting of Lydiard Millicent Parish Council.

Councillors met to discuss Custom Land’s appeal against the refusal of their application for outline planning permission. Local residents also attended, and offered their thoughts on Custom Land’s proposal to build four houses on land off the Mews.

Parking and bin storage is already an issue at the Mews, residents said. Building more homes on the land, with a narrow access way would make things worse.

They also voiced concern that Lydiard is “quite a special place” and that the appeal, if successful, could have a domino-effect. Custom Land have also recently taken informal soundings on plans to build up to 60 homes on land bordering the application site, whilst Taylor Wimpey have applied for permission to build 48 houses off Tewkesbury Way. Residents, therefore, fear a potential pincher movement from developers threatens the green fields, which separate Lydiard from Swindon.

Residents urged the Parish Council to do anything they could to support Wiltshire’s case for refusing the application.

Whether Custom Land’s plans go ahead will now be determined by a planning inspector at an Appeal. A Planning Inspector will consider written representations from the developer, Wiltshire Council and others, and reach a decision. They will consider all the previous information submitted, and any new submissions. In reaching their decision, the Inspector can only take into account information that is relevant to the Appeal. In most cases, the arguments will hinge upon the grounds for refusal set out in the planning authority’s decision letter.

The deadline for new submissions is 20 September. There is no set date by which the Inspector must make a decision. However, the average time taken to determine appeals of this nature is 18 weeks from start to finish.

Unanimously, the Parish Council decided to reiterate their original objections to the proposals, and to draft a new letter to send to the planning inspector. The letter will cover the same grounds, but with a different order of emphasis. In addition, Councillor Sharp suggested that lack of sustainability should be added. Although Lydiard has some facilities, these are limited and stretched. The school is rumoured to be oversubscribed. There is a lack of parking and traffic congestion. The bus service is limited, and under threat. There are better, more sustainable locations, to build the type of homes Custom Land are proposing.

The Parish Council’s original objections include-

Access to the site is via a shared driveway with The Mews, extra traffic would be detrimental to the already congested area.
Refuse Lorries are not currently able to access the road at The Mews (where it is anticipated that the
entrance to the new site would be). Residents have to take bins from their houses to a designated area
along the road, any new buildings would add to this already unsatisfactory situation.
A recently commissioned Housing Needs Survey for the Parish identified that starter homes and small bungalows for “downsizing” were required within the village and not larger detached family homes.
Surface and flood water currently flows into the field, there is a concern that building works would inhibit this and exacerbate flooding in the area.
The application states it is an infill site; Core Strategy Policy 2 refers to infill as “the filling of a small gap within the village that is only large enough for not more than a few dwellings”. Two suggested layout options show four houses on this site; again reference to the Core Strategy gives a meaning of infill as “generally only one dwelling”.
Building on this side of the village should be discouraged so an Open Space is kept along the border between the Parish and Swindon Borough Council, to stop coalescence of the two.

Out of the council and residents’ original objections, only one is referred to as a grounds for refusal in the planning officer’s decision letter, that the site is not infill.

Wiltshire Council, the planning authority, were bound to determine the application in accordance with National and Local Planning Policies. It based its refusal on more narrow grounds than the wide spectrum of residents’ concerns, maintaining that the proposal was contrary to a number of its Core Policies. In particular, under Core Policy 2, it maintained that development in small villages, like Lydiard Millicent, should be limited to within the existing built area.

In reaching their decision, the planning officer at Wiltshire Council also took the view that the site was not The term infill is defined in the Core Strategy as the filling of a small gap within the village that is only large enough for not more than a few dwellings, generally only one dwelling.

Perhaps not the tightest of definitions. But then planning terms, which must bear application across a wide range of contexts, rarely are. In any case, the meaning of a few remains open to conjecture. In their appeal statement, Custom Land argue that four houses fall within any objective definition of a few and so should be classed as infill. This would then place their proposed development within Core Policy 2, as one suitable for a small village like Lydiard.

Custom Land also argue that the development should be permitted in any case because it would make a contribution to the area’s housing need. The benefit, they argue, would outweigh any potential harm, which the Core Policies are designed to prevent. The legal and planning arguments are complex. However, where a local authority fails to show a sufficient rolling five-year housing supply, less weight can be attached to its Core Policies which may restrict development. In those cases, it is harder to argue against the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in national planning policy. Elsewhere in the county, and nationally, developers have succeeded at appeal using similar arguments where the local planning authority cannot demonstrate a deliverable five-year housing supply.

Custom Land say that Wiltshire cannot show a five-year housing supply so that the presumption in favour of development should prevail.

In their original decision letter, the planning officer for Wiltshire argued that any housing shortfall was slight. In their view, this means sufficient weight should still attach to its Core Policies, and that the harm in deviating from them would outweigh the potential good.

However, Custom Land think otherwise, and Wiltshire Council’s reply on this point should be interesting.

In May of this year, Wiltshire Council withdrew a number of its objections to an appeal by Beechcroft over proposals to build 70 new homes at the Forty in Cricklade. It acknowledged that it was then unable to demonstrate a five-year housing supply. Critics argue that this failure to show an adequate housing supply leaves Wiltshire’s towns and villages vulnerable to inappropriate development, contrary to its own planning policies.

On-street parking and where to put their wheelie bins may be the issues that most concern residents. However, Custom Land’s success or failure, may ultimately depend upon Wiltshire’s ability to show enough homes are being built elsewhere.

Any submissions on Custom Land’s appeal can be made on-line at the planning inspectorate’s website or sent in triplicate to the planning inspector at 2 The Square, Temple Quay House, Bristol, BS1 6PN, quoting reference APP/Y3940/W/3154507.

Parish Council Meeting, September

September 5, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Parish Council Meeting, September Summary

The Parish Council met on Thursday, 1^st September 2016. I wasn’t there in person, but arranged for someone to take brief notes. As ever, I apologise in advance for any omissions and am more than happy to reply to comments.

Councillors Pfleger, Dodge, Sharp, Hearn and Kayani attended. Apologies received from Councillors Vernon Montgomery, Andrew Harris, Dean Cobb, and Robert Baggs.

Councillor Pfleger chaired, in Councillor Harris’ absence.

Questions from the public

Neighbourhood Plan

A resident made a number of comments in respect of the draft application for the designation of the parish of Lydiard Millicent as a new neighbourhood plan area. These included—

Is there a chance to review the Parish Application Draft before it will be submitted?
The PC is positioned in North West Wiltshire and not North East.
Nothing has been mentioned in there about the Millennium Trail- will it persist or not? Would it add more bearing?

They said they hoped that the application would be discussed this evening and then promptly submitted.

Drains

A member of the public asked about the state of the blocked drains bear the Butts.

Main issues covered in the formal meeting

The neighbourhood plan

The Parish Council must submit a request to Wiltshire Council for the designation of the revised area to be covered by the neighbourhood plan now that Lydiard is no longer part of the New V group. This is a formal document.

The main issues covered include—

planning to protect and enhance the distinct character and identity of the parish,
to ensure Public Open Spaces remain,
to consider sites for modest housing developments, which meets local needs; small developments, residents downsizing, additional employment opportunities, to support the rural community and community facilities,
for public car parking in the parish to be improved.

The neighbourhood plan can only cover the area that the area designation order relates to.

It was felt by some that there was inconsistency in the draft area designation statement, and elsewhere over terminology. For example, the draft statement describes Lydiard as a village, rather than referring to the civil parish. All references should be to the civil parish. It is important that it covers the whole of the parish.

The plan must be in agreement with Wiltshire’s Core Policy, and clarification is to be sought on what is meant by infill in the context of small villages, which Lydiard Millicent is classified as.

All councillors voted in favour of the designation of Lydiard Millicent Civil Parish as the area for the designation order, and to be covered by the neighbourhood plan. Application for formal designation is to be made very shortly.

Councillors also discussed the setting up of a steering group, which will form the plan, manage consultation and present it to Wiltshire Council. Terms of Reference are to be agreed between the Council’s current Working Group and the new Steering Group. The existing working group is to set up these terms of reference.

Councillors and residents were invited to apply to join the steering group.

Yellow lines from the Church to the Beeches

With the Car Park project not progressing as originally planned, it was now felt that there could be potential issues associated with the proposed yellow lines. Whilst still being in favour of parking restrictions, it was suggested that a single yellow line should be introduced to allow parking after 5pm. Council and school to be included in further discussions.

Cheaper alternatives to the original car park plans were considered. It was mooted that it may be possible to park on the community field without the extensive car park works originally proposed. The use of Netpave 25 (grid paving system) had previously been dismissed due to its insufficient weight bearing capacities, but Councillor Pfleger will get some local contractor to look into this further informally.

Planning

There were no Planning Application determinations released by Wiltshire Council for this month.

On current applications-

The Council objected to Taylor Wimpey’s application to build 48 houses off Tewkesbury way. This was contrary to Wiltshire’s Core Policy, would spoil the historic setting of Lydiard House, Church and the Park, and it was too early in relation to the draft neighbourhood plan. There were also concerns over flooding.

The Council maintains its objection to planning application Y3940/W/16/3154507, relating to land off the Mews, for four additional dwellings, and in respect of which Custom Land have now lodged an appeal. A separate meeting is set for next week to discuss this further.

This meeting is now set for Thursday 8th September, at 7.30pm in the Jubilee Club House, and is open to the public.

The council had no objections to the following—

16/07095/OUT – Wood Lane Nursery, Wood Lane, Braydon Demolition of existing buildings and glass houses & erection of single dwelling (outline application for access and layout only)

16/07970/FUL – Application for another Industrial Unit to be located at Bagbury Industrial Park.

War Memorial

Historic England are assessing war memorials as part of a commemoration and listing project, and had written to the Council.

The Council had no objection as this was nothing to do with the Parish Council.

Expansion of Parish Office

It was agreed that the clerk would now use the office at the Jubilee Club House as her main place of work, rather than home. Desk and chair to be purchased from charity shop. Laptop or desktop purchase to be discussed further at next meeting.

Other news

The Chairman had attended a meeting at the school, but there was nothing to report back on.

The Council is working on a staff and media policy.

Villagers unite against development threat

August 26, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Local residents are joining forces to fight development proposals, which they fear could spoil Lydiard Park and threaten Lydiard Millicent’s village character.

Lydiard Heritage Action Group formed

A number of community organisations are opposed to the latest proposals. These include Shaw Residents Association, the Friends of Lydiard Park, the Lydiard Park Heritage Trust, together with other Swindon and Lydiard Millicent residents. In a recent development, they have come together under the banner of the Lydiard Heritage Action Group, and are urging everyone to object to the proposals.

Over 100 objections have already been lodged with Wiltshire Council.

More houses, but is this the best place for them?

Taylor Wimpey are applying for planning permission for 48 houses on land off Tewkesbury Way. The proposal is for 29 two to four open market bedroom houses, and nineteen houses for social renting. The latter comprises a compulsory 40% affordable housing element.

Taylor Wimpey have owned the site for 40 years. Their latest application comes after a refusal to develop the site in 1988, and, more recently a series of public consultation exercises.

Objectors say that the proposals will destroy the unique nature of Lydiard Park, which, they emphasise is a country park, and should not be allowed to become just a green space in an urban sprawl.

Sarah Finch-Crisp, who led the Lydiard Park Restoration Project, believes that the proposals would destroy the ‘essential setting’ of Lydiard Park. The houses would be in full view of St. Mary’s Church and the main drive to Lydiard House. ‘Such development will inevitably destroy the tranquillity of this historic rural environment and bring the town to Lydiard’s doorstep,’ she says.

A pincher movement around Lydiard Millicent

There is a real fear that, if granted, permission will open the floodgate for further development. Many people choose to live in Lydiard because of its distinctive village feel. They do not want to be part of an urban conurbation, and value the surrounding countryside.

Another developer, Custom Land, has plans to develop land on the other side of the road, close to Holborn. Coupled with Taylor Wimpey’s proposals, this could see West Swindon spill over into what used to be the Green Belt.

Mike Sharp, a Lydiard Millicent resident, describes Taylor Wimpey’s proposal as part of a pincer movement when taken into context with Custom Land’s plans. He says, it “is a Trojan horse application, [and] if approved, many more fields around Lydiard Park and all the open space between Swindon, Lydiard Millicent, Hook and other outlying villages will fall to developers”.

Taylor Wimpey’s case

Taylor Wimpey, on the other hand, point out that their proposed development is outside of the registered park itself. They also maintain that they are only building on 11% of the land that they own in Lydiard, and have offered to gift surrounding fields to the local community. This, they say, would ensure that they are never built on.

To date, that’s an offer that has not been very warmly received. Objectors point out that the land is marginal, and would not be suitable for development in any event.

Objectors also say that the proposals are contrary to Swindon and Wiltshire’s planning policies. However, Taylor Wimpey say that their proposals would provide much needed housing, and that the council cannot show a five-year housing supply. If so, the policies would be considered out-of-date, giving the developer a much greater chance of success.

Further information

You can find out more about the application at Wiltshire Council’s website. You can make an objection, comment or voice your support there, or by clicking on this link.

Parish Council Meeting, August

August 9, 2016 by admin 6 Comments

Main topics discussed

Highlights from this month’s Parish Council Meeting include-

a green light for the neighbourhood plan,
progress on parking restrictions for the road near the Butts,
an objection to last month’s draft minutes,
a lively debate over whether to make a small donation towards the Parish Hall’s Queen’s Birthday Celebrations,
the future maintenance of the closed part of the churchyard, and
the latest on the defibrilator.

Councillors Harris (Chair), Pfleger (Vice-Chair), Cobb, Baggs, Montgomery, Hearn, Sharp and Dodge all attended, as did several members of the public. Councillors Kayani sent his apologies. Councillor Groom also attended at the start, to give her update as Unitary Authority Councillor.

There were no questions from the public. After the Chairman had welcomed everybody to the meeting, he explained that the seats were back in their old arrangement. This was because it made it easier for the councillors to talk to each other. The public were reminded that the only time they could talk was in the public question time at the beginning of the meeting. A hand up at any other time meant the person in question could not hear.

The Neighbourhood Plan

Unitary Councillor Groom relayed comments she had received from Wiltshire Council over Appendix D, which had previously been circulated to councillors and which dealt with the neighbourhood plan.

Appendix D concluded with the recommendations that the Council resolve to:

Recognise the democratic right of Lydiard Tregoz to withdraw from New-V subject to Wiltshire Council honouring its obligation to the Parish Council as a founder member of New-V.
Include the sum of £12,000 in the 2017/2018 budget for a neighbourhood plan, noting that partial funding could be drawn from reserves and subsequently replaced if work were to begin in the current year.
If minded to proceed with the neighbourhood plan, to establish a working party of three members to commence the process of recommending to the Council a boundary designation and assessing the validity of data already collected.

Tom Pepperell, the community representative on the New-V neighbourhood plan steering group, addressed the meeting.

In summary, he said-

It was only necessary for the Parish Council to decide to produce a plan for Lydiard Millicent, and submit an application form to Wiltshire Council. Lydiard Tregoz’s decision to leave New-V had forced Lydiard Millicent out, and there was no need for Lydiard Millicent to release Lydiard Tregoze formally.
Wiltshire Council had advised that costs would be minimal unless the Parish Council chose to emply contractors or further details were required. (The Lydiard Millicent chapter of the New-V neighbourhood plan had already been produced, was substantively ready for submission already and a link officer from Wiltshire Council was available to help).
The boundary of the neighbourhood plan area should be the parish boundary.
There were already a number of volunteers ready to help progress the adoption of the neighbourhood plan.
He believed the data to still be substantively valid and it would be possible to publicise the plan through the Parish Council’s website.
As the draft neighbourhood plan was not site specific, it was unlikely that an environmental assessment would be required.
The Lydiard Millicent chapter of the draft New-V neighbourhood plan suggests that any new development should be “located within the existing built-up area of the village, and generally comprise not more than a small group of houses (up to ten)” and other infill sites other than greenfield sites.
In view of the increasing level of interest the village is attracting from developers, he would urge Lydiard Millicent to progress the neighbourhood plan quickly.

The Chairman declared an interest in the agenda item that dealt with the neighbourhood plan, withdrew from the chair and took no part in the debate. He said he had made his position known to Wiltshire Council when he took over the chairmanship and, with Wiltshire Council, was satisfied he was doing everything properly.

In the main body of the meeting, Councillor Dodge explained how sometimes the process of New-V could be compared to herding cats. He explained the background to New-V with reference to Appendix D and the reasons behind Lydiard Millicent now having to decide if it would progress its own neighbourhood plan.

Some of the points raised in the following debate included-

What are the benfits of a neighbuorhood plan? Answer: It has legal status, which planners must take notice of and can be a bit of a shield.
Why did some of the New-V villages fail to progress the combined plan?
What is the likely cost? Short answer: Noone knows for sure. It can cost as little or as much as the Parish decides.
The need to move quickly. Councillor Dodge said that it would only be possible to go as quickly as the law allowed (there are statutory time limits). However, it should be possible for the council to act quickly over matters within their own control (for example, by calling special meetings if necessay).
How valid was the data? The Clerk questioned how diverse it was (for example, did it sufficiently cover Greenhill, Washpool and Greatfield? In a larger plan (New-V) this would not matter so much.)
Why not go with the existing draft, otherwise it will take week after week of meetings and delay things further?

There was unanimous support for Lydiard Millicent to have its own neighbourhood plan. A working party was agreed to take the neighbourhood plan forward, comprising Councillors Dodge, Sharp, and Baggs.

Gates firmly closed when we visited earlier in the week

Last month’s minutes, Jubilee Club House and Sportsground

The Vice-Chairman objected to last month’s draft minutes.

Last month, the Vice-Chairman had not been at the Parish Council meeting. However, a resolution had been passed at that meeting for the gate to be open from 8am to 6pm for access by residents. He objected to this as it had not been done through the working group. If the gate was open, then he considered it likely to be abused by people from outside the village. Boy-racers, drug-takers and fly-tippers.

It was agreed the item would be removed from the minutes.

Later on in the meeting, the councillors discussed the use of the Jubilee Club House and Playing Field. Councillor Montgomery felt that the gate should be kept open more, to encourage people to use the facilities. It would be possible to do this. If any issues arose as a result, the Council could then to go back to keeping it locked.

However, on the other hand, the cost of having to evict unlawful occupiers could be significant and people could access the field as pedestrians or park in the streets nearby. It was therefore agreed by the other councillors present that the gate would only be kept open when someone was hiring the Club House or Playing Field, for their use.

Highways update

Councillor Cobb gave his update on highways. The meeting agreed to approve £2,500- £3,000 as a contribution to restrictive parking signage and lining for the road, both sides, from the Church Chicane up to The Beeches. This is to be presented to the next CATG meeting on 1st September.

The school is still working on its transport policy, and the Chairman had attended a meeting with them in August.

There are a number of new projects and issues, which need to be entered in Wiltshire Council’s log. These include-

Subsidence at Washpool bridge
Widening of road just before Washpool bridge (from Tewksbury Way end) to give better visibility
Speeding around Nine Elms (a metro count is to be requested)
Erosion of verges in Stone Lane, Washpool and Common Platt
Refreshing of roadmarkings at the Tewksbury Way/Washpool junction (already raised as an issue).

The parish has been asked to take part in the PEAS scheme (Parish Emergency Assistance Scheme). This covers things like the supply of sandbags and flood signage. This was welcomed and the Highways Working Group will take forward.

A parishioner had asked about creating much needed parking spaces from the land between the duck pond and the church bus stop, possibly for disabled use. Tom Pepperell said he thought the land may belong to Wiltshire Council.

The Parish Hall Queen’s Birthday Celebrations

The event organised by the Parish Hall Trustees had made a £40 loss. The Chairman suggested that the Council make a donation towards this as the Council had previously said it was supportive of a function. It would also be a nice thing to do, he said. Debate ensued. Points raised included-

Why should The Parish Council do this when nobody has given the Council anything towards the broken window in the Jubilee Club House?
Not to support it could be seen as divisive.
How can the Parish Hall expect to make any money, if they don’t charge for admission?
Would this create a precedent?
If the Council weren’t minded to make the donation, one Councillor said he would offer to make the donation himself.
The Council should make the grant, but as a one-off.

It was ultimtely agreed (the Vice-Chairman dissenting) that the Parish Council should make a small donation.

Maintenance of the Closed Churchyard

The Parochial Church Council has made a request for Wiltshire Council to take over the care of the closed churchyard. If Wiltshire Council take over responsibility for its upkeep and care, it may only meet the bare statutory minimum.

On the one hand, it was felt important to keep the churchyard well maintained and to “do the decent thing.” On the other, the precept was under pressure and some felt the issue should be pushed back onto Wiltshire Council. It was agreed to take up Wiltshire Council’s offer of discussions in order to progress matters.

The Defibrilator

The Vice-Chairman said that he had spoken to a senior paramedic. There were a number of problems with pursuing this project. These included the possible effect of using a defibrilator on someone fitted with a pacemaker, cost, and lack of evidence that a defibrilator, like the one proposed, would save lives.

Since the Parish Hall had been discussed as a suitable location before, the Chairman would write to the Parish Hall Trustees inviting them to take forward if they wished.

The above account is unofficial and inevitably an incomplete record of all that was said at the meeting. However, I do endeavour to give a fair and honest representation of events. If anyone thinks there is an (unintentional) error, then please let me know and I will seek to correct it. As ever, I am happy to publish relevant (and lawful) comments.