WHITTINGTON PARISH MEETING Thursday 12th May 2022, 1930 hrs.
Present: Kevin Aherne, Hetty Horton, Tom Metcalf, Sue Pinchen, Roger Rowe, Jenny Stringer, T.C., Bob & Carol White. By invitation: Inspector Simon Ellson, Glos Constabulary.
1] APOLOGIES Merrick Cardew, Emma Price, Jan & Gill Rowe.
2] MINUTES There having been no formal parish meeting in 2021 [the Covid Effect] the chairman's statement of 15th May 2021 replaced the minutes.
3] LOCAL CRIME Inspector Ellson, commander for the Cotswold region, spoke on local crime, its prevention, and the intentions of the Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson. Chairman thanked him for taking time out after a busy day at Stow Fair. [See footnote for salient points]. After the Inspector left the meeting, there was discussion on a proposal by Emma Price that a CCTV camera should be mounted on the village hall to monitor the adjacent lane and the T-junction. Roger Rowe as village hall chairman, having mounted the scaffolding for an accurate assessment, thought that the angle would be too acute to be effective; it was suggested instead that a camera mounted on the Old School would get the best view of traffic in all directions. Landlord and tenant to comment.
4] MATTERS ARISING FROM [2] Chairman thanked Scott / Jeab for their attention to the village flowerbed at the T-junction, and Ian Johnston for strimming verges. He reminded the meeting that Covid was ever-present.
5] ACCOUNTS Chairman reported the receipt on March 7th last of £874 12p of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy in the name of the parish meeting. The payment arose from planning permission for a building development of two tourist lodges at Lodge Farm in 2020. The fund is held by Cotswold District Council; its use is retricted to mitigating the effects of the development.
6] INDEPENDENT AUDITOR By law, the possession of funds requires the meeting to submit an accounts statement, independently audited. Sue Pinchen volunteered for this unremunerated post; chairman to prepare the necessary documentation for submission before the end of July.
7] JUBILEE It was reported by Kevin Aherne that a village committee, of which he was a member, had been formed under he chairmanship of Nicola Horton. A tea had been planned for the afternoon of June 4th, which was expected to run on into the evening [chairman to notify police as requested by them]; a collection for another bench on the green - or perhaps in the Pinchin Orchard - would be made. Jenny Stringer said she would give a tree for the village green, with the possibility of a further 150 for planting around the parish. Chairman wondered what had happened to the two commemorative oaks planted in 1989 in the churchyard and the graveyard to frame the approach to the village.
8. HIGHWAYS / TRAFFIC Chairman said the state of roads in the parish remained poor; potholes seemed to be filled at random; lane edges were eroding, grips were not properly cleared; the A40 junction remained submerged at high water. Jenny Stringer said she had tried to improve the drainage but was thwarted by concrete; Tom Metcalf offered a concrete-breaker. He also asked about placing mirrors at Rectory Corner, but it was felt that this would create more problems than it solved. Chairman referred to a move by group of Cotswolds parishes to get 20 mph standard through villages. Sue Pinchen asked what the speed limit was through Syreford [chairman to confirm].
9] PLANNING Chairman reported that Cotswold parishes had got together to question current system of planning permissions, thought to have become rather lax in recent years; parishes wanted to be better informed about applications, with decisions being taken more democratically. He listed applications affecting Whittington in the past two years: 2022: Tree works in the village [approved]; Coln Cottage Syreford, home gym and garden room [permit with conditions]; 2021: Trenfield Syreford, replace barn/store with workshop/equipment building [refused]; The Cottage, Sandywell Lodge, replace existing dwelling [still waiting]; Lodge Farm, alterations to storage and 'meeting shed' [permission not needed]; Puckridge, replace garage [approved]; Lodge Farm, house in garden [acceptable in principle]; New Bungalow, Whalley, 3-bay garage [approved]; Stables west of Sandywell gates, barn 13.7 x 7.7 m.; 2020: Lodge Farm, two 1-bedroom tourist cabins [approved].
10] AOB Chairman said the parish had 47 households, of which 16 [one-third] were in single occupancy. There were 85 names on the electoral roll.
11] CHAIRMAN Despite his best efforts to avoid it, the chairman was re-elected.
Footnote Inspector Ellson's statistics: Crimes reported in the parish in the last 12 months: four burglaries, three car-related crimes, one assault. Incidents reported in the parish in the last 12 months: 21, incl. personal safety concerns, a sudden death, etc. Crimes reported daily across the territory: 15-16. In comparative police terms, Whittington counted as a very safe village. Regarding police on patrol, he usually had 9 officers on shift at any one time, apart from neighbourhood teams also on duty. Whittington was policed from Stow, with one PC [Francis Ward] and two PCSOs, although Cheltenham might respond to 999 call. Although still stretched for resources, the Commissioner was looking to increase headcount. His priorities were burglaries, missing people and mental health issues [these took up a lot of police time], and serious/organised crime. Domestic abuse was thought to be more prevalent in rural areas than urban ones, but was also perhaps better hidden. It was hoped to instal Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras on the A40. Contact. The best reporting method [other than emergency phone calls] was by email, which was monitored constantly day and night. Attendance target was within four hours of contact. Crime prevention and personal safety: Keep cars locked [one in 10 found open when 'flicked' by thieves]. Good windows, with locks [double-glazing good]. Keep doors locked, even when at home. Instal CCTV or similar surveillance equipment. Security lighting. Alarms [or at least alarm boxes] a deterrent, but also liable to go off accidentally, and people get blasé about them when they do.