Philip Gill, Parish Clerk (01264 398534) writes:

The Annual Meeting of the Parish was held at the Crown Hotel on Tuesday 6th May 2008

The Chairman reported that for the first time in five years there has been a full complement of Parish Councillors and a new Parish Clerk.

Wiltshire moves to a Unitary Authority in April 2009 with elections in May of that year. The overall effect of the move is that more power can be devolved to Parish Councils, but this will take some time to come to fruition. It is the Chairman’s intention to retire in May 2009.

 

Cllr J Bradford reported that finances remain in a healthy condition.

Major purchases for the year included a bin for the bus shelter and a new notice board for the village and PC which will be put in position once glazed.

 

KDC Cllr Howard reported during the past year he had been involved in the following matters in Everleigh.

The planning application for the Military Track which is to be built to the north and east of the village to take heavy military vehicle traffic away from the centre of Salisbury Plain, and thereby ease the environmental pressure on the Plain. He put forward Everleigh’s case which was based on the fact that this new road is going to add further to the noise pollution which Everleigh already suffers.

The Regulatory Committee of Kennet Council decided to approve the application, and the new Track will be built, but the work has already been postponed for at least another year due to shortage of funding.

Various planning applications for the new houses to be built at West View.

Funding for street lighting between The Street and the Goa Balti.

 

WCC Cllr Hall reported on the move to the Unitary Authority and that their starting point is that the 20 Community Areas, yours is Tidworth,will be the key to the reorganisation and their boundaries have been drafted to reflect a voter level of 3,700 per member. This leads to 98 councillors, all in single member seats. These will group in 4, 5 or 6 with a separate Cabinet Member in a Community Member Board which will be given powers to shape, a dreadful word, the Community Area. The Board will have staff support, funding and Parishes can be represented.Meanwhile the 5 councils really are working together to produce a plan for us that works. There will be paper put through you letter boxes, radio and even TV briefing and Parish Councillors will be called to the local towns for further briefing several times before 1st April 2009.

 

Although PC Randle could not attend he offered the following written report -

In the last twelve months crime wise, there was a domestic assault, a person arrested following a routine stop check passing through the village, a person arrested as a result of an assault at the hunt and damage to a gate in the village. Eleven calls of a road traffic nature ranging from loose cows, horses and trees down to the manner of driving.  Eight alarm calls, all false, five missing persons (all found), one report of nuisance children, two suspicious vehicles (checked out and in order although one occupant arrested in connection with an unrelated matter).
Five calls from Hills recycling ranging from suspect device (replica) to theft of scrap batteries. Finally one slight injury accident. He and Claire will continue to provide high visibility patrols in the village, and he can now be contacted directly on his radio when on duty by calling 01380 734001 and entering 781 1344 when prompted.

 

Election of officers.

Chairman:
There being no other nominations Cllr Beaton was invited to continue as Chairman for another year.

 

Vice Chairman:

Cllr A Bradford put himself forward for election and wasduly elected.

 

Allocation of Jobs.
Planning Chair: Cllr D Beaton agreed to continue as Chair of the Planning Committee.

Property Chair: Cllr A Bradford agreed to continue to serve as Chair ofthe Property Committee.

 

Planning
K/58281/F - Erection of a timber stable plus post and rail fencing at 2 The
Quickset, Everleigh, Marlborough Wilts SN8 3EU. The Members had previously agreed to make comment on the application but not to object to it.

 

Property.
Bus Shelter. Approach to bus companies not pursued as what we have now will suffice for the time being.

 

Play Area. The working group have not made as much progress asanticipated. Although the plan is still very basic it can go to the land owners for consideration. Most of the cost of the project will fall to the play equipment. There are a number of jobs outstanding that now need to be done to meet the points raised in the ROSPA inspection report. The aim should be to get best value for money and it may be that the land owner might meet some of some of these jobs. Cllr A Bradford agreed to revise the action list from the March meeting.

 

Notice Board. The Perpex glazing has still to be done.

 

Date of Next Meeting: was confirmed as 7 pm on Monday 7th July 2008 at
The Crown Hote, Everleigh

 

(Taken from the Courier Magazine - June 2008)