EVERLEIGH PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held
at Collingbourne Ducis Village Hall on Tuesday 12th May 2026
Chair: Cllr D Bottomley
Present: Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows, Cllr T Martin & Cllr L Wheeler-Mallows.
In Attendance: Ms H Boulton, Parish Clerk.
1. Election of Officers:
- Chair: There being no other nominations Cllr Bottomley was
proposed. Cllrs RESOLVED to elect Cllr Bottomley as Chair. He signed the Acceptance of Office at the meeting.
- Vice Chair: There being no other nominations Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows was proposed. Cllrs RESOLVED to elect Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows as Vice Chair.
2. Apologies: Cllr A Earle; Cllr P Evans; Cllr H Waight
3. Disclosure of Interest. None declared.
4. Co-option. No applications received.
5. Allocation of Appointments.
5.1. Planning Committee:
5.1.1 Members. Cllrs Bottomley, Evans, L Wheeler-Mallows and K
Wheeler-Mallows are to be Members of the Planning
Committee.
5.1.2 Chair. Cllr Bottomley is to be Chair of the Planning Committee.
5.2. Property Committee:
5.2.1 Members. Cllrs Earle, K Wheeler-Mallows, Waight and Martin
are to be Members of the Property Committee.
5.2.2 Chair. Cllr Earle is to be Chair of the Property Committee.
5.3 Cllr Bottomley is to be the Representative to Tidworth Area Board.
5.4 Cllr Bottomley is to be the Representative to The Courier magazine.
5.5 Cllr Bottomley is to be in charge of the grass cutting of Playground.
5.6 Cllr Bottomley is to be the Data Controller.
5.7 Cllr Evans is to be assistant Data Controller
5.8 Cllr A Earle is to be the Defibrillator Representative.
5.9 Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows is to be the Highways/Streetscene Representative.
5.10 Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows is to be Police Liaison Representative.
5.11 Cllrs Evans, L Wheeler-Mallows and Martin are to form the IT Sub Committee.
5.12 Cllrs Bottomley and K Wheeler-Mallows are to take the lead on the Village Emergency Plan.
5.13 Cllr Martin is to be responsible for the Village Street Map.
Members RESOLVED to allocate the appointments at items 5.1 to 5.13 above.
6. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 10th March 2026. The minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 10th March 2026 were signed by the Chair as a true record. Action: Clerk to file.
7. Matters Arising. Item 8.1. Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows has liaised with the Everleigh
Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) co-ordinator with a view to arranging crime
prevention advice and/or a visit to the village by Wilts Police’s “Bobby’s Van”.
After discussion, Cllrs RESOLVED to post a crime prevention flyer on the village
noticeboards and to request that the flyer be posted on the village web site, and
not to proceed with a visit by Bobby’s Van. In addition, Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows will
invite our local Wilts Police officers to the village Summer Party/BBQ on Saturday
18th July 2026. Action: Cllrs Bottomley and K Wheeler-Mallows.
8. General Public. No members of the public were present.
9. Correspondence. None received.
10. Forecast of Events. After reviewing the latest Forecast of Events Cllrs RESOLVED to confirm the plan with one addition: The Village Mid-Summer Tea Party, which is to take place on Saturday 27th June at St Peter’s Church from 2 – 4.30pm. Action: Cllr Bottomley.
11. Planning. Planning Applications as received from Wiltshire Council:
11.1 PL/2025/09030 Lower House Farm, Everleigh, SN8 3EU. After two retrospective
planning applications have been refused for conversion and rebuild of six
barns at Lower House Farm, a third retrospective planning application has
been submitted with the footprint and scope reduced to two barns (with one
extended) for a residential dwelling and garaging. The Parish Council have
raised no objections. The Wilts Council Decision Notice is due on 5th June.
11.2 PL/2026/02410 The Coach House, Everleigh, SN8 3 EY – Planning Application
for consent under Tree Preservation Orders to fell 14 Ash trees and reduce all
hedges to 8 feet. After consideration by the Planning Sub Committee, Cllrs
RESOLVED to support this application and a response to that effect was
submitted on 1st May 2026. Wilts Council have approved this application.
Item closed.
12. Property.
12.1 Grass Cutting Contract. Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows reported that the
current regime for grass cutting is working well and would continue to
be monitored by Cllrs K Wheeler-Mallows and Earle. Action: Cllrs K
Wheeler-Mallows and Earle.
- Play Area Work Party Saturday 18th April. Cllr Bottomley reported that the
Play Area Work Party on Saturday 18th April went well, with 9 volunteers
conducting 4 main tasks: cleaning; painting; strimming; and minor repairs
identified by the last ROSPA’s inspection on 24th October 2025.
Action: Cllr Earle.
- Streetscene. Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows reported that Parish Stewards will revert
from their potholes duties back to Parishes on 1st June 2026. Other
streetscene matters:
12.3.1 A342/ Marlborough Road – Safety & Infrastructure. There are no
major issues on the A342 or Marlborough Road.
12.3.2 Everleigh Street Map. Revised copies of the Everleigh Street Map
have now been erected as follows:
• One copy has replaced the version on the fence at the Crown bus
stop, courtesy of the residents at Laburnam/Ivy Cottage.
• The residents of Heathside have kindly agreed to the installation of
a second copy on their fence at the junction The Street/West View.
Cllrs Martin and Earle were congratulated for their efforts on this initiative.
13. Finance.
13.1 Current Liquidity State and Bank Reconciliation. A bank reconciliation to
date is showing a balance of £7174.22.
13.2 Internal Audit. Cllrs reviewed the internal audit and the Internal Auditor’s
report, andnoted that all control objectives are in place. Two observations
were raised by the Internal Auditor: the clerk’s 4th quarter salary should have
been paid before the end of the FY; and a review of the Parish Council Risk
Assessment should have been completed at the Annual Parish Council
meeting 2025. After discussion Cllrs RESOLVED to maintain a Reserve at
£2500, that the internal audit was effective and to accept the Internal
Auditor’s report and Page 4 of the Annual Governance and Accountability
Return (AGAR) FY 2025 -26. Action: Clerk.
13.3 Annual Governance Statement. Having considered the Annual
Governance Statement for the year ended 31st March 2026 Cllrs RESOLVED
to approve the statement which the Chairman and the Clerk then signed.
Action: Clerk
13.4 Accounting Statements. Having considered the Accounting Statements to
31st March 2026 Cllrs RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statements,
which the Chairman then signed, and to congratulate the Clerk on the
management of the accounts. Action: Clerk.
13.5 Limited Assurance Review Exemption. Having considered the criteria to
allow the Council to certify itself as exempt from a Limited Assurance
Review and having noted the advice of the Internal Auditor Cllrs RESOLVED
to certify the Council as exempt from a Limited Assurance Review which
negates the need for the accounts to be sent to the External Auditor and
which the Chairman and the Clerk then signed. Action: Clerk.
13.6 Period for The Exercise of Public Rights. Having considered the dates for
the period for the exercise of public rights Cllrs RESOLVED to set the dates
as 3rd June to 14th July 2026. Action: Clerk
13. 7 Appointment of Internal Auditor. Having considered appointing an Internal
Auditor for FY 2026-27 Cllrs RESOLVED to retain Mr Phil Gill as the Everleigh
Parish Council Internal Auditor for FY 2026-27 and review the situation as
required. Action: Cllr Bottomley & Clerk.
13.8 To authorise payments issued since last meeting.
WALC Annual Subscriptions £94.50 £15.75 VAT
AEDonate FA Defibrilator £778.80 £129.80 VAT
Ms Boulton 4/4 25/26 Clerk Salary £511.91
Wessex Print Street Map £127.14 £21.1 VAT
Lloyds Bank Charges £4.25
Collingbourne Hall hire March/May £24.00
Hightrees Domain Name 1 yr sub £42.00 £7.00 VAT
MOD Playground Rent 2026 £45.00
B&M Retail Compost – planters £45.00 £7.50 VAT
Ravens Plants – planters £43.91 £7.32 VAT
TG Jones Stationery £36.29 £6.05 VAT
13.9. To note payments received
Wilts Council Precept £4453.46
HMRC VAT £418.40
13.10 Risk Assessment. Having reviewed a revised DRAFT Risk Assessment, Cllrs
RESOLVED to adopt the Risk Assessment. Action: Clerk.
13.11 Standing Orders. Having reviewed the current Standing Orders Cllrs
RESOLVED that the Standing Orders were appropriate. Action: Clerk
13.12 Financial Regulations. Having reviewed the current Financial Regulations
Cllrs RESOLVED that the Financial Regulations were appropriate.
Action: Clerk
13.13 Fixed Assets Audit and Insurance. An annual audit of assets and review of
insurance cover was conducted in March/April by Cllr Earle and the
Clerk. After discussion, Cllrs RESOLVED to write off the lawn mower and one
goal post, not to include the flagpole and new goal post as separate items,
and to confirm the insurance policy Schedule for renewal on 1st June 2026 at
an annual premium of £436.74 to include the following cover:
- Maintain Office Contents (Clerk) £2,500
- Retain cover for our 2 marquees at £2600.
- Retain cover for our 3 picnic benches at £1,000
- Retain 2 Reformed Park Benches at £414 each.
Action: The Clerk is to request that Community First incorporates this cover in the renewal of our insurance policy.
13.14. Everleigh Enhancement. After discussion of future proposals for FY 2026-27,
Cllrs RESOLVED to:
- Maintain budgets of £350 for planters and £100 for a Christmas Tree.
- Note the purchase of a new Defibrillator at the 7 year point at a cost of £778.80 incl VAT (£649 net).
Action: Cllrs Bottomley, Earle, Waight and Martin.
13.15 Parish Council IT Situation. The IT sub committee reported that:
- A www.gov.uk domain and official e-mail addresses for the clerk and all Cllrs have been implemented at a cost of £35pa + £150pa respectively. The IT Sub Committee requested that all e-mail addresses be activated by the end of May 2026.
- Further work on IT policy, data retention/storage/security and web site development is ongoing. For the web site, the priorities are statutory information and an events page.
Action: IT Sub Committee.
14. Village Events.
14.1 Everleigh Village Walk Saturday 6th June. An Everleigh Village Walk will take
place on Saturday 6th June. The plan is to assemble at 9am at the Everleigh
playground and then conduct a leisurely 5-6 mile hike around most of our
scenic parish boundary, to finish at midday. After discussion, Cllrs RESOLVED
to adopt the draft checklist with minor amendments. Key points:
- Cllr K Wheeler-Mallows kindly agreed to provide a safety vehicle and 3 radios.
- Equipment is to include the first aid box, water, florescent vests and defibrillator. Two mobile telephone numbers are to be posted on the defibrillator box in the event of a real emergency in the village during the period of time that the defibrillator is with the safety vehicle.
Action: Cllrs Evans and K Wheeler-Mallows
14.2 Everleigh Summer Party Saturday 18th July. The village Summer Party/BBQ
will take place this year on Saturday 18th July at 6pm in the field opposite the
Everleigh playground. The clerk was requested to book a portaloo for the
event which will be covered in more detail at the next Parish Council
Meeting on 7th July. Action: Cllr Bottomley and Clerk.
15. Highways and Footpaths.
15.1 Footpath Right of Way (RoW) 15. The situation remains that the Wilts Council
RoW team are conducting a feasibility study on the 2 main options to open
up RoW 15:
- Clearing the vegetation along the perimeter fence of the former HRC
- Possibly adjusting the RoW to go through the former HRC site.
Action: Cllr Bottomley.
16. Village Emergency Plan. An updated Village Emergency Plan matrix has been
on the village website since 1st February 2026. A further version with the new
Parish Council e-mail addresses will be posted once those addresses are all in use.
Action: Cllr Bottomley.
17. Date of Next Meeting. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 7.00 pm on
Tuesday 7th July 2026 at Collingbourne Ducis Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 8.31pm
Signed: date:
Name:
Chair
