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[Retired] 2021-2022 Action Plan

Background

The parish of Temple Cloud with Cameley is a rural community in Bath and North East Somerset, south of Bath and Bristol. The approximate electorate is 1150. The number of councillors has been fixed at nine for the parish council.

The parish council has an annual working budget of £39,751 for 2021 to 2022. Within this budget, £30,396 was raised by the precept in 2020-21, the majority of the remaining income is raised from village hall hire.

The activities of the parish council include the hire and management of the local village hall, which is owned by the parish council and managed by the clerk.

The parish council is the sole trustee of a playing field that includes a children’s play park. The parish council employs two village operatives who look after the children’s play park, playing field, and the surrounding village areas. The village operatives also help maintain the public rights of way within the parish boundaries. The parish council employs contractors for grounds maintenance of the playing field including grass cutting and hedge trimming.

The parish council is currently looking at plans to enhance the local facilities around the playing field and village hall using CIL and earmarked reserves of up to £45000, along with any grants that may be awarded. A process of public consultation was undertaken regarding the plans to develop the local facilities. Ideas considered included a cycle/pump track, a running track around the playing field, a tennis court, and improvements to the village hall. The results of the public consultation have led to the council’s decision to improve the village hall and look at installing a pump track in the playing field.

Purpose

The purpose of the action plan is to set out the vision of the Parish Council for the next three to five years and document the plan of action for the next 12 months. This vision is supported with objectives to achieve these aims. The objectives are broken down into actions to be taken over a 12 month period.

The current 12 month period covers Oct 2021 to Oct 2022.

Areas for further attention in the future have been identified and will form part of the ongoing planning of the council.

Monitoring and Review

The plan will be reviewed at least annually by the Parish Council, to review the aims and update the 12 month plan of action. The ongoing monitoring and review of the action plan will periodically form part of the monthly parish council meetings along with working parties throughout the year.

Aims

The parish council aims are to support and improve the quality of life for the parish of Temple Cloud and Cameley.

Objectives for the Current Year

The following sections specify the objectives for action during the current year, with proposed timescales.

Proposed Action and Timescales for the Pump Track

PROVISIONAL TIMESCALES 2021-22
ProjectResponsible212121222222
Pump TrackOctNovDecJanFebMar
Discuss design Council / Contractor█
Grant sourcingCouncil███
Approve designCouncil / Contractor█
Planning applicationContractor█
Installation subject to planning permission and grant funding:
Site VisitsContractor█
Site installationContractor█
Completion of worksContractor█

Proposed Action and Timescales for the Village Hall Repairs and Development

PROVISIONAL TIMESCALES 2021-22
ProjectResponsible21212122222222222222222222
BrickworkOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct
Brickwork TendersClerk█
Tender SelectionCouncil█
Brickwork installationContractor█
21212122222222222222222222
FlooringOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct
Flooring QuotesClerk███
Strategy ReviewCouncil██
Quote SelectionCouncil█
Flooring installationContractor█
21212122222222222222222222
Window PanelOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct
Window Panel QuotesClerk██
Quote SelectionCouncil█
Panel InstallationContractor██
21212122222222222222222222
Gutter RepairsOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOct
Gutter QuotesClerk██
Quote SelectionCouncil███
Gutter RepairContractor████

Upcoming maintenance tasks for the village hall also include:

  • PAT testing
  • Air Con service
  • Fire Alarm inspection
  • Fire Extinguisher inspection

Ambitions for the next three to five years

Improvement of local leisure facilities

Projects are being planned to improve the leisure facilities around the playing field and village hall. The remaining part of the CIL reserves needs to be used by 5/4/2023 which adds a deadline to some of the projects being completed. A public consultation has been taken to gauge interest in a pump track installation completed in December 2020. The results of the consultation have been used to form the final project plans.

Pump Track

Improvement of local leisure facilities includes plans to install a pump track. Following invitations to tender, a contractor is being selected, with a potential installation in March 2022. This is subject to successful grant applications to support this project and planning permission.

Other Ideas for local Leisure Facilities

Other ideas that have been considered but have not been prioritised for further action, have included:

  • A running track around the playing field
  • Outdoor Gym equipment
  • A tennis wall
  • Concrete table tennis tables for the village hall concrete plinth
  • Play area for toddlers

Local Council Award Scheme

The Council was awarded the Foundation level of the Local Council Award Scheme in September 2017, which is due for renewal in September 2021. This award shows that the Council meets the required standards to operate lawfully and according to standard practice. It is an award that demonstrates the quality and professionalism of the Council to the local community and service partners. The Council resolved in September 2021 to submit a new application to renew the foundation award. The Clerk has been tasked with setting in place the necessary criteria in order to submit a new application.

Village Hall Repairs and Development

The village hall requires some repairs and improvements. The following ideas are being investigated, and some options are being implemented:

  • Some of the walls need to be bricked up to replace stud walls on the exterior. Tenders are being considered for this work.
  • The breeze block exterior wall may benefit from a better looking finish, such as rendering or painting.
  • The floor will need maintenance or replacement. Quotes are being considered for this work.
  • The kitchen facilities could be enhanced.
  • The water cylinders are unsuitable for current use, and better water heating options could be installed.
  • An extension that was planned many years ago, this option was investigated in 2020. The conclusion on looking at this was that the costs of such an extension did not add enough benefits for the community compared to other projects that could be considered.
  • Quotes are being considered to panel up the broken circular window on the Brandon Close side of the village hall. (This window does not provide any light to the inside of the building)
  • Lifespan and strategy for renewal of doors
  • Review & Update fire evacuation plan
  • Improve front of stage and under stage storage panels

Community Engagement

The council plan to recruit new councillors so that the parish council contains a full complement of nine councillors. The Parish Council aim to encourage and foster relations with all areas of the community and encourage community volunteers and engagement.

Finances

The Parish Council plan to review and develop the reserves policy. Part of this will be to identify potential future capital requirements and possible unforeseen costs in asset management, which is to become part of a planned reserves policy. Areas to address include future building maintenance of the village hall and future replacement of parish council equipment and the potential costs if the parish council is required to hold an election. This policy will be used to support future budget planning.

Litter

The Parish Council plans to maintain the tidiness of the playground, playing field and village hall, along with surrounding areas with continued litter picking. The Parish Council aims to find ways to engage with those discarding litter to improve social responsibility from all social groups.

Areas for Continued or Further Attention

Planning for Unforeseen Financial Risks

As part of the spending plans for the CIL and general reserves, the identification of financial risks continue to be updated. Potential risks from unforseen costs continue to be identified and factored into the reserves policy. Risks might include cost of a parish council election, building maintenance, equipment repair or replacement. Delay of funds being received, reduced income from village hall booking.

Litter

The playground and village hall are regularly littered with litter from takeaway food, sweets and soft drinks. The village operatives along with individual volunteers in the community regularly pick up the litter and keep the area tidy. The issue has been tackled in conjunction with BANES council, with posters and social media campaigns. The posters were subsequently vandalised and removed. The parish council will continue to clean the problem areas and remind groups to use the bins that are provided. Opportunities for social engagement with disaffected groups are an area for development.

Review of Progress from the Previous Twelve Months

Pavilion:

The Council completed the demolition and grass reseeding of the Pavillion as planned in 2021. There was a safety risk due to a perishing roof. A public consultation indicated there was little support for funds being spent to refurbish the pavilion.

Footpath from village hall to playground:

Following public requests, the council installed a footpath from the village hall car park to the playground. Various solutions were considered, and the council resolved in February 2021 to install a cotswold gravel path from the village hall to the playground. This type of footpath was chosen as the cotswold gravel surface blends in well with the rural feel of the local surroundings.

Eastcourt Woods Footpath

The Parish Council supported plans to restore the public footpath that passes through the center of Eastcourt Woods. This project was being planned in collaboration with BANES council to clear the footpath, remove litter and address the problem of extensive broken glass from a previous glass dump.

The condition of the public footpath in Eastcourt Woods was reported to the council by the village operative in March 2019. The issues identified were that the footpath was blocked by thick overgrown brambles and there was excessive litter dumped and a safety hazard of broken glass rising up in the earth from the site being used as a glass dump in the past. The BANES public rights of way team were notified of the issues. In November 2020 this has led to proposals from BANES PROW to enhance the area using a budget from a developers ‘Unilateral Undertaking’. The proposals included the creation of an improved surface on the footpath to create a circular woodland route.

This project was partially completed with access being restored through overgrown brambles, but proposals to improve the surface on the footpath were shelved by the BANES public rights of way team.

The Parish Council purchased new brush cutting equipment in 2021 to support the maintenance of this footpath and prevent the brambles and overgrowth blocking access to the footpath.

Village Hall Repairs and Development

Plans to install energy efficient LED lighting in the lobby and kitchen of the village hall were completed in 2021.

Community Engagement

The council planned to recruit new councillors in 2020-2021 so that the parish council contains a full complement of nine councillors. The Parish Council attended the Clutton flower show to met the public and promote the activities of the Parish Council and highlight the need for new councillors. An article to support this campaign was included in the Sept 2021 issue of Clutton & Temple Cloud News. Posters were also delivered to all households. The Annual Parish meeting was held online via zoom in May 2021 despite the covid lockdown restrictions. This was attended by various community groups promoting local activities in the area.