Table of Contents
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 £42,658. Within this budget, £33,813 was raised by the precept in 2022-23, the majority of the remaining income is raised from village hall hire and grants.
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, 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.
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
Proposed Action and Timescales for the Village Hall Repairs and Development
Regular maintenance tasks for the village hall also include:
6 monthly
- Fire Alarm inspection – 6 monthly – completed 2022-07
Yearly
- PAT testing – yearly – completed 2021-12
- Air Con service – completed 2022-06
- Emergency Lighting Inspection – completed 2022-07
- Fire Extinguisher inspection, completed 2022-07
- Fire risk assessment review – yearly – completed 2022-07
5 Yearly
- Electrical inspection EICR – 5 yearly – completed 2019-08
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 December 2022. This is subject to successful grant applications to support this project and succesful planning permission.
Other Ideas for local Leisure Facilities
Other ideas that have been considered but have not yet been prioritised, 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 was successfully renewed 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 was 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. This work was completed in August 2022 with grant funding from the National Lottery.
- 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 interior could benefit from decorating
- The Hall floor and lobby floor could benefit from renovation
- The Hall Audio Visual facilities could be improved with a fitter projector, screen and speakers
- The Hall lighting could be improved with a rotating mirror globe for parties
- The Hall upper windows would benefit from blackout blinds or curtains.
- 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.
- The broken circular window on the Brandon Close side of the village needs to be panelled up with wood effect PVC. (This window does not provide any light to the inside of the building) (completed in July 2022)
- Lifespan and strategy for renewal of doors was considered in 2021
- Review & Update fire evacuation plan (completed in July 2022)
- Improve front of stage and under stage storage panels
Community Engagement
The council planned 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. A full completement of nine councillors was acheived in May 2022.
The Parish Council hosted a cheese and wine and refreshments parish meeting in May 2022 attended by community representatives and members of the public.
The Parish Council has been attending the Clutton flower show to meet the public and promote the activities of the Parish Council. In 2022 the focus was on the upcoming crowdfunding campaign for the pump track.
In August 2022 the Clerk created a Mailchimp mailing list to support community engagement and allow individuals to subscribe to updates.
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.