A document that must be completed by Local Councils, Internal Drainage Boards and other Smaller Authorities in England. Broadwell Parish are required to prepare this document.

This year's AGAR report is now available. Please click the button below. This will open the report as a pdf on a new tab in your browser 

BROADWELL PARISH AGM 2024

Draft Minutes of the Meeting on Friday 7th June 2024 at 7.00 pm, Broadwell Church

Attendees:  Richard Howard (RH, Chair). Phil Taylor (PT, Sec), Mike Hough (MH), Anne Taylor (AT), Annabel Molyneaux (AM), Malcolm Hunter (MH), Pete Taylor (PeT), Alex Howard, Debbie Biles, Sue Ball, Kev Ball (KB), Anna Coull, Alison & Chris Goldingham, Chris Greenslade

1. Apologies: Eric Linden Laird Craig (ELD, Treasurer), Rob Linden Laird Craig, Hamish Coull, Suzan Barrow, Leila Rezazad, Chris Hilditch

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PARISH AGM HELD ON 8th June 2024

No matters raised.

Approved

3. APPROVAL OF BROADWELL PARISH ACCOUNTS 2023/24 AND AGAR REPORT

Approved

Accounts and a certificate of exemption from full audit. Thanks to Hamish

Coull for acting as internal auditor. Basically, the form confirms that in

2023/24 we received £660 from precept but nothing paid out due to issues with the Bank. Cheques are now in-hand to clear the balance of the funds with transfers to the PCC. Assets in the account stand at £760.99.

It was agreed that a new account should be opened in the hope of simplifying management.

The signed AGAR form will be available to view on the Village website.

4. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
   1. Proposed 20mph limit. This has been approved by the WODC. Likely to be implemented within a few months.

KB shared that he attended the meeting and raised the issue of the last stretch of road between the Broadwell and Langford villages which reverts to National speed limit, 60mph.

KB shared the statement made (attached). WODC conceded that this had not been considered for the entire WODC district and charged their Director of Roads to look more holistically at the situation. KB will continue to pursue WODC for an update.

2. RH expressed thanks to Anne Taylor for the hard work preparing for the Village Arts and Crafts Fayre, which takes place on the 8^th June.
3. The Village welcomes Richard and Jenny Barton, new tenants of the Old Vicarage.
4. The Village Lunch has been arranged and will be organised by ELD.  With thanks.

5. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN, HON SECRETARY AND HON TREASURER TO THE PARISH MEETING

a. Hon Sec – Phil Taylor is prepared to keep on in this role - Approved

b. Treasurer – Eric & Rob Linden Laird Craig have both stepped down from Treasurer due to repeated refusal of the bank to accept documentation of identity.

Chris Goldingham has offered to stand – Approved, proposed KB, seconded AM

c. Chair – RH is prepared to keep on in this role - Approved

6. Precept – agreed to increase by 10% to £825 for 2024/25.

Proposed MH, Approved AC

7. VILLAGE EVENTS

1. Church concert programme continues – if well supported, it increases the chances of other funding – profits go to meet the “parish share”.

b. The annual Harvest lunch was organised by ELC

c.  A few talks were arranged

8. RESTORATION AND DEVELOPMENT WORK IN THE CHURCH

a. Bells, Kitchen and Loo – all completed.

c. Under-pew Heating – installed

d. Clock repairs well underway, with completion due this month.

e. Gates, stonework in progress. A hole in the floor of the Chancel is subject to funding and approval. All contributions welcome.

f. Churchyard – plans were approved. A new Cremation/Ashes area is now available.

9. STATE OF ROADS

Roads – The state of Kings Lane was noted. The hole is due to be filled in but the ridge is getting worse and is now at risk of causing actual damage to the underside of cars. Needs to be raised with WODC. RH will contact them.

10. NOTICEBOARD AND VILLAGE WEBSITE (WWW.BROADWELL.ORG.UK)

a. Proposed to spend a little bit of money from the parish account for materials to

rejuvenate the noticeboard. AT reported total failure on this account. There was some discussion on whether the board is appropriate, as an unlocked version might be more suitable. PT to explore options.

The website has been maintained throughout the year. It was generally agreed that, whilst not much used by the Village, outside interest and the display of the AGAR report mean that it is worthwhile. PT is now covering the subscription of £9 a month but would like to hand this responsibility to the Parish meeting account asap.

11. BROADWELL VILLAGE LIBRARY

Anne Taylor curating. It was noted that some 250 children’s books have been borrowed and not returned. AT advised that she now stamps all books with Property of Broadwell Village Library.

12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
    1. PeT raised the issue of the increasingly high water table. It was noted that it may be possible to encourage the Waterboard to do more to help with the problem. The issue is becoming increasingly urgent as a number of properties were at risk this year. Given the Waterboards’ issues with over-whelmed pumping systems, additional pressure applied now may benefit the village for the coming years
    2. Ten Bells Farm. AM gave a brief update on plans for the farm, which will use Regenerative farming methods. It was noted that the changes could take some 10 years to be noticed. One item of note was that there will be a planned thinning of Frank’s Spinney – this is planned to allow more light through the canopy and allow for greater biodiversity.
    3. Broadwell Trust – small trust set up for needy and deserving in the village. Funded the repainting of the Village kiosk library. Currently over £1,000 in hand. Ideas for new recipients sought. Other ideas to the Trustees: Anna Coull and MH

The meeting was closed.

Below is the statement submitted to WODC by Kev Ball.

____________

STATEMENT REGARDING PROPOSED BROADWELL 20MPH LIMIT

DETAILS OF SAFETY CONCERNS

KEVAN BALL

BROOK COTTAGE

BROADWELL

Sir,

Whilst I fully support the Councils aspirations to make rural roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists by imposing 20 mph speed limits I believe the scheme for Broadwell has not been considered holistically. At conception I and other residents of Broadwell expressed concern of what would happen to the stretch of road between the end of the current 30 mph Broadwell zone and the start of the Langford 30 mph zone. Currently this stretch of road approximately  0.25 mile is National Speed limit 60 mph.

Along this short stretch of road in question there are:

              3 properties all with vehicular access.

              1 road junction not sign posted

              Access/egress to a public amenity not sign posted. (I noted 25 vehicles parked there the other night).

              3 field access gates 

      2 footpath crossings of the road

              A narrow bridge over Broadwell Brook

Should the Broadwell 20mph zone be approved it will mean there will be a 2.5 mile stretch of 20 mph road as Kencot is already part of the scheme. It is my opinion that  "if" drivers do stick to the proposed 20mph through to 2 zones  there will be greater urgency as they leave Broadwell to accelerate whilst approaching the numerous hazzards highlighted above. 

During my time living at Brook Cottage I have witnessed numerous near misses along the stretch of road in question, the most recent being February this year. I have for some time considered the current 60 mph excessive and unsafe and now we should take the opportunity to rectify/improve this unsafe situation by some applying some joined up thinking.   

I am not suggesting that the limit be reduced from 60 mph to 20 mph but as part of the current proposal consideration should be given to a reduction from 60 mph to 30 mph. This is actually a no cost solution as the 30mph signs being removed could be reused.

Experience tells me in situations such as this, once the scheme is passed for the rest of Broadwell any interest, gravitas and impetus to rectify this safety concern will be lost. I did request  the opportunity to discuss mine and others concerns at a site meeting before going any further but the opportunity was declined by 20mph Project Team.

I stand to be corrected but I believe that there is potential to request a conversion of the Langford 30mph zone to 20mph, this surely highlights the need to consider the whole proposal holistically.  As to have a 60mph zone of 0.25 of a mile within a network of 20mph roads of approximately 4 miles in length is ludicrous.