Minutes - Parish Council Meeting - 22 June 2026

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SUTTON MANDEVILLE PARISH COUNCIL

including Sutton Row and Lower Chicksgrove

DRAFT MINUTES of a meeting of the Parish Council held at The Stalls on 22nd June 2026 at 7.00pm - subject to later approval by Councillors.

PRESENT: Cllr. H. Collins – Chairman, Cllr. Anna Strang, Cllr. I Lester, Mrs. J. Childs, Parish Clerk. 1 resident attended.

The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting

1. APOLOGIES: Received from Cllr. M. Charlick, Cllr. T. Mockridge.

2 residents had sent apologies.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS: No interests declared.

3. PUBLIC QUESTIONS: The Chairman and a resident reported that no notification had been received nor any response from the Secretary of State relating to the Appeal of the Made Order of the diversion of SMAN13. The Parish Council’s view was that the diversion was a flawed decision and a flawed process and queried whether the removal of the screening, an original condition of planning consent at The Homestead was lawful. Councillors agreed that the Chairman should write an official letter requesting an update from WC on consideration of the Made Order. It was further agreed that the Chairman should write to Cranborne Chase National Landscapes about WC’s perceived reliance on DEFRA guidelines.

4. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS HELD ON 09 02 2026: These were signed by the Chairman as a true record.

5. MATTERS ARISING:

C126 - flooding of R. Nadder at Panters – Cllr. Mockridge had forwarded the report of the group of residents considering flooding in this area. It was agreed that this would be discussed thoroughly at the next meeting of SMPC when Cllr. Mockridge would be present. It was noted that all water courses in this area were on private land. The Chairman thanked Cllr. Mockridge for his report distributed to all SMPC Councillors. The Clerk was asked to write to the Highways Engineer about the installation of depth markers.

6. WILTSHIRE COUNCIL:

WILTSHIRE COUNCILLOR'S REPORT: no report was available.

AREA BOARD / LHFIG: Access to SMAN9 from Glasses Lane had remained on the LHFIG Agenda for the June meeting and explained at length by Paul Shaddock, Senior Engineer. The Clerk informed the meeting that Councillors had decided to withdraw the issue for the present. The Senior Engineer noted the handrail might not prove sufficient to prevent a slip. He advised notices warning of the incline and sloping or slippery nature of the steps at both top and bottom. A resident agreed to investigate such signage. It was agreed that the Parish Council would both pay and ensure installation. The Clerk would write to the Senior Engineer to see if LHFIG/WC could contribute.

7. FINANCE:

a) The Chairman had removed former signatories from the PC bank account and secured access to the account for a second councillor as well as a new bank card to be held by Cllr. Charlick.

b) Since the last meeting of the Parish Council in February payments had been approved totalling £704.88.

c) The Parish Council carried forward a sum of £4912.00.

d) The Chairman signed the Annual Statement of Governance.

e) The Chairman signed the Annual Return.

Councillors thanked Mrs Anna Huke once again for completing the internal audit of the Annual Return.

8. NOMINATED ITEMS:

a) Rights of Way: The Chairman asked that problems noted should be forwarded to the Clerk with ROW no. and exact location.

SMAN9 – the Clerk asked whether it would be worth seeking funding for a pedestrian gate to secure an easier descent from the ROW to Sutton Hill. No consensus was reached.

SMAN34 – entrance to the ROW overgrown and drainage pipe installed to clear persistent pooling of water had now become exposed. The Chairman agreed to look.

SMAN29 – sign needed to direct walkers through the gap in the hedge leading to the pedestrian gate and on to the track leading to Sutton Row. The Chairman would follow up.

b) Notice Boards: Repairs to the notice board at Lower Chicksgrove had become more urgent. Cllr. Lester agreed to look at it and to advise on repair. The Chairman thanked Cllr. Lester.

c) The Walter Allotment Trust – progress was reported on the clearance of some ash, the grinding out of roots of spruce and some further undergrowth clearance. There were now 30 members of the Friends of the Woodland Group providing both an income stream and a volunteer workforce. The first working party had taken place on 30^th May and had included strimming and dead wood clearance. The possibility of planting some apple trees to encourage pollinating insects was currently being investigated. The Chairman thanked the Trust for the written report and for the progress made.

d) Highways: Parish Stewards were now back in attendance on a monthly basis. Useful work had been completed on strimming of sightlines, filling potholes, straightening signage and some clearance of drains.

9. PARISH WEBSITE: The Chairman felt the publication of Cllr. Mockridge’s report on drainage at Panters would be useful.

10. PLANNING: Cllr. Strang noted an amendment to the current planning application at the Compasses. It included an update on materials and a change in internal layout, but no change to footprint.

Cllr. Strang also noted some amendments at Ham Cross and would check that the bat loft was still included.

11. CORRESPONDENCE: No further correspondence.

12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: No further business.

13. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING: the next meeting of the Parish Council would take place on Monday 7^th September at the Stalls.

The meeting closed at 9.00 pm.