Full Council Meeting March 16th 2026

Meeting of the Parish Council to be held on  Monday 16^th March 2026 at 7.00pm Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre

 

Join the meeting online by Zoom at this link.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87941500935?pwd=cWpSNUpGOS9TandoNzRqRzNOdy9HQT09

Meeting ID 879 4150 0935.  Phone in only 0203 481 5240. Password 1894.

For joining instructions, or if you have any questions, please contact the Parish Clerk at parish-clerk@laverstockford-pc.gov.uk.

 

Public participation time

An opportunity for members of the public to raise issues of concern or interest, ask a question or make a statement or present a petition or be part of a deputation. Public participation time will be conducted in accordance with the Council’s ‘Policy for Public Participation Time’ which is limited to 15 minutes, with no individual speaker exceeding a maximum of three minutes each. (LGA1972 s100)

AGENDA

PC26.023 Apologies for absence

To receive, and consider for acceptance, apologies for absence. (LGA1972 s85)

PC26.024 Declarations of interest

To declare any interests relating to the business of the meeting and receive any dispensation requests from the Clerk. (Localism Act 2011 s29-34)

PC26.025 Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting held on 16^th February 2026

To confirm, as a correct record, the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council. (LGA1972 sch12)

PC26.026 Planning

Wiltshire Council is the local Planning Authority and consults Laverstock & Ford Parish Council on planning applications received for the parish. To consider the following planning applications received:

• PL/2026/01039 Proposed siting of 23 containers on land adjacent to 2 Old Sarum Cottages, Portway, Old Sarum
• PL/2026/02686 Land North East Old Sarum, Portway, Salisbury
• Planning Log

PC26.027 Grants

To consider a grant application received from

• Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre salary support

PC26.028 Adoption of Corporate Risk Register

• To resolve to adopt the updated Corporate Risk Register as recommended by the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

PC26.029 Venues

• To consider the report 030 Future Venues Management.

PC26.030 Review of Annual Investment Strategy

• To consider the recommended Annual Investment Strategy (deferred from February 2026 meeting)

PC26.031 Registration for VAT

• To consider the report PC26.032 VAT registration for the Parish Council

PC26.032 Renewal of Bin Emptying Contract 2026-2027

• To resolve to renew the bin emptying contract

PC26.033 Finance Report

• To receive report from Responsible Financial Officer (RFO).
• To adopt monthly accounts for February 2026
• To authorise payments for March 2026
• To review Reserves and Treasury deposit report

PC26.034 Clerk’s Report – verbal

• To note report from Clerk (Responsible Officer)

Date of next meeting: To note the date of the next meeting which is scheduled for Monday 20^th April 2026 at Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre.

 

Minutes

Councillors present: Baker, Barker, Holland, Jones (Chair), Lynn, McDonald, Schneider, Vanstone, Waller, Williams

In attendance: Sloan (Clerk). Prince (Responsible Financial Officer RFO) joined online

There were six members of the public in attendance, including representatives of the trustees of Hampton Park Pavilion. No members of the public gave any statements.

The meeting commenced at 7.01pm.

PC26.023 Apologies for absence

There were no apologies.

PC26.024 Declarations of interest

Cllrs Holland, Lynn and Vanstone declared an interest in agenda item PC26.027 as trustees of Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre.

 

PC26.025 Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting

Resolved: to confirm, as a correct record, the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council held on 16^thFebruary 2026.

PC26.026 Planning

PL/2026/01039 Proposed siting of 23 containers on land adjacent to 2 Old Sarum Cottages, Portway, Old Sarum

Resolved: to object to this application with the following reasons: 1. The development will be visible from the Old Sarum Monument in contravention of Policy 2 of the made Laverstock and Ford Communities Neighbourhood Plan. 2. The proposal will generate significant traffic to 23 units, and the access from The Portway in the 40mph speed limit is not suitable.

PL/2025/02686 Land North East Old Sarum, Portway, Salisbury

Resolved: to approve the conditions contained in Report PC26.026b circulated in advance of the meeting with one change, namely, to specify that the Parish Council be named as the nominee to adopt the NEAP / MUGA play provision on this development.

Cllrs Baker and Barker abstained from the vote on this matter.

Planning Log

The Clerk circulated Report PC26.026(3) in advance of the meeting.

Resolved: to approve the following responses

PL/2026/00833 Listed Building Consent, Wolferstan Barn, Bishopdown NO COMMENT

PL/2026/00667 Listed Building Consent, Wolferstan Barn, Bishopdown NO COMMENT

PL/2026/00697 Proposed works to trees in conservation area, 5 The Close, Old Sarum NO COMMENT

PL/2026/00463 Erection of stable block, Tree Barn, Ford Lane, Ford NO COMMENT

PL/2025/02686 Front & Side extension Timberley, Laverstock Park, Laverstock NO COMMENT

PC26.027 Grants

Resolved: to approve the grant application in Report PC26.027. Granting the sum of £15,000 to Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre towards funding the salary of the Centre Manager under the powers granted by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions Act) 1976, s.19. [Power to provide buildings for use of clubs having athletic, social or educational objectives – inc. staff.].

Cllrs Holland, Lynn and Vanstone did not vote on this matter having declared an interest.

PC26.028 Adoption of Corporate Risk Register

The Clerk circulated the Risk Register, as previously presented to and recommended by the Finance and General Purposes Committee, ahead of the meeting.

Resolved: to adopt the Risk Register as recommended by the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

 

PC26.029 Venues

The Clerk circulated Report PC26.029 Future Venues Management in advance of the meeting.

Resolved:

• To NOTE the three options and the benefits/risks associated with each contained in the Report.
• To AUTHORISE the Clerk to proceed with Option 2B – creation of a new CIO and set up management agreement, etc. – by contracting Wellers to carry out the work. Estimated cost £9,000 ex VAT. Though may exceed this as per Wellers’ quotation detailed in Appendix 2 of the Report.
• To AUTHORISE the Clerk to contract further professional advice up to the sum of £2,000 ex VAT for the lease negotiation work for LVH.

 

PC26.030 Review of Annual Investment Strategy

The RFO circulated Report PC26.030 in advance of the meeting.

Resolved: to approve Annual Investment Strategy as circulated.

PC26.031 Registration for VAT

This item was deferred to allow further time to prepare the report.

PC26.032 Renewal of Bin Emptying Contract 2026-2027

The RFO circulated Report PC26.032 in advance of the meeting.

Resolved: to renew the Bin Emptying contract for 2026-2027 with IdVerde at a cost of £13,272. To issue the associated PO 583 as detailed in the report.

ACTION: Clerk and RFO to investigate re-tendering the contract for the 2027/2028 financial year. Clerk to investigate feasibility of further bin provision within the Parish.

PC26.033 Finance Report

The Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) circulated Report PC26.033 in advance of the meeting with details of the finances. The Chair, Cllr Jones, confirmed that she had conducted detailed financial checks this month.

Adoption of Monthly Accounts of February 2026

Resolved: To adopt monthly accounts for February 2026 as a true record of the Council’s finances.

Authorisation of Payments

The lists of payments had been circulated in Report 26.033. Total debit card, direct debit and standing order payments amounted to £638.81 and BACS payments to £31,692.07. The RFO advised the Council that for March payments he had withdrawn £35,000 from the Council’s CCLA Account to make these payments having noted it to members of the FGP Committee. He will also need to withdraw funds from the Public Sector Deposit Fund to meet the grant to OSCC authorised in Minute reference PC26.027. He must also withdraw a sum of approximately £50,000 to £60,000 in April for payments that month, as the April Full Council meeting is scheduled to happen before the Council receives the first 50% of its Precept from Wiltshire Council. The RFO requested a Councillor, who is not a member of the FGP Committee, to carry out a bank reconciliation at the end of the 2025-2026 financial year. Cllrs Baker, Barker and Holland volunteered. The RFO asked the Council to authorise a further payment not listed in the Report in the sum of £1,542 to Ockenden’s for tree works. An additional financial authorisation will be required this month to make this payment as well as the £15,000 grant awarded to OSCC.

Resolved: to approve the debit card, direct debit and standing order payments and the additional payments of £1,542 and £15,000 as noted.

Review of Reserves and Treasury Deposit Report

Reserves and Treasury Reports had been presented in Report PC26.033.

£1,844,430.38 was held on deposit on 28th February 2026.

With Lloyds. £273,295.11 is invested in a 95-Day Notice account and earned £550.82 interest.

With CCLA. £1,571,135.27 is invested in the Public Sector Deposit Fund and earned a dividend of £5,147.12 in February. The dividends were re-invested.

Total interest and dividends earned in February 2026 were £5,697.94. The total for 11 months is £62,970.10 against a budget of £59,583.

Earmarked Reserves held on 17th March, after all payments have been made, will be £1,672,375.61.

Resolved: to note the reserve and treasury deposit reports.

PC26.034 Clerk’s Report – verbal

The Clerk reported that he continues to hold regular meetings with River Bourne Community Farm and that the management there are planning on inviting councillors to a walkaround and update sometime over the summer. Councillor recruitment is progressing with one co-option candidate present at this meeting and another who has shown interest in becoming a councillor. There has been no significant progress with the Community Emergency Volunteers. Cllr Baker is attempting to meet with the Volunteer Leader. The Clerk is liaising with Wiltshire Council officers on other large scale planning matters, including Longhedge (Vistry), Old Sarum (Persimmon) and Westside Close (Dandara). There is a meeting scheduled for April 2^nd with a Wiltshire Council officer at Westside Close. The officer team continues to work through the H&S actions specified by the Worknest audit late in 2025. The Clerk reminded Councillors, who wished to take up the Councillor Allowance, to complete the required paperwork and submit it to the RFO before month end. The Clerk also reminded Councillors that he does need to have evidence of each Councillor’s vehicle insurance, MOT and driving licence to comply with the Council’s Driving for Work Policy.

The meeting closed at 8.36pm.

Date of next meeting: To note the date of the next meeting which is scheduled for Monday 20^th April 2026 at Old Sarum and Longhedge Community Centre.