News: Parish Council considers cows

The agenda for Cllr Julian Hudson’s first full meeting as Chair was light compared to some recent meetings. He certainly couldn’t have expected that the meeting would end with the horror of the house that was eaten by cows.

Minibus service

One of the first items to pique councillors’ interest was the new Transport on Demand minibus service. TVBC Cllr David Drew had mentioned it in previous meetings, but was keen that information about it should be as widely broadcast as possible.

Cllr Debbie Collis passed round brochures to the meeting and said she would place some at the Village Shop. Acting Clerk Gill Bulpitt requested a supply of them, to which Cllr Drew readily agreed.

The new service can be booked by phone or a mobile phone app. It covers four zones centred on Andover and can be used from 7am to 7pm. One-way fares cost no more than £5.50. There’s more information and a map in this chilbolton.news article.

Cow Common

The meeting reviewed the policy of closing the gate on Cow Common in certain circumstances. These fall into three broad categories:

  • When maintenance is being done, for example to trees and the river
  • For safety reasons, including prioritising emergency access
  • Reducing the risk of wildfire and anti-social behaviour

The policy was approved and there was general agreement that closing the gate within these circumstances had worked, particularly in reducing anti-social behaviour.

Community Development Committee

Cllr Hudson reported that all nine of the volunteers who applied to be part of the CDC had been approved. The next meeting would be an informal “Meet and Greet”. One of the first tasks of the new Committee would be to consider the response by TVBC’s Planning Officers to the pre-application sent to them.

The members of the CDC are:

  • Fiona Barrie
  • Alasdair Campbell
  • Peter Collis
  • Neil Connor
  • Jane Gossling
  • Cllr David Hall
  • Cllr Julian Hudson
  • Mark Husson
  • Cllr Sue Larcombe
  • Colin Ruffalls
  • Alistair Smith
  • Martin Watson

Complaints Policies

Acting Clerk Gill Bulpitt said that the Complaints Policy hadn’t been updated for twenty years and would benefit from the proposed refresh. The new policy made clear what it would cover and what it could not. It also better specified the stages of the process and how complaints would be handled. The policy was unanimously approved.

Mrs Bulpitt then introduced the Vexatious Complaints Policy which she said covered extraordinary circumstances, which she hoped the Council would never have to face. Cllr David Hall asked about the clause covering the inclusion of Freedom of Information request within the scope of the policy. A member of the public also expressed concern over the same clause.

It was agreed that Mrs Bulpitt would approach the Information Commissioner’s Office to ask if they had experience of this clause or had an opinion on it.

The Old Cottage

When it came to Questions from the Public, the meeting heard from Mr Jasper Galloway, the noted artist, who has lived with his wife and family of five children at The Old Cottage on Chilbolton Common since 2021.

Since living there they have spent time and money refurbishing the interior, but have encountered an extraordinary problem on the outside of their home - cows are eating the render. The effect wasn’t just aesthetic - “The cows have damaged the house severely”, he said.

The cows make their way across the Common to The Old Cottage, and initially they simply lick the walls. Then however, they bite to the extent of going through the render to the material underneath. They also rub up against it with their haunches.

“The cows find my house too handy,” he said “but it has cost me £4,400 to repair just the front walls this year. I just can’t afford it. I don’t want to repair it, for it to be ruined each September”.

He explained that he had been told he couldn’t use electric fences to deter the cows due to the to risk to passers-by.

Cllr David Griffiths, Chair of Chilbolton Open Spaces Committee (COSC), said that he had purchased salt-licks. He would buy more and try them again.

Cllr Emma Noble asked “Couldn’t we have an electric fence? Has anyone actually said ’no’ to this?” She went on to describe potential electric fencing solutions.

Cllr Griffiths said that Mr Galloway might provide an indemnity to the Council.

Cllr Hall suggested “Why don’t we try it and see what happens”.

Mr Galloway said that he would do some research into the options for fencing and that he would bring a proposal to COSC.

The meeting ended. It was a reminder that despite an ordinary agenda, the Parish Council had an opportunity to listen to a resident’s tale. Not only listen, but listen, consider and act.