1017
HELD ON 16th
OCTOBER 2006
PRESENT:
Chairman – Mr. C.
Wilkins
Councillors – Mrs
F. Chambers
Mr. T. Charles
Mrs. G. Lines
Mrs L. Carrington-Brown
In Attendance –
Mrs. L. Chambers – Clerk
Also present: Mr
T. Goldsmith, - Countryside Access Officer,
HCC
Ms Fiona Annal – CMS
The
Chairman welcomed Mr Goldsmith and Ms
Annal and invited them to speak about the Parish Paths Partnership. They
outlined the scope of the project and there followed a discussion about the
various aspects of the scheme. The available money, which is £1000 this year,
is spent on behalf of the PC by HCC; there is no further obligation to match
funding and the commitment is on a year by year basis. HCC see this as a means
of ensuring the available funding is spent on areas that Parishes think is
needed rather than a reactive response to complaints, which is what happens
now.
The
Chairman thanked Mr Goldsmith and Ms Annal for attending and they left the
meeting.
ITEM 1 Apologies for
absence – Councillors Mrs V. Marshall,
Mr. F. Pearman, Mr. J. Austin and Mrs. M. Marr
ITEM 2 Minutes of
the last meeting on 18th September 2006 were agreed and signed as
correct
ITEM 3 Matters
arising –
As
the Clerk had received no further response to the issue of the fence at Bulls
Green, the Chairman suggested that it should be chased as there was significant
disquiet in the area about the fence together with another fence two houses
down. Both appear to have fenced in land that does not belong to their
properties. Action: The Clerk to
chase Highways.
Councillor
Jackson had been in contact with Welwyn/Hatfield Council concerning the inclusion
of this PC in planning applications for the Burnham Green boundary, and he was
hopeful that Welwyn/Hatfield will be persuaded. Action: Monitor situation.
There
was no key yet for the cupboard for the storage of PC files but space will be
made available .
The
traffic survey exhibition has now been arranged for 8th December in
the Village Hall 6pm – 9pm.
Councillor
Charles suggested that the PC should draft a response for the magazine and draw
up a questionnaire asking appropriate questions , which he felt the sample he
had seen of Highways did not. He also suggested that members of the PC should
be in attendance on the evening to encourage the completion of the
questionnaires. This was agreed. Councillor Charles volunteered to do the work. Action: Councillor Charles to write article
for Parish Magazine and to draft questionnaire on Highways suggested work. Volunteers
for the exhibition to be recruited at next meeting.
The
new notice board for Burnham Green should be delivered this week.
District
Councillor Jackson had reported back to the Clerk that the Electoral Register
is only available to the public in its abbreviated form, which she had not got.
Action: The Clerk to inform Tony
Stowe who to contact to obtain abbreviated Electoral Roll.
1018
ITEM 4 Ongoing
items:
4.1 Playareas
& Equipment – The
4.2 Highways – District Councillor
Jackson had reported to the Clerk that traffic concerns about Hooks Cross will
be discussed at tonight’s Highways Joint Panel meeting.
4.3 Parish Design
Statement – Nothing to report
4.4 Tree Survey – Councillor Charles
reported that the revised quote for the next phase of work was £5715 plus VAT
which was less than the agreed total at last month’s meeting. The order has now
been placed and the appropriate permissions were being obtained.
45 Sports Club – There was a long
discussion about the persistent parking issues. Whilst some progress had been
made with Marshals, the problem seemed to have spread to Saturdays when there
were no Marshals present. District Councillor Jackson was still waiting for the
Schedule of games, which has now been updated and Councillor Charles had the
revised copy. Action: Councillor
Charles to send revised Schedule to the Clerk for passing to District
Councillor Jackson.
There
had been significant problems with parking in the Village Hall car park on
Tuesday and Thursday when the Hall had Hirers. Ian Walker was now intent on
hiring a Parking Firm to issue parking tickets. The Rugby Club representative
had been informed of this issue. He said he would speak to individuals parking
in the Village Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and if they persisted he would
support the employment of the Parking Firm. There were other issues raised
about the general behaviour of a minority of the
ITEM
5. Planning
New
Applications
3/06/1793/FP/CD –
Hollybush House,
3/06/11896/FP/CD –
3/06/1925/FP/JS –
Bulls Green Farm, 84,
3/06/1937/FP/SE – 2A
Raffin Close. Two single storey side extensions.
Applications Granted Permission (by EHDC)
3/06/1358/FP/GH –
3/06/1472/FP – Opp.
.
ITEM
6. 1 The Budget
The Clerk had circulated copies of the
finance committee minutes and the Budget. The proposed Precept for 2007/2008 is
£19145 which is an increase of 3.9% After discussion of various aspects,
Councillor Charles proposed the Budget be accepted; this was seconded by
Councillor Mrs Chambers and agreed unanimously.
The Clerk presented the three prices for
a new printer and said that she had opted for the cheapest one which was £25.44
plus VAT. This was agreed to.
The Clerk had reported at the Finance
Meeting that the past month had been a very heavy workload as a result of the
additional work required by the external Auditor, the preparation of the Budget
and the Solicitors extra work. The Chairman proposed that she should be paid
for the extra hours. Councillor Charles said that he had suggested that the
extra hours could be ‘soaked up’ by doing less next month but accepted that
this was not feasible. It was agreed that as a ‘one off’ the Clerk should be
paid for ten extra hours this month.
ITEM
6.2 Parish Paths Partnership.
The Clerk reported that Andrew Marr had
agreed to liaise with Woolmer Green and drive this project. After discussion it
was agreed that it was a good idea. And the Council was in favour of it in
principle.
1019
The Clerk should ask Andrew Marr to liaise
with Nick Collingridge at Woolmer Green to draft a proposal for a joint scheme.
When it is ready to be presented to the PC a member of the Datchworth Society
should be invited to the meeting: if
appropriate, this should be
arranged for next month’s meeting, or at least as soon as possible. A suggested
location for the footpaths notice board was discussed. Action: The Clerk to contact Andrew Marr
ITEM 7 –
Highways – Various
emails re: exhibition – booked for
8/12/06 @ Village Hall 6-9pm
EHC – Rural
Parish Conference – 23/11 – 2 Councillors to attend –
EHC – Agenda for Rural Parishes Conference
Councillors Charles and Mrs Carrington- Brown agreed to
attend this. The Chairman suggested that Tony Stowe may be able to attend as there
was to be a discussion about Parish Plans.
Action: The Clerk to find out if Tony Stowe can attend
EHC – Homes for
Rural Communities Conference – 16/11 –
Councillor Mrs Carrington-Brown will attend this.
This was agreed, as in the past
Aston Parish Council – Minutes of meeting on 25/9 - Circulated
The suggestion that originated with Aston PC, of changing the Boundary at Hooks Cross had been discussed. It was agreed that this would be addressed by the Parish Design Statement and Aston PC would receive a copy of the relevant questionnaire before it was delivered to Hooks Cross residents.
Mr J.C.Wright – Copies of correspondence re: road signs in
It was agreed that this was in direct contradiction in what the PC was trying to achieve with less signs. The Clerk also raised the issue of who will police the signs which will make them academic anyway. Councillor Charles suggested writing to the appropriate trade Magazine highlighting the problem, and suggested wording.
Clerk’ Report
The Clerk reported that Councillor Austin had requested a leave of absence until at least the end of the year due to his ill health. This was agreed to. Councillor Mrs Chambers gave an update on how Councillor Austin was doing.
ITEM 8 – Councillor’s
Reports
Councillor Mrs Lines reported that a sofa had been dumped at the Turkey Farm but had now been moved for the bin men to collect.
ITEM 9. District
Councillor’s Report
District Councillor Jackson had reported to the Clerk that
the Swimming pools in
ITEM 10. Financial
Report
Income:
DVHMC - £300.00 –
AJ’s for Garden maintenance
EHC - £9212.00 - Precept
Outgoings:
Cheque no: 177 -
AJ’s – £352.50 – Garden Maintenance around Village Hall
176 - D.Overman - £27.03 –
Materials for repairing Play equipment
178 – DVHMC - £500 – Second
half of annual donation.
179 – D. Overman - £90.00 –
Labour for repairing Play Equipment
180 – J.Adams – Litter -
£107.00 – Increase in minimum wage
181 – Mrs L Chambers -
£549.44 Salary and Expense
Bank Balances – Cheque Account - £9604.55 - £4000 transferred to Deposit Account today
Savings Account - £ 16437.52
1020
ITEM 11 Benefits and
Concerns
The main concern was the low turn out of councillors which was unavoidable but unfortunate.
ITEM 12 Date of Next Meeting: 20th November 2006
The meeting closed 9.50 pm