1030
HELD ON 19th
FEBRUARY 2007
PRESENT:
Chairman – Mr. C.
Wilkins
Councillors – Mrs
V. Marshall
Mr. T. Charles
Mrs L. Carrington-Brown
Mrs F. Chambers
Mr F. Pearman
Mr. J. Nash
Mrs G. Lines
In Attendance –
Mrs. L. Chambers – Clerk
Also present: Mr
A. Brown - Parishioner
ITEM 1 Apologies
for absence – District Councillor
Jackson
ITEM 2 Minutes of
the last meeting on 15th January 2007 were agreed and signed as correct.
ITEM 3 Matters
arising –
The
Chairman had now obtained two keys for the cupboard, and one had been passed to
the Clerk. The Clerk will now research the price of shelving/filing cupboards.
After discussion it was agreed that a budget of a maximum of £100 should be set
for this. Action: Clerk to
obtain prices of storage cabinets, to fill a space approx 4 x 4 feet.
Councillor
Charles had spoken with the resident in
Councillor
Pearman had looked at the fallen trees in Nutcroft. They were not Parish
Council trees but had fallen onto PC land. When the area dries out, he will
arrange to have the trees removed. Action: Councillor Pearman to remove the trees when the conditions
improve.
The
Clerk had reported the potholes in
ITEM 4.1 Ongoing
items:
4.1 Play areas and
equipment – The
Chairman had looked at the Burnham Green Play area. The wooden walkway had been
broken again. Action: Clerk to
arrange for repairs.
4.2 Highways –
The
Clerk reported that she had chased Highways about the outstanding issues again,
and had received the same response as before. After discussion, it was agreed
that copies of correspondence should be sent to County Councillor Bryan
Hammond. Action: The Clerk to
send copies of correspondence to County Councillor Hammond.
4.3 Parish Design Statement – No progress to report.
4.4 Tree Survey – The second phase has now
been completed, with the exception of Ivy on some trees that needs to be
removed. Comments from some Residents had been complimentary.
4.5 Sports Club – Councillor Nash had been
contacted by the Sports Club to say that the damage caused to the lower end of
the Village Green had been caused by hirers of the Village Hall on 3rd
February. Councillor Mrs Lines confirmed that there had been a very noisy and
disruptive event at the Village Hall that night. After discussion it was agreed
that the Chairman should raise the issue with Ian
1031
ITEM
5. Planning
15th January to
17th February 2007
New
Applications
3/07/0159/FP/AF
–
3/07/0238/FP/JS
–
Applications Granted Permission (by EHDC)
3/06/2254/FO/CD –
3/06/2360/FP/CD – 1A
Specific condition - No further windows, doors
or openings of any kind shall be inserted in the southwest flank elevations
3/06/2509/FP – Swan Hill Barn, R/O
Applications
Refused Permission (by EHDC)
3/06/2449/FP –
Appeals
3/06/1229/FP/JS – Hawkins Grange Farm.
Refusal of retrospective permission for a garden shed
The Planning Refusal for
ITEM 6. Highways Survey response.
The Clerk reported that Raj Goutam was unable to accept the
invitation to attend next month’s meeting. He suggested that dates be put forward
for Councillors to attend Highways Office at the Rotunda. After discussion it
was agreed that the Clerk should suggest Mondays and Fridays in the Afternoon,
excluding 12th March. Action:
The Clerk to contact Raj Goutam with dates, and to include County Councillor
Hammond in discussions.
ITEM
7 Main Items of Correspondence
EHC –
The Clerk reported that there was to be a change in how Bus
Passes were to be issued. The Clerk will put an entry in the Magazine, and an
entry should be made on the Web site. Posters with information had been put up
at the shops and in the Village Hall, and Elderberries had been informed. Action: The Clerk to put item in Magazine,
and Councillor Charles to put entry on Web site.
Highways (email) – Traffic Survey results
Already covered
Highways (email) – response to chaser re: outstanding issues
Already covered
Nockolds – Summary of outstanding issues
Noted and agreed.
EHC – Invoice for Playground inspections
Invoice to be paid
Benington PC – Invitation to Inter-Parish Conference
Councillor Mrs Marshall to attend,
Datchworth Sports Club – Invoice for Grass Cutting
Invoice to be paid.
1032
J.C.Wright – Further request for support with road signs
Noted
Datchworth Sports Club – Request for ‘Jazz on the Green’ event
After discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should write
and request information on parking arrangements. Action: The Clerk to request information on parking arrangements
HCC –
Passed to Councillor Mrs Marshall.
Clerk’s Report
The Clerk reported that she had looked into the insurance situation regarding the Access Road. In line with Councillor Mrs Marshall’s view, the PC was covered for Public Liability; this tallied with Councillor Mrs Marshall’s information that a claim had been paid out by the Insurance Company in the past.
The Clerk had been contacted about the possibility of an alternative Insurance policy being launched to give some competition to Allianz-Cornhill, who has a monopoly at the moment. At this stage, it was an exercise to gauge interest.
The Clerk had approached Mrs Andree Wright, with a view to
becoming the PC’s internal auditor and she had agreed. There was a discussion
about the professional requirements and insurance needed. Councillor Mrs Marshall
confirmed a financial background was all that was needed but would check the
insurance requirements. Action:
Councillor Mrs Marshall to check insurance requirements.
The Clerk said she needed to give one month’s written notice
to the previous auditor. It was unanimously agreed that she should do this. Action: The Clerk to write to Mr Harris at
AIMS Accounting.
Councillor Mrs Lines had reported to the Clerk that the lid
on the Water Butt had gone missing.
Action: The Clerk to arrange for repairs.
ITEM 8 Councillor’s
Reports
Councillor Mrs Chambers said could the
bollard in Nutcroft be replaced. Councillor Pearman agreed he would arrange for
it to be done when the ground dries out.
Councillor Mrs Chambers had a long list
of faults identified with the Village Hall, some of which were health and
safety issues. The list was passed to the Chairman to take to the next Village
Hall meeting. There was a long discussion about the Village Hall and the
Management Committee. It was agreed that the PC should express a level of
concern regarding the ongoing maintenance problems, and the PC would do
anything they could to facilitate the obtaining of grants if it was a financial
issue resulting in the problems. Action:
The Chairman to take these concerns to the Village Hall Management Committee
meeting.
Councillor Mrs Lines reported that
another car had got stuck on the Turkey Farm. Councillor Pearman had been aware
of this and the offender had been informed in clear terms that the driving on
the Turkey Farm to the Leisure Plots was unacceptable when the ground was so
wet.
Councillor Mrs Marshall reported that the
PC was now signed up to the Parish Paths Partnership (P3). This should now
appear as an ongoing item on the agenda in future. Action: The Clerk to place on the agenda.
Councillor Mrs Marshall gave a progress
report.
ITEM 9– District
Councillor’s Reports
There was no report.
ITEM 10. Financial
Report
In accordance with the Council’s financial regulations, the following transactions were approved
Income:
£30.00 – Bowls Club
for Water Rates
£3.11 – 2 ½% consol
dividend
£2526.00 – EHC Grass
Cutting
1033
Outgoings:
Cheque Number: 198 – Mrs F. Chambers - £20.00 – Yew Tree for
199 – EHC - £211.50 – Playground Inspections
200 – DSC - £106.87 (Grass Cutting Invoice £172.73 - Car Park Rent £ 65.81 and
Annual Lease rent £ 0.05)
201 – J. Adams - £107.00 - Litter
202 – Mrs L. Chambers - £424.98 – Salary and Expenses
Bank Balances – Cheque Account - £1886.99
Savings Account - £ 13664.02
ITEM 11 Benefits and
Concerns
The main benefit was the attendance of a Parishioner.
Councillor Mrs Marr expressed concern for the need for a closed session, on what appeared to be increasingly regular occasions. There followed a discussion about the need for this.
ITEM 12 Date of Next Meetings: 19th March 2007 @ 8.00pm
The meeting closed 9.05 pm