PC Meeting – Mar 2016 Agenda & Approved Feb Minutes

Agenda for Tuesday 22nd March 2016 & Approved Minutes for 16th February 2016

 

These are the Approved minutes from the Parish Council meeting held on 16th February 2016, and the agenda for the next meeting due to be held on Tuesday 22nd March 2016.

PDF Version

Chalgrave Parish Council


CHALGRAVE PARISH COUNCIL
MRS. L. J. SMITH
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL
4 HOME FARM, TEBWORTH, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, BEDFORDSHIRE LU7 9QD
Tel: 01525 874716. email: chalgravepc@btinternet.com

THE NEXT MEETING OF CHALGRAVE PARISH COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 22nd, 2016 at 7.30pm AT CHALGRAVE MEMORIAL HALL.
Lesley Smith, Clerk to the Council

AGENDA

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2. OPEN FORUM
3. TO AMEND AND APPROVE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16th, 2015 MEETING
4. SPECIFIC DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
5. POLICE MATTERS
6. REPORT from WARD COUNCILLOR MARK VERSALLION
7. REPORT FROM ALL SAINTS CHURCH, CHALGRAVE
8. MATTERS ARISING FROM FEBRUARY 16th, 2015 MINUTES
9. POINTS RAISED from JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CORRESPONDENCE
10. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
11. ACCOUNTS a) Cheques for signature
12. TO DISCUSS PROGRESS ON TEBWORTH POND
13. TO DISCUSS PREPARATIONS FOR the PARISH ASSEMBLY
14. COMMITTEE REPORTS
15. HIGHWAYS ISSUES
16. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON THE NEXT AGENDA
17. TIME AND DATE OF NEXT MEETING

MINUTES

of the Meeting of Chalgrave Parish Council held on Tuesday, February 16th, 2016 at Chalgrave Memorial Hall, Tebworth at 7.30pm.
Present: Cllr. Ken Green; Cllr. Debbie Hampson; Cllr. Barbara Jackson; Cllr. Daniel Osborn; Cllr. Phil Parry (Chairman); Cllr. Mike Wells; Cllr Paul Whitton; Mr. S. Calder-All Saints Church; Lesley Smith-Clerk.
Public present: 0
Committees
Planning CllrHampson-Chair                            877149 Cllr Osborn                        07768621850
Footpaths Cllr Green-Chair                            874107 Cllr Jackson                                      877617
Website Cllr Green                                       874107 Cllr Wells                                             877098
Speed Watch Cllr Wells-Chair                             877098Responsibilities
Cllr Osborn Highways liaison Grass cutting Police Liaison              07768621850
Cllr Parry Highways liaison                07831605600
Cllr Whitton Fly tipping Buses               07808174843
Cllr Jackson Tebworth Pond  Defibrillator                          877617
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Ward Cllr Mark Versallion.
2. SPECIFIC DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.
3. MINUTES OF JANUARY 19th, 2016 MEETING
The minutes of the January 19th, 2016 meeting were amended, approved and signed as correct by the chairman.
4. REPORT from WARD COUNCILLOR MARK VERSALLION
No report this month.
5. REPORT FROM ALL SAINTS CHURCH-Steve Calder
a) All Saints Church Roof. Mr Calder reminded the Cllrs that some lead had been stolen from the south isle of the church roof in December 2015. He thanked Mr Robert Upchurch and Cllrs Parry and Whitton for their help immediately after the theft was discovered. The remaining lead was sold for £1,200 which will be deducted from the insurance settlement. The insurance cover is for £7,500 but the cost of repair and replacement of the roof is in excess of £20,000. Mr Calder said that the insurance cover needs to reassessed.  Reverend Crawford went to Dunstable Police Station on February 15th to give a final statement, including the emotional impact on the community and loss of income due to cancelled services etc. so that the court can make a realistic judgement about compensation. A man has been charged with the crime and will appear in the Crown Court at the end of February. Cllr Green asked if another material could be used instead of lead and, if so, what would be the cost. Mr Calder was unable to answer the question and said that the architect would have to decide whether an alternative would be suitable and then it would have to be approved by English Heritage.
b) Fund Raising for Repair of the Roof. Mr Calder thanked Wingfield’s Plough Inn and a member of the church’s congregation who have raised £2,000 between them.
c) Church Services. Church life is returning to normal and service have resumed at 9.30am on Sundays. There will be a dawn service in the church ground on the Sunday prior to Easter. After the service there will be a barbeque breakfast.
d) PCC Meetings. March 3rd, May 5th, July 7th. September 8th, November 3rd.
6. POLICE MATTERS
Crime Figures: January 1st-January 31st, 2016
No figures available for January 2016
7. MATTERS ARISING FROM JANUARY 19th, 2015 MINUTES
a) Church Roof Repair. In January the PC wrote to English and Saint Albans Diocese to ask if covering the roof with an alternative to lead could be considered. No reply yet. Ongoing.
b) PCC Olly Martins Bedfordshire Police. The PC wrote to Andrew Selous MP requesting that he asks the Home Secretary to mandate a change to Bedfordshire Police as the current funding formula is not fit for purpose. The PC has received response from Rt. Hon. Mike Penning MP, Minister of State for Policing, Fire, Criminal Justice and Victims via Andrew Selous MP. Mr Penning states that the government recently consulted on the principles of a new funding model but has decided to delay the implementation of a new model after listening to policing partners. Letter in correspondence.
c) Defibrillator-Village Response Team. Community Heartbeat has sent the PC a Seminar Request form to book another training session, plus the list of people who expressed interest at the first training session. They will be invited to the next training session-date to be arranged. Ongoing.                                                BJ
d) 20mph Speed Limit. Clerk to follow up on CBC’s white line policy. Many local authorities are not repainting white lines on certain stretches of road.                                                                                                                        Clerk
e) Noticeboards. Refurbishment of the noticeboards is ongoing. The contractor is waiting for drier weather.
f) Dog Bins. The bins opposite Woodlands and on The Lane have been emptied.
g) Grass Verge Next To Woodlands. The trees and bushes have become overgrown on the bend between Woodlands and 51 Wingfield Road, Tebworth. Before the New Year HW agreed to cut them back. Clerk to follow up again.                                                                                                                                                                     Clerk
h) CBC: Salt Bag Scheme. Cllr Osborn has filled up the two salt bins on The Lane.
i) Flawed Housing Targets. There is a meeting for the Green Belt Parishes Group on March 2nd, 2016 at Sundon Village Hall, 8pm.  Cllr Green will attend.                                                                                                     KG
j) CBC: Local Transport Plan Rural Match Fund & Bidding Guidelines. The PC wrote to CBC stating that the scheme is unfair to small PCs as they would have to contribute 50% of the costs, which would represent a large proportion of their small precepts. No response so far. Clerk to follow up. Ongoing.                       Clerk
k) CBC: Development Strategy. The PC is a statutory consultee and will be kept informed about progress on the Local Plan.
l) 3rd Party Right of Appeal. Cllr Parry has signed the petition, to be sent to the government, on behalf of the PC
m) Drain opposite The Meadows. HW has asked the area team to investigate the progress of the works order and to inspect the issue again. A bus driver had commented recently to Cllr Wells that he has to be really careful to avoid the drain.  Clerk to follow up again. Ongoing.                                                             Clerk
n) CBC: Budget Plans 2016: Consultation. The PC has received a letter from James Jamieson, Leader CBC in which he admitted that it could have made it clearer how to obtain more paper copies of the consultation. The PC had written to both him and CBC to say that the consultation was not valid as the majority of people would not have seen the questionnaire.8. POINTS RAISED on JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CORRESPONDENCE
a) NPPF-LGBC. The London Green Belt Council has drafted a response to the government’s consultation paper on the National Planning Policy Framework. Cllr Green will also respond to the consultation on behalf of the PC.                                                                                                                                                                              KG
b) Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Cllr Green will respond on behalf of the PC to the consultation on the Service’s proposal to raise its contribution from Council Tax by 1.99%.                                                     KG
c) Wildlife Trusts-Local Sites Partnership. Referring to the document titled ‘Secret Spaces’; The Status of Local Wildlife Sites 2014 Cllr Jackson asked if Tebworth Pond could be considered a ‘Secret Space’.  The cllrs agreed to ask Laura Downton, Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, to the Parish Assembly.                                                                                                                                                  Clerk

9. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
a) Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. Information on the new arrangements for external audits due to take place in April 2017. In correspondence.
b) NALC: Financial Regulations. Model for adoption by the parish council. In correspondence
c) Parish Council Websites. Information on publishing information on parish council websites which complies with the Transparency Code. In correspondence
d) Highways Agency: A5-M1 Link Newsletter-January 2016. Update on the A5-M1link in correspondence.
e) CPRE: E-Bulletin February 2016. In correspondence.
f) Anglian Water is launching a campaign called ‘Pollution Watch’. Details in correspondence.
g) WW1 Centenary Art Commissions. Expressions of interest requested to host poppy displays in 2017. Deadline is February 29th, 2016. In correspondence.
h) CPRE: Bedfordshire Matters. Winter 2015/16 edition in correspondence.
i) Public Sector Executive. Magazine in correspondence.

10. ACCOUNTS
Cheques for Signature. The following cheques have been approved and signed:
Chq No: Payee Description Amount £
965 Phil Parry Chairman’s expenses 2015/16 70.00
966 Chalgrave IT Solutions Computer repair: Hi viz jacket for Speedwatch  40.03
967 Chalgrave Memorial Hall Hall hire: October 2014 to March 2016 306.00
Total 416.03
TEBWORTH POND
i. Cllrs Jackson, Hampson, Whitton and the clerk have recently had a site meeting with Mr Tim Buckingham to discuss a decking area for the pond. At tonight’s PC meeting Cllr Jackson showed the cllrs a diagram of the proposed design. Mr Buckingham will quote for the decking area and recycled plastic posts.
ii. Mr Roger Fenwick is going to level the area where the decking will be situated on February 20th or 21st.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE PARISH ASSEMBLY
a) Date and time. Tuesday, April 26th, 2016 at 7.30pm
b) Guests. Clerk to invite representatives from parish organisations, Andrew Selous MP, Ward Cllr Mark Versallion and Laura Downton from Wildlifebcn.                                                                                               Clerk
c) Food and drink. Cllr Hampson will order the food. Cllr Parry will purchase drinks.                                   DH; PP
d) Format will be the same as last year. Speakers will be asked to restrict their reports to a maximum of 5 minutes.
11. COMMITTEE REPORTS
a) Planning.
i. No planning applications received this month.
ii. Previous Planning Application
Application No. Address Proposed work PC comments CBC decision
16/00107 94 Wingfield Road, Tebworth Demolition of existing conservatory. Erection of a two & a single storey extensions No objections subject to any from the neighbours To be decided
a.
b.
b) Speedwatch
i. Speed Watches. Two speedwatches were carried out in January. Three will be carried out in March
ii. Hand Gesture.  Cllr Wells reported that a company van driver had made an offensive hand gesture to one of the Speedwatch teams. Cllr Wells will contact the company. He will send the details to the clerk. The incident will be reported in the Chalgrave News.                                                                MW
iii. Speedwatch Event. Cllrs Jackson, Wells and Parry will attend an event being held in Maulden on Saturday February 20th, 2016.                                                                                                        PP; MW; BJ
iv. Vehicle Activated Sign. An engineer is due to examine the sign on Toddington Road as it is not working properly. Ongoing.                                                                                                                           PWc) Footpaths
i. Stile Repair. Several stiles still need repairing. Ongoing.
ii. Waymark Posts. Volunteers are going to repair three waymark posts.
iii. Permissive Footpath. Cllr Green will contact the managers of the land concerned with his proposal. He will prepare a map and Cllr Parry will draft the accompanying letter.                                       KG; PP
d) Website
i. Cllr Green reported that, due to a fault of the supplier, the website went offline for three days. It is back online now.
ii. Cllr Green is still awaiting some cllrs’ details for the website.12. HIGHWAYS ISSUES
i. Faulty Lamp. Column 001 at St Mary’s Close is still not repaired. Clerk to report to HW.                  Clerk
ii. Overgrown Hedge and Trees by New Farm, Wingfield. Cllr Wells will speak to the resident who owns the trees and hedge.                                                                                                                                        MW
iii. Church Lane: Potholes. These have been reported but they have not been repaired yet. Clerk to follow up.                                                                                                                                                           Clerk
iv. Fly Tipping. Located by the pond on The Lane, Tebworth. Cllr Whitton will report.                             PW
v. Possible Footway between 2 and 12, The Lane. Cllr Whitton asked if there was an official footway between 2 and 12 The Lane. Clerk to find out.                                                                                       Clerk
vi. Waste Bins. Cllr Whitton is concerned about waste bins being permanently left by the roadside on The Lane and would like to see them removed. Cllr Hampson commented that there is a byelaw to prevent this. It was suggested that a request for bins to be removed from the roadside after colllection should be put in the Chalgrave News.
13. ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON NEXT AGENDA
None.14. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016 at 7.30pm.
Meeting closed at 21.08
 .