Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Amenities Committee meeting held
in the Balderton Village Centre Council Hall on Wednesday February 14th 2007 at
7.00pm
PRESENT Councillors White (Chairman), Sheppard (Vice Chairman), Allsopp,
Atkinson, Mrs Brooks, Colman, Gibson, Hind, Mrs Jarvis, Mortimore,
Mrs Newstead, Mrs Scott, Scott and Miss Watson with Cllr Fletcher, the Deputy
Head Groundsman Mr Brown, a representatives of Balderton Bowls Club, one
parishioner and the Clerk.
APOLOGIES none were received.
1351 Declarations of Interest
Cllr White declared a personal interest to minute reference 1360a - Hollowdyke
Lane traffic.
1352 Clerk/Chairman’s Update
A printed update of ongoing matters was circulated and noted. The update is
published with the minutes. The following issues were discussed from the update:
1. Re Minute 1348 Cemetery Gates Members considered that the option to replace
the pedestrian gates rather than re-painting them should be chosen and the work
carried out as soon as possible.
1353 Planning Applications
The following applications were considered and approved subject to any comments
detailed below:
0121 Two storey extension 6 Jericho Road
1837 Erect 25 dwellings Fernwood
1354 Planning Decisions
The following applications have received conditional approval and were noted:
1776 Erect office units and associated works Fernwood Business Park
1812 Allow increase no. of children at nursery 52 London Road
1826 Erect 2 bedroom bungalow 2 Brooke Close
1836 Erect 3 dwellings Fernwood
1859 Erect dwelling 35 Carnell Lane
1890 Erect two storey extension 7 Belvoir Road
1894 Single storey extension to front 219 London Road
1896 Erect double garage 5 Harby Close
1919 Erect single storey rear extension 17 Wolfit Avenue
1920 Erect two storey rear extension 37 Hawton Lane
0015 Erect new porch 12 Spring Lane
The following application has been refused and was noted:
1689 Erect bungalow Rear of 19 browning Road
1355 Bowls Club Toilet Facilities
The meeting was closed to hear a representative of Balderton Bowls Club
regarding the logistics of club members and visitors using the Centre toilets
when the building is alarmed.
Club members previously had keys and full access to the old building – this is not possible with the new building as security will be compromised. He advised that it should be possible to agree some contributory funding towards a separate toilet for the bowlers’ use.
The Club member was thanked for his attendance and the meeting re-opened. Consideration was duly given to the situation. An estimate, previously circulated was reviewed to install a toilet unit to the exterior of the Bowls Pavilion at the rear of the building.
It was, AGREED that the preferred option is to
provide the Club with a separate toilet.
Alternative quotations will be obtained and other options explored in readiness
for further consideration at the next committee meeting.
1356 Balderton Village Centre
Fencing work has been completed to the car park perimeter but the side of the
building still needs to be fenced off from the field. The telephone lines have
now been installed at the Centre.
Discussion was given to the call out arrangements in the event of the alarm being activated. The company who installed the system could be key holders at no cost, with a chargeable call out of £45 + vat at regular times and £65 + vat during anti social hours (i.e. late nights). Staff could be on call on a rota basis – staff have to date been called out on several occasions but essentially this has been caused by mis-operations by the attendant. It is hoped that once everyone is more familiar with the system this situation should ease. The staff will continue to be on call in the meantime and be paid accordingly but the situation will be monitored.
Consideration was given to employing security
staff during functions – a local company TNS Leisure Security, used by several
businesses and the District Council charge £12.50 per hour per person. It was
considered that this service is necessary for certain events and the cost will
be passed on to the hirer.
1357 Cleaning Centre
Consideration was given to the preferred option for cleaning the changing rooms
side of the Centre. The Council’s existing cleaner can clean the meeting rooms,
office, kitchen and toilets but the changing rooms require specialist cleaning
machinery. A demonstration had been given of a cleaning machine which uses a
pressure hose but this left a lot of surface water behind. A local contract
cleaning company has been cleaning the changing rooms in the meantime, very
satisfactorily, at a cost of £60 per time. This cost should be less in summer
months when cricket teams use less changing rooms than footballers.
It was, AGREED that the local contract cleaners
continue cleaning the sports
side of the building.
1358 Public Footpath no.6
A written request was considered for closing or gating Public Footpath no. 6
between Pinfold Lane and Church Lane. The originator’s family has suffered
extensive anti social behaviour at their home and the footpath is considered to
provide a ‘bolt hole’ for the young people concerned.
Though sympathetic, members considered that those
responsible should be dealt with by the police rather than closing a well used
footpath within the village. Contact will be made with the police to ask what
they can do to ease the situation – including the option of installing the
mobile CCTV camera in that vicinity.
1359 Dog Control Orders
Members considered new Dog Control Orders from the District Council which it
intends to adopt across the district – parish councils may adopt their own
orders but the District ones will take precedence. Additional local controls can
be included if deemed necessary.
Councils are being asked if they would like to
introduce an Order in its own right, or include any additional controls as
required. It was considered beneficial to introduce an additional condition that
all dogs be kept on leads when on the playing field.
1360 Information/Correspondence
The following items of information/correspondence have been received and were
noted:
a) A copy of a letter sent to the County Highways requesting that Hollowdyke
Lane be made into a one way road. Members noted this request but were doubtful
that this would be fair or workable for farmers needing access to the fields off
the Lane.
b) Notice of a Public Board Meeting of the Notts County NHS Trust at Ruddington
on February 19th 2007 at 12.30pm.
c) Two large trees at Lakeside fell during the wind storms – one damaging
adjacent garden properties. The tree is thought to be slightly rotten and it is
considered advisable to have the other large trees inspected for any disease.
Members agreed that this work be carried out as soon as possible.
d) A copy of an agent’s letter sent to the County Rights of Way Department
regarding the claim for a Public Footpath on the Acacia Road access refuting the
claim on the Parish Council’s behalf.
e) Notice that Rowan Way will be closed from the junction of London Road for 30m
for road improvement works between Monday February 19th and Friday February 23rd
2007.
f) A letter from a Main Street resident regarding the trees removed from the
side of the A1 during recent carriageway repairs. The Highways Agency has
advised that trees should have been removed no more than every six metres – this
is not the case.
The meeting was closed to hear from the resident originating this letter. He
advised that he has been in contact with the Highways Agency and Patrick Mercer
OBE MP. The Agency has advised that re-landscaping work will take place to
rectify the over zealous
site clearance. He was thanked for his information. The meeting re-opened and it
was agreed that a letter be sent to the Highways Agency (with copy to Mr Patrick
Mercer) seeking that the replanting work should be carried out as soon as
possible and to request sound proof fencing to the area.
1361 Future agenda Items
1. Cllr Ms Atkinson advised that unauthorised business activity is still taking
place at Sunnyside, Barnby Road, directly opposing a Planning Inspectorate
decision. This matter will be reported directly to the Inspectorate.
2. Cllr Mrs Brooks advised she had attended a meeting at Kelham Hall regarding
the possible ‘Newark Growth’ bid for some 6000 houses to the south of Newark on
the Balderton border. District Cllr Blaney has offered to attend a Council
meeting to explain this to members. This was considered beneficial – Cllr Mrs
Brooks undertook to arrange his attendance at a full Council meeting.
3. Cllr Sheppard advised that he and Cllr Mrs Jarvis had recently attended a
meeting chaired by Mrs Mercer (in her M.P. husband’s absence) where the second
pharmacy for Balderton was discussed.
The appeal lodged against the decision to allow
the second pharmacy is still being considered and it could be several months
before the outcome is known. The
new health centre is scheduled to open this Spring.
4. Cllr Mrs Newstead asked if Age Concern had supplied the promised wheel chair
for use at the Badlerton Village Centre. The Clerk advised it had not yet been
received.
The meeting closed at approximately 8.15pm