Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held in the Council Hall on Wednesday January 18th 2006 at 7.00pm
PRESENT: Councillors Colman (Chairman), Allsopp, Brooks, Fletcher, Gibson, Hind, Jarvis, Mortimore, Mrs Newstead, Miss Oram, Scott, Sheppard, Miss Watson and Mrs Walker with County Councillor Walker, seven parishioners and the Clerk.
APOLOGIES were received from Cllrs Ms Atkinson, Mrs Brooks and Mrs Scott.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Cllr Colman declared a personal interest to minute reference 3297 – planning application for 50 Bullpit Road. He did not take part in the vote relating to the application
Cheques presented were signed and wages payments approved.
The meeting was closed at approximately 7.01pm to take public comments. Two parishioners raised concerns about a planning application to demolish an existing bungalow and erect two dwellings at 50 Bullpit Road.
Affects upon neighbouring properties, loss of privacy from removal of trees and alteration of the existing building line were the main areas of concern.
The two applicants were also present and advised it was their intention to build and live in the two properties, that it was not their intention to spoil the area and that they were due to meet with District Council planning officers to discuss some of the issues raised by local residents.
The Chairman thanked the public for their attendance and explained that the planning application was scheduled to be considered during the meeting.
One parishioner advised that the Council’s web-site indicated that tonight’s meeting was of the full Council rather than the F&GP committee. The Clerk undertook to make enquiries.
Three parishioners left and the meeting re-opened.
3296 Clerk/Chairman’s Update A printed update of ongoing matters were circulated and noted. The update is published with the minutes. The following item were discussed from the update:
1. Re Minute 3132.2 Blocked Drain at Masefield Crescent The Clerk asked District Councillors present to take this ongoing matter up with officers at Kelham Hall.
3297 Planning Applications The following planning applications were considered and approved subject to any comments detailed below:
NCC Alterations to waste transfer & recycling facility Quarry Farm, Bowbridge Lane
0021 Conservatory to rear of flat 17 Rowan Way
2779 Demolish bungalow, erect two houses 50 Bullpit Road
A vote was taken on the application, with ten votes for and three abstentions. Members considered that a precedent had been set by allowing the residential development to the rear of Bullpit Road off Wolfit Avenue.
District Council should be asked to liaise with the applicants to try and alleviate as many of the residents concerns as possible.
Four parishioners left the meeting.
3298 Planning Decision The following planning applications have received conditional approval and were noted:
2540 Erect two storey extension & alter dwelling
150 London Road
2601 Erect extension
at rear Rose Cottage, 34
Queen Street 2604 New single storey bungalow
Adjacent to 128 Main Street
The following planning application has been refused and was noted:
2572 Erect bungalow (re-submission) Rear of 42a Queen Street
3299 Electoral Review Newark & Sherwood District Council Members noted the further Boundary Committee’s review of the future electoral arrangements for Newark & Sherwood District.
Concern was expressed that communities are being split simply to accommodate division of elector numbers. Cllr Mortimore advised that he is consulting the Boundary Commission for further research into the Review – members thanked him and asked to be kept informed.
3300 2004/05 Audit The external Audit of the 2004/05 accounts has been completed with an unqualified return. The notice advising of this completion has been displayed on the Council notice board.
Copies of the 2004/05 accounts will be circulated to all members and published with the minutes. Appreciation was expressed to the Clerk and Assistant Clerk for the hard work relating to the Audit.
3301 Financial Assistance Consideration was given to making grant payments to:
a) Victim Support Nottinghamshire who have directly supported 11 witnesses who reside in Balderton. Sixteen volunteers actively cover Balderton, but it is not possible to say from the database how many crime victims they have helped in Balderton.
b) Balderton Village Hall Fund. The Fund has £5300 which can be used towards the Pavilion/Community Hall project. In order to qualify for the WREN for the project, 11% Third Party Funding of the maximum £50,000 grant must be pledged from the Village Hall Fund. A grant of £200 to the Fund would ensure the Council qualifies to apply for the maximum.
It was, RECOMMENDED that grants of £100 be paid to Victim Support Nottinghamshire and £200 be paid to the Village Hall Fund.
Cllr Brooks left the meeting at approximately 7.30pm.
3302 Dog Bin Dale Crescent Consideration and approval was given to installing a further dog bin in the vicinity of Dale Crescent where numerous complaints have been made about dog fouling issues.
3303 Retirement Issues Members considered that the implications of early retirement requests should be discussed as an exempt agenda item at the full Council meeting.
3304 Standards of Conduct in English Local Government Copies of the summary of the government’s findings, previously circulated, of the above discussion paper were noted.
The changes include the local standards committee taking over initial reviews of misconduct allegations, a clearer simpler code of conduct, and the introduction of a code of conduct for government employees.
Cllr Sheppard advised that he has not received a reply to his letter sent to the Deputy Prime Minister’s Officer of concerns about the vulnerability of councillors. Cllr Fletcher advised that the District Council have asked the Standards Board similar questions and are awaiting a reply.
3305 Correspondence/Information The following correspondence and information was noted:
a) A general reminder from the District Council Standards Committee for members to comply with the code of conduct and to make any necessary amendments to their Registers of Interest within 28 days of becoming aware of any change.
b) Notice that the District Council is introducing a ‘Litter Hit Squad’ resource into its cleaning team. The Hit Squad will be in Balderton week commencing January 23rd and ask for any litter hot spots that need to be targeted. Members suggested that the following be submitted; the front of the Grove school, the corner of Hawton Lane and Meadow Road, and Glovers Lane/Main Street.
c) An open letter from Police Chief Superintendent Johnson about local issues.
d) Notice that Balderton Library will be closed from February 4th to May 2nd 2006 for major refurbishment. The mobile library will be outside the premises every Saturday morning between 9am and 12.30pm and alternate Monday afternoons from 11am to 4.30pm
e) Notice of a public meeting to discuss the Primary Care Trust arrangements for our area to be held at Newark Town Hall on Friday January 27th 2006 at 12.30pm. Cllr Jarvis undertook to attend if able.
f) A copy of the Nottinghamshire County Council Statement of Community Involvement pre-submission draft. Any comments to be submitted by February 17th 2006.
g) A copy of the ‘application for determination of modern conditions under the Environment Act 1995’ from BPB Formula at Bantycock Gypsum Quarry, Balderton. The latest County Highways Transport Briefing giving details of local Christmas tree recycling sites
h) A letter of appreciation from the owner of some personal papers found in Mount Road Cemetery. The papers were subject of a burglary in Peterborough and found by Cllr Sheppard and duly returned to the owner who had sent a small donation to the Council to cover postage costs.
3306 Future Agenda Items County Councillor Walker advised that Balderton has been omitted from the present waiting list of villages wanting ‘flashing warning’ signs for speeding vehicles. This matter is being looked into, and the issue of traffic calming measures will be included on the next committee agenda.
The meeting closed at approximately 7.40pm