Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held in the Council Hall on Wednesday May 18th 2005 at 7.40pm
PRESENT: Councillors Hind (Chairman), Colman (Vice Chairman), Mrs Brooks, Gibson, Mrs Newstead, Miss Oram, Mrs Scott, Scott, Sheppard and Mrs Walker
with Cllr Mrs Hind, County Councillor Walker, Mr Mortimore (Pavilion sub committee) and the Clerk
APOLOGIES: were received from Cllrs Brooks, Fletcher, Jarvis and Spencer.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None were made.
Cheques presented were signed and wages payments approved.
3244 Clerk/Chairman’s
Update
A printed update of ongoing matters was circulated and noted. The update is
published with the minutes. The following items were discussed from the
update:
1. Re Minute 3238 Street naming Members noted that both suggestions have not met with the contractors approval, and the developments will be named after their choice of Vicarage Close and Nursery Gardens. Two letters of complaint were also noted regarding the Council’s name suggestion for the development behind The Vicarage. The complainants considered that the Council should have named the development ‘Johnson’ as suggested by the family some years ago. This name was put forward in December 2002 from the Council for a road name on the Fernwood estate. Explanatory letters will be sent to the complainants.
2. Re Minute 3242a Heron Way Car Park The District Council have advised that without strict ‘policing’ it is difficult to enforce any no parking signs, and for any ruling to be enforceable the Council would need to add car park orders which can be included free of charge when the District Council next update their orders. A simple ‘No overnight parking of vehicles’ may ease the situation. Such a sign will be installed and the situation will then be monitored
3. Re Minute 3242.2 Council Web-site Members were very pleased to hear the new site is live. The address needs to be changed to a gov.uk site from a co.uk site.
3245 Planning Applications
The following planning applications were considered and approved subject to
any comments detailed below:
1003 Single storey front extension -
8 Christopher Crescent
1024 Two storey rear extension - 10 Moulton Crescent
1091 Ground floor extension and garage - 40 Warwick Road
1014 Amend masterplan, discharge previous 106 obligation - Fernwood
3246 Planning Decisions
The following planning applications have received conditional approval and
were noted:
0476 Conservatory 6 Baines Avenue
0570 Conservatory 15 Southfield
0573 Two storey extension 3 Shakespeare Street
0631 Extension 2 Shelley Close
0641 Extension and conservatory 39 Russell Avenue
0646 Conservatory 82 Southfield
0649 Conservatory 51 Lacey Green
0658 Rear extension 16 Keats Road
The following planning application has been refused and was noted:
0439 Dwelling and garage Rear of 93 Main Street
3247 Standards Board
Review
The Standards Board for England review of the Code of Conduct was
considered. All Council members had been supplied with a copy of the
consultation document. More general comments about the Code are invited.
Members agreed that a response be sent highlighting concerns that the Code allows persistent complainants the freedom to attack councils causing possible harm and certainly stress to individuals and councils.
Genuine concerns were expressed regarding the possible lack of members willing to serve in the future because of the implications of the Code. Members who serve their community entirely voluntarily are left vulnerable with no ability to defend themselves or make any complaints back.
3248 Community Support
Officer
A letter from Nottinghamshire Police was given further consideration
regarding the possibility of a Parish Council funded Police Community Support
Officer. The Clerk had obtained costings of full and part-time options.
Members considered that this was not an option open to the Council at this time, but could be considered when budgeting for the next financial year.
3249 Memorials Testing
Consideration was given to Zurich Municipal carrying out a programme of
testing headstones for stability and safety in the Cemetery as part of the
Council’s health and safety requirements and obligations.
The tests would be carried out at an approximate cost of £900 a day (estimated 3.5 days total work required) or £650 a day if the Council join Local Council Advisory Service (LCAS) at a cost of £195.
The service would include a report from which the Council can take any appropriate action. After lengthy discussion
it was,
RECOMMENDED that the Council join LCAS to get the reduced rate, and that the
work be carried out within one year of joining the Service.
3250 Council Office
Computers
Consideration was given to upgrading the computers to Windows XP and
networking the Council’s computer system at an overall approximate total cost of
£800 including man hours to install the programmes and transfer data.
3251 Planning Sub
Committee
The District Council are requesting that councils respond to planning
applications strictly within 21 days. Because of the council’s meeting schedule
it is sometimes difficult to meet this deadline.
A separate planning sub committee could look at all applications though the majority could still go through the main committee structure.
The District Council are holding a meeting about planning matters on July 6th 2005, the night of the full Council meeting.
It was,
RECOMMENDED that a sub committee comprising of four members be formed to review
planning applications. This will be included on the Council’s Annual General
Meeting agenda next week.
Two Councillors should then attend the planning meeting at Kelham Hall for further guidance and information.
Mr Mortimore left the meeting at approximately 8.40pm.
3252 Financial Assistance
Consideration was given to a written application for funding from
Nottinghamshire Police for help in launching the ‘Junior Crimestoppers’ scheme
in Balderton which encourages children to inform police of those young people
who are breaking the law.
They are rewarded with top up card vouchers for mobile phones. £200 is needed to launch the scheme in Balderton.
It was,
RECOMMENDED that a grant of £200 be paid to the Police.
3253 Churchyard Trees
Consideration was given to a letter of complaint about the size of trees
and roots in the south end of the churchyard. The complainant expressed concern
that the tree roots could be damaging the outbuildings there.
The District Council Trees Officer will be asked to inspect the trees for advice.
3254
Correspondence/Information
The following correspondence and information was noted:
a)
An invitation to the County Council’s ‘Building
Better Communities’ initiative promotion event at Boughton on Wednesday 22nd
June 2005 from 10am to 1.30pm. Cllr Mrs Walker undertook to attend if
possible. Any other councillors wishing to attend should notify the Clerk at
the Annual General Meeting.
b) A letter from newly elected County Councillor Mrs Saddington who now covers Balderton South which falls into the Farndon/Muskham division. She advises that she will be available to attend meetings after May 31st 2005.
c) A casual vacancy exists on the Balderton West Ward following the sudden loss of Parish Councillor Mrs Pat Fletcher. This vacancy will be formally declared from the date of the Annual Parish Council Meeting on May 25th 2005.
d) Notice of application for continuation of licensee at Tesco Express, Main Street, which will be heard at Newark Magistrates Court on June 7th 2005.
e) A letter of complaint regarding parked vehicles on pavements in Balderton, particularly on Main Street. This matter was passed onto County Councillor Walker to look into.
f) An application from an allotment tenant for permission to site a sectional garage on his allotment. This was considered but not approved.
g) The agenda for the Newark Area Local Form meeting which was held on May 9th 2005.
h) A copy of the East Midlands Regional Assembly Regional Plan to 2026.
i) Notice of an application to renew the Entertainment Licence for the Chesters Pub.
j) Notification from the Standards Board that they have considered a complaint made against Cllr Mrs Hind and found that no action needs to be taken in respect of it.
k) Details that the piece of land under consideration for possible development and sale to allow the Council to raise extra funds for the Pavilion project is on Lakeside off Heron Way.
The next stage of the process is to apply for outline planning permission - local agents will be appointed to liase on the matter with the District Council Planning Authority.
3255 Future Agenda Items
1.
Cllr Gibson asked that the County Council be asked
to inspect an old concrete street lighting column which is in a poor state of
repair on Shelley Close.
2. Cllr Sheppard advised that there were several other old concrete lighting columns in the village that are waiting to be removed. County Councillor Walker asked that members list all highways matters that are in need of attention in readiness for a meeting he has scheduled with Mr Charnley of the Highways Department in three weeks time.
3. Cllr Mrs Brooks asked that the closure of the hydrotherapy pool at Balderton Hospital be included for discussion on the next Council agenda to ascertain what action the Council can take in securing it’s future.
4. Cllr Mrs Walker asked if the Council could take on responsibility, with compensation, of an overgrown rose garden area off Brandon Close. This is the property of the District Council who have promised on several previous occasions to tidy the area. Enquiries will be made.
The meeting closed at approximately 9.15pm