Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the
Council Hall on Wednesday September 20th 2006 at 7.00pm.
PRESENT Councillors Colman (Chairman) Mrs Brooks (Vice Chairman), Allsopp,
Atkinson, Brooks, Fletcher, Hind, Mrs Newstead, Miss Oram, Scott,
Mrs Walker, Miss Watson and White with County Councillor Walker, PC Stannard of
Newark Police, a member of the press, two parishioners and the Clerk.
2923 Apologies
Apologies were accepted from Cllrs Gibson, Mortimore, Mrs Scott and Sheppard,
and County Councillor Mrs Saddington.
2924 Declarations of Interest
Cllr White declared a personal interest to the F&GP item regarding the
telecommunications mast on Hollowdyke Lane.
2925 Co-option
Mrs Angela Jarvis was nominated for the vacancy on Balderton West Ward and was
duly, unanimously co-opted as Councillor for the Ward. Cllr Mrs Jarvis was
invited to join members at the table, and an undertaking was made to attend the
Council Office in the near future to sign the Declaration of Acceptance of
Office.
P.C. Stannard was welcomed to the meeting which was closed to take public
comments. One parishioner asked questions regarding the Council’s web-site,
funding, completion of the New Hall, the flood risk assessment for the Heron Way
planning application and new posts within the Council. These questions were
addressed and the meeting re-opened.
2926 Minutes
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Wednesday July 5th 2006,
having been circulated previously were confirmed as a true record and signed.
2927 Clerk/Chairman’s Update
An update of ongoing matters from the minutes of the previous Council meeting
and subsequent committee meetings was circulated and noted. Updates circulated
prior to each committee meeting had been included with the minutes. The
following issues were discussed:-
a) Council
1. Re Minute 2909 Mead Way footpath Alternative options for a route through to
Mead Way from the Bakewell Close area are still being considered by Newark &
Sherwood Homes and the District Council.
b) Amenities
1. Re Minute 1309 New Hall Appreciation was again extended to the family of the
late Cllr Jarvis for their generous offer of a clock for the New Hall.
2. Re Minute 1310 Lakeside fencing It was suggested and agreed that Hawthorne
hedging be planted immediately behind the new fencing to soften its appearance.
3. Re Minute 1312 User Agreements This matter was referred back to the committee
for further consideration following information received from the Council’s
insurance company.
c) Finance & General Purposes
d) 1. Re Minute 3359 Financial Assistance
It was, AGREED that in pursuance of the powers
conferred by Sections 137 and 139 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council
approve the payments of:
a) £300 to the Newark & District Citizens Advice Bureau towards their running
costs
b) £300 to the W.R.V.S. towards the running costs of Newark Emergency Services
and Balderton Books on Wheels
this being expenditure incurred in the interest of the parish or its
inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure.
e) New Hall sub committee
1. Re Minute 0014 Funding County Councillor Walker presented a cheque to the
Chairman for £1500 towards furniture for the Hall. Appreciation was extended by
all and a letter will be drafted to this effect.
2. Re Naming Councillors were asked to submit any preferences or suggestions for
naming the Hall to the Clerk as soon as possible.
3. Re Hire Rates A request was made for discounted rates for regular, local
users. Consideration can be given to negotiate a rate for such users up to the
end of the current financial year.
2928 Committees
The minutes of the following committees were confirmed as a true record and
signed:
Amenities
Finance and General Purposes
Planning
Council Review
New Hall sub committee
2929 Extraordinary Meeting
The minutes of the extra-ordinary Council meeting held on July 11th 2006, having
been previously circulated, were approved and signed.
Cllr Brooks left the meeting at approximately 7.40pm.
2930 Planning Applications
The following planning application was considered and approved: 1351 Erect
replacement wall & create vehicular access 1a Baines Avenue
The following planning application was considered and objected to with the
following comments:
1319 Telecommunications mast London Road
Members considered that as with the previous application this site is totally
unsuitable owing to the close proximity of housing. Alternative sites will be
suggested that are in the village but away from residential areas.
2931 Lake Swimmers
Further concern was expressed regarding unauthorised swimming in the Lake.
Schools in Newark should be contacted to explain to the pupils why swimming is
not allowed in the Lake because of the hazards there. All Balderton schools were
contacted before the school summer holidays.
PC Stannard advised that the police do patrol the area when resources allow and
actively endorse the Council’s ruling of no swimming. He also advised that
Balderton now has two Community Support Officers and that the new police contact
point at Lakeside Shopping Centre should open shortly – extra CCTV cameras have
been ordered for the vicinity which may ease some of the anti social problems
for the residents whose properties back onto the Lakeside Centre. Volunteers are
requested to help staff the contact point.
The meeting was closed at approximately 7.50pm to hear Mr Gregory Duckworth
thank the Parish Council for its financial contribution toward his attendance at
the summer camp of National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) at
Durham University. He reported that the camp had been very useful and
informative and he had found the experience to be extremely worthwhile. He was
thanked for his report and the meeting re-opened at approximately 8.00pm.
2932 Financial Statements
The details as published were correct, there being cheque requirements for July
of
£99,938.15 and for August of £101,283.16
2933 Reports from Representatives
a) Cllr Mrs Newstead reported from the Newark and District Citizens Advice
Bureau – Sarah Sheppard and June Roberts have been appointed as Manager and
Chairman respectively.
b) Cllr Mrs Walker asked that the Council consider contributing to a notice
board for the Fernwood and District Residents Association. The Clerk advised
that a letter of application should be submitted for consideration by the F&GP
committee.
c) County Councillor Walker reported that:
1. He had attended a meeting of the Staple Landfill Liaison Group – an
application has been made for Derbyshire waste disposal lorries to use the
Cotham site on Bank Holidays (excluding Christmas).
2. He had attended a meeting at Chuter Ede Primary School on Friday September
15th 2006 about the traffic situation and options were presently being
considered to ease congestion and improve safety.
3. He had presented medals to children at Balderton Library on Tuesday September
19th 2006 for reading initiatives. There was a marked increase in the number of
children participating in this year’s scheme.
2934 Clerk’s Additional Information
The following items of correspondence/information have been received:
a) A reply from Patrick Mercer MP advising that the telecommunications mast
application
by Hutchison 3R is being considered. The Council had submitted a letter of
objection to the pre-consultation process.
b) Notices of Pre-Order Consultations from the Rights of Way Department for:
1. A modification order for the Acacia Road access to Footpath no 1, and for the
route from Footpath no 1 through the middle gate to the playing field. The
Council opposes both these proposals and a reply will be drafted.
2. Footpaths no.s 5,6,& 7 in the Lacey Green and Clement Avenue area to rectify
anomalies which have arisen owing to residential development.
c) A request for a further leave of absence for Cllr Mrs Scott owing to poor
health.
This was unanimously supported.
d) Notice of a seminar at Newark Town Hall on
Thursday September 28th 2006 to cover risk assessments, memorial safety etc. The
seminar aims to co-ordinate local councils’ approach to dealing with the
associated issues. Approval was given for the Clerk to attend.
e) Notice from a group of neighbouring Bullpit Road residents wising to explore
the possibility of developing land at the bottom of their gardens. It was
considered that the best way forward would be for those concerned to approach
the District Council Planning Department.
2935 Councillors Questions
1. Cllr Mrs Jarvis asked:
a) Why the Council’s proposed planning site at Heron Way was for only one
dwelling rather than the originally submitted four dwellings? This was due to
the District Council’s earlier response that four dwellings would not be
considered suitable.
b) Were members aware of the Primary Care Trust meeting on Friday September 29th
2006 in the Newark Town Hall?
Exempt Agenda Item
It was, AGREED in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings)
Act 1960 Section 1, that as publicity would be prejudicial to the public
interest by reason of the confidential nature of the information in the business
to be transacted, the public and press be excluded from the remainder of the
meeting.
The press and public duly left the meeting at approximately 8.30pm.
A legal matter was discussed and agreed upon.
The meeting closed at approximately 8.45pm