Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes
Committee meeting held in the Balderton Village Centre on Wednesday June 27th
2007 at 7.00pm.
PRESENT Councillors Mortimore (Chairman), Mrs Jarvis, (Vice Chairman), Fletcher,
Gibson, Mrs Hurst, Hurst, Mrs Newstead, Radley, Sheppard and Mrs Walker with
County Councillor Walker, a representative of the local press and the Clerk.
APOLOGIES were received from Cllrs Colman, Gould, Hind and Miss Watson.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Cllrs Mrs Hurst, Hurst and Mrs Newstead declared
personal interests to minute reference 3423 – financial application for
N.A.G.T.Y students. Cllr Mrs Newstead also declared a personal interest to
minute reference 3432c.1 – highways issues on Lowfield Lane.
Cheques presented were signed and wages payments approved.
The meeting was closed at 7.05pm to take public comments. Parishioners spoke
about surface water and sewerage flooding problems on the Jericho Road estate,
Manners Road estate and Catkin Way areas. Reluctant and delayed responses from
Severn Trent were reported.
Those present asked the Council to support them
in trying to find a long term permanent solution to these ongoing problems. The
meeting re-opened.
The committee was informed that Patrick Mercer M.P. has undertaken to arrange a
meeting with Severn Trent and relevant authorities - members welcomed this news.
Pressure should be put on the District Council Planning Department to prevent
further development in the village until the drainage system problems have been
addressed and a solution found.
The public left the meeting at approximately 7.38pm
3420 Clerk/Chairman’s Update
A printed update of ongoing matters were circulated and noted. The update is
published with the minutes. No issues were discussed.
3421 Planning Applications
The following planning applications were considered and approved subject to any
comments detailed below:
0759 Erect industrial unit (renew outline) Rear of Lowfield Cottages
0826 Extension for dining area & shower room 9 Clement Avenue
The following planning application was considered and refused with the following
comments:
0840 Erect one dwelling (outline) Land at 19 Sykes Lane
Members refused this in principle because of the reasons stated earlier – i.e.
the effect of further properties in the village adding to the existing flooding
problems.
3422 Planning Decisions
The following planning applications have received conditional approval and were
noted:
0368 Relocate gantry crane & new office block Newark Storage, Sylvan Way
0545 Vary condition 12 of app. No 03/92042 Fernwood
0545 Erect 7 retail units & associated parking Fernwood
0563 Erect conservatory 26 Collinson Lane
0603 Detached rear extension to house for garden room 48 Bullpit Road
The following planning application has been refused and was noted:
1690 Erect wind turbine on gable end 24 Clement Avenue
3423 Financial Assistance
Consideration was given to applications for financial assistance from;
a. Chuter Ede and John Hunt Junior Schools for Drugs Awareness Resistance
Education (D.A.R.E.) graduation for the 49 Year 5 and 74 Year 6 pupils
respectively, at a cost of £10 per child.
b. Blue Sapphires Cheerleeders for their donation appeal to attend a competition
in South Carolina.
c. Grove School for sponsorship sign writing on their new mini bus – costings
are not yet known, but enquiries are being made to ascertain interested
organisations.
It was, RECOMMENDED that grants of the following
be paid;
a) £490 to Chuter Ede Primary and £740 to John Hunt Junior Schools.
b) £300 to Blue Sapphires Support Group
A reply will also be drafted to the Grove School advising that the Council is
interested in its name being included on the new mini bus subject to further
information about costs.
Further consideration was also given to sponsoring local students who have
qualified for the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY).
Details have been requested from local schools of any pupils residing in
Balderton who are selected for NAGTY. Magnus School has responded that just one
Balderton student qualifies (who has been granted funding from this Council).
Cllr Mrs Hurst provided a list compiled by the Grove School of the Balderton
residing students there who have been selected.
It was, RECOMMENDED that a grant of £2000 be paid
to the Grove School for equal distribution amongst the qualifying students.
3424 W.R.E.N.
W.R.E.N. (Waste Recyling Environmental Ltd) has refunded an amount of £1870 for
an overpayment from the Village Hall Fund charity for match funding when the
Village Centre grant was applied for. The Fund paid 11% of the £50,000 applied
for, but a grant of just £33,000 was awarded. As the Village Hall Fund at the
National Savings Bank has since been closed it was,
AGREED that the money be earmarked and used towards the cost of the new entrance
gates and fence to the Centre and playing field.
3425 Transport to Health
Members were advised of an issue relating to transport to get patients to
medical appointments which is funded by the local Primary Care Trust (PCT) who
donate money for this purpose to the Newark Community Voluntary Services on
Millgate. Balderton, Farndon and Newark do not qualify for this service on the
basis that they are not rural. Cllr Mrs Jarvis had attended a meeting last
Friday in Newark where the issue had been discussed and the PCT had undertook to
consider the matter – her written account of the meeting was circulated to
members. Cllr Mrs Jarvis was thanked for her information. The outcome of this
issue will be monitored.
Discussion also took place on the difficulty of patients getting to the new
Balderton Health Centre and lack of bus services to the same. The closure of the
Bakewell Close footpath link through to Mead Way has also exacerbated problems
for local people accessing the Centre. These issues will be included on a future
agenda for further discussion.
3426 Internal Audit
Members noted completion of the Internal Audit, carried out on May 31st 2007.
The Internal Auditor had carried out a thorough assessment of procedures and
controls and is satisfied that adequate controls are in place and that all
procedures are correct. The Internal Auditor has however recommended that the
Council should look at the following issues;
a) that Financial Regulations be reviewed.
b) that the Council consider re-allocating (viring) the earmarked fund of
£10,000 for the skateboard project which was committed some years ago and never
materialised.
Members undertook to review these two issues at the next committee meeting in
September, stating that further efforts should be made in liaising with the
Grove School to find a suitable site for the skateboard ramp or provision of an
alternative project for young people in lieu of a skateboard ramp if no longer
required.
It was also noted that there is a requirement to carry out an annual review of
the effectiveness of Internal Audit. Members were satisfied that the
arrangements for the 2006/07 Internal Audit were adequate as it is just the
second year that the present Internal Auditor has carried out the process, but
the issue will also be included on the next committee agenda to review the
2007/08 arrangements.
3427 Audit Annual Return 2006/07
Copies of the Return, previously circulated were considered. Members approved
and agreed Section1 the Statement of Accounts and Section 2 the Annual
Governance Statement. These were duly signed by the Chairman and Clerk.
3428 Access Request
Consideration was given to a request for access across the playing field for
delivering a swimming pool to an Acacia Road property, with an undertaking to
make good any damage to the land. The groundstaff advise that the particular
area concerned is a known ‘wet’ area of the field and this has of course been
exacerbated by the ongoing excessively wet spell of weather. Though
understanding of the request members considered that it should be turned down.
3429 Identity Cards
Consideration was given to the introduction of identity cards for members when
on
Council business. Members considered that the cards would be very useful.
Enquiries have been made with the District Council for costings of I.D. cards
showing a photograph of the Councillor. Attempts will be made to obtain the
costs in readiness for the Council meeting.
3430 Photocopier
Consideration was given to the purchase of a colour photocopier from Photostatic
in Newark, valued at £6995, at an offer cost of £2000 (the Council’s existing
black and white copier would be taken as part exchange). The copier can also be
used as a scanner and printer from the computer system if required.
It was, AGREED that the colour copier be
purchased.
3431 Standing Orders
Consideration was given to reviewing and updating Council Standing Orders.
Copies of
model orders were circulated.
It was, RECOMMENDED that the Orders be revised.
The Clerk was asked to prepare and submit new Orders for approval at a future
committee meeting.
3432 Correspondence/Information
The following correspondence and information was noted:
a) Notice that following the District Valuer’s visit to value the new Centre,
the yearly rates bill is £3774.00 including a newly introduced charge for the
bowling green of £866.
b) A request for a suitable sign on Lowfield Lane advising that it is a no
through road with no turning space for lorries (following a lorry driver being
given incorrect directions this week resulting in his lorry getting stuck
there). County Councillor Walker undertook to take this matter up with the
highways department.
c) Notifications from the County Council;
i that a request for Queen Street to be re-surfaced has been assessed but is low
on the list
of priority. The authority suggests that the project could be put forward as
part of the
Building Better Communities initiative – this will be submitted along with a
request for
works to resurface pavements in the Lowfield Lane, Mount Road, Belvoir Road
areas.
ii that work will be carried out on Hollowdyke Lane in the 2007/08 programme.
iii that work to provide off road parking on Wolfit Avenue is scheduled to
commence in
September for approximately 2 weeks.
d) Details of, and an offer from Nottinghamshire Police to attend a meeting to
advise of their new vision for policing.
e) Details of Christmas decorations for installation on across roads, on
buildings etc. The legislation involved in such installations is considerable
and it was considered too costly for the village. Members considered that a
large Christmas tree in the Reception area of the Centre would be appropriate
and should be purchased.
f) Notice that the interim parish council conference scheduled for July 2nd 2007
at Kelham Hall has been cancelled.
g) The programme of consultation for the Newark Growth Point Initiative from the
District Council – with an invitation to submit any comments.
3433 Future Agenda Items
1. Cllr Mrs Jarvis asked if a letter could be sent to the Grove School praising
the pupils who helped at an event held at the Village Centre on Tuesday. The
pupils were very well behaved, smartly dressed, very efficient and a credit to
the school.
The meeting closed at approximately 8.30pm.