Balderton Parish Council
Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held in the Council Hall on Wednesday June 29th 2005 at 7.00pm
PRESENT: Councillors Colman (Chairman), Mrs Brooks, Brooks, Fletcher, Gibson, Hind, Mrs Newstead, Mrs Scott, Scott, Sheppard and Mrs Walker with County Councillor Walker, Mr Mortimore (Pavilion sub committee), one parishioner and the Clerk
APOLOGIES: were received from Cllrs Ms Atkinson, Miss Oram and Spencer.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST None were made. Cheques presented were signed and wages payments approved.
3256 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 3244.2 Heron Way car park Cllr Sheppard informed that on visiting the car park the previous evening there were many vehicles there including a lorry and an old ambulance. No vehicles appeared to be owned by Lake visitors. The sign should be installed as soon as possible.
2. Re Minute 3251 Parish Council Seminar - Planning The date of the District Council Planning Seminar is the same date and time as the Council meeting. Prior to the conference there is a presentation by the Boundary Commission regarding the proposed changes for the district. Cllr Mrs Newstead undertook to attend with Vice Chairman Cllr Ms Atkinson if able.
3. 3253 Churchyard Trees The trees are quite tall in this section of the churchyard and an amount of crown thinning work could be carried out. A self set holly tree could be removed which is very close to the adjacent building wall. Ivy growing on the wall and around the trees should also be removed. None of the graves in the area are showing signs of disturbance from tree roots, and there is no evidence of cracks to the exterior walls of the building. Any work undertaken would have to be approved by the District Council Trees Officer as the church is in the village Conservation Area. Members considered that the work should be carried out in the late Autumn.
3257 Planning Applications
The following planning applications were considered and approved subject to
any comments detailed below:
1344 Conservatory 90 Wesley Close
1347 Construct roads and sewers Fernwood
1383 Conservatory 15 Lacey Green
1399 Erect 70 dwellings Fernwood
1412 Convert loft and install dormer windows to front 38 Bullpit Road
3258 Planning Decisions
The following planning applications have received conditional approval and
were noted:
0862 Erect conservatory 78 Southfield
0863 Erect extension, conservatory 65 Milton Street
0960 Conservatory 15 Gaitskell Way
1003 Single storey front extension 8 Christopher Crescent
1091 Ground floor extension and garage 40 Warwick Road
1124 Conservatory 24 Wordsworth Drive
The following planning application has been refused and was noted:
0839 Boarding kennels and site mobile home Paddock 3, Coddington Rd
3259 2004/05 Audit Annual Return
Copies of the completed Annual Return for 2004/2005 were circulated to all
members for consideration and approved by the committee. The Internal Auditor’s
additional comments were noted which had been previously circulated to all
members.
The committee was satisfied with the arrangements for the 2004/05 internal audit, but consideration should been given to securing a change of Internal Auditor for the 2005/06 year. The return date for all the external audit documents is August 1st 2005.
Appreciation was extended to the Clerk and Assistant Clerk for the preparation work carried out in readiness for the audit.
3260 Hydrotherapy Pool
Members noted the recently published news that the Central Nottinghamshire
Healthcare Trust has secured funding to carry out the necessary repairs to the
hydrotherapy pool located at Fernwood.
The news was welcomed, and it was considered unnecessary at this time to invite the Primary Care Trust to attend a meeting as previously suggested. The situation regarding the pool will be closely monitored.
Cllr Jarvis joined the meeting at approximately 7.10pm.
3261 Church Lane
Consideration was given to a request for traffic calming measures at the
bottom of Church Lane just before the new development on the former Barkers Yard
site. Residents advise that traffic travels at excessive speed on the Lane.
The original plans drawn up for the development included a traffic calming ramp, but amended plans subsequently submitted and approved did not include it. Though sympathetic, some doubt was expressed regarding the introduction of speed calming measures which can cause noise problems to nearby residents when vehicles travel over the ramps/grids etc. Enquiries will be made with all the residents in that immediate vicinity to obtain their views.
3262 Newark & Sherwood Electoral Review
Consideration was given to the Boundary Committee’s Electoral Review of
Newark & Sherwood District.
It was,
AGREED that a letter be drafted asking for the reasoning behind this further
review when the last one took place only three years ago. It should also be
pointed out that the present electoral/boundary arrangement for the village,
particularly relating to Fernwood, is very confusing.
The letter will be taken by Cllrs Ms Atkinson and Mrs Newstead for them to raise directly with the Boundary Commission at Kelham Hall on Wednesday July 6th 2005.
3263 Amenities Expenditure
Some concern was expressed about the suitability of residential development
in the vicinity of Heron Way car park. After lengthy discussion, approval was
given to the Amenities Committee’s recommended expenditure of £2000 to employ
planning consultants to try and obtain outline planning permission for 2/3
building plots on land off Heron Way.
3264 Correspondence/Information
The following correspondence and information was noted:
a) A request from the Angling Club to utilise some of the excess limestone from the path re-surfacing work which is now complete. The stone would be used at fishing points. Members gave approval to this.
b) A letter asking for use of the Pavilion for children’s dance classes, to run five days a week at various times. As the Pavilion room is presently unused for almost all the time, members agreed that a reduced rate of £5.00 per hour be allowed.
c) The District Council Trees Officer has been asked to inspect the tree ‘buffer zone’ along Hollowdyke Lane. This was planted by David Wilson Homes, but several trees have been removed from Spring Drive towards the pumping station.
d) Notice of a planning application by South Herts Waste Management to extend and erect buildings at the waste recycling centre at Quarry Farm Bowbridge Lane. The residents who live near to the site have been contacted, but advised that they have already been directly informed of the application by the County Council.
e) A letter of appreciation from the Newark Photographic Society for use of the Council Hall for the recent ‘old photos of Balderton’ events.
f) A ‘thank you’ card made by Chuter Ede pupils for the Council’s support in the D.A.R.E. campaign.
g) The agenda for the Newark Area Local Form meeting on July 5th 2005 from 1pm to 4pm at The Palace Theatre, Newark. Cllr Jarvis advised that he hopes to attend the meeting.
h) Notice that permission has been granted for an 8 bay pre-fabricated building at Chuter Ede Primary School for out of school hours facilities.
i) An application for financial assistance from Newark & District Citizen’s Advice Bureau - this will be considered at the next committee meeting in September.
j) Notice that Bullpit Road level crossing will be closed for repairs overnight on Sunday /Monday 3rd/4th July 2005.
k) Members were reminded that after the summer recess consideration must commence on any budgetary implications for the next financial year, including the Pavilion re-build. It may be necessary to take out a loan, though efforts are still being made to secure Section
106 funding from the District Council.
3265 Future Agenda Items
1.
Cllr Mrs Newstead advised that the new disabled park
area is being heavily fouled by Canada Geese. Could consideration be given to
any solution to this problem?
2. County Councillor Walker advised that he and County Councillor Mrs Saddington have a meeting scheduled for July 14th 2005 with District Council Chief Executive Mr Dix and Mr Evans Head of Planning Services. The meeting has been arranged to discuss Fernwood area issues. He invited members to submit any appropriate questions about the site to the Clerk, and he will then raise them on behalf of the Council.
Exempt Item - Staffing matters
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 public and non members duly left the meeting.Approval was given to staff pay recommendations made at the Council Review Committee meeting held on June 20th 2005.
The meeting closed at approximately 8.00pm