Parish Council Minutes
April 2012
In April, the Council Meeting is preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting, at which local organisations present an account of their activities over the year and plans for the future. These minutes are presented first, with the minutes of the Parish Council meeting below.
Thursday 5th April 2012, 7.30pm, Sir John Moore Community Building Appleby Magna
Present: - Cllrs P Hemmerdinger (Chair), M Hemmerdinger, R Butler, P Smith, G Potts, Clerk Lindsay Swinfield, Mr Robert Light
1201 Apologies: - Cllr Morris (apology accepted)
1202 Minutes
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 7th April 2011 were endorsed and signed.
1203 Chairman of the Parish Council – Annual Report
Cllr P Hemmerdinger welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Precept – increased by £1,000 to £14,500 to provide sufficient funds to carry out projects within the Parish;
- Two new notice boards have been installed in the village, and others have been refurbished;
- Tree works have been carried out in the closed Churchyard;
- An Allotment Society has been formed and is working well, with many improvements being made to the site;
- The allotment field ownership is now legalised and sorted out, and an extension providing more allotment plots agreed;
- Various ‘street scene’ improvements and repairs have been carried out, stiles repaired, bins replaced etc;
- Section 137 grants have been issued to AMCC, Sir JM Foundation Village Gala, Ken Colver memorial, Heart of the Forest Festival Measham, Citizens Advice Bureau at a total of £1,120.00;
- The Parish Council is supporting the Sir John Moore ‘Big Plan’ project which aims to improve current facilities for the school and community;
- The Parish Council has recently been awarded Possessory Title of Stone Pit Close;
- Government changes are being absorbed by the Parish Council, these include ‘Big Society’ / Code of Conduct changes / Standards Board changes / Power of General Competence amongst a few;
- Finally, a big thank you to all of the Parish Councillors, the Clerk and to all volunteers and to those who help in any way they are able.
1204 County & District Councillors – Annual Reports - Nil
1205 Local Organisations – Annual Reports
a. 1st Appleby Magna Brownies – Maria Lewis sent apologies and a brief report on the Brownies – they may lose funding to assist with running costs in the future; the Parish Council will assist where possible. It was suggested that Maria contacts Paul Cooper who is heading the project to replace the sports pavilion on the recreation ground – they may be able to work together to help raise funds, to mutual benefit.
End of reports
The meeting ended at 7.40pm
Lindsay Swinfield (Clerk to the Parish Council)
Appleby Magna Parish Council Minutes
Thursday 5th April 2012, 7.30pm, Sir John Moore Community Building Appleby Magna
Present: - Cllrs P Hemmerdinger (Chair), P Smith,
M Hemmerdinger, G Potts, R Butler,
Lindsay Swinfield Clerk, Mr Light
Open forum for members of the public and press
1235 Apologies – Cllr Morris (apology accepted)
1236 Declarations of Interest to Items on Agenda – Cllr Smith agenda item 10a, personal interest, Cllr Potts agenda item 7b, prejudicial interest and item 7c personal interest
1237 Declarations of Amendment to the Register of Interests – Nil
1238 Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 1st March 2012 were endorsed and signed.
1239 Decisions Taken Under Delegated Powers – urgent repairs carried out to the sports pavilion due to arson and vandalism.
1240 Police / Neighbourhood Watch Matters
a. Please ring 0116 2222222 or 101 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 to report suspicious behaviour or crimes. Police Sergeant 531 Mark Watson, mark.watson@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk
1241 Planning Consultations
a. 12/00031/FUL, Hall Farm 1 New Road, two storey side/rear extension – no comment.
b. 12/00204/OUT, Redhill Farm, 97 Top Street, erection of two dwellings (outline all matters reserved) – comments as follows (Cllr Potts left the room for this item):
The Councillors do not think the buildings would be detrimental to the Sir John Moore School, however;
this is agricultural land and has not had buildings on in the past;
Change of use of the land is a concern;
Existing Design Statement – this is outside of the permitted building area;
Would like to see more detail re the design and building materials to be used;
Would it be possible to legally state that only these two properties could be built, not setting a precedent for others to build on agricultural land in the village?
The Parish Council wishes to be consulted in some detail re these planned properties; however, the Parish Council does not object at this ‘outline planning’ stage, but stresses that the above concerns are fully addressed and consulted upon.
c. NWLDC Tree Preservation Order 2012, formal notice, Top Street – notification only.
1242 Planning Decision Notices
a. Service area M42 Junction 11, change of use of agricultural barn to commercial units within B2 and B8 classes associated with parking/service area – granted.
b. Black Horse Inn, Top Street, LBC (Listed Building Consent) for repair and investigation works to timber frame and panels – granted.
1243 Chairman’s Report
a. The Parish Council had been asked at a previous meeting if they would approve of a 1960’s festival being held in the grounds of the Sir John Moore School – all agreed to defer this and discuss once more information was forthcoming – apparently festival plans have not been put forward – item closed.
b. Cllr P Hemmerdinger outlined the recent event he attended with the Clerk whereby the new Localism Bill, Code of Conduct and Standards changes were discussed. As the Government papers have not been released on these changes yet, this item will be held in abeyance.
1244 Allotment Matters
a. Mr Ian Hamilton had obtained permission from the tenant who rents the allotment field to extend the allotment plot site, and also to increase the annual rent for the allotment field. The proposed Heads of Terms were reviewed and agreed. Cllr P Hemmerdinger proposed, seconded by Cllr Butler, it was RESOLVE, unanimous to accept the Heads of Terms. Clerk to write to Mr Hamilton and also to request a date for the allotment Society to start work on the extension.
1245 Footpaths, Hedgerows & Street Matters
a. Following on from the March Parish Council meeting, a quote for mowing the closed Churchyard had been received (April agenda item 11a), to be paid for by the Parish Council, however this is a temporary resolution while the legalities are being formalised.
b. The annual Parish Litterpick will be held on Saturday May 19th at 10am, all to meet in the Crown Inn car park, refreshments will be provided. Clerk to contact the Brownies, Scouts and WI and ask NWLDC for assistance, Cllr P Hemmerdinger to speak to the Appleby Cricket Club. Clerk to provide posters, everyone welcome to assist with the litter pick.
c. The Clerk had contacted Highways re works to Church Street verges which are being eroded by motorists – the response had been circulated and was negative – Highways did not consider the request to be of urgent or sufficient importance at this time.
d. The Bowleys Lane street sign has been knocked over – Highways will replace this as soon as possible.
1246 Recreation Ground & Street Furniture Matters
a. Cllr P Hemmerdinger and the Clerk had been contacted as a matter of urgency – the sports pavilion had been damaged by fire and vandalism. The Clerk authorised the repairs to be carried out urgently and the Parish Council paid £500.00 towards the repairs which had been carried out to a very high standard in record time in order to secure the building. The Cricket Club and volunteers are working hard to raise funds for a new sports pavilion, and have secured funding for plans to be drawn up.
1247 Correspondence
a. No development re proposed wind farms in the area – however this item will remain on the agenda for further discussion.
1248 Approval of Financial Statements & Payments
a. The cheque list and bank reconciliation were reviewed and approved.
b. The Clerk had obtained a quote for mowing the closed Churchyard (£560 per annum) – Cllr Butler proposed, seconded by Cllr M Hemmerdinger, it was RESOLVED to accept the quote, until further notice pending information from the Diocese.
c. The Clerk requested purchase of legal books for the Parish Council – the ones used currently are many years out of date. All agreed once the Clerk has looked at various purchasing options to gain best value, and emailed details to all Councillors.
1249 Stone Pit Land Charity
Mr Ian Hamilton had obtained Possessory Title of Stone Pit Close for the Parish Council, confirmed by the Land Registry, therefore the Parish Council is now the new Landlord (field number 6600 Leicestershire Ordnance, 31111/3110, 1959 edition).
1250 Ideas for written piece – Parish News Line
a. Annual Litter Pick, 19/05/12, 10am, Crown Inn car park.
b. Litter issues in the village.
c. Dog waste issues in the village.
The meeting ended at 9.20pm
Date of next meeting: 3rd May 2012, 7.30pm Annual Parish Council (AGM) Meeting @The Stables Community room, Sir John Moore School
Lindsay Swinfield, Clerk to the Parish Council