Parish Council Minutes
April 2014
These minutes are as yet unconfirmed. They will be confirmed, and possibly corrected as necessary at the next Parish Council meeting. Minutes in the Archive are all confirmed.
April 2014
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 3rd April 2014, 7.30pm, Sir John Moore Community Building Appleby Magna
Present: - Cllrs P Hemmerdinger (Chair), M Hemmerdinger, R Butler, G Pott, Clerk Lindsay Swinfield, four members of the public.
1301 Apologies: - Cllrs Wildgoose & Smith (apology accepted)
1302 Minutes
Minutes of the Annual Parish meeting held 4th April 2013 were endorsed and signed.
1303 Chairman of the Parish Council – Annual Report:
Cllr P Hemmerdinger welcomed everyone to the meeting and opened the meeting with an annual report from the Parish Council:
Precept – to be £14,500, no increase this year, this is now made up of £13,562 Precept and £938.00 Government grant, under the new rules. To explain:
Precept = the amount raised by Council Tax;
Council Tax (Band D) = the Council Tax per band D property
Total Budget Requirement = Grant + Precept
Various ‘street scene’ improvements and repairs carried out, stiles mended, new kissing gates, trees and hedges cut back, two grit bins paid for and installed
The Allotment Society is working well, with many improvements being made to the site
Work to the recreation ground, such as ditches being unblocked, trees cut back etc has been carried out; the PC is supporting grant applications for a new sports pavilion
Section 137 & general grants given total £676.54, £500 to Sir John Moore Foundation, £50 to CAB, £126.54 towards production of a village planning survey
The Parish Council is supporting the production of a new Village Design Statement
Parish Council supporting the Sir John Moore Foundation where applicable
Cllr Richard Butler is now the official flood Warden for the Parish
A new Parish Council web site is almost ready to go live, thanks to Cllr Peter Smith
Various large planning applications are being considered, these are very complex and this is not helped by almost daily changes in Government rules and regulations re planning; however, to date the Parish Council has objected to all of the larger planning applications due to major concerns over material considerations such as flooding, poor infrastructure, surface water management, access and highways problems.
Budget is looking healthy, but government cut backs and further control of the Precept will mean belts will have to be tightened
Thanks to Councillors, the Clerk and volunteers.
Report from District Councillor Mr Richard Blunt:
Dear Lindsay,
This is my report for the AGM:
The last year has been dominated by the unprecedented number of planning applications in Appleby. I have focused on working with officers to make sure there is a fact based assessment on each of the sites. I must pay tribute to the huge number of residents who have made their concerns known to the planning department, there is nothing like a huge groundswell of opinion to focus the minds.
As I reported to the Parish the last time I attended, the biggest task is to make sure that any sites that are refused, are turned down for valid planning reasons that will stand up to a possible appeal.
The majority of the sites will be considered at the Planning meeting on the 8th April and by the time of your AGM on the 3rd April the recommendations will be public knowledge. I understand that the Bloor’s application will be considered at the May planning committee.
I am sorry that I am not able to attend in person and if there are any questions arising from my report I will gladly either reply by email or attend the next parish meeting.
Best wishes,
Richard
Report from Maria Lewis, 1st Appleby Magna Brownies:
Dear Lindsay
I'm sorry I haven't been in touch before now to say that I can't come to the meeting tonight. I have a District meeting for Guiding at my house so I can't avoid it.
We are still keeping busy in Appleby, though we have fewer Brownies than last year. Girlguiding UK is celebrating 100 years of Brownies this year so we are taking part in the 100th Birthday challenge.
I am going to resign as Brownie leader at the end of next term. I have sent out a letter to parents to ask if anyone would be interested in taking over but haven't had any replies yet. There is a possibility that someone who has moved to Donisthorpe recently may be able to step in.
Sorry I haven't got time to write a proper report.
Best wishes
Maria Lewis
Report from Sonia Liff, Appleby Environment (given in person):
The Environment group has spent time and funds campaigning against the large quantity of planning applications to hit the village. The plot behind the Church hall has been recommended for refusal and the site on Measham Road has been reduced by half. The group is trying to keep a balanced view. Support for a Village Green has been excellent. It would have been ideal to have made more progress with the VDS (Village Design Statement) but progress cannot be made without the NWLDC policies and plans in place.
End of reports
The meeting ended at 7.45 pm Lindsay Swinfield (Clerk to the Parish Council)
Appleby Magna Parish Council Minutes
Thursday 3rd April 2014, 7.30 pm, Sir John Moore Foundation Community Building, Appleby Magna
Present: - Cllrs P Hemmerdinger (Chair), M Hemmerdinger, R Butler, G Pott, Lindsay Swinfield Clerk, 4 members of the public.
1437 Apologies – Cllrs Wildgoose & Smith – all apologies accepted.
1438 Declarations of Pecuniary Interest to Items on Agenda – Cllr G Pott agenda item 7b.
1439 Open forum for members of the public and press – nil to report
Public forum closed
1440 Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on March 6th 2014 endorsed and signed by the Chairman.
1441 Decisions made under delegated powers – Nil
1442 Police / Neighbourhood Watch Matters
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
1443 Planning Consultations
a. 14/00012/FUL, Spring Cottage, 30 Bowleys Lane, erection of detached garage/storage building with amended driveway – no comment.
b. 14/00170/FUL, 44 Church Street, proposed re-modelling of existing bungalow and creation of first floor accommodation – no comment.
c. 14/00192/FUL, 5 Measham Road, formation of vehicular access and provision of hard surface to front of property for off road parking – no comment.
d. 14/00189/AGP, Redhill Farm, 97 Top Street, steel portal frame building – no comment.
e. 13/00697/OUTM, SK 431620, 309432, land off Top Street, amended residential development for up to 29 dwellings, outline, access included – previous comments stand, however if the junction problems were resolved, this application would have the least impact on the village.
Various planning applications to be part of the NWLDC consultation process on 8th April 2014, starting at 4.30pm. These include 5 Measham Road, Church View land adjoining 33 Measham Road, land off Top Street (29 dwellings), land, Dormers Green off Bowleys Lane, 25 dwellings.
1444 Planning Decisions
a. 20 Black Horse Hill, works to one Oak and one Maple tree – consent.
1445 HS2 (High Speed Train) project – keep on agenda.
1446 Footpaths, Hedgerows, Street and Allotment Matters
a. Kissing gates – in hand to be installed.
b. An informal request has been received for a bench to be installed near Duck Lake – await further information.
c. Cllr P Hemmerdinger to carry out an inspection of village benches – the Clerk to email photographs.
d. Cllr P Hemmerdinger to ask Mr Denson to quote for repairs to the engine situated in the children’s play area on the recreation ground.
1447 Sir John Moore Foundation update – nil to report.
1448 Village Design Statement (keep on agenda, delayed due to withdrawal of NWLDC Core Strategy)
1449 Village Green update (nil to report at this meeting)
1450 Parish Council web site – defer to May 2014 meeting.
1451 Correspondence - nil
1452 Approval of Financial Statements & Payments
a. The payment list and bank reconciliation were reviewed and approved, RESOLVED, unanimous.
b. The bacs payment list unanimously approved and signed.
1453 Ideas for Written Piece – Parish News Line
a. Comment on how attractive the bulbs are in the village, thanks to Cllr P Smith and helpers.
1454 Urgent Items
- The annual recreation ground maintenance invoice had been received, this has increased by a large percent – add to the May 2014 agenda.
- Add hedge cutting around the fenced area of the hard court on the recreation ground to the May 2014 agenda.
The meeting ended at 8.40 pm
Date of next meeting: May 6th 2014, - Tuesday, Annual Parish Council Meeting at 7.30pm @The Stables Community room, Sir John Moore School
Lindsay Swinfield (Clerk to the Parish Council)