Parish Council Minutes
June 2012
Thursday 7th June 2012, 7.30pm, Sir John Moore Community Building Appleby Magna
Present: - Cllrs P Hemmerdinger (Chair), P Smith, M Hemmerdinger, G Potts, R Butler, D Wildgoose,
Lindsay Swinfield Clerk, two members of the public, two Police representatives.
1274 Apologies – Nil
1275 Declarations of Interest both personal & prejudicial to Items on Agenda – Nil
1276 Open forum for members of the public and press
a. CPRE does not support wind farms and offers help and advice to Parish Councils and those who require assistance. Noted.
b. CPRE members are liaising with the Chief Executive’s office at Marstons Brewery re the Black Horse Inn renovation works – the estimated completion date is the first week of August 2012. The member of public attending also reported that the potholes on the Black Horse Hill road were getting worse – this is being dealt with by Highways.
c. Member of public stated that he is not opposed to wind farms in general and feels they are a better way of providing energy.
1277 Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 3rd May 2012 were endorsed and signed
1278 Decisions made under delegated powers – nil
1279 Police / Neighbourhood Watch Matters
a. PC Steve Harrison introduced himself, he has been allocated to this beat.
b. One crime reported in the village over the past 30 days – a vehicle has been stolen.
c. Members asked if the proposed car boot sales for Bowleys Lane have been reported to the Police, requesting their assistance – the Police have no knowledge of the car boot sales.
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
1280 Planning Consultations
a. 12/00343/FUL, land to West of Hill Farm, Burton Road Stretton En Le Field, Swadlincote, SK 430293, 310402, erection of temporary wind monitoring mast (60m in height) – objections recorded.
b. 12/00391/VCI, adjacent to 10 Rectory Lane, removal of condition 13 of planning permission 11/00146/OUT to not provide fastway link along Rectory Lane – no comment.
c. 12/00434/FUL, 80 Snarestone Road, relocation and extension of existing livery stable block to provide stabling for 6 horses, removal of various outbuildings and existing access track and formation of hardstanding – no comment.
d. 12/00430/FUL, 80 Snarestone Road, erection of extensions and alterations including new garaging and parking arrangements – no comment.
1281 Planning Decision Notices
a. 1 New Road, two storey side/rear extension at Hall Farm, permission granted.
b. Redhill Farm, 97 Top Street, erection of two dwellings (outline) – refused.
c. Top Street, TPO (Tree Preservation Order 2012) – confirmed without modification.
1282 Allotment Matters
a. Cllr Smith reported that a new lower gate (kissing gate style) is to be installed, and the farm roadway access route will be completed within a week (weather permitting) – Clerk to inform Mr Betteridge the tenant farmer.
b. Cllr Smith reported that the Allotment Society hoped to have a small stall at the Appleby Grass Roots Festival.
1283 Footpaths, Hedgerows & Street Matters
a. Cllr P Hemmerdinger, the Clerk, Mrs Pauline Bee, Reverend Canon Elphick and two NWLDC representatives had met earlier in the day to discuss the closed churchyard of St Michael and All Angels Church, Appleby Magna. A notice passing responsibility of the maintenance of the closed churchyard had been issued by the church to the Parish Council, who in turn, following due process under section 215(2) of the Local Government Act 1972, passed notice of responsibility to NWLDC. Cllr Butler proposed, seconded by Cllr P Hemmerdinger, it was RESOLVED, unanimous to pass notice of full responsibility of the maintenance of the closed churchyard to NWLDC from 1st August 2012, with a gesture of goodwill by the Parish Council, who will pay for four cuts from June to September 2012 (one per month). The Clerk to make arrangements with the grounds contractor responsible.
From 1st August 2012, full responsibility will lie with NWLDC and the cost of maintenance will be met through the District Council’s precept.
1284 Localism Act, new Standards regime
a. The Clerk had distributed a document outlining the Localism Act 2011, new Standards Regime. Under the Act, all authorities were required to have a Code of Conduct for Members which contained the seven principles of public life, to be in place by 1 July 2012 together with a set of ‘arrangements’ for dealing with allegations of breaches and complaint. It was unanimously RESOLVED, that this Council agree in principle to adopt the proposed County-wide Code of Conduct.
1285 Correspondence
a. Members discussed the proposed high speed rail project (HS2) and the availability of various petitions opposing the project – noted.
b. A communication had been received from Leicestershire Police Federation outlining proposed Government changes to Police pay and conditions – noted.
1286 Proposed changes to bus service 7 by LCC (Leicestershire County Council)
Following discussion, all agreed that copies of the consultation document issued by LCC should be made available for public completion at the Appleby Grass Roots Festival to be held on 7th and 8th July 2012 in the Sir John Moore School grounds. The proposal is to remove the local bus service 7 and replace it with Demand Responsive Transport – a form of pre-booked transport using small vehicles such as taxis or minibuses rather than buses. All agreed that a community minibus owned and run by Appleby Magna village would be a useful proposition. Clerk to contact LCC and requestthat copies of the consultation document be left for public use on all buses.
1287 Sir John Moore Parish sign – this item had been added to the agenda for discussion, however there is nothing further to report at this time.
1288 Sir John Moore Foundation Grass Roots Festival update – Cllr Wildgoose distributed leaflets outlining the content of the Appleby Grass Roots Festival, to be held on 7th and 8th July 2012. Volunteers are needed – please contact Deana Wildgoose by email: deana@sirjohnmoore.org.uk
1289 Approval of Financial Statements & Payments
a. The payment list and bank reconciliation were reviewed and approved, RESOLVED, unanimous.
b. The annual insurance premium had been received from Aon (no increase on last year) and the Clerk had obtained a quote from Came & Company. Cllr P Hemmerdinger proposed, seconded by Cllr Wildgoose, it was RESOLVED, unanimous to accept the quote from Aon of £785.39
c. The Clerk had issued copies of the final 2011/12 budget versus actual statement; following a review of the document all agreed that the 2012/13 budget cost centres be adjusted to create more funds for grants and donations without changing the total budget figure. Cllr P Hemmerdinger proposed, seconded by Cllr Butler, it was RESOLVED, unanimous to move £500 from code 44, village developments to code 17, general donations.
d. The Audit Commission had issued a consultation document on the appointment of external auditor for 2012/13 and future years; this will be Grant Thornton UK LLP.
1290 Ideas for written piece – Parish News Line
a. LCC’s proposed change to bus service 7 - Tell LCC how this might affect you by completing a form at the Appleby Grass Roots Festival on 7th & 8th July 2012, held in the grounds of Sir John Moore School. You can also email LCC at publictransportpolicy@leics.gov.uk, or ring 0116 305 0002. In a nutshell, LCC has to make considerable savings and one area may be to replace Service 7 with Demand Responsive Transport (a form of pre-booked transport using small vehicles such as taxis or minibuses, rather than buses).
1291 Confidential Item, exclusion of public and press
a. Members unanimously agreed to this item relating to PAYE.
Members moved out of confidential.
The meeting ended at 9.32pm
Date of next meeting: 2nd August 2012, 7.30pm, Parish Council Meeting @The Stables Community room, Sir John Moore School
Lindsay Swinfield (Clerk to the Parish Council)