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Branston & Mere Parish Council
Minutes of the Meeting held at the Pavilion, Moor Lane, Branston on
Monday 1st February 2010 at 7.15 pm.
Present: Cllrs. Messrs Adams, Clarke, Cucksey, Ford, Haw, Lundgren & Wood
and Cllr Mesdames Cannings, & Price.
In Attendance: Clerk Mrs Stead.
Members of the Public: Three.
Item 1 a) Apologies for absence.
The Council noted the reasons and approved the apologies of Cllrs Duncan and Mumford.
b) Declarations of interest.
Cllr Mrs Price declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the employment of a handyman and left the meeting when the terms were discussed.
Item 2 Public Forum
A resident questioned the 11% rise in the Precept for 2010/11. He suggested that there had been an increase of more than 50% during the last five years and asked whether the trend was likely to continue.
It was explained that the increase equated to £8000 and resulted in a very small annual increase per household; kept the precept lower than neighbouring Washingborough and Heighington and would allow the Council to respond to needs, identified through the Parish Plan, by providing improved facilities. The Precept had been kept at a low level for many years and had not allowed for improvements to be made to public areas. The Council aimed to continue recent improvements by developing the play areas and providing additional sports facilities.
Item 3 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies:
a) County Council
· Cllr Mrs Overton said that she had resumed her regular surgery at Branston. Dates were displayed on the village noticeboards.
· The executive had agreed to fund PCSOs for a further three years. New contracts would allow them to be more responsive, improve community safety and act as a first contact for vulnerable people needing help.
· A decision on the future of eight care homes was due. The councillor had visited some homes and considered that they gave a good service that was appreciated by the residents and provided valuable respite and convalescence.
· Children with special needs were to be encouraged to attend mainstream schools and funding would be given to schools in disadvantaged areas rather than directly supporting the needs of individual children.
Members were deeply concerned about what appeared to be a backward step for those in need of support. It was considered derogatory that the funding would be directed at disadvantaged areas when special needs children came from all backgrounds.
Cllr Mrs Frost added that the funding would not be ring-fenced and suggested that governors should insist that it was.
b) District Council
· Cllr Mrs Frost offered support for the increase in the Precept to maintain standards and allow improved facilities to be provided. She said that years of low precepts had resulted in several parishes falling behind others that had not held back.
· NKDC were striving to keep their increase low; looking for £300k of savings while protecting key services to the public.
· NKDC had also agreed to provide additional funds to retain the PCSOs in the district.
· A government grant had been secured to provide new affordable housing in the district which would provide four dwellings in Branston, subject to planning permission.
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c) Police
A report had been provided showing that during the period 04/01/10 – 01/02/10 eleven crimes had been reported:
4 counts of theft
3 counts of burglary
3 counts of criminal damage
1 count of damage to a motor vehicle.
Item 4
a) To resolve that the minutes of the meeting held on 4th January are signed as a correct record.
Acceptance of the notes was proposed by Cllr Mrs Cannings and seconded by Cllr Clarke.
b) Matters arising from the Minutes.
There were no matters arising.
Item 5 Correspondence:
a) Various Newsletters and Periodic Publications.
13013 Chief Constable’s 6 Monthly update.
13014 Clerks & Councils Direct January 2010
b) Letters for information.
13015 LCC – Details of diversion during resurfacing on Sleaford Road.
Noted.
13016 NKDC – Estate Audit Feedback
Noted.
13017 NKDC – Register of Interests.
Members were reminded of their responsibility to maintain an accurate register and that failure to do so would constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct.
13018 NKDC – Notification that the Annual Monitoring Report was available online.
13019 NKDC – Changes to the parliamentary boundary resulted in Canwick being transferred to Sleaford & North Hykeham, Waddington and Skellingthorpe to Lincoln.
13020 NKDC – An open consultation event would be held prior to the submission of a planning application for four affordable homes on Archer Road.
13021 East Midlands Fire & Rescue
An update on the regional control centre due to be operational by 2012.
13022 Age Concern – First Contact.
Details of a new service to help the over 60s retain their independence.
13023 LALC executive.
From April 2010, Trisha Carter will become the Chief Executive, following the retirement of Richard Enderby.
c) LIVES – re Grant Aid.
13024 The offer of grant aid for the coming financial need had been declined as the group had raised sufficient funds to cover their costs.
13025 Letters of thanks had been received from the Bowls, Cricket & Short Mat Bowls Clubs and the Village Hall Management for the grants due to be paid to them in May.
Item 6
13026 Planning:
a) Use of Online Planning between meetings.
Details were given on the new system which would make the process of commenting on applications between meetings easier and more inclusive.
All residents were able to view plans by going to: http://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/planningonline
b) Planning decisions received.
Planning permission had been granted on the following application:
09/900 Single storey rear extension 56 Beech Road
Planning permission had been refused on the following application:
09/0883 3 Bedroom bungalow Claremont, Moor Lane
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c) Applications already viewed – For Information.
09/0957 Amended application 11 Woodside
d) Applications for discussion.
10/0079 Retain the use of tea room & catering trailer Claremont, Moor Lane
e) Tree Issues.
CA13/96 Permission had been given for various work to 14 trees Wheelhouse, Waterwheel Lane.
Item 7 Other Reports:
a) History & Mosaic Group.
13027 Work on the mosaic was continuing to progress.
b) Four Parish Cluster Meeting.
13028 The minutes from the October meeting were circulated and members were given a resume of the meeting held in January.
13029 The new dog warden had undergone training and would start as soon as she received her licence. She seemed keen to issue fines to offenders and also to litter louts.
c) Parish Plan Update.
13030 At the meeting held on 18th January, it had been agreed to request the services of a newly qualified designer who had worked on the Brookenby plan. The three largest employers had been approached to provide further information for the business section and narratives would be written to accompany the statistics. It was hoped that the final plan would be launched during the summer.
d) Highway Meeting report.
13031 Cllr Webb had not attended the meeting due to clerical confusion but Alan Brown and Kyra Nettle had attended and worked through the issues. New data would be obtained and a further meeting held to consider the findings. Cllr Wood said that despite the absence of Cllr Webb, the meeting had been constructive. The Chairman said that it would not be easy to achieve a reduction in the speed limit or a pedestrian crossing and would require determination.
13032 Parish Council involvement in gritting footpaths was not encouraged as it would raise aspirations and bring complaints from other streets that were not done, had liability issues and grit would not be supplied by LCC, resulting in considerable expense.
Item 8 Recreation Space:
a) Grass cutting contract.
13033 Chris Bleaden had provided details of his charges for 2010, equating to a 2% increase. He also quoted to mow the areas previously maintained by the handyman and to provide weed control to reduce the amount of strimming required. All were accepted and would reduce the demand on the handyman during the growing season and allowing other work to be done to a higher standard.
b) Astro Court project.
13034 There had been no feedback on funding from the District Council and the chance of finding £500k for a full-size pitch seemed remote. The clerk was asked to advise the college and seek advice from funders for a 5-aside pitch.
c) Picnic Area.
13035 A quote from Anwick Forge, to produce a metal bench for the Garden of Rest designed by a local student, was over £7000. Further enquiries would be made.
d) Registration of land adjoining Brookside, Paddock Lane.
13036 The Council’s objection to the registration of the land had been withdrawn as without deeds it had been impossible to prove. All evidence provided had been dismissed as groundless.
It was agreed that other green areas, including verges and green spaces, should be considered and ensure that they were protected against claims by neighbours.
e) Play equipment designs.
13037 Wicksteed had provided an alternative design and quote for a timber trail with a ten year guarantee against rot. The design by Playdale offering a 20 year guarantee was the preferred option. The application for grant aid under the Community Grant scheme would be submitted by 1st March.
Item 9 Governance Review – Standing Orders.
13038 The review was deferred as new model standing orders were due to be published within days.
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13039 Advice had been sought from LALC about sending the Agenda and Notes electronically. The caution issued re members incurring printing costs was dismissed and all members, with the exception of Cllr Mumford, would in future receive the summons by e-mail. A standing order would be included to that effect at the review but members could revert to hard copies at any time.
Item 10
13040 Finance:
a) Accounts for payment.
Mr I McConville Wages 82.80
Mrs S Stead Wages & Expenses 935.43
Revenue & Customs Tax & NI 215.54
JHM Services Maintenance 637.30
Liam Naulls Pitchmarking 120.00
E-On Christmas Tree dressing 387.75
ESPO Litter hoop 11.46
7 core Cable 12.56
Jacksons Ltd Maintenance materials 58.93
B Recreation Ground Transfer 24.00
Mr J Welsh Jungle anniversary 50.00
Item 11 Urgent items for information.
13041 Cllr Lundgren suggested that the increase in the precept should be published in the Newsletters in a positive way; detailing the investments being made to improve community facilities.
13042 The clerk was asked to notify the Highways Division that the low bridge sign had not been repaired, the direction sign at the crossroads on Moor Lane was bent and that Bardney Causeway had significant potholes after the extreme weather in January.
13043 Cllr Ford asked whether all the free tree and hedge plants had been received. This was confirmed although the trees were very small, only a single twig but well rooted and that they had been potted up and the hedge plants heeled in until the new handyman was employed.
13044 Cllr Wood reported a large pothole on the junction at the end of Beech Road.
13045 Cllr Cannings said that a van was regularly parked outside 68 Lincoln Road, causing an obstruction and damaging the verge.
Item 12 To resolve on whether the Council will move into closed session.
13046 Cllr Mrs Cannings proposed and Cllr Adams seconded the resolution.
Cllr Mrs Price declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the item to be discussed in committee and left the meeting at 9.18pm.
The meeting closed at 9.40pm.