Minutes of the Scraptoft Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 1 March2017 in the Village Hall, Scraptoft
Present
Councillors - Mr P Elliott (Chair); Mrs E Lee (Vice Chair); Mrs G Graham; Mr C Allibone; Mrs L Morris; Ward Cllr Mr S Galton; War Cllr Amanda Burrell,Mrs J Parr (retiring clerk); Sally Skyrme (joining clerk); 10members of the public
185 Chairman’s Welcome
186ApologiesCllr Andrew Hall, Cllr Leanne Taylor
187Public SessionThe number 56 bus - A member of the public raised a concern about the cancellation of the number 56 bus service through Scraptoft. Ward Cllr Galton said that he had received notification this evening that the Arriva bus company are cancelling their number 56 bus service, proposing that they re-route the number 53 service through Thurnby Lodge to carry on through Scraptoft but it will miss Station Lane so the will be no service between The Covert Lane junction and the A47. There is a policy that no one should be more than 800m from a bus service but a ‘bus taxi service’ that runs about once a week is used instead of a regular bus services in areas where there is no bus service. Members of the public all stated what a popular service the 56 is and didn’t understand why it was being cancelled. Cllr Elliot suggested meeting with Thurnby PC to discuss the matter –Action: Clerk to arrange a meeting.Done: Meeting arranged for April 6th 6.30 pm at Fernvale School. Bus contractors and Sustainable Transport will be there.
Worsening traffic on Station Lane– a member of the public stated that the Focus magazine has stated that the traffic is too busy and is going to get worse on Station Lane. He said the public need representation from the PC and they get no support from Harborough Council. He was also appalled by the service from Harborough council considering they make a profit on the recycling bins. Ward Cllr Galton said that Jelson’s have now paid their contribution towards the upgrading of the traffic lights on Station Lane and this will mean that traffic on StationLane will be monitored by computer and the lights will change to reflect this, reducing the tailback on Station Lane.
Jelson’s – a member of the public stated that it takes 15 minutes from Jelson Estate to Station Lane – highways have said this is not a problem even though we keep writing to them.
Chairman closed the public session of the meeting.
188Council Session
(a)Minutes
The minutes of the parish council meeting held on1 February 2017 were accepted as a true recordand duly signed by the chairman.
(b)Declaration of Members’ Interests/Dispensation
None
(c)Traffic/road issues
Cars are still blocking the bus stop on Beeby Road. Action: Clerk to ask at show house about this and also contact Matt Kiff PSO about resolving this issue. Done: PCSO Tanya Holloway has been made aware and is attending the next meeting.
Cllr Elliot reminded us about the decision to get a “ducks crossing” sign for Pavilion Road. Action: Clerk to purchase sign. Done: Clerk has ordered a sign and Cllr Elliot has put it up.
(d)Hedges/Verges/Green Spaces issues – all – it was noted that the grass has started growing and the sooner it is cut the better. Action: Clerk to contact Turney Landscapes to ask them to start cutting the grass asap and also to contact Burnt Oak to ask them to start mowing Edith Cole Park and do some extra cuts rather than using a growth repressor on the grass. Done:Turney Landscapes have done their first cut this year and Burnt Oak are mowing Edith Cole Park in the week beginning 20th March 2016 and will do a few extra cuts when the grass grows particularly fast.
Cllr Allibone noted that four trees have died on Edith Cole Park and that we actually need five new trees to replace them. Action: Peter Elliot will look into replacing the trees
(e)Spring Clean - all
The Clerk will be organising this day and has set a date for Saturday 8th April at 10am meeting outside the Co-op on Main Street. Action: Clerk will produce a flier to hand out at local groups such as the Church and Jimmy’s Rugby Club. She will also get in touch with Fernvale School and the Guide and Scout Leaders. The date has been confirmed with Jordan at HDC waste management and he will provide all the equipment. Done: Clerk has produced a poster with the help of the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign along with a press release. The Headteacher of Fernvale School has agreed to put the event in their newsletter.
(f)Sign cleaning
There have been some complaints about the state of the road signs especially on Hamilton Lane. The Clerk suggested that we incorporate sign cleaning into the Spring Clean but Cllr Morris and Cllr Graham suggested asking the window cleaner and wheely bin cleaner who have jet washers. Action: Clerk to contact window cleaner and wheely bin cleaner and speak to Highways at LCC Done: Clerk has request sign cleaning forthebend on Hamilton Lane and Highways have scheduled it in as a job because it is a hazard. The Clerk has been in touch with the wheely bin cleaner (Barrie) and he is emailing her a quote to clean signs. She has also asked her window cleaner but he doesn’t want the job.
(g)Update on Community/Sports Hub – all
Cllr Elliot reported that the trees have been removed by Persimmons. Persimmons are removing the top soil today – they are sorting it into rocks etc. then moving it. Action: Cllr Elliot to check it is removed tomorrow.
The licence has been sent to the Solicitor and they are waiting for HDC to send it back today so it won’t be a problem for Tomlinson Builders to start work next week. Action: Clerk to chase if necessary. Done: The licence has now been finalised.
Tomlinson have produced a letter with contact details on to give to local residents around the site of the Community Hub build. Action: Cllr Allibone to distribute to his neighbours near the Community Hub site. Done: Cllr Allibone has distributed letters.
A site meeting will be held on Thursday 10th March at 10 am – meeting at Cllr Elliot’s house. Action: Sally to confirm with Tomlinson. Done: The meeting took place at 12.30 pm on the 10th because Sally had training for the upcoming Audit that morning – unfortunately the change was not passed on to the Cllrs and Lyn came to the Cllr Elliot’s at 10 am. The meeting went ahead at 12.30 pm and minutes were sent out to all of the Cllrs with dates for future meetings.
(h)Edith Cole Park – contractor – all
Cllr Allibone said that the hedges could do with cutting down another foot and that theseating area is dark – it could do with the shrubs cutting back to let more light in. Also, the bin is overflowing on the park. Action: Sally to ask Burnt Oak to cut back the hedge some more and empty the bins and the Cllrs will meet in the park on the Spring Clean Day and look at what needs doing and repost back to the next meeting. Done: Sally has emailed and spoken to Martin from Burnt Oak – he said HDC are contracted by him to empty the bins and they are not responding to his requests to empty them. Done: Clerk contacted Jordan from HDC directly and the bin has now been emptied.
(i) Hole on Scholar’s Grange
Cllr Elliot received reports of people digging a hole on Scholar’s Grange so he went up there and there were a load of spades and other tools and he was told it was a volunteer group digging a hole for a memorial. John Kemp from HDC came and coned off the area and filled in the hole and there has been no sign of anyone coming back since.
(j)Belways site (inc. village sign)
Belways have started work even though drainage plus other conditions have not been fulfilled. HDC inspectors will be coming out to view in a few days.
Cllr Graham said she had seen lorries using Malsbury Avenue to move equipment
Cllr Allibone said they were damaging speed humps
CllrGalton said they are supposed to set the route before they start work
Cllr Allibone said they should put up a sign for themselves stating they are no to use Malsbury Avenue
Cllr Galton said that Planning conditions need to be stuck to and the storm water plans need to be approved.
Cllr Allibone said that the wooden sign on Beeby Road near the site is looking vulnerable as a result of the heavy traffic into the site.
Action:Cllr Elliot will talk to the enforcement Officer about all of the above issues.
The Clerk has received a call from LCC regarding moving the Scraptoft Village sign further out now that Belways are building past the sign. It was agreed that this could be dealt with when the building is closer to finishing
(k)25 Hall Road
The property has now been sold – when we find out who the owner is we need to tell them to secure the site. Action: Clerk to find out who the new owners are and get in touch with them.
(l)Register of Electors
An amended register of electors needs to be picked up. Action: Clerk to ask HDC to put it in Cllr Elliot’s pigeon hole for him to pick up. Done:Cllr Elliot has given the register of electors to the Clerk.
189PlanningNo responses needed from PC - although Mr Renner made a presentation to the meeting about his application for Scraptoft Hill Farm – ref: 17/00227/PDN Scraptoft.
We also had an application for tree works ref:17/00249/TPOScraptoftat Wickets Close.
190Correspondence
None
191To receive items for information
Sub-committees – Cllr Allibone suggested the usefulness of setting up sub-committees, especially for the Community Hub. The Clerk looked into this and it was decided that the best way forward was to have a working party or a steering group with no decision-making powers but they could bring information and advice back to the PC to make decisions.
David Wilson Homes – land fronting Scraptoft Hall
Diary reminder – as soon as the last house is occupied onus on parish council to set in motion the transfer of the land to the parish. Before developer leaves the site, discussion needed with them re table and benches round the lake. Once land belongs to parish ideal place to site a Christmas Tree. As a mains supply would be needed for lights this could also be discussed with developer before they vacate the site.
192Finance (write off old computer)
It was resolved to write off the old computer.
Action: clerk to take old computer off assets register and purchase a new computer.
193Finance
Payments
Scraptoft Village Hall hire 1 March 2017
/ £22.00HMRC period ended March 2017
/ None (refund)Clerk - Salary, office accommodation, expenses March2017
/ £1,121.07Burnt Oak Developments Ltd – Edith Cole park monthly instalment of yearly maintenance
/ £444.002commune website provider
/ £510.00Adam Burrell (Tabs delivery)
/ £85.00Thurnby & Bushby Society for TABS magazine
/ £50.00Clarity Copiers Ltd – photocopier service
/ £36.00Total
/ £2,268.07Community Hub Account
GF Tomlinson Building Ltd for work done so far
/ £87,521.67Total
/ £87,521.67Finances proposed and seconded and cheques signed.
Chairman formally closed the meeting at 8.45 pm