FLAMSTEAD PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk to the Council
Caroline Freer
Bridgford End
127 Trowley Hill Roadphone: 01582 841346
Flamsteade mail:
Herts AL3 8DSwebsite:
MINUTES OF THE PARISH MEETING AS HELD ON: MONDAY
19 MARCH 2007
Number: 2007/9
PRESENT: Clrs: Taunton, Campbell, Wright (Chair), Janes, King, Bines
Also present: Caroline Freer - Clerk
LutonAirport representative Ted Alford, Tim Wilkinson chair of Flamstead Cricket Club
1APOLOGIES: Clrs Gibson, Brownlie, Lambden, Humphreys
2DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None
3APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The February minutes having been previously circulated were proposed as true record by Clr Janes, seconded by Clr Bines.
4POLICE REPORT: This was read out as follows:
Theft from Motor Vehicles: 1 - At the Holiday Inn, Sat Nav system stolen from car on 20 Feb.
Traffic incidents: 1 In the High St, a baby deer was hit.
Anti Social Behaviour: 3 – Youths on bike/scooter being noisy in Trowley Bottom 11 Mar; Parking issues in Old Watling St on 10 Mar; Fly tipping on Friendless Lane on 13 Feb.
Suspicious Incidents: 4 – Holiday Inn, suspicious vehicle; Vehicle driving round Harvester restaurant car park on 27 Feb; suspicious car with 2 males in Holiday Inn on 22 Feb; College Close 14 Feb – “Door Knockers”, Police are aware and will provide extra patrols.
Deception: 1 Old Watling St on 6 Mar
Alarms: 2 College Close and Pie Corner - both false.
There has been fly tipping along Chad Lane every Wednesday. The Police are working with the enforcement officers to catch the offender – and more patrols are being carried out regarding this problem.
There has been a lot of vehicle crime in the Holiday Inn car park. If you are using this car park to visit the hotel or gym do not leave any valuables in the car. There will be extra patrols from PCSO Deb Dawson.
Residents are to be aware of Door Knockers, ie those selling tea towels etc from large baskets/bags. Please inform the police immediately.
REMEMBER TO DEAD BOLT ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS AT NIGHT.
5MATTERS ARISING:
Parish Plan
Verges: The Environment Working Group would like to hear from parishioners as to their views following notices about the state of some of the verges in the Parish Magazine. The areas affected are mainly College Close, VicarageGardens, Parsons Close and Old Watling St. A presentation will take place at the Annual Parish meeting on April 30 in the village hall. The public is most welcome. As this issue will incur expense from the Council’s reserves, responses from the public would be appreciated. We also need to enquire of Highways as to the cost of asphalting the verges. You may have some thoughts on how you would like the churned-up verges dealt with, so please let the council know.
Action: Clerk to speak to Highways
Buses: Letter from Arriva was read out regarding the curtailment of the no 46 service between the Three Blackbirds and the school. Arriva admits that this part of the route will no longer operate due to inconsiderately parked cars and reduced passenger loads.
Overspill Car Park/Thames Water: Reply from Thames Water read out in response to letter sent in order for clarification on the following: The pipework being installed is like for like replacement of the current sewer; under no circumstances should the contractors have asked to tap into the residents’ water supply; apologies given for workmen having climbed into the gardens of residents in Friendless Lane.
CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) – the responses which the parish council had made regarding the Government’s plan to cover large swathes of land in Hertfordshire with housing estates were viewed.
Annual Parish Meeting: This will be held on April 30 in the Village Hall at 8pm. Kay Volger from Dacorum has been invited to talk on environmental issues. She is the Environmental Resource Officer. We are hoping to have a PR person from the M1 Widening Works Team; there will be a presentation on the state of the verges in the village and a plea for a Neighbourhood Watch coordinator.
WORKING GROUPS REPORTS:
Youth Parish Council – Nicole Connors who is the Youth Officer at Dacorum had said she would organise first aid training for a number of the Youth Council. However, nothing has been done.
Action: Clr Brownlie to chase with the YPC how many youngsters would like training.
Emergency Plan: Clerk waiting for relevant leaflets and information from Dacorum.
VILLAGE OF THE YEAR:
Clr Bines gave update. At the first meeting the VOTY team had a brainstorming session for ideas relating to what you would be proud of about Flamstead and what were the challenges ahead. Action taken to start drafting application process. 2nd meeting set up. At the next meeting, the Gardening Association representative will come to give input from Gardening Association.
Action: Clr Bines and his team to contact other societies in the village to get as much interest as possible to assist with the VOTY.
RECREATION GROUND: A request was made to all the clubs who use the facilities to remove all unwanted rubbish from the ground.
Meeting adjourned
TimWilkinson of the Cricket Club was introduced to present a proposal for financing the extension to the storage garage. A builder from Harpenden has offered to work for no fee, and charge only for materials to build the extension. A request was made for the council to fund the materials. Rough estimate of £12,000 - £13,000.
The improved facility will benefit the village and streamline the preparation of the pitch and set up for matches. The club is used mainly by Flamstead players, in particular the youth team has 21 out of 23 boys who live in the village and 50% of the adult teams live in Flamstead.
Action: Finance and Environment working group to convene and discuss options.
Tim also asked about first aid training schemes for the football/cricket players as a safety concern.
Action Clr Wright to let Mr Wilkinson know when spaces for the first aid training will be available.
Ted Alford gave an update on LutonAirport. Three key members of staff have resigned within 18 months over the LutonAirport expansion plans so at present the negotiations seem in deadlock. There is one success regarding the western airspace – as there are currently 7-8,000 fewer flights going over Flamstead due to a slight change in the arrival flight path. This routing is on trial for a year.
Reconvened meeting
SCHOOL UPDATE: Clr Taunton will make comments in the Parish Magazine following the publication of the Ofsted Report.
COMMUNICATIONS: Clerk explained the role of the new webmaster at Dacorum – one of advice. We are looking for guidelines on how to update the website.
Action: Clerk to ask FPC’s web master for suggestions on how to modernise the look and usability of site.
LOCAL WORKING: Clr Wright gave feedback on presentation on Renewable Energy that he had at Local Working. Ideas on how to reduce fuel bills and improve efficiency were discussed including wind turbines, wood burning furnaces, solar panels etc. Beaufort Court, (near Kings Langley) is the head office of Renewable Energy Systems,and is a great source of information.
TENNIS COURT – agreed to increase funding request for kickboards.
Action: Clerk to enquire about the galvanised weld mesh as option for fencing as it is sturdier than chain link fencing.
ELECTION
Nomination forms were handed out. Deadline is April 4 at noon for forms to be handed in at Dacorum.
ACCOUNTS TO BE PAID: See schedule
Clerk received authorisation to pay herself the Xmas bonus.
Clerk received authorisation to pay for YPC T shirts.
PLANNING: Doone Brae ref 4/00470/07/OUT– objection to this;
granting of application at Flintstone Cottage ref 4/02843/06/LBC
CORRESPONDENCE: Letter from Miss Barwell read out regarding the verges, parking and the gate at Old Waltling St; document viewed with regard to the quota of gypsy sites which the Government expects Dacorum to accommodate; the rest of the correspondence was circulated to be read at leisure.
Meeting ended 10.20pm
Chairman Malcolm Wright
19 March 07