Hoby with Rotherby Parish Council Meeting
Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 3rd July 2017
7.30pm at Hoby and District Village Hall.
Present:
Cllr. Mary Dunford (MD), Cllr. Nicola Wheeler (Chair) (NW),
Cllr. Angus Walker (AW), Cllr. David Williams (DW),
Cllr. Mike Tilling (MT) and Mr Vic Allsop (VA) – Clerk and
11 members of the public.
Apologies:
Cllr. Joe Orson (JO) Leicestershire County Council (LCC) and Cllr. Ed Hutchison (EH) Melton Borough Council
1. Cllr. Nicola Wheeler welcomed everyone to the Meeting of the Full Council
2. Approval of the minutes:
2.1 After their approval Cllr. Nicola Wheeler signed the minutes of the meeting dated 15th May 2017.
3. Declarations of interest (personal and/or pecuniary). None
4. Open Questions:
4.1 Vida Gregory asked how much additional signage would be provided by the addition of the Wild Flower notice. Cllr. Nicola Wheeler confirmed that there would be one additional sign.
4.2 Weed killing of the pavements took place the other week when we had heavy rain. The Council will be asked to return to do this work again at a time when it is fine. Action VA
4.3 The cost of the Green bins was raised again. Cllrs. agreed that they would write to MBC expressing their concern at the high price now charged by Biffa each year per bin. Action VA
4.4 It was reported that the bus shelter at Brooksby as you drive in the Leicester direction had been vandalised with graffiti. This will be brought to the attention of the college for remedial action to be taken. Action NW
5. Matters arising:
5.1 Wild Flower Verge. Costings for this had now been obtained. The cost was expected to be £1,050 for the lectern and for the design and artwork. Cllrs. agreed to proceed and looked forward to approving the artwork later in the year. Candice Barker is to meet Antonia Doyle for photographic work to be done and Cllrs. requested that an application be prepared for the Quintas Community Fund. Action VA
5.2 Outstanding calls with the Highways Dept. and LCC There were a number of outstanding calls. 9932236 Blocked drain Hoby Road, Brooksby. Bridlepath H56 at Main Street, Hoby. Gate not closing properly. 669038 Brooksby Village sign from the approach from Melton. With MBC repair to Mill Lane, Hoby road sign. Action VA
5.3 Cost of Green bin service. This had been covered during open questions.
5.4 Rotherby Pond. The Parish Council is now in receipt of the Occupational Licence from Leicester City Council (LCityC). The Parish Council now has appropriate risk assessment forms that will need to be completed before any work commences on the site. The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust will be pleased to assist with the project and its preparation with regard to letting more light in to the site and improving the amount of wildlife in the pond. Action VA
5.5 Some of the old railings in Rotherby are in the conservation area and some are not. If it was noted that the railings outside the conservation area were at risk at any point MBC could quickly place an Article 4 Direction on them to give them protection.
5.6 The Litter Pick for the autumn will take place on October 14th, the Village Hall had been booked. The extra litter pickers needed will have been purchased by then. Action VA
5.7 Night Time savings to the street lighting in the parish still required to be addressed. Action VA.
5.8 Permissive footpath from the Old Mill around fields on the Rotherby side of the river Wreake. This path created under the countryside stewardship scheme was not a responsibility of LCC. It was agreed to approach Richard Machin to see if he would repair the stiles. Still outstanding. Action VA
5.9 Community Computer and superfast broadband is being investigated. Action VA
5.10 Replacing street light at Ragdale. Meetings had taken place with E-ON and Western Power. A suitable site had been found for the erection of a new column. E-ON are to put this up. When erected Western Power will connect it to the mains. Western Power have also agreed to make a good will payment of £600 to the Parish Council towards the new street light. Action VA
5.11 LCC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. The Parish Council had received information from Ragdale, but information was still required about the flooding on Thrussington Road and Holmfield, Hoby. John Coleman (JC) agreed to help write something up for Hoby. Action VA and JC
6. Finance Matters:
6.1 It was confirmed that the accounts for 2016/17 had been sent to the External Examiner
6.2 A VAT payment of £2,499.40 owed to the Quintas Community Fund had been paid. Cllr. Angus Walker requested that the Clerk put a notice in the August Parish Magazine reminding people of the next closing date for applications for consideration. Action VA
6.3 The insurance policy for 2017/18 had been renewed.
6.4 Expenditure to June 5th 2017 was shared with Cllrs. There had been no major expenditure since the last meeting.
6.5 Cllrs. agreed to complete the contract for the clerk in time for the September Parish Council meeting. Action Cllrs.
6.6 It was noted that the Clerk is currently working on average 9.5 hours per week.
7 RoSPA Play Area inspection report. This report dated 1st June 2017 had been received, identifying the Play Area as being in a good state of repair with only minor works required. It was agreed that the Clerk would prepare a list of jobs to be completed before the next RoSPA inspection for the September meeting of the Full Council. Action VA
8 Rotherby Telephone Box. Cllrs. noted that this was now out of use and redundant. It was resolved by the Council to purchase this for the Parish as those at Hoby and Ragdale had been purchased, as part of our local heritage. Cllr. Mike Tilling suggested it have a defibrillator installed in it. The Clerk was requested to prepare a letter for circulation around Rotherby village advising villagers of the Parish Councils intention and to ask for thoughts of how it might be used in the future should we secure its purchase from BT. Action VA
9 Planning:
9.1 16/00920/OUT Brooksby Melton College, Spinney Campus outline application to build 70 houses on the old nursery site. After much delay this application will be heard at the MBC planning committee meeting on May 25th. After much time and effort put in by the Parish Council in opposition to this planning application it was refused by MBC at its planning committee meeting.
9.2 17/00028/EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). The Six Hills Triangle. Parish Cllrs. had sent in a letter of objection to MBC although a formal planning application had not been submitted. Cllrs. and the Clerk had attended a consultation at Six Hills Golf Course arranged by Gladman on the 16th June. It had been registered with Gladman that the Parish Council would oppose any planning application submitted. An invitation to Cllrs. to meet with Gladman was not thought necessary at this time, but should an application be made a meeting might be of value. Action VA
9.3 16/00463/REM Oasis Nursery, Brooksby Road, Hoby. This application awaits a determination by MBC for the erection of one agricultural dwelling.
9.4 17/00040/FULHH A second application was being made to provide an annexe at Brooksby Grange. This application has also been refused by MBC and again it is being taken to appeal. Appeal number APP/Y2430/W/17/3174867. This appeal has not as of yet been determined.
9.5 17/00370/FULHH application for an attic conversion to Byways, 30 Main Street, Hoby. This had been approved by MBC.
9.6 TPO’s An application had been made by the Parish Council to have TPO’s put on 6 trees in the Church Lane site affected by the recent planning application for 5 dwellings. MBC is mindful to create 9 TPO’s. The Parish Council still waits to hear from MBC on the final status to be awarded. There appears to be some confusion about the outcome which the planning officer is checking Action VA
9.7 A TPO application has also been submitted to MBC for TPO’s to be put on all mature trees under threat from the possible development of the Spinney Campus at Brooksby. The Parish Council waits for news on this application as well. Action VA
9.8 The Clerk was requested to create a list of all TPO’s in the Parish, and to check with the owners of these trees to ensure they were aware of the TPO’s and the requirements of such an order being placed upon trees. Of concern was the TPO’s on three chestnut trees at The Grange, Hoby. Two of the trees had been removed and the third was thought to be at risk despite its TPO. This was to be followed up as soon as possible. Action VA
9.9 Cllrs. discussed the state of some of our footpaths which were overgrown and where LCC were taking considerable time to come and carry out work, such as strimming. We are to press for the work to be done more quickly rather than at this time ask John Hendy to clear some of the paths for us at an expense to the Parish Council. Action VA
9.10 Issues relating to The Homestead remained to be addressed. Action NW and VA
9.11 17/00372/FUL A new application to build three ‘entry level’ dwellings at Ragdale had been received. The application related to the paddock in front of the Parish Church. Cllrs. unanimously agreed to object to this application on the grounds that it was to build on a cherished and much loved open space in the village (identified as such by the NDP Questionnaire) and that it would obscure any view of the Parish Church from the Six Hills Road. The view is an important one for Ragdale and the Parish and the development it was agreed was not acceptable. The type of housing it was noted would be welcome in Ragdale, sadly the position of the development would not be welcome. It was noted that Ragdale District Church Council and the Upper Wreake Parochial Church Council were set to object to this application. Action VA
10 Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), Local Plan and Housing Needs Survey.
10.1 Cllr. Angus Walker reported to Cllrs. that work to identify policies was now under way and to appoint appropriate consultancy to support that task. Action AW and NDP Working Group
10.2 A meeting to discuss the MBC Local Plan was set to take place the following evening when it was expected that it would take another step forward to its ultimate conclusion.
10.3 The Housing Needs Survey had finally been agreed and would be circulated to households and employers in the next week. Action AW and NDP Working Group
11 Vote of thanks to the Parish Council:
11.1 Vida Gregory from the floor proposed a vote of thanks to the Parish Council for all they do for us. It had been a busy time of late with much time and effort involved for many of the Cllrs. and the Clerk in a number of key areas. Those present agreed with a spontaneous round of applause. Cllr. Nicola Wheeler thanked Vida for her kind words which were much appreciated.
12 Date of next meeting:
12.1 September 18th 2017 (also Quintas applications)
12.2 All meetings are on a Monday, all starting at 7.30pm at Hoby and District Village Hall.
12.3 Final meeting for 2017
November 27th 2017 (also Budget and Precept for 2018/2019)
13 With there being no other business Cllr. Nicola Wheeler closed the meeting at 9.10pm thanking everyone for their attendance.
Chair of meeting. …………………………………………………… Date. ……………………..