Helmdon Parish Council

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday 15th July 2001.
( taken by Jean Spendlove in the absence of the Clerk )
Present. Cllrs Burns (Chairman), Ayres, Bearman, Brookhouse, England, Gittens, Glassett, Harrold, and Spendlove, and six members of the public.
The minutes of the last meeting had been tabled, so the Chairman allowed some time for the Council to read them, together with the letter from the Clerk explaining her absence.
1. Apologies. Apologies for lateness were received from Cllr Bearman, but he arrived not long after.

2. Minutes of the last meeting (23/5/01) The minutes of the last meeting, on May 23rd, received three small amendments, and were approved and signed.

3. Matters arising. 14. On the Parish Council paying for room hire. No letter had been received yet from the Reading Room Committee. Cllr Glassett thought the County Record Office should be asked soon to take custody of the Parish Council's various deeds. 11. Cllr Glassett reported that the basket ball equipment was now in order.

4. Open Forum. Judy Cairns complained that the road work had left a furrow at the bottom of Church Street, which made the traffic very noisy. She was advised to contact John Robinson direct. She also reported that her cheque for allotment rent had not been paid in, and another tenant was waiting for the demand. Cllr Gittens said he would accept and bank rents. Judy Cairns referred back to the question about the Parish Council paying or room hire and asked what the Council do as Trustees for the Reading Room. On Cllr England's suggestion it was agreed that the Council could only wait for notification from the Reading Room committee.

5. Appointment of new Parish Clerk. No enquiries had been received. The Chairman suggested the committee should meet to decide how to publicize the vacany more effectively.

6. Allotments. The Chairman said this item should be dealt with in camera, so he deferred it until last on the agenda.

7. Planning. Approval received for Richard Tims at Kiln Farm (S/2001/0262AG) ; and for Paul Duncombe retrospectively for a ha-ha (S/2001/0243P) and a temporary mobile home at 2 Field Way. A further amendment to application (S/2001/439PR for a farmhouse at Manor View Farm on Welsh Lane had been dealt with in the Planning ommittee. Application for a two-sstorey extension to Weston Hill House (S/2001/ 0800P). Cllr Glassett expressed and the Council agreed with his concern about the size of the development along the road, where the appearance of the hedge in that area had been commented on as important in the planning guidance notes from South Northants. last year. Application ( in the double form as for a listed building (S/2001/0788P)) or the replacement of the dormer window in the front of The Old Manor, at 3 Cross Lane. Supported.

8. Correspondence. SNC Drinking Water report SNC Children's activities, summer programme Brackley Cottage Hospital seeking knitters for sponsored knit NCC changes to the registration service in Brackley District Carer's newsletter East Midlands Development Agency newsletter Summer Spec leaflet Adult Education and Lifelong Learning leaflets Forestry Commission leaflet Clerks and Councils direct newsletter SNC Best Value Review NCC - closure of Helmdon-Wappenham road; road works cancelled SNC Yearbook SNC Animal Welfare quarterly report Northampton NHS: details of proposed changes Daventry Police: civic and Remembrance Day parades NACRE Update, and Village Viewpoint SKANSA information on the Whitfield crossing (in June) NCC: a weight restriction on the through road is not possible. Cllr Glassett urged a letter to express disappointment at this, and complained that diversion notices were left too long after the Grand Prix Environment Agency, arranging a meeting about flood warnings, wanted a representative appointed NCC Library van will no longer stop at the Stone Cottages at Falcutt, because it is not used NCC questionaire on pocket parks NCC revised bus timetables SNC have grants for unadopted sewers. Letter from Anglian Water saying they had taken responsibility. Cllr Brookhouse thought the sewers had been adopted and that we should write to SNC to say so. The Chairman would deal with this.

9. Finance.

Helmdon Parish Council Balances
Cheque No.	Payee	Description	Received	Paid	Balance
		Opening Balance			£3,615.52
180	Sue Lidgley	Plants for the War Memorial		41.50	3574.02
182	M.L.Rainbow	Grass cutting		80.00	3494.02
179	ABB			95.08	3398.94
183	L. Willcocks	Salary		208.33	3190.61
181	Powergen			94.77	3095.84
		Closing balance			£3,095.84

The Clerk had not written these cheques, but payment was proposed by Cllr Spendlove, seconded by Cllr Harrold, and passed by four votes to three with two abstentions. Cllr Glassett protested strongly against Cllr Brookhouses's complaint of the Clerk's "lack of co-operation" since the last meeting and her failure to prepare the handover to help the new chairman. He also pointed out the necessity for a meeting of the Finance Committee to tidy all the accounts before the Clerk leaves. The Chairman agreed to fix a date with all concerned.

10. Any other business. Cllr England complained of the loss of the Helmdon sign in Station Road. Cllr Spendlove asked after the planned Speedwatch. Cllr Glassett urged the greater urgency of the village's using the chance of Ł10,000 available to it in this financial year, but it will be lost if the School does not produce a travel plan by September. Cllr Brookhouse said the School had not heard of the need for a plan when Cllr Glassett had. Cllr Spendlove said that the village bier which Cllr Bearman had repaired was to be used for a funeral on Friday. Cllr Brookhouse reported that the computer taken from a car near the Reading Room had been thrown away into his hedge. Cllr Glassett asked that Rainbow should be asked to make a second cut, but Cllrs Brookhouse and Spendlove thought it had already been done. He also urged a check on the bookings for the Parish Council meetings because a double booking had been made for tonight. He said Sue Lidgely wanted help with weeding at the War Memorial. Cllr Bearman complained of parking on footpaths. Cllr Spendlove urged councillors to complain to the individuals at fault. At 9.54 the Chairman asked the public to leave for the remainder of the agenda.

6. continued Allotments. The Council heard and discussed the vexed story of misunderstandings and failures of communication among the Clerk and various Councillors about rubbish and greenhouses on allotments and allocations to new tenants. The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.40 p.m.

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