Minutes of the Meeting of the Helmdon Parish Council
held on
Wednesday, 22nd September 2004
in the Reading Room, Helmdon at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Councillors Burns, Brookhouse, Moody, Bearman,
Spendlove, Earl, England and Parish Clerk, Sarah Smith
There was one member of the public present
1. Apologies:
Apologies were received from Councillors Smith and Gittens
2. Minutes:
The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 28th July 2004
had been circulated and the minutes were duly adopted as a true
record upon the completion of a number of minor changes.
3. Matters Arising:
i) Councillor Moody asked about the position with new signatories
being added to the Parish accounts. This matter will be discussed
at the next meeting once paperwork has been obtained from the
bank. Parish Clerk to obtain paperwork from bank for next meeting.
ii) Councillor Moody asked that a letter of thanks be sent to
Richard Wray and his team for their splendid efforts on the Talkabout
Magazine. Clerk to write letter.
4. Open Forum:
i) Mr B Short asked who would be picking up the financial commitment
relating to the Parish Plan and what impact would it have on the
Parish Council funds. The Chairman explained that all costs that
had arisen relating to the Parish Plan had so far been funded
by the Countryside Agency with a very small input of 5% for set
up coming from the Parish Council. Councillor Moody also pointed
out that as yet, no individual project requirements had been proposed
and when and if they were required, funding would be sort from
grants relating to those items. Each case would be taken separately
and be coordinated by the individual groups running the scheme.
The Parish Council would be facilitating the projects but not
be funding them directly.
5. Finance:
| Balance as at 22nd September 2004 |
| |
Current Account |
£ 8,439.09
|
| |
Savings Account |
£ 8,198.32
|
| |
Depreciation Account |
£ currently empty
|
|
Accounts Payable
|
| |
Pay To
|
Amount
|
| |
Clerk's wages |
£650.00
|
| |
Clerk's expenses |
£26.80
|
| |
ABB |
107.08
|
i) It was proposed that these accounts be paid and all present
were in favour.
ii) Nottingham Bond was agreed at 4/5 years at 3.75% in March
minutes. Due to signatories not writing to agree these terms Nottingham
Bond had changed the terms to run over 5/6 years at 3.75% instead.
The Chairman will write to them to contest this as they had previously
agreed 4/5 years with him.
iii) Audit
The Statement of Accounts was read out to the Council and then
the Statement of Assurance read and agreed with one abstention.
The Audit was then signed off by the Clerk and the Chairman. The
Internal Auditor will complete the remaining part of the document.
Clerk to action.
iv) The quotation for the upkeep of the Pump Garden was discussed
but a separate proposal by the Clerk for a team of volunteers
to bring the gardens back to their former glory was accepted and
therefore only expenses for the weed stopping membrane etc would
be submitted. Clerk to organise team.
6. Correspondence:
SNC
Who does what book
Parish Facility and Open Space Audit
Care & Repair leaflet
Performance Plan 2004
Change of house name notification - Russet Cottage, Astwell
Confirmation of our Community Safety Officers details - David
Licensing Act 2003
Private Sector House Condition Survey 2004
NCC
Minutes from meeting held 7th July 2004
Agenda for meeting to be held 21st September 2004
Local Transport Plan - requiring response
E-mail response for planned meeting ref School field lease
Letter to pass on request for re-tarmacing to Atkins
Review questionnaire relating to Atkins
NALC
Village viewpoint
Statutory dismissal, disciplinary and grievance procedures
Training course booking forms
Employment Update - Salary awards for clerks
Employment Update - Model job description
AGM - 23rd October 2004
Sundries
HLB AV Audit - chasing paperwork
City of Nottingham - new bond figures with paperwork for signature
Environment Agency - Application by Anglian Water for existing
discharge consent
Matters of Fact - Questionnaire on future needs - Parish Plan?
Rural Rides - New rural transport magazine
2004-2005 Open Studios
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - Review of framework governing
Political Activities of local government employees
The Boundary Committee Review
i) The Council agreed training for the Clerk.
ii) The Clerk will obtain a model contract of employment for the
next meeting.
iii) Bus timetables - CD Cars will be contacted to see what part
of their service is still running in Helmdon. Timetables will
be made more accessible in the notice boards, especially by the
Green. Clerk to action.
iv) New locks were proposed for the notice boards in light of
more than two keys appearing to be in circulation. Clerk to investigate.
v) Clerk to contact SMS to obtain figures of passengers and current
subsidised levels.
7. Helmdon Parish Plan - Committee Members:
Councillor Moody referred everyone to the recent e-mail, which
outlined the formal plan that was intended to take the Parish
Plan to its next step.
He will be sending 4 copies of the plan to the Countryside Agency
this week, along with the final grant claim of £206.93.
The estimated final expenditure is £3,237.32 against a budget
of £5,385.35 so it has operated well within budget.
When the final grant claim is processed the payment will be received
in to the parish council's bank account and will have to be transferred
straight across to the parish plan steering group account so that
the outstanding bills can be paid. Once all the bills are paid,
the steering group have decided to close the bank account and
will then submit final accounts to the parish council - hopefully
by the November meeting.
The steering group has put together Terms of Reference for the
PPMG, which has been circulated to all councillors. Councillor
Moody proposed that the council accepts the Terms of Reference
and nominates 2 members to the PPMG.
Finally, the steering group had discussed the distribution of
the plan and now have a list of people who should be sent one.
Since the plan effectively belongs to the parish council, the
steering group felt that the parish council might like to send
them out. Councillor Moody proposed drafting a letter for the
clerk to sign.
Proposals were made for the following;
i) Agrees to transfer the grant money as soon as received
All were in favour. Clerk to transfer money once in bank.
ii) Approves the Terms of Reference for the PPMG
All were in favour.
iii) Appoints 2 councillors to the PPMG
All were in favour and Councillor Moody and Earl will stand on
the committee.
iv) Agrees that Councillor Moody and the Clerk can work together
to distribute plan.
All were in favour and Councillor Moody will contact Clerk direct.
It was also agreed that copies of accounts should be forwarded
to the Countryside Agency, NALC and ACRE as well as the Parish
Council.
Copies of the Parish Plan should be supplied to the Sports Club.
8. Footpaths/Rights of Way Updates:
In the absence of Councillor Gittens, the Clerk advised the Council
of the following;
i) Jenners Piece - A letter has been written confirming the situation
with footpaths on Jenners Piece.
Ii) The pallets, which were obstructing the footpath between the
back of Field Way and Cross Lane have now been moved and made
safe.
9. Highways Updates:
i) Councillor Spendlove pointed out that more complaints regarding
Grange Lane had been received and that a car sump tank had been
damaged. It was noted that tarmac had been put down in some areas
but that this had not improved the situation much and was not
a satisfactory outcome. Clerk to write again.
Ii) A response had been received relating to the resurfacing of
the roads through Helmdon. This basically said that we were on
the list for further work but this would not be for some time
and only if funds allow. Clerk to continue chasing for work to
be done.
10. Maintenance of War Memorial & Pump Gardens:
Councillor Earl asked if the post and chain fences could be taken
down following an accident that he had whilst maintaining the
gardens. With thoughts of danger and public liability this will
be looked at, however, Councillor Brookhouse would like to see
whether there is another way around the situation before voting
for a full removal. Councillor Brookhouse to evaluate and bring
his findings to next meeting.
11. School Playground Matters:
i) The tree at the back of the school field is not covered by
insurance and as a number of injuries have already occurred as
a direct result of this tree, it was decided that a small body
of volunteers would clear the tree themselves. All were in favour.
Clerk to arrange for volunteers to cut up and clear tree.
Ii) Councillor Moody asked if it would be necessary to get the
school, HYHO and Council members together before any meeting relating
to the school field lease. Councillor Brookhouse explained that
this would be a provisional meeting to discuss maintenance and
provision of existing equipment. Clerk to arrange meeting with
NCC.
Iii) Councillor England commented on the amount of broken glass,
bottles and other unsavoury items, which had to be cleared from
the play areas when emptying the bins. Councillor Brookhouse has
mentioned this situation to the Police to try to get them to attend
the area when these items are being left but as yet there has
been no action. The Police had been invited to this meeting but
had not attended. The situation will also be bought up at the
next governors meeting at the school to see whether anyone had
any suggestions.
Iv) The Clerk updated the Council on the situation of work to
be carried out on the school field. The company who had been chosen
back in March to carry out the work had finally advised that they
did not have the time to fit this job into their schedule. This
was due to the delay in replying to them and also the appalling
weather, which had delayed their other contracted work. Richard
Bearman will give the Clerk another name to contact for tender.
12. Group Members for Annual Meeting:
Councillors Moody, Spendlove and Burns volunteered to be in the
group and will arrange a meeting before the next Council meeting.
They will present their proposals by the January meeting. Meeting
to be arranged.
13. Councillors Questions:
i) Councillor Brookhouse noted that the police had been invited
to this meeting but there had been no attendance. The Police Beat
Officer had not been seen in six months and we are covered by
one Support Officer instead of the intended three. Funding has
been reduced and it might come down to Parish Council level for
funding. The only plus point is that Helmdon is still relatively
crime free.
Ii) Councillor Brookhouse bought up the Regional Urban Development
Plan. This appears to be taking away planning authority views
and these would be taken over by Central Government.
Iii) Councillor Brookhouse also mentioned that as part of regional
development in the East Midlands it was being proposed to do away
with County or District Councils meaning the normal people will
have even less say.
14. Any Other Business:
Councillor Earl asked for volunteers for Poppy Day collection.
Councillor Bearman volunteered. The service is to be held at the
church at 10.00am and follows on at the war memorial at around
10.45am.
15. Planning:
There were no planning matters to discuss.
Date of next Parish Council Meeting - 24th November 2004 - 7.30pm
Meeting closed at 9.40pm