Helmdon Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 22nd March 2000.

Present. Cllr Glassett (Chair) Cllrs Ayres, Bearman, Brookhouse, Burns, England, Gittens, Harrold, Spendlove, Sgt Nick Gough and seven members of the public.

2. The minutes of the last meeting (12.1.00) were amended and approved.

3. Matters arising. No response had been received from SNC re unadopted sewers in Shortlands Close. Finns, the stone masons, had recommended removal of lichen on the war memorial, discussions followed and it was agreed the Finns be asked to carry out the full cleaning and repairs to the War Memorial. The bier shed has now been completed. The church yard transfer is going through. The work carried out by Aplins solicitors has not been to the expected standard. Waste bin at recycling centre, SNC had responded saying they would arrange to site one, clerk to follow up.

4. Presentation by Sgt Nick Gough. Sgt Gough had been invited to talk about plans for traffic during the Grand Prix at Easter and also during the A43 dualling and the implication of traffic congestion in the village during both periods. The Police had not been consulted about the change of date of the Grand Prix and were unhappy with the change, however they were powerless to effect any change. With the allocation of tickets people will be advised of the most suitable routes to the track. Maps showing the proposals to make the roads in the surrounding areas one way were circulated and discussed, southbound traffic will be diverted through Helmdon. The objective is to free the A43 so that the M40 and M1 do not become gridlocked. Signing will take place on all major roads into the area well before the weekend advising the use of alternative routes for non Grand Prix traffic. No additional weight restrictions are to be imposed and heavy traffic will be directed onto the A5. It is expected that the drop in commercial traffic due to the holiday weekend would help the problem. Additional motorbike traffic Police will be brought into the area and will advise heavy vehicles not to use the smaller roads. The policing will be coordinated from Daventry Police Station.

The contract for the rebuilding of the A43 will be a design and build contract. In order to minimise disruption to existing road users the contract is seeking that the road be useable during the day with the majority of possible disruption during the night time period. No construction traffic will be allowed to use the surrounding local road network other than the A43 and this will be monitored by the contractors, Highway Authority and County Council. Sgt Gough was asked that the Radstone Road should be signed as unsuitable as a diversion. The contract details would be known within a month and a presentation is planned at Silverstone Circuit. A decision awarding the contract is planned for November and work will be expected to start in February or March and could last between eighteen months and two years. Cllr Glassett thanked Sgt Gough for attending the meeting and bringing so much information.

5. Open Forum. A request was made for the Parish Council to pursue the implementing of a weight restriction on Jeffs' Bridge. Sgt Gough was asked to look at this and the Road Safety Committee will also look at this and make a recommendation to the Parish Council. The Parish Council were congratulated on keeping the precept down.

6. Planning. Permission has been granted for a conservatory at the rear of 63 Wappenham Road,. a two storey extension and conservatory at the rear of 70 Wappenham Road, a two storey extension at 3 Wrighton's Hill and a boundary wall at The Cottage Field Way. Permission has been refused for a three metre high fence at Fountain House. The following applications were considered, alterations at Warren Farm Barns Falcutt, the Parish Council recommended that these be approved. First floor and ground floor extension at the rear of 15 Station Road, the Parish Council recommended that these plans were approved, no comments were made about the amended plans received for land adjacent to Jennersville Wappenham Road.

7. Road Safety report. The committee had concentrated on looking at speeding problems around the village but especially around the school, a list of problem areas has been drawn up. Among the things being considered are speed bumps, surface changes, a 20mph speed limit, rumble strips, a school crossing point, yellow lines, village gates, dummy cameras/ signs, weight restriction on Jeffs' bridge and the provision of a continuous footpath at Jeffs' bridge. Observations had taken place of the problems outside the school entrance. The committee made a recommendation to the Parish Council that the Speed Watch Scheme be implemented in the village, the school would be involved in promoting it at school. The Parish Council agreed with the recommendations and authorised the committee to fill in the necessary forms.

8. Helmdon Web Site. The WEA were launching a village website and were seeking the support of the Parish Council. A lottery grant application had been successful for the provision of a digital camera and a scanner, the web site would be provided free of charge by an Internet Service Provider. The various groups in the village would be asked for short articles to be included in the information provided. Parish Councillors were asked to provide the WEA with any local information they might have which might be of interest. The address would be www.helmdon.f2s.com. The WEA were congratulated on this initiative and given the Parish Council's support.

9. Operation Spring Clean. Helmdon Parish Council will participate during April, Cllrs Brookhouse and England would be unable to help. Cllr Glassett to contact councillors nearer the time.

10. Correspondence. NCC Youth Services report (on table) requesting financial support to provide additional activities. Douglas Hadfield copy letter to Maintenance engineer - drainage Helmdon- for information. SNC re recycling facilities, will provide a waste bin, clerk to follow up. SNC increase of PC contribution to travel tokens. Age limit to remain at 65 for men. Information about Dial a ride scheme. NCC Dial a ride information inc. concessions, clerk to request further copies of leaflets to distribute. SNC Dog Warden, quarterly report (on table) Information about National Pet Week, clerk to display posters. Notification about Dog Fouling and Litter Offences (on table). NCC Finger Post at Falcutt, new post ordered. NCC Change to bus timetables. East Midlands Development Agency. Rural Action Plan, comments to be submitted by 31.3.00. NCC Local Transport Plan, The Parish Council's scheme has been unsuccessful for this year. Consultation Workshop Local Transport Plan, clerk to attend in Towcester 30.3.00 Helmdon School, following up scheme to have basketball posts. Information about available grants given to Cllr Harrold to pass to School Governors. NACRE - Village of the Year competition, chair to complete and submit. SNC West Coast Mainline - latest information. East Midlands Electricity - notifying changes in structure. Police review of Brackley Sector Helmdon School requesting Sue Lidgley to contact them. ON TABLE SNC Business Briefing Summer Spec Report (Youth activities) NALC Update 2 copies Village Viewpoint for circulation Clerk's & Councils direct for circulation Caring Matters - newsletter from Banbury Carers Centre SNC Arts Newsletter SNC Animal welfare quarterly report, dog fouling and litter offences SNC Local Plan SNC Information about nuisance bonfires.

11. Clerks / Councillors training opportunities. Trainings for councillors and clerks have been arranged by NALC. The clerk wished to attend the full day course and this was agreed. The fee for the course is Ł30.00

12. Finance. Approved budget 2000/2001. This was circulated with the headings and amounts altered to clarify headings. Audit Report. The accounts have to be corrected and then resubmitted to the Auditors before approval by the full Parish Council. The finance committee will work on this. A system of internal auditing needs to be adopted, this is currently done but needs to be set with Standing Orders, the clerk will obtain some model standing orders from NALC and will bring them to the finance committee for discussion. The final accounts need to be completed within six months of the end of the financial year, changes of Clerk has meant this hasn't happened in the past, but this will be included in the Standing Orders. The Council are responsible for paying tax and N I contributions on the Clerk's salary where appropriate, the clerk has checked with the local Tax Office and been told that Tax is not payable but the office have provided a form which will satisfy the auditors. It has become clear that the notice boards are not covered by insurance, the clerk has notified this and amended it and no extra premium will be payable. The War Memorial is also not covered and the clerk will write to Finns requesting a value based on replacement and then arrange for it to be added to the Parish Council's insurance. A copy of the Reading Room insurance certificate needs to be submitted to the auditors. Grass Cutting Tenders. Three tenders were received and it was agreed to accept the lowest tender subject to evidence of adequate public liability insurance being provided. Clerk to write and thank the two others for their interest. Bier Shed. The building work has now been completes, the total cost was Ł1375.55 and the bier is already housed in the new shed. It was agreed that Ł500 be given towards the cost of the work. Cllr Bearman will hope to have the bier restored for display at the annual carnival.

Helmdon Parish Council Balances
The Council has Ł4194.23 in an Instant Access Account and a Ł500 Nottingham Bond.
Cheque No.	Payee	Description	Received	Paid	Balance
		Opening Balance			3499.50
	Yorkshire Bank	Interest	4.20		3503.70
110	T. Glassett	Replace cheque No.89		57.00	3446.70
109	T. Glassett	Answer phone		19.99	3426.71
111	L. Willcocks	Salary & Expenses		145.99	3280.72
112	J. Snow	Grass @ W/M & R/R		175.00	3105.72
113		Brackley Cottage Hospital Donation		1000.00	2105.72
114	Helmdon PCC	Donation for Burial Ground		100.00	2005.72
115	NALC	Membership		112.00	1893.72
116	NACRE	Membership		30.00	1863.72
117	NACRE	Village of Year entry fee		12.50	1851.22
118	Helmdon PCC	Bier Shed		500.00	1351.22
		Closing Balance			1351.22

13. May Annual Parish Meeting. It was requested that the siting of a seat by the pump in Church Street be included on the agenda.

14. Any Other Business. Cllr Bearman expressed concern about the state of roads and footpaths in the parish, Cllr Bearman and Glassett to get together and map the areas needing attention to be submitted to the Highways Authority. The white lining in the village seems to be eroding this will be included on the map. The gated road at Astwell is in a very poor state of repair, Cllrs Bearman and Glassett to look at. The dates for the next year of meetings will be approved at the May meeting. BTCV will be asked to tackle the overgrowth in the Church Leys footpath. The Clerk will try to get a copy of the Electoral Roll for display in the Reading Room. The Clerk will ask Finns to provide an estimate for cleaning the commemorative stone outside the Reading Room, the cost of which will be the responsibility of the Reading Room Committee. The Clerk will write to SNC and NCC and request contract mowers avoid cutting the bulbs. Bus Tokens will be issued in the first week of April.

Minutes adopted by the Parish Council 24/5/00

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