Meeting Minutes: 24th June 2021

KIMBOLTON & STONELY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the Council meeting held at 8 p.m. on Thursday 24 June 2021 in the Main Hall at the Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton.

PRESENT Councillors P Seabrook; K Hutchinson; D Poole; Mrs C Jessup; L Farrer ; Mrs D Hellett; Mrs R Lloyd .

IN ATTENDANCE County Councillor I Gardener & C L Thatcher, Clerk to the Council

100/21 APOLOGIES were received from Councillors Mrs E Milne; Mrs J Stainer; Ms S Mugglestone and R Gooderham and District Councillor J Gray.

101/21 PUBLIC FORUM was not used.

102/21 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.

Councillor Mrs Hellett declared an interest in the ongoing matter of Mulberry Cottage stables.

103/21 MINUTES of the Council meeting of 27 May 2021 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting,

104/21 MATTERS ARISING

Neighbourhood Watch. No report

Councillors Farrer and Mrs Lloyd together with County Councillor Gardener, joined the meeting.

Pound Lane. A long discussion regarding the possible options for the land took place and included the question of the right of access onto and across our land. The Clerk advised that council needed to be sure of the legal position before incurring further expenditure and it was agreed to seek formal solicitor’s opinion as to the requirements imposed in the land transfer agreement.
Twinning. No action to be taken during the pandemic.
Pedestrian Crossing. Councillor Gardener explained the position regarding the additional cost for the power supply for the required lighting and that in order to defray the costs which were now considerably more than anticipated one option would be to not have a humped crossing. Members were upset that the figures to which everyone was working appear not to have been complete and County Highways now say that the final cost could be considerably more than expected, bringing the whole project into question.

Councillor Hutchinson urged that no decision be yet made about whether or not to have a humped crossing, but that firm costs are awaited from County Highways.

Cemetery Wall repairs. Quotes awaited

f)Proposed Street Market Councillor Mrs Hellett said that the Market will take place on Castle Green on 17 July. She has about 20 stallholders attending.and she proposes making no charge to them on this occasion.

g) Village Walkabout report. The Chairman gave a summary of the walkabout, during which flooding and flood protection was mentioned. One point of concern was the fence which has been erected around a plot in Carnaby, with fears that it may obstruct the free flow of flood water. The Clerk was asked to write to the owner.

h) Coronavirus Update. It would appear that the number of cases in this area is increasing.

105/21 COUNTY COUNCILLOR

Councillor Gardener said there had been no meetings of the County Council, but he did attend a meeting of the Fire Authority yesterday. The County Council now has no overall control with a LibDem Chairman and a Labour Vice Chairman. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has an Independent Chairman.

The Chairman said that he was concerned about proposed road closures for a Half Marathon taking place in August and Councillor Gardener said that he would ask Martin Ellwood, the County Council’s Events Officer to meet with him.

106/21 PLANNING

Applications. The following were considered:

21/00862 & 861LBC 11 East St., Kimbolton – 2 storey annexe

It was proposed by Councillor Hutchinson, seconded by Councillor Poole and agreed to recommend refusal as being overdevelopment – too large and impinges upon adjacent properties.

21/01230 23 Hatchet Lane, Stonely – garage conversion for ancillary accommodation and games room

It was proposed by Councillor Poole, seconded by Councillor Mrs Hellett and recommended for approval as appropriate development.

Ongoing Matters

Mulberry Cottage stables. No report.

Councillor Gardener left the meeting.

107/21 GRASSCUTTING

The Clerk reported having received complaints from several members of the public about the poor state of the grass cutting. He has spoken with the contractor, who admitted having the wrong type of mower, it being unable to deal with very long grass. Unfortunately, with a wet spring this year, the grass has grown rapidly and our schedule of cutting, to which the contractor is working, allows only for one cut at the beginning of May and one at the beginning of June. The Clerk asked that he be permitted to request additional cuts as and when required and this was agreed.

108/21 REPORTS

Allotments. It was agreed to ask the Groundskeeper to spray the weeds on the vacant plots.

Playparks. The wire rope on the Multiplay unit has broken and a replacement is awaited.

Mandeville Hall. Councillor Ms Jessup reported that the AGM had been held a few days ago and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year was mentioned. Should the Parish Council be intending organising anything, then entertainment will need booking soon.

It was agreed to place this on the agenda for the next meeting.

Kimbolton Trust. It was reported that requests for funding have reduced in number and the Trustees are trying to advertise their services more widely.

Kimbolton School Governors. Councillor Mrs Hellett reported that the governors’ ‘away day’ was next Friday.

Police. There are still concerns about the dangerous parkingon High St outside the church and the police will again be asked to deal with it.

109/21 SLCC NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The Clerk reported that the National Conference will take place on 13/14 October at Hinckley, Leics. It was proposed by Councillor Farrer, seconded by Councillor Ms Jessup and agreed that the Clerk should attend the conference.

110/21 CORRESPONDENCE

Luton Airport new arrivals pattern. A further update has been received and circulated and it appears that the holding pattern will go ahead, though slightly more to the west than originally proposed.
Churchyard subsidence. A report of a hole appearing in the ground on the north side of the church has been received. Councillor Farrer will look into it.
Grass cutting complaints. Several emails had been received and were reported in 107/21 above.

111/21 ACCOUNTS

The following were approved for payment –

K & M Lighting. Streetlight maintenance £128.15

MG Recycling Skip hire £228.20

SLCC Enterprises Conference fee £447.00

VisionICT 3 mths website hosting £52,50

Payroll costs Pay, PAYE, NIC April £2244.77

Signage 2 x signs £7.95

112/21 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR was unable to be present

113/21 HIGH ST CAR PARKING

No report

114/21 MEMBERS’ POINTS OF INFORMATION

No matters were raised

115/21 IT WAS RESOLVED to exclude the Press and public from the next item in accordance with the provisions of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960.

116/21 STAFFING MATTERS

The Clerk reported upon the applications for the Groundskeeper vacancy and it was agreed to invite two applicants for interview by the Personnel Committee.

117/21 NEXT MEETING

The next normal meeting of Council will be held on Thursday 29 July 2021 in the Youth hall of the Mandeville Hall commencing at 7pm..

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2235 hours.

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