Meeting Minutes: 25th October 2018

KIMBOLTON & STONELY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the Council meeting held at 7 p.m. on Thursday 25 October 2018 at the Youth & Community Room, Mandeville Hall, Thrapston Rd., Kimbolton.

PRESENT  Councillors P Seabrook (in the Chair);K Hutchinson; Mrs D Hellett; Mrs R Lloyd ; D Poole; Mrs J Stainer; Mrs S Hawkes; R Gooderham & L Farrer.

IN ATTENDANCE  County Councillor Ian Gardener , C L Thatcher, Clerk to the Council and one member of the public..

158/18  APOLOGIES were received from Councillors Ms S Mugglestone; Mrs E Milne & District Councillor Jonathon Gray.

159/18  PUBLIC FORUM  was not used.

160/18  DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

Councillor Mrs Hellett declared her ongoing interest in the matters of London Rd and Mulberry Cottage stables .

161/18  COUNTY COUNCILLOR

Councillor Gardener said that on 1 October the County Council launched ‘stronger for longer’ a campaign to improve older people’s fitness.

The solar farm at Soham produced 5% more green energy than was expected.

Applications for secondary school places must be in by 31 October.

Next year’s budget is now being looked at and will be helped by a grant of £2.32million from the government in respect of social care.

The Fire Authority has been granted permission for a judicial review against the Home Secretary.

A site visit to Alconbury Weald will take place to see where the new County Council headquarters will be sited.  It should be up and running by the end of 2020.

Councillor Mrs Lloyd asked about the Southoe windfarm.  Councillor Gardener said that the turbine bases are all in place ready for the three turbines.

He also mentioned that Anglian Water intend constructing a large solar park at Grafham Water.  It will be each side of the Perry to Buckden Road, covering all the area from Model Farm around the dam wall and on the open land opposite.  Such a construction is not subject to planning permission. 

The matter of the Causeway oak tree was mentioned to Councillor Gardener and it was suggested that it is the County Council’s responsibility to verify that the tree is dead before removing it.  He will take that message to the Highways Manager.

Councillor Gardener said that the new Highways Maintenance Engineer is Joe Hudson.

162/18  MINUTES of the Council meeting held on 27 September 2018 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting, subject to the inclusion of the name of the arboriculturist at 147/18 e) ii), which is Frank Hope and the removal of the reference to the Chairman 147/18 e) iii.

163/18  MATTERS ARISING

• Neighbourhood Watch.    No report
• Hearse House repairs   The Clerk reported John Lightfoot had overlooked our request, but would now get it underway.
• Cemetery Extension

• Trees.      A lengthy discussion again ensued regarding the type and location of trees.  Agreement was finally achieved that the Sweetgum tree was removed from the order due to it being too tall to go under the power lines and for some trees on the east side to be exchanged with some on the north side. This was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Poole and agreed
• Seats.   A decision upon the number and type of seat will be made later, though it was agreed that they would not be plastic..   

iii        Consecration.    A reply has been received from the Bishop’s Secretary saying 

           that the necessary documents will be prepared and they will be in touch later.

           The cost will be £950 plus VAT.

iv        Southern boundary.  Councillor Poole said that we should do something nice 

           on that boundary and not skimp as that would be detrimental to the whole

           scheme.     He was still of the opinion that a fence would be best.

           Further discussion took place and it was decided to plant a bay laurel hedge

           and to ask Barcham to supply and plant this.

Councillor Gooderham & County Councillor Gardener left the meeting.

• Pound Lane.   The Clerk said that he had received a quote for preparing and laying a car park, albeit in respect of the original area considered.  This quote was just over £48000.
• CCTV.  Awaiting information from Councillor Gray.
• Defibrillator.  The Clerk confirmed that the likely cost will be around £1500 plus the cost of fitting, including electrical work.  The Chairman of the Mandeville Hall committee confirmed his agreement at it being sited by the front entrance.
• Litter Pick.  Councillor Mrs Lloyd said it needed doing when the grass is short so she thought November would be a good time.  Kimbolton Rotary Club were keen to either organise their own or to assist us.  The area to be picked would be outside the 30mph limits.   Sunday 18 November was suggested as a suitable date and this will be advertised on the Facebook page.   The Clerk will ask HDC for the loan of tongs and for plastic bags.
• Mandeville Hall car park tarmac repair.      The Chairman of the Mandeville Hall committee is unhappy with the repair as water still collects.  It was pointed out that it was no worse than elsewhere and certainly was not a puddle in a depression as before.  The only way in which it could be ensured that no water gathered was by creating a ‘fall’ so that it ran away but, unfortunately, there was not room to do that here.

The Clerk has written to the contractor asking for his suggestions but no reply has been received.   

The Chairman said that he doubted that anything further could be done.

164/18     PLANNING MATTERS.

• Applications

18/01770  Kimbolton School – temporary single storey classroom for music.

It was proposed by Councillor Farrer, seconded by Councillor Hutchinson and agreed unanimously to recommend approval, but subject to a time limit of 5 years being placed upon the retention of this temporary building.

18/02117  41 Hatchet Lane, Stonely – balustrade/guard to flat roof platform.

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs Hawkes, seconded by Councillor Mrs Stainer and unanimously recommended for approval.

• Ongoing Matters.

Mulberry Cottage stables and London Rd -No further reports.

Lagoon Duchess Walk – it was reported that this has been levelled out.

• Local Plan.  Councillor Hutchinson said that District Councillor Gray had referred to the Local Plan and that the Inspector had said that subject to modification, the plan can go forward for adoption, but another round of consultation on the modification lasting 6 weeks is likely.

165/18    REPORTS

Allotments  Councillor Mrs Hellett presented her report.   A number of tenants have now relinquished their tenancies so we have vacancies and she will advertise these on the Facebook page.   Most of the rents have been paid.

Playpark     The person chosen to undertake straightforward maintenance work has not appeared so it was suggested that Neil Rook might be willing to help.        The seats have been ordered from Wicksteed but are still awaited.

Highways.   High St regeneration is important and it was pleasing to see that the Post Office will re-open on 4 December.          The Clerk said that he had arranged to meet with a representative of a company promoting markets to see if anything could be introduced here.

Lighting.  Councillor Mrs Hellett said that she had received a complaint about the lack of street lighting on Thrapston Rd between Carnaby and Budgens.

Environment.    The Clerk was asked to write to the Environment Agency to ask whether they could somehow limit the flow of water through the village by placing a restriction at or near Butts Bridge, thus confining flooding to the west of the town.

Mandeville Hall.  Councillor Mrs Lloyd corrected what she said at the last meeting in that the intention is to place 38 solar panels on the east and west roofs, not 20 on the south side.  The reasoning is that the cost of electricity to the hall is likely to increase by 40% when their current agreement ends.

Kimbolton School Governors.  Councillor Mrs Hellett reported that there was an Estates Committee meeting last week. Discussion centred mainly on the proposed extension at the Preparatory School and the 6^th Form Centre, but there may be work to enlarge the Lewis Hall.

166/18  CORRESPONDENCE

• CAPALC circular re membership.  The Clerk explained that CAPALC was the employer’s representative and that membership would be essential were the Council not able to keep up to date through SLCC.  It was agreed to take no action at present.
• Draft Cambridgeshire Statement of Community Involvement was presented by the Clerk and is available to any member wishing to read it.
• Letter from Cambridgeshire County Council regarding the setting up of green energy schemes and introduction of vehicle charging points.
• Temporary Traffic Regulation Order re closure of Hatchet Lane for works.
• Hunts DC – town & parish training days re planning 27 November & 26 March 2019.  The Chairman and Councillors Hutchinson and Mrs Milne expressed an interest in attending.
• Confirmation from Pensions Regulator of receipt of Re-Declaration of Compliance.
• Request for additional inscription on headstone for Sylvia Sells.

167/18  CAUSEWAY OAK TREE.  

Mention was made of this earlier in the meeting and there was nothing further to report.

168/18  LHI BIDS

The Panel meetings will be held on 10 and 13 December and Councillor Mrs Milne has said that she will attend on 10 December and present this Council’s bid.

169/18  ACCOUNTS

a)The following were proposed by Councillor Mrs Hellett, seconded by Councillor Mrs Hawkes and approved for payment –

SLCC Enterprises Ltd              Conference fee                                       300.00 inc VAT

CGM Group PLC                      Grass cutting                                        1867.31   “     “

Fenland Leisure Ltd                Playpark re-surfacing                           10030.54   “     “

Cambs County Council           LHI contribution re 2017                           251.47  no   “

Barcham Trees PLC               Cemetery trees & hedge                      10764.90  inc   “

Mick George Ltd                      Skip hire                                                  201.60  inc   “

D Eades                                   Cemetery work                                        381.92  no   “

Payroll costs                            Pay, PAYE & NIC                                  2108.43   “     “

C L Thatcher               Reimbursement re battery; daff bulbs;postage    167.88  inc  “

170/18  DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Councillor Gray was unable to be present

171/18  HIGH STREET CAR PARKING  No report.

172/18  MEMBERS’ POINTS OF INFORMATION.

Councillor Farrer said that the tarmac along Carnaby was cracking already.

He also said that he had been asked for a 20mph limit on High St and it was agreed to place this on the agenda for the next meeting.

Councillor Hutchinson commented on the unauthorised sign which has been hanging on the fence of the former Youth Club building for some months, advertising the presence of a solicitor in Kimbolton and thought it was time it was removed.

He said that some dog owners are still not clearing up after their dogs.

Councillor Mrs Hellett reported that the Facebook page was now operating and she invited articles for inclusion.

Councillor Mrs Hawkes asked when the housing development near Montagu Gardens was due to start.  She was informed that as yet it does not have planning permission.

Councillor Mrs Stainer said that the hedge on Station Rd, to the right as one exits Newtown Lane, was blocking visibility.

173/18  DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next normal meeting of Council will be held on Thursday 22 November 2018, commencing at 7pm in the Youth and Community Room at the Mandeville Hall.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2200 hours.