Meeting Minutes: 27th October 2022

KIMBOLTON & STONELY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the Council meeting held at 7 p.m. on Thursday 27 October 2022 in the Youth Hall at the Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton.

PRESENT  Councillors  P Seabrook; J Gray ; K Hutchinson; Ms C Jessup; Mrs R Lloyd; Mrs D Hellett; Ms H Bradbury; Mrs J Stainer and R Gooderham.

IN ATTENDANCE  County Councillor I Gardener &  Lionel Thatcher, Clerk to the Council.

155/22      APOLOGIES  were received from Councillors Mrs E Milne; L Farrer and District Councillor J Gray.

156/22     PUBLIC FORUM  was not used.   

157/22     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.   

   No declarations were made.

158/22     COUNTY COUNCILLOR  Ian Gardener confirmed that it is the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership’s desire to introduce a congestion charge in Cambridge City.  This will be £5 per movement and will apply equally to residents.  In return, it is intended to improve bus services but that will not apply to the west of the A1, where no improvements are planned.     Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth Hospitals are both within the proposed congestion charge area.

LHI bids will be due in by the year end and will be divided into complex and non-complex projects.  It was agreed to consider these at the next meeting.

Councillor Gardener left the meeting

159/22    MINUTES of the Council meeting of 29 September 2022 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting, subject to the following being added to minute 142/22 g).

‘this to be reviewed in the light of significant changes to energy costs’.

160/22     MATTERS ARISING

• Neighbourhood Watch. No report
• Pound Lane  Quotes are awaited for laying the car park.   The WI have expressed a wish to plant a walnut tree on the southern perimeter of the playing field and it was agreed to plant one from this Council as well.  The cost is £117.00 each.
• Pedestrian Crossing  It is expected that the crossing will be operational next month.
• Cemetery Wall repairs.  Quotes will be sought
• MVAS signs  Councillor Gray presented his report on the data produced by the MVAS signs.  He recommended that consideration be given to converting the signs to solar power, but the Chairman suggested that no action be taken to do this for the time being, but that an assessment is made once the batteries have needed changing a few times.
• Christmas Lights and Fair.    Approval to close the High St has been received and Traffic Management arranged.  Councillor Mrs Hellett is organising the traders and expects around 20 stalls.    A Zoom meeting will be held on 10 November to finalise points.

g)  Mandeville Hall    The Clerk will forward the cheque for £500 with an appropriate covering letter.

 h).  Butts Tree Planting.  The ground needs spraying and then the stumps need grinding off, ready for the planting weekend which will be 26/27 November.

j)  Thrapston Road streetlight.      The Clerk has now received the costings for placing a new light between Carnaby and Budgens.   Our contractor quotes £700 but UK Power requires £4000 to provide mains power.    It was agreed not to proceed at present and to again seek costs for solar.

l)  Health & Well-Being of Residents – winter project.      A Zoom meeting was held with interested parties and different possibilities discussed, ranging from a warm hub to support for individuals,  The problem remains that at present we still don’t know the extent of support that will be needed or the take-up.  A fitness class has commenced in the Scout building, due to non-availability of he Mandeville Hall and this is proving popular.  The Clerk is enquiring about the possibility of swimming fitness lessons and another Zoom meeting will be held during November. 

161/22    PLANNING

a)The following application was considered –

22/01474  5 Main Rd., Stonely – revised plans for greenhouse.   It was proposed by Councillor Mrs Lloyd, seconded by Councillor Mrs Hellett and unanimously recommended for approval.

162/22  REPORTS

Allotments   The report was presented by Councillor Mrs Hellett and noted.

Playpark.   It is expected that the roundabout will be repaired during November.

Village Maintenance

The surface of a number of footpaths is poor, with extensive cracking and heave, particularly Carnaby and the Causeway.

Outside Bodies

Mandeville Hall – Councillor Hutchinson said that the Hall’s booking system will commence on 1 January next.   The difficulties in parking were discussed at the recent meeting and our Groundskeeper was asked to clear fallen leaves from the car park.

Kimbolton Trust.  A meeting will be held on 7 November.

Kimbolton School Governors.  The School is closed for half-term at present and interviews for the post of Headmaster will take place at the end of November.

163/22  FLOOD ACTION  It was noted that the river banks had been trimmed.

164/22  CORRESPONDENCE   

• A letter from a Stonely resident regarding the pedestrian crossing was read and noted.
• Notification of a cycle road race taking place on Saturday 4 March 2023 was given.
• Warning that the testing of the gas compressor will take place soon and loud noises may be expected.

165/22  ACCOUNTS

• The following were approved for payment –

K & M Lighting             streetlight maintenance               128.15

J Whitehead           Allotment work + varnish                    80.00

SLCC Enterprises  Conference fee + law textbook         586.80

Adams Cook & Pearce   Tumble dryer for cottage          349.00

BHIB Insurance            Annual premium                       1036.93

Fishers                           Sundries                                     11.32

Electrodell               Heaters for cottage                        3720.00

Payroll costs         Pay, PAYE & NIC + stamps etc       2747.06

166/22  DISTRICT COUNCILLOR was unable to be present

167/22  HIGH ST CAR PARKING  no report

168/22  MEMBERS’ POINTS OF INFORMATION

Councillor Gray suggested placing gravel where the footpath from Constables Leys meets Halls Meadow, to remove the muddy area.

Councillor Mrs Lloyd suggested creating a small area for wildlife in Halls Meadow by clearing the brambles to the rear of the houses.

She also mentioned the damage being caused to Stonely House and the size of the willow tree by Rookery Lane.  The Chairman will mention this to the Environment Agency.

169/22  IT WAS RESOLVED TO EXCLUDE the Press and public from the following item in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960.

170/22  PERSONNEL WORKING PARTY REPORT   The Working Party had met and discussed the need for additional help with maintenance, particularly in the cemetery and churchyard.   Both employing a member of staff and engaging a contractor had been discussed and it was agreed to seek to recruit a staff member within the LC1 NJC scale, current hourly rate £10.49, for up to 24 hours a week.

This was duly agreed.

171/22  NEXT MEETING   

It was agreed that the next normal meeting of Council will be held in the Youth Room at the Mandeville Hall on Thursday 24 November 2022 commencing at 7pm.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2130 hours.