Meeting Minutes: 31st August 2023

KIMBOLTON & STONELY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the Council meeting held at 7 p.m. on Thursday 31 August 2023 in the Youth Hall at the Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton.

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

IN ATTENDANCE   County Councillor I Gardener; District Councillor J Gray ; Lionel Thatcher, Clerk to the Council and one member of the public. 

129/23      APOLOGIES  were received from Councillors K Hutchinson; M Buckley and R Gooderham..

130/23     PUBLIC FORUM The member of the public present referred to the resignation of Kimbolton’s Sub Postmaster and expressed his concern, saying that the presence of a Post Office in Kimbolton is essential.    The Chairman said that this Council is attempting to contact the Post Office management to find out what efforts are being made to continue the service here.

131/23     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.   

   Councillor Mrs Hellett declared an interest in matters relating to Kimbolton School; Councillor Mrs Lloyd in the allotments and Councillor Seabrook in Kym View Close.

132/23     COUNTY COUNCILLOR  Ian Gardener gave an update from the Greater Cambridge Partnership regarding the proposed congestion charge.  The proposal is that the charge should apply between the hours of 0700 and 1000 and also 1500 to 1800 on Mondays to Fridays.

The charge would be £5 per day for a car; £10 for a van and £50 for HGVs.   Motorists will get 50 free days per annum with 50% discount for locally-owned businesses and those with low income.

A considerable number of complaints have been made about the County Council’s decision not to undertake the weed-killing of gutters and a petition is being circulated.

Next year’s LHI dates will be 27 October commence to 27 January.

Regarding the noise complaints  relating to the pedestrian crossing, a Highways Officer will be coming to make a site visit on Tuesday 12 September at 2pm.

There is a Flood Action conference at Burgess Hall St Ives on 21 September.

Councillor Farrer joined the meeting.

133/23    MINUTES of the Council meeting of 27 July 2023 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting, subject to the deletion at 119/23 f) of the reference to pots for seeds..

134/23     MATTERS ARISING

• Pound Lane   No further information at present.
• Cemetery Wall repairs.  Demolition of sections of the wall is taking place.
• MVAS signs  Councillor Gray said that the data being produced is very similar each month, including certain vehicles which approach at a high speed.  It is hoped the police might provide a speed check occasionally.
• Street Market on 19 August was reported as having been successful with both traders from stalls and local traders being pleased with the results.
• Christmas Event on 3 December will coincide with the church Christmas Tree design competition and many of the traders present on 19 August have said they will be returning..
• The Butts.  The maintenance of the Butts has not been overlooked and will be undertaken as and when possible.
• Statty Fair.  It is confirmed that the Fair will go ahead on 20 September and this council’s contribution towards the traffic management costs is expected to be £1600.
• Grass Cutting.  The Clerk said that every effort is being made to catch up with the grass cutting and all areas have now been cut at least once.   As time goes on, the job should become easier and we are now in the position of being able to decide ourselves as to what needs cutting, and when.
• Website.  Councillor Mrs Hellett said she will chase the supplier for a progress report.
• Oak Tree.  The Clerk enquired where it was intended to place a new oak tree and was told that it will be plated on The Causeway near to the existing oak.  The cost is £150 plus £30 delivery and an order will be placed.

Councillor Gardener left the meeting.

• Coronation Bench. It was agreed to source an oak bench which would fit onto the plinth where the previous bench was sited on Stonely Green.  The Clerk will see if he can find something suitable. 

135/23    PLANNING

• The following application was considered –

23/01284   69 Main Rd Stonely –  demolish and erect 4 bed dwelling.  It was proposed by Councillor Ms Jessup, seconded by Councillor Mrs Lloyd and agreed to recommend approval as appropriate development.

District Councillor Jonathan Gray joined the meeting.

23/01498  6 Kym View Close, Kimbolton – 15 ground mounted solar panels at end of garden.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor Ms H Bradbury, seconded by Councillor Gray and agreed by 7 votes in favour with 2 abstentions, to recommend approval as appropriate development.

• Kimbolton School – diversion of footpath 34.

It was reported that the School wished to divert this footpath, which ran through school grounds, away from their premises because of safeguarding concerns.   They wished to apply for the diversion and produced a plan of their proposal for the new route, which was along their boundary, through the trees, over a new footbridge and ultimately to join Pound Lane.

Members were very much in favour of this proposal and it was proposed by Councillor Mrs Lloyd, seconded by Councillor Mrs Stainer and recommended for approval.  Councillor Mrs Hellett abstained.

136/23  REPORTS

Allotments   Members were very pleased with the work done by both Sue and Harry to tidy up the plots and, particularly, the former bonfire area.   It was thought that spraying the vacant plots whilst there is still growth would be beneficial.

Dog Fouling.  The problem continues, but it was agreed there was no need to retain this as a separate item on the agenda.

Footpaths.  Carnaby is still a concern, being very uneven.  The fence by the footbridge over the brook at Old Ford Lane is broken.  The footpath from the Framery to Hatchet Lane is in a poor state.   The lamp on light PC47 at Stonely Green has been smashed,

Playgrounds.   It was agreed to improve facilities, especially at Pound Lane.

Trees.  Those by the footbridge at Stonely Green and on The Causeway need trimming.

Personnel.   A meeting should be arranged soon for the Working Party to undertake staff appraisals.

Representatives on Outside Bodies.

Mandeville Hall.   No report.

Kimbolton Trust   No report

Kimbolton School Governors  No report.

137/23  FLOOD FORUM  The Chairman said that he understood that the Environment Agency will not be clearing the flood arches.

138/23  CREDIT CARD  The Clerk explained how useful it would be to have a council credit card, which could be used for the purchase of fuel for vehicle and mowers etc.    At present he has to use his own debit card for this and reclaim the expenditure at the end of the month.

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs Stainer, seconded by Councillor Ms Jessup and agreed to obtain a council credit card with an appropriate maximum limit on expenditure.

Councillor Farrer left the meeting

139/23  CORRESPONDENCE   

• It was agreed to complain to Huntingdonshire District Council over the introduction of charges for the green rubbish bin from next April and over the lack of any consultation.
• The Vicar has drawn our attention to cracks in the church tower which, he feels, are caused by the large tree standing adjacent to it.  The church’s arboricultural expert will be visiting in the next few weeks.
• We have been successful in receiving LHI funding to provide 40 mph buffer zones on Park Lane and Tilbrook Rd and these will be installed next year.

140/23  ACCOUNTS

• The following were approved for payment –

Hunts DC                 Fitness instructor fees                    172.80

K & M Lighting          Streetlight maintenance                 128.15

Mick George             Skip hire                                        260.40

Information Commissioner        annual fee                       40.00

Anglian Water           Allotment water                             396.56

H Brace                  August work                                   1960.00

Payroll costs          Pay, PAYE,NIC                              2977.89

C L Thatcher          Petrol for mowers                            230.21

Catworth Service Stn       MoT Honda                             54.85

141/23  DISTRICT COUNCILLOR  Councillor Gray said that the Conservative Group had ‘called in’ the decision made to charge for green bins, but this had eventually been ratified.

The threatened strike had been suspended, but he thinks it may well return.

The new Managing Director, Michelle Sachs from Lincolnshire, starts work on 13 September.

The selection of a new MP for Huntingdonshire in readiness for next year’s general election will take place during September. 

142/23  HIGH ST CAR PARKING  no report

143/23  MEMBERS’ POINTS OF INFORMATION

Councillor Mrs Lloyd enquired about the broken seat in the cemetery.  She also said that a section of the fence by the river in Thrapston Rd was missing and the Carnaby flood arch was overgrown.

Councillor Mrs Hellett said that Gigaclear had left some pavements in a poor state following their cable laying.

144/23 NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Council will take place on Thursday 28 September 2023, commencing at 7pm in the Youth Room at the Mandeville Hall.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2145 hours.