Clerk to Flamstead Parish Council s2

FLAMSTEAD PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk to the Council

Caroline Freer

Bridgford End

127 Trowley Hill Road phone: 01582 841346

Flamstead e mail:

Herts AL3 8DS website: www.flamsteadpc.org.uk

MINUTES OF THE PARISH MEETING HELD ON: MONDAY 9 JUNE 2008

Number: 2008/2

PRESENT: Clrs Wright, Taunton, Campbell, Morrice, Gibson, Humphreys, Cadman

Also present: Clerk- Caroline Freer; Ted Alford as rep for Luton Airport

APOLOGIES: Clrs Bates, Bines, Burke

DECLARATION OF INTEREST ON AGENDA ITEMS: None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The May minutes having been previously circulated were agreed by all to be a true record.

POLICE REPORT: 12 May – 12 June 08: 2 traffic accidents – 11 Jun at Shell garage with 2 vehicles, no injuries, London Rd 9 Jun no injuries; Anti social behaviour – Fly tipping on Chad Lane 2 Jun, Trowley Hill – youths playing football against residential wall, 17 May rowdy youths outside Three Blackbirds; 1 criminal damage – Priory Orchard to a dwelling door 14 May; 3 burglaries – Hollybush Lane damaged padlock and tools and vehicle parts stolen, Old Watling St - garden equipment stolen including lawn mower to value of £2,000; Water End Lane – theft of steel and aluminium 14 May; Deception/credit cards – Flamstead filling station – cash and petrol stolen £5,374; 1 arrest – 1 driver under influence of alcohol Flamstead 15 May; 2 alarms – Hollybush Lane and Flamstead School, both false; 10 thefts - 12 Jun lead flashing from St Leonard’s, 28 May theft from fruit machines from Harvester, 8 thefts from Flamstead filling station of petrol to value of over £400, Old Watling St theft of aluminium to value of £500; 3 Attempted thefts – Old Watling St building site, damage only (£10), 2 attempts to steal petrol from filling station; 1 attempted break in on Old Watling St to steal garden equipment; 1 suspicious incident – 2 males selling wet fish door to door 16 May; Lost and Found – black lab dog in Parsons Clo 6 Jun – lost and Puddephats Lane – white fluffy dog 1 Jun – lost. The PCSO warns everyone to be aware that there has been an increase in burglaries this last month. Please continue to be vigilant, phone police if any one is acting suspiciously or knocking on doors claiming to be from an unfamiliar company. The elderly are particularly targets for distraction burglaries so keep a look out for your neighbours. Lock your house at night and do not leave house or car keys near the door or in an easy place to find. Increase in theft of garden equipment, so don’t leave items on display. Keep look out for suspicious vehicles especially unfamiliar vans driving/stopping/parking around the villages.

Please note that the fields behind College Close are private property. Dogs should be kept on a lead and please use the public path as there are horses in fields as well as large guard dogs.

Remember – Watling Ward is still a safe and secure place to live – let’s keep it that way, so please contact the police with any information that might help with solving crimes.

MATTERS ARISING: NATS – it was suggested that we liaise with John King re covering letter to go with petition.

Action Clerk to do letter and show to Ted Alford. Deadline 19 June.

Letter to CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) – to ask them to justify their argument to their objection to the NATS proposal and organising a march to London. Proposed Clr Taunton and seconded by Clr Cad. Some members threatened to withdraw membership. Action: Clerk to write.

GULLIES: We are monitoring the situation; Singlets Lane is to be done in summer but Delmerend Lane is still an ongoing problem during times of heavy rainfall. It was mentioned that land owners have a responsibility to ensure there is no run off from their land on to the roads.

TENNIS COURT: Discussion about the official opening of the tennis court. Decided to have it on President’s Day (ie the cricket club’s President Day) on July 6th as there will be lots of people at the rec with a number of cricket games going on. Lunch time to open court - 12 – 2pm. Clr Taunton to ask if mayor is available and also Mike Penning. (Neither available. Clerk to liaise with Tim Wilkinson re arrangements/refreshments. Possibly get a plaque made. Clr Morrice to enquire re plaque. Clr Gibson and Wright to decide on wording. Clr Taunton to advertise in parish magazine. Budget for costs to be decided.

YOUTH PARISH COUNCIL: signatories still need to be established so a financial officer can be appointed to put finances in order. Action: Sam Bray to sort with Rob Gibson. Letter required from PC to give permission for boys to become signatories Action: Clr Wright to write letter.

CARE OF THE ELDERLY: For the forum for the elderly - hall booked 17 Sep. Get relevant societies to do presentations.

Action: Clr Wright to organise.

INSURANCE AND ASSET REGISTER: New insurance policy now in place underwritten by Norwich Union, arranged through insurance broker Came & Co. Made saving on £100 on insurance costs. Asset register finalised to show what assets are insured and for clear asset valuation.

PLAYGROUND: Following a safety inspection, Clr Humphreys has reviewed the requirements of the inspection and is happy to announce that there is nothing that is classed as high risk, just low risk issues which can be incorporated into a maintenance programme which will be carried out in September to allow for budgeting for next year.

LOCAL WORKING: Progress is being made with regard to the various issues including the Markyate surgery.

CONCURRENT: Letter to be sent to DBC asking for justification for not increasing the amount of money allocated to Flamstead. Action: Clerk.

TRUCK STOP: Action: Clr Bates to check re new signage.

SCOUT GROUP: Re sharing camping equipment/tents etc. Jane Baldry had not thought of that but they want smaller tents and will let us know as to their fund raising. Assist them to tune of £550 subject to their matching funds. Agreed by all.

WARDEN: To fit new bin in playground.

WORKING GROUPS REPORTS:

FIRST RESPONDER – Re funding of extra equipment, there is now a new policy which states that individual groups cannot fund own equipment, but can provide funding to whole district which will then be allocated when enough money for all areas has been raised. Clr Gibson to seek clarity in this matter. Advice of Clr Gibson would be for the parish council to buy equipment instead of donating money.

COMMUNICATIONS: Clr Gibson proposed and Clr Humphreys seconded motion to give notice to webmaster – last chq to be paid for this quarter.

Email list facility to go on website – Action Clerk

Information regarding ease of access for the disabled to use computers to come from Adrian Rochford of DBC.

YOUTH FOOTBALL: Letter to be sent to Tony O’Neill re state of the football pitches as discussed in meeting. Action: Clerk. However, since the meeting subs have been paid and the goal mouths are being seeded.

PARISH PLAN: Skype connections discussed. Improvements to Markyate exchange for broadband discussed. BT is responsible for Markyate exchange and should be approached to lobby for upgrade to line/speed. Liaise with Markyate PC. Agree in principle to lobby BT as to who is served by Markyate exchange and possibly other villages.

Action: Clerk to investigate broadband facility.

EXTERNAL AUDIT: signed off.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Ask Planning Officer Manager at DBC re rural housing (James Doe) correspondence. Action: Clerk

RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW: Clr Bines to go through it with Clerk and Clr Humphreys to email fire service’s risk assessment format.

ACCOUNTS: Schedule read out.

PLANNING: Ref 4/00952/08/RET Doone Brae Farm, for a replacement dwelling and alterations and demolition of adjacent buildings: we reiterate previous objections and give our support for the enforcement order. The correspondence states that there have not been any objections, but we have objected in the past and we support the enforcement order (as dwelling was built without planning permission.)

Ref: 4/00992/08/AGD – Land at Grove Farm, Puddephats Lane, Markyate for an extension of hay barn – this proposal can be carried out as permitted development.

Ref: 4/00906/08/FHA at White Friars, Pie Corner, Flamstead for a single storey side extension (amended scheme) – granted.

There was a query regarding the truck stop as to the office being partly turned into living accommodation.

Action: Clerk to check with Dacorum.