9 November 2017
Agenda Item 7
Community Matters:
(g) Cricket in 2018
(A summary of the note circulated to Councillors on 21 October) The Parish Council have agreed in principle to allow Enderby CC to use the ground in 2018; the provisional plan is that their groundsman will bring half the square into use for 2018 and then the remainder for 2019 which would allow another team to use the square.
A further request to use the ground had come to SCB from Imran Patel of Braunstone East CC. The Clerk had referred him to Enderby CC on the basis that any decision about sharing would be up to Enderby CC. A pre-meeting telephone call between these two parties confirmed that Enderby CC may be open to this idea.
The meeting discussed the possibility that Braunstone East CC would pay towards the whole square being brought back for 2018 thus allowing two teams to play on alternate Saturdays. This proposal would be followed up between the two clubs but it was made clear that use by two teams would be subject to agreement by Croft PC.
The proposed site of the new pavilion was discussed, in particular the incursion on to the outfield. The current stage of the planning application was also explained in that Blaby DC were ‘minded to approve’ the application subject to approval by the Secretary of State who may allow the proposals or defer to Sport England’s objection. Any progress would be dependent on successful funding bids but in the latter case, the square would have to be re-aligned. Sport England had estimated this at £60k and no play for one season, whereas the Council’s architect had obtained an opinion of £25k over one winter. ID felt that one winter would not be long enough.
Subsequently the following email has been received:
I would like to send you this email as I know the meeting is soon to be held. I would like to give you our ideas that we would like to implement with your help if our ground share is accepted.
We would encourage the residents of Croft to get involved in Cricket and in order to do this we have a couple of ideas.
1. After spreading the word we would have a open invite to all the residents of Croft to come and join us for a game of cricket on a Sunday. This would give people a chance to turn up with kit provided by ourselves to just play the game for a day and see how they get on. They may of never played or stopped playing. But it would be a game of cricket played between residents of all ages and standards and we would encourage them on the day just to have fun.
2. We would encourage all residents and again with your help in spreading the word to come and join us for training sessions,which will include cricket practice and again a causal route back into Cricket.
3. Once we are fully established and have gained experience ourselves we would like to open a second team that plays during the midweek in 20/20 leagues which is less time consuming. This team would be a team that would be made of residents of Croft and depending on interest we will fill the gaps with our team players if needs be.
We are fully supportive of your ethos of wanting Cricket back in Croft and this would be the least we can do as a thank you for potentially providing us a home for the beautiful game. We would work closely with yourselves and be open to any suggestions and ideas.
Recommendation: That Enderby CC are offered the ground for use on Saturdays in 2018 and that, subject to payment of the fee by both clubs, they may permit Braunstone East CC to use the ground on alternate Saturdays.
(h) To consider an invitation from Blaby DC join the Dementia Action Alliance
Please see the attached leaflet, including examples of helpful changes on page 2. Councillors may wish to consider whether active involvement may be more appropriate when the new community hub is built.
Recommendation: None.
9 November 2017
Agenda Item 10
(a) Grass cutting contracts – update
The Clerk met Mr Luke Clements on 24 October to discuss the quality of the work being undertaken by Blaby DC and the outcome was circulated to Councillors:
I feel that you are justified in your opinion that you have been receiving a sub-standard quality of service from us recently. As I explained, the reasons for this will be overcome going forward due to an internal restructure and the (positive) loss of the LCC Highways cutting contract. Our department has been operating under limited resources, meaning that meeting all of our obligations has proved challenging. There is no plan to reduce the operational resourcing within the department despite the loss of the LCC contract. This will mean an increase in our capacity and subsequently an increase in the quality and frequency of work.
I have instructed the departmental supervisor (Jim Cank- copied in) to visit the sites under this contract and initiate a series of work to bring the sites up to an acceptable standard. Jim has capacity to visit today, so this process should start very soon.
I understand your timescales for making a decision on retaining this contract are quite short, and that a decision will need to be made late November / early December at the latest. In light of this and our internal restructure, I have asked that Jim also arranges to meet with yourself to have a more technical based discussion around the service/s we can provide going forward and set a level of expectation. However the changes happening here may have bearing on the content of that conversation so I would ask that we delay that meeting until mid-November if that is agreeable?
The additional strimming which has been asked for will increase the current cost of £6,000. Two other quotes have been received although some clarification has been asked for on minor points of detail, both will increase the price markedly.
Recommendation: That a decision be deferred until the December meeting to allow time for valid comparative quotes to be considered.
(b) Hedge cutting , tree maintenance and allotment hedges – update
The working party met at the Cemetery on 2 November and agreed a list of hedges for which the Parish Council is responsible. This is now held on file.
It was agreed that the Clerk would accompany Mr Thurlow on the next agreed inspection and create a list of trees for which the Parish Council is responsible.
As part of the grass cutting work in (a) above a quotation of £300 has been received for flailing the outside and top of the hedges between the allotment site and Arbor Road. No other requests for quotes have resulted in a quote being received, other than the offer from Cllr Spence.
Recommendation: That the work is agreed and a contractor appointed.
(c) Maintenance of commemorative trees
The last meeting referred to a letter from a Miss G Jones drawing our attention to the memorial tree planted in memory of Robert and Sheila Jones which has grown and needs to be cut back. This tree appears to have been planted before the rule that requires the donor to maintain the tree was introduced, meaning that the Council may need to bear the cost of any work. Subsequently it was felt that pruning this willow tree would encourage further growth.
The working party met at the Cemetery on 2 November and recommends minor shaping to this and to one other tree. A further commemorative tree has died and the owners will be contacted.
The Working party also recommends (1) that, in view of the difficulty in tracing owners, the Parish Council should take appropriate action to care for trees when the owner cannot be traced, (2) that future applications for commemorative trees should be increased from £400 to £500.
(d) To consider further painting of fences
The Clerk has asked for quotes for painting the fence between Riverside Court and the Sheep Wash. Ownership of these two panels is unknown. This will improve the look of this area now that the Riverside Court fence has been improved. An update will be provided to the meeting.
The Clerk has also asked for quotes for painting the fence between Riverside Court and the railway bridge. Ownership of these fourteen panels rests with Network Rail.
Quotations are awaited.
(e) To consider the report by Wicksteed and works recommended for the playground equipment
Please see the attached report (already circulated by email) with a view to agreeing if and by whom any work should be done.
9 November 2017
Agenda Item 11 (a)
Use of a central depository for Council documents – update
An account has been created in Google Drive which allows (a) for the automatic back up of Council documents created by the Clerk and (b) for read-only access to be provided for all Councillors.
The site details, user name and password will be provided separately.
9 November 2017
Agenda Item 11 (b)
To consider adoption of the General Power of Competence
The Localism Act 2011 replaced the power of well being with the General Power of Competence.
The General Power of Competence (GPC) is intended to give local authorities (including parish and town councils) wider powers to deliver more for their communities. The GPC will allow a council to do anything that individuals generally may do, except where other aspects of law may forbid them from doing, for example put someone in prison. It is intended to relieve councils of the need to find specific statutory powers to authorise their activities.
Councils not being eligible to make use of the GPC can only do those things which they are specifically empowered to do by statute. It is envisaged this new power will provide parish and town councils with a greater freedom to act.
To be eligible to exercise the GPC a parish council must conform with the following:-
(a) at least two thirds of the total number of councillors have been elected (at ordinary or by election), not co- opted, at the meeting the resolution is passed to confirm that the council is eligible
(b) the council’s clerk holds either
Certificate in Local Council Administration (CILCA), and who has passed the new section 7 of the CiLCA syllabus, which is to test knowledge of the general power
or level 4 qualification awarded by the University of Gloucestershire, (eg the Certificate of Higher Education in Local Policy, or foundation degree in Community Engagement and Governance
(c ) the clerk should (not mandatory) complete relevant training in the GPC provided in accordance with the national training strategy, but must pass section 7 of CiLCA 2012.
(d) having met the above conditions, the council passes a resolution to confirm this and it is clearly minuted.
Once the council has decided that it meets the conditions, it retains the ability to use the general power until the annual meeting of the council in the next ordinary election year. At that point the council must again decide that it meets the conditions, to be able to start any new activity relying on the general power. If it does not meet the conditions, it can complete activity which it has begun in the exercise of the general power, but not start anything new.
Having this power before now would not have allowed Croft Parish Council to do anything which it did not already have powers to do.
Recommendation: That Croft Parish Council, having met conditions for eligibility at (a), (b) and (c ), above adopts the General Power of Competence.
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