Draft Minutes of the Full Council Meeting of the Parish Council of Ecton held in The Village Hall, High Street, Ecton on Tuesday 19th January 2016at 7.30p.m.
Mrs. S. Bresnahan - Chairperson
PRESENT: Mr R East, Mr T Moffett, Mrs J Jones, Mr P Godby, Mr W Brophy and Mrs M Mulvey
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs S Wong – Clerk, PCSO Mike Bowes and 1 Resident
317/16 APOLOGIES: Apologies were received from Parish Councillors Mr D Dicks and Mr B Brophy.Borough CouncillorJennie Bone,
Borough Councillor Clive Hallam offered their apologies as they were all attending a Wellingborough Borough Council (BCW) meeting.
A letter of resignation has been received from Mrs A Fernley effective immediately due to an impending move overseas. The Parish Council will miss Mrs Fernley and thank her for her input during her time on the Council. Action – Clerk to contact the Elections department at BCW and inform them of the immediate vacancy so that a Notice of Vacancy can be raised and displayed on the notice boards.
318/16 DECLARATION OF INTEREST – None declared.
319/16 TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON THE 17TH NOVEMBER 2015
Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on the 17th November 2015as previously circulated were read, confirmed and signed as a correct record of account.
320/16 MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES NOT COVERED BY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
The Chair Mrs Bresnahan and local resident Mr Ian Stephens are yet to circulate the approved “Good Neighbour” letter to General Managers of local companies in the area / Crow Lane Industrial Estate as Mr Stephens is currently overseas.
Residents had previously reported that it was dangerous to cross the road (A4500) from the bus stop over to Ecton. The Clerk has contacted Stagecoach to see if anything can be done to change the drop of point of the local bus service. A response is yet to be received.
The Welly Bus is a free community bus service that provides transport to the town of Wellingborough and out of town supermarkets that residents could use to get their food shopping and then be returned back to Ecton outside the Worlds End Public House. The Welly Bus also provides some organised trips to a variety of places of interest including Weston Favell and Northampton Town. This is a membership service costing £10 for 6 months or £20 for 12 months. If you have a concessionary bus pass then travel is free after 9.30am. The Welly Bus stops at Ecton on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information call 01933 223636.
Country Lion also offer a free service for residents to travel to Tesco’s at Weston Favell. This operates on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9.45am arriving at Tesco at 9.55am. The return service leaves Tesco at 11.30am. The pickup point is outside the Worlds End but the drop off is on the opposite side of the road. Action: The Clerk to contact Country Lion and enquire if the drop off point could be made in a safer location? Clerk to also contact Helen Howard of NCC Highways to enquire if the speed can be reduced on the A4500 opposite the Worlds End to enable safer crossing of the road from the bus stop and also invite her to the March Parish Council meeting.
321/16 TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM POLICE REPRESENTATIVES
PCSO Mike Bowes was in attendance. Only one crime had been reported in December, a theft of scaffolding from the Worlds End public house.
322/16 TO RECEIVE REPORTS FROM BOROUGH AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Borough Councillor Jennie Bone had emailed an update report prior to the meeting. The Chair, Mrs Bresnahan, read out the report. Borough Councillors Bone and Hallam had a meeting with John Campbell – CEO of BCWreference Sywell Aerodrome. On the 7th January 2016 the Local Government Ombudsman found no fault in theway BCW dealt with alleged breaches of Planning Control in 2014. However the investigation results will not be made public. They are due to hold another update meeting in February.
It was reported at the recent Police JAG meeting that the problem of fly tipping appeared to have moved away from Ecton to another location after all the hard work from residents Mr and Mrs Stephens and others to keep the area free from fly tipping.
323/16RECEIVE UPDATE REPORT REGARDING SYWELL AERODROME
In his absence Parish Councillor Mr D Dicks circulated a brief update report on Sywell Aerodrome Ltd. The Local Ombudsman finally made her decision on 7th January and has found no fault in the way BCW dealt with alleged breached of Planning Control in 2014. Critically, the emphasis is on 2014 and despite a lot of pressure, she refused to take into account the very fact negotiations with the current Chief Executive of BCW began in October 2012. It is a very sad fact for democracy that strict Planning Conditions attached to the original S106 Agreement have still not been complied with. Action: Clerk to write toJohn Campbell – CEO of BCW and enquire what recent progress has been made with Sywell Aerodrome Limited.
324/16DISCUSS THE NEED FOR A 20MPH ZONE AND AGREE THE CONTENT OF A LETTER TO SEND TO HIGHWAYS
Highways representative Andrew Leighton attended the November Parish Council meeting to discuss concerns on the roads of Ecton. Mr Leighton has not come back and offered any solutions to prevent vehicles using the village as a cut through or any measures to prevent speeding. Therefore the Parish Council would like the road speed in the village to be lowered to 20mph to improve safety on the roads. Vice Chair Mr East circulated a draft letter prior to the meeting for Councillors to discuss and agree, to be sent to NCC Highways requesting a 20mph zone be implemented. It was resolved to adopt the letter and the Clerk send a copy to Helen Howard of NCC Highways.
325/16 DISCUSS ANY UPDATES REGARDING THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN / LOCALISIM BILL & APPOINT NEW CHAIR FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN COMMITEE
The Parish Council have secured a grant award of £5882 from Groundwork UK to assist with the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan. The money has to be spent by the 31st March 2016, the end of the financial year. Any unspent money then needs to be returned back to
Groundworks and then re-applied for in the new financial year.
A new housing survey is to be carried out by BCW in April, the working group needs to decide if this will feature in the Neighbourhood Plan. BCW don’t currently hold a conservation area assessment of Ecton, this does need to be included in the Neighbourhood Plan. Action: Clerk to contact BCW and request they supply a conservation assessment to the Parish Council.
The Neighbourhood Plan Committee are in need of a new Chair after the instant resignation of Mr Joe Fernley who is moving overseas. Action: It was resolved to place a notice in the local newsletter for the position.
326/16VILLAGE SERVICES
- UPDATE REPORT ON THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLAYING FIELD AND FUND RAISING
A donation of £82 has been received from the contributions made to see Father Christmas.
The grant application submitted to Grant Weston was not successful.
The new gate has now been installed by Hayeswood Landscapes at the playing field. Mr D Dicks has secured the gate with a padlock. Spare keys have been issued to Mr D Dicks, Mr R East, Mr T Moffet, Mrs J Jones and one is to be issued to Hayeswood Landscapes. The new safety signs have been received and are ready to be installed in the play area.
The Chair Mrs Bresnahan is to organise another meeting with the Play Area fund raising group to discuss other fund raising options. It was resolved to remove £2276.90 (the value of the vat element of the purchase of the new play equipment) from the 2014 / 2015 vat refund of £2921.71 which was put into the general parish funds balance and move it into playing field fund raising balance.
- RECEIVE UPDATES AND DISCUSS ANY VILLAGE MAINTENANCE MATTERS
The Clerk sent a letter to the Worlds End Pub requesting they secure the wall surrounding the pub near the picnic area as there are large holes in it and rocks are failing onto the pavement. A request was also made to repair the gate pillarwhich had been knocked down by a car. The Clerk has been informed this is an insurance matter and will be repaired shortly. It was noted works have not taken place. Action: The Clerk to contact The Worlds End and request the repairs are carried out.
It has now been established Wellingborough Homes are the legal owners of the land behind the Pump House in Franklins Close. The Clerk is waiting for appointment to meet on site with their representatives to discuss what measures are needed to improve the area.
A request has been made to NCC Street Doctor for the hedges to be cut back along the entire road of Lower Ecton Lane as the branches are overhanging on to the highway and are scratching vehicles, when they are passing other vehicles coming in the opposite direction.
C. DISCUSS ONGOING RUBBISH DUMPING ISSUES AT LOWER ECTON LANE
Helen Howard from Highways has agreed the fence / gateway can be moved forward at the Anglian Water - Billing Works to effectively remove the “layby” which will help alleviate rubbish dumping there. This will be actioned in the current financial year (by the end of March 2016).
D. RECEIVE UPDATE REPORT REGARDING STREET LIGHTING MATTERS
A replacement lantern has been ordered for the street light at the corner of Church Way which has been out of order now for several months. A pane of glass will be taken out of the old lantern and will be placed in the lantern of street light 30 that requires a new glass pane.
E. DISCUSS THE ONGOING DOG FOULING PROBLEMS IN THE VILLAGE
Dog Fouling continues to be a problem in the village. The Clerk has contacted the Wellingborough Dog Warden and requested a visual presence is made to try and catch the offenders and that new signs / posters are put up. The Parish Council have made their own notices which have been placed in the notice boards informing residents of the periodic inspections. It was resolved a notice should also be placed in the local newsletter.
327/16PLANNING APPLICATIONS
WP/15/00812/FUL – 17 The Courtyard –Alterations to storage loft over garage with new spiral staircase and roof light to create residential annex for incidental use for the family. No comments or observations were deemed necessary.
Variation of conditions 2, 16, 17 and 43 of planning permission 10/00066/MINEXT to amend working scheme – Earls Barton Spinney –No comments or observations were deemed necessary.
328/16OTHER PLANNING MATTERS AND THOSE NOT YET DETERMINED
Proposed Development – Great Billing Sand and Gravel Extraction & Restoration – Land to the south of Lower Ecton Lane. EIA Scoping Consultation – No comments or observations are deemed necessary.
329/16FINANCIAL MATTERS -
- REVIEW OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The Clerk presented a balance sheet as at 19th January 2016. The current bank balance stands at £32,835.77 of which £4340 David Cross funds, £4209.23 Play Equipment Fund and £24,286.54Parish Council Funds.
- DISCUSS AND AGREE THE PRECEPT FOR 2016 / 2017
It was resolved to set the precept level for 2016 / 2017 at £12,229.This will keep the cost to residents through their council tax bill the same as last year with no increase.
- PROPOSE PAYMENTS AND SIGN CHEQUES
Resolved that the balances as presented be accepted. Resolved that the following accounts be paid.
CHEQUES DRAWN AT MEETING
458Eon
Street Lighting Maintenance to 31.12.15146.66
459EON
Electricity Costs to 31.12.15
Price increase from 8.24p per kWh to 12.400p per kWh328.81
460Hayeswood Landscapes
Galvanised Gate 552.00
461Mr David Dicks
Padlock & Keys for new gate 21.83
462Nordis Signs
2 x Safety Signs for Play Area 92.69
463S Wong – Salary (18.11.15 to 19.1.16)
Salary 25hrs 279.75
Expenses
Useof clerks home as office – Dec / Jan£305/12 50.84
Broadband 20.00
Mileage 10miles 6.50
Less Tax Deductions -56.00
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301.09
464H M Revenue & Customs
Tax and NI Deductions – S Wong 56.00
465NCALC
Code of Conduct Training – 30.11.15 34.00
466Royal British Legion
Wreath for Remembrance Day 22.00
GRAND TOTAL OF CHEQUES 1533.08
- UPDATE REPORT REFERENCE DAVID CROSS BEQUEST
The last trip of the current year has now taken place nothing new to report.
330/16 DISCUSS ANY CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
Nothing to discuss.
331/16 DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Resolved that the next meeting is to be held on Tuesday 15thMarch 2016 at 7.30pm.
Meeting ended at 9.05pm.