HANNINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A MEETING HELD ON 7 APRIL 2015
958. Attendance and Acceptance of Apologies. Approval of Reasons for Absence.
Present: Chairman J Middleton, Vice Chairman I Wilson, Councillors M Briggs, E Gill, C Middleton and A Ross.
Apologies: None
Since the last meeting Councillor T Smith had resigned.
In Attendance: 5 members of the public.
959. Dispensations received and granted.
There were no dispensations received and granted since the last meeting.
960. Members Declaration of Interest for Items on the Agenda.
There were no declarations of interest made.
961. Public Forum - 15 minutes - with a maximum of 5 minutes per question.
Mr K Simons informed the meeting that he had reported some fly tipping on Red House Lane to DDC.
962. County and District Councillors.
The County and District Councillors did not attend.
963. Approve and Sign Minutes of the Meetings dated 3 and 24 March 2015.
The minutes of the meetings having previously been circulated were proposed for acceptance by the Vice Chairman and seconded by Councillor C Middleton as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman.
964. To review action taken on matters arising from the minutes of the previous meetings (for information only).
The Clerk had done a letter to Mr E Stevens.
Walgrave Road verge reported on Street Doctor – no action to be taken.
Still no response from the Developers re Lime Trees Close street light.
The fallen tree had been removed.
The letter had been sent to Mrs Y Whittaker.
The Annual Parish Meeting had been confirmed for 21 April 2015.
Meeting held on 24 March – three letters of complaint had been sent to DDC and acknowledgements received – the complaints are under consideration.
965. Correspondence:
(a) Northants Police Commissioner – Parish Special Constables & attendance at the Daventry Parish Council Summit 20 April 7-9pm. The Vice Chairman and Councillor M Briggs to attend.
(b) Letter from resident – solar farm. No action required.
966. Review of Parish Assets:
(a) Pocket Park – the post and rail fence will need attention in due course.
(b) Allotments.
Contracts for the forthcoming year had been issued and payments (which were passed to the Clerk) had been received from all except three plot holders. This will be reviewed at the next meeting. The Chairman also took the opportunity to thank everyone connected with the replanting of the hedge.
(c) Bus Shelter/BT kiosk – both OK.
(d) Mallards Wood – weeds had been sprayed and moss/sticky weed removed.
(e) VAS – battery to be changed 8 April.
967. Report from Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator.
Councillor C Middleton advised that there was nothing to report since the last meeting.
968. Parish Council Elections – 7 May 2015 update.
The Statement of Persons Nominated will be issued on Friday 9 April. Hannington Life will be delayed until then as it will determine the date of the Annual Meeting – if there is an Election, it will be 19 May, if uncontested, it will be 12 May and should there not be a full complement of Councillors, it will include an advance notice of casual vacancies.
969. Pre planning application proposal received for three Affordable Houses for Rent – land off Walgrave Road.
In line with previous advice given, it was agreed that the Clerk would write to Morton Wykes Kramer stating that the PC could offer no opinion on the proposed scheme as it had no policy nor data to support that Hannington had an Affordable House need – the 2014 Housing Need Survey showed one * 2 bedroom open market bungalow, the previous scheme took two round of advertising to be let and the shared ownership house lay empty for several months. In addition the recently completed scheme at Walgrave still has some units unoccupied. The PC would await the formal planning application from DDC when it would be discussed in the appropriate manner.
970. Planning Application Update – DA/2012/0631 & DA/2014/0694 (Amended) & DA/2015/0138.
DA/2014/0694 had been approved by DDC on 11 March but was currently under review by the Secretary of State. The remaining two applications have not been decided upon.
971. NCC/KierWSP –current 37 bus service contract is due to expire on 29 August, comments required by 17 April on current operation and/or any proposed changes.
Following a discussion it was agreed that the Clerk would inform John Ellerby that the Parish Council was still pressing for the re-instatement of Service 39 as Service 37 was not what the village requested or of much use to the village.
972. Welcome Pack and presentation folders.
Councillor M Briggs is to supply the changes to the Welcome Pack to the Clerk, who will update and amend Councillor details and e-mail addresses. Councillor A Ross offered to supply some presentation folders to the PC.
973. Finance:
(a) Approve expenditure items received.
It was agreed to pay the following invoices:
E.on – electricity supply Chq 592 £65.15
Mrs J Friell – Jan to March salary & expenses Chq 593 £542.02
HMR&C – Paye Jan to March Chq 594 £132.00
Hannington VHC – hire of Hall Chq 595 £13.50
J Middleton – spiral guards Chq 596 £10.20
Northants CALC – internal audit & subscription Chq 597 £363.88
The reconciled bank balance was £7,947.49
(b) Approve income received.
The Clerk had received notification that the VAT refund of £217.29 had been sent.
(c) E.on price increase.
Notification had been received from E.on that the unmetered electricity supply would increase from 8.24p per kWh to 12.40p per kWh – c50% (first increase since 2008). Switching to a fixed tern contract would however be more expensive. Currently NCALC are looking into alternative suppliers and/or creating a “buying group”.
974. Hannington Life - items for inclusion in the next edition & distribution of TS round.
Councillor C Middleton had produced a draft copy for April, which was agreed by the Parish Council for publication subject to a minor alteration on the Wine Tasting/Quiz Night and the updates required once the Statement of Persons Nominated had been received from DDC.
975. Councillors’ comments for consideration at next meeting.
To consider a complaint to the RTPI against the Directors of Asbri Planning and the pothole near Grange Farm, Red House Lane.
976. Date of next meetings –21 April Annual Parish Meeting, Annual Meeting - 12 or 19 May – dependent on election.