KSPC

KIMBOLTON & STONELY PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES of the Council meeting held at 7 p.m. on Thursday 25 February 2016 at the Fire Station, Thrapston Rd, Kimbolton.

PRESENT Councillors K Hutchinson (in the Chair); Mrs E Milne; D Poole; R Gooderham; Mrs R Lloyd; Mrs S Hawkes and Ms S Mugglestone.

IN ATTENDANCE County Councillor P Downes, District Councillor J Gray and C L Thatcher, Clerk to the Council .

22/16 APOLOGIES were received from Councillors Mrs D Hellett; L Farrer; P Seabrook and Mrs J Stainer.

23/16 PUBLIC FORUM was not used.

24/16 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No declarations were made.

25/16 COUNTY COUNCILLOR

Councillor Downes referred to the County Council’s intention to increase their precept by 2% and said that this represented a sum of £2.4m for each percentage point.

He said that elections will be held in 2017 and that the effects of the boundary review will be felt at that time, with the number of councillors being reduced and Kimbolton being in a new larger ward with Alconbury.

Councillor Ms Mugglestone joined the meeting.

Councillor Downes also mentioned the new policy relating to road markings.

Councillor Hutchinson asked why the County Council insists on closing roads rather than having traffic control by means of lights etc. The recent closure of the B645 caused great inconvenience to the public over a considerable time and it is noted that the intention is to do the same with the B660 at Catworth, where the suggested diversion is around 20 miles in length. Is this not all for the convenience of the contractors, with little thought being given to the public?

Councillor Downes suggested writing to Richard Lumley () and copying in Jonathan Clarke.

Councillor Downes left the meeting.

26/16 MINUTES

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 21 January 2016 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting.

The minutes of the special meeting held on 28 January 2016 were read, approved and signed as a true record of that meeting.

27/16 MATTERS ARISING

a)  Neighbourhood Watch. No report.

b)  Car Parking in High St. Nothing to report.

c)  Playpark slide & gate repairs. Councillor Mrs Hellett was unable to be present today but had provided the Clerk with three quotes for equipment. She recommended that the cheaper quote, that from Kompan, be accepted. Members agreed but were concerned at the cost – and necessity – for matting, given that the slide is to be sited on grass. The Clerk was asked to contact our insurers and the suppliers to check a) whether matting is a legal requirement and b) whether the absence of it would cause our insurers concern. Should it be possible to install the slide without the matting then it was proposed by Councillor Ms Mugglestone, seconded by Councillor Mrs Hawkes, that we do so but if this is not possible then it was agreed to accept the Kompan quote in its entirety.

d)  Fitness Equipment. Following discussion it was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Mrs Lloyd and agreed that the equipment be sited at Pound Lane.

e)  High St paving. A response is awaited from Councillor Farrer, who was seeking more reasonable prices for granite setts.

f)  Hedge Laying. The work has now been finished.

g)  Cricket Club Nets & Lease. Nothing to report further. The Club is seeking funding and will contact us when this is in place.

28/16 PLANNING MATTERS

The following application was received –

16/00192 Unit 4 Brook Rd, Bicton Industrial Estate – change of use.

It was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Mrs Milne and unanimously agreed to recommend approval as appropriate development.

29/16 REPORTS

a)  Allotments. Councillor Mrs Lloyd said that there appeared to be no problems at present and she was pleased to learn that all plots have now been let.

b)  Mandeville Hall. Councillor Mrs Lloyd said that the Hall Committee are asking that the car park sign which was run over be reinstated. The Scouts wish to have a sign on the wall advertising their presence. It was agreed that this could be on the side wall, providing it was no bigger than A3.

c)  Kimbolton School Governors. Councillor Mrs Hawkes said that the Bursar wished to pass on his thanks to the Clerk for assistance during the recent flooding.

30/16 CORRESPONDENCE

a)  Town and Parish Planning Forums. It was agreed that Councillors Hutchinson and Mrs Milne will represent this Council.

b)  A letter detailing the final decision in the electoral review of Cambridgeshire was read.

c)  St Neots Museum. A letter of thanks for our donation was received and a reminder that residents may have free access to the museum.

d)  War Memorials Trust. The grant from the Trust has been received and, together with this, recommendations from the Trust regarding the safe keeping of the Memorial, particularly that we should have it listed. It was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Mrs Lloyd and agreed that the Clerk should apply for listed status for the memorial.

e)  Clean for the Queen. It was thought this worth supporting providing we can have the support of HDC, by way of bags, tongs and hi-vis jackets for the litter pickers. It was agreed that the weekend 9/10 April should be the weekend and the project be advertised.

f)  Neighbourhood Planning Workshop 15 March – It was agreed not to send a representative.

g)  Pennington Properties notification of changes to the law regarding the need to show eligibility to stay in this country when renting property.

h)  Anglian Water campaign ‘Pollution Watch’.

31/16 HM QUEEN’S 90th BIRTHDAY

The Clerk advised that permission can be obtained for a road closure, without charge.

Councillor Mrs Lloyd said that the working party had decided that there would be too much work to attempt to hold the event in the High St, so they were going to base it on the Mandeville Hall. The date is 11 June 2016.

The working party asks whether the Parish Council would be willing to underwrite the costs of the event, if necessary, up to a maximum of £250. This was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Mrs Milne and unanimously agreed.

Councillor Gray joined the meeting.

32/16 STREET LIGHTING

The Clerk read the letter received from a resident who had tripped and fallen in the dark area of Thrapston Road. He also explained that in order to provide a streetlight on the south side, power would have to be run across the road from the north side and the likely cost of a new lamp there would be around £5000. A new lamp could be installed on the north side for about £2000.

Members asked the Clerk to seek advice on the type of light and the siting of it, to check that the spread would be sufficient to cover the dark areas, particularly where the pavement is narrowest.

33/16 ACCOUNTS

The following were approved for payment –

Arthur Ibbett Ltd Fencing and protective clothing £112.49 inc VAT

K & M Lighting Streetlight maintenance £119.48 “ “

F R Kidman Clearing ditch £450.00 no “

Fishers Sundries £37.45 inc “

E-On Energy hearse house & streetlight £53.24 “ “

D Eades February work £609.84 no “

C L Thatcher Reimbursement re fuel purchased £30.49 inc “

Payroll costs Pay, PAYE & NIC £1904.36 no “

34/16 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

Councillor Gray initially apologised for having missed the previous two meetings.

He said that last night Huntingdonshire DC had agreed its budget in one and a half hours. They have again frozen Council Tax and once more set a surplus budget, however, by 2021 they will probably have a gap to close.

Assuming the loss of the new homes bonus by the end of this parliamentary session they will have to rely on Council Tax and Business Rates.

35/16 IT WAS RESOLVED to exclude the Press and public from the following item in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960.

36/16 GRASS CUTTING TENDERS

Members considered the three tenders received and it was proposed by Councillor Gooderham, seconded by Councillor Mrs Hawkes and agreed to accept the quote of CGM Group Ltd, this being the lowest tender.

37/16 MEMBERS’ POINTS OF INFORMATION

Councillor Gooderham expressed his concern at the holes left in the recreation ground at Pound Lane where the bars had earlier been removed.

Councillor Mrs Lloyd asked about the notice board in the High St and was told that it had been agreed to consider this in the next financial year.

Councillor Mrs Milne asked whose responsibility was the hedge on the north side of the Causeway.

Councillor Poole referred to the mess left on the cobbles outside Simpsons, where the rendering had taken place.

38/16 NEXT MEETING

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Thursday 10 March in the Youth Room at the Mandeville Hall, commencing at 7.30 pm followed by a special Council meeting to deal with planning matters.

The next normal meeting of Council will be on Thursday 31 March 2016 in the Fire Station, commencing at 7pm.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 2150 hours.