Minutes of a meeting of Sawtry Parish Council held on June 14th 2017
Present: Cllrs Riddle, Tuplin, Custance, Elliott, Mynott, Alexander, Scott, Gadsby, Mulcrone, County Cllr Bywater
After co-option – Cllrs Parkes and Dickinson
No-one was recording the meeting.
87/17 / Apologies For Absence – Cllrs Laxton, Brown88/17 / To Sign And Approve Minutes Dated May 10th 2017 – attached
89/17 / Matters Arising From Previous Minutes (for information only)
90/17 / Members’ Declaration Of Interest for items on the Agenda
91/17 / Co-option to fill three vacancies
Statement from David Whittaker – attached
Paul Dickinson and Dean Parkes were co-opted. David Whittaker to be invited to attend the next meeting on July 12th.
Public forum – no members of the public present.
92/17 / To Receive Reports From Representatives Of Outside Bodies
County Council – Cllr Bywater:
- Assets and Commercialisation Committee agreed that the library will move into the Community Centre with a £100,000 budget to bring the building up to scratch. This will preserve the library and the Community Centre.
- Cllr Bywater has been voted Chairman of the Children and Young Persons Committee
Cllr Bywater left the meeting.
Sawtry Sports and Leisure Association – Cllrs Tuplin/Scott:
- At the AGM on Monday all officers were re-elected en bloc
- The accounts are currently in deficit of £44, the budget is approximately £9,000
- Had a stall at the carnival to promote the show on September 10th
- Annual meeting held on June 7th
- One vacancy on the board – this was offered to Cllr Riddle and she accepted
District Council – Cllr Tuplin:
- On the Planning and Licensing Committees this year
- Voted as a substitute for the independent member on the mayor’s scrutiny panel
93/17 / To Receive The Chairman’s Report. Cllr Riddle reported:
- Laid wreaths in May to commemorate the fallen, and will be laying more on Sunday
- Attended the carnival which Cllr Riddle thought was one of the best, it was very well organised. She spoke to stall holders who all said how much they enjoyed coming to the Sawtry carnival, and had tea with the Court. Congratulations have been passed on to the carnival committee.
94/17 / To Receive And In So Far As Required, Ratify Recommendations Contained In The Minutes Of The Following Committees (attached to this Agenda as listed)
Amenities / April 19th – attached (Appendix 1).
Approved.
Duties of Lead Councillor for the Allotments – approved.
The Clerk advised that Anglian Water had inspected the allotments and parts of the water system had failed current guidelines. It was agreed the work needed to be carried out as soon as possible.
Churches and Civic / May 3rd – attached (Appendix 2) – approved.
Churches Together event on The Green – June 18th – to consider approval subject to receipt of risk assessments and confirmation of insurance – it was agreed to allow the service to go ahead as risk assessments had been received by the Clerk.
Wreath Laying – June 18th – to consider request from the British Legion for the Parish Council to fund an additional wreath – it was agreed to lay an additional wreath at a cost of £25 in the name of John Thomas Parrott, funded by the Parish Council. Cllr Alexander to amend the records to include John Parrott.
Community / May 3rd – attached (Appendix 3) – approved
Cllr Gadsby reported that he has had a preliminary meeting with the Connexions Project regarding running the youth club. The approximate cost would be £7,800 a year. It was agreed to increase the current youth club budget from £6,000 to £7,800.
Cllr Gadsby will present the full proposals to the Community Committee on July 5th, for putting forward to Full Council on July 12th.
Finance and General Purposes / April 26th – attached (Appendix 4) – approved
The Clerk confirmed that the reviewed risk reports had been approved by the lead councillors.
Planning / May 24th – attached (Appendix 5) – approved
June 14th – attached (Appendix 6) – approved
It was noted that the planning application for Glebe Farm had been approved on appeal, and not by HDC.
It was agreed that the Parish Council need to ensure that the District Council include the condition that the roads are kept clean during the construction and that they enforce it. Cllr Scott confirmed that it was a condition on the Glebe Farm site and would check on the Gidding Road conditions.
95/17 / To Report Any Changes To Committee Membership:
Updated list of committees and members – noted
96/17 / Financial Report – noted, filed separately
1.To note summary of Receipts and Payments as at May 31st 2017 – attached
2.To note bank reconciliation at May 31st 2017 – attached
3. To note financial checks carried out: Cllr Mynott – June 14th2017
97/17 / To Approve Payment And Signing Of Cheques:
Cheques signed by Cllrs Riddle and Custance. Error in amount of cheque 306359 – this was cancelled and a new cheque 306373 written.
ChequeNo / Invoice No / Budget Heading / To / Amount / NET / VAT
306354 –
306358 / 84
–
88 / Wages/Salaries for 5 members of staff / Admin / 4319.12 / 4319.12 / 0.00
306359 / 89 / Village Maint – 64.78
Office Expenses – 120.36 / Viking / 185.14 / 154.28 / 30.86
306360 / 90 / Assistant Clerk Membership / The Society of Local Council Clerks / 108.00 / 108.00 / 0.00
306361 / 91 / Van Expenses / Alconbury Services / 44.02 / 36.68 / 7.34
306362 / 92 / Parish Council flag / House of Flags / 28.00 / 23.33 / 4.67
306363 / 93 / Membership / CAPALC / 672.37 / 672.37 / 0.00
306364 / 94 / S137 Donation – Light Factory Holiday Club / Sawtry Methodist Church / 160.00 / 160.00 / 0.00
306365 / 95 / S137 Donation- Summer Reading Challenge / Cambridgeshire County Council / 150.00 / 150.00 / 0.00
306366 / 96 / S137 Donation / Sawtry Sports and Leisure Association / 400.00 / 400.00 / 0.00
306367 / 97 / Property Maint / Trade UK / 336.17 / 280.15 / 56.02
306368 / 98 / Property Maint / A G E Electrical Services Ltd / 60.00 / 60.00 / 0.00
306369 / 99 / Property Maint / S G Electrical Services / 72.00 / 60.00 / 12.00
306370 / 100 / Office Expenses / Walters Ltd / 53.00 / 44.17 / 8.83
306371 / 101 / Internal Audit / canalbs ltd / 159.88 / 159.88 / 0.00
306372 / 102 / Youth Club – Jan to July 2017 / Cambridgeshire County Council / 2918.44 / 2432.04 / 486.40
TOTAL / 9666.14 / 9060.02 / 606.12
306373 / 89 / Village Maint – 64.78
Office Expenses – 120.36 / Viking / 185.14 / 154.28 / 30.86
98/17 / To Note Direct Debit Payments – Noted
CCC Pension Fund – Pension Contributions – £1903.29
HMRC – Tax & NI Payments – £1405.44
HDC – St Andrews Rates - £69
Eclipse Internet - £17.94 (£14.95 net)
Van Road Tax - £240
99/17 / Huntingdonshire Parish Council Conference – Police and Crime Commissioner invitation – September 15th 2017 – Cllr Riddle to attend.
100/17 / Correspondence – noted
For Referral:
- To Amenities – Play park repairs to multi play unit:
- quote from Andrew Dodson, to follow
- quote from sovereign to remove and install new equipment (in correspondence folder)
- To F & GP – Internal auditor report
- To F & GP – request from Air Ambulance and Salvation Army to site a clothing bank on Parish Council property
- Notes of Annual Parish Meeting – attached
- Handouts from HDC Workshop – Material Planning Considerations, including Development Management Members Contact details
- County Council update on Community Centre and Library Service – previous circulated to Councillors by e mail
- Minutes of the Cambridgeshire Local Pension Board
- Police Sawtry Update – May 2017
- Police – North West Huntingdon Area update – February – May 2017
- Cambs CC – Corporate Energy Strategy for Cambridgeshire
- Cambs CC – Community Reach Funding information
- Thank you from British Legion for donation
- NALC Chief Executive Briefing – April 2017
- ‘Green Book’ – (National Joint Council for Local Government Services National Agreement on Pay and Conditions) – has been updated to include pay scales from 1997 – 2017, revised Maternity Scheme (previously notified November 2007), increase in annual leave entitlement to 21 days (previously notified September 2009), updated NJC job evaluation scheme guidance (previously notified July 2013)
- CAPALC training course programme 2017
- Local Council Public Advisory Service (LCPAS) – legal updates, health and safety updates, fire precautions and fire protection – May/June
- A P Partnership – May 2017
- Local Councils Updates – May and June 2017
101/17 / Exclusion Of Press & Public - To Resolve That the press and public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains sensitive information.
102/17 /
- Staffing Matters – Minutes of staffing committee held on May 3rd –private minutes filed separately
- Response from E and M Lane re: disqualification due to non-attendance at meetings – noted, no action required,
- Private minutes from F & GP – noted, filed separately
103/17 / Next Meeting – July 12th 2017 at 7.30pm
Appendix 1 – Minutes of the Amenities Committee held on April 19th 2017
Present: Cllrs Riddle, Tuplin, Laxton, Custance, Gadsby, Mulcrone, Ashley, Scott
Prior to the meeting the committee visited the play park to look at the recent vandalism to the multi play unit.
At the start of the meeting Cllr Riddle asked if anyone was recording the meeting – no.
1 / Apologies For Absence – none2 / Minutes of Last Meeting – February 15th – previously circulated
3 / Matters Arising From Previous Minutes (for information only) – none
4 / Members’ Declaration Of Interest for items on the Agenda – none
5 / Sawtry Sports and Leisure Association:
5.1 Update – Cllr Tuplin – the field will be spiked again this year, this is the third year and the turf is improving.
5.2 To note invoice for 2017/18 has been issued – noted
6 / Allotments:
6.1 Update from Clerk – all the allotments at St Judith’s have tenants. Due to problems experienced by the contractor the hedges were not cut before the end of February. This will be re-scheduled for September. The allotments at The Mulberries will soon be ready for adoption. Cllrs will inspect prior to taking them on.
The Clerk handed out a draft paper on the duties of the lead councillor for allotments – to be considered at the Full Council AGM in May.
7 / Village – Green Spaces, Play areas and Maintenance
St Judith’s Field:
7.1 Time plan for repositioning of interpretation board – Cllr Riddle to look at costings.
7.2 Youth Shelter – maintenance required – damaged panels have not been replaced, needs re-painting. Clerk to find out costings.
7.3 Notice for gates re keeping clear for emergencies – no further action at this stage
7.4 Dog warden – contact Huntingdonshire District Council
Play Park, Green End Road:
7.5 To note repairs to swings and motorcycle have been completed by Wicksteed - noted
7.6 The recent vandalism was noted by the committee – caretakers to repair slats to walkway. It was agreed that the issues identified by Wicksteed at their annual inspection in February would be addressed by employing a local contractor.
8 / Tree Warden Report – no report
9 / Strategic Planning/Future Projects:
9.1 Cllrs Mulcrone and Gadsby to look into costings and health and safety implications of having a Christmas tree on The Green.
9.2 Cllr Mulcrone to look into costings for purchase of a red telephone box to be used as a village noticeboard.
10 / Financial Report – to note overpayment on Allotment Maintenance budget due to removal of trees from alongside the allotments which was not planned.
11 / Notices and Correspondence:
11.1 From resident re dog fouling on the green – Clerk to write and suggest resident contacts HDC Dog Warden with comments.
11.2 Copy of email from resident to HDC re fly tipping, blocking of flood pond near Monks Way – noted.
12 / Date of next meeting – June 21st – 7.30pm (later than previously advertised)
Appendix 2 – Minutes of a meeting of Churches and Civic held on May 3rd 2017
Present: Cllrs Alexander, Riddle, Ashley, Tuplin, Laxton, Mynott
Tony Stefanelli (St Benedict’s), Liz Coates (Methodist), and two members of the public
1 / Apologies for Absence – Cllr Custance2 / Minutes of Last Meeting – March 1st 2017 – previously approved.
3 / Members Declaration of Interest for Items on the Agenda – none
4 / Update/Reports from Church Representatives:
4.1 All Saints – no representative was present. It was noted that the RevdMacFadyen was on temporary tenure until the summer.
4.2 Methodist Church – Revd Alan Taylor is staying for another year, until next summer. There will be a gift aid day on June 4th. Fundraising is currently taking place for stage 2 of the building project.
4.3 St Benedict’s – hosted the Stages of the Cross which was held at the Caresco Centre. Attended the Walk of Witness and the service afterwards on Good Friday. Two weeks ago the annual bluebell woods walk and social event took place.
5 / Review of Cemeteries:
5.1 All Saints – nothing to report
5.2 Closed Churchyard – nothing to report
5.3 St Andrews
5.3.1 To address the issues of waterlogging at St Andrews Cemetery:
Correspondence and photos from relatives, photos taken by Cllr Alexander and a reply from the Co-op funerals were circulated and considered.
It is agreed that the cemetery is not level and falls away.
Alders have been planted to try and address some of the issues due to the clay soil.
The environment agency will not allow drainage from a cemetery to go into a water course.
The Parish Council will ensure that there is always top soil available for the caretakers to keep the graves topped up.
The Committee will investigate what happened in this case – including the actions of the Co-op and the grave digger and the differing versions of events
The Committee will look into the possibility of a French drain near the end of the car park
Cllr Alexander or another committee member to be present when graves are dug in the future
The Clerk to reply to Mrs Thompson – the Parish Council are concerned, they are looking at the past and investigating what happened and also looking at what might be done in the future.
5.4 Fees from April 2017 attached for information – noted
6 / World War I Commemorations – Cllr Alexander thanked Cllrs Riddle and Ashley for being involved in the recent wreath laying and said that it was a very nice ceremony. Cllr Riddle thanked Cllr Alexander for his work in preparing the pictures and write up for each soldier for the wreaths, it is excellent. It was agreed that the preferred option would be to lay wreaths individually on the date of the soldier’s death but this was not practical for the RevdMacfadyen and the British Legion. Cllr Ashley agreed that it was nice to have the photos on the wreaths so that you could see who you were commemorating.
7 / Next Meeting – July 5th 2017 at 7.00pm
Appendix 3 – Minutes of a meeting of the Community Committee held on May 3rd 2017
Present: Cllrs Riddle, Gabsby, Mulcrone, Mynott, Laxton, Tuplin
Roy and Terry (SYP), Tony Stefanelli and Liz Coates (CARESCO)
Due to the absence of Cllr Custance, Cllr Riddle chaired the meeting.
1 / APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Cllr Custance, Sarah Wilson, Julie Keighley2 / MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING – March 1st – previously circulated and approved.
3 / MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES (for information only) – none
4 / MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF INTEREST for items on the Agenda – Cllr Gadsby – item 5.5 – personal and financial.
5 / YOUTH UPDATE:
5.1 Infant School – no representative
5.2 Junior School – no representative
5.3 Village Academy – no representative
5.4 Youth Service – no representative. The Clerk updated the committee – the County Council will stop providing management support for the youth club at the end of July. It was agreed to publicise this in the village to see if any other organisation would be willing to take it on. Cllr Gadsby was delegated to liaise with Liz Morris of Cambs CC regarding how to continue. He will report back to Full Council in June.
Cllr Gadsby left the room for the next item.
5.5 Sawtry Youth Project - request for a site on St Judith’s Field to be allocated to the skateboard project presented to the committee. As 10% of the required funding has been raised the group can now go for funding applications. They need written approval from the Council to take this forward with specific costs once the exact area has been defined. The proposal is for a sunken design that would fit in with the landscape – as recently installed at Irthlingborough. The potential users would be consulted and the designers would then match this with the actual site. The estimated timescale for delivery is within the next 12 months. The original estimate of 650 sq metres was for two projects – skate park, and also seating and inclusive gym equipment. The initial project would just be for the skate park and this would cover 350 – 450 sq metres.
Parish Council would need answers/solutions to various issues prior to giving consent:
- Planning approval
- Consultation with the whole village
- Drainage
- Access for emergency vehicles
- Advice from the police re siting
- On-going supervision and maintenance
6 / Cllr Gadsby returned to the meeting.
SAWTRY SHOW – the committee met last week, they are being encouraged to set up their own bank account, the judges have been contacted, and the academy is being consulted re entries.
7 / SAWTRY CARNIVAL – minutes of recent meetings received. The court was at the Stilton cheese rolling on Bank Holiday Monday. Bookings are flooding in from both the community and professional groups. Greystones will be providing the beer tent.
It was recommended that the Carnival committee contact the Huntingdonshire Safety Advisory Group for approval for the event if they had not already done so.
8 / CARESCO – two new activities – Chatterbox which is support for carers, and a support group for people living with autism.
A Dementia Friends national initiative is being undertaken – one hour information sessions for the whole community, dates will be in the Sawtry Eye. This will provide useful information to everyone regarding living in a community with people with dementia.
9 / POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER – details of next public surgery circulated.
10 / NEXT MEETING – July 5th 2017 at 7.30pm
Appendix 4 – Minutes of a meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 26/4/17