Minutes of Keyworth Parish Council Meeting Held in the Centenary Lounge on Monday, 14

DRAFT

MINUTES OF KEYWORTH PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE CENTENARY LOUNGE ON MONDAY, 14 APRIL 2008 AT 7.00PM

PRESENT:

Parish Councillors: Kemmer [Chairman], Mrs Abbey, Barton, Mrs Boote [Borough & Parish], Mrs Chmara, Erwin, Edwards, Evans [Borough & Parish], Grant, Grice, Mrs Howard, Heeley, Mrs Oakley Mrs Price.

Staff: Mr Grocock [Clerk], Mrs Orr [Secretary].

Other Local Councillors: Borough Cllr Sam Boote.

Village Plan Steering Group: Trevor Dobson.

Members of Public: None.

08/7791Apologies

Apologies received from Cllrs Kemp and Roos, and County/Borough Cllr Cottee.

08/7792Declarations of Interest

Cllr Mrs Chmara declared an interest in item 08/7797a, and signed the interests book.

08/7793Trevor Dobson – Village Plan

Cllr Kemmer introduced Mr Trevor Dobson [Chairman of the Village Plan steering group] who updated the Council as follows:

At the initial Village Plan meeting, forty volunteers came forward.

The themes of the Plan are as follows:

-Housing and Planning: types of development – commercial/ residential; conservation; green belt development; planning decisions.

-Business and Commerce: shopping/services considerations; meeting the needs of the community; what would encourage resident to use local businesses more; separate questionnaire for 200 businesses – looks at issues to help and support.

-Young People [11 – 18 year olds]: activities – range /value/ access/ unsupervised; views of residents on behaviour in and around the village; Barrie Voyce has contacted South Wolds school and will undertake a survey.

-Environment : local, immediate, personal safety/global; nature reserve, seating, community schemes, litter, neighbourhood watch; shops - use of plastic bags.

-Leisure: leisure centre use/opportunities, library, adult education, organised games on Sundays, information about events.

-Health and Welfare: welfare support for vulnerable groups; health provision – health centre.

-Transport: types used within Keyworth; congestion/ obstruction/ visibility problems; speed controls; public transport – inter/intra; cycle paths; car sharing; parking – public car park use, residents’ zones, charges.

Questionnaire to every house in the village, in a resealable plastic bag; will take about 15 minutes to complete; sent out with May Keyworth News.

Collection - Saturday, 10 May.; volunteers required; there will also be a drop-off point. Councillors’ help would be appreciated.

June/July - analysis data will be available, to determine project activity.

Prize Draw – winners announced at Keyworth show: 1st prize £100; 2nd prize £50; 3rd prize £25. Initial findings will be shown.

September - further surveys; examine funding options/availability, manage expectations.

December/January – creation of and consultation on draft version.

Final report should be ready in June 2009.

Questions were invited:

Cllr Heeley enquired whether budget requirements could not be established in time for 2009/10.

Cllr Kemmer responded that, once the survey has been completed, and it is known what residents want, the budgetary implications could be considered.

Cllr Grice enquired what feedback would be expected from residents.

Mr Dobson responded that people would be asked whether they agree/disagree with the various points raised.

Cllr Mrs Howard enquired how many questions did the questionnaire contain. Answer: 40 questions.

Cllr Mrs Boote expressed concern regarding the difficulties some people may encounter when filling in the questionnaire – language difficulty, blind people, etc.

Cllr Mrs Chmara suggested that the local health centre may be able to help.

Cllr Mrs Howard enquired how the collection of the survey would be organised.

Mr Dobson responded that house names and/or numbers would be allotted to each collector; a minimum of 50 volunteers would be required, each collecting from 40 – 80 houses.

Cllr Kemmer thanked Mr Dobson for his presentation and for the useful information given.

Mr Dobson left the meeting at this point

08/7794Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2008 were APPROVED and signed as a true record.

08/7795Matters Arising

There were no matters arising.

08/7796Council Vacancy

The Clerk reported that, following the resignation of Cllr Mrs Carr, it would not be known until 30.4.08 whether the Council would be able to co-opt a replacement.

Assuming that co-option is possible, it was AGREED that a panel comprising any three of Cllrs Kemmer, Erwin, Mrs Oakley and Grice should interview applicants, the vacancy to be advertised in the June edition of the Keyworth News.

08/7797Finance

a)Schedule of Payments/Reimbursements

-A schedule of payments and reimbursements had been circulated prior to the meeting - see Appendix 1.

-Cllr Mrs Howard questioned the electricity bill: could the Council not look into changing the supplier?

-The Clerk pointed out that the Council currently had a fixed price contract with the current supplier.

-The schedule was APPROVED.

b)Cllr Kemmer moved the adoption of the Finance & General Purposes report dated 3.3.08; seconded by Cllr Erwin. The report was ADOPTED and the recommendations contained therein APPROVED.

c)Cllr Kemmer moved the adoption of the Finance & General Purposes report dated 31.3.08; seconded by Cllr Mrs Boote. The report was ADOPTED and the recommendations contained therein APPROVED.

-Cllr Kemmer drew attention to the discussions which had taken place regarding the review of standing orders.

-Cllr Grant suggested that Cllrs should not have to give reasons for absence at meetings.

-Cllr Evans suggested that the frequency of attendance at meetings was more important, so why ask for reasons for absence?

-Cllrs Mrs Abbey and Grice both suggested that reasons for absence should be given “as a matter of common courtesy”.

-Cllr Kemmer suggested that reasons for absence should not be minuted.

-The Clerk reminded Council that he was meant to be reporting back to the Finance & General Purposes committee on this issue.

08/7798Planning

a)Cllr Mrs Abbey moved the adoption of the report dated 10.3.08; seconded by Cllr Barton. The report was ADOPTED and the recommendations contained therein APPROVED.

b)Cllr Abbey moved the adoption of the report dated 7.4.08; seconded by Cllr Mrs Howard. The report was ADOPTED and the recommendations contained therein APPROVED.

-Cllr Mrs Abbey reported that she had written, enclosing a copy of the relevant minutes, to the applicant for the proposed restaurant on Bunny Lane/Nottingham Road. Some confusion had arisen regarding the Parish Council’s involvement in the final grant of permission and conditions. Cllr Mrs Abbey had pointed out that the Parish Council Planning committee did not object to the plan, the final decision coming from Rushcliffe Borough Council.

-Cllr Grice stated that he had also pointed out that the Parish Council had nothing to do with the final decision.

08/7799Village Hall Report

Cllr Grice reported as follows:

The security guard would be dispensed with from 1.5.08; the new key holding system had been rolled out successfully by the office staff.

The committee was applying for a lottery grant to get some work done at the Village Hall.

Cllr Roos had completed the proposed promotional leaflet.

The Clerk had been asked to make enquiries regarding the possibility of getting a licence for letting the Village Hall out for civil weddings.

The cost of replacing the flooring in the hallway was being investigated.

08/7800Burial Ground Report

Cllr Heeley had drafted a letter, circulated prior to the meeting, the intention being to write to the deed holders of plots which had loose stone chippings, which were considered to be a health and safety hazard.

In response to a query from Cllr Kemmer, Cllr Heeley confirmed that this applied only to plots where the chippings were not contained by kerbing; ten to fifteen plots were affected.

The letter was APPROVED subject to an amendment suggested by Cllr Erwin. See Appendix 2.

Cllr Heeley reported that, at the last meeting, the committee discussed a green solution country park type of car park instead of a tarmac one; this to be discussed again at the next meeting.

08/7801Amenities/Skatepark Report

Cllr Mrs Price reported as follows:

Letter had been sent out regarding hanging baskets around the village; positive response thus far; closing date next Monday.

Committee is beginning to think about Xmas lights; Cllr Mrs Price writing a project plan/timescale.

Tarmaccing completed at the Nottingham Road play area; the Clerk organising a new notice re opening times.

Old play area: news awaited from the tennis club.

Farmers Market: Cllr Grant preparing a paper which would be presented at the next Full Council meeting.

Skatepark

Cllr Mrs Boote gave an illustrated presentation regarding graffiti at the skatepark. She explained that:

She had researched professional graffiti art: a mixture of tag and art on the pillars, posts and even some ground area.

It would involve taking off some of the old graffiti and renewing with professional art.

The approximate cost would be around £650, but this would be funded by grants and donations.

Cllr Mrs Price commented that Cllr Mrs Boote had put a lot of work into this, and asked permission from the Council for her to go ahead.

Cllr Mrs Boote’s proposals were APPROVED.

08/7802Community Liaison Report

Cllr Kemmer reported as follows:

Ian Machan had reported to the committee regarding the activities of the Friends of Keyworth Leisure Centre, who had done some good work: it now seemed likely that the centre would not have to go.

Parking:

-A paper drawn up by Cllr Heeley had been circulated.

-Cllr Kemmer urged members read paper.

-Cllr Evans stated that the Borough Council would take over responsibility for parking restrictions.

-Cllr Erwin pointed out that dangerous parking would continue to be a matter for the police.

-Cllr Barton commented that South Wolds school was the only school of that size he knew which does not have on-site parking site for staff.

08/7803Nature Reserve

Cllr Mrs Abbey reported that there had been a meeting of the Nature Reserve Management group on 13.4.08; new information leaflets would be available shortly; open day: Sunday 18.5.08 [11.00am – 4.00pm].

08/7804KPFA

Cllr Kemmer reported that a new KPFA chairman had been appointed: Mr John Dring.

Cllr Kemmer drew attention to the letter which had been received from Nic Seller [KPFA vice chairman] and circulated prior to the meeting.

08/7805Platt Lane

Cllr Mrs Boote reported that the next meeting would be on 17.4.08.

08/7806Co-options to Advisory Committees

NOTED that Daphne Butler and Ken Jackson had been co-opted to the Amenities and Burial Ground advisory committees respectively.

08/7807Farmers Market Proposals

Nothing to report at this stage. See also 08/7801.

08/7808Parish/Borough Council Liaison

Cllr Heeley confirmed that he had attended a forum on recycling.

08/7809Annual Parish Meeting

Cllr Kemmer reported that he had invited Trevor Dobson back to address the Annual Parish meeting.

AGREED that Cllr Roos should be invited to speak on ‘Britain in Bloom’.

08/7810Correspondence

See Appendix 3 for full list.

Letter to Cllr Kemmer from Robert Buckby:

-Information on Councillors [08/7645 14.5.07]; Cllr Kemmer confirmed that he would be taking this matter up with the Community Liaison advisory committee.

-Conservation Heritage Plaque: Cllr Mrs Abbey is doing her utmost to get this done.

-Keyworth Show takings: Cllr Erwin stated that details are given in the Keyworth News.

Cllr Kemmer thanked Borough Councillor Sam Boote for his comprehensive report.

Cllr Erwin queried Borough Cllr Boote’s involvement in issues relating to the ward represented by County/Borough Cllr Cottee.

Borough Cllr Boote explained that any Borough Councillor can help any resident in any ward.

There being no further business, the chairman closed the meeting at 8.55pm.

1