DRAFT
MINUTES OF KEYWORTH PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD
IN THE CENTENARY LOUNGE ON MONDAY, 16 JUNE 2014 AT 7.00PM.
PRESENT:
Chairman: Cllr Grice.
Parish Councillors: Abbey (Borough/Parish), Keith Barton, Sheila Barton, Debbie Boote (Borough/Parish), Sam Boote (Borough/ Parish), Butler, Cane, Chmara, Erwin, Harding, Oakley, Pinder, Watts, Wells.
Also present: Neil Grocock (Clerk); County/Borough Cllr Cottee; Shelley Millband and three other representatives of the Keyworth Community Park Project.
15/8372 Apologies
q There were no apologies, all members of the Council being present.
15/8373 Declarations of Interest
q There were no declarations of interest.
15/8374 Presentation - Keyworth Community Park Project
q Shelley Millband, having handed out copies of an illustrative plan, reported as follows regarding the activities of the Keyworth Community Park Project:
- Autonomous, formally constituted group aiming to raise funds for improvement of Nottingham Road play area.
- Permission sought from Notts County Council to extend the play area, but turned down as land may be required for other purposes.
- Plans for more imaginative play equipment; estimated cost £19k.
- Conversion of half of surface to soft foam would cost an additional £16k; failing that, current woodchip surface would be topped up.
- £2k raised since July 2013, including grant from Cllr Cottee.
- Possibility of Big Lottery funding being explored.
- Huge support from the Primary & Nursery School.
- Support from Parish Council by way of free use of venues.
q Shelley and the other members of the group were congratulated on progress thus far and thanked for the update.
Shelley Millband and three other representatives of the
Keyworth Community Park Project left the meeting at this point.
15/8375 Minutes
q The minutes of the Annual Parish Council meeting on 12.5.14 were APPROVED and signed by Cllr Grice as a true record.
15/8376 Matters Arising
q (15/8370) Cllr Abbey queried whether Cllr Grice had, in fact, been made honorary Mayor of Feignes for life, as reported, or for the duration of his chairmanship. Cllr Grice confirmed that he has been told the honour was for life.
q (15/8369) Cllr Grice reported as follows regarding the proposed Tennis Club lease:
- John Stansfield, club chairman, confirms club happy to proceed with lease without break clauses provided club signatories can sign as trustees whose liability is limited to the assets of the club.
- Council’s solicitor will be instructed to prepare lease accordingly.
- Actual lease subject to approval by Full Council.
- Club still declining to take independent legal advice.
- Financial risk insofar as Council committed to legal fees which would still be payable if the club declined to sign the lease.
q Cllr Sam Boote updated the Council regarding:
- (15/8357c) Continued discussions with David Mitchell [Executive Manager Communities, Rushcliffe Borough Council] regarding enforcement of planning decisions in respect of high fences; Cllr Boote added that he felt there was no place for expediency in this respect and that a strong line needed to be taken.
- (15/8357d) Advice Centre: one-off drop-in session on 24.6.16, but full re-opening delayed until 23.9.14 in order that more advisers can be recruited.
- (15/8364) Debdale Spinney: Positive Futures formulating plans; new name under discussion – ‘Spinney Wood’ a possibility. Cllr Pinder commented that ‘Spinney Wood’ was, in fact, an oxymoron.
15/8377 Correspondence
q The following items had been included in the briefing notes for the meeting:
- Email from resident re drug litter on Rectory Field – NOTED.
Cllr Grice reported that he had passed this on to the police who, in turn, had spoken to the writer of the email; the police did not believe that there was a serious drug problem on the Rectory field; however, Cllr Grice had arranged for the Facilities Manager and groundsman to collect any evidence which was found on site.
- Email from resident re union flag – NOTED.
After due discussion, it was AGREED that the Parish Council did not need another flag [in addition to the one by the Village Hall car park on Elm Avenue].
- Email from resident re parking – NOTED.
Cllr Grice suggested that the local Borough Councillors should contact the relevant people at the Borough Council, to ascertain what, if anything, could be done and the cost implications if any.
- Email from resident re weeds in square – NOTED.
Forwarded on to Cllr Cottee who reported that he was awaiting a response from Notts County Council Highways.
Cllr Abbey suggested that perhaps Positive Futures could play a part in dealing with the problem.
- Licensing application re Plumtree Restaurant; also circulated by email 23.5.14 – NOTED.
Cllr Abbey commented that this appeared to be premature as there was currently no planning permission for a restaurant; she had spoken to the relevant people at the Borough Council.
- Email from Colin Shields, chairman, Keyworth & District Royal British Legion Branch re commemorative events, 3rd May – NOTED.
- ‘Have Your Say on New Blueprint for County Council Service Delivery’ - details of Notts County Council consultation; also circulated by email 15.5.14 - NOTED.
- Funding bulletin from National Association of Local Councils - NOTED.
- Letter from Cllr Ivor Walker, chairman, Notts Association of Local Councils re new vice president (Lynda Ogilvie) – NOTED.
15/8378 Finance
a) Schedule of Payments/Reimbursements
q A schedule of payments and reimbursements, included in the briefing notes for the meeting, was APPROVED - see Appendix.
q Cllr Grice reported that the contribution required from the Parish Council towards WW1 commemorative events on 3.5.14 was only £600 compared to the maximum £1000 agreed (F & R minutes 17.3.14 14/7429), but that the beneficiary was Keyworth Service Men’s Fund, not the Royal British Legion as originally supposed – NOTED and APPROVED.
q AGREED that £705 could be paid for installation of carbon monoxide detectors in the Village Hall complex as part of the heating project (not included in previous costings).
b) Finance & Risk Minutes dated 2.6.14
q The minutes of the meeting on 2.6.14 were NOTED and the decisions therein were APPROVED.
q Cllr Grice drew attention to the following decision (15/7446) which was NOTED and APPROVED:
Further to the Annual Parish Council meeting on 12.5.14 (15/8368), it was AGREED that a stage payment of up to 75% could be made at the appropriate time subject to suitable assurances from the project manager.
15/8379 Planning
a) Minutes dated 19.5.14
q The minutes of the meeting on 19.5.14 were NOTED and the decisions therein were APPROVED.
q Cllr Sam Boote commented as follows:
- (15/2460) Planning permission refused for dumping spoil in Browns Lane; may have implications as regards roadworks on Fairway.
- (15/2462b) Orchard Acre, Park Road application withdrawn by applicant.
- (15/2462d) Old Rectory application: concerns re background correspondence; ongoing discussions with David Mitchell [Executive Manager Communities, Rushcliffe Borough Council].
b) Neighbourhood Plan Update
q Cllr Abbey reported that the appointed planning consultants were now working alongside the steering group, analysing data and liaising with the Borough Council.
15/8380 Facilities Minutes dated 9.6.14
q The minutes of the meeting on 2.6.14 were NOTED and the decisions therein were APPROVED.
q Cllr Grice pointed out that, whilst, for various reasons, spending on facilities needed to be kept to a minimum in 2014/15, it would be advisable to plan ahead.
15/8381 Rectory Field Working Party - Update
q Cllr Pinder, having handed out a [not to scale] plan, commented as follows:
- Plan summarises the general feeling of everyone consulted about the future of the Rectory field.
- No major changes, but some enhancements, proposed.
- Suggested enhancements include: footpath across the field from the Memorial Gates to the turning circle outside the Centenary Lounge; memorial poppy garden; benches; picnic tables; goal posts (not fixed).
q Cllr Abbey commented that:
- Rectory field is the only public space in Keyworth of appreciable size which can be used flexibly.
- Proposals would be detrimental; preferable to keep an open green swathe without permanent structures.
- Proposed path would inhibit flexible use of the space.
- 450 new homes are to be built in Keyworth by 2026, with incremental population increase; better to keep options open for use of green space.
q Cllr Sam Boote agreed that the open vista should be preserved, adding that he was opposed to the proposed path.
q Cllr Keith Barton expressed concerns regarding the proposed path in relation to the historic ridge and furrow.
q Cllrs Grice and Sheila Barton commented that the poppy garden was a good idea.
q Concerns were expressed regarding the proposed goal posts and benches in the middle of the field.
q Cllr Pinder expressed disappointment that Councillors were opposed to various aspects of the proposals, but had not attended earlier consultation meetings.
q Cllr Grice commented that he hoped Cllr Pinder had been given a flavour of the Council’s views, adding that, if there were any concrete proposals to put forward, these could be considered at the Full Council meeting on 14.7.14.
15/8382 Questions
q There were no questions.
There being no further business, the chairman closed the meeting at approximately 8.20 pm
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