MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF NARBOROUGH PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON 19th January 2010 AT 7.30pm
AT The Parish Centre, Desford Road, Narborough
Those present:
Chairman: Mrs A V Clark
Vice-Chairman: Mr T J Richardson
Councillors:Mr N Bates, Mrs P Harrison, Mrs S Human, Mr F G H Jackson, Mr G W Marsh,
Mr T Matthews, Mrs E A Osgood, Mr K M Richardson, Mr R N Smith,
Mrs P M Thomas, Mr J M Williamson, Mr P G Wilson, Mr S J Woodcock
Officers:Mrs C Heggs, Clerk to the Council
Also present:Kam Chauhan IMPACT Project to make a presentation
10260 Apologies for Absence
Apologies for non-attendance were accepted from Cllrs Mr G Cole, Mr D Ovington-Creighton and Mrs C Teague
District Cllrs Mr B Garner and Mr E Webster Williams also tendered apologies.
10261 Chairman’s Time
On behalf of the family of the late Councillor George Winterton, the Chairman thanked all those who had supported them during his illness and those who had attended George’s funeral on 16th January. Members then stood for a minute’s silence in memory of George.
10262 Code of Conduct - Members’ Disclosure of Interests
The following Members declared personal interests in the item: Garden Allotments, minute 10270(j):
Cllr Mrs A V Clark, as an allotment tenant and member of the Narborough & Littlethorpe Leisure Gardeners’ Association.
Cllr T Matthews, as an allotment tenant and member of the Narborough & Littlethorpe Leisure Gardeners’ Association.
Cllr J M Williamson, as an allotment tenant and member of the Narborough & Littlethorpe Leisure Gardeners’ Association.
Cllr F G H Jackson, due to his holding elected office at Leicestershire & Rutland Association of Local Councils, declared personal interests in the subjects raised concerning this body, at minute 10278.
10263 Presentation
The Chairman introduced Kam Chauhan the manager of theIMPACT Project Team from Leicestershire Youth Offending Servicewho gave an interestingand informativepresentation on their work with young people at risk of becoming involved in offending or anti-social behaviour. He explained that the role of the service was to educate young people of the consequences of their behaviour and try to reduce the incidence of anti social behaviour in the district. The Project works in conjunction with the Community Teams at the District Council and the Police. Kam gave some examples of the effect on ASB in the areas where the team had been at work, however he was also asked to provide more local information and promised to do so on return to his office. In response to a question from a Councillor it was interesting to note that although a considerable budget is provided to allocate staff to work with young people who are at risk of getting into trouble, there were no figures available on the resources allocated to assist the majority of well behaved young people in this area.
10264 Public Forum, including as required:
(i) Matters referred from the Members’ Surgery - none
(ii) Questions or comments on any matters relating to the work of the Council - none
(iii) Matters permitted to be raised in accordance with paragraph 12(2) of the Council’s Code of Conduct - none
10265 Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Approve the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15th December 2009 *
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15th December 2009, previously circulated, be taken as a true record, confirmed and signed
10266 Matters Arising, not included elsewhere on the Agenda - none
10267 Planning & Environment
(All consultations, notices, etc. are available for Members’ inspection in ‘Planning Folder’)
RESOLVED that the responses to consultations on planning applications, made by the Planning & Environment Working Group and the Council since the previous meeting, as follows, be approved
(a) Planning application consultations received since the previous meeting
Application - number, details, location, applicant(including amended applications) / Observations made by Planning Applications Working Group or to be made by Council
090737 retention of single storey rear extension. 10 Huncote Road, Narborough / This development may interfere with neighbours’ sunlight and their views should be taken into consideration.
090785 Pleaching & pollarding of 14 Lime trees, 2 Desford Road, Narborough / No objections
090736 Retention of extraction flue, reduction in height and encasing in brickwork, Spice 45, Leicester Road, Narborough / No objections
090710 10 Camelot Way, Narborough / APPLICATION WITHDRAWN
090477 Change from agricultural land to car parking. Next PLC, Enderby. ADJACENT PARISH APPLICATION / The Parish Council would like to make the following comment: there are no objections to this proposal subject to there being no access from the car park onto Forest Road.
NOTE: The application received on 18th January from Davidsons Group for development on land at Warwick Road/Cosby Road, Littlethorpe was handed to the Planning & Environment Working Group and will be placed on the agenda on 16th February, following a P & E WG Meeting and public consultation.
(b) Planning decisions notified by planning authorities since the previous meeting:
090628 Residential development of 70 dwellings at the Woodlands Site, Narborough Refusal of permission
090655 Crown reduction of one Beech tree, 2 Desford Road, Narborough Permission
090674 Raising roof height, first floor extension, balcony over garage and two storey rear extension, 29 Carlton Avenue, Narborough. Refusal of permission
ALL NOTED
(c) Notification of postal addresses
(i) The Beeches, 56A Leicester Road, Narborough (formal addition of The Beeches to the address)
(ii) 4 & 6 Langham Drive, Narborough, conversion to 4 flats now known as 4A (downstairs) and 4B (upstairs) and 6A (downstairs) and 6B (upstairs)
ALL NOTED
(d) BDC : Planning Enforcement Training for Clerks and Councillors Wednesday 3rd February or Tuesday 9th February (copied to all Members) Several Councillors and the Clerk expressed a desire to attend one of the training sessions. The Clerk was asked to notify BDC of the interest and book places as appropriate.
(e) CPRE : “Influencing the Planning Process” training seminar Saturday 13th Feb 2010 (copied to all Members) NOTED
10268 Property
Commencement of redecoration Rooms B and C and small kitchen at Parish Centre 18th JanuaryNOTED
10269 Civics (Routine reports available for Members’ inspection in ‘Additional Correspondence’ folder)
The NYC (Narborough Youth Club) a group of young people that has been meeting regularly to process their desire for a skate park in the Narborough area, was nominated for and awarded the Jubilee Cup. Nominations received for the Millennium Cup, for Tony Rogers, long time secretary of Narborough & Littlethorpe Cricket Club and for Garth and Mary Young for their contribution to successfully gaining reopening of the Footpath across Carlton Hayes. Members AGREED to present the award to Tony Rogers for his dedication to the Cricket Club, for over 50 years. It was further AGREED that the Clerk would write to congratulate Mr and Mrs Young on their nomination and for awards they have received recently from other bodies for their continued interest in the community.
Councillor Jackson had attended the JAG meeting on 12th January and it was NOTED that the Local Beat Officer is setting his priorities for the next few months for Narborough & Littlethorpe.
Restructuring of the Local Policing Areas and Officers: it was NOTED that Narborough & Littlethorpe would be retaining PC Ady Lloyd and PCSO Simon Stevenson. Crime and ASB figures were also presented to Council.
A Councillor reported witnessing an incident that took place in the vicinity of the Copt Oak Public House on Friday 15th January, which a number of Police Officers attended. The Councillor said that problems had been occurring in the area for a number of years and that residents were reaching the end of their tolerance of the situation. Members advised that all incidents should be reported whilst they are taking place and that any information regarding descriptions etc. should be passed to the Police to deal with.
10270 Policy & Finance
(a) Financial position at 31st December
RESOLVED that the monthly Finance Report (copied to all members and filed with these minutes) which incorporates the Paid Expenditure Transactions Report be RECEIVED and APPROVED
(b) Commencement of Internal Audit for 2009/10 NOTED
(c) To decide the Budget and Precept for 2010/11 - Report of the Policy & Finance Working Group, copied to all members and filed with these minutes. Cllr T Richardson presented the report, giving particular reference to the request from the Sports Association for the next two years’ grant payment of £5000 per annum to be paid together in 2010/11, the £5000 for next year would then be added to the build-up fund for refurbishment of the Play Areas at Littlethorpe and Hardwicke Road. Cllr Richardson also noted that all requests from the Working Groups had been allowed for whilst the increase in the Precept was only £5000, which was less than 2.5%. He proposed that the recommendations be approved.
RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Report, as follows, be approved:
- A revised estimated nett expenditure of £166,022 for the current year be approved, indicating an estimated carry forward to next year of £3,034 plus capital funds carry forward of 32,950;
- For 2010/11, a nett expenditure of £179,620;
- Contributions of £2,500 to the Major Equipment Replacement Fund and £15,000 to the Parks, Playgrounds, Open Spaces Development Fund;
- A contingency reserve of £914;
- To fund these requirements a Precept of £195,000 be issued for the 2010/11 Financial Year.
(d) A Children and Young People’s Safeguarding Policy as recommended by the Policy and Finance Working Group (copied to all members and filed with these minutes) was adopted by the Council.
(d) Meeting dates - Council Year 2010/11: The Clerk’s Report, suggesting the meeting dates for the forthcoming year, was considered and AGREED, with the alternative date of 14th for the December meeting.
(f) Permission for Clerk to attend Employment Management Course on 15th March was given and it was AGREED that in future the Clerk’s requests for training would be decided between the Clerk and Chairman.
(g) BT Review - recommendation to replace office phone system with updated version (copied to all members). Cllr Jackson asked if the three lines were all necessary and whether the office system could be operated without a fax requirement. It was AGREED that the Clerk would look into any alternatives and order the system that was most useful.
(h) Blaby DC - Code of Conduct: - NONE
(i) Recreation Ground, Sports Association
Postponement of Car park works till weather improvesNOTED
(j) Garden Allotments, Gardeners’ Association
(i) Letters from Plot holders concerning condition of track to allotment site (copied to all members) Councillors considered the letters and AGREED it would be prudent to delay any alterations to the track as the Football Club works could involve use of heavy machinery which would have a detrimental effect on any improvements made.
(ii) Request to look at hedge on cabin side at allotment site and consider possible layering. Cllr Marsh said he had looked at the hedge and that layering was not necessary at this time. Also that if it was undertaken in the future access could only be gained from the dyke side and would require a platform to work from at an additional cost. Cllr K Richardson said he had noticed that other hedges that had been layered needed to be done regularly or they would return to the original state, it was AGREED not to undertake any work on the hedge at this time.
(k) L & R Wildlife Trust letter concerning: Anti-social behaviour on Narborough Bog Nature Reserve, Leicester Road (copied to all members) Members NOTED that the writer of the letter suggested putting up barbed wire and were concerned that this was a ”last resort” solution to the problem; the Council would certainly not want to see barbed wire on the Parish Council boundary. Members suggested using a more environmentally friendly approach and asked the Clerk to write to the Trust and suggest they plant prickly bushes, such as Pyracanthus and Prunus Spinosa as a deterrent to trespassers on the Bog site.
The Chairman said that a donation had been made to LOROS on behalf of the Council, from the Chairman’s Fund, in memory of the late Councillor Winterton.
10271 Parks & Open Spaces - None
10272 Council Review
(i)Parish Website User Group Event, Tuesday 23rd February 2010 (copied to all members) The Clerk and Cllrs Jackson and Matthews to attend. Cllr Matthews mentioned that there was a request on the Parish website guest book for information on the whereabouts of a former parishioner.
(ii)Cllr Matthews reported that the Clock Appeal had received a payment of £1000 from Leicestershire County Council Historic Grants Fund. In response to an enquiry by a contributor to the fund he would prepare a report for inclusion in the Journal.
(iii) The Clerk asked all members to confirm any training they had undertaken as a list was being compiled for use in the application for renewal of Quality Status later in the year.
10273 Youth Initiatives
The Chairman reported on the meeting with Youth Workers on Thursday 14th January. The next step for the Parish Council is to liaise with the NYC group to work towards filling in a Planning Application for the skate park equipment and finding a space to put it. The Chairman and Clerk would contact BDC Youth Worker, Sam Robinson to organise a meeting for 27th January with the group.
10274 Highways and Traffic Management - none
10275 Vehicles and Equipment
Councillor Jackson reported on the purchase of a snow blower in the sum of £465 and asked for the purchase to be ratified at this meeting. The Parish Council grounds staff had spent a considerable amount of time hand clearing the Cemetery paths and this equipment would be required for future snow falls, as the paths needed to be cleared as a safety measure. AGREED that the purchase be ratified.
10276 Public Transport - none
10277 Applications to Council for Financial Assistance
Vista: application for support by various methods (copied to all members) It was AGREED to display any literature received on behalf of VISTA and the Clerk also to write to enquire if the organisation would like a stand at the Village Show in September.
10278 Leicestershire & Rutland Association of Local Councils
Documents, updates, etc., mostly by email, received since previous meeting:
(i) Medium term financial plan (copied to all members) NOTED
(ii) December 2009 Newsletter NOTED
10279 National Association of Local Councils -none
10280 Blaby District Council Items
(i)Notification of funding of £670 for mini goal posts for Littlethorpe Park. NOTED
(ii) Evaluation report for Annual Parish Seminar 2009 (letter copied to all members) NOTED and 26th October NOTED for 2010 event
(iii) Positive Social Behaviour Award NOTED
10281 Leicestershire County Council Items -none
10282 Additional Correspondence, etc. for Members’ Attention
(available for Members’ inspection in ‘Additional Correspondence’ Folder)
Neighbourhood Watch, JAG, ASB, etc. groups:
Various messages, notices, minutes of meetings about initiatives and local issues
Blaby DC Press Releases - various relevant to this Parish
The Wildlife Trusts: Wildlife News, Natural World, Wild Bird Food Catalogue
Centrewire Catalogue,
EMDA News Winter Edition 2009
Amberol News 2010
Leics. Fire and Rescue: Callout Magazine December 2009
ESPO: Energy Matters December 2009
ALL NOTED
10283 Other Matters at the Chairman’s Discretion- none
The meeting closed at 9.15pm