Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in Goods Yard House on 7th December 2015 at 7:30pm
Present: Cllr A Higgins, Cllr C Tamplin, Cllr L Hatch, Cllr J Smith, Cllr M Colenutt, Cllr S Howard, Cllr R Nathan, Cllr B Maude, Cllr J Edwarde (Chair), Cllr R Eastwood and Cllr C Beare
Absent: Cllr G Horner
75.To accept apologies for absence.
Cllr Horner
- Declarations of interest in respect of matters to be discussed.
The Chair reminded Cllrs to declare when necessary.
- To Approve Minutes from Parish Council meeting held on 2nd November 2015
One typo to the MP name was corrected.
Proposed by Cllr Tamplin as a true record seconded by Cllr Smith unanimously approved.
- Matters Arising.
Cllr Eastwood reported on the defib training held at the surgery he had attended and highlighted the defib training available on 8th January in the Village Hall.
- Correspondence.
The list had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The Chair reported on the ESCC boundary review consultation and the deadline for the WDC consultation to extend the Conservation area.
- Neighbourhood Plan update.
Cllr Eastwood reported a revised draft had been sent to AIRS for their comment. WDC were yet to report their response to the plan. It was expected a steering group meeting would happen early in the New Year.
- To consider options and quotes for The Croft security.
Quotes and options had been circulated to the Parish Council prior to the meeting.
Cllr Smith as Chair of the TCPA Committee reported on the TCPA recommendation to fence the croft with post and rail fencing leaving spaces for pedestrian access. The plan would be to install the fence in Spring 2016 and further quotes would be required to fulfil the Financial Regulations.
Cllr Smith proposed that the option to enclose with post and rail fencing with pedestrian access points (up to a cost of £2000) be accepted this was seconded by Cllr Nathan and agreed by majority vote with 9 in favour and 2 against.
- Finance
(i)To ratify the finance Committee Minutes
This was deferred to the February meeting.
(ii)To accept the terms of reference for the Finance Committee
This was deferred to the February meeting.
(iii)To accept the account summary.
This was deferred to the February meeting.
(iv)To accept the risk assessment.
This was deferred to the February meeting.
(v)To accept the bank reconciliation.
This was deferred to the February meeting.
(vi)To approve expenditure as itemised on the schedule.
Proposed by Cllr Eastwood seconded by Cllr Smith and unanimously approved.
(vii)To approve the precept proposal for the precept for 2016/17 as proposed by the Finance Committee. Two options had been provided on the agenda and the Chair would take the first one and move to the second if the first was not approved.
An amendment to tidy up the agenda proposal to read as follows was proposed by Cllr Edwarde seconded by Cllr Smith and unanimously approved:
To increase the Parish Council precept by 4% for 2016/17 (to allow for set up costs for a youth worker one day a week initially for 3 years with costs to be shared by the Church.)
There was a discussion on reasons for the increase and the need to have further discussion on management of the youth worker and control of the project.
Cllr Edwarde proposed the amended proposal seconded by Cllr Tamplin and approved by majority vote of 7 in favour and 2 abstentions and 2 objections.
The second possible proposal was therefore not tabled (To increase the Parish Council precept by 2% for 2016/17).
- Goods Yard House update and proposals to consider.
The Clerk had circulated correspondence from the loss adjuster and reported on a further verbal discussion.
Cllr Smith proposed that the Clerk confirm trial works and that the Council proceed as per the loss adjuster’s proposal and the Clerk should instruct Charles Stimpson accordingly to represent the Council. The Clerk could instruct these works up to a maximum of £1000.00 and should stress urgency to the loss adjuster. This was seconded by Cllr Nathan and unanimously approved.
- To ratify committee minutes and accept reports from committee chairs where appropriate.
Town Croft and Parish Assets – No report.
Minutes proposed by Cllr Higgins seconded by Cllr Edwarde and duly ratified by unanimous vote.
Planning - No report.
Minutes proposed by Cllr Tamplin seconded by Cllr Colenutt and duly ratified by majority vote.
SLR – Cllr Colenutt thanked Cllrs for attending the meeting.
There were several action points for ESCC.
Cllr Whetstone confirmed it should not be a public meeting. The Clerk reported that Mr Clubb from ESCC had invited a member of the public.
Cllr Whetstone would follow that up with Mr Clubb.
- To ratify change to the meeting date for June PC meeting to 13th June 2016
Proposed by Cllr Edwarde seconded by Cllr Eastwood and unanimously approved.
- Items for Reporting or Inclusion in Future Agendas
The Chair had circulated the appraisal statement for the Clerk to Cllrs by email.
Cllr Tamplin thanked the Clerk for her efforts and presented her with a Christmas gift from Cllrs.
Cllr Colenutt requested a second HPC stamp for newsletter stamping – The Clerk would action.
Cllr Edwarde reported a change to agenda dates of meetings. There was no TCPA meeting on 15th December but a Rights of Way meeting on 14th December.
Dates of Next Meetings:
Planning 10th December 2015 7:30pm
Rights of Way 14th December 2015 7:30pm
Parish Council Meeting 1st February 2016 7:30pm
Meeting closed at 9.15pm