Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting Held at St

MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT ST BARNABAS CHURCH, RANSKILL ON TUESDAY 19th NOVEMBER 2013 AT 7.30 PM PRESENT: Chair: Cllr Sue Floyd Councillors: P Blatchford, P Brown, A Cooke, J Foster, D Kercel, C West District Councillor: M Gray Clerk: D McAra OPEN FORUM FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. Mr Kevin McDonald and Mr Nicholas Scholey were in attendance to raise their concerns over the implications of the proposed opening of 'unregistered public rights of way' outlined in a letter from Nottinghamshire County Council dated 29th October 2013. Item 08/1113c refers. 01/1113 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Cllr S Hyland (New-born child), Cllr J Boynton (Illness), County Cllr E Yates (Away). 02/1113 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS INTERESTS. Nil. 03/1113 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 15th OCTOBER 2013. Were accepted and signed as a true record.

04/1113 COMMUNITY POLICE WRITTEN REPORT AND CRIME FIGURES. a. Police Report on Crime Figures to 31st October 2013. PC Jason Fellows reported that the Beat Area remained relatively quiet with no significant crimes to report in Ranskill during the October reporting period except one Burglary Other Attempted. There were 7 incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB) mainly on Station Road and Station Avenue. An operation to deal with 'cross-county' border crime has been initiated. There have already been 2 cases of burglary in Ranskill in November.

Councillors questioned the availability of mobile CCTV to deter ASB and crime in the village and stated that reported crime should be fed back to residents via the Alert System. It was also stated that the powers of PCSOs may be increased in line with the comment by Mr Paddy Tipping, Police Commissioner.

It was reported that the Community Speedwatch Scheme is overseen by Sgt Tony Crofts and that letters had been sent a limited number of offenders but that it is difficult to prosecute due to technical calibration issues with the speed guns. It was suggested that the data collected should be more comprehensive and used in a more effective way to gain better results.

RESOLVED to:

a. Recommend to Nottinghamshire Police that repeat offenders are placed on 'Speed Awareness' courses.

b. Approach Notts County Council to request installation of speed sensors to record traffic through the village.

05/1113 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR'S REPORT a. School Bus Safety on Mattersey Road. Concern has been expressed that the railings outside the park gate on Mattersey Road may not be sufficient to ensure the safety of children leaving the school bus. No known incidents had occurred in this respect.

b. Shale Gas Exploitation - 'Fracking'. Water contamination and removal of effluent by road should be made a question for the consultation process when it begins.

c. Radio-Controlled Electric Car Racing. The European Championships for this sport will be held in Bassetlaw in 2015 and a local man, Mr James Helliwell, has beaten German competition so is well placed. This event may provide a good opportunity to

showcase Bassetlaw and secure funding.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR'S REPORT a. Effect of County Council Budget Cuts. Some of the proposals will affect the rural areas. The Local Improvement Scheme will finish after 2014 and be replaced by a Community Fund. The overall budget for LIS is being reduced by 50% from £3m to £1.5m but, £1m of that is being diverted to Economic Development, leaving £500,000 for community projects across the county.

b. County Councillors Divisional Fund. The Divisional Fund will be cut from £10,000 to £5,000 for community groups and small projects.

c. Changes to Transport Proposals. Changes have been proposed to the Transport proposals made in the TITAN working group. A members' drop in session was held on 14th November to find out the implications. More to follow.

d. HGVs in Rural Areas. Many parish councils have asked to be included in the letter to the CC about HGV’s in rural areas. It will be a difficult issue to resolve but it will bring the problem to the forefront and improvement measures will be discussed.

06/1113 HIGHWAYS & TRAFFIC. a. Update on TRO and Parking Restrictions. On 7th November Pete Chapman, Project Engineer, was asked for an update on the public consultation and reported that all necessary documents have been sent to Nottinghamshire County Council for a provisional check before the consultation process can begin. He will inform Ranskill PC he receives an instruction to proceed from Notts CC Highways Dept.

A request has also been received from Mr Cris Janson Piers for consideration to be given to a request for road markings to indicate the position of traffic flow into Blyth Road and Station Road from the Great North Road.

RESOLVED to approach Nottinghamshire CC to provide road markings to indicate the position of traffic flow into Blyth Road and Station Road from the Great North Road.

b. Update on Station Road/Access Road traffic management request. On 8th November Notts CC Rights of Way Officer reported that the Council only has an interest in the first section of the track leading to / from Mattersey Road. The track itself is unadopted with the first 155m (from the highway) being recorded as a public footpath – Ranskill FP11. This means that the public has a right to use this 155m on foot only and public vehicular access along it is not permitted. In order for vehicles to use the route legally they must either have a recorded private right of vehicular access or the permission of the owner of Ranskill 11 which would also be the case for the rest of the unadopted track beyond the limits of FP11.

RESOLVED to ask Nottinghamshire CC whether 'grandfather rights' exist for vehicle owners that have used the route for an extended period and who has given permission for vehicles to use FP 11.

07/1113 FINANCE. a. Bank Balances as at 31st October 2013. Current - £100. Reserve - £20969.56 £8000 remains on reserve to cover the 2012 and 2013 instalments for purchase of garage site on Station Avenue from Bassetlaw DC. Katherine Hall (BDC Principal Solicitor, Planning and Property) will provide an update when they receive notification from the Estates Section.

b. Quotes for work for Grass Cutting 2014. Tenders were received from North Notts Landscapes Ltd (NNLL) and Acer Landscapes Ltd but nothing from Branching Out.

NNLL Acer Landscapes Branching Out

Ranskill & Torworth Cemetery £1241 £1080 No Quote

Ranskill Village £3593 £8220 No Quote

Ranskill Main Road verges £1116 £2880 No Quote

Based on the quotes received it was decided that North Notts Landscapes Ltd would be awarded the contract for Ranskill and that a recommendation would be made to the Joint Burial Committee for the acceptance of the quote from the same company to service its grass cutting contract.

RESOLVED to:

a. Inform NNLL of the award of contract.

b. Inform Acer Landscapes Ltd that they were unsuccessful on this occasion.

c. Recommend to the Joint Burial Committee that it accepts the NNLL quote for its grass cutting contract.

c. Purchase of Parish IT equipment. In light of Data Protection and Freedom of Information requirements it was recommended that Ranskill PC purchases its own IT equipment: Laptop Computer, Printer, Software package and External Data Storage. Current unbudgeted cost would be around £500.

RESOLVED to purchase IT equipment for Ranskill Parish Council and the Ranskill & Torworth Joint Burial Committee to cost around £500.

d. Invoices for October 2013 presented for payment: 1614 John D McGill Litter Picking £ 39.00 1615 North Notts Landscapes Grass Cutting Services £ 1016.40 1616 Sunstone IT Ltd IT Services £ 24.00 1617 HMRC PAYE £ 78.60 1618 D McAra Clerk’s Salary & Expenses £ 314.85 1619 Scrooby & Ranskill PCC Hire of Meeting Place £ 56.00

08/1113 PLANNING. a. Bassetlaw DC Planning Application Requests. There are currently no outstanding planning requests.

b. Notts CC Planning Application F/2891 - Retford Waste Ltd. Notts CC Planning Dept has provided a full update on the actual traffic and anticipated level of traffic movements and invited Ranskill PC to comment by 13th December. There would be a net increase of 3 lorries in and one lorry out per day of operation. It was noted that Retford Waste Ltd lorries do occasionally use the road out to Mattersey Road from Access Road.

RESOLVED to:

a. Present no objection to the application but to request that the number of HGV vehicle movements is kept to the notified figure.

b. Use increased HGV traffic to leverage Notts CC action on traffic management and traffic calming on Station Road.

c. Notts CC Letter Ref: 0899L - Unregistered Public Rights of Way. Received Notts CC Letter Ref 0899L dated 29th October with regard to potential rights of way 3

which are 'Unregistered Public Rights of Way' in Ranskill and asking for the Council's opinion as to whether the proposals were worth pursuing. Mr McDonald and Mrs Hilary Skelton both provided information on the background of some of the past considerations for these rights of way. It raises the questions as to why the consideration is being given to open these paths and whether the funds would be better spent on the maintenance of existing paths and bridle ways.

RESOLVED to write to Notts CC stating that:

a. A maintenance of the current status would be preferable.

b. Notts CC spends its money on the upkeep of the existing rights of way and suitable sign-posting.

09/1113 AMENITIES AND FACILITIES. a. Animal Damage to Burial Ground. On Sunday 3rd November pigs belonging to Ms Gemma Slinger escaped from the field adjacent to the burial ground and damaged graves and turf: Notts Police Report No: 318/3 November 2013. Remonstrations were made to the owner and a quote of the cost of repair gained from North Notts Landscapes Ltd: £342 inclusive of VAT. Assurances have been requested from the owner that the animals will not be able to escape again and that she will cover the cost of repair. No such undertaking has yet been received.

RESOLVED to inform Ms Slinger that if assurances were not received by Thursday 21st November then legal advice would be sought.

b. Festive Illuminations 2013. New lighting has arrived at Amco and will be inspected for suitability by Cllr Floyd on Friday 23rd November. Dan Marriott (D J Marriott Electrical) is available to test and connect on Saturday 30th November. Notts CC has confirmed that we are clear to connect.

c. Consider Village Floral Display for 2014 Season. A request for ideas was placed in The STAR magazine but no responses have been received. Bassetlaw DC's Parks and Open Spaces Dept has given useful information on its planters, plants and watering/feeding regime. The consensus of opinion was that the best replacement for the hanging baskets would free-standing planters placed at junctions around the village and that, whilst commercial sponsors would still be sought, they could be 'adopted' for servicing by various groups within the community.

RESOLVED to place a notice in The STAR magazine detailing the intention and asking for volunteers and comment.

d. Playground Safety Reports - October 2013. The playground inspection was clear of faults and therefore no remedial action is required at this time.

10/1113 ENVIRONMENT a. Consider Greenwood Community Tree Planting Grant Scheme Offer. An offer has been received of financial assistance up to £500 to support the planting of trees in local communities. It was decided that the dead trees on Great North Road could be candidates and also trees could be planted in the hedge on the side of Headland Lane beyond the housing development.

RESOLVED to apply for this financial assistance and, if successful, scope what tree planting could realistically be financed.

b. Receive update on Nottinghamshire CC Minerals Local Plan. Updates received from Gordon Brown on behalf of Notts ALC and District Councillor Mike Gray. Concerns are Sand & Gravel Extraction and increased HGV traffic in local area and Shale Gas Extraction. Item 11/1113 refers.

11/1113 CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was considered:

a. Nottinghamshire Minerals Local Plan. Notts CC have extended the consultation period to Wednesday 18th December 2013.

RESOLVED to:

a. Respond to the consultation noting the increased amount of HGV traffic and use it to leverage Notts CC action on traffic management and traffic calming on the Great North Road.

b. Request clarification on the rights of house owners whose properties lie immediately adjacent to the edge of the Great North Road.

b. Sustainable Communities Act 2007: Invitation to PCs. An email from NALC with attached letter from Stephen Williams MP (a new DCLG Minister) to parish and town councils encouraging them to make direct proposals under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

RESOLVED to monitor future developments pertinent to the Act.

c. Continued Participation in the Lengthsman Scheme. In light of reduced funding and commitment from Notts CC and the Harworth & Bircotes TC EO email received in October it does not make sense for Ranskill to continue in the H & B TC Lengthsman cluster.

RESOLVED to:

a. Withdraw from the Harworth & Bircotes Lengthsman Cluster.

b. Continue with contracted grass cutting and ad-hoc handyman services.

c. Advertise in The STAR for a local village handyman.

12/1113 CORRESPONDENCE TO BE CIRCULATED. On file.

13/1113 INFORMATION TO BE FORWARDED TO NEXT THE MEETING: Nil.

14/1113 DATE OF NEXT MEETING - The next meeting of the Ranskill Parish Council will be the annual budget setting meeting and will be held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 17th December at St Barnabas Church, Ranskill.

Signed as a true record

Chairman