Harlestone Manor Parish Council

Welcome to the Manor Parish Council Meeting.

19:00 on Thursday 7th January 2021

Members of the Council are hereby summoned and members of the public and press are invited to attend the meeting of Harlestone Manor Parish Council. This meeting may be recorded, but such activity must not impede the conduct or business of the meeting.

MINUTES 002

VIRTUAL ONLINE ZOOM MEETING

Meeting ID: ______Password: ______

085. To receive and approve apologies for absence

Councillors Cllr Jackie Kimbrey (Chairman) Cllr Stewart Clark (Vice Chairman) Cllr Lorna Beard Cllr Claire Tulloch Cllr Simon Elton-Thomson Cllr Michelle Enoch

• Apologies from Cllr Stewart Clark as unavailable • The council wish Stewart a speedy recovery • The Chairman welcomed visitors to the meeting: Mr David Slack Estate Manager and Mr Christopher Bryant

086. Approval of minutes from the previous meeting The distributed and published minutes from the previous meeting of the parish council

• Chairman proposes the minutes be approved • Cllr Elton-Thomson seconded the minutes be approved • The council agree that the minutes are a true and accurate account • The Chairman to sign the minutes

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087. To receive Declarations of Interests by members and applications for Dispensation Members are requested to make any declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, in line with the 2020 code of conduct, relating to items on this agenda.

• No declarations of interest were offered by the councillors.

088. Financial update from the Executive Officer The schedule of payments has been circulated and published with the agenda. The finances to be approved and items for payment authorised.

• EO/RFO to update the council on the monthly bank reconciliation against the annual budget • Two Signatories: Cllr Tulloch and Cllr Elton-Thomson

The Payment Schedule to be agreed by the council and signed by the EO and Chairman

Clerk Salary Autella Payroll £599.08 Nest Pension Service £42.00 Stewart Clark Christmas Cards (Paid) £35.00 Autela Payroll Services Limited April to December £193.20 Police & Crime Commissioner PCSO (half-year) £1,741.00 Simon Elton-Thomson Community Group Items (Paid) £487.36 Tracsis VAT £33.00

Zoom Subscription Zoom Pro £14.39 BT Phone/Broadband Clerk Office £47.92 Amazon Labels £14.24 Amazon Solar Christmas Tree Lights £18.99 Amazon Salt and Salt Bin (Paid) £255.58

Clerk's Office £351.12 Total £3,481.76

Signed: Chairman …………….………… Signed: EO/Clerk ……………………… Chairman/Vice Chairman Executive Officer/RFO Paul Thomas

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Unity Trust Bank

978 Current Account £33,873.01 994 CIL Deposit Account £8,616.53

808 Loxton Fields POS £0.00 798 £0.00

981 Reserve Account £7,522.87 Total Accounts £50,012.41

• Cllr Beard and Cllr Enoch need Unity access, EO to check with Unity

• Chairman proposes the payment schedule be approved • Cllr Tulloch seconded the payment schedule be approved • Council agrees to the payment schedule and the monthly finance updates for January 2021 • The Chairman to sign the payment schedule

089. Public participation session (Members of the public are invited to address the council)

Whilst parish council meetings are open to the public, contributions are limited by standing orders to allow only invited/scheduled guests or councillors to contribute.

However, there is a section in each meeting when the Chairman suspends standing orders to hear any members of the public who wish to address the parish council.

Members of the public should address their representation through the Chairman of the meeting.

This time is limited to 15 minutes and three minutes per contribution unless requested otherwise by the Chairman and/or councillors. This is in line with Standing Orders of 2020.

Standing Orders will then be reinstated to allow the Council to resume its meeting and discussion items.

David Slack – Althorp Estate Manager • Living on the Althorp Park with family • Previously managed a large estate, new to the role at Althorp • Looking to engage with the parish councils • Althorp want to engage with the local communities and work together on projects including the environment and climate change • There is an intention to develop the Estate’s approach to social responsibility and this will include working more closely with the local parishes

Chris Bryant • Interested in the parish council and becoming a councillor in February • Living on Harlestone Manor since 2016 with family • Mr Bryant has a range of skills that would assist the parish council to carry out their work, including knowledge of IT and construction.

Paul Kimbrey: No comments Harlestone Manor Parish Council January Minutes 2021

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Decision Items

090. Council to consider the HMPC Budget for 2021/2022 EO has prepared a budget with a 6% uplift, this 1% increase on the initial draft budget will fund the legal fees incurred from the costs of the project to transfer the parks and open spaces from Greenbelt to HMPC.

• Please see Appendix A at the foot of the agenda. • The total budget figure will be the Precept for 2021/22 • The increase in precept is due to the devolution of services provided by DDC after unitary councils come into effect, passed down costs from Highways to look after verges and the need to pay for elections in 2021

• Cllr Elton-Thomson Proposes the council agree the Precept Figure • Cllr Beard Seconded • Council all in favour

• Council to review certain budget pots and present a revised budget at the February meeting for approval • In particular, Council to review the budget allocation for legal fees and to establish a budget for involving young people in parish activities

091. To appoint a Police Liaison Representative to act as a single point of contact with Police. Northants CALC is working with Northamptonshire Police to establish a new approach to liaison between parish and town councils and the police.

• Chairman Proposes the council appoint Cllr Clark in this new role as Police SPOC • Cllr Enoch Seconded • Council all in favour

• It was noted that meeting dates were yet to be set, but these would likely take place bimonthly

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092. DA/2020/1041 15 York Way, Harlestone Manor NN5 6UX Single Storey Rear Extension

Cllr Elton-Thomson and Cllr Enoch • This is a small extension and has no impact on anyone from any direction • Recommendation to the council to approve this application • Materials used to build the extension will be in keeping with the current property • DDC agreed an extension to 8th January for council representations

• Chairman Proposes the council approve the application • Cllr Beard Seconded • Council all in favour

• EO to send a response to DDC on behalf of the Council

093. Parish Council Websites IT support package purchase Proposal to purchase a website support package at a cost of £38.50ph + VAT • The package would be 5hrs in total to take the council up to the next election • The hours can be called down at any point and would carry over until used. • Total cost circa £231.00 • Council will be looking at a call down of hours as they are required

• Chairman Proposes the council purchase this IT package • Cllr Enoch Seconded • Council all in favour

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Discussion Items

084. Roles, Liaisons and Projects

Planning

a. Bloor Homes, Major Developments, Substantial Urban Extension (SUE) – Working Group, North West Relief Road (NWRR), Local Planning Simon, Clerk, Michelle • S106 is being discussed and agreed between DDC and Bloors

Action • EO to contact the PCSO and Persimon to get an emailed response re the parking along York Way • PCSO: “I will continue to patrol this area and give advice if needed regarding obstructions, however, I have no powers on private unadopted roads” • Persimmon: enforcement would be with a private company, costs will have to be met by the HMPC

Action • EO to setup a meeting with the Harpole Clerk and Planning Consultant regarding the West Sue joint project

b. Graveyard Extension Jackie, Michelle

• This is a joint project with the HMPC, HPC and St.Andrews Church • Land to be acquired from the Golf Club Trustees • Communications held between Cllr Waller and the HM Chairman • Initial meeting has already happened with the Church and the Trustees • HMPC will make all decisions as a full council • EO to setup a site visit as soon as lockdown restrictions are relaxed

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Communications & Community

c. Website, emails, communications Clerk Council to consider a strap line/vision day • Received a thank you letter from The Royal British Legion, posted on the website

d. Community Group Committee (CGC) Liaison Simon The spending of the grant money should reflect the ethos of the council

• First meeting dates being arranged with Simon and Vicky • Congratulations from the HMPC to the CGC for a fantastic Santa event, this was a great success • EO to put a thank you notice in the noticeboard

e. Harlestone Village Institute Liaison Simon The HVI is available to all in the ecclesiastical parish

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Environment

f. Loxton Fields Parks & Open Spaces (POS) – Working Group Jackie, Stewart • Waiting on the installation of a flag pole, noticeboard and a bench. • Climate Change Grant to plant the open spaces with trees, shrubs, plugs and wildflowers.

• Chairman had liaised with DWH to obtain a timeline for the finishing of the POS in preparation for handover • Meeting to be arranged with DWH, Claire and Paul to confirm the snagging list is complete

Climate Change Grant • The EO had applied for a grant from the DDC and the HMPC has been successful in landing this grant for £888 towards planting to create an oasis in the parish to for wildlife to flourish, this will be a large project that will need the help of the CGC • Adey Greeno from Althorp has volunteered to help with this project • The initial project will be led by Jackie, Lorna, Michelle, Clerk • Chairman Proposal for the Clerk to sign the paperwork and agree to the conditions of accepting the grant • Cllr Elton-Thomson Seconded • Council all in favour

g. Harlestone Manor Parks & Open Spaces (POS) (Greenbelt), Persimmon/Greenbelt Liaison, Swale Wall Claire, Simon, Clerk

• Solicitors have been instructed to look through the official legal process to secure the POS for the HMPC to follow. • DDC to confirm any procedures that the HMPC must follow

h. Althorp Liaison Clerk Adey Greeno appointed as the Estate Conservation Officer • Foresters report re the Loxton Fields Spinney.

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Security/Crime/Safety

i. PCSO – Specific Point of Contact (SPOC) Stewart

j. Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Stewart • NHW signs will go up on the lamp-posts.

k. Road Safety Strategy Team (RSST): Speed-watch Campaign, Tracsis, Speed Reduction, Widening of the Harlestone Road Pavement, Safe Crossing Simon, Clerk (HPC Toni, Sue)

• Tracsis reports have been returned, to be published on the website • Councillors discussed the key findings from the report • Chairman advised that Tina Gummery, member of the public, has expressed an interest in joining the working group to assist • EO to setup a second RSST meeting

l. Parish Signage • “No Access to Lodge farm” sign. • Consider the installation of signs at the entrance to the estates to mark the entrances to 'Harlestone Manor' and 'Loxton Fields' • Consider using local people/businesses

Action • EO to source brochures regarding styles and designs for street signs

• Council agreed there is a need to produce a HMPC Purchasing Policy to outline the Council’s approach to sourcing suppliers, including local companies, to provide goods and/or services to the parish • EO to obtain some example Purchasing Policies from other parish councils as a starting point • EO and Claire to look at putting a Purchasing Policy together • HMPC to put together a list of local services and work businesses, CGC to be asked to help

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Future Projects & Pending Events

1. Conservation Local items will be dealt with during the full council meetings on a monthly basis, major conservation issues in the future will lead to the formation of a working group/committee.

2. Annual Meeting The next Annual Meeting will be May 2021, this item will be managed nearer the time.

3. Local Business Liaison This role will come into effect with the plans for the Annual Meeting and/or the Neighbourhood Plan.

4. Dog, Litter, Salt Bins The above items are currently forbidden to be installed by the land owners, the progression of the council retaining the POS (Parks and open Spaces) will lead to this project being implemented. Locations for rock-salt to be kept in private garages would be a step forward for winter planning, please contact the council.

5. Defibrillator/Installation As above (item 4) these are currently forbidden to be installed by the land owners. Private walls, garages and buildings would be considered if residents would like to contact the council.

6. Neighbourhood Plan This is a huge project that will need the council and the community working together, due to outline planning already being granted, there will be no uplift of CIL on the Fleetlands Farm West SUE. This project will be looked at in 2021

Actions • Mid-month discussion items: signs, planters, salt bin, budget

Actions outstanding from previous meetings

008. To consider the implementation of the parish council’s initial governance arrangements • Review the Standing Orders (Claire, Lorna, Clerk to review this doc) • Review the Financial Regulations • Review the BHIB Insurance Policy • This was a really useful exercise to learn about the workings of a council meeting • Thank you to Claire and Lorna for helping review the document • EO to produce a crib sheet to bullet point the key notes of the document PENDING

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014. Transfer of Public Open Space for Loxton Fields from David Wilson Homes to the HMPC to manage • Proposal for the council to agree to this transfer and sign the TP1 Land Registry document • Council agree to setup a Working Group to look into the design, details and the balancing pond from a health & safety perspective • Nominated Cllrs: S.Clark, J.Kimbrey, J.Holgate • EO to contact the original contractor for a one-off check and to source the drawings for the balancing pond • Proposal to adopt the POS in principle by James Holgate • Seconded by Jackie Kimbrey • Council all in favour to adopt the POS in principle • TLC have been working on the LF POS, Jim to contact DWH for any available drawings • Claire’s contact to survey the LF POS and report any findings • Jackie to look into costs and installation of a Life Buoy • The brook that runs along the lower edge of Loxton Fields can be very dangerous after rainfall and fencing needs to be installed asap due to this being a playing field • An option could be to poly-pipe the brook and back fill with soil and seed • The solicitor has been served with a list of questions regarding landscaping, boundaries and the balancing pond, updates to follow • The balancing pond has no safety buoy, but the pond is completely dry • The absence of a safety buoy has been raised by the Chairman with the solicitor to confirm with DWH the installation of a buoy • The working group met with DWH for a walk about of the POS area at LF. • The snags were highlighted and the huge mole hill will be changed to a bund. • Snagging lists has been prepared with photographs. • Final meeting to be arranged to sign off the snag work. • A lifebuoy will be installed. • The flood defence hydro-brake will be maintained by Anglian Water. PENDING

057. Community Flood Resilience Pathfinder Scheme The scheme aims to make communities more able to deal with flooding and feel better prepared • This item would ideally sit with the Loxton Fields Working Party as there is a potential risk of flooding from the brook that runs along the lower edge of LF Open Space. • Proposal for the EO to forward the link and info to Stewart & Jim to prepare an update for the mid-month October meeting. • Stewart to look through the link and arrange the survey of the area • Stewart has signed up HMPC into the Community Flood Resilience Pathfinder Scheme

PENDING

Action: • Engage with the youth on the estate, bring them together to discuss the issues that concern them. • Consider a youth committee and involve the PCSO. • To make sure that communications get to the elderly and make sure that Whites Lane and Fleetlands Farm are included. • Discuss the above at the November mid-month meeting PENDING

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080. Proposal to Action the Winter Salt Bin Project and agree the finances Council to agree on the locations and the costs associated with this project. • Location 1: salt bags only to be stored at Cllr Elton-Thomson’s home address • Location 2: salt bin to be located at Cllr Clark’s home address • Salt bin and salt bags to be stored at another location after the winter • How do we publicise and distribute the salt • Loxton Fields location needed • EO to check the salt spreading routes • EO will purchase “Ice-Melt” which has a greater coverage, lasts up to 36hrs and is pet friendly. • Simon to clarify the location of the salt bin with Stewart and EO to post the location on social media once confirmed

PENDING

Information Tables

Results of the Residents Survey – April 2020 Security, Neighbourhood Watch, Crime Greenbelt Management Company Dog Bins, Salt Bins Widening of the Harlestone Road Pavement Safe Road Crossing between Loxton Fields and Harlestone Manor Road Safety

Achievements and completed projects/items by the council Full review of the annual budget for 2020/2021 Drains around Harlestone Manor have been emptied and power washed Harlestone Manor Parish notice board installed New HMPC email formats New website designed and launched HMPC registered with the Information Commissioners Office HMPC Staff Pension Scheme has been completed “No HGV Access” sign installed at the entrance to HM Pavements around HM have been re-tarmacked and made safe Armed Farces Covenant completed for the Bronze Award Remembrance Poppies installed around the parish Remembrance Service filmed and published for the ecclesiastical parish Set-up a Community Group Committee for events within the parish Set-up a salt safety project and purchased a salt bin HMPC has joined the Community Flood Resilience Pathfinder Scheme Rooted Christmas Tree planted at the entrance to Harlestone Manor Christmas Cards and Christmas Newsletters distributed Christmas Pop-Up Nativity performed with St.Andrews Church Secured a Climate Change Grant for £888 from District Council

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COMMUNICATIONS WITH OR BY THE COUNCIL

The Executive Officer lists and considers here, any correspondence or contact between the council, the clerk and the public on issues which are of interest. Since the last meeting, such correspondence included:

• Online Crime Reporting: www.northants.police.uk/webform/online-crime-reporting • Transport & Mobility solutions in : spread the word regarding the services of DACT in local areas www.dact.btck.co.uk • Daventry District Council Covid support line: 0300 126 1000 • Care and Repair funding for disabled facilities up to £30k per household www.daventrydc.gov.uk/careandrepair • ANPR expansion consultation: this will enhance the ability for the police to detect and deter criminal activity. Identified locations: [email protected] • Unitary Council update from NCALC: www.northantscalc.com/lgr.html • Volunteers needed to listen to children read in local primary schools after lockdown www.schoolreaders.org/volunteer-application-form or call 01234 924111

Meeting Duration: 2 hours 0 minutes

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NEXT MEETINGS 2020

Thursday 07 January Thursday 04 February Thursday 04 March Thursday 08 April Thursday 06 May (TBC due to Elections) Thursday May (Annual Meeting TBC) Thursday 03 June

19:00 at Harlestone Village Institute unless stated online

The council may need to convene for planning items which require a response before the date of the next meeting. Deadline for items for the next meeting to the EO/Clerk please:

NO LATER than: 1 week before the meeting

Paul Thomas - Executive Officer

[email protected] The Old Bakehouse, Harlestone Village NN7 4EP

Dated: 19th January 2021

Signature: ………………………………………….. Executive Officer/Clerk/RFO: Paul Thomas

Signature: ………………………………………….. Chairman/Cllr Jackie Kimbrey

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Appendix A

Harlestone Manor Parish Budget 13

2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022 Item Budget Revised Budget IT Equipment Hardware £ 700.00 £ 700.00 £ 200.00 Audit Fees £ 375.00 £ 375.00 £ 475.00 Bank Charges £ 150.00 £ 150.00 £ 150.00 Bin Emptying £ 300.00 £ 300.00 £ 300.00 Chairman's Expenses £ 200.00 £ 200.00 £ 200.00 Church POS £ 500.00 £ 500.00 £ 500.00 Clerk's Pension £ 500.00 £ 500.00 £ 600.00 Clerk's Salary £ 7,200.96 £ 7,200.96 £ 8,400.00 Contingency £ 500.00 £ 500.00 £ 250.00 Defib/Installation £ 750.00 £ - £ - Election Expenses £ 1,500.00 £ - £ 1,500.00 ICO £ 40.00 £ 40.00 £ 40.00 Insurance £ 550.00 £ 550.00 £ 550.00 IT Equipment Anti-virus £ 150.00 £ 150.00 £ 100.00 IT Equipment Software £ 150.00 £ 150.00 £ 100.00 Maintenance £ 500.00 £ 500.00 £ 500.00 Office Expenses/Admin/Printing/Audit £ 750.00 £ 750.00 £ 500.00 Office IT & Phone Costs £ 575.00 £ 575.00 £ 575.00 Office/Meeting Venue Rent £ 275.00 £ - £ - Parish Event Funding £ 475.04 £ 200.04 £ 500.00 PCSO (joint liability) £ 3,300.00 £ 3,300.00 £ 3,536.05 S137 £ 2,750.00 £ 2,750.00 £ 2,750.00 State Contingency Plan £ 700.00 £ 700.00 £ 550.00 Street Lighting £ 110.00 £ 110.00 £ 125.00 Subscriptions £ 650.00 £ 650.00 £ 700.00 Traffic Monitoring £ 450.00 £ 450.00 £ 600.00 Training £ 1,250.00 £ 1,525.00 £ 1,750.00 Website £ 1,150.00 £ 1,150.00 £ 1,150.00 Legal Expenses £ - £ 3,000.00 £ 2,280.01 Community Group £ - £ 275.00 £ 300.00 Parish Council Projects £ - £ 750.00 £ 500.00 Neighbourhood Plan £ - £ - £ - Precept £ 28,001.00 £ 29,681.06 6% Increase

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