Approved Minutes 20210208
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Grendon Parish Council Clerk: Deborah Rush (01933) 663918 Email [email protected] www.grendon-pc.org.uk In accordance with The Local Authorities & Police & Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority & Police & Crime Panel Meetings) (England & Wales) Regulations 2020 this meeting will be held by video conference call. Minutes of the meeting of Grendon Parish Council held on Monday 8th February 2021 at 7.30pm by video conference call. 236. Open forum One member of the public attended to observe the meeting. 237. County & Ward Councillor Reports -To receive reports, from county and ward councillors if able to attend. CCllr Martin Griffiths attended the meeting and reported that NCC had been mainly focussed on the COVID-19 situation and the move towards unitary. He was very pleased with Northamptonshire’s exceptional response to the pandemic and the vaccine roll-out with Northants sitting at 4th in the country for vaccine distribution in groups 1-4, there was still a long way to go but they were confident this would continue if the supply held-up. He also reported that the elections will go ahead on the 6th of May 2021, in a COVID-19-secure way. He thought turn-out could be low which would be a shame and no door-to-door canvassing was permitted. Residents are very much encouraged to apply for postal votes which is a secure way to avoid the polling station. https://www.wellingborough.gov.uk/downloads/file/8643/postal_vote_application_form He also reported that the North Northants Unitary Authority budget was out for consultation and the new Children’s Trust was operational. Locally BCW had refurbished the multi-storey car park which should make visiting the town much more enjoyable and should encourage support of the local businesses once restrictions are lifted. The urban extensions at Stanton Cross & Glenvale Park continue at pace and the plans for a new primary school at Stanton Cross have just been approved. On the 31st of March 2021, The Borough Council of Wellingborough will cease to exist, but it will be leaving a strong legacy for the new unitary authority with strong capital reserves, a large property portfolio, no debt, and no borrowing to be handed over. He also mentioned a recent spate of doorstep selling in Earls Barton which is illegal under current restrictions, the police had been involved and he asked that any further instances be reported to him. Cllr Dow asked what was happening with the illegal encampment at Summer Leys? 64 Cllr Griffiths advised that a joint enforcement effort with Kettering BC, Corby BC who have similar issues was underway. It had also been raised by our MP in Westminster as it was felt national action was required. Cllr Howell raised the issue of the pub and expressed his concern that with the move to unitary any change of use planning application might fall through the cracks. Cllr Griffiths reassured the council that most officers were moving to the new authority and that he would hope the new unitary authority would help when and if required. Cllr Denton thanked CCllr Griffiths for attending and for his ongoing support. 238. To receive and accept apologies for absence. Apologies for absence were received and accepted from Cllr Bailey. Present; Cllr Denton (Chairman), Cllr Blacklee, Cllr Butcher, Cllr Dow, Cllr Herron, Cllr Howell, Cllr Mason, Cllr Smith & the Clerk. 239. To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non-statutory disclosable interests from Councillors for items on the agenda. Cllr Mason declared an interest in planning item 245.1, NW/21/00017/FUL. He was permitted to remain in the room during its discussion. 240. To sign the minutes of the meeting held on 11th January 2021. The minutes of the meeting held on 11th January 2021were signed. 241. Police Matters - Monthly Crime Report - Noted Crime Statistics from Police Website www.police.co.uk November 2020 Crime On or near Blackmile Lane Criminal damage and arson (1) Includes damage to buildings and vehicles and deliberate damage by fire. Investigation complete; no suspect identified. December 2020 Crime On or near Church Way Criminal damage and arson (1) Includes damage to buildings and vehicles and deliberate damage by fire. Under investigation 65 Crime On or near Easton Way Anti-social behaviour (2) Includes personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. No crime timeline details for anti-social behaviour. Criminal damage and arson (1) Includes damage to buildings and vehicles and deliberate damage by fire. Investigation complete; no suspect identified. Twitter mentions – None 242.Matters arising from previous minutes - -Highways chased re verges Easton Way, response received 16.12.20 C/F -Blocked drains reported to street doctor, Church Cottage ref 2477447 (14.1.21 Investigating) The Clerk reported that an update had now been received on this, a works order had been issued for within 28 days. -Bank alongside playing field reported for cutting back, ref 2473711 (12.1.21 Thank you for your enquiry an inspection will be undertaken within the next 10 days) – NOTED C/F -Highways contacted re signage warning of flooding, response that needs reporting to Flood and Water Management Team for full investigation. This had been passed to the flood warden for completion. -Questionnaire to village? (Covered by Chairman’s report) 243. Chairman’s Report Including -Update solar farm proposal working party The Chairman confirmed that this group was due to meet via zoom next week. Some activity had been observed at the back of Hall Farm with soil sampling taking place over the last week. It was agreed that the Clerk would contact Statera Energy for an update. Action Clerk -Update Half Moon community bid group, meeting held 21.1.21 Clarification from BCW that – Any application to change the use of the pub would still, in accordance with Policy 7 of the Joint Core Strategy, must demonstrate that the pub was: No longer viable No longer needed by the community it serves. The facility is not needed for any other community use or the facility is being relocated and improved. 66 Cllr Denton reported that 2 meetings of the community bid group had now taken place and they were preparing evidence to support the refusal of a change of use if such an application were submitted. A chairman had been elected, Andy Burton, and various sub-groups had been appointed. He thanked Cllrs Herron & Smith for getting this off the ground. He felt that the support shown by residents was encouraging and he continued to have telephone and email conversations with the new owner Richard Pears who has informed him that some improvement work would be taking place in the pub and then a new tenant would be sought. Obviously, the current COVID-19 situation was likely to delay that. It was reported that some extensive surveying has taken place in recent days, the Chairman agreed to contact Mr Pears to ascertain what the purpose of this was. Action Cllr Denton Cllr Smith reported that he had had a telephone conversation before the PC meeting with Andy Burton who had informed him that a constituted, unincorporated body, The Friends of the Half Moon would be being formed to submit a further Asset of Community Value Nomination & as a vehicle to run a possible social club at the Village Hall. He gave a little more detail about the sub-groups for the benefit of the councillors who were not involved. -Sub-group to explore viability of pub, formulating a business plan which would be needed if a change of use application is made. -Sub-group to submit further Asset of Community Value Nomination. (Cllr Denton explained to the council that even if this were approved by BCW it did not mean that the community bid would have to be accepted by the owner, all it would do, would be to delay a sale by 6 months whilst a bid was pulled together and that care should be taken not to jeopardise the relationship with the current owner). -Sub-group to look at Village Club in the village hall as an interim place for residents to gather. -Sub-to look at structure of running a community pub if a bid was made and accepted. -Sub-group to deal with communications / questionnaire to residents about what they would like to see the pub become. Following discussion, it was agreed that a copy of the council’s previous refused application should be made available to the ACV sub-group, noting that the process has now been changed to encourage the evidence to be gathered before submission and then submitted with the form. When the previous submission was made the council were only given a week to do this, so it only contained the details the councillors were able to come up with, not evidence gathered from others. A very robust letter had been received from Charles’ Well’s solicitors stating that there was insufficient evidence to justify registering it as an ACV and BCW had refused the application. It was agreed that the Parish Council would in principle, support the new application subject to seeing it before submission. Cllr Denton reported that Gigaclear, a company that provides fibre broadband will be installing fibre cables in the village which will improve internet connections, although there would be some disruption whilst the infrastructure was laid. 244. Accounts 244.1 Income - NOTED. Interest £ 0.19 Allotment fees £175 67 244.2 Expenditure Grendon Parish Council Payment schedule 8.2.21 Date Chq No Payee Amount Vat Payable under power including VAT 5.1.21 DDR Total Gas & Power £ 120.06 £ 5.71 Highways Act 1980 s.301 26.1.21 DDR Total Gas & Power £ 134.05 £ 6.36 Highways Act 1980 s.301 29.1.21 1645 Unity Trust £ 500.00 LGA 1972, s.111 8.2.21 1646 D Rush £ 428.90 LGA 1972, s.112 8.2.21 PAYE £ 1.60 LGA 1972, s.112 1.2.21 1647 HMRC £14.20 LGA 1972, s.112 *Where payment is made under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council is satisfied that the benefit is commensurate with the amount.