Minutes of the Stanbridge Council Meeting held at Stanbridge and Hall on Tuesday 14th February 2017

Present: Chairman E Sutton, Parish Councillors M Throsby, P Lidford, R Deville & G Chamberlain, Clerk M Whiting, 0 members of public

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received and accepted from Ward Cllr Versallion

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declaration of interests.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10th January 2017 were a correct record and signed by the Chairman

4. PROGRESS UPDATE FROM LAST MEETING CB/16/05377/FULL Ashby House, Tilsworth Road, Stanbridge LU7 9HYretrospective application for erection of garden storage building was granted by CBC on 5th January. CBC Planning Officer Debbie Wilcox advised she has checked the 2012 permission, CB/12/04360/FULL and there are no conditions or informatives stating that there would be no further permission granted for further development on that planning permission.

5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION No matters raised.

6. CENTRAL COUNCIL No matters raised. Request Ward Cllr Versallion to attend the next meeting.

7. POLICE Clerk had circulated Police crime data spreadsheets link to Councillors. There were 3 incidents in January. Concerns were raised regarding the increased number of incidents in neighbouring Tilsworth. Request Police to attend the next meeting.

8. PLANNING CB/17/00390/FULL Mead Open Farm, Stanbridge Road, Great Billington LU7 9JH Construction of extension to existing indoor play barn and ancillary development. No comment

CB/17/00392/FULL The Old Mill House, Mill Road, Stanbridge, LU7 9HX Proposed Alterations, Extension & part demolitions at The Old Mill No comment. Question raised – is the Old Mill part listed?

CB/17/00350/FULL 42 Station Road, Stanbridge, , LU7 9JF Two storey side extension, internal alterations and garage extension No comment

9. 2017/18 GRANTS £1000 is allocated in the 2017/2018 budget under Section 137. Stanbridge and Tilsworth Community Hall Committee have advised they understand the pressures and other priorities the parish council face, and with the current state of their finances, they have agreed not to apply for a grant this year. In addition to the below grants awarded, the parish council received a grant application from Autism Bedfordshire. It was AGREED that the parish council wish to prioritise financial support to local village events and organisations where financial support and sources are limited. It was RESOLVED to award the following grants and cheques to be distributed at the Annual Parish Meeting: ABF Soldier's Charity Cycle event costs £ 300.00 St John the Baptist Church Heating, fund raising, grass cutting equipment £ 500.00

1 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------14th March 2017 Minutes of the Stanbridge Parish Council Meeting held at Stanbridge and Tilsworth Hall on Tuesday 14th February 2017

Tilbridge Scout Group Website & Scout camp & leadership course in New Forest £ 200.00 TOTAL £ 1,000.00 Permission given to the cycle ride event to use the village green as overspill parking only on the basis that weather conditions are suitable, the ground is dry, and there will be no damage made to the green.

10. PLAY AREA FENCING 3 Quotes have been received for construction of a secure ’Picket Style’ fence approx. 110m with two gateways and 1200mm in height, enclosing the children’s play equipment located on the village green. W Roff Agricultural Services: £2229.70 + VAT Reynolds Landscaping Services: £6326.56 Conibear Agricultural Contracting: £2750 It was RESOLVED to order the above works with W Roff Agricultural Services at £2229.70 + VAT for invoicing in 2017/18.

11. GREAT BRITISH SPRING CLEAN The ‘Great British Spring Clean’ event will take place on Saturday 4th March at 10:30am on the village green. Approximately 10 volunteers have agreed so far, and hoping to have 20 attend. Possibility to carry over to Sunday if enough interest. Guidance has been received from CBC and circulated and litter picking equipment has been collected from CBC office.

12. SPEEDING Cllr Sutton met with CBC Paul Salmon and Police traffic officers. They agreed the village suffers with speeding vehicles and something needs to be done. CBC will redo white lining and road markings. Engineering costs will prohibit narrowing of Mill Road at Tilsworth Road junction. It was AGREED to purchase Speedwatch notices to erect on metal sign posts on Peddars Lane and Tilsworth Road. Parish Council are concerned that the development of up to 2,500 houses to the East of Leighton Buzzard will increase traffic through Stanbridge, Tilsworth, and Totternhoe, and the planned link road from North East of Leighton Buzzard to Stanbridge Road will exacerbate an already difficult situation. It was AGREED that Stanbridge parish council are also concerned that housing development will lead to an increase of traffic through the villages. Clerk to obtain a copy of the map to show the planned link road and discuss further.

13. NEWSLETTER It was AGREED to accept hall committee request to include an article in the next and forthcoming newsletters. Cllr Sutton will produce a newsletter to be delivered end of March, early April, to advertise the Annual Parish Meeting. Items will include speeding, securing of the village green, follow up from Clean up event, and also advertise the charity cycle ride and church village fete.

14. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN The focus group are gauging interest in setting up a Neighbourhood Plan Forum with a group of villages to make a neighbourhood plan more viable and cost effective to produce. Councillors agreed it was a good idea however concerned that they will struggle to find the support and volunteers to help with producing it. Will include in newsletter and Parish Meeting report.

15. FOI TO CBC RE COUNCIL TAX BANDING The Focus Group have requested the parish council to forward an FOI (Freedom of Information) request to CBC regarding council tax banding. It was AGREED the focus group should send any FOI requests direct to CBC.

16. CORRESPONDENCE Together ‘Cheering Volunteering’ Tues 6th June Grove Theatre Dunstable – poster for noticeboard CBC ‘Shaping where you live 2035’ Community Planning Event 22nd March Village Hall – email to Cllrs 26/1 & poster for noticeboard CBC Streetworks Team Roadworks bulletin 1st – 8th February- email to Cllrs 1/2. Cllrs to request streetworks team to add to mailing list to receive direct CBC Green Infrastructure Planning Obligations – email to Cllrs 26/1

2 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------14th March 2017 Minutes of the Stanbridge Parish Council Meeting held at Stanbridge and Tilsworth Hall on Tuesday 14th February 2017

CBC Cllr Adam Zeny National Planning petition – email to Cllrs 26/1 NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan public event 31st January Rufus Centre – email to Cllrs 26/1 BATPC Training programme Spring/Summer 2017 – email to Cllrs 7/2 CBC Richard Wenham, Budget recommendation – email to Cllrs 9/2 National Grid overhead line refurbishment between East Claydon substation and Sundon substation 25th Feb to June CBC Housing White Paper update –email to Cllrs 14/2 Stanbridge & Tilsworth village hall committee minutes 31/01/17 – email fwd Cllrs 14/2

17. AUTHORISATION OF PAYMENTS It was RESOLVED by full council to authorise the following accounts for payment and two authorised signatories were instructed to sign the below cheques: 01/02/2017 SO Maxine Whiting Clerk salary & expenses £ 500.00 06/02/2017 DD PWLB Loan repayment £ 760.16 14/02/2017 101122 Maxine Whiting Balance Clerk salary & expenses £ 179.74 14/02/2017 101123 Bedfordshire Pension Fund Pension contributions £ 176.88

Meeting Closed at 8:55pm

3 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------14th March 2017