Spratton Parish Council Held on Tuesday 17Th June 2014 in the Village Hall, School Road, Spratton at 7.30 Pm
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Chairman: Councillor Barry Frenchman Clerk: Mrs L Compton 12 Olde Forde Close Brixworth Northants NN6 9XF Tel/Fax 01604-880727 Email: sprattonpc@tiscali co.uk Minutes of a Meeting of Spratton Parish Council Held on Tuesday 17th June 2014 in the Village Hall, School Road, Spratton at 7.30 pm Present: Cllrs Barry Frenchman (Chairman), Tim Forster (Vice-Chairman), John Hunt, Fiona Keable, Rachel Baillie, Michael Heaton and Jay Tindale – 7 members In attendance: 3 members of the public 21.14 PUBLIC FORUM Members of the public and press are invited to address the Council at its Open Forum from 7.30 pm to 7.45 pm There were 3 members of the public in attendance who were awaiting the update on the Neighbourhood Plan. 22.14 RESOLUTION TO APPROVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllr Frenchman proposed acceptance of apologies from Cllr Blowfield, Cllr Ruaraidh-McDonald Walker and Cllr Pacey, seconded by Cllr Heaton and resolved to be approved by Parish Council. 23.14 RESOLUTION TO SIGN AND APPROVE MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 4TH JUNE 2014 (previously circulated) – Cllr Frenchman proposed approval of the minutes, seconded by Cllr Heaton and resolved to be approved by Parish Council. 24.14 MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES AND CLERK UPDATE REPORT (if any) – For Information only a) First Responders (209.13 b April Minutes) – to receive an update from Cllr Baillie – after some discussion and clarification that First Responders is part of the Ambulance Service and involves training people to be respond to 999 calls and not the same as the free HeartStart training which is a free 2 hour Emergency First Aid Course, Cllrs Baillie and Keable kindly agreed to look into both further and report back. Cllr Keable to write content for the next newsletter. b) Financial Risk Management Policy (215.13 h) – this will now be revised by Resources Committee by 31st July 2014 (together with the Financial Regulations) 25.14 MEMBERS’ DECLARATION OF INTEREST/DISPENSATION REQUESTS for relevant items on the agenda There were none. 26.14 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN - Project Manager: Councillor Michael Heaton a) Update – It was reported that:- 1. Awards for All end of grant Report – this has been submitted. b) Draft Plan – To discuss Councillors observations on the Draft Plan (of which hard copies were distributed at the meeting on 15 April). There had only been 1 response back on the plan so far. Cllr Heaton kindly agreed to meet with new Cllr Keable and run through Spratton NP and its background to bring her up to speed. Cllr Heaton proposed that Navigus Planning Consultants should attend the next meeting and that the Project Manager would circulate a recommendation for a site choice to be included in Spratton Neighbourhood Plan prior to the meeting on 15th July 2014, seconded by Cllr Frenchman and resolved by Parish Council. It was acknowledged that the additional analysis undertaken by Cllr Baillie would be useful when making the final recommendation. Action: Clerk to bring forward, Site Recommendation and Adoption of the Spratton Neighbourhood Plan to the full council meeting on 15th July 2014 to which all Councillors should attend. 1 of 7 c) The matrix of benefits for each site (previously circulated) Parish Council to discuss and make resolution. Fully deliverable community benefits comparison Site 1 Site 2 Deliverable new relief/link road to Spratton Hall School – note 1 Safe pedestrian route to village – note 2 Land to be given to parish to provide an extension to East View Cemetery Land to be given to Primary School for additional play area (rear) Parking for East View Cemetery Parking for teachers and drop-off point ‘below’ school Improve drainage to Primary School playing field Land to the east of Site 1, including *balancing water area, to be gifted Water to East View Cemetery Note 3 *Also known as an Attenuation Pond 1. Based on feed-back from the Hall School 2. Promoters have made proposals which will meet Highways standards 3. This has been offered but is subject to access across the Recreation Ground Other benefit(s) sought by parishioners, not at present deliverable Link road to Hall School 92% After some discussion, Cllr Heaton proposed acceptance of the matrix of benefits, seconded by Cllr Frenchman, voted on and resolved to be approved by Parish Council. d) Observations from the Spratton Hall School Governor’s meeting on 10th June 2014 – to receive, discuss and make resolution. The Clerk reported that Spratton Hall School had asked for the letter itself not to be in the public domain, but the summary of the letter could be reported. The Parish Council considered the Governors letter dated 12th June 2014 and noted that:- 1. In their letter, the Governors stated that “it would be preferable to the School if neither scheme were approved as they compromised the security of the School site”. 2. They considered that a relief road across the Gaywoods Site (Site 2 – Mulberry) was “unworkable” from their perspective. 3. Whilst there would be security implications for an access from the Sale Site (Site 1), “this would be the preferable option, if development is indeed to take place at all”. e) Navigus Planning Journal – Parish Council to discuss issues raised and make resolution as to any action needed. Cllr Heaton proposed that there was no action needed, seconded by Cllr Frenchman and resolved by Parish Council. f) Cllr A Chantler – Neighbourhood Planning Champion, email received:- “I have always been led to believe that Neighbourhood Plans cannot be used to prevent or even limit development. The government keep telling us that there is a housing shortage crisis so we must not do anything to restrict the building of much needed housing. This view is yet further strengthened by this statement extracted from a very recent advisory document prepared for government: "whilst communities should have a say in planning, they should not be able to veto new homes in a time of severe shortage". Parish Council to discuss and agree any action. After some discussion, Cllr Heaton proposed that no response or action was necessary, seconded by Cllr Frenchman and resolved by Parish Council. 27.14 RESOURCES COMMITTEE – Chair: Councillor Michael Heaton a) Update (if any) – there was nothing further to report. b) Internet Banking – to consider amending Parish Council regulations to use internet banking. The Clerk had requested model Internal Controls, Financial Regulations and Risk Assessment from the NCALC Internal Auditor, these had not yet been received (as they were being in the process of re-drafting). After some discussion, Cllr Heaton proposed that this matter should be investigated further by the Clerk and Resources Committee. Action: Clerk to organise Resources Committee meeting prior to the next meeting of Parish Council. c) Application for assistance from Hopscotch Pre-School (papers previously circulated) – to discuss and make resolution. Cllr Frenchman reported that Hopscotch Pre-School were sadly being evicted from the Village Hall with effect from 31st July 2014 due to non-payment of hall fees and no prospect of the fees being paid. The assistance being applied for was revenue funding as opposed to purchase of equipment (which the Parish Council had previously supported Hopscotch with). After some discussion, Cllr Heaton proposed responding that the Parish Council are unable to help in this instance, seconded by Cllr Frenchman and unanimously resolved by Parish Council. Action: Clerk to send letter (reviewing with Resources Committee Chairman) along the lines “Thank you for your application and business plan, unfortunately Parish Council has limited funds for grants and does not grant aid for revenue funding. We can help by referring you to alternative funding streams.” A request also to be made that the storage trollies brought by the Parish Council for the Village Hall to be used by Hopscotch are emptied and remain in the Village Hall. 2 of 7 d) Projects 1. WW1 Commemoration i. Location of Event – It was reported that this event is planned to be within the grounds of Spratton Hall School, due to the availability of Hunter Hall (so the event can still go ahead in inclement weather), which a vital resource for the event (large enough grounds to have a marquee to house the plane). Unfortunately, the Recreation Field was not big enough. Mr Heaton (Representative of the History Society) has a meeting with them on Monday to ensure they are on side with the arrangements. ii. Funding - to report that grants have been obtained from £1,000 from NCC and £500 DDC (from 2015/16 budget – 90% certain), £500 donation from Parish Council (set aside in budget). There will be a shortfall of approximately £10,000 for this event with the current project plan. To discuss suggestion from Spratton Local History Society (Cllr Heaton) that the shortfall will be made up as from other grant opportunities and pledges from individuals. It was also reported that the Northamptonshire Community Foundation might be able to donate £5000. See point iii for resolution. iii. Joint Project? Although this was a joint project with the Parish Council, as the Awards for All grant application was un-successful, it has been proposed that the project should be run by the History Society with support from the Parish Council. To discuss and make resolution. The Clerk informed that any additional projects would have an impact on Clerk hours, Audit Costs (if grant monies are paid into the SPC account) and that any project undertaken would need a full project plan and Risk Assessment. After some discussion, Cllr Heaton proposed that the project should be run by the History Society with support e.g.