Minutes of the Stanbridge Council Meeting held virtually by Zoom on 14th July 2020

Present: Chair R Deville, Parish Councillors P Lidford, B Houston, M Walker, Clerk M Whiting, Ward Cllr Versallion, 0 members of public

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: None in attendance

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies received and accepted from Chair E Sutton (family commitments) &Cllr M Waters (family commitments)

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9th June 2020 were a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

4. PROGRESS UPDATE FROM LAST MEETING Clerk has submitted CBC Ward Councillor Grant request for Covid-19 Community Response Group costs. Clerk updated new website with end of year accounts information but made an error with settings as minutes and some other documents are now not showing. Cllr Lidford hopes to fix but if not, Clerk will contact website designer.

5. COMMUNITY RESPONSE GROUP Since group was started in March, they have carried out 28 errands averaging 2 per week. To start with there was not many calls, but this has increased during June. Councillors wish to thank Rhys and all other volunteers for their continued support and assistance to residents.

6. POLICE REPORT Clerk circulated Police crime data spreadsheets link to Cllrs. 1 offence reported in June. Speed Watch activities have resumed and over seventies are allowed to partake from 1st August. Recent sessions during morning rush hours on Station Road, Peddars Lane & Road have seen a drop to a third volume of usual traffic. Mill Road traffic calming measures have worked well, however vehicles have been seen mounting kerbs and paint markings need to made clearer.

7. CENTRAL COUNCIL Ward Cllr Versallion advised Leighton United Football Club have approached him for financial assistance due to Covid. Given details of CBC grants to apply. Aware Stanbridge parish council also award grants annually if they wish to apply. Aware of Trinity Hall Solar Farm application. Conditions could be made to ensure it is well screened, however unlikely to be seen by Stanbridge properties. Poor communications so far and need more public engagement. S106 contributions could be significant to the parish councils as aware Parish Council received £5000pa for 20 years for their parish solar farm and this proposal is substantially bigger. Agree solar farms would be better placed on brown sites rather than green belt land.

8. PLAY AREA REPAIRS Clerk awaiting quote from Village Garden Services to repair toddler house. Will forward when received and Councillors to make decision by email. There are no further urgent repairs following Rospa safety report.

9. PLAY AREA REOPENING On 26th June, Government published guidance for managing playgrounds and outdoor gyms. In line with Central Beds Council, parish council play areas were kept closed. CBC advised yesterday they will re-open Saturday 18th July and emailed risk assessment, guidance and signage for Town & Parish Councils to use. It was AGREED to order 1 vinyl banner, 2 A1 Covid guidance signs, 2 A4 signs social distancing and hand washing and 2 floor stickers from Perfect Print, at a total cost of £71.20 +VAT. It is hoped these will be ready for collection Friday. Cllrs Lidford and Deville will install signage, undertake Covid Risk Assessment for the play area and continue to monitor play area equipment. Cllr Lidford will update website with opening details and Covid guidance.

10. VILLAGE GREEN ACCESS ROAD CBC Highways Paul Salmon sought advice from their land and mapping expert re viability of CBC adopting the access road.

1 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------2020 Minutes of the Stanbridge Parish Council Meeting held virtually by Zoom on 14th July 2020

There is a process where a portion of land affected can be de-registered under the provision that if this land is over 200 square metres a replacement in the vicinity must be found. The access road area is under this so technically an application to de-register can be made with no provision for replacement. Any applications to de-register go to The Planning Inspectorate together with a (non-refundable) fee of £4900 and there is no guarantee of success. In a similar fashion to a right of way proposal, various consultations need to be made to named groups and the wider public and the matter may well end up in a public inquiry if objections are received. The landowner (ie Parish Council) would be the applicant and CBC can help and advise with the process. It was AGREED the costs to de-register the land would be prohibitive. It was AGREED to proceed with original plan to repair and decision taken on 10th December 2019 to accept T Clubb & Son quotation of £4450 + VAT to fill damaged areas with 20mm bitumen, lay 30mm surface course to whole are & seal with hot bitumen. Clerk to contact T Clubb to ensure quote is still valid and request date when work can be carried out in order to write to residents to inform them.

11. 18/20 TILSWORTH ROAD VILLAGE GREEN ACCESS Clerk wrote to resident to request they cease using the village green as an access route and to contact in writing if wish to discuss matter further or claim access. No further correspondence received.

12. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN Clerk emailed for further details and costs for consideration but no reply received. It was agreed that a Neighbourhood Plan requires a long term commitment and a great deal of work. With Stanbridge surrounded by Green Belt land, there is no current motivation at present to proceed with a Neighbourhood Plan.

13. COMMUNITY HALL PLAY AREA Tilsworth parish council are approaching the hall regarding play area refurbishment. It was AGREED to advise hall committee to apply for a parish council grant if funding required to assist with this.

14. CORRESPONDENCE CBC Local Plan consultation on additional evidence June 2020, closing date 12th August. 18/6 & 3/7 Fwd Cllrs CBC New boundaries proposals for council wards in Central Beds. Closes 7th Sept. 30/6 Fwd to Cllrs Police & Crime Commissioner election 2021, introduction from Festus Akinbuysoye. 29/6 Fwd Cllrs CBC Community Safety Team, invitation to virtual drop in surgery every Thursday morning. 25/6 & 6/7 Fwd to Cllrs CBC Ward Cllr grants available to support local groups dealing with Covid 19. 16/6 Fwd Cllrs CBC Social distancing measures introduced to help keep pathways clear. 18/6 Fwd Cllrs CBC Chief Executive Richard Carr standing down. 15/6 Fwd Cllrs

15. 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: 14/07/2020 101366 Maxine Whiting Balance Clerk salary & expenses August £ 130.83 14/07/2020 101367 Bedfordshire Pension Fund Pension contributions August £ 237.39 14/07/2020 101368 HMRC PAYE August £ 11.10 14/07/2020 101369 Elaine Sutton Reimburse VE day expenses £ 31.07 14/07/2020 101370 Rhys Hibbert Reimburse community mobile phone costs £ 15.00 14/07/2020 101371 Village Garden Services Grasscut June £ 252.00 14/07/2020 101372 Perfect Print Covid signage for play area £ 85.44 09/07/2020 DD PWLB Loan repayment £ 677.80 01/08/2020 SO Maxine Whiting Clerk salary & expenses £ 650.00

16. TRINITY HALL SOLAR FARM Robinson & Hall wrote to the parish council on 25th June to advise that their client European Energy are submitting a full planning application to CBC for the installation of a solar farm on land situated to the north of Tilsworth village. Information of the proposal was included and forwarded to all Parish Councillors. Advertisement placed in Observer

2 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------2020 Minutes of the Stanbridge Parish Council Meeting held virtually by Zoom on 14th July 2020 on 30th June . They wish to seek views of the parish council to include in their public engagement report to CBC as part of their application. It was AGREED to request Robinson & Hall to undertake a full community engagement process including all households in Stanbridge, Tilsworth and . Due to Covid, alternative ways to engage should be sought and suggest organising a virtual meeting which residents are able to participate in or a socially distanced meeting either outside on the playing field or indoors at the Stanbridge and Tilsworth Community Hall. We would also like to know what benefit residents of the villages will receive and also what Section 106 Stanbridge, Tilsworth and Hockliffe parish councils can expect to receive from this proposal.

17. PLANNING Clerk submitted objection and comments as agreed by Councillors by email on CB/20/01719/REG3 The Stables and Greenacres, Gypsy Lane, Little Billington, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9BP

CB/20/02099/FULL 4 Station Road, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9JF Conversion of existing barn to a single residential dwelling No comment

CB/20/01673/FULL Dingle Dell, Kingsway, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9HZ Proposed ground floor side extension and the addition of a first floor No comment

CB/20/02247/FULL Mill View, Leighton Road, Stanbridge, LU7 9HW New 3 bed dwelling and demolition of existing dwelling OBJECT on grounds of inappropriate development in Green Belt. There does not appear to be an existing building at the location to demolish. Request planning officer carries out an onsite investigation.

CB/20/01913/VOC Apex Park (Formerly Part of Clipstone Park) Leighton Road Leighton Buzzard Variation of Conditions 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 22 & 25 to Planning Permission CB/18/02649/OUT( Hybrid Planning Application for the development of the site). No comment

CB/20/02175/ADV Land To The East Of And Adjacent To The Ministry Of Transport Testing Station, Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard Advertisement: Totem and Estate signage for first phase of employment development at Apex Park, including 13 units. Numbers on the front elevation of each unit. No comment

CB/20/02306/FULL 70 Tilsworth Road, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9HY Addition of two new PVC double glazed windows into existing first floor side elevation. No objection

Meeting Closed at 8:45pm

3 Signed by Presiding Chairman ------2020