PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of Stondon Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 30th January 2013 at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall, Hillside Road, Lower Stondon Present: Councillors J Stirling (Chairman), K Smith (Vice Chairman), T Baxter, D Evans, K Goode, D Hellen, C Henderson, F Nugent, G Simkins, Clerk Mrs L Hall Also present were five members of the public. New Councillor, K Goode, signed and returned his Declaration of Acceptance of Office. 996. APOLOGIES Apologies were received from Cllr. T Hudson and Ward Cllr. R Drinkwater 997. DECLARATION FROM MEMBERS IN RELATION TO PERSONAL OR PREJUDICIAL INTEREST IN ANY AGENDA ITEM There were no declarations of interest in items on the agenda. 998. STANDING ORDERS WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO 10 MINUTES TO ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IN RELATION TO THE BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA OR REQUEST MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING There was no public participation. 999. REPORTS FROM CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES Cllr. Drinkwater had supplied the following report: I have been requested by a few members of the public to ask for a Salt Bin to be positioned at the top of Fakeswell Lane. This access is not good and with the snow and ice it becomes hazardous especially with the school bus reversing down into the road in the morning and afternoon. CBC no longer provide additional bins, it’s now left for the PC’s to provide and so l am asking on the residents behalf that you consider the purchase of a salt bin at this location. I had a meeting with officers and members to discuss the LATP funding for the year 2014/15, the document will be coming out for consultation. It’s not easy when the funding has to stretch across Stotfold, Arlesey, Astwick, Langford, Henlow, Clifton and Stondon and the council has to set some strict criteria otherwise it would be a free for all. The council will hopefully in the future look to a 20 mile speed zone outside all schools, it is something l have been arguing for ever since CBC overturned the previous County Council’s policy on this. The proposal is now gathering momentum so any addtional pressure for this would be welcome . There will be a consultation on the LATP proposals put forward for 2014/15 and there are a few proposals which will see improvements across the whole area but l will be honest and say that the Safer Routes to School for Stondon although scoring relatively high it is about 8th on the list. It may be higher than this as l did argue the improvements are long overdue but it is unlikely to be carried out in that year which leads me onto:- The match funding pot and officers will be sending out a reminder of this scheme which is being offered from the beginning of the new financial year. I know you have been putting funding aside and there will also be some funding from the Bovis development section 106 pot under Sustainable Transport, so you could consider putting a case in to the council under either scheme. I have asked for some fresh data on speeding from Shillington in order to progress a 40 buffer one, the data was so out of date. Although the A600 buffer will be done in the next financial year, the council has a finite budget for this and so it may be worth considering either funding this your selves or match funding. The cost will probably be around £3-4k. www.stondon-pc.gov.uk [email protected] 01582 411657 Signed __________________________________ Page 336 As for the drainage issue on Bedford Road, the flooding and the knock on sewage flooding on the opposite side of the A600, once again people have experienced problems over this past weekend with the snow melting, Mr M was and is probably still pumping. Those of you who heard him speak at the planning meeting will now be fully aware of the problems these people have faced for more than 25 years and it has and is still getting worse. Over the years l have battled with officers, Anglian Water and the environment agency for something to be done and I have despaired that the true extent of the horrendous problems have always been understated. I remain unconvinced the new development will make a significant difference simply because they have understated and continue to understate the true extent and especially with regards to the pumping station, which AW know needs upgrading. The pump fails regularly despite the weather conditions and is not just down to the flooding. Looking at this logically Mr Maclen pumps round to the highway drains so although some of the water will inevitably penetrate through, it does not account for the overload on the pumping station. The tanker lorries who pump out from the station when it fails and can operate until 1am and then can start again at 6am, can you imagine the disruption. And when the overload spews out of manholes into gardens of those living opposite on the A600, it is heartbreaking and residents phone in tears, something l have grappled with for many years. Finally, l have asked for the gulleys at the bottom of Hillside Road to be cleared, they are full and l have also asked for those just along from me on Station Road at the brow of the hill to be jetted through. Water is laying on top of the road here and yet it on an incline!! There is a problem in this area a bit further down from the Museum, two properties on the opposite side are near to being flooded and l know one resident has brought a pump and was pumping all over the weekend. There seems to be a blockage somewhere and water is backing up around the properties, this has been occurring for about the last three months and officers are trying to investigate but sadly not getting very far. Cllrs. requested a timeframe for 30mph speed limits going in on the A600 and 20mph outside the school. Also, a deadline for match funding applications. Cllr. Baxter noted that there is already a salt bin on Fakeswell Lane and the Clerk was asked to clarify this with Cllr. Drinkwater. Cllrs. suggested that salt bins were required at the junction of Orchard Way / Bedford Road and also in Shannon Close. Clerk to agenda this for February’s meeting. 1000. REPORT FROM BEDFORDSHIRE POLICE There were no police present but the following report had been provided: Since the last meeting on 19/12/12 there have been 4 recorded crimes: Failure to pay for fuel. 23/12/12. Jet Garage. Theft From Motor Vehicle. Orchard Way, Lower Stondon. Between 7pm 7/1/13 and 8am 8/1/13 whilst parked on the driveway the rear bumper has been taken from the vehicle. Burglary Dwelling. Hare Park Terrace, Upper Stondon. Between 1030am – 8:15pm unknown offender has forced entry via upper window into the lounge and used a pillowcase to take jewellery and has left via the kitchen leaving the door insecure. Domestic incident on 27/1/13. In addition to the above there have been 4 recorded Anti-Social Behaviour Incidents: 4/1/13 Bird In Hand PH. Call in relation to an assault. Ambulance declined. No offence, advice given. 7/1/13 Vehicle Nuisance on Shillington Road. Incorrect Index passed. 9/1/13 Birch Grove. No call found. 24/1/13 Bedford Road. ASB. Group of youths throwing snowballs outside Camp Stores. 1001. PLANNING DECISIONS CB/12/03850/FULL 20 Bedford Road, Lower Stondon, SG16 6EA Erection of one and a half storey and single storey rear extensions with insertion of roof lights into existing roof. Granted CB/12/03974/FULL 1 Shannon Close, Lower Stondon, Henlow, SG16 6EF Two storey side extension Granted CB/12/03688/FULL Barns At Mayfield Farm, Mayfield Crescent, Lower Stondon Conversion, alteration and extension of vacant barns and mill/forge building to create 6 dwellings and ancillary garaging. www.stondon-pc.gov.uk [email protected] 01582 411657 Signed __________________________________ Page 337 Granted 1002. CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS The Chairman gave the following report: I would like to welcome Kevin Goode to the Parish Council, I am sure his experience will be invaluable in the coming years. Allotments – just to ensure clarity on the current situation. At the last Allotments Working Party we discussed the alternative sites. Information on these sites where presented to the members of the working party in response to their request for investigation. Since the last meeting some months ago no additional information has come from that review. In can only be assumed, that at present no viable, cost effective, alternatives exist within the parish. Planning Following the planning meeting at Central Beds the plans went forward as CBC could not find any material considerations to object on. Lesley will provide more detail. The voting went with 11 for and 3 against with 2 abstentions with no material consideration that needed to be consider where raised. As part of the process this brought up a number of other items for us to consider as these are agenda items and integrated in to the S106. Including MUGA - Management and business plans for the MUGA –i Allotments Access to proposed allotments – this is part of the agreement between Bovis and CBC. The allotment land provided by a local resident for a peppercorn rent and the access, parking and road will be provided by Bovis but this will be across their building site and health and safety is an important factor in this access.