WARBOYS PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of a meeting of Warboys Parish Council held on 11th July 2016 at the Parish Centre, Warboys. PRESENT Councillor Mrs M P Bucknell, Chairman. Councillors Ms H A Backhouse, Mrs J M Cole, R J Dykstra, Ms L A Gifford, R A Payne, J A Parker, Mrs S Stafford, Mrs J E Tavener, G C M Willis, Dr S C Withams and Mrs A R Wyatt. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE County Councillor M R Tew. District Councillor P L E Bucknell. APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Mrs M H Harlock and J C Price. 42/16 MINUTES Upon being moved by Councillor Payne and seconded by Councillor Dr Withams, the Minutes of the meeting held on 13th June 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman 43/16 MEMBERS’ INTERESTS The Clerk submitted applications for dispensations from Councillors Ms Backhouse and Dykstra to speak and speak and vote on various matters for the ensuing 4 years until the next ordinary election of councillors. Councillor Mrs Wyatt declared a non-statutory disclosable interest in Minute No. 48/16 (Defibrillator) as she was a member of the Warboys 55 Plus Club. RESOLVED that dispensations be granted to Members as follows until the next ordinary election of councillors in May 2020:- Councillor Interest Dispensation Ms H A Backhouse Allotment tenancy Speak Council Tax Precept Speak & vote R J Dykstra Allotment tenancy Speak 1 Council Tax Precept Speak & vote 44/16 MATTERS ARISING The Council considered the following matters arising from the meeting held on 13th June 2016:- (a) Return of Election Expenses Further to Minute No. 26/16(a), the Clerk requested those Members who had yet to return their election expenses declaration to the District Council to contact him to obtain the necessary form. (b) Jubilee Park Byelaws Arising from Minute No. 26/16(b), the Clerk reported that the sign advertising the byelaws approved for Jubilee Park had been installed on site. (c) Community Asset Transfer – Bowls Green and Pavilion Arising from Minute No. 26/16(c), the Clerk reported that the application for the registration of the bowling green and pavilion at the White Hart as an asset of community value had been submitted to the District Council and an answer was anticipated within 8 weeks. (d) Cemetery Further to Minute No. 26/16(f), the Clerk informed Members that a site had been agreed with a representative of the Parochial Church Council for the additional litter bin to be provided by the Parish Council in the cemetery and that the bin would be installed by the Handymen later in the week. (e) Cheque Signatories Further to Minute No. 22/16(h), the Clerk reported that the Co-operative Bank had advised that due to a change in their rules, they now required certain details of all Members of the Council, in addition to the cheque signatories. A number of Members had yet to supply the necessary information and the Clerk requested that this be forwarded to him in the near future. (f) Speedwatch Further to Minute No. 29/16, the Clerk reported upon the receipt of correspondence from Community Roadwatch asking that information about their services be forwarded to all Members of the Council. However as the organisation was not supported by the Police and the Council had taken a decision previously not to become involved with them, the Clerk indicated that he proposed to file the information received. 2 (g) Audit of Accounts 2015/16 Further to Minute No. 32/16, the Clerk reported that the annual return for 2015/16 had been submitted to the external auditors and their report was awaited. (h) Woodhurst Parish Council Further to Minute No. 35/16, the Clerk reported that a reply was awaited from Woodhurst Parish Council following approval of their request for the Handymen to carry out work for them on an ad hoc agency basis. (i) Car Park and Activities for Young People Further to Minute No. 37/16, the Clerk reported that the Manager of the County Council’s Locality Team had offered to meet representatives of the Council to discuss the provision of additional activities for young people in the Parish and that a meeting was being arranged. The Clerk also informed Members that a complaint had been received from a person who was being deterred from playing tennis in the tennis court by the presence of groups of teenagers and requesting that the Council revert to the previous arrangements of having the gate locked and the key available from the newsagents. A reply had been sent explaining the reasons for the decision to leave the gate unlocked because of the damage caused by people climbing over the fence and cutting holes in it to avoid having to pay to play. 45/16 PLANNING COMMITTEE RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 13th June 2016 be received. 46/16 POLICE REPORT The Clerk reported that a total of 14 crimes had been reported to the Police in June for the parishes of Warboys, Bury and Wistow, comprising 1 dwelling burglary, 1 drugs case, 2 public disorder cases, 1 theft, 1 case of vehicle crime, 5 incidents of violent crime and 3 instances of criminal damage. In addition, 10 reports of anti-social behaviour had been made. Councillor Mrs Cole also reported that she had been contacted by a resident of the High Street complaining about the actions of teenagers in climbing up the scaffolding on the building site at the former Cliffords Garage. (Councillor Mrs Stafford arrived at this point in the proceedings.) 3 4716 HUNTINGDONSHIRE ELECTORAL REVIEW Further to Minute No. 191/15, the Clerk submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated to all Members) following the publication by the Local Government Boundary Commission of their draft proposals for a review of the electoral arrangements for Huntingdonshire District Council. Members were informed that the electorate in Huntingdonshire was forecast to rise from 130,757 in 2015 to 152,420 in 2021. As the Commission had accepted a proposal by the District Council to retain 52 councillors, the average number of electors would rise from 2,515 to 2,931 and any proposals for ward boundaries therefore needed to comply with a variance of not more than +/-10% from the average. The proposal affecting Warboys was for a 2 councillor ward with the name Warboys comprising the parishes of Broughton, Old Hurst, Pidley-cum-Fenton, Upwood & The Raveleys, Warboys, Wistow and Woodhurst with a forecast electorate of 8,940 in 2021 which would be 3% higher than the average. Members were reminded that the current 2 member ward of Warboys and Bury also included the parish of Wistow but that prior to the present format, the 2 member Warboys ward had comprised the parishes of Warboys, Broughton, Old Hurst, Pidley-cum-Fenton and Woodhurst. As the proposal would restore the affinity of nearby parishes with Warboys, it was RESOLVED that the Boundary Commission be informed that the Council supports their proposal for a new ward with the name Warboys and comprising the parishes of Broughton, Old Hurst, Pidley-cum-Fenton, Upwood & The Raveleys, Warboys, Wistow and Woodhurst. 48/16 DEFIBRILLATOR Further to Minute No. 31/16, the Clerk submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated to all Members) following further investigations into the implications of the approval of a request from the Warboys 55 Plus Club for the Council to accept responsibility for the purchase and monitoring of a defibrillator in the village if the costs of acquisition and maintenance were met by the club. Information had been circulated from the Community Heartbeat Trust on suitable types of equipment and the governance arrangements required to ensure that the equipment was ready for use in an emergency. The latter would involve weekly, monthly and annual checks and the use of a web-based notification system to CHT, together with other steps that would need to be taken in the event of the defibrillator being used or vandalised. In addition to the cost of purchasing a defibrillator, further initial costs would be involved in its installation by a qualified electrician and ongoing costs would involve the reimbursement of electricity consumed, repairs and replacements, training and monitoring. In terms of a suitable location, the Clerk reported that both the Post Office and Chemists had offered to have the defibrillator installed on the exterior wall of their premises. 4 However on further inspection, the newsagents’ premises had been found to be unsuitable as the façade facing the High Street was totally glazed. Members were of the opinion that the Chemists in Ramsey Road appeared a logical location for the defibrillator to be sited, especially as the owner of the business had indicated that he already had a defibrillator situated at one of his other premises and the premises were open for fairly long hours on six days of the week. In the event of the staff at the Chemists not being prepared to monitor the equipment on the required basis, Councillors Ms Gifford and Dr Withams offered to assist the Clerk in carrying this out. With regard to future arrangements, the Chairman suggested that if the 55 Plus Club paid for the purchase of a defibrillator and the cost of installation, the Parish Council should accept financial responsibility for future maintenance and training costs which would avoid the need for any future commitment on the part of the club. After discussion, it was RESOLVED (a) that the Council use the auspices of the Community Heartbeat Trust to purchase a defibrillator for public use in an emergency and for support in its future maintenance and governance,