Minutes – Jan 2016

Minutes of the meeting of Sherington Parish Council held on Tuesday 5th January 2016 at Sherington Village Hall, commencing at 7.30pm

PRESENT: Cllrs A Thatcher (Vice Chair), W Bush, A Hughes, E Caldwell.

ALSO ATTENDING: Ward Cllr Geary, Hannah Balazs (Clerk), and fifteen members of the public.

  ACTION
1.      RECEIVE AND ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE  
Apologies received from Cllr Johnstone and Cllr Constantine  
   
2.      RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST  
None  
   
3.      APPROVE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING – 1st DECEMBER 2015  
The minutes of the meeting held on 1st December 2015 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman, Cllr W Bush.  
   
4.      ANY MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES  
PLAN:MK – All councillors agreed to contribute £1000.00 to the fighting fund for a barrister’s letter/advice to contest Plan:MK and agreed to add Sherington’s name to the list of villages opposing Plan:MK.

Planning Appeal – The appeal is on 7th January 2016 at the Civic Offices at MKC. Cllr Bush is attending on behalf of the PC and NPlan Group.  The appeal result will be received in 4-6 weeks.

Footpath between Newport and the Village – No more information, just waiting for community payback and hopefully there will be a date at next month’s meeting.

Clerk Vacancy – There are 4 possible candidates and interviews will start on Monday.  Once the vacancy is filled handover will commence.

Cllr Position – no one has applied for this vacant position therefore the PC can co-opt a willing participant onto the council.

New Contractor – DC Blunt’s contract has now finished therefore Cllr Caldwell has asked Frosts if they would quote for the job – their reply is awaited.  Ward Councillor Geary also said that the contractors who cut the grass at the pavilion could also be asked to quote for the job.

Parking at the end of Crofts End – It was brought to the attention of the PC that a number of people have concerns over the parking at the end of Crofts End. Cllr Johnstone has spoken to the site manager and the issue has improved.

Website – Cllr Thatcher advised that the website is still in ‘skeleton’ format and will be meeting with the developer scheduled.  Cllr Thatcher is also attempting to contact Ian Collinge to obtain copies of all PC files, Mr Collinge has advised tdhat the current PC website will be dismantled on 31st January 2016..

PC Minutes/SCAN – It was agreed that the SCAN editor should be given a summery of PC Minutes for publication so everyone in the village has access.

Planning Application in School Lane – This is a planning application that has not officially been made yet. This is now past the control of the PC. MK Conservation team are currently saying no. However this has nothing to do with the Parish Council.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL CLLRS

   
5.      PROPOSAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO LEGAL COSTS OF CAMPAIGNE: PLAN MK  
This has been discussed in matters arising – please see above.  
   
6.      RECEIVE WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT  
Plan:MK’s 12 week consultation starts on Wednesday 6th January 2016. A Public meeting is being held in North Crawley on 6th January 2016.

When the PC Website is live the ward cllrs will provide links to provide up to date information regarding Plan:MK.

The names of the villages and towns have now been removed from the Plan – which is very important.

Oliver Powell advised that Bob Wilson has been in contact and has requested information from the Neighbourhood Plan Group. Action All: To consider the PC’s reply at the March meeting.

The consultation is going ahead and will start on 13th January 2016, Should focus on the positives of redevelopment of Milton Keynes and not just focus on negatives.

The Minerals local plan starts its 6 weeks consultation at the end of January and will then go to the final stage.  There are public meetings scheduled for the public to attend.

MKC Budget: Consultation finishes 20th January 2016, Cllr Geary will submit a brief to the PC, Changing street lights to LEDs, proposal to close kitchen centre if that happened nearest place is Simpson in MK, Adult Social care, Sheltered housing and home to school transport is being affected.

22million needs to be saved.

MKC will be closing play areas – village is at risk because of street cleaning, BALC could be closing, pink sacks are going to be changed and replaced with hessian sacks, green compost bins –  there could be £36 per bin charged for having being emptied and, finally, buses – last year the village nearly lost this service the ward cllrs managed to get this saved.

Cllr Geary will draft a copy and send though with bits that will affect the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL CLLRS

 

 

 

   
7.      RECEIVE CLERKS REPORT  
None  
   
8.      RECEIVE REPORT FROM NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP  
No Meeting in December, Headline policies have gone out with Survey Monkey, Facebook, leaflet drop with thanks to volunteers.

Meeting now needs to take place as in a good place to write a plan, Cllr Bush will advise of a date shortly but it is full steam ahead now.

77 written and 61 online responses have been received and all policies were agreed by the village.

 
   
9.      RECEIVE WORKING PARTY REPORTS AND CONSIDER MATTERS ARISING  
Both the shop and the Pavilion now have sub-committees who will report back regularly to the monthly PC meetings.

Shop: A meeting has taken place with the shop tenant to seek future ideas for the shop.  The tenant reported that she is very happy with the shop’s location and is happy to accept the sub-committee’s ideas e.g. providing a photocopying service, supply of local produce etc, once a new shop building has been provided.

Stephen Kennedy and others said that they will be happy to cut the hedge alongside the shop building and also perhaps to plant flowers to improve the general area round the shop.

Pavilion: Cllr Caldwell has received another quote so we now have 3 quotes so can now move forward with the improvements/repairs at the Pavilion.

Trees/Stonepits: The trees were delivered and as they are very young have been planted in pots and will be transferred to Stonepits.

 
   
10.  FINANCE  
Bank Account balance 1st December 2015  –  £ 32,765.62  
12.2. Approve Cheques for payment – Approved

Martin Feasey Caretaker 158.78
Hannah Balazs Bookings 50.00
Hannah Balazs Expenses 5.85
Hannah Balazs Clerks Salary 227.61
AH Contracts Dog Bins 189.00
Burnwood ESC Ltd NP Expenses 1152.00
EON Pavilion Utilities 430.20
Rebecca Constantine Expenses 129.97
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
11.  PLANNING APPLICATIONS  – CONSIDER RESPONSE TO MKC  
Reference 15/02890/OUT – Do not support application

The PC does not support the above planning application to build 14 houses in the open countryside outside the Sherington settlement boundary as it is contrary to the local and national planning policy. The site is unconnected to the village. Furthermore this planning application pre-empts the emerging Sherington Neighbourhood plan and conflicts with its draft policies in a number of respects.

Reference 15/02946/OUT – Do not support application

The PC does not support the above planning application to build 9 houses in the open countryside outside the Sherington settlement boundary as it is contrary to the local and national planning policy. The site is unconnected to the village. Furthermore this planning application pre-empts the emerging Sherington Neighbourhood plan and conflicts with its draft policies in a number of respects.

 

HB

 

 

 

 

 

 

HB

   
12.  EXTERNAL MEETINGS  
Newport Pagnell Neighbourhood Plan – 28th January 2016 at Green  Park Community Centre  
   
13.  CONSIDER CORRESPONDENCE AND NEW CONSULTATIONS  
None  
   
14.  RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS  
John Cook advised that parking outside the village hall on the footpath at the end is causing problems and has received complaints regarding pedestrians walking and also there is little space to to push buggies past etc. Does the PC agree with NO Parking being put at the end?

All the PC agreed to this

 
   
15.  COUNCILLORS ITEMS  
Cllr Hughes: The PC have not paid for the Christmas tree this year as 2 donations were given which includes a generous £50 from Mr P Kemble at Rascal System.  It was discussed and agreed that a permanent Christmas tree would be planted on the Knoll for future year’s use.

 

The resident at 22 Water Lane has asked for a mirror be erected so that oncoming traffic can be observed from her driveway to avoid collisions.  Ward Cllr Geary advised that the resident will have to contact MK Highways Department direct but, unfortunately, permission is unlikely to be granted.

 

The original Edith Lucas Paintings are being stored at the home of Mr and Mrs M Bearman who  have asked if the PC or the Historical Society would store them on behalf of the village. Hannah has emailed Historical Society and is still awaiting a response.

 
   
16.  DATE OF NEXT MEETING  
The next Parish Meeting will be at the village hall on Tuesday 2nd February 2016, 7.30pm.

There being no further business the meeting ended at 2100hrs

 

Useful Contact Information

Parish Council Clerk (Interim):

  • Jacqueline Galloway
  • 07494 760791

Chair:

  • Peter Palmer
  • 07710 242521

Other council members

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