Minutes from PC meeting 30th January

PC DRAFT MINUTES FROM 30^th JANUARY 2018 

Minutes of the meeting of Sherington Parish Council held on Tuesday, 30^th January 2018 at the Pavilion, commencing at 7.30pm. 

PRESENT:    W Bush (Chair), Cllrs Thatcher, Selvey, Johnstone and Hughes

ALSO ATTENDING:  Cllr P Geary (Ward Councillor) and 5 members of the public including Mr Jamie Gibbins, Managing Director of Barwood Homes Ltd.

1. RECEIVE AND ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllr Shaw.

2. RECEIVE ANY DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

3. APPROVE MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING – 9^th January 2018.

 The minutes were amended and approved and signed by Cllr Bush.

4. RECEIVE WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT

Cllr Geary reported the following:

1. There was to be a 5.99% in Council Tax.
2. The 28-day time limit for the filling of potholes was to be removed.
3. MK residents would have to apply online for their supply of pink refuse sacks in the future.
4. MK Council is proposing that they do not refill grit bins.

5. RECEIVE REPORT ON ACTIONS FROM LAST MEETING

5.1       Appeals update:  the Bedford Road and Alms Houses appeal submissions have been sent to the Inspector. 

5.2       Mineral plan and shooting ground – Cllr Bush, reported in Cllr Shaw’s absence, that the site meeting with Jim Gardner had taken place and the PC submissions had been sent in on 24^th January 2018.

5.3       Pavilion rent negotiation – Cllr Hughes reported that Thomas Birks has been asked to send his suggested rent increase to us in writing.  Cllr Hughes will telephone Thomas Birks and follow up this request.  Once this has been received, a meeting will be arranged with Mr Michael Cook and Mr Richard Shires to discuss the rent increase.  We have also received Brown & Co’s letter of instruction which Cllr Bush signed. this is to be returned to them.

ACTION: AH

5.4       Defibrillator – Cllr Johnstone reported that this was now installed and available for use.  It is also shown on the Save a Life app which can be installed on mobile phones.  It was decided that, once we have a parish council clerk, a notice should be placed in SCAN magazine informing the parish of this installation and another training course will be organised.

ACTION: Clerk

5.5       Village shop – Cllr Johnston advised that he had met with Chris Akrill who will  be outlining the planning options.  Cllr Bush asked if a store, to be used by the parish council, could also be included in the new shop plans.

ACTION: RJ

6. CLERK’S REPORT

6.1       MK Council draft framework – Cllr Thatcher proposed that the draft framework should be supported and suggested that we team up with Newport Pagnell to use their contractors – all agreed.

6.2       GDPR Notice from BALCC – Cllr Thatcher reported that BALC had still not confirmed whether the clerk would be allowed to take on the role of data protection officer but said that she would be happy to do this job.   We would also need to look into online scanning of our paper files but funding would be required for this task.

6.3       Cllr Thatcher will circulate all councillors with the MK framework proposal and this to be discussed at the next meeting.

ACTION: AT 

7. PAVILION 

7.1       Car park repair/drainage – Cllr Selvey reported that he would be meeting with three contractors to provide quotes for the repair of the car park on Wednesday, 31^st January 2018.

ACTION: MS

8. VILLAGE CARETAKER

Cllr Thatcher reported that the caretaker, Jim Starkey, was spending much of his time clearing up litter in the village.  It was agreed that he would be asked to repaint and refurbish the Knoll phone box to get it ready to become a community book swap store.  Cllr Hughes reported that all the tools had now been purchased and collected by Jim for his use.

ACTION: AT

9. FINANCE

9.1       Cllr Thatcher read out the monthly balances.

9.2       All cheques to be signed were approved.

ACTION: AT

10. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

10.1     High Street development – Cllr Bush introduced Mr Jamie Gibbins of Barwood Homes Ltd who attended to discuss the High Street development.   An open discussion took place on various topics of the site – number of affordable homes, lack of village green, the balancing pond and biodiversity of that area, a second access to allow a thoroughfare for cyclists and walkers, the possibility of fencing off the farm track to provide a safer environment for children playing, providing a wider access onto the main road for wide farm vehicles, removing the gates to the larger houses at the far end of the site.  Mr Gibbins said he would be happy to look at these matters and was happy to liaise with the parish council, the biodiversity group and also the two farmers who had rights of way over the farm track.  Cllr Thatcher said that information would be posted on the PC website to enable villagers to register their interest with Barwood Homes.  Cllr Bush said that the parish council were supporting this development and wanted to liaise with Barwood, as much as possible, in implementing the wishes of the Sherington community and suggested that Mr Gibbins read our Neighbourhood Plan.

Mr Gibbins then left the meeting.

11. CONSIDER CORRESPONDENCE AND NEW CONSULTATIONS

11.1     MK Budget response – it was decided that we would comment to MK that we thought that the removal of the 28-day time limit for the repair of potholes would be counterproductive.

ACTION: AT

12. EXTERNAL MEETINGS

12.1     Biodiversity meeting – Cllr Bush reported that the ecology consultants would be preparing a village survey re village land use.

12.2     A wildflower meadow will be created in the churchyard, David Williams to help with this project.

12.3     Stone Pits Copse – the consultants will be asked advice on how best to manage this area.

12.4     There would be a further meeting of the committee in the spring and Cllr Thatcher would also ask the village caretaker to attend.

ACTION: SS/AT

13. RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS

13.1     High Street development – Mr Edward Shires commented that the safety risk on the farm track was similar to other farm access points in the village i.e. in Perry Lane, but it was pointed out that this was not now used by farm vehicles due to cars obstructing the road making it too narrow.   

14. COUNCILLORS ITEMS

Cllr Thatcher reported that new litter/recycling bins and park benches were required in the village play area adjacent to the village shop    – it was agreed to purchase these and Cllr Selvey would see if LGSS could provide a cheaper alternative.

ACTION: MS/AT

15. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Tuesday, 6^th March 2018 at 7.30pm in the Pavilion.

 

 

 

16. CLERKS’ APPLICANTS UPDATE

 

It was reported CVs had been received and Cllr Shaw would be inviting applicants for interview during the week of Monday, 12^th February 2018.

ACTION: SS

 

 

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.00pm.