NORTH MYMMS PARISH COUNCIL

 

 

Minutes of a MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held in the Council Office, Annexe to No 1 Bungalow, Bushwood Close, Welham Green on Wednesday, 27 February 2008 commencing at 8.00 p.m.

 

                 PRESENT:                   Councillors         K Pieri   -        Chairman

                                                                            

                                                                                    Mrs J Boulton

                                                                                    Mrs T Travell

                                                                                    Mrs M Race     

S J Boulton                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                    C Everard

                                                                                    P Hastings

                                                                                    R N Horrocks

                                                                                    W A Storey

                                                                                    V Weeks                                                   

                                                                   

                CLERK:                                                      Mrs J A Schettino

 

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69.       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

There were no apologies for absence, all members present.

 

70.       DECLARATION OF MEMBERS INTERESTS

 

Nothing declared

71.       MINUTES OF THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING


It was agreed that the Minutes of a Meeting held on 30 January 2008 were a true record of the proceedings and signed by the Chairman.

 

72.       MATTERS ARISING

a)   PARISH WEBSITE

 

Councillor Horrocks said that there had been 74 visitors since the last meeting; from USA, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Germany as well as the UK.

 

b)     WELWYN HATFIELD ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS

At a meeting of the above on 25 February Mr Conway confirmed that he would offer Planning Training to Parish and Town Council members and requested written numbers from each Council to enable him to arrange suitable dates.

 

It was also agreed that Parish and Town Councils should nominate three or four members to represent them at future meetings of the association.  The North Mymms Parish Council agreed at their last Annual General Meeting that their representatives would be the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Councillors C Everard and W A Storey, plus the Clerk.

 

73.       REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

a) FINANCE

 

Councillor Storey said that at a meeting of the Finance Committee held earlier in the evening, a Schedule of Accounts due for payment totalling £16,895.22 was presented and after careful consideration of each item it was agreed that the total amount be recommended to Council for approval and payment in full.

 

Consideration had been given to a Statement of Balances held with the National Westminster Bank plc as at 20 February 2008 and it was noted that income totalling £2,464.76 had been received.

 

The Finance Committee was recommending approval of the Clerk’s action in arranging the transfer of £21,000 from the Council’s Capital Reserve Account to Current Account with effect from 21 February 2008.

 

A scribe report to end of January 2008 was noted, together with an increase in the Section 137 LGA cash limit per elector for 2008/09 to £5.86 and an increase in the Councils contributions towards the LGPS from 1 April 2008 and for years 2009 to 2011 also.

 

Finally, the Finance Committee was recommending that the Parish Council Proceeds with a British Gas HomeCare200 package at £17 per month to cover the boiler and radiators for each of the Councils Bungalows.

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Councillor Storey’s proposal that the Report of the Finance Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor C Everard and carried unanimously.         

The originals of the Schedule of Accounts for payment referred to above were signed by Councillor K Pieri in his capacity as Chairman of the Council.


b)  AMENITIES AND BUILDING DEVELOPMENT

Councillor Everard said that a Meeting of this Committee had been held on 20 February 2008 and the Minutes had been circulated to all Councillors.


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Councillor Everard’s proposal that the minutes of the Amenities and Building Development Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor R Horrocks and unanimously agreed.

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The following matters were discussed further :

 

Purchase of Land, Little Heath

 

A requested increase in Longmores fees due to the prolonged nature of the business was agreed and the Clerk confirmed that she had sent a final invoice to the Potters Bar Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

 

St Mary’s School Drainage Easement

 

Councillor Pieri said he would raise the issue with the new Head Teacher at his appointment the following day.

 

Youth Shelter

 

Councillor Everard said that the proposed site for the youth shelter had been agreed in principle and the equipment had been ordered by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

 

c) PLANNING

Councillor Horrocks said that a Meeting of the Planning Committee had been held on 20 February 2008 the Minutes of which, together with notes of  the decisions reached  and action taken, had been copied to all Councillors.

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Councillor Horrocks’ proposal that the Report of the Planning Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor Everard and carried unanimously.
 

 

Tanum Farm – The Clerk confirmed that the public enquiry would be held in the Terrace Suite, Campus West on 26 March 2008.

Waste Development Draft Response

 

The Draft Response for the above was discussed and subject to minor amendment it was agreed and approved.

d)  BROOKMANS PARK

Nothing to report.

 

e)  LITTLE HEATH

i)  Thornton Road and Frampton Road

Councillor S J Boulton said that at a recent Borough Councillors surgery the road surfaces and amount of litter in the above roads had been raised and he had written to the relevant departments.

ii)  Hawkshead Lane

Councillor Horrocks said that the police and PCSO’s were still monitoring the student parking by the RVC but that a planning application from the RVC for three proposed car parks had just gone in.

f)  WELHAM GREEN

i)  Parking Restrictions Dellsome Parade

 

Councillor Pieri said he was trying to have the restriction signs altered from 40 minutes parking to one hour.

 

ii)   Welwyn Hatfield Council Planning Committee

 

Councillor Mrs Race said that she would like to thank Councillors Bob Horrocks and K Pieri for speaking at a recent Planning Committee Meeting regarding Biffa.

 

iii) Number of Signs A1000 and Dixons Hill Road

 

Councillor Mrs Race said that there were a number of advertising signs on the roundabout on the A1000 and along Dixons Hill Road.

 

iv) Dellsome Lane Garage and Forecourt

 

Councillor S Boulton said that vehicles were parking on the pavement and verges in front of the Service Station in Dellsome Lane.

 

Councillor Pieri said that he had requested bollards or a police presence to no avail but that a representative from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council was investigating parking in front of the flats and the rubbish problem.

v)  Travellers Lane

 

Councillor Mrs Travell said that a parishioner had complained about workers from the Land of Leather urinating in the bushes and that the pathway from Pooleys Lane to Travellers Lane required attention.

 

vi)  Signage to Travellers Lane Industrial Estate

 

Councillor Mrs Travell said that the signage to the Industrial Estate was not prominent enough before the railway bridge, especially for foreign commercial vehicles.

 

vii)  Knolles Crescent

 

Councillor Pieri said that he had been informed that Knolles Crescent was due to be resurfaced, hopefully by the end of March.

 

viii)  Tollgate Road

 

Councillor Storey said that a Welwyn Hatfield Council lorry had cleared both sides of Tollgate Road of rubbish on Sunday morning.

 

ix)  7.5T Weight Restrictions

 

Councillor Storey said that weight restrictions through the village were being abused and the speed limits were not being observed.

 

It was agreed to write and ask the Police to monitor and enforce these restrictions.

 

x)      Golf Club Road

 

Councillor Storey said that HCC were giving £3,000 per annum to Chancellors School towards repairs to Golf Club Road.

 

g) REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER BODIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

North Mymms Youth & Community Centre

Councillor Pieri said that the tarmac access road to the above centre was not suitable for lorries and the proposed resurfacing with the correct grade of tarmac was now being handled by Lefarge.

 

h)     PARISH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN

Councillor Horrocks said that he had walked the route of the proposed new footpath from Hawkshead Road to Hawkshead Lane with a representative of Countryside Management Service and a number of pictures were taken.

He said that the Steering Group was due to meet at the end of April 2008.

74.       PARISH PLAN

A fairly lengthy discussion took place and it was finally proposed by Councillor Pieri and unanimously carried that a sub committee should be formed to proceed with the Parish Plan.

The following members expressed an interest and volunteered to be part of this committee:

Councillors Mrs. J Boulton, C Everard, P Hastings, R Horrocks and K Pieri.

 

75.       CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE PREVIOUSLY CIRCULATED TO ALL COUNCILLORS:

1.      NALC Briefing P04-08 Community Contracts and Charters.

2.      Letter dated 17 January 2007 from HCC regarding Foxes Lane, Welham Green – Notification of decision under Section 53 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 that Foxes Lane is a BOAT (Byway Open to all Traffic)

3.      E-mail from Herts Highways regarding the temporary closing of Bulls Lane from 9 – 16 March 2008 for the replacement of BT poles.

4.      Letter dated 14 February 2008 from Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Review of Polling Places following the further electoral review of Welwyn Hatfield.

5.      Notification of SLCC AGM to be held on 16 April 2008 at Wheathampstead Memorial Hall at 1 pm.

6.      Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council dated 22 February 2008, Planning News update.

THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE WAS PLACED ON THE TABLE :

7.      Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Books I & II  notice of meetings and minutes and reports of previous meetings

8.      CPRE Herts Village of the Year 2008 – 10 pages

9.      Hertsmere Borough Council Local Development Framework, Draft Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) – 26 pages

10. Herts Policing Authority – Launch of Herts Policing Plan 2008 – 2011 at the Fielder Centre on 31 March 2008.

11. HCC Pension Fund Report and Accounts for year end 31 March 2007

12. RVC Paws and Hooves February 2008 – 15 pages

13. CPRE Newsletter February 2008 – 12 pages

 

76.          ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

a)  PLANNING MEETINGS

It was suggested and agreed that the Hon Secretary of the North Mymms Green Belt Society should declare an interest in relevant planning applications.

 

Councillor K Pieri gave his apologies but said that he must stand down from North Mymms Parish Council Planning Committee until further notice as he would be sitting on the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Planning Committee for the foreseeable future.

 

b)  SMOKING REGULATIONS

 

The Clerk confirmed that the North Mymms Parish Council premises were in compliance with Smoking Regulations.

 

c)  CHANCELLORS NEWS

 

Councillor Everard thanked Councillor Horrocks for preparing the draft article for inclusion in the next issue of Chancellors Newsletter and his proposal that the draft be accepted and approved was unanimously agreed.

 

d)  FOXES LANE

 

Councillor Horrocks said that a parishioner objected to Foxes Lane being designated a BOAT and also to the inclusion of Welham Green in the postal address. 

 

These issues were considered by members of the Parish Council but it was agreed that no action should be taken.

 

e)  PROPOSED GYPSY SITE

 

Councillor Horrocks said that a resident of Bulls Lane had asked who would purchase the land for the proposed Gypsy Site if the Bulls Lane site was approved.

 

Councillor Boulton said that Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council would not purchase the land.

 

f)  BROOKMANS PARK NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME

 

The Clerk said that the message from the Ward Constable PC Jo Wakelin posted on Brookmans.com had been circulated to all members.

 

g)  STOP STANSTED EXPANSION

 

The Campaign Director for the above had written to the Parish Council requesting an opportunity to make a presentation.  Following a discussion it was agreed to write and ask for further information before making a decision regarding this request.

 

h)  CHILD UK

 

The Clerk reported that a representative of the above had arrived without warning on the Council’s playing field three weeks ago with a generator and 20 odd young people from the village for a game of football, moving one of the Councils heavy football post in the process.

 

On being approached by the groundsmen the representative said he would like to use the field on Tuesdays but was told he could not drive the generator on to the grounds.

 

It was discussed and agreed that the Clerk would write and give permission for this activity for a limited period and the Council would monitor this use but that any damage to the Parish Councils equipment (Goal posts) would be charged for.

 

i)  CLERKS ANNUAL LEAVE

It was noted that the Clerk had circulated a memo advising of her annual leave dates for 2008.

 

76. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

A meeting has already been arranged for Wednesday, 26 March 2008 commencing at 8.00 pm, preceded by a meeting of the Finance Committee at 7.15 p.m.

Meeting closed at 10.15 pm