PRESENT:
Councillors V W Weeks - Chairman
Mrs J Boulton
Mrs M Race
S J Boulton
C Everard
P
R Horrocks
K Pieri
W A Storey
CLERK:
Mrs J A Schettino
_________________________________________________________________
24.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs T Travell.
25. DECLARATION OF MEMBERS INTERESTS
Councillors C Everard, R Horrocks and V Weeks declared an interest as committee members of the North Mymms Green Belt Society.
26. MINUTES
OF THE LAST MEETING
It was agreed
that the Minutes of a Meeting held on
27. VISIT BY LOCAL POLICE CONSTABLE AND PCSO
The Chairman was pleased to welcome PC Paul Keany and PCSO Samantha Griffin to this meeting of the North Mymms Parish Council and they were introduced to all members.
Discussion took place regarding the concerns of the Parish Council and the proposals of the police representatives to help bring relief to the situations arising in the village of Welham Green and in particular on the Council’s playing fields, outside the shops in Dellsome Lane and on the Village Green itself.
The PCSO had
plans to resurrect the Neighbourhood Watch in Welham Green and the Council asked
if it was possible to produce a newsletter similar to that called “Watch News”
that was circulated to
Clarification was sought on when to dial 999 for a police response, even if the incident was considered trivial, and the police said that they would try and maintain and improve their visibility in the Welham Green area.
The PCSO also
suggested that she would look into the possibility of holding monthly
“surgeries” in addition to the monthly presence of the Mobile Police Unit in
The Chairman of the Council thanked them for giving up their time to attend the meeting and addressing the concerns of the Council.
PC Keany and PCSO Griffin thanked the Council for giving them the opportunity of meeting the members and said they would keep in touch with the Clerk and the Welham Green Ward Member for WHBC and the Parish Council, Keith Pieri.
28. MATTERS
ARISING
a)
It was noted that Grant Shapps, MP, had arranged with the Managing Director of First Capital Connect that the cost of parking in the Station car park would be reduced for a trial period of three months.
b) METAL STORAGE BOX FOR FOOTBALL NETS
The Clerk said she had at last been contacted by the Managing
Director and the storage box had been inspected on Friday 24 July and it had
been repaired and repainted on
c) YOUTH SHELTER
Councillor Pieri said that the residents of Twysden Terrace were totally against moving the youth shelter to the Village Green.
Councillor P Hastings said he had not as yet spoken with the WGA1 group about the relocation of the youth shelter.
d) SIGNS BEING DISPLAYED WITHOUT PLANNING PERMISSION
Councillor Pieri said that he had not as yet followed up the Travis Perkins signs on various posts in Welham Green
Councillor Boulton said that enforcement action for the signs at the Rookery Café was on the agenda for the next WHBC Planning Control Meeting.
e) VILLAGE ALLEYWAYS
Councillor Pieri advised that he had walked the alleyways with the new Serco representative and work had started to rectify problems.
f) NORTH MYMMS RECREATIONAL & CHARITABLE TRUST
Councillor Weeks and the Clerk reported that they had been unable to establish the identity of the new Commissioner for the Brookmans Park Brownies and Guides.
g) NORTH MYMMS YOUTH & COMMUNITY CENTRE
Councillor Hastings said that both he and Councillor Pieri had been
re-elected at the recent AGM of the Youth & Community Centre on
29.
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 for payment totalling £11,442.98 had been presented (and was being recommended for approval) split between £6,330.45 which had already been paid with the balance of £5,112.53 now being due for payment.
Consideration had been given to a Statement of Balances held with the National Westminster Bank plc as at 21 July 2009 and approval was being recommended for the Clerk’s action in transferring £14,000 from the Councils Direct Reserve Account to Current Account on 27 July 2009.
A scribe report and bank reconciliation for the first quarter of the financial year 2009/2010 had been circulated for discussion and the actual expenditure against budget was noted.
Annual Audit
Return
The Annual Audit Return for the year ending
The Internal Auditor and the Clerk had provided this information and
it had been circulated to all members for approval. The variances were due to late payment
of an insurance claim in 2008/2009 and outstanding bills received but not paid,
mainly tractor repairs and repairs to the irrigation system by SJS, in late
March 2009. The figure in
These amendments were being recommended to full council for approval.
The Parish Council had been advised that the cost of the Intermediate Audit would be £875 plus VAT, with an additional £25 plus VAT for the extra information requested.
Discussion had taken place on the following:
· For the first time an invitation to the Parish Council Chairman had been received that would cost £30 per ticket, proceeds to the Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield’s charity.
The North Mymms Parish Council had for over one hundred years prided itself that none of its Councillors or Chairmen had ever claimed expenses. Nevertheless Councillor Storey said that the members needed to discuss whether or not future Chairmen, as representatives of the Parish Council, should have some sort of expense account to fund this type of invitation and the Finance Committee was recommending that the custom of past years should be maintained and these and any future costs should be funded personally.
· It was being recommended that approval should be given for the expenditure of £350 for the delivery of 15 tons of road plainnings for the groundsmen to complete the filling of the pot holes in Gobions car park and for the top path round the lake.
· Councillor Storey said that a second quotation for play equipment at Welham Green had still not arrived and the Clerk was proposing that the quotation from Sutcliffe Play should be used for the purpose of applying for grants and donations to various bodies in the next few weeks towards play equipment at Welham Green and Little Heath.
·
It was being recommended that
approval should be given for the expenditure of £25 each for the Clerk and
Councillor Horrocks to attend an HAPTC Finance Training course on
Special Arrangements - August Recess
As the
Council did not normally meet in August it was being recommended for approval
that the custom and practice of previous years should apply and accounts due for
payment could be authorised and cheques signed by any two Councillors that are
available.
Councillor Storey’s proposal that the Report of the Finance Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor Everard and carried unanimously.
The originals of the Schedule of Accounts for payment referred to above were signed by Councillor V W Weeks, in his capacity as Chairman of the Council.
b) AMENITIES AND BUILDING
DEVELOPMENT
Councillor Everard said that the last Meeting of this Committee had
been held on
Councillor Everard’s proposal that the report of the Amenities and Building Development Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor W A Storey and carried unanimously.
c) PLANNING
Councillor Horrocks said that meetings of the Planning Committee had been held on 24 June and 8 July 2009, the Minutes of which, together with notes of the decisions reached and action taken, had been copied to all Councillors.
Councillor Horrocks proposal that the Report of the Planning
Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor C Everard and carried
unanimously.
d)
i) Pine Grove
Councillor Everard reported that all the storm drains in Pine Grove had been cleared.
ii) Community Chest Application for Little Heath
Councillor Mrs Boulton said that she had been approached by Councillor Mrs Irene Dean and the Parish Council had been invited to apply for an award from the community chest towards play equipment at Little Heath.
iii) Empty Shops in Bradmore Green
Councillor S J Boulton reported that there were now three empty shops in Bradmore Green.
e) LITTLE
HEATH
A
shuttered sign at the end of
It was agreed to write to the Environment Agency/Highways to query the need for a permanent sign and suggesting a temporary sign would be adequate.
f) WELHAM
GREEN
i)
Youth & Community Centre Car
Park
Councillor Mrs Boulton reported that the car
park at the Youth & Community Centre required attention. Councillor Pieri said that he had the
matter in hand.
g) REPRESENTATIVES ON
OTHER BODIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
Nothing to report
30. PARISH
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN
Councillor
Horrocks said he had met with the contractor and he was to submit a revised
quotation for work to the path just off
31. PARISH
PLAN
Nothing to report
32. RISK
MANAGEMENT POLICY
The Risk Management Policy was thoroughly
discussed and reviewed and it was resolved to accept the suggested
amendments and for the revised document to be circulated to all members.
33.
CORRESPONDENCE
CORRESPONDENCE PREVIOUSLY CIRCULATED TO ALL
COUNCILLORS:
1. Clerk & Councils Direct July 2009 – 31 pages
2. Herts Highways Members Update June 2009
3. Article on Finance extracted from The Clerk, July 2009
4.
Letter dated
5.
e-mail from Life Magazine
regarding Autumn deadline (
(Clerks
Note: WHALC meeting suggested
Woolmer Green submit for September issue)
THE
FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE WAS PLACED ON THE TABLE :
6.
Letter from HM Government July
2009 – The Law is Changing, Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS) from
7.
HM Revenue & Customs
regarding VAT on off-street car parking provided by local authorities and new
penalties applicable from
34. ANY OTHER
BUSINESS
a) HCC LOCALITY BUDGET SCHEME
Councillor Storey said that each of the 77 County Council members has a £10,000 Locality Budget to spend on worthwhile projects in their community that promote social, economic or environmental wellbeing.
It was noted that
Councillor Storey was the representative for
b) REPLACEMENT OF TAPS ON THE ALLOTMENT
SITE,
The Clerk reported that one of the allotment tenants, Mark Springate, had very kindly replaced the eight taps on the allotment site free of labour charge and she had written a letter thanking him.
35.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting has already been arranged
for
Meeting closed at 9.45
pm