NORTH MYMMS PARISH COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held in the Council Office, 1A Bushwood Close, Welham Green on Wednesday 5th January 2011 commencing at 8pm.

 

PRESENT:    Councillors                 Mrs T Travell              Chairman

                                                            Mrs J Boulton

                                                            S Boulton

                                                            C Everard

                                                            P Hastings

                                                            R Horrocks

                                                            Mrs M Race

                                                            W A Storey

                                                            V Weeks

 

                        Temporary Clerk       Mrs H Rook

 

 

 

85.       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor K. Pieri and the Clerk, Mrs J Schettino.

 

86.       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.

 

87.       MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

 

It was agreed that the Minutes of a Meeting held on Wednesday 24th November 2010 were a true record of the proceedings and signed by the Chairman.

 

88.       MATTERS ARISING

 

Letter from BDO

 

It was agreed to write to BDO in reply to their letter dated 18th November 2010 confirming that Councillor Horrocks will be continuing in the role as appointed S151 officer until a permanent RFO has been appointed.

 

Councillor Mrs Boulton proposed a vote to thanks to Councillor Horrocks.

 

Action:  H.Rook

 

Swanley Bar Lane, Little Heath

 

An email had been received from Herts Highways advising Swanley Bar Lane will be ranked on their traffic and environment list which will take into account accident history, environment of the site etc. and they will liaise with the Police to see if they have reported problems with lorries and if they would support a possible weight limit as it would be down to the Police to enforce it. 

 

Herts Highways will also arrange for the area engineer to carry out a site inspection to look at the reported damage outside 19 Swanley Bar Lane and for any required works to be ordered for repair should this be deemed appropriate.

 

Electrical Works

 

Following the full electrical inspection, Councillors Weeks and Everard had met with the contractor and had agreed the essential works which will be carried out on 6th and 7th January 2011 when the electricity in the office will be turned off.

 

Christmas Tree, Bradmore Green

 

Councillor Horrocks noted that the Christmas Tree provided by the Rotary Club looked really good this year and it was agreed to write to the Rotary Club to compliment them on the tree.

 

Action:  H.Rook

 

89.       REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

 

a)                 FINANCE

 

Councillor Storey reported that the Finance Committee had met earlier that evening. 

 

It was agreed to recommend to Full Council a Schedule of Accounts for payment totalling £13,329.96 including £5,528.67 which had already been paid for payroll and direct debits. 

 

A Bank Reconciliation as at 5th January 2011 showed the cash in hand position at 14th December 2010 at £141,672.20.

 

Approval had been given to transfer £15,000 from the Council’s Business Reserve Account to the Current Account and a letter to Nat West signed. 

 

A new lease for the land at Bradmore Green had been agreed and signed by Mr Hobbs.

 

The proposed Budget for 2011/12 had been circulated by Councillor Storey and was given due consideration.  Figures for maintenance work on the Bungalows and Burns Pavilion had been estimated as had the figures for staffing costs.  It was recommended to Full Council to keep the Precept for 2011/12 at the same level as 2010/11 on the basis that most items of building maintenance would be carried out in the current financial year.

 

Councillor Storey proposed that he and Councillor Horrocks prepare a letter to residents to be sent by WHBC with the 2011/12 Council Tax demand.

 

Action:  Councillors Storey & Horrocks

 

Councillor Boulton agreed to inspect the damp and drainage problems at Bungalow 2 and a site visit will be arranged.  Two quotations had so far been obtained for replacement fascia, soffits and gutters and two reports from damp specialists had previously been circulated.

 

Action: H.Rook

 

Councillor Storey will investigate the water flow/run-off in the driveway area in front of the Bungalows and report back. 

 

Action: Councillor Storey

 

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

 

b)                 AMENITIES AND BUILDING DEVELOPMENT

 

Councillor Everard said the last Meeting of this Committee had been held on Wednesday 15 December 2010 and the Minutes had been circulated to all Councillors.  As the Council office had been closed over the Christmas break, Councillor Everard proposed deferring comment on the minutes until the next Full Council meeting.

 

The next Amenities and Building Development Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday 19th January 2011 at 7.30pm. 

 

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

 

c)                 PLANNING

 

Councillor Horrocks reported that the Planning Committee had met on Wednesday 24th November 2010 and Wednesday 15th December 2010, the minutes of which, together with notes of decisions reached and action taken, had been copied to all Councillors.

 

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

 

90.       BROOKMANS PARK

 

It was noted that parking charges at Brookmans Park station have been increased to £3/day.

 

Details of gas mains replacement works in Bradmore Green during the period 24th January to 14th February 2011 were noted.

 

91.       LITTLE HEATH

 

The car park extension at RVC appears to be nearing completion.

 

92.       WELHAM GREEN

 

Councillor Mrs Travel noted she was disappointed at the lack of road gritting on subsidiary roads and in particular around local schools during the recent icy conditions.

 

93.       REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER BODIES/ORGANISATIONS

 

North Mymms Recreation & Charitable Trust

 

Sadly Brian Smith had passed away before Christmas and Mr Jeremy Taylor had approached a resident of Welham Green to becoming a Trustee.    Following the appointment of Julia Boothby as the new Vicar at St Mary’s Church she had also agreed to take up a Trusteeship from March 2011.

 

North Mymms Youth and Community Centre

 

Councillor Hastings advised there would be a Jumble Sale at the Centre on Saturday 8th January 2011.

 

94.       PARISH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN

 

Nothing to report.

 

95.       PARISH PLAN

 

Working groups have been set up to draft various sections of the plan and are aiming to have the first draft available by March 2011.   

 

96.       CORRESPONDENCE

 

CORRESPONDENCE CIRCULATED TO ALL COUNCILLORS

 

1.      Copy Letter to the Local Government Boundary Commission for  England from Chris Brazier of HCC regarding altering the boundary

between North Mymms Parish Council and Colney Heath Parish Council as it affects residents in Franklin Close.

2.      WHBC – Planning the Future of Brookmans Park, Welham Green and Surrounding Areas, summary of comments from workshops.

3.      Resident of Welham Green re: Verge Damage.

4.      WHBC – Green Infrastructure Community Workshop – 26th January 2011.

5.      WHBC – Council Tax Base and Council Tax Bills 2011/12.

6.      CDA for Herts – East of England Rural White Paper invitation for 13th January 2011 .

7.      North Mymms Memorial Hall Management Committee – 4th October 2011.

8.      HAPTC – Survey re communication.

 

THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE WAS READ OUT BY THE CLERK

 

1.      Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust Newsletter – Winter 2010/11.

2.      CPRE Newsletter – Autumn 2010.

3.      CPRE Fieldwork – December 2010.

4.      St Albans City & District Council – Shaping our Community – Core Strategy:  Consultation on the Proposed Strategy for Locating Future Development in the District.

5.      British Youth Council – guide.

6.      Hertfordshire Highways – Parking Restrictions in Harpsfield Broadway, Hatfield.

7.      HCC – A1000 Great North Road – closed overnight 14-18 February 2011.

 

97.       ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

a)         Contractors for Building Maintenance

 

Councillor Boulton recommended that the Parish Council ask contractors for a copy of their Public Liability Insurance before agreeing to any work.

 

b)        S137 Payments

 

To be considered and agreed at the next Full Council meeting.

 

c)         Annual Meeting

 

The Annual Meeting is to be held on 31st March 2011 and the Memorial Hall, Station Road has been booked.  It was agreed to invite a speaker to the meeting to try to encourage more residents to attend.  It was suggested that Chris Conway, Director (Strategy and Development), WHBC be invited to speak on The Localism Bill.

 

Action:  H.Rook

 

d)        Rural White Paper for the East of England

 

Councillor Horrocks advised he would be happy to attend the discussion on 13th January 2011 on behalf of North Mymms Parish Council.

 

e)         Green Infrastructure Community Workshop

 

As this meeting is on 26th January 2011 and clashes with our next Parish Council meeting it was agreed to ask WHBC to forward any information arising from the meeting.

 

Action:  H.Rook

 

f)          Tree in Gobions

 

It has been reported that a large horse chestnut tree has fallen in Gobions.  Due to the size of the tree, the groundsmen will require assistance in removing the tree and a quotation is being obtained.

 

Action:  Groundsmen

 

g)        Benches

 

The four metal benches have now been delivered.  The goundsmen have advised that it would be very difficult to move the existing wooden benches at the Little Heath playground to the Welham Green Recreation Ground as the fixings are in concrete.

 

It was agreed to install one of the new benches at the Little Heath play area, two benches at the Gobions play area and one at the Welham Green play area.

 

Action:  Groundsmen

 

h)        Mobile Police Unit

 

PCSO Sam Griffin had advised that due to a lack of funding the mobile police unit will not be coming to Dellsome Lane, Welham Green for the foreseeable future.

 

98.       DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

The next meeting has already been arranged for Wednesday 26th January 2011 at 7.45pm, preceded by a Finance Committee meeting at 7.15pm.

 

Meeting closed at 8.35pm