Minutes of a MEETING of the
PARISH COUNCIL held in the Council Office, 1A Bushwood Close, Welham Green on
PRESENT: Councillors
Mrs T Travell Chairman
Mrs J Boulton
C Everard
R Horrocks
Minute taker
K Pieri
W A Storey
99.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P. Hastings, Mrs M Race, V. Weeks, the Clerk Mrs J Schettino and the Acting Clerk Mrs H Rook.
100.
DECLARATION OF MEMBERS INTERESTS
Councillors C Everard and R Horrocks declared an
interest as committee members of the North Mymms District Green Belt Society.
101.
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
It was agreed that the Minutes of a Meeting held on
102.
MATTERS ARISING
Electrical
Works
The essential electrical works have now been completed in the council office and the pavilion and updated Periodic Inspection Reports have been issued.
Bushwood Close and
Merritt Walk
Welwyn Hatfield Council’s Chief Executive has written noting the parish council’s comments but stating that WHBC’s position remained unchanged.
Annual Public
Meeting speaker
Councillor Horrocks noted that the North Mymms District
Green Belt Society will be holding its
Action: H. Rook
Fallen tree at
This chestnut tree has been cut up by a contractor and the work paid for. The groundsmen advised that their policy on fallen trees is to burn any diseased wood. If any wood is re-usable they cut it into manageable pieces and leave it for anyone to pick up.
Road
gritting
Councillors Boulton and Pieri reaffirmed that the Borough
policy was only to grit main roads, even though other roads may be hazardous
particularly for infirm pedestrians.
103.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
a)
FINANCE
Councillor Storey reported that the Finance Committee had met earlier that evening.
It recommended to Full Council a revised Schedule of
Accounts for payment totalling £16,176.45 including £7,547.38 which had already
been paid for payroll and direct debits.
Receipts of £484.55 were noted.
A Bank Reconciliation showed cash in hand at
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 Precept letter to residents for issue by WHBC with
the 2011/12 Council Tax demand was recommended for
approval.
Action:
H.Rook
The VAT Return for the Oct-Dec 2010 quarter had been
filed with £620.75 to be refunded.
A prospective Internal Auditor is to be interviewed
on 2nd February by Councillors Storey and Horrocks. She was an
applicant for the bookkeeper vacancy and had Internal Auditing experience.
Action by
Cllrs Storey and Horrocks
Veolia Water has agreed a 46% abatement on sewerage
charges and is to refund the over-payments since 2004.
Since membership of the Society Local Council Clerks
should benefit our new Clerk it was agreed to renew membership at a figure based
on the estimated salary of the new Clerk.
Action:
H.Rook
It
was agreed that there was no option but to renew registration under the Data
Protection Act 1998 with the
Information Commissioner’s Office at a cost of £35.
Action:
H.Rook
The existing headed notepaper and complements slips
are obsolete. A quotation of £201 +
VAT had been received for new stationery.
Assuming that the order had not yet been placed, councillors agreed to
the creation of a letter template on the computer with the updated heading for
use instead of pre-printed headed notepaper and complements slips. Councillor S. Boulton noted that this
was an increasingly common practice.
Action:
H.Rook
Finance Regulations and the Risk Assessment are
normally reviewed each January but it was agreed to defer this until February or
March due to the current Internal Auditor vacancy.
Councillor Storey’s proposal that the Report of the
Finance Committee be adopted was seconded by Councillor Everard and carried
unanimously.
b)
AMENITIES
Councillor Everard said the
last Meeting of this Committee had been held on
Way Leave,
St Mary’s Nursery
A meeting has been arranged with the Chair of
Governors and Head Teacher, if available, of St Mary’s in the Parish Council
Office at
Football
pitch drainage
Councillor Mrs Boulton had found drawings of the
drainage system which appeared to show soakaways and not a discharge into a
surface water mains drain. It was
agreed that the various manholes needed to be lifted and inspected.
Earlier in the day the groundsmen had been checking
the runs of the drainage system for the Burns Pavilion.
Action Cllr
Everard and groundsmen
Burns
Pavilion
The quotation from
Action: H
Rook
North
Mymms Memorial Hall
Earlier in the day Councillor Everard had met the
chairman of the Memorial Hall management committee to remind him of the need to
produce evidence showing they had agreed the terms offered by the land owner to
continue the lease with no charge but subject to one week’s
notice.
This week SJS Irrigation repaired the irrigation
system.
Bungalow
2
i)
Councillor S. Boulton reported that he visited the bungalow on
15th January and took readings with a damp meter. He could find no evidence of rising
damp. The wetness of the carpet was
wet might be caused by a defect in the damp proof membrane in the floor, or
simply external flooding getting above the DPC. Aprons under windows showed
dampness and the whole dwelling had a damp feeling. The roofer who has started replacing the
soffits etc found that the roof felting did not extend far enough so it did not
deflect rain into the gutter. He
was correcting this.
After putting in the new loft insulation the
groundsmen considered that their bungalows were warmer. The automatic dehumidifier was also
having an effect. Councillor
Boulton considered that the heating system was adequate, noting that the
original warm air system had been replaced.
Councillor Boulton concluded the main problem to be
the inadequate soakaway in the car park which could not cope with the volume of
rainwater. He suggested asking
Thames Water to agree to connection of the car park drain to their surface water
drain in Bushwood Close.
It was decided that Councillor Storey should contact
Welwyn Hatfield Building Regulations officer about this matter.
Action:
Cllr. Storey
ii)
Kindlelight had quoted for window replacement. It was agreed to ask them to re-quote
with a different specification including a reduction in size of kitchen window
to allow a cooker hood with extractor fan to be fitted, and an automatic
extractor fan ventilator in the internal bathroom. At least one further quote was
needed.
Action: H.
Rook
iii)
It was agreed to
accept a quote from I & B Electrical of £690 for electrical work to this
bungalow if they confirm that the smoke and CO2 detectors will be
hard-wired and not battery operated in order to conform to current
regulations.
Action: H.
Rook
It
was agreed to create a special Buildings Committee to deal with the current
problems with the Burns Pavilion and Bungalow No. 2, consisting of Councillors
S. Boulton, Storey and Horrocks.
The next Amenities and Building Development Committee
meeting will be held on
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 5th January 2011 and Wednesday 19th January 2011, 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. There were no matters arising.
104.
Nothing to
report
105.
LITTLE HEATH
Nothing to
report
106.
WELHAM GREEN
Councillor Pieri advised
that the police and Councillor Hastings were investigating the possible use of
the site of the former Guide Hut for a skate board
park.
107.
REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER
BODIES/ORGANISATIONS
Nothing to
report
108.
PARISH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN
109.
PARISH PLAN
Councillor Mrs Boulton
advised that the Committee was due to meet in
February.
110.
CORRESPONDENCE
CORRESPONDENCE CIRCULATED TO
1.
Hertfordshire
County Council – Consultation on School Enlargement
2.
HAPTC – Localism
Bill
3.
WHBC – Holocaust
Memorial Day 2011
4.
Welwyn Hatfield
Sustainable Community Strategy 2011-2014
5.
Sustainable
Development 2011 – Annual Conference
THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE WAS READ OUT BY THE
CLERK
1.
DEA Direct – Energy
Performance Certificates for Buildings
2.
Hertfordshire Policing
Authority – update on plans to meeting funding challenges
3.
CPRE –
4.
The Royal British Legion
– Great Poppy Party Weekend brochure
5.
Clerks and Councils
Direct – 5 copies (distributed)
6.
Fields in Trust – Queen
111.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
a)
S137 Payments
The following donations
were agreed to be made to local organizations under Section 137 of the LGA
1972:
Little Heath Parish
Hall
£300
Little Heather
Club*
£225
Isabel Hospice
£500
Welwyn Hatfield Citizens
Advice Bureau
£500
Rotary Club of Brookmans
Park
£300
North Mymms Carers
Support Group*
£250
Herts Air Ambulance
Appeal
£200
Total
£4,075
* Councillor Mrs Boulton
is to check that these organisations are still functioning before those payments
are made.
Donations have already
been paid this year of £50 to the Royal British Legion and £117.50 to the
b)
Rural White Paper for the East of
Councillor Horrocks
reported that he was unable to attend the discussion on
c)
Rotary Club May Day Celebration
Permission was granted to
the Rotary Club to hold their ‘May Day’ event on
112.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting has already been arranged for
Meeting closed at