Minutes of a
MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held in the Council Office, 1A Bushwood Close,
Welham Green on Wednesday 23rd February 2011 commencing at 8pm.
PRESENT: Councillors
Mrs T Travell Chairman
Mrs
J Boulton
C
Everard
R
Horrocks
K
Pieri
W
A Storey
Mrs
H Rook Clerk
113. APOLOGIES
FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P. Hastings and V. Weeks.
114. DECLARATION
OF MEMBERS INTERESTS
Councillors C Everard and R Horrocks declared an
interest as committee members of the North Mymms District Green Belt Society.
115. MINUTES
OF THE LAST MEETING
It was agreed that the Minutes of a Meeting held on
Wednesday 26th January 2011 were a true record of the proceedings with
the following amendments:
Item 102 Page 55 ‘Borough’
to be replaced with ‘County’
Item 109 Page 58 ‘Committee’ to be replaced with ‘Steering Group’
and signed by the Chairman.
116. MATTERS
ARISING
Annual
Public Meeting speaker
Mr Conway has not yet replied to the letter sent to him regarding speaking at the Annual Parish Meeting and this will be followed up.
Action: H. Rook
A note will be put on the
Action:
Councillor Horrocks/H.Rook
SLCC
Membership
The membership is personal to the clerk and not the parish council and therefore cannot be renewed until the new clerk is appointed.
North
Mymms Memorial Hall
A copy letter from Mr Ragg/North Mymms Memorial Hall Committee to the agent managing the Burns Trust dated 5th December 2010 requesting confirmation of the terms of the Revocable Licence as agreed with Strutt and Parker was presented to the meeting.
Action: Councillor Everard
117. REPORTS
OF COMMITTEES
a)
FINANCE
Councillor Storey reported that the Finance Committee had met earlier that evening.
It recommended to Full Council a Schedule
of Accounts for payment totalling £17,497.19 including £4,016.69 which had
already been paid for payroll and direct debits. Receipts of £1,197.39 were noted.
Payments made under Section 137 are
included in these figures and thanks were extended to Councillor Mrs Boulton
for checking the relevant organisations were still ongoing.
A Bank Reconciliation showed cash in hand
at 10th February 2011 of £113,892.91.
Approval had been given to transfer £20,000
from the Council’s Business Reserve Account to the Current Account and a letter
to Nat West signed.
The proposal put forward by Gillian
Johnson for the Internal Audit had been accepted subject to two satisfactory
references and details of referees have been requested.
Action: H.Rook
Review of Internal Controls and Internal
Audit
The Council is under a legal obligation to
carry out a review of its internal financial controls on an annual basis. The Financial Regulations and Risk Assessment
were circulated for members to review and consider at the March Council
meeting.
Action: All Councillors
The Council also has a duty to review the
effectiveness of its system of internal audit.
The committee considered a report by the Treasurer circulated at the
meeting and recommended to full Council to accept the report and review of the
effectiveness of the internal audit.
A refund of £1,734.20 has been received from Veolia
Water.
A more detailed specification and payment
terms had been received from Kindlelight and circulated. The contract included a 10 year insurance
backed guarantee and delivery was anticipated 4-6 weeks from acceptance of the
contract. Several points were raised by
Councillor Boulton regarding payment terms and he agreed to do a financial
check on Kindlelight at Companies House.
A recommendation was made to authorise payment of the £1,588 deposit
subject to a satisfactory check at Companies House, with the balance being paid
once the installation has been completed.
Action: Councillor S Boulton and
H.Rook
Quotations were being sought for drainage
works to Bushwood Close to improve the surface water drainage and also for
refurbishment works to the Burns Pavilion.
Councillor Storey will provide additional contacts for the proposed
drainage works.
Action: Councillor Storey and H.Rook
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 Wednesday 19th February 2011 and the Minutes had been circulated to all Councillors. The following updates were discussed:
St
Mary’s Nursery/Papworth House
It was noted the surface has settled above the run of
drains from Papworth House to the Burns Pavilion and the groundsmen will be
asked to make good the surface.
Action:
Groundsmen
Football
pitch drainage
This item will be discussed further at the next
Amenities meeting.
Burns
Pavilion
Additional quotes are being sought from two building
contractors for the repairs to be carried out under the insurance claim and
also for proposed upgrades.
Councillor Everard has reviewed the management of
asbestos report from the Health and Safety Executive and it was agreed to seek
quotations for an Asbestos Report on the Burns Pavilion.
Action: H.Rook
North
Mymms Memorial Hall
As commented above.
Bungalows
1 and 2
i)
The
roofing work has now been completed on Bungalow 2.
ii)
Quotation
from Kindlelight for Bungalow 2 as reported above.
Action: Councillor Boulton and H.Rook
iii)
Quotation
from I&B Electrical for Bungalow 2 has been accepted and the work is being
carried out during the first week of March.
iv)
Drainage
Bushwood Close – estimates are being obtained to improve the drainage in
Bushwood Close.
Action: Councillor Storey/H.Rook
v)
Cavity
Wall Insulation – details of the WHBC energy efficiency scheme have been given
to the groundsmen who will, as tenants, arrange for a survey to be carried out
on each bungalow. The reduced cost per
property for cavity wall insulation will be £49.
vi)
British
Gas has been contacted both by telephone and in writing to arrange for Gas Fire
cover and Landlord Gas Safety Check to be added to the existing Homecare
Agreements for each bungalow.
The next Amenities and Building Development Committee
meeting will be held on Wednesday 16th March 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 26th January 2011 and Wednesday 19th March 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.
Appeal – Two Caravans,
The hearing arranged for 22nd March 2011 has
been postponed.
118.
Nothing to report
119. LITTLE
HEATH
Nothing to report
120. WELHAM
GREEN
Councillor Pieri advised following
further investigation the
It was also reported that the
surface of the driveway at Welham Manor has sunken, particularly around
manholes, and it was agreed to write to Highways to report the problem.
Action: H.Rook
Consideration to changes to
the Colney Heath/North Mymms Parish boundary was raised but it was considered
this is a matter for the Boundary Commission.
121. REPRESENTATIVES
ON OTHER BODIES/ORGANISATIONS
Nothing to report
122. PARISH
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN
123. PARISH
PLAN
Councillor Mrs Boulton
advised that the Steering Group was due to meet again in March.
124. CORRESPONDENCE
CORRESPONDENCE CIRCULATED TO
1. Herts
Police – Invite to launch of Hertfordshire’s Policing Plan on 28th
March 2011
2. Herts
Police – Details on plans to meet £36m funding gap for policing in the county
3. Herts
County Council, Countryside Access Officer – 2011/12 – Capital Works Bids
4. Herts Police - Special Constabulary,
Winter 2011
THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE WAS READ OUT BY THE
CLERK
1. Herts
CC – Rights of Way Service – Application for a Modification Order to Amend the
Definitive Map of Public rights of Way – Leach Fields,
Councillor Storey declared an interest in
the Leach Fields application.
2. Isabel Hospice – Care News February 2011
125. ANY
OTHER BUSINESS
a) Crossroads
of
Issues with traffic and
parking in this area of Welham Green were raised and suggestions of yellow
lines/residents parking/timed parking were made. The matter will be referred to WHBC.
Action: H.Rook
b) Station
Road, Potholes
It was reported that the
recent repairs to
Action: H.Rook
c) S137
Payments
It was agreed to donate £250 to North Mymms
Youth Project under Section 137 of the LGA 1972 and a report of what the
project intended to spend the money on would be requested.
Action: H.Rook
d) Annual Review of Policies
It was noted that council policies needed
regular review and this will be undertaken when the new Clerk is in post.
e) Councillor Elections in May 2011
The Parish Council Election in May was noted
and details will be posted on the parish council website.
Action: Councillor Horrocks
f) Clerk Vacancy
The Chairman has shortlisted four candidates
and interviews will be held on Monday 28th February 2011. It was agreed the interview panel will
consist of Councillors Mrs Travell, Mrs Boulton and Horrocks. The Council agreed to delegate appointment of
the Clerk to the interview panel. CV’s
of the candidates will be forwarded to all Councillors.
Action: H.Rook, Councillors Mrs Travell, Mrs Boulton
and Horrocks
g) Chancellor’s News
Councillor Horrocks has drafted and
circulated an article for Chancellor’s News and thanked Councillor Mrs Boulton
for her comments. As there were no other
comments it was agreed to distribute the article. Councillor Everard proposed a vote of thanks
to Councillor Horrocks.
h)
Councillor Horrocks reported that the
External Auditor required a list of assets with date asset acquired and cost of
acquisition. He had located all the
information required excluding the papers relating to ownership of the War
Memorial land. Further enquiries would
be made with Land Registry.
Action: Councillor Horrocks
i)
HAPTC had notified the Council that
Councillor Mrs Travell had been selected to attend a Garden Party at
126. DATE
OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting has already been arranged for
Wednesday 30th March 2011 at 7.45pm, preceded by a Finance Committee
meeting at 7.15pm.
Meeting closed at 9.30pm