March 2023 DRAFT Minutes
Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard’s Leap Parish Council
Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council held at Cranwell Village Hall, Old School Lane, Cranwell Village, NG34 8DF on Monday 13th March 2023 at 7:00 pm.
Participating: Chairman: Cllr Mr T R Batten
Councillors: Cllr Mrs C Batten, Cllr Mr M Pears (Vice Chairman and Acting Parish Clerk), Cllr Mr D Wilson and Cllr Mr D Graves
Also in attendance: County Cllr R Wright, D/Cllr J Clark and RAF Community Liaison Officer Ian Whitehead
Mrs B Pears, Assistant Clerk to the Parish Council
No members of the public were in attendance.
Public speaking:
Cllr T batten thanked County Councillor Richard Wright, District Councillor Jim Clark and RAF Liaison Officer for coming and invited them to address the meeting.
Cllr Clark reported that NKDC have kept the increase in council tax down to 10p per week. Their finances are generally in good order and NKDC rank in the top 5 in the country. The population is expanding and he noted that the fastest rising percentage is of the over 50s.
Cllr T Batten remarked that the village had not had the road sweeper round in some time and asked Cllr Clark to look into that. He said that he would.
Cllr R Wright reported on the recent local survey of roads and crime. The problems are predominantly in our villages and he is pushing for more policing to curb speeding. He has asked for the route through Cranwell to be given priority. He is waiting for a response on this.
Cllr T Batten asked Cllr Wright to help with the footpath adoption issue that has been going on for 8 years now. The Footpaths Officer had given this priority but due to a considerable backlog in the department, the adoption of this particular path in the village is still unresolved. Cllr Wright commented that the Highways Division has had money taken out of its budget by the government causing the backlog issues, but he would request that this is given priority.
Ian Whitehead reported that RAF Cranwell has a new Commander, Group Captain Jessop. She is a keen advocate of community liaison and is looking to put in place a strategy for this for the next 2 years. There has been a toughening of the penalties for speeding by personnel in RAF Cranwell. While this does not affect the village directly, it should promote awareness generally. There has been some confusion for a while over the responsibility for a layby that needs potholes repaired. Ian confirms that he has now established that it is the responsibility of Lincolnshire CC, not the RAF.
The Chairman declared the ordinary meeting open at 7:15 pm.
44 To receive apologies for absence and reasons given i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Michael Cassidy, Cllr Maureen Cassidy and Cllr Mark Collier were unable to attend, and their reasons were made known to the Council.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve Cllr Michael Cassidy, Cllr Maureen Cassidy and Cllr M Collier’s reasons for absence.
Proposed by Cllr D Wilson, seconded by Cllr Mike Pears and approved unanimously.
Cllr M Alexander did not attend the meeting. No apologies were received.
45 If appropriate, to consider whether to approve Cllr Alexander’s absences for the last 6 consecutive meetings and as a consequence to confirm whether he should automatically and immediately cease to be on the Parish Council under the regulations of ‘The Local Government Act (1972) Section 85’.
Cllr Alexander has missed 6 meetings now. Apologies were received for the first two and were accepted at the time, but Cllrs can rescind that acceptance now with so many meetings having been missed without apologies.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to vote Cllr M Alexander off the council with immediate effect.
Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr M Pears and approved unanimously.
46 To receive declarations of interest and to consider applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
Disclosure of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. The need for disclosure is to be based upon agenda items, or at any suitable time during a meeting when it becomes apparent to a Member.
None were made.
47 Notes of the ordinary meeting held on Monday 20th February 2023 of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council to be approved as Minutes.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the ordinary meeting held on Monday 20th February 2023 of Cranwell, Brauncewell and Byard's Leap Parish Council, as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr D Graves, seconded by Cllr D Wilson and approved unanimously.
48 To adopt the approved minutes of the meeting of the Building and Projects Committee held on Monday 10th January 2023.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to adopt the approved minutes of the Building and Project Committee meeting held on Monday 10th January 2023
Proposed by Cllr C Batten, seconded by Cllr D Wilson and approved unanimously.
49. Financial Matters
a. Approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr C Batten, seconded by Cllr D Graves and approved unanimously.
b. Approve the payment of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.
Councillor D Graves queried why the Parish Council pays for hiring the village hall for their meetings when they actually own the building. Cllr T Batten advised that the PC lease the building to another party, the Village Hall Management Committee on a 30 year lease, hence the payment for hire.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the payments of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.
Proposed by Cllr C Batten, seconded by Cllr D Graves and approved unanimously.
c. Approve the bank reconciliation from the previous month.
Lloyds Bank Balance- £68,325.17
Acting Clerk Cllr Pears advised the meeting that over £4,000 is owed for the Clerk’s Maternity leave payments, an amount that this month must be claimed back from HMRC.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation from the previous month.
Proposed by Cllr C Batten, seconded by Cllr D Wilson and approved unanimously.
d. Consider authorising the Acting Clerk and Chairman under Financial Regulation 4.1 to approve a quote, yet to be made, from MK Electrical to install a socket at the Village Green consumer unit, providing this cost is less than £500.
MK Electrical will be in the village for 2 days of work elsewhere for the Parish Council, so they will quote a.s.a.p when they are on site to assess the job and be ready to carry out the Village Green socket job the next day while they are still here.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve that the Acting Clerk and Chairman can approve the quote submitted, providing this is less than £500.
Proposed by Cllr M Pears, seconded by Cllr T Batten and approved unanimously.
e. To consider the quote from John Scotney for work on the railings at the Playground.
J.Scotney is the Groundsman/handyman employed by the Parish Council.
His quote is £194.40 inc vat. The Acting Clerk asked if Councillors wanted to obtain other quotes but they declined to do so.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to approve the quote from J Scotney.
Proposed by Cllr D Graves, seconded by Cllr D Wilson and approved unanimously.
f. To consider placing an order now for infant defib pads for the Byards Leap defibrillator.
These pads will be out of date by August 2023. There is a 38-week lead time on them so they might not arrive before the current ones are out of date. The cost of £117+vat will not be charged until delivery.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to order the pads immediately.
Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr D Graves and approved unanimously.
g. To consider ordering 4 support brackets at £30.50 each for the CCTV cameras. These will be mounted on the new pole near the playground.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to order the brackets immediately.
Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr M Pears and approved unanimously.
h. To consider further suggestions for using the C.I.L money.
Current suggestions include gates at the entrance of the village, a P.A. System and payment of the cost of re-lining the tennis courts. Cllr T Batten advised that the suggestion of the gates has been made and explored before.
Action: The Acting Clerk will look at previous minutes to find out how long ago this was as a decision by the council cannot be revisited within 6 months. There is some concern that the verges are not wide enough in all places.
i.To consider request for a donation from the choir at Cranwell Primary School.
Subject now closed as the anticipated official request has not yet been received.
j. In view of the Clerk’s anticipated return from maternity leave on 24th April 2023, to consider extending the employment of the Assistant Clerk until 31st May 2023 to assist with an efficient handover.
Cllr M Pears, as Acting Parish Clerk, declared an interest.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to extend the employment of the Assistant Clerk, Mrs B Pears, until 31st May 2023.
Proposed by Cllr C Batten, seconded by Cllr D Graves and approved by a vote of 4 in favour with one abstention by Cllr Pears.
50 Planning Applications.
NONE RECEIVED
51 Receive a report from the Clerk on matters pertaining to the Parish Council.
1. HSBC bank account – the cheque is still being held by the Acting Clerk as our bank won’t accept it. The Acting Clerk is trying to find someone in a H.S.B.C. branch office that can help us convert this cheque as online “help” is no help at all.
2. To confirm - I have an appt at the NKDC Sleaford offices on Thursday 23rd March 2023 at 2 p.m. to deliver all the nomination papers.
3. Invitation from R.A.F. for Chairman / Vice Chairman to be a guest at the Graduation Ceremony on March 23rd. Chairman hoping to attend otherwise Cllr Graves will go.
4. Received letter from Anglian Water stating that our Direct Debit for the Playing Field & Portacabin account is going up from £8 per month to £74 p.m. on April 3rd. The bills are only produced every 6 months and not sent out to us by post. Didn’t have online access but after much research discovered that this account is £400 in debt – using £445 of water per year and paying only £96. The account was in huge credit in 2020 while paying £47 p.m. then we paid nothing for a while and then went to £8 p.m. in April 2022 at the time that the account was going into debt. The monthly payment should have been more at that time and Anglian water (Wave) clearly got it wrong. It now looks like it should be £40 p.m. We can do nothing now - suggest that I introduce it on the agenda at April meeting – let them increase the DD to £74 at that time – then approve a one-off payment of around £400 to get account in the black then change DD to £40 p.m. The Old School A/C is just in credit so the monthly payment seems O.K.
5. We’ve had several complaints about the temporary “harris” fencing that has been put up at the back of the new Willow Lane development. Photographs have been provided that show that the “feet” encroach onto the public footpath so causing a H&S trip hazard. I wrote an email to the boss (Paul Goy) today requesting that he moves it back slightly as a matter of urgency. The builder responded immediately, agreed to move it straight away and later sent a photograph to evidence that he had moved it satisfactorily.
6. Request from “Events Committee” for permission to put up event notices on some of the village lamp posts. Councillors have already informally said “yes” – can we just officially confirm the rule of “notices being put up no more than 3 weeks ahead of the event” and “notices being taken down within a week of the end of the event”. AGREED.
7. Resident Shelagh McIntyre of College Road copied us into an email she sent to Cllr Wright about Dyson Farms vehicles coming through the village despite there being an agreement in place that they wouldn’t do this for this location. Cllr Wright had responded to her and he will chase it up with Dyson.
8. Ricki Andrew of 9 North Road has requested permission to park his car on our Village Hall car park as he has nowhere else to park (we suspect that he nips over the fence). He has been doing this for some time without permission and someone left a note on his car telling him that he shouldn’t be parking there. We don’t know who left the note. At my suggestion – he has now formally requested permission to park there (see later).
9. Internal Audit done on Friday – went very well – all finances and procedures are satisfactory and no “financial risks” identified. She did highlight several procedure “improvements” that should be made – mainly to the financial reporting procedures. One “high risk” item was identified – ROI not up-to-date on our website. I have already implemented her solution by installing a link to the N.K.D.C. website. Most of these were all highlighted to the Clerk in last year’s audit but nothing was done about it. I will produce a report for the next meeting.
52 To consider whether Ricki Andrew of 9 North Road can park on the village hall car park, with the caveat that he might be asked to move his vehicle if there is an event requiring the space.
Action: the council RESOLVED to permit this resident to park on the village hall car park with the understanding that a large event might require the vehicle to be moved.
Proposed by Cllr T Batten, seconded by Cllr D Wilson and approved unanimously.
53 Information for the meeting – note that Cllr Maureen Cassidy has resigned from the Pavilion sub-committee.
54 Update on the upcoming Parish Council Elections on 4th May 2023.
Cllr M Pears has made an appointment to take all the councillors’ forms to the Council Offices on 4th April. He has been advised the meeting will take approximately one and a half hours.
55 To receive an update on the Community Pavilion Project, with particular reference to the Building and Projects Committee, and agree any decisions with regard to progress.
The preferred firm from Market Harborough (The Woodlands Group) has offered to come to meet with the committee as soon as they are available.
Cllr D Wilson suggested an alternative company that might be approached if required.
Action: The Acting Clerk Cllr M Pears will contact the company and organise a meeting.
56 To discuss and make any decisions on the timing of the application to the Public Works Loan Board(PWLB) for a loan for the Community Pavilion Project.
The first approach must be for permission to borrow, no amount stipulated. According to our Auditor, it seems that applications are taking a long time, so an application should be made as soon as possible. The Council had previously (in 2022) agreed to progress with this although it was not done. It was agreed that this should now be expedited.
57 To confirm the arrangements for guest speakers/presentations at the Parish Meeting in April.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – 9 SPEAKERS Confirmed
Chairman, Responsible Finance Officer, Air Ambulance, Cranwell Events Committee, R.A.F, Jim Clark – District Councillor, Dyson Farms, Police – Sgt Mumby-Croft, Richard Wright – County Councillor.
The Air Ambulance will be requesting a donation of £500 which will be considered at the next meeting.
58 To receive an update and make any decisions on any developments with the future use of the Old School building.
For the meantime the toilet facilities are being used by the football club and the space will be needed for storage when the old pavilion is demolished. One of the doors is difficult to lock so it needs to be looked at for security. It was left unlocked by the Football Club two weekends ago, probably because of this difficulty. Cllr D Graves and Cllr M Pears will deal with this asap.
59 To receive a report on the current situation with regard to the operation of the Speedwatch Group.
Cllr D Graves reported that the group had carried out their first ‘Watch’. As it was the first one, they were supervised by 2 police officers. In just over an hour they were passed by 300 vehicles and none were over the speed limit – so the exercise worked. The group needs more volunteers to be able to carry out more of these Watches. The acting Clerk will request volunteers through Facebook and the village website. Cllr Graves is training to be a Speedwatch trainer.
60 To receive a report on the operation of the SIDs in the village.
The Speed Indicator Devices are still giving problems. Cllr Graves is finding the suppliers very helpful in getting to the bottom of what is wrong. He has a couple of things to try to put them right so it’s ongoing with the suppliers at the moment.
61 To discuss the Bowls Club lease.
The 2-year lease has now been signed, received and the rent of £20 paid.
62 To receive a further update on the installation of the new CCTV equipment, the deployment of suitable warning signs and the adoption of a ‘Surveillance camera Policy’.
Deferred to the next meeting until all the cameras have been fully installed.
63 To consider further the arrangements for celebrating The Coronation.
The school is very keen to follow up on the idea to have a competition for the children to design a garden. This needs more investigation of the proposed site and Cllr Graves will undertake this.
64 Receive reports from Councillors on their Areas of Responsibility.
Cllr C Batten – lights reported – ongoing.
Cllr D Wilson – pavement has been repaired very nicely. Some lights are still out as reported before they are old style and getting the parts takes a long time.
Cllr M Pears confirmed that the new contractor will undertake the cutting down of the ‘too high’ hedges and maintain all at the required height of 3 metres. This will be slotted into the schedule, probably in October at extra cost.
65 Meeting dates.
a. Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting was confirmed, being Monday 3rd April 2023 in Cranwell Village Hall, starting at 7:30 pm.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8:13pm.