DESFORD PARISH COUNCIL MEETING Held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21 st March 2018 at Desford Library, Main Street, Desford Draft Minutes Present Cllrs C. Crane (Chairman), Camamile, P. Crane, Lockley, Norton and Peel. Also present Cllr Peter Bedford (LCC), Martin Broomhead - Clerk, Lisa Sly Admin and eleven members of the public 168/2017 Apologies for Absence. Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs Carr, Elcoat, McMillan, Rood and Wakefield. 169/2017 Declarations of Interest. None. 170/2017 Applications for the Councillor Vacancy. There have not been any applications for the Councillor vacancy. The vacancy notice will be issued again. 171/2017 To receive and confirm as accurate the Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 21 st February 2018. Accepted. 172/2017 To receive and confirm as accurate the Minutes of the Extraordinary Parish Council meeting held on 28 th February 2018. Accepted. 173/2017 County and Borough Councillor reports. Borough Councillor Report Cllr Camamile 1) New housing provided by HBBC is now in use. 2) HBBC are hoping to build a new crematorium opposite the football ground. This should be up and running in the next 18-24 months. This will relieve the pressure on Nuneaton crematorium and reduce waiting times. 3) Changes in domestic recycling. There is now no need to use the internal caddy in the wheely bin, all recycling to go in the main bin. It may be necessary to change the bin collection day but this will be decided and 1
communicated before June. The recycling service is now carried out in house. County Councillor Report Cllr Bedford Key points from the Budget o Council tax rise of 6% o 600,000 extra for Highways o 100,000 extra for community libraries (Community Library needs to contact LCC) o Council is putting in a bid for road improvements to Field Head Roundabout Cllr Bedford continues to support rural bus services. 174/2017 Parishioners Participation Resident of Drovers Way and Forest Rise attended the meeting to express their opinions regarding proposed equipment on Forest Rise/ Drovers Way open space. Points raised were Desford Parish Council Procurement Working Group are currently looking into installing fitness equipment within the Parish on various Parish owned open spaces. 3 companies have visited and Procurement Working Group are awaiting quotes. Nothing has yet been agreed. The equipment currently being considered for Drovers Way/Forest Rise open space is adult and children fitness equipment, not play equipment. Are the residents going to be asked to comment on any developments? Yes the whole parish will be invited to comment. Once the quotes have been received an open meeting will be set up outlining the plans and asking for comment. The process being followed is Procurement Working Group to investigate options and get quotes, public consultation, consideration by the Resources Committee and then approval by the Full Parish Council. Is the Parish Council planning to install any equipment within the new Bellways estate? No this is owned by Bellways and is not Parish Council Land. Where is the money coming from to pay for this equipment? Some from the S106 money that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council currently have from the Bellway Development and some from Desford Parish Council reserves. S106 from the Bellways development is to be used within 400 meters of the development therefore S106 Bellways money can be used for equipment at Kirkby Road Rec. and Pickards Rec. but cannot be used on Drovers Way open space or Botcheston Rec. A petition was handed to DPC that contained 106 signatures. 2
A request for information under the Freedom of Information Act had been received from a resident of Drovers Way on 13 th March. The amount of information was considerable and the Clerk responded with a letter outlining a cost of 5400 to retrieve this information. The residents of Drovers Way / Forest Rise felt that they should not have to pay for this information. The resident who originally requested the information withdrew their request. When 3 councillors and a representative of an equipment company visited the site, a resident of Drovers Way said that they would vandalise the equipment if it was installed. During this Council meeting the resident asked for an apology from the Council as he did not say this. The Clerk is to revisit this. Parish Council Working Groups can have parishioner representatives. The next Procurement Working Group meeting is on Wednesday 4 th April at the Library. 175/2017 To receive and consider the recommendations of the Resources Committee held on 14 th March 2018, including consideration of Council Accounts up to the end of February, the payment of Invoices and various proposals and quotes for works. Comments from Council in Italics. R1 To receive and note the monthly Income and Expenditure. These were received and noted and are recommended to Council for noting. Noted R2 To receive and approve bank reconciliations for February 2018. These were received and are recommended to Council. Noted R3 To recommend payment of invoices and note receipts. Invoices recommended to Council for payment. Payment of DPC invoices approved Payment of DiB invoices approved. R4 Strict Baptist Cemetery Request to carry out tree works. 4 members of the Open Gardens Group presented their proposed plans. These comprise of removing the 4 large conifers, adding seating, information board, water feature, sculpture, dwarf fruit trees and wild flowers. Pat Crane confirmed that the land and boundaries belong to DPC. The ground is not consecrated. It is noted that all gravestones are to be left in situ and not moved. Letters need to be sent to the 2 neighbouring properties informing them that work is to be carried out. The Council have already agreed that the Open Gardens can carry out work on the Strick Baptist Cemetery. It is recommended that the first task is to remove the 4 large conifers. DPC will submit the application to HBBC. Open Gardens already have one quote for this work, DPC to get 2 more. 3
It is also recommended to Council that DPC pay for the cost of felling the trees (approx. 700 to cover removing stumps if necessary) and the cost of the planning application. Council approve that they will pay for the felling of the 4 large conifers and for the planning application. Council approve that DPC will submit the TPO application to HBBC. R5 Current Grounds Maintenance Contract To receive an update on this contract and to consider the outstanding Invoices. An invoice has not been received from Burleys for February. There is no evidence that any work had been carried out. The Resources Committee recommends to Council not to pay any more invoices until we have received a final account from Burleys. The Clerk has been informed by a third party that Burleys have gone into administration, DPC have not been told by Burleys. The Clerk has tried to contact Joe from Burleys regarding the grass cutting but has not had a reply. The Council approve that the Clerk should request a final account from Burleys. R6 Feedback from Procurement Meeting held on 7 th March 2018. The Resources Committee considered the minutes from the Procurement meetings held on 22 nd February and 7 th March 2018. Recommendations are Purchase of a large see-saw TNB040 for Botcheston Rec from Sutcliffe Play at a cost of 3917+VAT+delivery. The area of wetpour that the council requested the see-saw to be located is not large enough for the see-saw, it has a concrete edging and the remains of the steel structure of the previous play equipment will need to be removed. The See-saw can be installed directly onto grass, a cushioned surface is not required as the fall height is less than 1.5 meters. It is advisable to place wear matting under the see-saw. Council agreed for the seesaw to be installed on the grass with wear matting. Matting under the climbing frame to be replaced. Quotes have been obtained for bark chip.. We have received 3 quotes for 25m3 CPA pine Hardwood Playbark Gravelmaster 1958 delivered in 70 litre bags 1857 delivered in 70 litre bags 2880 delivered in 1m3 bags with HIAB 2225 delivered in 1m3 bags roadside. Also labour (Glendale) 464.30 It has now been decided to include the area under the slide also which is 9.5m3. Total price is estimated to be 3400 for 35m3 of bark chip 4
and installation. Approx 2-3 week delivery. The Council request that the bark is delivered and installed on the same day. The Council approved a spend of up to 8000 for the seesaw and bark chip. Resources recommend a budget of 70,000 for exercise equipment for the Parish and also 15,000 for a slide and junior swings at Kirkby Road. (Available S106 from Bellways phase 1 is 45,031.54, DPC has set aside funds to match this amount.) Council agree to this budget. R7 Allotments WG Request for funding for a show-booklet advert and to consider improvements of the access track. The Resources Committee recommend to pay 25 towards the cost of an advert. Approved. R8 Quotes for consideration: a) Fire-proof document box/safe. The Resources Committee recommend that 2 Fire safe Deed boxes are purchased at a cost of 68.32 each. (one for the deeds and one for the 3 cemetery books.) Approved. b) Matting underneath play equipment Botcheston RG Quotes from 1 company for wet pour (approx. 10,000) and rubber mulch (approx. 7,000) were presented but these were deemed too expensive. An alternative would be to top up the existing bark to the recommended depth. Price required for bark chippings suggested contacting Sunshine Gym for contact details. This need doing ASAP. A quote will be presented to Council at the next meeting. Covered earlier under feedback from Procurement meeting. R9 Clerks Report to Resources a) Payment for 2,309.00 received for HBBC for PCIF Recommended to Council for noting. b) Transfer of funds 79,989.93 was transferred from the main account to the reserves account. The reserves account now has 175,000 (for both earmarked and general reserves). Recommended to Council for noting. c) Request for extra rubbish removal from plot 12A Rubbish has been removed from plot 12A by HBBC at a cost of approx. 107 to DPC. The plot holder is now requesting that more of the rubbish be taken away. 5
Resources recommend to Council that the plot holder is told that DPC are not removing any more rubbish from this plot. DPC offer to refund the rent and then put back on the waiting list for a more suitable plot. Agreed, Clerk to write to plot holder. 176/201 Planning and Neighbourhood Plan. a) To receive the Planning Committee Minutes 5 th March 2018 including planning applications. No planning objections. b) Update on the Neighbourhood Plan. DNP are to apply for a grant for 6000 from Awards for All and Locality, this cannot be done until April. 177/2017 Review of DPC s Projects List The projects list is to be reviewed and updated at the next Procurement meeting on 4 th April. Items should be prioritised and costed this will enable applying for grants to be quicker. 178/2017 Discuss approach for obtaining grants/funding from HBBC It was discussed that DPC often do not get much notice when grants are available. Item 10 should help with this. 179/2017 Clerks Report Comments from Council in Italics a) Police Crime Figures For Information. b) Email received from Police regarding speeding in Botcheston For Information. c) Police Local Update e-mail For Information. d) Draft Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy meeting 26 th March Who will be attending to represent DPC. No one is able to attend. e) Desford Parish Council is now registered with the Information Commissioner s Office. For information. 6
f) Information received from Glendale Schedule of work attached. DPC have also received schedule of costs and method statements. Risk assessments still required. g) Decide upon position of WWI and WWII benches Decision required for PCIF bid. Council all agree to place one outside the Library (replacing the existing bench) and one in the Strict Baptist Cemetery. h) Annual Playground inspection Council agree to go ahead with the annual playground inspection from The Playground Inspection Company for 300.00. It was requested that a quote was obtained from Glendale. 180/2017 Information Exchange (not for debate or decisions). Cllr Lockley Can the grass verges be mown 2 days before DiB judging. Cllr Norton Information needs to be updated on the website Councillor information especially. Cllr C Crane A traffic Consultant has been employed. Survey will be carried out between 7am and 7pm, in 5 locations within the Parish, midweek. The Council does not and will not know the date for the survey until after the event. Meeting Closed 9.15pm 7