SULGRAVE PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 11th OCTOBER 2007
IN SULGRAVE CHURCH HALL, MAGPIE ROAD
Graham Roberts, Jo Powell, Andrew Waite, David Kellett, Clare Pollak, and Jane Osborne together with five villagers.
Item 1
1a. Apologies
None
1b. Introduction
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Item 2
2a. Confirmation of minutes of last meeting held on 13TH September 2007
The minutes were agreed and signed as a true record. These were proposed by Cllr Powell and seconded by Cllr Waite.
2b. Matters Arising
Litter Pick on 13th October
The Chair had circulated documents relating to the litter pick prior to the meeting. Notices had been put up around the village and the councillors had received a briefing and risk assessment document. Cllr Waited noted that he felt the high risk areas were a high risk and should not be done. If areas are overgrown and unsafe they should not be walked along. PC Clive Ashmore would be attending to give a hand and his advice would be sought on the day. Thanks was given to Shrimp Christy and WI for agreeing to provide the refreshments after the event. Everyone attending on the day will have to sign a sheet to say they have read the briefing document before taking part in the litter pick.
3. Declaration of Interest
4. Underground Cabling
The Chair noted that Central Networks had started an underground cabling programme in the village to replace the overhead wires some time ago.
The next phase would include Helmdon Road, from the crossroads by Little Street and Church Street, from the telephone exchange to Dial House Farm and Park Lane. The work has been passed to the contractor and is in the programme of works for 2008. The council will be given one months notice of when the work will start. The work will be subject to inspection reports and have to be signed off by the Highways Agency. 4 poles will have to be removed and replaced and the quote for this work from ABB Lighting is for £1321.50 & VAT.
The Chair then asked the councillors for their views.
Cllr Waite suggested that the council buy the standard lamp and paint them. He agreed to investigate the possibility of new poles for the next meeting. Cllr Kellett suggested that the council buy the existing poles for a small nominal fee and then adopt and take ownership of them. Light pollution is an issue and the old lamps are so old that they would not be very energy efficient. This is another factor for the council to consider. The Chair agreed to find out the condition of the existing poles from Central Networks. The Clerk would speak to their insurers to find out public liability costs should the pole fall down. She was also asked to invite ABB Lighting to a future council meeting. This item would be kept on the agenda for future meetings.
5. Update on work on Castle Green
Cllr Pollak gave a progress report on the Castle Green Restoration Project.
Paths
Repairs are now complete and an invoice has been received. It is awaiting payment.
Residents Request
Cllr Pollak has agreed to speak to them after consulting with George Metcalfe.
Benches
An advert will be in the November newsletter.
Geophysical Survey
There was no further news.
The Wall Restoration Project
Underwood and Weston (U & W) are back on site and work is progressing well. The communication problems still continue. The access steps were built without any consultation with the Committee or Parish Council, and the design and workmanship were bad. There were issues with the standard of work on the wall and the finished height. Residents complained of obstruction on the road, and the unsightly WC at the Dark Lane entrance. Most of the trees have not been felled, but this is not directly U & W’s fault. Most of these problems have now been resolved.
The Archaeologist, Richard Ivens, has been doing regular site visits and making sure that nothing of archaeological importance is disturbed.
4 week site meeting with Rhodes Partnership
This took place on 4th October. The Chair of the Parish Council attended and the meeting went well. Simon, the director of U & W had carried out a review of the site with Rhodes Partners before their meeting began. (Full notes of the meeting are available to councillors should anyone wish to see them).
Main Points
Finances
Paul Crowley, CGMC Treasurer has provided an interim statement of accounts up to end of September.
Dry Stone Walling talk and conducted tour
Cecil Rhodes offered to give a talk and Martin Sirot-Smith organised this on 6th October. After a slow start, 20 people arrived and walked the length of the wall, and then tried their hands at building some! Afterwards refreshments were served in the hall and Cecil showed slides of many of the historic buildings he had restored. Everyone agreed it was an extremely interesting and educational afternoon. Cllr Pollak thanked Cecil Rhodes for giving the talk and putting on the slide show.
The meeting was then opened up for discussion. Cllr Pollak showed the councillors a revised drawing of the steps which everyone felt looked much better. The steps will go through the wall and not to the wall. Cllr Pollak will confirm the council’s acceptance to the drawing and check whether there will be four or five steps. She will also get clarification on material details and ask how the bannister is going to be bedded in. The access path and permissive path will have to be mowed. This needs to be adopted and put into the schedule. Philip Daynes is currently cutting the grass on Castle Green very short but it was felt he should go back to the original arrangement and leave it a bit longer so that the path can be cut shorter to define it more. If he is asked to take the grass away he will need to take his vehicle onto Castle Green. The Chair agreed to find out when he was next in the village.
The council discussed public parking on Castle Green and if it should be allowed or not. It had been agreed previously (September 2006) that no cars should be allowed as they could cause damage to the remains underneath. At a meeting (June 2007) of the new council earlier in the year, in Open Forum, Peter Mackness had asked on behalf of WI if cars would be able to unload on the Green for their summer picnic as a there are a lot of elderly people who use their cars. At this meeting the Chair had noted that cars could cause more damage by going on the Green and driving back off so he felt the original terms and conditions could be revised. The Castle Green Committee felt it could set a precedent to let one group use it. In conclusion, the Chair agreed that it was the final decision of the Castle Green Committee and they should report back after their own meeting in December.
The Chair read out a letter from George Metcalfe asking a couple of questions. He wanted to know which parish councillor was the link with Philip Daynes as he was phoning him at regular intervals, something he preferred not to do. He also asked which councillor was responsible for the management of the Pocket Park as a nature reserve.
The council agreed the area is starting to look tired and as there is no Pocket Park Warden, the responsibility does come back to the Parish Council. It was felt that George has a lot of knowledge and this should be tapped into. George has put a lot of work into this area and it is not being looked after. A management plan is clearly needed.
In the past Philip Daynes has been given diagrams of Pocket Park but he really needs written instructions and drawings. This is something that can be looked at when his contract is due for renewal later in the year.
Cllr Pollak reminded the meeting about something she had read some time ago from Anglian Water providing management skills to help with local projects. Cllr’s Osborne and Kellett agreed to look at their website and talk to George to try and draw up a management plan.
It was agreed the Pocket Park inspection should be carried out now as it is very overdue. The clerk will organise this with John Hicks before the next meeting.
Community Speedwatch
Cllr Powell had spoken to Carolyn Tate, Rural Safety Officer of ACRE who advised there has to be pledges of support from 60 villagers before Sulgrave can be put on the waiting list. Forms will be left in the shop and pub and have to be returned by 3rd December. 10 volunteers will be given proper training.
Allotments
Cllr Waite had read the notes given to him from Anglian Water. The first part of the application for water will involve sending maps of the area which he will have to buy first. The Chair added that there are more allotment holders now and they have asked for water. There will be a long term benefit in developing the area generally. The council agreed that Cllr Waite could spend up to £30.00 on the maps. This was proposed by Cllr Osborne and seconded by Cllr Pollak. All the councillors voted in favour.
8. Finance Report
The Clerk had circulated a spend to date spreadsheet prior to the meeting.
£27.00 to CPRE (Subscription)
£196.51 to Parish Clerk (hours)
£21.08 to Parish Clerk (mileage)
£156.48 to Powergen
£40.80 to BT (fax)
The cheques were proposed by Cllr Waite and seconded by Cllr Pollak.
It was agreed that the grant from Sulgrave Charities for £1K should be moved into the Pocket Park account until the work is ready to be done.
Cllr Osborne asked when the shop lease is due for renewal and the Clerk replied in September 2009.
The Chair asked the councillors to think about future projects that will improve the look of the village such as the parking area in front of Spinners Cottages. The council would be able to take out another public works loan to pay for it but it would need to be thought about very carefully. The work would be carried out by Highways and be part of a road scheme.
9. Update on Planning Applications
There was nothing to report on planning.
10. Correspondence
There was no correspondence to report on.
Item 11 – Open Forum
Item 12 - Next meeting
12a. Matters for consideration at the next meeting
Update on Underground Cabling
Pocket Park Inspection Report
12b. Date and time of next meeting
15th November 2007 at 7.30pm in the Church Hall
Meeting closed at 9.30pm