Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 1 September 2008 at 7.30pm in the Pavilion Committee Room.
PRESENT: Mr A Fendall (Chairman); Mrs A Archibald; Mr D Clark;
Mr S Godesen; Mrs V Lickley; Mr S Marks; Mr K Nuttall; Mr N O’Shea;
Mr A Renwick; Mrs B Waller.
Before the start of the meeting the chairman advised those present of the fire evacuation procedure.
1 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None received.
2 MINUTES
The minutes of the ordinary meeting of 4 August had been circulated and were agreed as a true record of the business that took place.
3 TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Mr Renwick declared a personal interest in item 10.2
4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Questions were taken from the public.
5 MONTHLY MONITORING REPORT
The monthly monitoring report was tabled and noted.
6 TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT THE CHAIRMAN WISHES TO LAY BEFORE THE COUNCIL
Mr Fendall reported as follows:
(i) Mr Nick O’Shea was welcomed to the council following his successful election;
(ii) An invitation to the next meeting of the Integra North Energy Recovery Facility Liaison Panel was tabled. Mr Godesen agreed to attend;
(iii) The development of the lodges at Crabtree Plantation has been put on hold by the Borough Council pending further investigation on the scheme’s viability. If the decision is to do nothing, steps will be taken to ensure that the buildings do not deteriorate;
(iv) The additional cost for concrete edgings to the Riley Lane car park (notified as an uncosted extra to the recreation committee on 28 May) will be £3215. A contingency sum of £300 for the granite rumble strip will also be required. The installation of the automated gate in Riley Lane will necessitate pedestrian access being created to the side in order to maintain public footpath access at all times. It will be financially advantageous to have this carried out whilst contractors are on site and an additional sum of £1680 has been quoted for this. Members had no objections to the foregoing.
7 REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
7.1 Councillor Mrs Still reported as follows:
(i) the gate to prevent unauthorised access adjacent to Cowdery Heights is progressing and should be completed by the end of the month;
(ii) the proposed improvement works to the Lychpit Centre car park are being assessed and costed. Once this has been done, the County Council will
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting of the 1 September cont:
be in a position to give further consideration to implementing as many of the improvements as possible within the constraints of the resources available. It has been stressed that the one-way system must take priority. It is hoped that the improvements will be implemented by the end of 2008;
(iii) an application for a 30mph speed limit along the A30 between Crabtree Plantation and Olivers should be submitted and will received County Councillor support;
(iv) it would be appreciated if an action list of prioritised items could be submitted where County Councillor support is required to enable these to be taken forward in the appropriate forum.
7.2 Apologies received from Councillor Mrs Cubitt.
8 MATTERS RELATING TO FINANCE
8.1 Balances at the end of July: Deposit Account: £88528.00.
Current Account: £4138.29; Treasury Deposit Account: £135529.50.
Petty cash expenditure for July: £69.27.
Balances at the end of August: Deposit Account: £83238.46
Current Account: £844.21; Treasury Deposit Account: £136017.55
Petty cash expenditure for August: £58.41.
8.2 Total cost of wages and salaries for July: £6465.82;
Total cost of wages and salaries for August: £6465.82
8.3 The following invoices were approved for payment:
|
Amount £ |
Payee |
Details |
|
163.00 |
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council |
Cottage Council Tax |
|
94.10 |
Tesco Fuelcard |
Fuel |
|
158.31 |
British Telecom |
Office telephone |
|
11.61 |
SCATS |
Recreation sundries |
|
387.40 |
Jewson Ltd |
Archery frontage improvements, fixing for sign & sundries |
|
55.15 |
British Telecom |
Alarm line |
|
70.00 |
Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council |
Premises licence renewal, Lychpit Hall |
|
15.00 |
PJH Window Cleaning |
Pavilion window cleaning |
|
18.97 |
P Handslip |
Reimbursement for janitorial supplies, Lychpit Hall |
|
50.00 |
C Orr |
Refund of damage deposit, Lychpit Hall |
|
8.62 |
British Gas |
Energy charges, Lychpit Hall |
|
84.24 |
Penningtons Solicitors |
Refund of hire charges |
|
14.99 |
AOL |
Internet service provider |
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting of 1 September 2008 cont:
|
28.93 |
Hampshire County Council |
Janitorial & office supplies |
|
99.88 |
A Sewell Ltd |
Electrical works to pavilion |
|
169.99 |
J Collins |
Reimbursement for new fridge, Lychpit Hall |
|
100.00* |
Country Watch |
Annual membership fee |
|
177.08 |
K Davies |
Pavilion cleaning |
|
462.06 |
Avoncrop Amenity Products |
Turf maintenance supplies |
|
208.40 |
S Richardson |
Travelling expenses ( May-July) |
|
70.00 |
Cash |
|
*approved under S.137
8.4 Members received and approved the accounts for 2007/2008. Mr Renwick requested that the clerk meets with those councillors who wish to learn more about the accounting system and budgeting process.
8.5 Members received the internal auditor’s report and clerk’s comments on the matters arising. It was agreed that some matters did not require action and were suggestions only by the internal auditor. Action was agreed on the remaining items in line with the auditor’s recommendations. Clerk to obtain details of auditors working in this area for consideration by members for future audits.
8.6 Members received a response from Hampshire Police Authority to the council’s request for a fuller explanation for the increase in the policing element of the council tax bill. It was resolved to advise the Police Authority that the Parish Council finds the response disappointing and wishes to be consulted in future workshops carried as part of a public consultation exercise. It was also resolved to advise Maria Miller M.P of the Parish Council’s feelings.
8.7 It was resolved to approve the cost of website training amounting to £275 for the assistant clerk.
9 MATTERS RELATING TO CORRESPONDENCE
9.1 Members noted a response from Maria Miller, M.P on details of the traffic noise levels arising from the M3.
9.2 Clerk advised that, in response to a request for information on polyclinics, Maria Miller, M.P had provided some information documents from the House of Commons library. It was resolved that these should be placed on circulation for members’ comments and that Mr Fendall and Mr Clark should draft a latter to the Primary Care Trust asking for the criteria on which Basingstoke has been selected for the pilot scheme and incorporating members’ comments.
9.3 It was resolved not to send a representative to the annual general meeting of Hampshire Association of Local Councils.
9.4 Mr Godesen was nominated to represent the council on a consultation review of community safety and community development being carried out by the Borough Council.
Minutes of the Parish Council meeting of 1 September 2008 cont:
10 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
10.1 Members received the fire safety risk assessment on the pavilion carried out by the Corporate Health and Safety Advisor of the Borough Council. This identified several minor points for action e.g signage, plus the installation of a mains installed smoke detection/alarm system whereby all detectors and sounders are interlinked. However, none of these matters render the pavilion as unsuitable for their intended purpose in their current state. It was resolved to note the report. Clerk reported that advice had also been sought from HALC on the provision of access to meetings for disabled attendees. The legal advisor of HALC had confirmed that the council is fulfilling its obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act by making a ground floor room available should the need arise. It is not necessary to use a ground floor room for all meetings unless demand becomes regular.
10.2 Mr Fendall reported on a meeting with a representative of the County Council concerning the Heritage Lottery Funding Project for Basing House. Two issues of concern arose as follows:
(i) there is a possibility that the discretionary footpath across the meadow adjacent to Grange Farm will be closed. Alternative access may be provided free of charge through the visitor centre during opening times. It was resolved to protect the existing access, if possible.
(ii) an additional proposal to the original plans to site pedestrian lights across The Street at the entrance to Basing House. It was resolved to oppose this on the grounds that they are unnecessary and would be too close to a pinch point which could compromise road safety and cause tailbacks. Mr Fendall to initiate action on both these matters.
10.3 Mr O’Shea was elected to the planning and recreation committees. Mr Renwick was elected to the Lychpit Hall committee.
11 MATTERS RELATED TO COMMITTEES;
11.1 The minutes of the planning committee of the 28July and 11 August were tabled and ratified
11.2 The minutes of the recreation meeting of the 13 August were tabled and ratified. Mr Nuttall expressed his disappointment at the lack of progress with the Lambs Row play area which had meant another summer season being lost to the teenagers.
11.3 The minutes of the publicity committee meeting of 11 August were tabled and ratified.
NEXT MEETING
The next ordinary meeting will be on Monday the 6 October at 7.30pm in the Pavilion committee room.
Meeting closed at 9.22.