Minutes - 5 June 2019 - NPC
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE NETTLEHAM PARISH COUNCIL PROPERTY COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE 2019 AT 7.30 PM IN THE OLD SCHOOL SMALL HALL, NETTLEHAM
PRESENT: Cllrs J Downs (Chair); P McNeill, P Jenkinson, J Evans, D Newsam, J Clayton, Mrs M Vail (Facilities Manager) and six members of the public.
PUBLIC FORUM
All were welcomed; and Mrs M Vail was introduced as the new Facilities Manager. The members of public were given opportunity to address the meeting; and they raised the following points:
- Trees on Bill Bailey’s Field along the Orchard Way boundary were noted as being close to the boundary, with one in particular considered to pose a danger to both residents and to property.
- An update on the church tower was given: it initially requires immediate shoring up. Full repairs will be very expensive and details on funding are awaited from WLDC.
- Noted that; although it was considered that the last full council meeting had appointed a new chairman of this committee; one would be elected at this meeting so as to provide a proper record of the fact.
Meeting started at 7.37pm.
49/19 Election of a Chairperson:
It was proposed, seconded and resolved, with all in favour, that Cllr Downs be elected as Chairman.
50/19 Election of a Vice Chairperson:
It was proposed, seconded and resolved, with all in favour, that Cllr Newsam be elected as Vice Chairman.
51/19 Receive apologies and accept reasons for absence: None received.
52/19 Declarations of Interest: No declarations of interest were made.
53/19 Approve Draft Notes of the Meeting held on 24 April 2019:
Noted that the minutes had been seen by the most recent full council meeting. It was therefore proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to approve the draft notes as a true record.
54/19 Facilities Manager’s Report:
Burial Ground Survey – £400 expenditure for this had been approved at the January 2019 meeting; however the quote had come in at £1060; therefore full council will need to approve the additional expenditure. Members were in support of having a proper survey and plotted maps. A revised quote to mark each unoccupied plot is required. Action: FM
Village Green Phone Box – a price of £1250 has been received to re-glaze and lock the phone box prior to an old style phone mechanism being fitted. Noted that there is £1000 in budget. It was proposed, seconded and resolved to approve proceeding with this job. Action: FM
New Greetwell Lane Permissive Path – concerns were expressed as to whether the path is where it should be. Action: ex- Councillor R Porter to investigate.
55/19 Nettleham Matters Articles:
The ‘Buildings and Car Parks’ article, shortly to be submitted, is the final article. All articles in the series will be merged into one master document in due course.
56/19 Working Groups:
The Working Group membership was reviewed and confirmed; noting that full council needs to appoint additional Members to the Village Hall; Play Equipment, and (possibly) Amenity Areas/Misc. working groups. Action: clerk
57/19 Mulsanne Park Sport Club Rents:
Noted that rents were last reviewed and fixed four years ago; and that new reviews are required to take effect from 01.04.20. A working group, to include users is required, to review rents over the winter.
58/19 Mulsanne Park Boundary:
A meeting had taken place recently with the developer who would be erecting a double sided fence on their land 1 metre in from the boundary. It was confirmed that the conifer hedge is on NPC land. It was proposed, seconded and resolved, with all in favour, to remove the existing metal post and chain link fence; and to mark the legal boundary with proper stakes. Action: FM to obtain cost
59/19 Tree Matters
It was noted that:
- A resident highlighted five dead trees on All Saints Lane; querying that although LCC have
- previously advised that they wouldn’t take remedial action; should NPC be spending its budget on this work?
- Grass strimming has been an issue.
- LCC has replaced some dead trees in the village.
- A replacement tree planted on the grassed area of Wold View was noted to be of a species which will grow extremely tall.
59/19.1 Approve Spring Schedule of Work:
It was proposed, seconded and resolved to approve expenditure of up to a maximum of £750 and to place a purchase order to undertake work as detailed in the circulated Tree Spring Work Schedule. Action: FM.
Noted that, at the Swathe, some specimen trees require encroaching vegetation to be cut back to allow them to flourish. As the likely cost is a maximum of £1000, and there is only £500 in the Swathe tree budget, it was proposed, seconded and resolved to approve proceeding with this work; with the additional expenditure to be taken from General Reserves. Action: FM
59/19.2 Consider Tree Management and Maintenance Schedules:
A draft Tree Management document covering Bill Bailey’s Field; Bishops Meadow; and the Swathe has been produced for information purposes; and it is hoped to replicate this for all other areas where NPC has trees.
Letters will be sent to all residents along the south boundary of Bill Bailey’s Field asking for their help in stamping out criminal damage to trees along this boundary.
60/19 Financial Monitoring Reports
60/19.1 Review of expenditure:
Expenditure was reviewed; with figures for refuse collection explained as follows: NPC has audited its bins, and WLDC have billed it as NPC has more bins than they were aware of. It was noted that WLDC had been asked to carry out an audit.
60/19.2 Exception Report/Ratification/approval of recent/proposed expenditure:
An Earmarked Reserves print out was circulated, and the clerk was thanked for her work on this.
61/19 Dog Control Orders:
Bylaws are in place at Mulsanne Park and Bill Baileys Field. Dog issues are regularly raised and will be considered at a later date.
62/19 Councilors Report on Areas of Responsibility:
- Councillors were asked to advise the Facilities Manager and Cllr J Downs of any issues which can be rectified immediately. Any other matters should be submitted in writing to the parish office for the agenda (cc Cllr J Downs) in the week preceding a meeting.
- A bench on Vicarage Lane has been destroyed: the Parish Office is currently asking for information via Facebook so as to progress this with the police and insurance company. The plaque from the bench is in safe keeping.
63/19 Future Agenda Items:
Councillors should submit agenda items for matters that cannot be resolved immediately ten days before the next meeting.
64/19 Date of Next Meeting: Next meeting Wednesday 17 July – 7.30pm Old School Small Hall
Meeting closed at 8.54pm. Mrs M Vail Facilities Manager 11/6/19