Annual Parish Meeting 2021 and

Meeting of the Parish Council

Wednesday 5 May 2021 Held via Zoom

Draft Minutes of the Annual Meeting of

Reed Parish Council on Wednesday 5

th

May 2021 at 7pm

Held remotely via Zoom Download printable copy (opens as PDF document) Present: Cllrs. Langley, d’Ayala, Kershaw, Kilby, Blower and the Clerk. Also in attendance: Dist. Cllr. Morris, County Cllr. Hill and Dist. Cllr. Hunter In addition, 9 members of the public were present 1. To appoint a Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing Council year. Proposed, seconded and all voted in favour that Ken Langley be Chair for the ensuing Year. Cllr. Langley took the chair. Resolved. 2. To receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Signed. 3. To approve the minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 6th May 2020. Proposed, seconded and agreed by all. Resolved. 4. To appoint a Deputy Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing Council year. Proposed, seconded and all voted in favour that Cllr. d’Ayala be Vice Chair for the ensuing year. Resolved. There being no further business the meeting closed at 7.06pm

Minutes of the meeting held on 5

th

May

2021 at 7.07pm held remotely via Zoom

Download printable copy (opens as PDF document) Present Cllrs: K Langley (Chair), C d’Ayala (Vice Chair), J Kershaw, E Kilby and B Blower. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms, Dist. Cllr. G Morris, County Cllr. F Hill and Dist. Cllr. T Hunter & nine members of the public This meeting would be recorded for the purpose of the minutes 1.5.21 Attendance. As listed above. 2.5.21 To receive apologies for absence. None received. 3.5.21 To receive Members Declarations of Interest. Cllr. d’Ayala and Cllr. Kilby (Items 17.5.21 & 18.5.21) and Cllr. Kershaw (Item 16.5.21). 4.5.21 To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 3rd March 2021 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them as a true record. It was proposed, seconded and all voted in favour to approve. Resolved. Approved minutes to be posted on the website. Action: Clerk/Webmaster 5.5.21 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. Standing Orders were suspended to allow a member of the public to inform the Council that a drain cover still needed replacing and that some highway road signs were either damaged or missing. These points were duly noted for follow up/action by County Cllr. Hill. It was mentioned by another member of the public that the footpath from The kilns to Brickyard Lane was still unfinished when it should have been completed as part of the development. Action: KL to write to NHDC Planning and the Developer. Standing Orders were resumed. 6.5.21 Chairman’s Report. This item to be deferred to the Annual Parish Meeting, along with reports from Dist. and County Cllrs. Agreed. 7.5.21 To review action points from the last meeting (See Appendix A). 8.5.21 To review of Governance documents (including effectiveness of its system of internal control) and to adopt any revised documents. All proposed documents had been circulated to Cllrs. in advance of the meeting for review. a) Publication Scheme and Freedom of Information Scheme – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to adopt. Resolved. b) Councillors’ Code of Conduct – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to adopt. Resolved. c) Standing Orders – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to adopt. Resolved. Thanks were given to the Clerk and in particular Cllr. Kilby who had worked so diligently to carry out this review. 9.5.21 To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21. Item to be deferred, pending receipt of Internal Audit report. 10.5.21 To approve the Summary Accounting Statement 2020/21. Item to be deferred pending receipt of Internal Audit report. 11.5.21 To complete, sign and date Exemption Certificate. Item to be deferred pending receipt of Internal Audit report. 12.5.21 To receive report from the Clerk on current financial position - Copies of the accounts and list of monies received and payments to be authorised had been previously circulated to all Cllrs. Accounts showed a bank balance of £16,755.89 of which £10,133.35 was Push Energy Community Contribution (ring- fenced for special projects), £900.50 was Bonfire Night reserves, £1,163.00 was P3 grant balance, leaving general reserves at £4,599.04. Since the last meeting in March, £95.65 had been received from HMRC as VAT reclaimed and £2,575.00 had been received from NHDC as the half year Precept payment. 13.5.21 To agree accounts for payment. Including insurance renewal - Payments to be authorised at the meeting were Clerk’s salary and PAYE, Clerk’s expenses for annual contribution towards cost of broadband £50.00. £225.22 to BHIB for annual insurance and £190.62 to HAPTC for the annual subscription. £60.00 to HAPTC for Cllr. training. £274.02 reimbursement to Cllr. Langley for materials purchased to carry out play equipment repairs. £189.26 reimbursement to Cllr. Kilby for the printing of the Annual Report. Proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 14.5.21 To agree a new signatory for the bank – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to remove former Cllr. Lawrence and add Cllr. Blower as bank signatories. Resolved. Action: Clerk 15.5.21 To consider a grant application from The Diary – After discussion, whilst the Council was inclined to support some level of grant being offered, more financial information was required from The Diary Committee to ascertain the amount of money still needed to keep the publication going and the Council look accordingly at the budget before any decision could be made. Item to remain on the agenda. The Clerk to forward relevant financial information on this matter that had been received from Ashley Hawkins at NHDC. Action: Clerk Ahead of item 16.5.21 - Cllr. Kershaw departed from the meeting. 16.5.21 To consider and make comment on planning application: Full Planning Permission : Two storey rear extensions to existing dwellings (1 and 2 Gladstone Villas) and erection of one detached 4-bed dwelling including installation of vehicular crossovers. Gladstone Villas, Brickyard Lane, Reed, Hertfordshire. Case Ref No: 21/00799/FP – A draft response had been previously circulated for approval. The main reasons for objection were: a) It would harm the Reed conservation area, contrary to provisions of NPPF. b) It would impose an urban level of housing density in this part of the village, unsuited to the rural setting. c) It would diminish safety on the highway. d) It did not meet un-addressed housing need in Reed and would adversely impact the amenity of people in this part of the village and in the wider community. It was proposed, seconded and agreed unanimously by Cllrs. present to submit the objection to this application. Resolved. Clerk to submit response to NHDC. Action: Clerk Cllr. Kershaw re-joined the meeting. 17.5.21 To consider and make comment on planning application: Full Planning Permission : Retention of fencing at rear and gate and railings in the frontage, external kitchen flue and enclosed rear store (as amended by plans received 17.03.2021 and 13.04.2021). The Cabinet, High Street, Reed, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 8AH. Case Ref No: 20/02430/FP - A draft response had been previously circulated for approval relating to items 17.5.21 and 18.5.21(see Appendix B). It was proposed, seconded and agreed unanimously to submit the objection to these applications. Resolved. Clerk to submit response to NHDC. Action: Clerk 18.5.21 To consider and make comment on planning application: Listed Building Consent : Internal and external alterations (majority of which is retention of) including kitchen flue, enclosure of smoking shelter to form store and formation of additional store alongside on site of previous fuel store (as also covered under ref: 20/02430/FP) (as amended by plans received 17.03.2021 and 13.04.2021). The Cabinet, High Street, Reed, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 8AH. Case Ref No: 20/01350/LBC – see item 17.5.21. 19.5.21 To receive bi-monthly Parish Council play area inspection report – Cllr. Kershaw had conducted the inspection. This report had been received and noted. 20.5.21 To discuss repairs necessary to the village sign – The original maker of the sign had now been identified and was in the process of being contacted. Item to be included on the Agenda for July. Action: KL/Clerk 21.5.21 To receive update on progress with Village Informative Signs (see item 7.5.21 Appendix A) 22.5.21 To note recent acts of vandalism in the village – disruption of equipment in the play area and removal of dust caps from vehicles. These had now been reported to PCSO Chris Brabrook who had been dealing with similar incidents in Barkway. Should further incidents occur, residents were asked to contact him on: 01438 757935. This contact number would also be put on the website. Action: Clerk/EK 23.5.21 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) Village sign maintenance, Ponds, Diary grant application, Water pressure issues, Grant funding for play area equipment. 24.5.21 To note correspondence received – a) Letter from HCC Footpaths Officer saying that funding was available to repair footpaths damaged due to extra usage during the Pandemic. Details of any affected areas to be forwarded to HCC for consideration. Action Clerk b) Low water pressure issues being experienced regularly now throughout Reed and the wider area. Despite complaints, Affinity Water were failing to resolve matters. It was it was proposed, seconded and agreed by all that the Council write letters to Affinity Water, NHDC Planning and MP Sir Oliver Heald. Action: KL In addition, residents would be asked to monitor their water pressure and provide data as evidence via the Reed PC email address. Cllr. d’Ayala agreed to communicate this to everyone and monitor and collate responses. Action: KL/CD 25.5.21 To agree date of next meeting. Weds 7 st July 2021. Agreed. There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.26pm. ..