Minutes of the meeting held on 2 October

2019 at 7.30pm at Reed Village Hall

Downloadable/printable version (opens as PDF document) Present Cllrs: C d’Ayala (Chair), P Lawrence, M Higgs and J Kershaw. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms and Dist. Cllr. G Morris Under Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, it was proposed, seconded and agreed by all that the press and public should be excluded from item 8.10.19 of the Agenda of this meeting in view of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted and to move the item to the end of the meeting. Resolved. 1.10.19 To receive apologies for absence. Cllr. K Langley (on holiday) – apologies accepted. Mr E Kilby and Mr M Howes on behalf of Save The Cabinet Action Group (SCAG). 2.10.19 To receive Members Declarations of Interest. Cllr. d’Ayala (items 7.10.19). 3.10.19 To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 4th September 2019 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them as a true record. The minutes were approved. It was proposed, seconded and all voted in favour. Agreed. 4.10.19 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. None. 5.10.19 Chairman’s Report. 1. Wisbridge Reservoir – it was understood that an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness rather than for planning consent had been submitted to NHDC. On 5th Sept. the Certificate of Lawfulness had been granted by NHDC without any consultation with either the Parishes of Reed or Barkway and any opportunity to submit the drafted note of concerns that had been prepared following the Sept. Council meeting. This note of concerns had since been submitted to NHDC. 2. The Cabinet and the Asset of Community Value process - NHDC had now officially informed Reed PC that the owner of The Cabinet was intending to sell. This triggered the six week moratorium where a community group could signal an intent to bid, whereby delaying any sale to a non-community party by six months. As the PC nor SCAG wished to delay sale of The Cabinet, if the PC wished to re-submit their previous bid or make a revised bid, it would be best made without using the Asset of Community Value process. 3. Footpath signage project – the commissioning of design was now underway. 4. Pitty’s Pond – Cllr. Lawrence was thanked for organising and directing the cleaning and drain clearance work recently carried out. 5. Congratulations forwarded to Reed Cricket Club on their recent promotion and also their win yet again of the Village Cup at Lords. 6.10.19 To receive update on setting up of Parish email distribution list – A system called Mail Chimp was being investigated. This was GDPR compliant. A further update would be given in November. Action: CD 7.10.19 To receive a report from Save the Cabinet Action Group (SCAG) – (see item 5.10.19). It was understood that the owner had appealed against the enforcement notice issued in July, the grounds of the appeal were not yet known. It was expected that the PC would be invited to make a representation on the appeal. The listed building application was still under consideration by NHDC. 9.10.19 To receive clarification on responsibility for routine play area inspection and receive update on any maintenance work carried out – The Clerk had contacted the insurers and established that the Parish Council had responsibility to carry out regular playground inspections to make sure that it was safe. No expert knowledge was required, just common sense. The annual professional inspection carried out would highlight any technical safety issues. The inspections needed to be documented and recorded in the minutes as completed. A recent inspection had been carried out. Cllr. d’Ayala to forward written report to Cllrs. Higgs and Lawrence. Action: CD Cllrs. Higgs and Lawrence to carry out the next inspection within the next 7 days and recommend any remedial work needed. Action: MH/PL It was proposed, seconded and agreed that future inspections would be carried out by two Cllrs. To be done in keeping with the frequency of Council meetings and an agenda item to be the report and to agree any actions required. 10.10.19 To consider registering village ponds as Village Greens for preservation and protection and update on pond maintenance – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to look at a Government website which would show the whereabouts of ponds in the Parish and create a shortlist of those which would benefit from protection. The Clerk to find out from Natural England about ‘Public Space Protection Orders’ and look into registering the ponds as ‘Village Greens’. Action: All/Clerk Cllr. Lawrence indicated that there still work to be done on the ponds. 11.10.19 Highways - Verge grass cutting – More clarification was needed as to what was included in the NHDC verge grass cutting policy. It seemed that some private verges were being cut whilst the edges of the village green were being missed. - Ditches – Ditches were needing to be cleared as levels were higher than the drainage pipes which were blocked and water was unable to run away. - Tree branches to be removed – Lower tree branches along Church Lane needed to be removed as they were extending over the ditches making maintenance difficult. - Highways Liaison meetings at NHDC and fault reporting – The last Highways Liaison Meeting had been cancelled. Highways faults reported, such as the grips along The Joint, in spite of some work carried out in January, were still as bad leaving water on the road and causing potholes. Work was required along Driftway where there was a deep trench in the road. - Update following traffic speed and volume surveys carried out in Reed – County Cllr. Fiona Hill had informed that the surveys were due to take place in October. It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all that Cllr. Hill should be invited to attend the next meeting in order to try and resolve the many outstanding Highways issues. Action: Clerk The Clerk to arrange for a Highways Together meeting to take place in Reed. Action: Clerk Dist Cllr. Morris departed from the meeting – he was thanked for attending. 12.10.19 To consider and agree items for the expenditure of Push Energy funds – Cllr. Kershaw to recirculate list and costings. Item to be deferred to Nov. Action: JK 13.10.19 To arrange Annual Meeting with Cricket Club – Cllr. Lawrence to arrange a meeting. Action: PL 14.10.19 To receive update on arrangements for Bonfire Night – It was reported that Cllr. Kershaw had been liaising with the fireworks display company. The company had now taken out their own event insurance. The risk assessment was needing some minor amendments prior to forwarding to them. Action: JK Cllr. Lawrence would be in charge of building the bonfire. Action: PL Other Cllrs. would be available to help with the event on the evening. 15.10.19 To receive update on use of S106 money for village information sign – Cllrs. Langley and Kershaw had met to start the process of designing the village sign. A graphic design company had been approached. A Working Party consisting of Cllrs. Langley, Kershaw and Higgs would make a recommendation to the Parish Council. They would also liaise with those involved with the Parish Paths (P3) project sign to see if both signs could be made at the same time. The village sign would be located across the road from the Village Hall. 16.10.19 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) – Playground inspection, register of ponds, highways (with Cllr. Fiona Hill), Push Energy money expenditure, Parish email list, SCAG, S106 and village sign, reservoir, bonfire night debrief. 17.10.19 To note correspondence received. (Information only) – Nothing not covered elsewhere in the meeting. 18.10.19 To agree date of next meeting. Weds 6th November 2019. Agreed. Matters excluding the press and public (Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 8.10.19 To receive an update on matters relating to the engineering operation to create an agricultural reservoir on land belonging to Wisbridge Farm between Rokey Wood and Bush Wood – Planning Case Ref No: 19/01955/LDCP A note dated 1.10.19 had been circulated to all Councillors prior to the meeting. It was proposed, seconded and unanimously agreed to action points 3, 5 and 6 (latest information provided by the Clerk). Resolved. There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.27pm.