Minutes of Meeting of the Parish Council

Wednesday 21 July at 7.30pm at Reed School

Printable/downloadable copy (opens as PDF document) Present Cllrs: K Langley (Chair), J Kershaw, E Kilby and B Blower. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms and one member of the public. This meeting would be recorded for the purpose of the minutes. 1.7.21 Attendance. As listed above. 2.7.21 To receive apologies for absence. Cllr. C d’Ayala (unwell). County Cllr. Hill and Dist. Cllrs. Morris and Hunter (attending other meetings). Apologies accepted. 3.7.21 To receive Members Declarations of Interest and to note dispensation granted, by the Proper Officer under delegated authority, to Cllr. Kilby regarding matters relating to The Cabinet public house. It was considered by the Proper Officer, to be in the public interest (due to the extent of his knowledge on the subject), to grant Cllr. Kilby, for the remainder of his period of office, dispensation allowing him full participation at meetings in issues arising concerning The Cabinet public house including, but not limited to, planning matters. 4.7.21 To approve the Minutes of the Meetings of the Parish Council held on 5 th and 14 th May 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 5.7.21 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. Standing Orders were suspended to allow a member of the public present who wished to speak on a number of items on the agenda. The Chair agreed to suspend standing orders at the appropriate points in the meeting to allow the member of the public to address the Council on those matters. Standing Orders were resumed. 6.7.21 To receive Chairman’s Report. Thanks were given to Cllr. Kilby for all his work prior to becoming a Parish Councillor and since joining the Parish Council, in terms of being Webmaster, looking after the website and for enabling meetings to continue to operate successfully by virtual means throughout the last 18 months of the Coronavirus pandemic. An additional to the Chair’s Report (see Appendix A) – A response had been received from North Herts District Council (NHDC) Planning Dept. regarding the unfinished state of the footpath from the Kilns to Brickyard Lane. The comments had been noted and they stated that there was a decision still pending on the Gladstone Villas planning application and whatever decision was made on that, it would be an opportunity to make direction to the applicant regarding the path. 7.7.21 To receive report from District Councillor – None received. 8.7.21 To receive report from County Councillor – The Clerk read out an update received from County Cllr. Hill. A sign for Reed School to be located on the A10 had been agreed to be paid out of this year’s Highways Locality Budget. The school needed to contact her regarding wording required. The Clerk to contact the school. Action: Clerk The drainage work had been completed in Blacksmiths Lane. She would follow up the Reed PC expression of interest placed to have a Police Speed Camera Van session on the A10. She would arrange for another speed and volume survey to be carried out on the A10 and compare data for results before and after the installation of the new Speed Indicator Device (SID). The Clerk to ask Cllr. Hill if the SID could be moved to the other socket or whether another SID could be installed there. Action: Clerk She was delighted to have been recently re-elected and to still be representing Reed. She had submitted objections to the large planning application on the Barkway Road, Royston and to the Further Main Modifications for the NHDC Local Plan due to the impact these would have on traffic through Reed and along the Joint. Herts County Council (HCC) were continuing to work with other bodies regarding Covid and were trying to get all services resumed to normal levels again. Cllr. Hill was thanked for her usual diligence. 9.7.21 To review action points from the meeting on 5 th May (See Appendix B). Grateful thanks were given to a villager who had undertaken to renovate the village sign at no cost. 10.7.21 To receive report from the Clerk on current financial position - A list of monies received and payments to be authorised had been previously circulated to all Cllrs. Accounts showed a bank balance of £15,218.66 of which £10,133.35 was Push Energy Community Contribution (ring-fenced for special projects), £900.50 was Bonfire Night reserves, £815.75 was P3 grant balance, leaving general reserves at £3,369.06. 11.7.21 To agree accounts for payment. Payments made since the last meeting – Two payments of £416.70 & £527.10 for the P3 sign and the Informative Sign. Payments to be authorised at the meeting were Clerk’s salary and PAYE, £25.00 to Reed First School for hire of hall and £145.75 to reimburse Cllr. Kilby for payments made for website hosting and domain renewal for 2 years. Proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. It was queried whether permission had been obtained from the landowner to site the new P3 sign. Cllr. Langley to enquire. Action: KL 12.7.21 To receive update on project to preserve ponds and agree any action required – Cllr. Blower reported that she had been in contact with Countryside Management Services (CMS) and had understood that they were now receiving extra funding from Government and were recruiting more staff and would be able to help with the project if required. Initially they could carry out an ‘Assessment Visit’ and from that produce a ‘do no harm’ action plan. This would be a holding plan until Summer 2022 when they would be able to carry out a proper survey on both ponds. A detailed management plan would then be produced and it was hoped that the majority of work could then be carried out by volunteers. If any equipment was needed to carry out the work then CMS could help find funding to cover the cost. In view that CMS would be able to assist the project at no cost to the Council was very welcome news. The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) would charge about £1,000 to carry out a survey. It was proposed, seconded and agreed that Cllr. Blower would carry out the following actions: • To contact CMS and ask them to go ahead and arrange an assessment visit as soon as possible. • To contact HMWT to explain that in the Parish Council’s particular circumstance, that CMS would be the better option for the project, in spite that HMWT could have carried out a survey this year. • To contact the parishioners (about 10 people) who had indicated an interest and desire to help with the project, to update them on matters. • To gather together and collate (with help from Parishioners, including adjacent landowners) information that might be useful regarding the ponds, including drainage routes, etc. ahead of the assessment visit from CMS. Action: BB Resolved. 13.7.21 To receive update on issue of low water pressure and agree any action required – Following submission of a letter of complaint by Reed Parish Council, a response had eventually been received from Affinity Water. It did not all questions. It acknowledged that the SG8 area did sometimes suffer from reduced water pressure but stated that Lockdown had increased demand on water supply. It was also learnt with astonishment that Affinity Water were not consulted as part of the planning process on applications for developments and were only involved, in order to supply water, once permission had been granted! It was proposed, seconded and agreed to: • Respond to Affinity Water welcoming news that they would be monitoring water pressure and request that Reed PC were kept informed of the results of the monitoring. Action: EK • Take up the matter of water suppliers not being consulted prior to granting planning permission with the District Councillor Gerald Morris and MP Sir Oliver Heald. Action: KL/EK • Publish any correspondence and updates on the website. Action: EK 14.7.21 To discuss mowing of the Green and agree action to make arrangements for next year – Following formal notification received from the current contractors who cut the grass in the play area that they intended retiring by the end of 2021, it was proposed, seconded and agreed that the Parish Council would advertise the contract locally (on the noticeboard and via website) and that Cllr. d’Ayala would also talk to people she thought may be interested in taking over this contract. Action: CD There was also discussion as to the maintenance of the overgrown areas around the edges of the green and in the rough area. It was thought that this may have been cut in the past by Dukes but this had now stopped. It was causing a problem for the Cricket Club as lost balls were costly to replace and the areas were unkempt which was a shame for the club which had achieved such a high status in their game in recent years. It was proposed, seconded and agreed to try and establish exactly what the arrangement for maintenance of these areas had been in the past and find out why it had stopped and enquire if it could be resumed. Action: CD 15.7.21 To discuss and agree arrangement for emptying of litter bins on the Green – Whilst the litter bin by the Village Hall was emptied by NHDC, the litter bin on the Green was the responsibility of the Parish Council to empty. Cllr. Langley currently did this and agreed to continue with this. Cllr. Kershaw agreed to step in when Cllr. Langley was on holiday. Resolved. Action: KL/JK 16.7.21 To consider a grant application from The Diary – After discussion it was proposed, seconded and agreed to make a donation this year of £100 with an attached note to the Diary saying that the Council’s view was that there was some scope for cost cutting and to provide them with a copy of a similar publication from Therfield and Kelshall in which it was noted that the cost of advertising was significantly cheaper. Resolved. Action: Clerk A further donation for next year would be taken into consideration when preparing the budget for 2022/23. Action: Clerk 17.7.21 To note comment submitted to NHDC on planning application: Full Planning Permission : Erection of three agricultural buildings. Land at Hatchpen, The Joint, Reed, Hertfordshire. SG8 8AZ Case Ref No: 21/01742/FP (Information only) – A response had been submitted to NHDC under delegated authority by the Chair to meet the deadline for submission of comments. Reed Parish Council had no objection to the application but asked for consent to be subject to the following conditions: That the excavations proposed, along with design features of the 3 buildings, render the new structures as invisible from the Joint as the existing complex of buildings. The reason for requesting this condition was that the view northwards from the Joint was a significant natural asset and should be preserved. It was proposed, seconded and agreed to ratify the response. Resolved. 18.7.21 Save The Cabinet – to receive update – A recent visit to the Cabinet had been made by the Environmental Health (EH) Dept. of NHDC accompanied by representatives from the Police and Fire Service. As a result, action had been taken which would soon be in the public domain. Building Control had, in the last 2 months, only just been made aware by the EH about the unauthorised works that had been carried out at the Cabinet in the last 5-6 years! Therefore none of works carried out had either Building Control or Fire Safety Certificates. Building Control had requested the owner of the Cabinet to submit paperwork to seek approval but as yet, nothing had been submitted. If nothing was received by the end of that week, enforcement would take place in terms of a prosecution. Cllr. Kilby had written to Dist. Cllr. Morris to update him on matters, Cllr. Morris had then written to senior people at NHDC and MP Sir Oliver Heald. It was also learnt that NHDC Planning Dept. had been given a directive by NHDC Legal Dept. not to give out any updates on enforcement in order to protect any legal action they might need to take. 19.7.21 Wisbridge Reservoir Project – to receive update – No update to report. 20.7.21 Highways – to discuss dangerous condition of footpath through Reed on west side of A10 – County Cllr. Hill had been informed and this had been added to the list of works to be done, budgets would dictate when this work could be carried out. 21.7.21 To receive bi-monthly Parish Council play area inspection report and agree any repairs required – It was noted that some play items were coming to the end of their useful life. It was suggested the consultation was needed from users of the play area as to what equipment was actually wanted. A project plan needed to be compiled and appropriate funding applied for. A working group to be formed. Action: JK 22.7.21 Push Energy Projects – There was no change in policy but there was sympathy to the fact that the play area needed money to be spent. 23.7.21 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) Village sign maintenance, Ponds protection project, Water pressure issues, Play equipment project and grant funding, Highways verges and hedges, review of Website Accessibility Statement, Bonfire Night. 24.7.21 To note correspondence received. (Information only) - Covered elsewhere. 25.7.21 To agree date of next meeting. Weds 1 st September 2021. Agreed. There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.35pm.

Chairman’s report

Little to report for the period since the May Parish Council meetings that is not addressed by agenda items for this meeting: Specifically, • correspondence with Affinity Water over water pressure issues; • an informal meeting of councillors to discuss village ponds; • the considerable amount of work and effort undertaken by Councillors and others to organise the resumption of non- virtual parish council meetings in a manner that conforms to current Government Covid guidelines. One other matter. A parishioner has written to Parish Councillors raising questions about the Turney Trust’s ownership of the land off Blacksmith’s Lane, which is Reed site RD01 in the North Herts. submitted local plan. A reply from the Parish Council referred the parishioner to communications between the Planning Authority, the Inspector examining the submitted Plan and Solicitors for the Turney Trust. These are on record and took place in 2019. The reply emphasised it was not for Reed Parish Council to comment on the validity or effect of any covenant pertaining to the Trust and the land concerned. That completes the Chair’s report for this period. ..