Minutes of the meeting held on 4

September 2019 at 8pm at Reed Village

Hall

Downloadable/printable version (opens as PDF document) Present Cllrs: K Langley (Chairman), C d’Ayala (Vice- Chair), P Lawrence, and M Higgs. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms and 9 members of the public. 1.9.19 To receive apologies for absence. Cllr. J Kershaw (away on business) – apologies accepted. Mr M Howes on behalf of Save The Cabinet Action Group (SCAG). 2.9.19 To receive Members Declarations of Interest. Cllr. d’Ayala (items 13.9.19). 3.9.19 To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 3rd July 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. 4.9.19 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. It was agreed to suspend standing orders at various points in the meeting to allow contributions from members of the public present. Standing Orders were suspended. A Parishioner was present to obtain support from the Parish Council and in conjunction with the Parish Paths Partnership (P3) for a project to place a seat and an informative sign board on the permissive footpath south of Rokey Wood. Research conducted indicated it was an area of historical interest with the site of a Motte and Bailey, an alleged fight and the meridian line. P3 grants were currently available, along with Locality Budget and Area Committee funding and it was hoped to obtain funding for the majority of the cost. Permission had already been sought from the landowner and consultation had taken place with the Footpaths Officer at Herts County Council (HCC). As the site was partly in Barkway, Barkway Parish Council would be kept informed of any progress on the project. It was proposed, seconded and agreed to support the project. Another Parishioner was present to ask for clarification on the timing for publication of the minutes. It was responded that there were no fixed rules, however publication of the agenda had to be 3 clear working days before the meeting. Standing Orders were resumed. 5.9.19 Chairman’s Report. 1. District and County Cllrs. attendance should Reed Parish Council meetings become monthly (see item 6.9.19). 2. Defibrillator (see item 22.9.19) 3. A successful application made to North Herts District Council (NHDC) for release of £1,827.07 S106 monies held under ‘sustainable transport’ category for purchase of an informative signboard detailing footpaths and natural and historical features in and around Reed. 4. NHDC Local Plan Inspector’s query regarding site RD1 had now been passed to the Tierney Trust to be dealt with. 5. Reed Cricket Club’s request concerning plans to re-set the cricket square this winter. Cllrs. Langley and Lawrence had been briefed and recommended no objection. Agreed. 6. Cllrs. Langley, d’Ayala and members of SCAG had met planning officers at NHDC to discuss the planning application for listed building works approval (see item 13.9.19). 6.9.19 To consider changing frequency of Parish Council meetings from bi-monthly to monthly – having consulted with all parties concerned, it was proposed, seconded and agreed to change to monthly Parish Council meetings starting at the earlier time of 7.30pm, on a trial basis until the end of the year. County and Dist. Cllrs. had indicated that they would continue to attend as many meetings as possible. 7.9.19 To receive update on setting up a Parish email distribution list – item to be deferred to the October meeting. 8.9.19 To receive report from the Clerk on current financial position – Copies of the accounts and list of monies received and payments to be authorised were handed to all Cllrs. Accounts showed a bank balance of £14,710.76 of which £10,195 was Push Energy Community Contribution (ring-fenced for special projects), £945.37 was Bonfire Night reserves, leaving general reserves at £3,570.39. 9.9.19 To agree accounts for payment. – Payments made since the last meeting were for LCN web hosting fees £69.55 and for the purchase of two picnic benches for the Green £240.00 (from Push Energy fund), payments at the meeting were for the Clerk’s salary and PAYE. All were agreed. 10.9.19 To agree usage of S106 monies for informative signage – (see item 5.9.19) – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to use S106 monies for the project. Cllr. Langley to liaise with Cllr. Kershaw to progress this matter. Action: KL 11.9.19 To consider conditions for use of the Green and agree next steps – Cllr. Kershaw had produced a proposed comprehensive document which had been circulated to all Cllrs. Cllr. d’Ayala proposed two amendments regarding car parking and fireworks. It was proposed, seconded and agreed, subject to the amendments being incorporated, to adopt the Reed Parish Council document for ‘Conditions for Use of the Green for Private Events’. Resolved. The agreed document to be passed to the Clerk who would then contact the Parishioner wishing to use the Green for her Wedding reception in August 2020. Action: KL/JK/Clerk 12.9.19 To give final approval for Reed Bonfire Night to go ahead – Saturday 2nd November – It was understood that Cllr. Kershaw would be meeting with the supplier and the Bonfire Night Working Group to make sure that insurance and risk assessments were all in place. Final approval for Bonfire Night 02.11.19 was proposed, seconded and agreed by all. Resolved. Action: JK 13.7.19 To receive a report from Save The Cabinet Action Group (SCAG) – (see item 5.9.19) – An enforcement notice against residency had been issued by NHDC. The owner of The Cabinet had since appealed this. The grounds of the appeal where not yet know either by the Parish Council or SCAG. The Listed Buildings application was still being considered by NHDC. The Cabinet was now up for sale with a new agent. SCAG had raised a few matters with the agent with regards accuracy of details. It was believed that there had been 3 offers submitted for the purchase of The Cabinet. 14.9.19 To consider and make comment on planning application: Full Planning Permission : Single storey front infill extension Reed First School, Jacksons Lane, Reed, Hertfordshire, SG8 8AB Case Ref No: 19/01810/FP – Standing Orders were suspended to allow members of the public to explain and answer questions about the application. Standing Orders were resumed. It was proposed, seconded and all voted unanimously in favour of no objection to the application, however The Council wished the following comments to be noted by NHDC: 1) Request that NHDC stipulate that the modern extension would incorporate high quality materials to ensure a quality of finish consistent with the existing building. 2) Request that the tree directly in front of the extension be retained insofar that it was consistent with safety. Cllr. Langley to draft response. The Clerk to respond to NHDC. Action: KL/Clerk 15.9.19 To receive 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 – Case Ref No: 19/01955/LDCP – Neither Barkway nor Reed Parish Councils, or the Environment Agency or Water Authorities had been consultees on this application. Revised documentation submitted had put forward a case that it was compliant with a General Permitted Development Order. 45,000 m3 of inert material (clean soil) would be imported from local building sites to create 5m sides to a reservoir which would hold 24,000 m3 of water. Water would come from rainwater and be pumped from surrounding ditches which took run off water from the land. Concern was raised that as a surface reservoir, banks could break and water would run downhill towards the Solar Farm, also that by diverting rainwater from ditches that eventually fed several ponds in Barkway, it would have ongoing consequences. It was proposed, seconded and agreed to put together a draft response (Action: KL) to circulate amongst Cllrs. to clarify what points needed to be raised at a meeting with NHDC. This would then be shared with Barkway Parish Council (Action: Clerk) who were due to meet the following week and had included this matter on their agenda. Barkway PC would be invited to make a joint response with Reed PC to NHDC. The statutory expiry date was 8th Oct. Cllr. Morris agreed to contact the Planning Dept. to alert them to concerns raised and to find out if the application was likely to be approved by delegated authority of the Case Officer. If this was so, then requesting it be called in to be heard by the Planning Control Committee. 16.9.19 To agree any action regarding maintenance of play area following inspection – Cllrs. d’Ayala and Lawrence had carried out an inspection using a checklist devised from a ROSPA template. The findings had been circulated to Cllrs. Cllr. d’Ayala was concerned about the responsibility of carrying out the routine inspections when she did not know what safety standards were acceptable. The next annual playground inspection by the NHDC approved provider was due in Oct. This would be used as a basis for Parish Council regular inspections going forward. Meanwhile it was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to approve expenditure for any items now identified as necessary for immediate maintenance of the play area. Action: CD/PL 17.9.19 To agree wording and the purchase of plaques for the new picnic benches – after discussion it was no longer considered necessary to have plaques. Resolved. 18.9.19 To discuss car parking at the roadside in Church Lane adjacent to the play area and to agree any action – Cllr. Higgs was concerned that cars parking for people wanting to visit the play area was causing damage to grass verges. After discussion it was agreed that it was not a major problem currently and to keep the situation under review. 19.9.19 To receive update on the protecting and preserving of Pitty’s Pond and the Cart Pond – Cllr. Lawrence reported that he would be organising a working party to clear up the ponds sometime between Sept and Nov. He was still keen to pursue protection of the village ponds and would be investigating whether they could be registered as Village Greens. This matter would be considered at the October meeting. The Clerk reported that she had contacted Natural England for advice but had not yet heard back from them. Action: PL 20.9.19 - To receive update on possible advisory speed limit for Reed village – County Cllr. Hill reported that speed and volume surveys were due to be carried out at 3 locations, A10, near the School and in Brickyard Lane. Once the results were known then there could be a review of possible advisory speed limits for the village. 21.9.19 To note complaint received regarding overgrown state of the footpath along A10 and agree action to resolve – a complaint had been received from a walker stating that the current condition of the footpath was very dangerous in places. Cllr. Hill would raise this at a meeting with Highways the following week and she would also lodge it as a complaint. 22.9.19 To receive update on functionality of the defibrillator – following contact with the supplier the fault on the case had been resolved and the AED was now installed back in the kiosk. Mr Smith was thanked for looking after the AED in the meantime. 23.9.19 To consider and agree items for the expenditure of Push Energy funds – it was agreed to defer this until the October meeting. Action: Clerk 24.9.19 To receive update on installation of Neighbourhood Watch (NW) signage – Mr Haydon, as the new NW co-ordinator, was awaiting instructions and the signage would be put up imminently. He was thanked for taking on the role as co-ordinator for Reed. 25.9.19 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) Push Energy expenditure, clarification of responsibility for routine play area inspection, The Cabinet and SCAG, Update on pond maintenance, to consider registering village ponds as Village Greens, Update on advisory speed limit, Parish Council email distribution list, to arrange Annual Meeting with Cricket Club, 26.9.19 To note correspondence received. (Information only) – Consultation on suitability of Polling Stations in the area. Reed Village Hall was deemed as fully accessible, therefore not under review. 27.9.19 To agree date of next meeting. Weds 2nd October 2019. Agreed. There being no further business the meeting closed at 10.21pm.