Meeting of the Parish Council,

Wednesday 1 March 2023 at 7.30pm,

Reed Village Hall

Draft Minutes

Download printable version (opens as PDF document) Minutes of the meeting held on 1 st March 2023 at 7.30pm held at Reed Village Hall. Present Cllrs: K Langley (Chair), C d’Ayala (Vice Chair), E Kilby, B Blower and N Payne. In attendance the Clerk Catharine Toms, County Cllr. F Hill and Dist. Cllrs. G Morris and A Hunter, and 3 members of the public. This meeting would be recorded for the purpose of the minutes. 1.03.23 Attendance. As listed above. 2.03.23 To receive apologies for absence. None received. 3.03.23 To receive Members Declarations of Interest. Cllr. d’Ayala (item 16.03.23). Cllr. Kilby, for the remainder of his period of office, dispensation granted allowing him full participation at meetings in issues arising concerning The Cabinet public house including, but not limited to, planning matters. 4.03.23 To approve the Minutes of the Meetings of the Parish Council held on 4 th January 2023 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 Standing Orders were suspended. 5.03.23 To invite Members of the Public to address the meeting. A resident was present to report that Herts County Council (HCC) Highways had made an excellent job of clearing the pavement along the A10 through Reed. There remained a little section of overhanging hedgerow opposite the café, which she was happy to deal with. Concern was raised over the large-scale forestry works being carried out in Rokey Wood. It was agreed to write to the landowners, K D Duke & Partners and write to the Forestry Commission asking if the works were agreed and being done in line with advice. Barkway Parish Council would also be copied in on the correspondence. Action: KL/Clerk Cllr. Blower declared an interest in the following matter. Two representatives were present from the Probation Office to talk about the Community Payback Scheme. They were able to organise for fully supervised work to be carried out by their offenders, who were required to do community service. Charitable and not for profit organisations were eligible to apply for works to be done. A variety of tasks would be considered for the scheme and all projects were risk assessed beforehand. Two members of the public departed from the meeting at 8.05pm, they were thanked for attending. The Chair agreed to suspend Standing Orders again at items on the agenda, should members of the public wish to make comment. Standing Orders were resumed. 6.3.23 To receive Chairman’s Report. (See Appendix A). Standing Orders were suspended. 7.03.23 To receive report from District Councillor – Cllr. Morris reported that for the forthcoming local elections on 4 th May, there was now a new photo ID requirement for people to be able to vote. Cllr. d’Ayala agreed to put posters up on the noticeboard. Action: CD 8.03.23 To receive report from County Councillor – Cllr. Hill reported that the HCC budget for 2023/24 had been agreed. Highways programmes for 2022/23 were now complete. The school sign was being looked at. The Reed End drainage culvert work would be done in 2023/24. Dist Cllr. Morris and County Cllr. Hill were thanked for their reports. Standing Orders were resumed. 9.03.23 To review action points from the meeting on 4 th January 2023 – reviewed. Action Points from this meeting (see Appendix B). 10.03.23 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 £23,208.07 of which, £10,133.35 was Push Energy Community Contribution (ring-fenced for special projects), £4,610.00 was Bonfire Night reserves, £690.75 was P3 grant balance, £651.87 was S106 Sustainable Transport Reserve, £1,000.00 Play Park Reserve, leaving General Reserves at £6,122.10. Income received since the last meeting: None. 11.03.23 To agree accounts for payment. Payments to be authorised at the meeting were Clerk’s salary and PAYE. £52.00 Clerk’s expenses for stationery, stamps and software, £60.00 North Herts Council (NHC) for Annual Play Area Inspection, £282.05 NHC for emptying of dog bins 2022/23, £100.06 K Langley for purchase of defibrillator pads and materials for play area maintenance, £350.29 Glasdon UK Ltd for new dog bin. Proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 12.03.23 To appoint an Internal Auditor for 2022/23 – It was proposed, seconded and agreed by all to ask Mr McMeekin if he would be willing to carry out the Annual Internal Audit again. Action: KL 13.03.23 To review the effectiveness of Internal Audit – A revised document had been previously circulated by the Clerk. It was proposed,seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 14.03.23 To review the Asset Register – An updated asset register had previously been circulated by the Clerk. It was proposed, seconded and approved by all. Resolved. 15.03.23 To receive report on review of Governance documents and consider approval of any recommended amendments – Cllr Kilby and the Clerk had reviewed the Governance documents and had previously circulated any recommended amendments. It was proposed, seconded and approved by all. Cllr Kilby to publish the reviewed documents on the website. Action: EK 16.03.23 Save The Cabinet Action Group (SCAG) to receive update – It was reported that SCAG was preparing to submit a detailed submission to the Planning Inspectorate advocating dismissal of appeals against 3 enforcement notices relating to The Cabinet. SCAG would circulate its draft submission and requested that the Parish Council also make representation. This was agreed. Action: KL SCAG also wished to encourage representations to be submitted from the village to demonstrate that there was still the strength of feeling to save their only village pub from unauthorised conversion to a domestic dwelling by the current owner. The deadline for submitting representations was 15 th March. 17.03.23 Highways Matters – to receive update – It was reported that there was a wobbly kissing gate at the junction of footpaths Reed 005 and 011. The Clerk to contact the HCC Rights of Way Officer and forward photos. Action: Clerk/BB 18.03.23 To receive update on project to preserve ponds and agree any action required – No report. 19.03.23 To receive bi-monthly Parish Council play area inspection report and agree any action required – (See item 20.03.23) 20.03.23 To receive update from Play Area Working Party and agree any action required – It was reported that upgrade of the play area would need to be done in stages. Equipment to be repaired where possible, then look to replace specific pieces of equipment based on feedback from the survey carried out. It was understood from Cllr. Hill that there was a new Community Fund and that advice on how to apply for funding could be sought from Mr Fleck at North Herts Council (NHC). Action: Clerk/BB It was planned to encourage residents to join in on the ‘Big Help Out’ day after the Coronation, by volunteering to carry out maintenance work in the Play Area. A schedule of works would be drawn up in preparation and a risk assessment carried out. Dist. Cllr. Hunter departed from the meeting at 8.50pm – he was thanked for attending. 21.03.23 To receive update and agree arrangements for the maintenance for the ditches around the Green – (also see item 5.03.23) It was agreed to follow up with the Community Pay Back Team to investigate the possibility of using the service to a) have the ditches cleared of vegetation around The Green, b) have the ditches dug out and c) have some ongoing maintenance of the ditches. Cllr. d’Ayala agreed to contact the Probation Officers. Action: CD 22.03.23 To consider quotations for purchase and installation of a kissing gate on Reed 020 – Recommendations for appropriate suppliers from the Rights of Way (ROW) Officer had not proved successful. The Clerk would continue to pursue other avenues to obtain another quotation for supply and installation. To also contact ROW Officer at HCC to discuss funding and progress on the project. Action: Clerk 23.03.23 To receive update and agree any action on Push Energy Fund Project - Community Noticeboard – No update. 24.03.23 To agree to support Police initiative to hold a Crime Awareness session at Barkway Market on 13 th May – It was agreed to promote this on the website to encourage residents to attend. Action: EK 25.03.23 To receive update on village plans to celebrate the King’s Coronation in May – It was confirmed that the village was keen to come together to plan an event. It was agreed to send out a ‘Save the Date’ for the lunch on The Green on Sunday 7 th May. Action: CD To produce a poster and flier and do a leaflet drop advertising events. Action: CD/KL To plan for a Community Big Help Out Day on Monday 8 th May. Action: KL To carry our risk assessments for the weekend events. Action: EK/KL. 26.03.23 To receive matters for report or referral to next agenda. (Information only) Ponds protection project, Play equipment project and grant funding, Community noticeboard / Push Energy fund expenditure, maintenance of ditches around the Green, Bi-monthly play area inspection, Quotations for Kissing gate on Reed 020. 27.03.23 To note correspondence received. (Information only) – Nothing not covered elsewhere in the meeting. 28.03.23 To agree date of next meeting - Weds 17th May 2023. This meeting would be the Annual Meeting of the Council, followed by the bi-monthly Council Meeting, followed by the Annual Parish Meeting. Agreed. Clerk to check availability of the Village Hall. Action: Clerk There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.57pm. APPENDIX A Reed Parish Council Chair’s Report March 2023 The following to report since the January meeting:- 1. As authorised, I purchased and installed new pads for the AED in the telephone box by the Village Hall in. The life of the new pads runs to the 30th October 2025. The monthly check on the AED has been carried out for February and recorded on Circuit to confirm the availability of the device for emergency use. 2. In response to requests by residents, a new dog bin has been purchased and delivered. It was installed in February on Jackson’s Lane between the school and the entrance to the footpath across the meadows. Residents have been informed via the community Whatsapp and the bin has been registered for emptying.That completes the report for this period. ..