Minutes of Leven parish council meeting held on 1 December 2015 at 7.15pm in the school.
Present: Mrs Ablett (chair), S Mathison, S Nicholson, K Macklin, I Fernie, E McGee, J Bird,
D Gillyon-Powell, M Gillyon-Powell, Mrs Hobson, R Southwell
Apologies: none
Minutes of the last meeting: The minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2015 were approved. K Macklin proposed, Mrs Hobson seconded and all were in favour of them being signed as a true record.
Matters arising:
Leven allotments: Mrs Ablett reported that things are moving with regards to the signing of the lease by the allotments association. ERYC want the parish council to sign a Deed of Guarantee but the parish council are not happy with one of the clauses. Marc Clayton ERYC and Rachel Benson ERYC are looking to remove it. The clerk is to contact the parish council’s insurance company to ask if we can include the Deed of Guarantee on the insurance policy. Mrs Ablett reiterated that if the allotments association were to fold then the allotments would revert back to the parish council. I Fernie proposed, David Gillyon-Powell seconded and all are in favour of Mrs Ablett continuing with the negotiations on behalf of the parish council.
Footpath – Whitecross to Leven: Correspondence received from Iain Sugdon, ERYC regarding the work required to be carried out. The response from ERYC is as follows:” We currently have insufficient funding to undertake the works so I've submitted an Engineers Request to County Hall to try and obtain Capital Funding to maintain/widen the path. I have no timescales for this work to be carried out but we will monitor the path and keep it safe until sufficient funding becomes available”. Users of the footpath need to be writing in to complain about the state of the footpath if they are not happy with it.
Bulbs: Mr Dawson, handyman has planted bulbs in the Jubilee Garden and both the school and the sports hall have planted some also. Allotments still to pick theirs up.
Correspondence:
10 November 2015 ERYC Overview and scrutiny topics
11 November 2015 ERYC Public bridleway no. 3
12 November 2015 ERYC Pedestrian crossing – South Street
14 November 2015 Mrs J Taft Jubilee Garden
17 November 2015 ERYC Footpath – Beverley Road
18 November 2015 ERYC Public transport
18 November 2015 ERYC 3 year review – winter services
18 November 2015 ERYC Parking – South Street
20 November 2015 ERYC Public spaces protection order
24 November 2015 Planning Inspectorate Appeal decision – 16 Theasby Way
27 November 2015 ERYC Connect to support
30 November 2015 ERYC Village taskforce feedback
30 November 2015 ERYC Festive lighting permit
1 December 2015 Mr & Mrs Sins Jubilee gardens
1 December 2015 Leven school Ofsted report
The letters from Mrs Taft and family and Mr & Mrs Sins were discussed regarding the proposed seat for the Jubilee Garden. None of them want the seat on the Jubilee Garden. A vote was held and all of the councillors agreed that the parish council should support the feelings of the residents. The clerk will advise the residents accordingly.
Mr Dolman had forwarded the Ofsted report that had just been received by the school. The overall report was good. The clerk is to write to Mr Dolman to congratulate the school, teachers, governors and parents and guardians.
Public bridleway No.3 Leven: As the public bridleway crosses J Bird’s land at The Yarrows he left the meeting at 8.15pm and didn’t take part in any of the discussions. The parish council were notified on 8 November 2015 that 2 notices had been fastened to the kissing gates on either side of the public bridleway where it crosses the bypass advising that the pedestrian crossing of the dual carriageway was to be closed from 7 December 2015 and that the kissing gates were to be removed and fenced. The clerk emailed Andrew Chudley, ERYC, countryside access officer advising that the parish council objected strongly to the proposed closure and that as it was an established public right of way the correct procedures had to be followed. Furthermore as a parish councillor has a potential pecuniary and prejudicial interest in it the correct consultation process has to be carried out. Mrs Ablett followed up the email with a telephone call to Mr Chudley who was shocked by the email as he assumed that no one used the bridleway. Mr Chudley advised Mrs Ablett that the notices would be removed and that a consultation process would be carried out and all statutory consultees would be consulted. The Definitive Map Team at ERYC would draw up a diversion route which would have to be approved. Mr Chudley commented that the landowner wanted the bridleway diverting as he had been granted planning permission for mineral extraction and that the existing bridleway could have a health and safety issue. The bridleway is ridden by horse riders regularly and they do not want it to be closed. The 28 days statutory public consultation period hasn’t been carried out. The parish council wants the matter to be investigated thoroughly as it would appear that it was either a deliberate act by the officer to close the bridleway without the correct consultation process or has not had the correct training. The clerk is to write to the Ward Councillors registering an official complaint. J Bird returned to the meeting at 8.30pm.
Leven in Bloom: M Gillyon-Powell advised that the village was again awarded silver this year. They will try again next year to get the village involved in Leven in Bloom otherwise it could fold. A volunteer has come forward to weed block the cycle turnaround at the entrance to the village and put aggregate down.
Planning Applications:
15/03597/PLF – Mr & Mrs M & J Hill – erection of single storey extension to rear, 1.2m high boundary wall to front, detached garage following demolition of existing and construction of dormer windows to front at 27 West Street, Leven. No objections
15/03508/PLF – Ms H Clare – erection of single storey side extension and new bay window to front at 22 South Parade, Leven. No objections to an application in principle but we are concerned about the proximity to neighbouring properties and also the aesthetics of the village.
15/03387/PLF – Mr & Mrs Drinkall – construction of a dropped kerb to create new entrance, erection of four 1500mm high brick pillars and 1200mm wall to front, 1800mm high close boarded fence, 1500mm high close boarded timber gates at Heron House, Beverley Road, Leven. No objections
15/03378/TPO – Mr Tony Altass – TPO Leven No.12 – 2004 (ref859) fell Poplar (T4) located adjacent to the boundary wall of Mount Pleasant due to damage and blockage of the drains at Wynsley Haven, Beverley Road, Leven. We will support the decision of the tree officer.
Planning decisions:
15/02758/TPO – Mr Tony Altass – TPO Leven No.12 – 2004 (ref859) fell Beech (T3) due to close proximity to the double garage, the potential for the roots to damage the foundations of the garage and the upper branches spread across the garage. Crown lift Beech (T1 and T2) due to branches overhanging the driveway at Wynsley Haven,
Beverley Road, Leven grant consent.
Treasurer’s report:
HMRC £414.00 Quarterly tax return
Autela Payroll £ 20.00 Pension enrolment
S L Woolfitt £277.89 December salary and expenses
A E Dawson £142.53 December salary
S Mathison proposed, S Nicholson seconded and all were in favour of the above payments being made.
Financial matters:
Precept 2016/2017: The finance committee had met prior to the parish council meeting and the clerk had emailed all of the councillors with the financial information to be discussed. After careful deliberation the finance committee had agreed that as there was a surplus in the bank accounts they would put to the rest of the councillors that the precept requested would be reduced from £14,000 for the year 2015/2016 to £12,000 for 2016/2017. This reduction would reduce the amount levied by ERYC under precept on the council tax bills. S Nicholson proposed, K Macklin seconded and all were in favour. Mrs Ablett is to put an article in the next edition of Leven Life.
Christmas lights switch on: Plans are in place for the lights switch on 6 December 2015 at 5.00pm. I Fernie to liaise with Ian Stones regarding the lights at the shops, the clerk to contact a gentleman who sells roasted chestnuts, Mrs Hobson to talk to the school regarding the school choir and S Nicholson and D Gillyon-Powell to put the lights on the Christmas tree on Sunday morning.
Representatives’ reports:
Police: Residents to be vigilant as burglaries are taking place in the village.
Leven School: Christmas Fair is to be held on Saturday, 5 December 2015 at 2.00pm.
The school have been awarded a gold mark from Sainsbury’s for games. Ofsted report received marking the school as good.
General purpose matters: none
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 5 January 2016 at 7.15pm in the school.
As there was no further business the meeting closed at 9.15pm.
Happy New Year.