Present: Cllrs. Mrs. J. Pattison (Chairman), Mr I Lloyd (Vice-Chairman), Mrs. A. Adams, Mrs. B. Gunby, Mrs. C. Leigh and Mrs. E. Simmonite.
216.09 To receive any apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Cllr. Mrs W. Thompson, Cllr. S. Green and Cllr. D. Hall. Reasons were given and accepted.
217.09 To approve the minutes of the Meeting held on 14th July 2009
Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 14th July 2009 are accepted and approved as a true record. Proposed Cllr. Adams, seconded Cllr. Leigh. Carried.
218.09 To identify any agenda items from which the press and public should be excluded due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed.
Resolved: That the press and public should be excluded from agenda item 30 due to the confidential nature of the business to be conducted. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Pattison. Carried.
219.09 To declare any interests necessary for this meeting.
Cllr. Lloyd declared his personal interest in agenda item 17.
220.09 To note any matters arising (For information only)
a) There has been no further information on the Festival Verge bench insurance claim
b) The Doctor Lane allotment tree has now been cut down and removed
c) The village map has now been taken to Norfolk for repair and is due back in October
d) The Quality Parish Council meeting is arranged for Wednesday 19th August at 7.15pm
e) PC Howard Saul has reported that police have been called out just once to Jackys Lane during the last four weeks
221.09 To consider planning applications
RB2009/0892 – To erect a building at Ten Acre Field, Killamarsh Lane, Woodall for Mr A. Willoughby
Resolved: That there is no objection to this application. Carried
222.09 To receive the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday 4th July 2009
Resolved: That the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on 4th August 2009 are accepted. Proposed Cllr. Simmonite, seconded Cllr. Lloyd. Carried.
223.09 To approve the bank reconciliation to 31 July 2009
Bank statements were checked and initialled by two Councillors
224.09 To consider renewal of the Cooperative Bank Guaranteed Investment Bond
The Cooperative Bank Guaranteed Investment Bond is due for renewal in September.
Resolved: That the current guaranteed investment bond, plus interest accrued, is reinvested for a further period of 6 months. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Gunby. Carried.
Resolved: That an additional £25,000 is invested in a guaranteed bond for a period of 3 months. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Gunby. Carried.
225.09 To consider renewal of the Leisure Centre insurance policy for 2009/10
Resolved: That renewal of the Leisure Centre insurance policy for 2009/10is approved. Proposed Cllr. Adams, seconded Cllr. Lloyd. Carried.
226.09 To consider a subscription to the NALC Direct Information Service
Resolved: That a subscription to the NALC Direct Information Service is approved. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Leigh. Carried.
227.09 To approve accounts for payment
Resolved: That the accounts for payment are accepted and approved for payment. Proposed Cllr. Leigh, seconded Cllr. Adams. Carried.
228.09 To consider requests for financial assistance
There have been no requests for financial assistance this month
229.09 To note any correspondence
All correspondence is covered by other agenda items
230.09 To receive reports of July/August external meetings
a) The Chairman and Clerk attended the Rother Valley South Parishes meeting on 23rd July
b) A meeting was held with Lucy Curtis of Voluntary Action Rotherham regarding Community Enterprises. Information from the meeting is included in the circulation folder.
c) The All Parish Liaison Meeting was held on 16th July. No-one was able to attend.
d) A PACT meeting was held on 4 August. Cllr. Lloyd was unable to attend due to a clash with the Parish Council Finance Committee.
231.09 To receive information on external meetings arranged for August/September
a) The next Parish Network meeting will take place on 23rd September at 5.30pm at the Town Hall.
b) There is a South Rotherham Rural Transport Group meeting planned for September – date not yet known.
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
Resolved: That the meeting is adjourned for comments and questions from the press and public. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Lloyd. Carried
Mr. Newby raised questions over hedging, footpaths and lighting issues.
232.09 To consider matters relating to the Village Hall
a) Cllr. Lloyd and the Clerk will submit revised funding bids for £5,000 to Awards for All and Bridging The Gap before 23 August in respect of the refurbishment feasibility study.
b) Mr. G. Clay, a local architect, has been asked to estimate the cost of a feasibility study for refurbishment of the village hall
233.09 To consider grounds maintenance matters
a) The Woodall hedge that was encroaching on to the road has finally been cut.
b) The hedge at the play area is in need of cutting back. It was proposed that Mr. G. Tune is commissioned to maintain the play area hedge twice yearly on a scheduled basis.
Resolved: That Mr. G. Tune is commissioned to maintain the play area hedge twice yearly on a scheduled basis. Proposed Cllr. Gunby, seconded Cllr. Pattison. Carried
c) A request has been made to 2010 to repair the footpath between Woodall Lane and Prior Mede although no action has been taken so far.
d) A complaint has been received from a Firvale allotment holder about the state of the access road which is very overgrown. This used to be self maintained by allotment tenants but is no longer.
Resolved: That the Clerk should arrange strimming of the Firvale allotments access road as soon as possible. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Adams. Carried
e) It was commented that the general standard of grass cutting and grounds maintenance undertaken by RMBC had significantly improved this year.
Resolved: That a letter is sent to Ian Halliwell of RMBC praising their efforts and the improvement of grass cutting and grounds maintenance in the Parish. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Simmonite. Carried.
f) There is an overgrown tree blocking a streetlight on the path between Tanimara and Serlby Lane. The Clerk will investigate this before the next meeting.
234.09 To consider action following the Parish Council inspection of footpaths and bridleways
The first stage of the inspection of footpaths, bridleways and stiles was undertaken on Sunday 2nd August. A number of concerns were identified, particularly in relation to lack of signage, overgrown vegetation, unauthorised re-routing and poor condition of stiles.
RMBC Rights of Way have been contacted and have agreed to meeting but no date has been arranged as yet due to holidays.
The second stage of the inspection is planned for September.
235.09 To receive an update on action relating to the North Farm development
Following a request from Kevin Barron MP, a detailed reply has now been received from Karl Battersby of RMBC in relation to North Farm. In the first instance RMBC are seeking a clean up on the site, by enforcement if necessary. The Parish Council welcomes the intervention and will await further developments.
236.09 To receive an update on the holiday play scheme in Harthill during summer 2009
The holiday play scheme is currently in its second week (10-14 August) During the first week, numbers were slightly down on last year and one day during the first week was lost due to poor weather. An evaluation report will be issued by RMBC Sports Development at the end of the schemes.
237.09 To approve support for an after school play scheme in Harthill from September 2009
The initial after school play scheme trial period (July 09) was poorly attended because of an alternative after school programme run in the village on the same evening. The Clerk has consulted RMBC Sports Development about the possibility of an alternative evening for the weekly sessions. They propose re-trialling the scheme in September / October on a Wednesday or Thursday evening.
Resolved: That the after school clubs are run on a 6 week trial period from early October 2009. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Adams. Carried.
238.09 To consider matters related to the Spens Field lease
The draft lease has still not been received from RMBC despite repeated follow up. It is now 11 months since the offer of a lease was made by RMBC.
Resolved: That a letter is sent to RMBC expressing the Council’s dismay at the considerable delay in providing a draft lease in relation to Spens Field. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Simmonite. Carried.
239.09 To consider security issues relating to Parish Council land east of Winney Hill
A request has been received from the leaseholders of the grazing land for the Parish Council to improve security of the land by installing a new lockable gate (for access from the public footpath.) They have spent several thousand pounds on fencing and hedging and it has been vandalised on more than one occasion.
Resolved: That a site meeting is held with the leaseholders to determine the nature of the problem and explore potential solutions. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Simmonite. Carried
240.09 To receive information of the Power of Wellbeing
Resolved; That enquiries are made with RMBC and Yorkshire Local Councils Association (YLCA) into the possibility and cost of local group training on the new Power of Wellbeing. Proposed Cllr. Lloyd, seconded Cllr. Pattison. Carried
241.09 To receive an update on proposals concerning the Woodyard car park
Three firms have agreed to provide quotations for the work before the next Parish Council meeting on 8 September.
242.09 To review proposals for a Woodall to Harthill footpath
This item is deferred pending a meeting with Andrew Lee of RMBC Highways which will not take place until early September.
243.09 To consider matters related to the Tom Wakefield Way
a) Feedback has been received from British Waterways about drainage / flooding issues at the reservoir site. The issue is not considered to be a problem by them although they would be happy to discuss the matter further.
Resolved: That an early meeting is arranged with representatives from British Waterways and RMBC to discuss drainage / flooding issues at the Harthill reservoir site. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Lloyd. Carried
b) The designs for “The Tom Wakefield Way” sign have not yet arrived. These will be considered at the next meeting.
c) August installation of the new benches is still a possibility following assurances from British Waterways that necessary paperwork will be completed.
d) Weed killer spraying of the pond path has still not been undertaken by RMBC as Environment Agency consultation is required
244.09 To consider matters related to the new Woodall Lane play area
a) Existing benches on Spens Field have been subjected to vandalism and are unusable and a health and safety risk.
Resolved: That the three benches on Spens Field should be removed leaving the concrete base in place. Proposed Cllr. Gunby, seconded Cllr. Leigh. Carried
Resolved: That Peter Cunningham of RMBC is asked to quote for three replacement metal benches on Spens Field. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Leigh. Carried
b) The fence around the former toddlers area is redundant and is becoming a health and safety risk
Resolved: That the fence around the former toddlers' area is removed as soon as possible. Proposed Cllr. Pattison, seconded Cllr. Adams. Carried
c) A meeting has been arranged with Groundwork for Wednesday 12th August to discuss solutions to drainage and landscaping problems. Groundwork are also going to be doing fortnightly maintenance for the foreseeable future including sand raking and litter picking.
d) The proposed new bench and picnic table will be supplied by RMBC in September.
e) The three new litter bins have now been installed
f) The next Steering Group meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19th August at 7pm at the Village Hall.
245.09 Individual Councillor Reports (For information only)
Cllr. Gunby said that repairs to road surfacing on Woodall Lane and Winney Lane had still not been completed. The Clerk will follow this up with RMBC Highways
Cllr. Simmonite asked if the condition of the Doctor Lane allotments access road could be added to the next agenda
Exclusion of the Press and Public
Resolved: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. Carried.
246.09 To receive an update concerning matters relating to Parish Council land
There has been no further progress on the final sale of land at Winney Hill and the undertaking to meet the Parish Council’s fees has not yet arrived contrary to what had been indicated by the prospective purchaser’s solicitor. Ilett & Clerk will enquire as to why there has been a delay on this.
Resolved: That a letter is sent to the prospective purchase setting a final deadline of 31 August to sign the undertaking to meet the Parish Council’s fees, Proposed Cllr. Leigh, seconded Cllr. Pattison. Carried
The meeting closed at 9.43 pm