Kings Ripton Parish Council General Meeting
M2
A general meeting of Kings Ripton Parish Council was held at Kings Ripton Village Hall, School Lane, Kings Ripton, PE28 2NL on Tuesday 23rd July at 7.00pm.
Present: Councillors Mick Toates (Chairman), Brian Petre, Ros Townsend (Vice Chairman), District Councillor Robin Howe, County Councillor Michael Tew, Residents Karen Martin and Roy Collett
Absent: Councillor Zelda Barter-Rayner
The chairman welcomed the new clerk, Miss Sandra Roberts.
1. APOLOGIES
There were no apologies for absence.
2. DECLARATION OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The chairman suspended main business to allow the public to speak.
Mr Collett had concerns about the 01480 388388 telephone number given out for complaints about the SGP. He stated that he was more likely to ring the District Council direct not the SGP. Chairman asked Councillor Howe for another number that was always manned. He also said that complaints were very low and that Noise Abatement & Environment Dept will only respond if calls are high. Last year there were only 14 calls from Wood Walton & Kings Ripton.
Next year (2014) the SGP were looking to increase numbers and for a higher noise limit. It was requested for this year (2013) but district Council said no.
Councillor Howe said that even if no action is taken residents should keep complaining and should make note of residents leaving the village due to the SGP as only calls registered at the District Council & SGP will count and can be taken forward to the Licencing Dept.
Ms Martin quoted some cases in the last couple of years where complaints were made and details put to the Licencing Dept but it did no good, only resulted in a more lenient agreement.
2 years ago Councillor Howe produced graphs which confirmed breach of agreement: as he is now responsible for Environmental Health he would be able to do something about it. The SGP would have difficulty with the Licencing Dept if levels breached.
It probably wouldn’t be able to stop the festival but when debate about the detail took place the SGP took note. Last year there was a bigger containment process, levels were brought down (although still peaks and troughs) and franchises which created additional noise were removed and will not be back.
The main point coming out of the discussion was that ALL residents need to complain if necessary and keep complaining so that the SGP will have difficulty when requesting a licence next year.
Mr Collett also asked about Chinese lanterns and whether they were banned as they are dangerous to thatch and corn. Councillor Howe would check.
Chairman thanked the councillor for his commitment.
Clerks note: Out of hours number had been received and emailed to the parish councillors and published on the KR web site.
The chairman resumed main business.
4. MINUTES
Copies of the minutes held on 06 Jun 13 had been circulated following their informal approval by the Chairman. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to approve the minutes as a correct record and were duly signed by the Chairman.
5. REPORT FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR HOWE
Councillor Howe reported that the Neighbourhood Forum was disappearing. He said it was a good forum to meet with other local areas for information exchange.
He also said that the Police Commissioner will use more electronic communication which is not always very effective and therefore there would be less interaction with the police and communities. Speedwatch was given as an example.
He asked that the Chairman write to him asking to reinstate the Neighbourhood Forum and to have more involvement of the police Commissioner’s office.
COUNTY COUNCILLOR TEW
Councillor Tew gave details of the Huntingdonshire Association for Community Transport (HACT). He said that transport was getting worse due to cuts and HACT was the only option. Parish Councillors agreed for the clerk to have the leaflet published in the Ripton News.
Council was progressing in the repair of potholes.
Fibre broadband would be in 2015.
Councillor Petre had heard that a bus stop would be placed near the cross roads when one of the routes would have passed Kings Ripton but unfortunately the route was dropped. Councillor Tew said he would check.
6. NOTICEBOARD
Councillors and clerk’s details are already in the Ripton News and on the web site. It was agreed and RESOLVED to publish the Chairman and clerk’s details on the Parish Council Noticeboard. Councillor Petre would do a card.
7. TREE CUTTING
Councillor Petre had a meeting with a tree surgeon cost the pruning of the trees near the road by the 30mph sign and the trees at the back of the allotments. It is assumed that these trees are the responsibility of KR Parish Council. When the quote arrives Councillor Petre will contact HDC to see if he needs permission. Chairman stated that if the cost was over £1000 3 quotes would be required.
8. PLANNING
There were no planning applications.
9. PARISH PLAN
Councillors discussed how to get residents involved as it was important if the parish did not want further development and wanted a say in future decisions about the parish. It was agreed to hold a coffee morning in the village hall on Sat 7th Sep 13 at 1100hrs. Councillor Petre would distribute a flyer to all residents. Councillor Townsend would do tea & biscuits. DC Howe would negotiate with ACRE and HDC to attend. CC Tew would also try to attend.
They would also use the coffee morning to discuss the SGP.
10 FINANCE
The clerk did not have all the information required to approve the accounts, was asked to check the payment to the village hall committee and obtain the budget for the year from the previous clerk. Also, the mandate had not yet been received from the bank.
It was agreed to roll this forward to the next meeting.
Councillor Townsend asked if the signatories can remain the same or does the Vice Chairman need to be a signatory.
Clerks note: Signatories can remain the same.
11. CORRESPONDENCE AND COMMUNICATIONS
The following correspondence had been brought to Councillors attention through emails;
E-Cops
Huntingdonshire Flood Forum 2013 – Notes of the meeting and presentation Dog Fouling
Change of address for CAPALC Offices
Press release from the SGP Organisers’ regarding road closure and telephone numbers.
Town and Parish Alert June 2013
Hunts Forum – July News
Invitation to an exhibition of plans for a solar farm south of Abbots Ripton: Tuesday 23 July (drop in 4pm-8pm) at the Village Hall
Details of NHS 111 (given at meeting)
Councillors Townsend & Petre attended the exhibition of the plans for the solar farm South of Abbots Ripton. They said there would be no impact on Kings Ripton: a 57 Hectare field would be leased from Abbots Ripton Estates, sheep can graze underneath, there would be woodland around the edge and flora and fauna would still grow.
12. MATTERS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION
Village sign
Speedwatch
13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
17th September 2013, Village Hall, Kings Ripton at 7pm.
The date of the November meeting was changed to 19 November at the request of the clerk.
CLOSE OF MEETING