ST. IPPOLYTS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of St. Ippolyts Parish Council held on Monday 10 th January 2011 at St. Ippolyts School. PRESENT : Cllrs. Mr. K. H. Holden Mrs. P. Skeggs Mrs. B. Thomas Mr. D. Blundell Mr. J. Howlett Mr. T. Smith (Chairman) (Vice-Chairman) In attendance : One member of the public with the Clerk Mrs. A. Powell. Also present, HCC Cllrs. D. Ashley & R. Thake, NHDC S. Rural Community Development Officer S. Izzard and PCSO C. Tizard. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr. P. Hobson and NHD Cllrs. A. Ashley & D. Miller. 2. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 8 th November 2010, copies of which had been circulated to each member of the Council, were signed as a true record of the proceedings. 3. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS 4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. POLICE REPORT PCSO C. Tizard explained briefly her job and reported that only one crime was reported last month for St. Ippolyts South on car theft. She can be contacted on 084-330-0222 or charlotte.tizard@herts.pnn.police.uk. PC Suckling emailed the Council with an update on crime which did not appear to be a problem in our area. A gang of thieves was arrested in the Dunstable area before Christmas and a significant haul of stolen property was recovered from a travellers site. Since then the spate of burglaries has ceased. 6. COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS Both HCC Cllrs. Mr. Ashley and Mr. Thake gave an update on various reductions on spending and services including library opening hours, street lighting, school transport and Highways expenditure and that 2011-12 Council Tax is unlikely to increase. 7. MATTERS OF REPORT a) Consultations Herts. Constabulary /Police Authority - Draft Herts. Policing Plan 2011 2014 due 14/1/11. Cllr. Mr. Howlett has kindly agreed to lead this. HCC School enlargement consultation, a strategy of primary school expansion in response to rising demand for school places across the county due 21.2.11. More information from www.hertsdirect.org/csfconsultations. Cllr. Mr. Smith has kindly agreed to lead this. HCC Proposed changes to the school transport policy for statutory age pupils due 26.1.11. Cllr. Mr. Smith has kindly agreed to lead this. b) St. Ippolyts village green Cllr. Mr. Howlett gave a summary on repair work to be done to the Millennium post. With the original welder not returning his calls, he had contacted another contractor and would forward the quotation to everyone when available. Page 1 of

Other matters On Cllr. Mr. Hobson s behalf, the Clerk asked if the Parish Council would host another community lunch in March or June. It was agreed that 1.6.2011 would be a suitable date and that the Clerk would inform Revd. Ann Pollington. Cllr. Mrs. Thomas requested the use of the Recreation Ground for a Church fund raising event on 19.6.11. It was approved and the Clerk would contact both Football Clubs and the Bowls Club to ensure the date is not an issue. The Church would provide insurance covers. The next Parish networking meeting will be hosted by St. Ippolyts Parish Council on 20.4.11. Mr. Izzard of NHDC has kindly agreed to arrange funding for the hiring of Parish Hall committee rooms. The Clerk would look into room rental, agenda and sending out invitations to other Parish Councils. The installation of -a-side football goal post has been postponed due to the cold weather. It is hoped that it would be installed before the end of the current financial year. 8. CHAIRMAN S REPORT The Chairman attended a launch on new 0+ Tradespersons Directory at Goldsmith Centre on 30.11.10. Copies of the new Directory and useful information were distributed to all Cllrs. Spare copies of Directory were available to the public from the Parish Hall. The Chairman and Cllr. Mrs. Skeggs met with Mr. T. Ward from Herts. Highways on 16.11.10 and the Clerk met with both Cllrs. after the meeting. The Chairman thanked Highways for the fencing and footpath work carried out on St. Ippolyts village green. Mr. Ward gave an update on other work completed in the parish by Highways. Further work were discussed and agreed. Notes from the meeting was emailed to all Cllrs and Mr. Ward and Mr. R. Jack of Herts. Highways. The Clerk attended a SLCC Herts. branch meeting on 24.12.10 where training and internal auditing were discussed. The next meeting is on 9.2.11. The Clerk contacted Land Registry for more information on registering land owned by the Parish Council and received an information pack. Cllr. Mrs. Skeggs confirmed that three parcels of land at Broadmeadow estate Lagoon, Rowan Grove and Sycamore Close, are already registered. She believes that Gosmore green and the Recreation Ground are not registered and will establish the current position and report at a later meeting. Gosmore Green is registered as a village green. 9. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES & GROUPS A P3 winter walk took place on 29.12.10. Around 20 people joined in a 4-mile walk from Maydencroft Manor and enjoyed soup and bread at the end of the walk. The Parish Council would like to thank Mr. & Mrs. Smee, co-ordinators of P3, for organising and leading the walk. 10. CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence by post (not all email items included in list) A resident complained about branches overhanging by Gosmore village on Maydencroft Lane. The Clerk contacted Highways and they have agreed to carry out trim them back. CDA East of England Rural white paper discussion on 13.1.11 1-4pm Woolmer Green. Chiltern Society news magazine CPRE Countryside Voice magazine; newsletter HAPTC newsletter, Affordable rural housing guide, parish matters, Cilca skills HAPTC member communication survey for Cllrs. & Clerk (due 2.1.2011) Hewett P. offering paid litter picking services Land Registry voluntary registration information pack NHDC members info, media say St. Albans Rotary Club Charity cycle ride on 1..2011 extending to Hitchin/Preston area The following items were distributed at the meeting: - Page 2 of

HAPTC newsletter, communication survey form (also available on email) NHDC members info, media say Royal British Legion Poppy weekend 10-12/6/11 planning information Correspondence Conferences & Courses NHDC N. Herts. Parish & Town Councils Conference 6.7.2011 Letchworth office. Suggestions and wish to join working group (starting from 7.3.11) to be confirmed by 2.2.2011 Correspondence Finance matters HMRC VAT refund form & repayment (see item 12) HMRC 2011/12 online Employer Annual Return (P3 & P14) reminder; November online update SLCC annual membership renewal (see item 12) Correspondence matters required discussions Correspondence Play Area & Play Equipment matters FT Gearing landscape services advertisement SMP play equipment advertisement 11. PLANNING HCC invited the Parish Council to attend a members site visit for Application for proposed processing of existing buried inert waste and the subsequent restoration of land at Vicars Grove Pit, Little Almshoe Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 7QU on 14.1.11 10:00 on site. The Chairman has agreed to attend. Planning decisions NHDC have granted conditional permission for a single storey orangery and open porch extension to south elevation following demolition of existing sheds (as amended by drawings received 23.11.10) at Cherry Trees, Preston Road, Gosmore (10/02438/1HH). NHDC have granted standard conditional permission for a part first floor and part two storey front extensions at 96 Waterdell Lane, St. Ippolyts (10/02497/1HH). Planning applications 10/02760/1LB Land at, The Old Bell House, 61 London Road, St Ippolyts. Extension of time for previously approved listed building consent under ref 08/00160/1LB granted 20/03/08 for the renewal of listed building consent 03/00400/1LB for internal and external alterations to facilitate conversion of barn and glasshouses to offices and self-contained guest annex granted consent on 03 September 2003. No objection. 10/02636/1 Land at, The Old Bell House, 61 London Road, St Ippolyts. Extension of time for previously approved planning permission under planning ref 08/0019/1 granted 20/03/08 for the renewal of planning permission ref 03/00399/1 for the conversion of existing barns and glasshouses to offices (Class B1) and selfcontained one bedroom guest annex with parking spaces granted permission on 04 September 2003. No objection. 10/0269/1HH Queenborough, London Road, St Ippolyts. First floor extension to side and rear. No objection. 10/0280/1HH 10 Broadmeadow Ride, St Ippolyts. Single storey front extension. No objection. 10/0296/1HH The White House, Preston Road, Gosmore. Detached two storey outbuilding. The Council has no objection but would request that a planning condition to be included to restrict to personal use ancillary to the dwelling, as described in the application. 10/03008/1HH Mill Lodge, Mill Lane, St Ippolyts. Single storey side extension and two storey rear extension together with the erection of replacement garage. No objection. Page 3 of

Planning appeals 12. FINANCE a) 2011-12 Budget The Clerk emailed all Cllrs the final draft (version 6) 2011-12 budget prior to the meeting. The 2011-12 budget was approved at this meeting. The Clerk would issue the final version to all Cllrs. and add it to the Parish Council website. A copy would be sent to NHDC to request for a precept of 19,000 for 2011-12 which is the same as the previous two years. Cllr. Mrs. Skeggs requested that the Clerk write to St. Ippolyts Parochial Church Council to advise them of the discretionary sum included for grass and hedge cutting at the cemetery and church yard which is reviewed annually. Other finance It was resolved that the accounts for payment amounting to 413.46 be approved. The following payments were requested and accepted by the Parish Council :- a) 3207.10 (incl. 477.6 VAT) from R J Dawes for 2010 parish grass/hedge cutting. b) 20.00 (incl. 43.7 VAT) from R J Dawes for Sycamore Close maintenance work. c) 16.00 from Betadec for Gosmore bus shelter repairs. d) 29.00 from CPRE for annual membership. e) 106.00 from SLCC for annual membership. f) 24.8 from St. Ippolyts Hall for room rental on 11.4.11 Annual Parish & monthly meetings. g) 21.07 from HM Revenue & Customs for periods ended.2.11 Tax and National Insurance. h) 23.30 (incl. 3.48 VAT) from TalkTalk for November Broadband & phone (paid by D/D). i) 22.82 (incl. 3.40 VAT) from TalkTalk for December Broadband & phone (paid by D/D). The following receipts were BAC d or deposited to the bank :- a) VAT repayment from Customs & Excise for the period of 1.7.10 30.11.2010 at 323.06. 13. UNILATERAL UNDERTAKINGS UPDATE FROM NHDC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MR. S. IZZARD Mr. Izzard gave out copies of Southern Rural Monitoring Reports on Unilateral Undertaking Finances for St. Ippolyts at this meeting. Mr. Izzard explained that money collected from developers by NHDC on various projects could be allocated to the Parish Council with no time constraint. Funding is for capital projects only and must be administered through the Parish Council and connected to the areas of contribution. HCC Cllrs. Mr. Ashley and Mr. Thake advised on projects that the Parish Council could consider. Mr. Izzard kindly agreed to work with the Parish Council on their proposals. It was agreed that it would be a good opportunity to review the offer with the Parish Council Business Plan. The Chairman thanked Mr. Izzard for his time and attending this meeting. 14. RECREATION GROUND a) Football Pavilion Maintenance work Cllr. Mr. Howlett tried contacting Mr. Kear of St. Ippolyts Football Club again without success. It was agreed that the Council would go ahead and review the list from both Football Clubs without involving Mr. Kear. Cllrs. Mr. Howlett and Mr. Blundell would look at the list taking into consideration possible finances available from NHDC unilateral undertaking finances, as explained by Mr. Izzard at this meeting. Cllr. Mr. Howlett would give an update at the 14.2.11 meeting. 1. WEBSITE UPDATE Page 4 of

Cllr. Mr. Hobson emailed everyone with an update after discussing various queries with Parishcouncil.net. Cllr. Mr. Hobson has also been compiling all the information prepared so far into correct formats ready for submission. There will be further discussion at the 14.2.11 meeting. 16. PARISH COUNCIL BUSINESS PLAN Cllr. Mrs. Skeggs emailed everyone her comments on Cllr. Mr. Howlett s draft business plan. It was agreed that a second working meeting would be held on 31.1.11 for further discussion. 17. PLAY AREAS, EQUIPMENT & PAVILION VISUAL INSPECTION The Clerk emailed all Cllrs. the 2011 rota. The insurance play areas, equipment and Football Pavilion fortnightly visual inspection book was signed at the meeting. No fault was reported. 18. DATES OF MEETINGS The next Parish meeting will take place on Monday 14 th February 2011 7:30pm at the School. Meeting dates for the rest of 2011 is as follows :- Mondays of 14 th March, 11 th April (Annual Parish), 9 th May (AGM), 20 th June, 11 th July, 12 th September, 10 th October and 14 th November. With the exception of the April meeting which starts at 7:1pm at St. Ippolyts Parish Hall Committee rooms, all meetings start at 7:30pm at St. Ippolyts School. Any Other Business There being no further business the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 9:3pm. Page of