June 2001
Minutes of the Meeting of Chipperfield Parish Council, held in ‘The Upper Room’ at St. Paul’s Church extension, Chipperfield, on Monday 11 June 2001 at 8.00pm
(Chipperfield Common Ranger - Mr CW Deacon - presented a report to Council, before commencement of the agenda).
PRESENT: Councillor DJ Nobbs (Chair). Councillor MD Joseph (Vice Chair). Councillors: J Carter, Miss EA Holliday, RJH Neil, & Mrs RV Wakeman (elected during the meeting); with AJ Pringle (Clerk) in attendance.
County Councillor Mrs J Anderson, and Borough Councillor R Roberts were present as observers.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE; were submitted on behalf of Cllr JDF Nichols, and Cllr Mrs BA Berners-Price who sent a welcome to Mrs RV Wakeman on her predicted appointment at this meeting.
43/01 THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 14 MAY 2001: were approved and signed.
44/01 TO APPOINT A MEMBER OF COUNCIL BY CO-OPTION &
SIGNATURE OF DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE
1. RESOLVED:
Mrs RV Wakeman is unanimously appointed to Council by co-option.
(Refer to minutes of 14 May 2001: Part 2, 42/01 item 1).
2. Cllr Wakeman signed in Council a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and took her place in Council.
45/01 TO APPOINT A SCHOOL GOVERNOR
1. Chairman, Cllr Nobbs, invited Cllr Wakeman to consider accepting this quite demanding appointment.
Cllr Wakeman asked for time to further consider.
RESOLVED:
Defer to next meeting of Council.
46/01 REPORTS FROM THE CLERK ON BEHALF OF COMMITTEES :
A) FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES
See Report No 029/01 from Clerk, items 1 - 5
1. With Reference to item 1: DBC ‘Parish Borough Liaison Meeting’ 5 July 2001/Attendees and Suggestions for Agenda items to forward to DBC
RESOLVED:
A) Cllrs Nobbs, Holliday & Neil, hope to attend.
B) Suggested items for the Agenda -
‘Area Working’ update on progress and implementation.
DBC poor performance (in spite of reminders) in releasing information for distribution to the Village eg via Chipperfield News - the local free press reaches few households.
2. With reference to item 2: Public Audit of Accounts for Year Ended 31 March 2001
RESOLVED:
Comments from the Clerk are noted.
3. With reference to item 5: DBC ‘Area Working’(Refer to Reports to CPC Meeting of 14 May 2001 Appendix ‘A’ item 3) and Draft Report on the DBC ‘Area Working’ meeting held 30 April 2001
Cllr Nobbs reported:
The draft included a proposal to form 3 area committees, composed of councillors and others; one of which would be for Berkhamsted, Chipperfield, Kings Langley, Flaunden and Bovingdon. Cllr Nobbs had verbally responded to this, suggesting that for instance we had little in common with the town of Berkhamsted.
B) HIGHWAYS & ROAD SAFETY & PUBLIC TRANSPORT
See Report No 030/01 from Clerk, items 1 - 4
C) OPEN SPACES & FOOTPATHS
See Report No 0/01 from Clerk, items 1 - 8
1. With reference to item 4: Public walk-about in Chipperfield Woodland with newly appointed DBC Woodlands Officer - Philip Russell/Meeting scheduled for 5 June 2001 cancelled
The Clerk reported:
This public event is now scheduled for Tuesday 17 July 2001 at 6.30pm and should be published in next edition of Chipperfield News.
2. With reference to item 7: Reporting to police of incidents of vandalism to public property
RESOLVED:
Now to be undertaken by Cllr Wakeman.
3. With reference to item 8: Hertfordshire’s Village of the Year Competition 2001/Financial implications
Cllr Carter reported:
He felt the expenditure was well worthwhile and that perhaps the much improved appearance of the village would further raise pride in its appearance and further discourage vandalism and dropping of litter.
D) ALLOTMENTS
See Report No 033/01 from Clerk, 1 item only
1. With reference to item 1: Verbal report from Committee Chair
Cllr Holliday reported:
11 plots are at present vacant. 3 of the 11 previous tenants have not yet indicated whether they intend to renew tenancy.
Cllr Holliday felt that new tenants may be discouraged by believing they have to wait for the new financial year before undertaking preparatory work.
RESOLVED:
There should be a campaign this Autumn to recruit new tenants and offering free rental for preparatory work leading to the next season.
E) PLANNING
See Report No 033/01 from Clerk, items 1 - 6
1. With reference to item 4: Application 4/0682/01/FUL, Retention of Use of Barn for Residential Purposes, Remove Corridor Link and Extinguishment of Commercial Storage Use. The Olde Barn, Megg Lane/Application Refused by DBC
Cllr Nobbs reported that he intends to appear at the Appeal Hearing, if it goes ahead, as listed for 20-21 June 2001.
2. With reference to item 5: Application 4/00906/01/OUT, Construction of 3 Detached Dwellings,Ackwell Simmonds Yard, Chapel Croft
Cllr Nobbs reported:
The applicants have already been granted a number of planning consents for this site - for example for two large houses - and Council’s opinion all along has been that such development would be a planning gain. Cllr Nobbs recommended that Council maintain this view in responding to this application. However, there are two main concerns which in his view need to be satisfactorily answered by the applicants before Council could once again recommend approval. Firstly, and although it is recognised that this is an outline application only, the number of bedrooms and plot boundaries are not shown and it is not impossible that this leaves the site open for further development. Secondly, this proposal once again reverts to inclusion of a private gated entrance - which this Council have previously successfully opposed.
RESOLVED:
The Clerk to respond along the lines discussed and agreed and to recommend refusal.
47/01 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES:
B) VILLAGE HALL
Cllr Joseph reported:
The Annual General meeting was held last week. Council were thanked for the grant towards decorating. £4600.00 repairs are scheduled for the forthcoming year.
F) VILLAGE MILLENNIUM SUB-COMMITTEE
Cllr Nobbs reported:
He understands that Mike Tagg has now gained a licence from Ordnance Survey to allow construction of the Village Map.
G) VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE
Cllr Nobbs reported:
He has spoken again with Richard Blackburn (DBC Planning) regarding progress and has been asked for a statement on CPC’s consultation process, which he has now sent.
48/01 CORRESPONDENCE
See Report No 034/01 from Clerk, 1 item only
49/01 REPORT OF THE CLERK
The Clerk reported:
A) He wished to remind Members of the prominent footnote he prints on all Minutes of Parish Council Meetings. The note asks for Reports from Committees and Items for the Agenda of the next meeting He hopes that every Member will take advantage of this whenever appropriate. In many instances a simple ‘phone call, or note, to the Clerk is all that is required. Except in exceptional circumstances, decisions are not allowed on items not listed in the Agenda/Reports to Meetings.
B) He wished to remind Members of their responsibilities concerning items of expenditure listed at each meeting for approval and co-signature of payment cheques presented. He wished to emphasise again that Members should question any item for payment, or payment already made, which they do not fully understand or over which they feel ill at ease or merely require clarification. There have been two recent cases of very serious fraud (not in Dacorum) by clerks.
50/01 PAYMENTS DUE,
INTERIM PAYMENTS MADE & INTERIM INCOME RECEIVED
See Report No 035/01 from Clerk
1. RESOLVED:
A) Payment of all items listed is approved. Payment cheques now to be signed in Council.
B) Interim payments made are noted.
C) Interim income received is noted.
Meeting closed 9.28pm
DATE OF NEXT MEETING - Monday 9 July 2001.
Reports from Committees and Items for the Agenda to be received by the Clerk at least 7 days prior to this next meeting of Council