March 2002
Minutes of the Meeting of Chipperfield Parish Council, held in ‘The Upper Room’ at St. Paul’s Church extension, Chipperfield, on Monday 11 March 2002 at 8.00pm
PRESENT: Councillor DJ Nobbs (Chair).
Councillors: J Carter, Miss EA Holliday, RJH Neil, Mrs RV Wakeman; with J Pringle (Clerk) in attendance.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE; were submitted on behalf of Councillors: Mrs BA Berners-Price, MD Joseph (Vice-Chair), and JDF Nichols.
Apologies were also received on behalf of County Councillor Mrs J Anderson and Borough Councillor R Roberts for not being able to be present as observers.
19/02 THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 11 FEBRUARY: were approved and signed.
20/02 TO ADOPT ‘THE PARISH COUNCILS (MODEL CODE OF CONDUCT) ORDER 2001 No 3576’
1. RESOLVED:
Council unanimously adopt ‘The Parish Councils (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2001 No 3576’. The code is adopted without deletions or additions.
21/02 RECESS:
1. Refer to ‘Reports to Meeting of 11 March 2002’ Appendix ‘A’ & Appendix ‘B’
All Members present signed an individual ‘Undertaking to observe Code of Conduct’ form. Each form was signed in the presence of the Clerk who added his co-signature and retained the forms for Council’s reference.
Members not present will be required to complete their ‘Undertaking’, in presence of Clerk, within the prescribed period.
All Members, will later and within the prescribed period, be required to submit to the Clerk their completed Form 1 - ‘Notification by Member of a Parish or Town Council of Financial and Other Interests’
22/02 RE-CONVENE.
23/02 REPORTS FROM THE CLERK ON BEHALF OF COMMITTEES :
A) FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES
Report No 016/02 from Clerk, items 1 - 5. Also, later circulated Report ‘Finance and General Purposes’ DJN 4/3/02 items 1 - 5
See Report No 016/02 from Clerk, items 1 - 5
1. With Reference to item 2: Planting of Tree 16 March 2002, Commemoration of Queen’s Golden Jubilee/Ceremony to be conducted by Mayor of Dacorum Borough Council
Cllr Nobbs reported:
All arrangements are now in place -
Ceremony will take place 12.15pm 16 March. The Mayor Cllr Derek Townsend will be accompanied by Mayoress Mrs Janet Townsend. Following the tree planting and placing of the commemorative plaque the party will move on to view Daffodils planted at St Paul’s Church by Chipperfield EveningWI and sponsored by the Groundwork Trust. This will be followed by a modest lunch at The Two Brewers with representatives of the Parish Council with partners.
The Clerk reported:
Mr David Cornell has donated, free of charge, the support made by him for the Memorial Plaque.
RESOLVED:
A) The Clerk to invite the local Press to cover the event.
B) Cllr Nobbs to send a letter of thanks to Mr Cornell.
2. With reference to item 4: Hertfordshire’s Village of the Year Competition 2002
Cllr Nobbs reported:
Deadline for submission of entry forms is May 3. 1st stage judging ‘Environment’ category is between May 13 - June 14.
There are 5 categories that can be entered for the final judging.
If, as before, we reach the final stage then a new theme will need to be agreed for the final presentation.
RESOLVED:
A) All 5 categories are to be entered - Environment, Business, Young People, Older People, Community Life.
B) Cllr Nobbs to circulate to Members draft entry details for final approval.
C) PEAP (Parish Environmental Action Plan) is to be the theme in readiness for the final presentation.
D) The Clerk, as successfully in all previous years, to apply to the Borough Council for their standard grant.
E) Although the Village Warden has prepared a list of Environmental matters to be given attention - Members should submit to the Clerk their latest Village Audit in advance of the competition.
See Report ‘Finance and General Purposes’ DJN 4/3/02 items 1 - 5
3. With reference to item 1: Herts CC, Home to School Transport Policy
RESOLVED:
Recommendations are endorsed.
4. With reference to item 2: Herts Review of Admission Rules for Community Secondary Schools
RESOLVED:
Recommendations are endorsed.
5. With reference to item 3: Membership of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England (CPRE)
RESOLVED:
Recommendations of Committee are approved.
6. With reference to item 5: Chipperfield Village Trust/Formerly ‘The Village Chest’/Charity Commission
Cllr Nobbs reported:
It has proved impossible to identify the ‘Village Chest Trustees’ from whom the fund balance has anonymously and unsolicited been sent to the Parish Council and it would be inappropriate to ask the previous Priest of St Paul’s Church Chipperfield to disclose information held in confidence.
RESOLVED:
The summary of progress to-date is noted with thanks.
B) HIGHWAYS & ROAD SAFETY & PUBLIC TRANSPORT
See Report No 017/02 from Clerk, items 1 - 2
1. With reference to item 2: Improved Traffic Safety at Tower Hill, Dunny Lane X-Roads/District Highway Engineer offer to install immediate temporary yellow reflective backgrounds to signage at approach to X-Roads (no special budget allocation needed)/Application for alternative major proposals welcome but subject to County Funding, Ranking exercise, accident reports/Previous public consultation on safety measures largely rejected by Village 1994/95
RESOLVED;
A) Council consider there is no need to refer this matter to Committee.
The Clerk to reply to District Highway Engineer in following terms:
B) Council decline the offer of yellow reflective backgrounds to signage at the cross roads approach primarily on grounds of being inappropriate to the rural environment of Chipperfield.
C) Council request implementation of corrugated road surfaces as presently on trial in Hampshire.
C) OPEN SPACES & FOOTPATHS
See Report No 018/02 from Clerk, items 1 - 3
1. With reference to item 1: Vandalism Report concerning CPC property
Cllr Nobbs reported:
Council have written (14 Feb ‘02) to Inspector Fogarty, Community Inspector, quoting 19 incidents between mid-December to mid-February 2002 alone, and asking for additional patrolling and any other appropriate measures. A reply is awaited.
Since writing it is noted that Bovingdon have been given extra support.
RESOLVED:
The Clerk to send reminder to Insp Fogarty.
D) ALLOTMENTS
See Report No 019/02 from Clerk, 1 item only
1. Cllr Holliday reported the Annual Meeting of Allotment Tenants is to be held 16 April 2002.
E) PLANNING
See Report No 020/02 from Clerk, items 1 - 2
1. With reference to item 2: Appeal - Site at Ackwell Simmonds Yard, Erection of 3 Dwellings - Appeal allowed. Refer to Appendix ‘D’
Cllr Carter reported:
The planning application did not show the location on the site of the 3 dwellings.
Cllr Nobbs reported:
This is an outline planning application only, the situation still applies.
24/02 TO CONFIRM FINAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ANNUAL PARISH MEETING, MONDAY 8 APRIL 2002 IN THE VILLAGE HALL AT 8.00pm:
1. Cllr Holliday confirmed that the Parish Council 2001 - 2002 Annual Report will be published in the April 2002 edition of Chipperfield News and in time to reach all residents prior to the meeting.
2. Cllr Nobbs reported that there will be 2 guest speakers from CMS (Countryside Management Service), expected to be Isabel Crozier and Andy Hardstaff. The topic will be ‘PEAP’ (Parish Environmental Action Plans). Following their presentation it will be important to seek views and support from the meeting for projects such as works to ‘Pill Pond’ and ‘Croft Wood’.
25/02 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES:
C) SCHOOL GOVERNOR
Cllr Wakeman reported:
Next meeting of School Governors is 13 March 2002.
G) VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE
Cllr Nobbs reported:
Committee have run into some technical problems regarding illustrations to the expanded Parish Council version of the DBC approved Village Design Statement. One CD containing aerial photographs of Chipperfield is corrupted.
26/02 CORRESPONDENCE
See Report No 021/02 from Clerk, item 1 only
27/02 REPORT OF THE CLERK
The Clerk reported:
He had nothing further to add to his published reports.
28/02 PAYMENTS DUE,
INTERIM PAYMENTS MADE & INTERIM INCOME RECEIVED
See Report No 022/02 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) Nil interim income (excluding bank interest) is noted.
29/02 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
To consider passing a resolution in the following terms:
Under item 61 of Standing Orders 'That in view of the special nature of the business about to be transacted, it is advisable in the public interest that the public be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw'.
If members of the public were present during these items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information relating to proposed expenditure by Council.
PART 2
30/02 TO CONSIDER EXPENDITURE RELATING TO A PERMISSIVE CAR PARK.
31/02 TO CONSIDER EXPENDITURE UNDER DOG FOULING SCHEME.
32/02 TO CONSIDER SUPPORT FOR GRANT AID APPLICATION FROM A VILLAGE ORGANISATION.
See page 6
Meeting closed 9.50pm
DATE OF NEXT MEETING - Monday 13 May 2002 (Annual General Meeting) - (not to be confused with Annual Parish Meeting).
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