CHIPPERFIELD PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of Chipperfield Parish Council, held in ‘The Upper Room’ at St. Paul’s Church extension, Chipperfield, on Monday 10 March 2003 at 8.00pm

PRESENT: Councillor DJ Nobbs (Chair). Councillor MD Joseph (Vice Chair). Councillors: Mrs BA Berners-Price, Miss EA Holliday, RJH Neil, JDF Nichols, Mrs RV Wakeman; with J Pringle (Clerk) in attendance.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE; were submitted on behalf of Councillor J Carter.
Apologies were also submitted on behalf of Borough Councillors R Roberts and Mrs J Bradnock, for not being able to attend as observers.

22/03 THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 10 FEBRUARY 2003: were approved and signed with one amendment –
Under 20/03 item 1: ‘mindful’ is amended to read ‘minded’.

23/03 REPORTS FROM THE CLERK ON BEHALF OF COMMITTEES :

A) FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES
See Report No 016/03 from Clerk, items 1 – 7

1. With reference to item 3: Elections 1 May 2003
Cllr Nobbs reported it is anticipated there will be more than 8 persons nominated for the 8 places on Chipperfield Parish Council, and if so an election must be held. One advantage of this would be that Council would be seen to be 100% elected, with no co-options, and would satisfy one condition attached to being considered for ‘Quality Status’.

2. With reference to item 4: (CDA) Community Development Agency for Hertfordshire/Official opening of new premises 5 Mar 2003/Cllr Nichols to attend
Cllr Nichols reported on his attendance:
It was a most impressive event lasting from 11.30am to 2.00pm. The new premises are housed on a single storey of open plan offices.
The session involved 4 workshops. The one he attended concerned ‘Parish Councils have their village heard’.

3. With reference to item 5: BT ‘Meeting the Public’s Changing Communication Needs’/Refers to proposal to remove public telephone facility at junction Chapel Croft w Croft Lane
Cllr Nobbs reported:
It is difficult to judge the impact on local residents. He had placed a prominent notice, but received no response.
4. With reference to item 7: Arrangements for Monday 14 April 2003 Annual Parish Meeting at Village Hall
Chairman, Cllr Nobbs reported:
It is usual to invite a guest speaker to address the meeting on a topic of importance to the village, before commencement of the formal Agenda.
He proposes (as per Minutes 10 February ’03, item 13/03) that this year the main theme should be ‘Provision of Youth facilities within the Village’ as many older villagers seem unaware of the valuable work being carried out by key organisations. He has obtained the agreement of four speakers to briefly address the meeting on behalf of their organisations:
John Tasker for Chipperfield Corinthians Junior Football Club,
Chris Blackmore for Chipperfield Tennis Club,
Chris Bangs for Chipperfield Cricket Club, and
Paul Hewetson for Chipperfield Youth Club.
Also, as has been the practice in recent years the Parish Council Annual Report will be submitted to Chipperfield News for publication in the April edition.
RESOLVED:
Unanimously agreed.

Other Matters

6. APPENDIX ‘B’/ Parish Clerks Meeting with DBC Officers 23 January 2003
Cllr Nichols reported:
Although this item had been circulated by the Clerk along with Reports to the Meeting, it had not been listed by him.
Cllr Nichols considered, on reading it, that Clerks meetings with DBC are far more productive and meaningful than meetings of Parish-Town Councillors with DBC.
The Clerk reported that he fully supported this view. He found the Clerks meetings to be non political and practically based and exceptionally helpful, especially for new Clerks.

HIGHWAYS & ROAD SAFETY & PUBLIC TRANSPORT
See Report No 017/03 from Clerk, items 1 – 2

1. With reference to item 1: Project – ‘Chipperfield Village Linking up Footpaths and Bikeways’/Current re-organisation of HCC Dacorum Highways Department ongoing since October 2002
RESOLVED:
Highways Committee and Open Spaces Committee to liaise with the Clerk by way of site meetings in drawing up a list of both outstanding issues and Council proposals with a view to submission to the latest named Highway Engineer for a site meeting within next two months.

2. With reference to item 1: Long term parking outside retail outlets (Newsagent & Butcher shops) Chapel Croft/Draft letter to Asst. Dacorum District Manager, Hertfordshire Highways
RESOLVED:
Draft letter is unanimously approved.

C) OPEN SPACES & FOOTPATHS
See Report No 018/03 from Clerk, items 1 – 5

1. With reference to item 1: ‘Provision of a Youth Shelter in Chipperfield – proposal/Cllr Holliday to consult with ‘local youth’
Cllr Holliday reported:
She has held preliminary discussions and awaits the outcome of a meeting to be convened by one of the local ‘Mums’. Most older residents she has spoken to are very sympathetic to the need and in agreement with the proposal although identifying an appropriate site may be a problem. She will liaise with WPC Michelle Buttleman in drawing together a plan and details and sources of grant aid.
RESOLVED:
Action being taken by Cllr Holliday is endorsed.

2. With reference to items 2 – 5: Parish Paths Partnership Scheme (P3) Rolling Programme for CF14 footpath – £1000 grant for 2002-03/Utilise outstanding £786 from 2001-02/Establish DBC funded link from Croft Meadow to CF14/DBC works to ‘Croft Wood’/ Refer to APPENDIX ’C’
RESOLVED:
Council record their thanks to the Clerk.

D) ALLOTMENTS
See Report No 019/03 from Clerk, items 1 – 3

1. With reference to item 2: Application by Chipperfield Corinthians Junior Football Club for ‘All Weather Pitch’ on Allotment Field/Site meeting 18 Feb ’03
Cllr Holliday reported:
This relates to 4 unused plots abutting the school fence and adjacent to the existing Chipperfield Tennis Court on the allotments. Currently there are 14 un-let plots. This exploratory meeting mainly identified problems of construction access, access when in use, screening, removal or severe cutting back of hedge at allotments/school boundary, and external funding.
RESOLVED:
Council await further progress.

E) PLANNING
See Report No 020/03 from Clerk, items 1 – 3

24/03 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES:

A) YOUTH CLUB
Cllr Nichols reported:
The electrical annual safety survey is still awaited.
There is still no progress on finding someone to supervise the Intermediate section.

B) VILLAGE HALL
Cllr Joseph reported he did not attend the latest Committee Meeting. He will forward the Minutes in due course.

C) SCHOOL GOVERNOR
Cllr Wakeman reported that Governors next meet on 26 March. Works to the school extension should commence in April with funding agreed.

D) CHIPPERFIELD CARE
Cllr Berners-Price reported that she attended the latest Management Committee and all seems to be progressing without any problems.

E) CHIPPERFIELD NEWS
Cllr Holliday reported that a replacement Advertising Manager is still to be found and it is anticipated that there will soon be a vacancy for the Business Manager.

F) VILLAGE MILLENNIUM SUB-COMMITTEE
Cllr Nobbs reported that discussions are still ongoing as to progress in production of the ‘Village Map’.

G) HERTFORDSHIRE’S VILLAGE OF THE YEAR SUB-COMMITTEE
Cllr Nobbs reported that a meeting is scheduled for 18 March (Refer to Report 016/03 item 2).

25/03 CORRESPONDENCE
See Report No 021/03 from Clerk, 1 item only

26/03 REPORT OF THE CLERK
The Clerk reported he had nothing further to add to his published Reports.

27/03 PAYMENTS DUE,
INTERIM PAYMENTS MADE & INTERIM INCOME RECEIVED
See Report No 0022/03 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.

28/03 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.

1. RESOLVED:
Approved.

PART 2

29/03 TO FURTHER CONSIDER A GRANT APPLICATION MADE BY A LOCAL ORGANISATION

30/03 TO ENDORSE PROPOSED EXPENDITURE ON VILLAGE SIGNPOSTS

31/03 TO ENDORSE URGENT EXPENDITURE IN REPLACING AN ITEM OF TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT

See page 6

Part 1 Meeting closed 9.16pm
Part 2 Meeting closed 9.55pm

DATE OF NEXT MEETING – Monday 14 May 2003.

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