Minutes 5th March 2019 – Swaffham Bulbeck Parish Council

MINUTES OF SWAFFHAM BULBECK PARISH COUNCIL
MEETING NUMBER 472
Held at Downing Court on Tuesday 5th March 2019 starting at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Sue Romero (SR); Cllr Peter Raby (PR); Cllr Nicky Bates (NB); Cllr Lynn Reed (LR); Cllr Mary Smith (MS); Cllr Gordon Reid (GR); Cllr Robin Sewell (RS); Cllr John Trapp (JT); Cllr Kay Ballard(KB);
Clerk: Mrs D Bayliss
1 Parishioner
Meeting opened at 7.30pm

4611 TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
D Cllr Alderson; C Cllr Shuter;
4612 MEMBERS DECLARATION OF INTEREST FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA & REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
None
4613 OPEN FORUM FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
One member of the public attended the meeting.
4614 TO APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING 471 5th FEBRUARY 2019
It was proposed by Cllr LR and seconded by Cllr MS that the minutes of meeting 471 held on 5th February are approved and signed by the chairman.
CARRIED
4615 MATTERS ARISING including REPORTS FROM CLERK AND COUNCILLORS (For information only)
• Notice of Appeal 18/00737/FUL Erection of two single storey dwellings at Land southeast of The Bungalow, Abbey Lane – On behalf of the Parish Council, the Chairman had lodged the appeal objection on 15th February and confirmation that it has been accepted had been received. There is currently no further information on the website. It was noted that there has been a significant number of responses to the appeal from the neighbouring properties in Commercial End.
4616 COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORTS
County Councillor
There was no report from the County Councillor
District Councillor
There was no report from the District Councillor
4617 PLANNING MATTERS
a) Update on East Cambridgeshire Local Plan (previously circulated by email).
On 21st February Full Council voted overwhelmingly in favour of withdrawing the East Cambridgeshire Local Plan from its Examination by an independent inspector – East Cambs did not make this decision lightly. The plan the council submitted to the National Planning Inspectorate was legally and procedurally correct. The council wanted an up to date Local Plan which reflected the aspirations of both the District Council and its communities. Cllr Romero had contacted Ed Dade, Strategic Planning Officer, at East Cambs District Council about implications for Swaffham Bulbeck and had received a response. A full response on the implications for Neighbourhood Planning would be forthcoming in the next few days.
b) Planning Approvals
19/00065/LBC Alteration of existing truss to provide access to roof space at 6 Frank Turner Court, Swaffham Bulbeck for Mr & Mrs Winchester
4618 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING UPDATE
a) The minutes of the Steering Group had been circulated. There are currently about 40 responses to the questionnaire and there are still 10 days remaining for responses.
4619 FINANCES INCLUDING APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS
a) It was proposed by Cllr GR and seconded by Cllr RS that the Bank Reconciliations for February are approved.
CARRIED
b) It was proposed by Cllr JT and seconded by Cllr MS that the March accounts are approved and paid including the additional payments to the SLCC (Conference) £339.00 and to Eyelid Productions (Website & Email Addresses) £335.00.
CARRIED
Payments Since the Last Meeting
BACS Mrs D Bayliss Clerk’s Salary Confidential LGA 1972 s112
BACS Inland Revenue Income Tax Confidential LGA 1972 s112
Payments for Tonight’s meeting
BACS Mr J Sugg Handyman Payment £66.00 £0.00 £66.00 Open Spaces Act 1906 ss9 & 10 LGA 1972 s214
BACS Mrs D Bayliss Travel/Telephone £75.15 £0.00 £75.15 LGA 1972 s174
BACS Mrs D Bayliss Home Office Expenses £120.00 £0.00 £120.00 LGA 1972 s112
BACS JCS Bookkeeping Payroll £20.40 £4.08 £24.48 LGA 1972 s112
BACS Greenwood Tree Surgery Emergency Tree Work £60.00 £12.00 £72.00 Open Spaces Act 1906 ss9 & 10 LGA 1972 s214
BACS Parish Online Mapping Service £30.00 £6.00 £36.00 LGA 1972 s111
BACS Royal Mail PO Box £222.50 £44.50 £267.00 LGA 1972 s111
BACS Glasdon Bench £921.73 £184.35 £1,106.08 Open Spaces Act 1906 ss9 & 10 LGA 1972 s214
BACS Communicorp Local Councils Update £100.00 £0.00 £100.00 LGA 1972 s111
300198 Sanctuary Housing Room Hire £70.00 £0.00 £70.00 LGA 1972 s111
4620 HIGHWAYS MATTERS
The Highways Working Group had explored the likelihood of an illegal encampment on The Denny and possible preventative options. It was generally agreed that the central village location would likely be a deterrent. Following the discussion the Parish Council were agreed to take no preventative action at this stage. However, a letter will be sent by the parish council to Andrew Lamb, Traveller Liaison Officer, at the District Council showing their support for a district-wide preventative injunction against illegal encampments.
4621 PARISH ELECTIONS
a) Nomination papers were made available for those councillors who intend to re-stand for election. The papers have to be submitted between 27th March 10am and 3rd April 4pm (there are no mitigating circumstances for missing the deadline).
4622 OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE
a) The Clerk had previously circulated a power point presentation on this sensitive issue. The Council agreed that the Clerk and Cllr Lynn Reed would form a small working group to discuss actions the council might take in the event of a death of a senior person of state.
Suggestions include:
• Consider appropriate action to take for website blackout
• Allocate a specific area for the laying of flowers
• Consider how these will be collected/disposed of after D10
• Chairman to visit school/Downing Court?
• Book of Condolence
The Clerk and Lynn Reed to liaise with the church and the school
4623 PAVILION MATTERS
a) The pavilion re-development group reported that following a very small number of responses from the survey sent out to the community there was no consensus of opinion therefore the matter would be reviewed in the autumn. The group also requested that the Parish Council carries out any affordable minor refurbishment to maximise continued use.
It was also agreed that some advice would be sought as to how to improve the football pitch by levelling and draining it.
Acrow props have been placed under the roof at the front of the pavilion as supporting wooden posts have rotted. Quotes for repairs are being sought.
The Clerk reported that she had completed the annual return for the pavilion charity and that she had removed the individual councillor names from the document and listed ‘Swaffham Bulbeck Parish Council’ as the trustee.
4624 DENNY AND PLAY AREA MATTERS
a) The play area inspection was carried out by Cllr Trapp and there were no major issues to report. Some remedial works need to be carried out to the barbeque.
4625 GUTTER BRIDGE WOOD MATTERS
a) Cllr Sewell had walked the woods recently and commented that the aconites and snowdrops were beautiful as well as various wildlife including muntjac deer and woodpeckers. He also noted some of the ivy had been cut back from one of the trees.
4626 CEMETERY MATTERS
a) The Clerk will make further inquiries with regard to re-selling the Exclusive Right of Burial for a family plot originally purchased in 1920 and bring the information back to the next meeting.
4627 CORRESPONDENCE/MATTERS FOR INFORMATION ONLY
a) To Note Items Sent by Email
4628 MOTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC AND PRESS
It is hereby resolved in accordance with section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 that as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted at Agenda Item 4629 namely Clerks Appraisal (State Agenda Item) it is advisable in the public interest that the Public and Press be temporarily excluded from this meeting and they are herewith instructed to withdraw.
The meeting closed to the public and press at 8.51pm and re-opened at 9.11pm.
4629 CLERKS APPRAISAL
The Clerk’s appraisal had been carried out by Cllr SR and Cllr MS on 31 January 2019.
Councillors discussed the remaining items brought up at that meeting.

Regarding the Council’s contribution towards an eye test and the provision of occupational lenses (glasses), the Clerk was to be asked to contact the SLCC to see whether they had a model policy which, if applicable, could be adopted by the Parish Council. A pro-rata payment could then be considered on receipt of an invoice.
Proposed by Cllr GR Seconded by Cllr MS
CARRIED

In recognition of the Clerk having been employed for five years and having broadened her knowledge and undertaken training courses in order to help and advise the Council, It was resolved to increase her salary by one spinal column point on the new scale to Point 25 £14.96 an hour with effect from April 2019.
CARRIED
4630 Date of Next Meeting:
April 2nd, 2019
The meeting closed at 9.14pm