Minutes of ARLESEY TOWN COUNCIL MEETING held in the Village Hall, Arlesey on Tuesday 4 March 2008.

PRESENT:       

            Cllrs:           H Harper (Chairman)                                C Howitt 

                               Mrs D Archer                                          Ms C Marshall

                               J Caffrey                                                 Mrs S Sarll

                               I Dalgarno                                               D West

                               N Daniels                                               V Williams

                            R Harris                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Also present:          County J Saunders

                              Mrs E Hare (Town Clerk)                          4 members of the public

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr D Beatham, Cllr Mrs Frost, Cllr M Rainbow, Cllr D Page and County Cllr J Street  

No declarations of personal or prejudicial interest were received  

186 CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

(a) BATPC – Correspondence regarding the next meeting of the Local Area Agreement Reference Group

The Chairman announced the second meeting of the Parish and Town Councils LAA Reference Group will take place at the Rufus Centre, Flitwick on Friday 28 March   2008 at 10am

(b) Youth Football

The Chairman reported to Members that a recent meeting had taken place with the Bedfordshire Football Association regarding all weather Astro turf pitches which would benefit the town’s youth football teams, youth club and ladies football club. The MUGA was the initial site for these pitches but after considering the amount of vandalism in this area, it was decided that the pitches would be better placed at the ground of Arlesey Town Football Club. This was viewed as a good position in terms of managing and safety of the pitches.

Cllr Harper went on to say that it had been agreed that the Town Council would have management control and be responsible for the booking of the pitches. There would be a separate access to these pitches. 

A consultation will take place and some of the funding will come from the Beds FA and additional funding will have to be sought. Initially a consultant will be needed at an approximate cost of £6,000.  This may be a shared cost between the Town Council and the Youth Football Club.

Cllr Harper went on to say that another meeting is due shortly and he hoped the Town Council would give this their full support.

(c) SWAT (Springwatch Action Teams)

As part of Springwatch 2008, BBC Local Radio stations are challenging staff and listeners to turn unloved pieces of land into breathing places for people and nature.  Over one weekend (7-8 June) 51 sites will be tackled by special SWAT teams and they will have two days to transform a piece of land. Further details can be obtained from the Town Council office on how you can get involved. 

(d) ITV1 Body Programme

The Chairman said an email had been received from ITV1 Body Programme asking   for local people to contact them to get involved with a programme called The Great British Body which will take place over a series of road shows and filmed during a nationwide road show.  They were looking for one family from each county in Britain to attend one of their road shows.  Details will be displayed in the Resource Centre and on the Town Council noticeboard.

(e) Membership of Bedford Area Bus Users

The Chairman read out details of a message sent to town and parish councils inviting them to join the organisational membership of Bedford Area Bus Users Society (BABUS).  In return for membership the Town Council will receive regular newsletters and access to their regular committee meetings with Beds County Council and Stagecoach.  The annual membership rate is £12. 

Members noted this information and thought it would be beneficial to join the BABUS membership and this will be placed this on the next agenda 

(f) Temporary Road Closure

Correspondence regarding a Temporary Road Closure Order for the A507 Church End roundabout for resurfacing works of the whole roundabout.  Bedfordshire Highways informed the Town Council works are expected to take place for up to three nights during the period from 3 March to 30 April 2008.

(g) Partnership Bulletin (Issue) 5           

The Chairman informed Members a copy of the Partnership Bulletin had been placed in their personal trays.

187 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A member of the public spoke on the recent vandalism problems in Lynton Avenue and about the fear residents have experienced and will continue to do so if these problems are not addressed soon by the police.

There were no matters arising

PC Steve Holbrook from the Safer Neighbourhood Team was unavailable to give his  monthly report to the meeting and sent his apologies. Cllr Hugh Harper presented the February crime figures to the meeting on PC Holbrook’s behalf.

·        28 incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported during February,  20 of  these  were related to nuisance young people. They were spread throughout the whole town but the majority of the reports were in Lymans Road, Lynton Avenue and the Community Centre

·         PC Holbrook expressed his support of the Town Council’s application to MBDC for ABC for these young people

·         A total of 22 crimes were recorded in February – several homes throughout the town had forced entries

·         There were no thefts of motor vehicles and 1 recorded theft from a motor vehicle

·        3 violent crimes, all were domestic related

·         9 criminal damage reported

·         2 burglaries reported from other buildings

·         2 reported thefts – one a camera and an attempted entry to a vehicle

·         No other crimes were recorded and no fraud or drug related incidents  

191 REPORTS FROM COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES    

 County Councillors John Saunders reported:

·         We have come to the end of the unitary period and by the time of the next Town Council meeting the County Council will have the Government’s reply

·         There was not much to report from the County Council

·         He said he attended the LDF meeting at the Town Council offices on Monday 3 March 2008 and thought it covered good common ground to go forward with the Town Council’s proposals

Cllr Ian Dalgarno as District Councillor reported:

·         MBDC had been awarded £216,744 lottery grant for Children’s Play

·         The Town Council should push for some of it to come our way

·         A survey on the LDF showed there were 331 users and 14 comments left from Arlesey

·         He urged as many councillors as possible to attend the public exhibition on Wednesday 19 March 2008 between 1pm to 8pm to help get the Town Council’s proposals across to the public. Both he and Cllr Harper would be there all day

·         Other towns that had already had their exhibition, had received a good response from the public

·         The Gypsy and Traveller consultation – the MBDC Task Force meeting is on 8 April, then after this meeting, on the 1 May 2008 the Task Force Members will carry out a tour of the proposed sites

·         The District Council is working with Postwatch on the Government’s proposed measures to modernize and reshape the post office Network, as it is unsustainable in its present form

·         A large percentage are second post offices, Arlesey needs to keep both post offices

No report.

(a) Budget Summary

Members received a copy of the Budget Summary of Income and Expenditure for month 10, January 2008 

(b) Mid Beds Citizens Advice Bureau

A recommendation brought forward from the General/Purpose & Finance meeting of 19 February 2008 for Members to consider giving a donation.

(c) Audit Commission

 A  letter received from the Audit Commission informed the Town Council of their proposal to appoint BDO Stoy Hayward LLP as auditor to Arlesey Town Council.  The appointment will be for a five year period, commencing with the 2007/08 accounts.

The Audit Commission also proposed to appoint a panel of its own officers that can be external auditor to Arlesey Town Council in the event that BDO Stoy Hayward LLP is not able to continue with the appointment.

Reports from the following Committees:

Public Relations – 22 January 2008                            

Property Committee – 19 February 2008                            

General Purposes/Finance – 19 February 2008              

Correspondence received from Mid Beds District Council regarding inspection of various trees standing on the area of Open Space at Chase Hill Road, Arlesey. The inspections had highlighted a number of trees which gave cause for concern.  The letter also stated of the District Council’s intention to remove a small number of trees due to basal decay.

Cllr Hugh Harper reported to the meeting that Arlesey Sports Association agreed the official take over arrangements should now take place from 1 April 2008. A further meeting to complete the transfer to the Town Council will be arranged.

Cllr Harper proposed that the MUGA should be the responsibility of the Property Committee.

Further to minute number 54 of the Town Council’s meeting on 3 July 2007 and minute number 178 of the Town Council’s meeting of 5 February 2008 the Town Council is empowered to undertake such matters under

The Local Government Act 1972, Sched. 14, para 27  

Correspondence had been received concerning a street light attached to a property in London Row.  The Clerk had contacted Highways to look at the problem and two possible solutions were presented to Council.           

RESOLVED

1. The Clerk to obtain further advice on a new lamp attached to the property,  details on the second option to site a new light on the opposite side of the road and the cost for both options

2. The Clerk responds to the residents that the Town Council is to complete a survey to obtain information and costs for both options

199 DEVELOPERS CONTRIBUTION SECURED

Members considered the correspondence from Mid Beds District Council on the Section 106 Agreement from the Developers Contributions Secured from the Portland Industrial Estate Development, planning ref 06/00272/OUT, providing contributions for Sporting Open Space of £19,814.00 ‘for the provision of sports facilities.’         

Two possibilities were proposed, with the take over of the MUGA, part of the money could be used towards the provision of the sports facilities and part towards the provision of football facilities

RESOLVED

to use the 106 contribution for the provision of the MUGA and football sports facilities

200 LOCALS WORKS 

            Correspondence from Ron Bailey, Local Works Organiser and Stephen Shaw, Local Works Co-ordinator informing the Town Council of the outcome of their 5 years campaigning for the Sustainable Communities Bill and that it has now become law.  

            AGREED to note this information

            201 MID BEDS DISTRICT COUNCIL – COUNCIL TAX BASE 2008/2009

            Correspondence from the Revenues Manager at MBDC informing the Town Council of the Council Tax Base for 2008/2009 

            AGREED to note this information            

            202 CLOSURE OF ARLESEY LANDFILL SITE

            The Chairman read a letter to the meeting from Shanks Waste Management Ltd.  It stated that due to the closure of Arlesey Landfill site they had been forced to look at alternative points of disposal for the parts of the waste stream which could not be recycled or diverted from landfill. 

            They had looked further afield for alternative disposal for the recycled waste collected and although they had worked towards the best possible deal basically, it still meant that there would be an increase in haulage and disposal costs which had to be passed on. 

            AGREED to note this information

            203 ST PETER’S CHURCH  

            A letter from Helen Bardell, Treasurer, St Peter’s Church requested a reduction in the letting fee for their Quiz Night booked at the Village Hall for the 25 April 2008. 

            RESOLVED 

            There would be no charge for this event   

            204 RESOURCE CENTRE

            Prior to the meeting, Members had received a copy of the notes from the Resource Centre Strategy Group meeting on 24 January 2008. Cllr Harper asked Members if there were any questions from that meeting.  

            He gave a further update since that meeting and said John Pilgrim would be happy to come along to the Resource Centre and present a talk and book signing session of his book “Why We Love Bedfordshire”.  Two dates had been suggested for the evening 30 April and 28 May 2008 and he asked Members to give their support for the evening.   

            (b) Letter from Mid Bed District Council informing the Town Council that Officers and Members are working with Postwatch to raise awareness and to respond to the proposed closure programme                           

            Prior to the meeting Members received copies of the letters concerning Post Office closures, these stated that public consultations will take place following the release of the proposed closures.  

            Cllr I Dalgarno said he proposed to go to the meetings at Mid Beds District Council and speak to the local Postmasters. 

            AGREED to note this information

            207 GOTHIC MEDE SCHOOL – DOG FOULING 

            (a) Correspondence from the governors of the school regarding dog fouling problems on the recreation area behind the Community Centre.

            (b) Members to consider proposing banning dogs from the recreation area 

            The Chairman said that complaints of dog fouling were still coming into the office and it was time to consider banning dogs from the recreation area behind the Community Centre.   

Cllr Harper read information from the Defra parish council guide to environmental  enforcement, the Clean Neigbourhood and Environment Act 2005, and said the use of dog control orders is governed by two sets of Regulations, The Dog Control Orders (Procedures) Regulations 2006 and the Dog Control Orders (Prescribed Offences and Penalties, etc) Regulations 2006.  These set out how dog control orders are implemented and the procedure that must be followed when making them and the penalties that can be applied.    

RESOLVED 

the Town Council looks into making a dog control order for it to be an offence of permitting a dog to enter land from which it is excluded and a Form of Order

208 COMMUNITY CENTRE – SITE AGENT 

            The Chairman read out the letter from Gothic Mede School informing the Town Council of their intentions to employ a caretaker when the present site agent retires.  He said the Clerk had sent an email to her contact at Beds County Council asking for clarity to changes to the new site agent’s position.  No one had responded to the Clerk before the meeting. 

            AGREED to note this information

            209 BEDFORDSHIRE HIGHWAYS   

            Cllr Harper said a copy of Bedfordshire Highways Draft 5 year programme – final consultation had been received for consideration and comment by the Town Council. The finalised programme would be published in April once fully approved by Beds County Council.   

            AGREED to note this information   

            210 REPRESENTATIVES’ REPORTS

            There were no representatives’ reports from outside bodies as no meetings had taken place since the last Town Council meeting. 

            Cllr Harper said there would be a Town Plan meeting on 10 March 2008                                        

                                                                                                            CHAIRMAN