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Minutes of ARLESEY TOWN COUNCIL MEETING held in the Village Hall, Arlesey on Tuesday 8 January 2008.

 

PRESENT:       

            Cllrs:            H Harper (Chairman)                                C Howitt  

                                D Beatham                                             Ms C Marshall

                                J Caffrey                                                 D Page                        

                                I Dalgarno                                               Mrs S Sarll

                                Mrs H Frost                                            D West                        

                                R Harris

Also present:           Mrs E Hare (Town Clerk)                          County Cllr J Street

                               D Ambler (local correspondent)  

144 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Mrs D Archer, Cllr N Daniels, Cllr M Rainbow, Cllr V Williams and County Cllr J Saunders

145 MEMBERS’ INTEREST

No declarations of personal or prejudicial interest were received

146 CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

(a) Christmas Tree Festival

The Chairman said the Tree Festival was very successful again this year. Over the 2 day festival £830 was collected for St Peter’s Church

(b) Fire and Rescue Service – Annual Corporate Plan Summary

The Chairman informed Members if they would like to read this document a copy was in the office

(c) Bedfordshire and Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership

The Chairman said this document was also in the office for Members to view

147 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

There was no public participation

148 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

RESOLVED

that the Minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 4 December 2007 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

149 MATTERS ARISING

There were no matters arising from the previous meeting

150 MONTHLY REPORTS FROM LOCAL BEAT OFFICER

PCSO Patrizia Vetere attended the meeting with PC Steve Holbrook from the Safer             Neighbourhood Team.  PC Holbrook reported on the recorded crime in December 2007

·     16 incidents of anti-social behaviour

·     18 recorded crime incidents in Arlesey.  One a serious house burglary and enquiries are still ongoing

·     2 thefts from a motor vehicle.  A lawnmower was taken from an unlocked vehicle trailer

·     2 violent crimes

·     There were 10 incidents of criminal damage

·     Residents in Lynton Avenue had raised concerns over vandals using a nearby alleyway

·     PC Holbrook had done an investigation as to who owned the alleyway. 

·     Patrizia will investigate all reported criminal damage

·     PC Holbrook commented on the 18th Birthday party held at the WI Hall and the problems which arose from that evening on New Year’s Eve when Hitchin and Arlesey youths fought outside the venue

·     This resulted in 20 officers being called to the scene, a county cover vehicle from Bedford, 2 dog units and the helicopter.  There were 3 arrests.

·     The District Council will be contacting the WI regarding the licence

·     PC Holbrook said Luton and Arlesey were the main New Year’s Eve problem areas

 151 REPORTS FROM COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES    

County Councillor John Street reported:

·     Due to the Christmas holiday there was little to report

·     County are considering reducing the speed limit down to 30mph outside Etonbury School and he will be  pushing for this to be done as soon as possible

·     He said he would like to see the speed limit reduced to 20mph but this would prove difficult to enforce

·     The appropriate budget for this was being sought  for the new financial year

·     The County was working towards a target of 3.8% on Council Tax

152 REPORTS FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

Cllr Ian Dalgarno as District Councillor reported:

·     MBDC were setting their budgets for 2008/2009 within the next 4 weeks

·     Stotfold Leisure Centre will be considered within the next 6 weeks

·     The weekly Waste Food Trial was an unmitigated success

Cllr Hugh Harper as District Councillor reported:

·     He went on the 2 day coach tour to view the proposed sites for the Local Development Framework (LDF)

·     A response to the proposals will be known in March and a public consultation will follow

·     Besides the proposed sites put forward by the Town Council, two other sites in Arlesey had been proposed by developers

·     An update email from MBDC had been received on the Government’s Consultation on Unitary Local Government in Bedfordshire

·     The latest document had been sent to stakeholders in Bedfordshire as a further opportunity to give their opinions on the proposed change to unitary local government in Bedfordshire  

 153 SCHOOL GOVERNOR REPORT

No report available

154 FINANCE

(a) Budget Summary

Members received a copy of the Budget Summary of Income and Expenditure for month 8, November 2007 

RESOLVED

the Budget Summary for November 2007 be noted

(b) Precept for 2008/2009

Members considered the final recommendations presented by the Clerk to the meeting, and unanimously agreed that the precept be £165,211 for the coming Financial Year 2008/2009.  This will be an increase of 11.57% on 2007/2008

RESOLVED  

to submit a request for £165,211 precept from Mid Beds District Council for 2008/2009

(c) Accounts for payment

To approve payment of invoices made in December. 

CEMETERY                                                                             

Handyman                                30.11.2007                                                   590.47

Shanks                                     Refuse collection                                           21.39

VILLAGE HALL                                                                        

Handyman                                30.11.2007                                                  102.44

John Jones                               Litter pick                                                    100.00

Caretaker                                 month 9                                                       147.61

Beds Boro Council                    Refuse collection                                            63.69

ALLOTMENTS                                                                        

Handyman                               30.11.2007                                                    109.27

ENVIRONMENTAL                                                                             

Handyman                               30.11.2007                                                   488.97

John Jones                              Extra for fencing repair 19/11/2007                   40.00

John Jones                              Extra for fencing repair 12/11/2007                   40.00

MJ Ryall                                  Repair of fencing                                            28.64

JB Fencing                              Repair of fencing                                             19.52

Eon                                         Street lighting                                               176.96

Clements                                 Bench at Skate Park                                     435.93

GENERAL PURPOSE & FINANCE 

Handyman                                30.11.2007                                                   185.02

                                               Staff Salaries month 9                                 3,105.35

                                               PAYE/NIC month 9                                     1,014.13

                                               Superannuation month 9                                825.26

Mello                                       Resource Centre Manager - November             843.15

SAGE                                     Payroll Support                                                59.00

4thenet                                    Internet                                                           19.99

Arlesey Sports Assoc               Grant towards repairs to floodlights                  560.00

Metrosigns                               Noticeboard                                                1,595.65

MJ Ryall                                  Paint & filler war memorial                                20.57

AR Worboys                             Hitchin Rd 2 cuts, Stotfold Rd

                                                1 cut & end of season cut                             666.25

Abacus                                     Toner - Resource Centre                                61.09

Abacus                                     Photocopier                                                  38.03

Yellow Mood                             Stationery Resource Centre                            29.37

Infotec                                      Balance of RC maintenance contract

                                                for Resource Centre photocopier                    14.35

BT                                            Telephone                                                  229.52

BT                                            Fax                                                             50.52

RESOLVED confirm these accounts be paid

(d) Bank Correspondence

The Clerk reported to the meeting that she had received confirmation from the bank that all the formalities for the new Mandate were complete and it was up and running.     

AGREED to note this

(e) Bus Shelter Grants

The Clerk reported that since September 2006 she had been chasing Bedfordshire County Council for three bus shelter grants of £1950.  This needed to be received before the end of the financial year.  Because there had been no response to several requests for payments, the Clerk said she then contacted the Senior Public Transport Co-Ordinator who said he was unaware the accounts department had not sent the grants payment.    

When payment was eventually received the Clerk said she emailed to thank him, he responded that the delay was caused by an internal accountancy error.

AGREED to note this

155 REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

Reports from the following Committees:

Property Committee – 20 November 2007                

Environmental Committee – 20 November 2007 (precept proposal)    

General Purposes/Finance – 20 November 2007             

RESOLVED

the above committee minutes be accepted and these would be approved and signed by the Chair of the committees at their next meeting

156 PUBLIC MEETING REPORTS

(a) Previous to the meeting Members had received a copy of the minutes of the public meeting held on 26 November 2007 on the Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document: Second Issues and Options Consultation                             

RESOLVED to note the minutes of the public meeting on 26 November 2007                

(b) Previous to the meeting Members had received a copy of the minutes of the public meeting held on 10 December 2006 on the Town Council’s proposals for the Local Development Framework (LDF)

Cllr Hugh Harper reported the meeting went well.  He responded to a Members question on a point that was raised at the public meeting, when a landowner said he may not sell his land.  Cllr Harper said that this may not necessarily mean the landowner would hold the trump card.

RESOLVED to note the minutes of the public meeting on 10 December 2007                

157 MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR

Previous to the meeting Members had received a copy of the report on the meeting on the 19 December 2007 with Mr Jones.  The Clerk went over the issues raised at that meeting.

RESOLVED to note the report on the meeting with Mr Jones on 19 December 2007

158 CONFIDENT COMMUNITIES FUND

The Chairman went through the details of the application form and Members considered the correspondence from the Neighbourhood Watch Association, the PCSO Services and the information pack from Beds County Council.  The Chairman reminded Members of the already agreed £250 of the Town Council’s allocation from the Confident Communities Fund would go towards 7a for Youth Activities in conjunction with Stotfold Town Council as agreed at the Town Council’s meeting on 4 December 2007.

RESOLVED

the Chairman would look at the application for further consideration at the General Purpose and Finance Committee meeting on 22 January 2008 for the Town Council’s final submission. 

159 PARKING IN ARLESEY

Members received a copy of the Parking Enforcement issues from 1 June 2007 to 30 November 2007.  They were concerned that parking attendants were not visiting the town often enough.

Action: The Clerk to contact Mid Beds District Council to ascertain how much this service costs the ratepayer and the amount of time allocated for parking attendants’ visits.

160 CORRESPONDENCE - MID BEDS DISTRICT COUNCIL

Correspondence regarding the Review of Polling District and Polling Places

AGREED to note this correspondence 

161 DEVELOPERS CONTRIBUTIONS SECURED

Correspondence had been received from Mid Beds District Council informing the Town Council of the Section 106 Agreement secured from the development at 156 High Street towards the provision of play space (£3,162) and sporting facilities (£1,182). 

RESOLVED

the amount for play space will go towards the childrens play area and sporting facilities amount towards the MUGA

162 ALLOTMENT

The Clerk reported to the meeting that a payment had been requested from the Town Council for rotavating an allotment plot.  There had been no directive from the Town Council office for this work to be done and the Clerk was unaware this work     had been carried out until Mr J Jones had informed her at their meeting on 19 December 2007 which was before the demand for payment.  Mr J Jones, when asked   by the Clerk, said he did not know who carried out the rotovating

RESOLVED

no payment is made as there had not been a request for the work to be done by the Town Clerk

163 BOTTLE BANK – WEST DRIVE

A reminder email had been received from Mid Beds District Council regarding bottle banks in West Drive car park.

RESOLVED

that West Drive would not be a suitable place after all for a bottle bank

            164 REPRESENTATIVES’ REPORTS

Arlesey Landfill Liaison Group

·     Cllr Harper reported from a meeting that had taken place prior to the Town Council meeting.

·     Waste importation had ceased slightly later than anticipated on the 10 December 2007

·     Restoration materials only  will now be coming into the site

·     Restoration will now proceed and will be monitored quarterly

·     The quarterly monitoring will coincide with site meetings for the proposed restoration forum

·     An application had been received to defer the screening bund and associated landscaping adjacent to the gas compound until importation of restoration materials had ceased

·     Further noise monitoring of the gas engines will take place after a complaint from a resident

                                                                                                             CHAIRMAN 

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