Minutes 7th October 2021

Minutes of Castor Parish Council Meeting

Held on Thursday ^7th October, 2021 at 7.30pm in the Cedar Centre

• PRESENT:, Cllr. Neil Boyce (Chairman), Cllr. Richard Anker, Cllr. William Baxter, Cllr. Steve Davies,

Cllr. Jane Greene, Cllr. Fiona Rowlands, Cllr. David Shaw & Cllr. Dennis Surgeon; Two members of the public were also in attendance.

 APOLOGIES – None, all councillors present.

 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Dennis Surgeon declared a non-pecuniary interest in the planning item related to the tree work in Clay lane as he had made the initial request to the City Council to do the planned work in the highway verge

 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS – We unanimously RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 2^nd September, 2021 -. These were duly signed by the chairman.

Proposed Cllr. David Shaw and seconded Cllr. Fiona Rowlands

 Matters arising from the previous minutes. –

 Public Forum – No matters were raised at this point.

 PLANNING and associated matters

 Joint Community Action Plan (JCAP) – The Draft version, arising from the JPLG meeting held on 30^th September, and circulated in advance of this meeting, was agreed as accurate and will be published on the parish council website. We also confirmed that we have no amendments to make to the JPLG Terms of Reference.

1. Neighbourhood Planning (NP) – We agreed to defer further review of our NP pending detailed knowledge of the government’s intentions on amending planning legislation.
2. Status report – We noted the updated position on current planning applications as circulated with the agenda.
3. Planning applications
4. 21/01299/FUL – Castor & Ailsworth Cricket Club – Construction of a new pavilion. Cllr. Davies reported feedback from the club. We agreed to respond to the planning authority that in principle we supported a pavilion meeting ECB standards, and that as Landowners, we would be in discussion with the club about their ambitions on our land.
5. 21/01433/DISCHG – Old Mill, Mill Lane – Discharge of condition C10 – we have no comments to make on this matter

• 21/01432/CTR – Verge opposite 1 Clay Lane – Tree works – We have no objections to these works

1. Woodlands – Cllr. Shaw reported that there was very little to discuss as not much is happening. The Tennis club are progressing their plans to relocate and we may expect to be consulted by the planning authority on a planning application by the club in due course. Residents have also expressed concern over the safety of remaining trees as some have already been felled. We agreed to express those concerns to the planning officer and Cllr Shaw will work with the clerk to formally write to the planning authority seeking consideration of preservation orders.

• LAND & ALLOTMENTS:

1. Land Management – The clerk reported that he had sought tenders from three companies. One had declined to tender, another had submitted a day rate rather than a tender price. We RESOLVED to accept the tender submitted by N J Pacey and instructed the clerk to inform the parties concerned.

Proposed Cllr. Steve Davies – Seconded Cllr. Richard Anker

1. Tree Safety report – We noted the amendment made to the report in respect of an Ash tree and that the revised works is being carried out by Willow Tree Services. In the light of discussions on site we agreed that the tree should be reduced further in height to about 6ft, in expectation that this will be below the level of decay. We also asked that the logs be transported to the Coppice and ask Willow Tree services to invoice the parish council for any additional costs involved.

1. Playground Pathway – The chairman reported that the work is expected to be carried out in the last week in October. We were informed that school half term fell at the same time and the chairman agreed to ask the contractor to defer the work to the following week.

• HIGHWAYS

1. Speed Indication Device – Cllr Anker reported that this is fully working and providing a large quantity of data. The displayed Icons could be changed for speeding drivers and the Facebook page could be used to notify residents that the equipment monitors speed in both directions.
2. Parking issue –Cllr. Richard Anker reported that any progress on this required actions by local residents and he undertook to make further enquiries and report back to a future meeting.
3. d) Observations from Councillors – Cllr. David Shaw had taken Photos and would liaise with the clerk for reporting to the appropriate authority.

• Community MATTERS –Joint Parish Liaison Group (JPLG)- We noted the summary from the meeting on 30^th Cllr Davies asked that this be amended to record the apologies he had sent to the meeting.
• Climate Change – A climate change group had been formed in the village and requested representation on the group from both Castor and Ailsworth parish councils. The group were hoping to produce a single policy statement to be adopted by both parish councils. In the absence of any volunteers the chairman agreed to liaise with the group on behalf of Castor P C.
• Litter Picking – The chairman suggested that we should consider restarting a programme of litter picks in the spring of 2022.

 Noise Pollution – notably from low level aircraft associated with Parachuting. The chairman reported that he had again contacted Grant Richards from the parachuting company, and also researched any powers to curb the nuisance. The parish council has no powers to act. We agreed to write an official letter to the airport owners with a copy to our ward councillors and the MP. We also asked residents to keep a detailed log of date and time when any nuisance is experienced.

 Suspended Brown Bin collections – We noted the actions of the city council brought about by the shortage of Drivers. We considered the possibility of hiring a skip for residents. On consideration we were aware of issues around location and policing to avoid abuse. We agreed to defer a decision on this to a future meeting and to monitor the situation within the parish.

 Langdyke Trust Nature Recovery Plan – We noted the successful open afternoon at the Coppice and the positive feedback from the event. We expressed out thanks to Cllr Anker and to Mike Horne. The Vice chairman reported that parish council will be planting trees in November and a Hawthorn Hedge in Splash Lane. We thanked Cllr. Surgeon for generously donating a further 10 fruit trees from the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers in the City of London.

 Village Tribune – Cllr. Fiona Rowlands would contribute an article to the editor and reported that the deadline for submissions to the editor is the 14^th October

 Cricket Club Pavilion – Further to the item regarding the planning application by the club (see earlier in these minutes) Cllr. Steve Davies reported that we still awaited a detailed business plan and had not expected the club to submit a planning application in advance of that business plan. We are conscious that the S106 monies available to the parish council have to be committed in this financial year and with this in mind it is unrealistic to expect the cricket club plans to have reached a stage where the monies could be committed to work on the ground. We therefore agreed to divert the S106 monies available to us in order to create a countryside open space to preserve and enhance the fragile landscape on land owned by the parish council.

 Village Hall Christmas Tree Budget – The Clerk confirmed that our budget included £250 for the supply of a Christmas tree at the village hall.

Gunwade Ferry Gates – Cllr. Baxter confirmed that these had been removed into safe storage and that there was an intention to build new gates out of Oak to the same design as before and instal these in the spring of 2022.

 A47 Dualling and cycleway provision – Andrew Nash reported to the parish council that the Cycle Forum had lodged objections to the current proposals. The objections related to the exit plans at the Wansford end of the cycleway.

• Governance Matters

 Annual Governance & Accountability Return – External Audit Report – The clerk reported receipt of a clean audit report with no matters to draw to the attention of the parish council.

 Statutory Notice of Conclusion of Audit- We noted that this had been published on our website.

 Receipts and Payments for the half year to 30^th September – We noted the report of the clerk and Responsible Finance Officer showing receipts in the year of £31,836.53 and payments of £16.238.12, together with bank reconciliations showing reserves of £120,591.33 at 30^th September 2021.

 Grant Application from Community First Responder Team – We noted the successful fund-raising effort by the team and that there is a small shortfall from their £5000 target. We RESOLVED to sponsor a specific item of equipment at a cost of £359.00.

Proposed Cllr. David Shaw Seconded Cllr. Dennis Surgeon

 S106 Monies – As referred to elsewhere in these minutes we are conscious that these funds have to be committed in the current financial year. We therefore RESOLVED to allocate the funds to create the infrastructure for our Nature Recovery plan and established a wooded area by tree planting on parish council land together with other associated works.

Proposed Cllr. Neil Boyce Seconded Cllr. David Shaw

 Rural Marketing Town Group – Cllr Davies had undertaken to monitor the relevance of this group to Castor before committing to an affiliation fee of £150 pa. Cllr. Davies reported that whilst the group were proactive, they were more relevant to larger parish councils and town councils. The group also appeared to duplicate much of the activities of the National Association of Local Council (NALC) to which we are already affiliated through CAPALC. Cllr Davies had become aware of a smaller parish council group the affiliation fee to which is a more modest £35. He undertook to conduct a similar monitoring exercise and in due course to report back to the parish council.

• official announcements

1. The clerk reported that he was unaware of any additional matters to be raised under this item
2. Anker reported that he had 5 keys to the allotment lane barrier post. We agreed the keyholders, and reaffirmed that they were not to be lent out to third parties to enable access to the site. One of the keyholders would open and close as required

• Future Agenda Items –

1. Celebration Committee – awaiting updates from the celebrations voluntary committee

 Date of next meeting – Thursday 4^th November, 2021

 There being no further business the chairman closed the meeting at 9.40pm.

 Clerk & RFO 14^th October, 2021