Meeting minutes 04.10.2016
ALBURY PARISH COUNCIL (APC) MEETING
Minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 4th October 2016, 19.15 hrs at the Village Hall
Present: Cllr Clayden-Smith, Cllr Murdoch, Cllr Walne and Cllr Waples
In attendance: Mrs J Pettitt (parish clerk) and 1 member of the public.
The vice-chairman opened the meeting at 7.25 pm
1. To receive and accept apologies for absence. Cllr Muller and Cllr Benton sent apologies. Cllr Murdoch gave apologies for the next meeting, 1st November 2016.
2. To receive declarations of interest. None.
3. To confirm the minutes of the Albury Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 6th September 2016. Resolved that these minutes be agreed as a true and accurate record of the proceedings and be duly signed by the vice-chairman. Unanimously agreed.
4. To receive reports on actions agreed at the last council meeting
Actions will be reported in specific agenda points.
5. To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public
None.
6. To consider planning applications
3/16/2184/HH. Horseshoes High Hall Farm Clapgate Albury Ware. Erection of ancillary outbuilding (Retrospective). No comment.
7. To receive bank statements, bank reconciliation and financial summary
These were received by the Council and found to be satisfactory.
Balance at 31/8/16: £30,159.99
Income: Litter picking grant £1,389.44, Precept £3,450.00, Transparency funding £472.54
Outgoings: As agreed 5/7/16 £264.06
Balance at 30/9/15: £35,211.76
8. To agree payments due
Grasscutters & Co (allotment mowing July and August), £130; Clerks Salary, £711.36; Litter Picking £104.
Total £945.36
Resolved, proposed by Cllr Clayden-Smith, seconded by Cllr Waples, that these payments be made. Unanimously agreed.
9. To receive the clerk’s report (for information only)
We received a further transparency funding grant of £472.54 from the HAPTC.
10. To discuss the Natural England management plan for Patmore Heath
11. Prior to the meeting, APC requested clarification of the HMWT management plans for Patmore Heath, as a resident had made queries at a previous meeting. Natural England provided information outlining the plans which are followed by HMWT on their behalf. APC agreed to forward this information to the resident who raised the query.
12. To receive an update of the testing of the Village Emergency Telephone System (VETS)
VETS was tested at 19:30 on 3rd October 2016. Three people received the call; the first two volunteers rejected it as requested, the third person answered the call and spoke to the tester. APC are happy that the system is working correctly and so plan to advertise the number in the Albury Newsletter, on Facebook and on the village noticeboards.
13. To receive a report of the progress of the Albury Parish Walks leaflet
This is progressing through the design stage.
14. To receive a report of the progress of the village hall playground fundraising
Postponed to the next agenda.
15. To receive an update of the quest to finds a suitable site for a traditional village sign
APC is in discussion with the Bus Stop Green land owner and awaits further communication as to whether he will grant permission for a sign to be placed at the site.
16. To receive a community bus update and discuss the cost of a trial with a local minibus company
A local company gave a ballpark figure of £50 return to Bishop’s Stortford town centre for an 8 seater taxi on a Saturday. The clerk is to establish if APC are permitted to fund this for a 6 month period to gauge the popularity of such a service.
17. To discuss converting the Albury Road red telephone box into a community library
APC is to investigate adopting the telephone box for this purpose. The clerk agreed to seek residents’ opinions of the idea.
18. To suggest agenda items for the Parish Council Meeting to be held Tuesday 1st November 2016 at 7.15pm at the Village Hall
Albury Christmas Walks, increase litter picking rate, litter picker for village hall grounds, dog waste bags, village sign design/costs, councillor vacancy, playground, walks leaflet, community bus, website updates
The vice-chairman closed the meeting at 8.30 pm