JRW/348

TODWICK PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held in Todwick Village Hall
at 7.00 p.m. on Tuesday 22nd February 2011

Present

• Councillor Ferris
• Councillor Gregory
• Councillor Hill - Chairman
• Councillor Leah
• Councillor Palmer
• Councillor Pantry
• Councillor Pilson
• Councillor White
• J R Walker - Clerk & Financial Officer
• Helen Johnston - Dinnington/Worksop Guardian Newspaper
• Members of the public

10/153 Apologies

An apology had been received from Councillor Northall.

10/154 Approval of the Minutes

10/152(3) Pocket Handkerchief Lane to replace Hangsman Lane.

The amendment was made and the minutes then signed as a true record.

10/155 MATTERS ARISING

1. 10/152(2)

   Pantry and Palmer had obtained the necessary information from the Clerk and spoken with Sheena Spence at YLCA who was to offer the detailed advice on completion of her formal assessment.

2. 10/152(3)

   Chairman was pleased to see that notices had been erected advising of the roadworks on Todwick Road on 7th March but asked that the Clerk request RMBC to replace these with bigger ones placed back-to-back.

10/156 URGENT ITEMS FOR LATER CONSIDERATION

1. Goosecarr Lane Ditch
2. Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter
3. A57
4. Post Office

10/157 CLERK'S REPORT

Clerk had carried out all his duties instructed at the last meeting.

10/158 FINANCIAL OFFICER'S REPORT

	£
Monies received
	Nil
Payments made since last meeting
	Nil
Previously signed cheques not appearing on bank statements
	Nil
Payments to be made
1. HMR&C - Tax/NI	207.50
2. J R Walker - Salary/ Expenses	644.52
3. Todwick Village Hall - Parish Plan/Council Meetings	45.00
4. Todwick Village Hall - Street Dance	36.00
5. Yorkshire Water - Allotment Bill	0.27
6. J Marples - Village Maintenance	357.61
7. D Gregory - Mortice and Cylinder Lock Keys	45.86

Bank statement balances
Business Saver	Business Saver	Business Saver	Community
£4,401.14	£19,816.71	£10,006.05	£ 1.00
Bank balances after all payments completed
Business Saver	Business Saver	Business Saver	Community
£4,401.14	£18,479.95	£10,006.05	£1.00

10/159 CORRESPONDENCE

1. RMBC - Borough Wide Parish Network Meeting

2. RMBC - Standards Committee Minutes/Agenda for 10th February

   Pantry gave a summary of the minutes.

3. YLCA - Elections 2011

4. YLCA - Training & Development Programme

5. RMBC - Maintaining Road Network During Adverse Weather

   Members considered the letter to be grammatically more correct than that previously received. It was a better attempt to answer the questions asked by the parish council but was not entirely satisfactory. It was unlikely any further enquiry would prove successful but the Clerk was instructed to ask when the results of the planned review would be known and seek an assurance that these would be communicated to the parish council.

6. BDO - Audit Briefing

7. SYPTE - Travel South Yorkshire Web Site

10/160 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

1. RB2011/0122

   Single storey side and rear extension with room in roof-space and dormer window to rear

   (Amendment to RB2010/1615) at 3 Osborne Road, for Mr. M Crowther

   Resolved to offer no objection.

10/161 COMMITTEES

Allotments

Ferris reported on the situation at the site.

Resolved to increase rents for 2012/13 to £12 for a full plot and £7 for a half plot.

Recreation Ground

Gregory advised that the old container had not yet been removed. Scrap metal dealers so far contacted had stated that removal costs would equate to the scrap value.

Chairman would seek quotations from other sources and include the option to cut up the container into more manageable pieces.

Gregory had had the keys cut to allow access to the sports pavilion by the youth group and thanked Mr. Marples the village maintenance contractor for repairing numerous water leaks at the pavilion.

Gregory informed that eight bowling greens were to be closed in Rotherham parks during the year with a further eight being closed the following year.

Village Hall

White gave further advice on the potential benefits to be derived from fitting PV Panels to the village hall roof.

Resolved to allow the Village Hall Management Committee to apply for a grant towards the cost of installing PV Panels to the village hall roof.

The meeting was suspended at 8.00 p.m.

OPEN SESSION

1. Mr. Oxley gave examples of traffic problems and expressed the concern of his neighbours and himself concerning the signing of Mortains and nearby roads.

   Clerk would ask RMBC to review the signing and make any appropriate amendments.

2. Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. Bilton, PCSO Dimelow, several young parishioners and adults were in attendance representing the group recently formed to allow young people to participate in a variety of activities.

   Mrs. Pearson and others explained the successful introduction of the group and asked the council to undertake some essential improvements to the sports pavilion and offer a financial contribution to assist with setting up costs, insurance and similar essential matters.

   A list of requests was left for members' consideration.

Open Session closed at 8.30 p.m.

10/162 MEMBER'S ACTIVITY REPORTS

1. Leah reported on the preparation of the draft parish plan copies of which she handed out to members.

   Resolved to seek the comments of PC Saul the local community police officer on the questions concerning neighbourhood policing.

2. Palmer reported on his attendance at the SYPTE meeting at Harthill. Four out of five support staff were to be released and other funding cuts were also to be introduced during late March or early April. The only good news was that community transport was unlikely to be affected by the reduction in funding.

3. Leah advised that a Royal British Legion pack introduced to celebrate its 90th Birthday would be displayed at the Fun Day.

10/163 VILLAGE MAINTENANCE

Palmer reported on the contractor's activities including replacing the glass in four broken windows and the repair of water leaks at the sports pavilion.

10/164 ADDENDUMS TO VILLAGE HALL CONSTITUTION

White explained that the signed disclaimer sheets had now been received and sent to the Charity Commission, together with the five resolutions reflecting the changes to the trust deed to bring it in line with current day practice. A response from the Commission was now awaited before final approval from the parish council to agree would be sought.

10/165 RECYCLING

Pilson had discussed possible options with the J & I School but extensive provision was already made and she saw no need for anything further.

10/166 GOOSECARR LANE TELEPHONE BOX

Chairman/Ferris had inspected the box and could see little practical use for it in its present location.

Resolved to consider the possibility of using it as a book exchange or if this proved unsuccessful to paint the box, secure the door and leave it in place for its historical connotations and as a sculptural feature on the road side verge.

10/167 MOBILE CCTV

White reported that the camera remained in place.

10/168 YOUTH CLUB

Resolved

1. To support in principle the upgrading of the sports pavilion to accommodate further use as a youth club.
2. That Councillors Northall and Pilson together with Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Bilton draw up a list of specific actions and costs needed to implement the plan and report back to council with their recommendations.

10/169 WALES 22 PUBLIC FOOTPATH

Clerk reported on the many complaints received over a prolonged period concerning the lack of enforcement action being taken against the tipping company that had failed to remove obstructions from the path or comply with instructions from the Environment Agency and Rotherham Borough Council. The parish council, Wales Parish Council, Todwick Ramblers and others had so far been unsuccessful in persuading the relevant agencies to take the necessary enforcement action.

White had walked the path with Councillor Northall and others and agreed that the situation was wholly unsatisfactory. Water from a lorry wheel wash had turned part of the surface into a slurry entirely unfit to be walked upon. The run off had the potential to pollute the Chesterfield Canal and the so-called bunds at either side of the path posed a potential danger to users.

Chairman considered it high time positive action was taken to exert pressure on the relevant authorities.

Resolved to seek the support of the local press in exerting pressure on the relevant authorities to bring about the necessary improvements.

10/170 URGENT ITEMS

1. Goosecarr Lane Ditch

   White reported that following his further lobbying RMBC had now cleared the ditch as promised. The addition of a second grid would help keep debris away from the culvert.

   Clerk was instructed to seek the Borough Council's permission for the parish council to install a second steel grid in the Goosecarr Lane roadside ditch.

2. Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter

   Members were concerned that the latest edition was presented in such a way as to present an over pessimistic assessment of crime statistics.

   Pilson would discuss with Mr. Anderson, with particular reference to the recent reduction in complaints concerning unsociable behaviour by young people.

3. A57

   Pantry reported on the permission now been given by the Highways Agency to fund the A57 Improvement Scheme. This was an amended scheme which addressed many of the objections raised by the parish council and the local action group, including the imposition of a 50 mph speed limit.

   Members remained concerned that traffic on Kiveton Lane would be much increased particularly having regard to the potential adverse effect on road safety since the vehicles would pass by the local school and at a time when the school crossing person post was to be withdrawn by RMBC.

4. Post Office

   Palmer reported that the owner of the newsagents would not be providing any postal services whatsoever.

   Pilson was aware that the J&I School was interested in receiving further information on the potential to provide a community post office at the school.

The Meeting Closed at 10.00 p.m.

The next monthly council meeting will be in Todwick Village Hall at 7.00 p.m. on Tuesday 29th March 2011.