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Crofton Parish Council

 

     Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 19th January 2010.                            

 

Present;                                  Councillors, Chalkley (Chair), Bennett, Duffy, Healy, Hewitt, Jacques, Schofield, Voros and Wrigg.

           

In attendance;                       3 members of the public.

                                                District Councillor Cummings.

 

01/146             Report from W.Y.Police Officers working on Crofton Safe Scheme PC Daley presented his report for the month of December 2009.

The hours performed by Safe Scheme Officers were increased during the month, to discourage crime during the darker nights and Christmas period. In total 136 people were stopped and asked to account for themselves.

 

01/147                         Wakefield MDC District Councillors Report

Cllr Cummings updated members on previous matters raised and provided information to enquiries made individually by Parish Councillors.

 

01/148                         Public Participation session

Residents commented on the lack of gritting carried out by WMDC in the Springhill/Wentworth Drive area of the village. A number of residents are elderly and there was concern that should there be a problem, emergency vehicles would be unable to reach them. Cllr Chalkley would send a letter to WMDC Highways & Engineering to highlight this problem.

 

01/149                         Apologies for absence          

District Councillor Lodge and Isherwood

Councillors; Makin, Ripley, Smithson and Towns.

 

01/150                         Declarations of Interest

None declared.

 

01/151                         Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 15th December 2009, were signed as a true record by the Chairman.

 

01/152                         Discuss matters arising from previous minutes

The Clerk reported that;

No response had been received following the letter sent to the Managing Director of Arriva, asking if Metro had contacted him.

Despite another e-mail being sent there had been no response from Nostell Estates concerning the disused Sunblest van

A response had been received from WMDC Parks&Public Realm concerning the petition sent asking for more facilities at the skate park. WMDC would not be in a position to proceed with this initiative, as officers were working on providing a new

 

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playground on Hare Park at a cost of £80k. However it could be considered as a possible future plan.

A response was received from Brian Smith the WMDC Neighbourhood Manager for the area, following the e-mail and photographs sent about rubbish to rear of the bus

shelter on Doncaster Road.

He would deploy a rapid response team to remove the rubbish and check for evidence as to who was committing the offence.

A response was received from WMDC Property Management, following the e-mail and photographs sent to establish ownership of the private road at the end of Hare Park Lane. The only land in WMDC ownership in the vicinity was the Sidings fields.

N o response had yet been received following the e-mail sent to Stephen Mills regarding improved restrictions to the cycle track.

 

01/153                         Community Facilities

Report Parish Centre

A water leak was reported to members.

Report Village Association

Nothing to report

Report Allotments

Members were reminded that collection of Allotment Tenancy money was Saturday 23rd January from 10.00am to 12.01pm.

Report Parish Cemetery

Members agreed to keep resident charges the same as the previous year.

The Cemetery financial year is Apr 2010 – Mar 2011.

 

01/154                         Discuss Traffic issues

Nothing to report.

 

01/155                         Parish Leases

Nothing to report.

 

01/156                         Cleansing/Environment

Cllr Chalkley had noted a cleaning vehicle operating in the village.

 

01/157                         Planning Notifications

Members raised no objections to the applications received.

It was noted that planning application 09/02226/TPO, had a split decision. Cllr Bennett informed members what was meant by this term.

 

01/158                         Financial matters

The Clerk having informed members of invoices to be paid received no objections.

Members were in agreement with the content of the monthly accounts.

It was agreed that a Precept request would be submitted to WMDC, this would be discussed further on Sunday 24th January at 6pm in the Parish Centre.

The Clerk was asked to make a diary note in July, for members to discuss the arrangements for the annual Grounds Maintenance Works within the village.

Cllr Chalkley had paid for the printing of the draft Parish Plan, he asked if this could be paid via bank transfer, the Responsible Financial Officer for the Parish Council

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confirmed that this was allowable in accordance with the Financial Standing Orders 2008; Paragraph 6.

 

01/159                         Correspondence received

Members noted the content of the information received.

                                               

01/160                         Parish matters

Members discussed the enquiry received from a resident to purchase a vehicle for salt spreading, to combat the weather conditions recently experienced. Members agreed that such a suggestion was beyond the remit of a Parish Council and was a matter for WMDC Highways to resolve.

Cllr Jacques informed members that refurbishment of the stocks was now complete.

Cllr Schofield had been asked by residents, if a handrail could be installed on the ginnel leading from Ashdene Crescent into the Church grounds. The Clerk was asked to establish ownership of the land prior to any decision being taken.

Cllr Chalkley informed members that 2600 draft Parish Plans had been produced at a cost of £280.

It was reported that the Millennium Stone was in need of cleaning, the Clerk would seek a verbal estimate for cleaning and subject to cost would instruct the contractor to carry out the work.

Comment was made about the provision of the Christmas Lights, it was noted that they were taken off early, that the time switches did not operate as planned and the light outside the Royal Oak public house did not function. The Clerk was asked to contact WMDC Building Services to raise such concerns.

 

01/161                         Date of next meeting

Resolved; that the next meeting to be held on Tuesday, 16th February 2010 at 7pm in                               Crofton Parish Centre, High Street, Crofton.

 

01/162             Members of the public and press were to leave before agenda no.18

It was agreed

 

01/163                         Matters to be discussed in private

With regard to the previous reported boundary issues on Harrison Road, whilst the Parish Council acknowledges that planning permission has now been gained for a change of use from highway to garden, according to our records the required road closure has never been progressed.

The Clerk would seek clarification on this matter and if a road closure has been initiated enquire why the Parish Council has not been kept informed.

A further issue in this respect is that as the Parish Council understands that no road closure has been initiated and that the 'development' has been completed for some considerable time, that the use of the Planning Act would not be appropriate and that the closure should be progressed using the Highways Act.

 

 

Signed                                                                         Date                                               Chairman Crofton Parish Council