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Crofton Parish Council

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 20th March 2007.                             

 

Present;          Councillors,      Chalkley (Chair), Bennett, Brown, Duffy K, Duffy S,

Hewitt, Jacques, Ripley, Towns, Voros and Wrigg.

           

In attendance;                        5 members of the public

                                                District Councillors; Cummings and Isherwood.

 

Apologies for absence           District Councillor Manifield.

Councillors; Makin and Schofield,

 

 

03/771             Receive report from West Yorkshire Police           

PC Daley presented his report for the Safe Scheme covering the month of February 2007. Cllr Wrigg asked about a car on the school playing field, PC Daley informed her that information on this was not available yet, she also enquired if cars should be parking on Harrison Road near to the Shay Lane school, PC Daley thought that the area in question had no restrictions and therefore they could, but he would make some observations to ensure this was the case.  Cllr Hewitt reported seeing a quad bike being used on the Sidings fields, it was thought the person who owned the vehicle lived at the house on the corner of Church Hill/Harrison Road, PC Daley stated he would investigate further. Cllr Brown had been informed that motorbikes were being used on the footpath to the Priory Ridge estate, PC Daley duly noted this information.

Cllr Ripley also brought to his attention, the hazard being created by the parking of cars on Doncaster Road where double white lines in the centre of the road were.

PC Daley asked members if they still wanted him to continue doing his early morning patrols, members were in agreement that this should continue.

 

03/772             Receive briefing from Wakefield MDC District Councillor

Cllr Isherwood was welcomed back following his return from illness. Cllr Cummings commented on the surgery held on the Ashdene Estate, one of the main topics of discussion being pot holes, Paul Platts of WMDC Highways Maintenance was invited to inspect the holes, he was in agreement that due to their size immediate remedial work was needed, re-surfacing of the whole area would commence in the 08/09 financial year. Cllr Cummings informed members that June Rothwell WMDC Neighbourhood Environment Manager, had instructed the impact team to commence works in the Council owned area of the cemetery, also that  PC Eddie Davis had been having discussions with the shop owners on High Street about the problem of youths congregating at the rear. The Police meeting held on the 21st February 2007 had been well attended, members were also informed that more Police Community Support Officers were to be deployed in the area.

There was to be a meeting in the High School on the 28th March to discuss the Youth Centre, Cllr Cummings asked the Clerk if the Parish Council had been invited, the Clerk informed her that they had not, she asked if a member could attend on their behalf, Cllr Chalkley volunteered to do so. 

 

 

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03/773             Public Participation session

Members listened to a proposal for funding given by Crofton’s Scout Leader, he informed members that the movement was growing in the village and in view of this

sought support from the Parish Council. Cllr Jacques took the opportunity to ask that the area by the Scout hut be kept clean and tidy, the Scout Leader confirmed action

was due to commence on that. Councillors also listened to a proposal from Crofton Sports AFC about funding for perimeter fencing around one of the football pitches on the Sidings.

Both these matters were referred to minute 03/787.

 

03/774             Declarations of Interest

Cllr Bennett declared his interest with regard Planning and Highway matters

 

03/775             Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 20th February 2007, were signed as a correct record by the Chairman.

 

03/776             Discuss matters arising from previous minutes

The Clerk informed members that a reply had now been received from Jon Trickett MP and a date had been set for a meeting on Friday 30th March at 11am. No news had been received yet from WMDC Highways about the positioning of the bollard on High Street, the Clerk would make further enquiries. The Clerk informed members that following his letter to Metro, a reply had been received asking the Parish Council to reconsider keeping the brick bus shelters, however Councillors confirmed that they wanted the original shelters to be kept, the Clerk was asked to convey this message to Metro.

The Clerk was asked to invite the WMDC Environment Manager June Rothwell to the April meeting as she was unable to attend the March meeting. A request for extra street lighting to Paul Stevenson, WMDC Traffic & Engineering design manager, had yet to be acknowledged.

 

03/777             Community Facilities

Report Parish Centre

The Clerk presented to members a quote for the first phase of internal work to be carried out on the Parish Centre, after some deliberation members agreed by a vote of 6 for / 4 against, Councillor Chalkley not voting, to accept the quote, the Clerk was asked to send confirmation and arrange a suitable start date.

Report Village Association

Cllr Bennett informed members that PHS had not as yet, met with Cllr Makin, the Clerk informed members that he had sought alternative quotes which were of comparable cost to those services supplied by PHS, but confirmed that to cancel the existing services would require 3 months notice. Members agreed that notice should be given and any outstanding invoices be paid.

Report Allotments

Cllr Hewitt informed members that there was a high level of activity on the Oak Street and Hare Park allotments. There had been a report that there was an amount of waste asbestos at the Oak Street allotments, Cllr Hewitt informed members that this was not necessarily a problem, he had received instruction that it was acceptable

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to dispose of manageable loads by placing the asbestos in a bag, which could then be placed in another bag and taken to a local refuse centre.

The tenancy agreements for Pontefract Road allotments were referred to minute 03/787.

Report Parish Cemetery

Cllr Jacques informed members that works to the garage were now complete. The Clerk informed members that Cllr Schofield, who was absent, had asked him to make members aware that children were playing football in the cemetery grounds in the lower section near the graves, in view of this, members agreed to meet on Saturday morning 24th March 2007, to discuss a method to stop this activity.

 

03/778             Discuss Traffic issues

Nothing to report.

 

03/779             Parish Leases

The Clerk informed members that the lease for the former library site was now ready to be signed.

 

03/780             Cleansing/Environment

Cllr Jacques informed members that he and Cllr Makin had met with Mark Cropley from WMDC Environment Services, after some discussion it was agreed that some remedial work would be done to the beck overflow leading to the ponds. Cllr Jacques also reported that a lamp on a lighting column was hanging at an angle, it was on Doncaster Road, between the Cock & Crown public house and the road entrance to Pinfold Drive, the Clerk was asked to notify the street lighting monitoring officer at WMDC.

 

03/781             Planning Notifications

Members raised no objections.

 

03/782             Financial matters

The Clerk informed members of invoices to be paid, the attached monthly accounts were submitted without comment from members. Due to the impending works on the Parish Centre it was decided to defer a decision on the rental cost till the works were complete.

The Clerk sought clarification from members about the amount that should be applied for, when submitting an application to the ‘Awards for All’ in respect of the allotments.

                                                                                   

03/783             Correspondence received

Members noted the content of the information received, in particular note 3, members agreed to pay for the school facilities on behalf of Crofton Rainbows.

Note 6, members asked the Clerk to contact Crofton Starlightning Majorettes to obtain a set of accounts so that consideration could be given to the request for funding, this would then be discussed further at the next meeting.

 

03/784             Parish matters

Members offered no comments.

 

 

 

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03/785             Date of next meeting

Resolved; that the next meeting to be held on Tuesday, 17th April 2007, at 7pm in 

Crofton High School, High Street, Crofton.

 

03/786             Members of the public and press were to leave before agenda no.18

It was agreed

 

03/787             Matters to be discussed in private

Members felt enough funding was being given to the present facilities at the Sidings and decided not to offer any award to Crofton Sports AFC.

The Clerk was asked to contact the Scout leader and seek clarification of the amount required and for a set of Accounts to be supplied to support any funding.

A letter from Mr Salt was duly noted.

The Clerk was asked to supply each Councillor with a copy of the original Coal Board leases pertaining to Pontefract Road.

 

 

Signed                                                                          Date                                         Chairman Crofton Parish Council