June

CARLTON AND CHELLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 12th JUNE, 2006.

Present

Cllr. L. Benson - in the Chair
Cllrs. D. Jenkins
J. Tusting
G.Chapman, 7.40. p.m.
C. Cllr. Mrs. P. Gershon
P.C. 428 Rob Smith
Mrs. Jean Fox, The Rural Housing Trust.

Apologies for absence received from Cllrs. Brandon, Davis, Devine, Goggins, and Simpson.

Disclosure of Interest None

Minutes of Annual Meeting held 8th May were agreed and signed as correct.

P.C. Rob Smith was welcomed to meeting and he presented a Police Report for year 2005/6. There were 24 reported crimes within Carlton and Chellington, including two dog bites, and the potential detection rate for the year 12.5%. In the previous year there were 16 recorded crimes. Levels of reported nuisance were relatively low, a couple related to drinking by adults in the village and some nuisance behaviour in the allotments. Since 1st April, 2006, only one crime, an assault, has been reported and this offence has been detected. Two further reports received were one drunken male on a bus and nuisance behaviour at the school swimming pool. The recent incident involving the male “flasher” had not been reported to the Police.

P.C. Smith said he had 9 other councils to visit, which may be increased to 13. If unable to visit in person, he will send a written report to Carlton and Chellington P.C. He was thanked for attending and left the meeting
at 7.45. p.m.

Rural Housing Trust. Mrs. Jean Fox was introduced to councillors to explain the working of the Housing Trust; it is not a housing association. Established 1976 to answer problem of people in tied accommodation, when they retired and were expected to leave the accommodation. Became obvious there was a need within small villages, not only for agricultural workers but others when property prices escalated, and also a lot of old people left on their own. They have been developing small housing schemes since 1988, built more than 2,600 homes in 300 villages. If population is under 3,000, Government policy allows building on an exception site abutting the village envelope. Land gifted, or purchased normally from farmers, paying 4/5 times current usage value.

If Housing Trust established there was a need in the village, they would figure out, with the Parish Council, what they should build, some for renting and some for shared ownership. Section 106 Agreement would be entered into, this limits who may apply for the housing. Discuss designs with Parish Council, including architectural features. Schemes to keep villages sustainable. It all takes time - two months to get results back following an housing survey.

Mrs. Fox produced copies of the Trust brochure “Building a Future, - How Parish Councils can Provide Affordable Housing” for councillors’ scrutiny before the July meeting, when it will be discussed and a decision made regarding possible housing survey. Mrs. Fox was thanked for coming to Carlton, and left the meeting at 8.15. p.m.

MATTERS ARISING from meeting 8th May.
Baptist Chapel Wall. Mr. Stanton has done the front of the front wall, but problems on back of wall which were not included in his estimate. Repaired the pillar, and now doing back wall. Transferred some old coping stones from side wall to replace front concrete copings. To remove ivy, side wall has been taken down and bricks cleaned. Extra costs will be involved, and this was agreed to. With regard to the new front gate, this needs some work to make it more easily openable. Discussed.
Solicitors received a statement from Mr. Ingles regarding boundary wall but councillors not happy with the wording. Write back to Mrs. Lynch and suggest more appropriate wording.
Stone Barn Lease. Draft extension to lease received and agreed. To be sent to Chris Horne for his agree-ment to the terms. Check whether he has increased his monthly rent to Carlton Childrens Playing Field.
Anglian Water Services replied 15/5. Gate will be repaired and padlocked, liaising with Peter Mesney regarding access to his fields.
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Matters Arising (contd.)
Carlton Archives Mr. Wharton declined attending meeting.
Festival of Britain Sign. Mr. Knight has inspected and is submitting his price to restore sign.
Local Authority Byelaws Still circulating.
Highway Maintenance Partnership Long Stile footpath will be covered by two years’ award plus £2,000.
from Parish Council. Awaiting letter of confirmation from Celia Sellers.
Home Watch No reply to our letter.

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN Nothing to discuss yet.

RECRUITMENT OF PARISH CLERK Start with advertisement in The Bridge, someone living in the village is desirable, or Harrold. There were times when we could not get hold of the clerk living out of the village.
Write to other local clerks, and notice in The Bugle. Part-time post, current rate based on £7.846. per hour.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S Q. & A. Mrs. Gershon confirmed that the Education Department is now part of Bedfordshire Social Services. No conclusions yet about the two tier/three tier system, expected in July. WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE OUR SCHOOL. Nor do we want our school to be ruled by Sharnbrook. It is still under the aegis of the Diocese - a safety valve. It is not too late to submit comments.

NO BOROUGH COUNCILLOR’S NOR SCHOOL GOVERNOR’S REPORT

CORRESPONDENCE
B.B.C., Development Control, 18/5, Ways of Improving the Quality of Responses that Parish Councils provide in respect of Planning Applications - Cllr. Jenkins completed same.
B.B.C., Planning, 7/6, Bedford Development Framework, Statement of Community Involvement adopted 17/5.
B.B.C., Sports Development, 8/5, Summer Playschemes, seeking funding. Decided against support.
B.C.C., Planning & Policy, 5/6, Managing Waste in New Developments, adopted 18/4.
Bedfordshire Police, May, Home Office National Knife Amnesty 2006, 24th May - 30th June. (Mr. Benson
mentioned he had found three knives at different times in the same place in the village.)
B.C.C., Member Support, 18/5, Updated Database of Parish Clerks.
B.C.C., Central Library, May, ref. website “You and Your Community”. Give to Cllr. Jenkins.
B.A.T.P.C., 17/5, New Councillor Induction Training. Declined.
Sue Ryder Care, Village Challenge 2006. Declined.
B.C.C., Customer Contact Center, 26/5, ref. Highways Works Bulletin Guide, could be emailed to P.C.
It has a lot of pages, some of which are duplicated, sent out every week, only one or two items refer to Carlton.
B.C.C. Survey - handed to Cllr. Tusting.
“Arnold Baker: Local Council Administration, Seventh edition” available May, 2006. £48.00. (Parish Council has Fourth edition.)
Letter from a lady in Stevington who has an Orbit Housing Assoc. shared ownership property for sale. If no interest is shown by local people before 20th June, B.B.C.will propose candidate buyers. Placed on website.

CORRESPONDENCE circulated :-
B.A.T.P.C. letter 5/5 and Bedfordshire Bugle.
B.B.C. 9/5, “Medium Term Financial Strategy”.
B.B.C. Planning & Housing Briefing, No. 127, Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites.
B.C.C., Chairman, 30/5, Town & Parish Council Receptions, March, 2006, feedback document.
B.C.C. Highways, 15/5, 2006-7 Works Programme.
B.C.C., Leader, 15/5, Bedfordshire Local Area Agreement.
Bedfordshire A-Z of Council Services.
NIRAH Consultation Programme.
NPOWER - Wind Power News, Issue 2.
Victim Support Bedfordshire, 6/6, Annual Report 2004-5.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS - none this month. Permission granted in respect of :-
06/00652/FUL, 34, High Street, single storey rear extension.
06/00744/FUL, Nicholas Farm, Edens Lane, 3 storey rear extension, dormers, realignment roof.
06/00958/FUL, 46, The Causeway, two storey side extension.
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FINANCIAL REPORT
Five cheques prepared for signature - Mrs. Allsopp £258.02., Carlton Children’s Playing Field £500. towards the Fete, Warner’s of Bedford £329.00.for two cuts of grass, Billy Crammen £138.05. and Zurich Insurance
£105.00. cover for Fete. Bank balances - current account £141.11., capital reserve £23,850.87. There are problems with the grass-cutting, the bank from Bridgend to the steps. Warners will be writing to P.C.
Accounts for year 2005/6 approved, all ready for internal audit. Mr. Bellamy has agreed to do this.

PLAYING FIELD REPORT
Good notices up around the village promoting the Fete, thinking of putting adverts in the local paper. With regard to the £6,000. which may be coming to Carlton, the committee looking at possibility of getting the field levelled, and approached Barry Elderton and Steve Richards to quote a price. Also get some smaller football posts for the younger children. Mr. Jenkins commented it is an effort to pick up all the stones that emerge and Mrs. Tusting said it is a major task levelling out, easier to import soil and fill in. Emmaus job cost a lot of money. Does this proposal meet the criteria ?

VILLAGE HALL REPORT
Nothing to report. Planning Donkey Derby last Saturday in September.

GENERAL VILLAGE MATTERS
We should mention to the County Council that when the road is being re-gritted, they sweep it after a while and leave the notices up. Mrs. Gershon has asked them before, but instead of rolling it in they let the cars do it and the grit that has not stuck gets swept up. Clerk to write to Cllr. Tom Wootton.

The village gate, Turvey Road, has been vandalised, one of the 6’ oak planks. Could patch it with some spare
oak.
Potholes, The Marsh, The Causeway and Street Close - inform C.C. Highways.
Bridgend sign broken - get Billie to look at it.
Mention was made of the new road signs now being used instead of the old fashioned ones. Smaller, changed the structure, should last longer.

Mr.Benson mentioned the three knives found, between Edens Lane, and Manor Close, 3 months ago, 2 months ago and recently - bizarre. A year ago there were bicycles everywhere round the village. More complaints in May about Emmaus people, men absolutely drunk, on occasion using bus shelter as urinal, (it stinks), cans of lager and cider (snake bite) on the playing field, and the flasher. Chairman to try and find out why this latter incident was not reported to the Police. Villagers should report any problems and a book has been left in the shop for this purpose.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.45. p.m.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING - 10th July, 7.30. p.m., to be held at the Chellington Centre, provided it is
available.