| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock |
| PRESENT: | Councillor I.J. Knighton(Chairman), Councillor M.E. Weeks(Vice-Chairman), Councillor John Harris and Councillor M.R.M. Muir. |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Ashley Hawkins (Community Development Officer) Susanne Gow (Committee and Member Services Officer) |
| ALSO PRESENT: | Councillor Lynda Needham, Leader of North Herts District Council. 9 members of the public, including the 3 speakers for Public Participation. |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 31 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Councillors S.K. Jarvis and A.D. Young sent their apologies for absence. |
Noted | ||
| 32 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9 September 2013 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 33 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS No other business was raised for discussion at this Committee Meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 34 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting including the speakers for Public Participation, Members, NHDC officers and members of the public; (2) He listed the speakers for Public Participation, beginning with Mrs Alison Gentle, Chair of the Baldock Town Hall Group, who would update the Committee on the progress made with Baldock Town Hall since the lease was transferred to the Group and the events which had already been staged there, together with those planned for the future; (3) Following Mrs Gentle, Mrs Maria Brown of the group "Save the Chimes in Ashwell" would address the Committee, giving reasons why the clock chimes of St Mary's Church, Ashwell should retain their chimes 24 hours per day; (4) Mr Martin McBeal, a resident of Ashwell for many years, but not a member of the above group, would give additional reasons for retention of the chimes all day and night; (5) The Chairman advised the Committee that Mr Guy Reed, a resident of Ashwell who had suggested that the chimes be switched off between the hours of 11pm and 7am, although present, would not be speaking at the Committee Meeting on this occasion; (6) Finally, the Chairman reminded Members that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and they are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest which requires they leave the room under Paragraph 7.4 of the Code of Conduct, can speak on the item, but must leave the room before the debate and vote. |
Noted | ||
| 35 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (1) The Chairman invited Alison Gentle to address the Baldock and District Committee, and she thanked them for their support and assistance during the acquisition of a 99-year lease for Baldock Town Hall (now the Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre) from North Herts District Council (NHDC) to the Baldock Town Hall Group (BTHG). The BAHC has sought charitable status and hopes to hear the result shortly. Mrs Gentle informed the Committee of the changes that had been made in updating and refurbishing the building to get it fit for use as an arts and heritage centre and stated that the Probation Service had helped to refurbish the building, the young people concerned having become very enthusiastic about the project. Events had been held in the Centre since the first week in October, including the Chris Walker Jazz Quintet, an Evening of Victorian Entertainment and the Fireside Festival, a week of storytelling, culminating with an appearance by Ruby Wax. Mrs Gentle then invited all the Members of the Baldock and District Committee to the grand opening of the Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre from 4pm to 6.30pm or 7pm to 10pm on Saturday 30 November 2013. Unfortunately, it had been discovered that the damp seeping into the basement of the building originated from the coal chute and it was suggested that this be sealed and topped with a York stone slab or else reinstated. Damp had also been discovered in the Fire Station and Tesco Maintenance would provide insulation in the old outside toilets by the end of November. Funds needed to be raised to purchase and install raked seating in 2014. The hall had been hired out for several events and a £500 grant had also been received from the Skipton Building Society through their Grassroots Giving Appeal. Section 106 funds were to be claimed in the near future. Mrs Gentle concluded by declaring that a good response had been received via social media. She repeated the invitation from the BTHG for Members to "drop in" at any time to view the refurbished building. The Chairman thanked Mrs Gentle for her comprehensive address and congratulated the Group on behalf of the Committee for the successful outcome of their hard work. He stated that it was nice to hear of various organisations supporting the BTHG and that the Committee were pleased to have helped towards a successful outcome. (2) The Chairman updated the meeting with the situation so far regarding the clock chimes on St Mary's Church, Ashwell. He declared that the Head of Housing and Public Protection Service (HHPPS) was unable to attend this Area Committee Meeting so any legal matters would have to be recorded and referred to him later. He then invited Mrs Maria Brown of the Save the Church Chimes of Ashwell group to address the Committee, limiting her address to 5 minutes. Mrs Brown introduced herself, informing Members that she had lived in Ashwell as a child, but currently resided in St Neots. She stated that this issue of the Church clock chimes had caused a rift in Ashwell, but she felt strongly that the status quo should be kept. She considered that a fraction of the complainants' homes actually suffered from volumes exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines which were not law, and she would suggest the simple expedient of having these homes soundproofed with secondary double glazing, which gave better sound insulation than double glazing did. Mrs Brown stated that she sympathised with those who believed that the noise of the chimes was a nuisance, as she herself had two small children, but each case should be taken on its merits and she believed that majority feeling should be taken into account. The petition presented at the last meeting of the Baldock and District Committee Meeting had gathered further signatures, which now number more than 1200. She stated that the problem might stem from hypersensitivity to the volume of the chimes, which is a condition recognised in law. Mrs Brown believed that a chiming clock was in keeping with a village such as Ashwell, although the chimes were reasonably loud. She gave instances of other such legal cases and declared that, although one of the protagonists had lived for 20 years in Ashwell, he had since moved closer to the Church and as a result now wanted the chimes switched off between 11pm and 7am. The Chairman thanked Mrs Brown for her address to the Committee, and asked the Committee for their comments. Members reiterated that North Herts District Council were not in a position to take action on this issue, which was between the residents of Ashwell, whatever their point of view, and the Parish Council. He advised that they also invite the HHPPS to attend such a meeting to give them the legal position on any conclusion reached. Mrs Brown revealed that she had written to the Prime Minister, to ask him to instigate a change in the law so that places of worship were exempt from the WHO guidelines. She suggested that an alternative solution was to decrease the volume of the chimes, but that complaints were likely to be made that residents living some distance away could not hear the chimes at all. The Chairman again declared that the HHPPS was holding off from serving a Noise Abatement Order regarding the volume of the clock chimes which exceeded the WHO guidelines, hoping that the residents in both "camps" could come to a compromise through arbitration with Ashwell Parish Council. The HHPPS was more than happy to give advice and assistance where he was able and to work with both sides and the Parish Council until a settlement had been reached. (3) Mr Martin McBeal addressed the Committee at the Chairman's discretion. He explained that he was an Ashwell resident and had been for 70 years and produced a further petition containing 350 signatures. He clarified that the subject of his presentation was the chimes of the church clock, not the church bells and declared that noise levels must be between 85dB and 94dB before they cause damage to hearing. He suggested that the houses of complainants be fitted with secondary double glazing, as it resists noise better than ordinary double glazing. Mr McBeal pointed out that the chimes are not continuous, but ring every 15 minutes. Some residents consider that the chimes provide a service, in particular the blind and partly-sighted residents who depend on the chimes to tell what time it is. The service provided by the chimes of the Church clock in Ashwell had been provided continuously for 117 years. The Chairman thanked Mr McBeal for his presentation and emphasised once more that any decision regarding the chimes would have to be made by Ashwell Parish Council, as they controlled the chimes. North Herts District Council was happy to assist in any was but was not in a position to make decisions. He stressed that the HHPPS had been liaising with the Parish Council on this matter. Members commented on this issue, asking that Councillors Muir and Young be included in any correspondence to the HHPPS. It was emphasised that as Ashwell was in Cllr Young's Ward, he should be copied into correspondence and kept informed of the situation at all times. It was suggested that Mr McBeal present this second petition to Ashwell Parish Council. The Chairman then ended discussion of this issue, stating that he would ask the HHPPS for an update and expressed the Committee's hope that a compromise would be reached in the near future. RESOLVED: (1) That Mrs Alison Gentle be thanked for giving a presentation to update The Committee on the progress made with Baldock Town Hall (now the Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre), the events already staged and those due to be staged there; (2) That Mrs Maria Brown of the Save the Chimes in Ashwell group be thanked for addressing the Baldock and District Committee on why the clock chimes if St Mary's Church should be retained in their entirety; (3) That Mr Martin McBeal be thanked for giving his opinion on why the clock chimes should not be stopped overnight; (4) That the Head of Housing and Public Protection Service be requested to provide an update on the progress towards resolving the problem of the bell chimes in Ashwell; (5) That the Baldock and District Committee wishes the residents of Ashwell all the best in working with the Ashwell Parish Council to resolve the problem of the clock chimes in Ashwell. |
Noted | ||
| 36 |
BALDOCK TOWN ISSUES Introduction 1. The Vice-Chairman raised the issue of certain motor homes consistently using marked out car parking spaces in Baldock. One had been using a space next to a bus stop for almost a year, causing bus passengers difficulty in seeing the approaching buses. When this motor home is occasionally moved, it would appear that the owner parks two old cars in the space to secure it for the return of the motor home. There is also a second motor home parked in the High Street. He asked the Committee to suggest solutions to this problem, which seemed to be caused by a loophole. The Chairman proposed that this could be solved by applying lines prohibiting these vehicles from parking there, as this poses a danger for the bus passengers by blocking their view of the approaching buses. The Community Development Officer (CDO) was asked to liaise with the Strategic Planning Projects Manager to investigate how to solve this problem and come back to the next Baldock and District Committee Meeting with proposed solutions to the matter. 2. The Committee were informed that there had been, and occasionally still is, an issue with HGVs with trailers parking in the Letchworth Road service road outside a retirement home. Whilst enforcement action had been undertaken with one of the vehicles being towed away, occasional parking still occurred with the vehicle(s) now crossing the pavement and parking on the hard standing under the bridge. The Chairman suggested that the Contracts and Projects Manager be apprised of the situation and be asked to organise more regular checks to be made in the area. A Member commented that vehicles over 7.5 tonnes should receive Police enforcement rather than Council enforcement. The CDO was requested to make contact with the Police and look into this. RESOLVED: (1) That the Community Development Officer be requested to liaise with the Strategic Planning Projects Manager to find proposed solutions to the problem of motor homes being left in car parking spaces on Baldock High Street, and bring them back to a future meeting of the Baldock and District Committee Meeting for Members' discussion; (2) That the Contracts and Projects Manager be apprised of HGVs with trailers being parked in service roads outside retirement homes and asked to organise regular checks to be made. (3) That the Community Development Officer be requested to liaise with the local Police to find out whether this problem could be solved by Police enforcement. |
Agreed | ||
| 37 |
CHAMPION NEWS AND FINANCE REPORT Report Appendix 1 Appendix 2 The Community Development Officer (CDO) for Baldock and District presented the report of the Head of Policy and Community Services. He went through the budget spreadsheet and the Area Committee Update 2013/2014, reviewing the progress of the schemes and events proposed for Baldock and its surrounding area. The Committee was reminded that there are only two Baldock and District Committee Meetings left in the current Civic Year (in January and March) and that there was a considerable amount of funds remaining which could be allocated to various schemes. Updates were given on the Baldock Town and District Partnership membership, which currently brings in £950 per month and the new Baldock Town Guide which was nearly ready for printing. Events The CDO listed the future events being held, i.e. the Ashwell multi-terrain Half Marathon on 24 November and the Baldock Christmas Weekend from 29 to 30 November 2013. Baldock Firework Display This was the first firework display to be held for 24 years and was an unqualified success with 750 tickets sold. The Ward Member for Baldock East announced: "The Baldock Area Committee would like to thank everyone for their support of the first Baldock Town Partnership Firework Event, particularly to Graham and Susan Tapp for donating the fireworks and to Hartsfield School for the providing an excellent venue. Thank you also to all the volunteers who helped on the night and everyone who contributed in making the evening such a special occasion. To achieve 2000 spectators at the first event of this kind for many years, was a massive achievement, and reward for all the hard work put in by those involved. Well done everyone - a great community event which we hope will be part of the Baldock Calendar every year." The Committee agreed with their colleague, and the only adverse comment was that the one improvement required would be more lighting at the venue. Sale Drive The Baldock and District Committee was informed that this scheme was progressing nicely. Baldock Chartered Street Fair This was held from 2 to 4 October and it had been noted that 4 kerbstones outside the almshouses in the High Street had been chipped away. The grass had also been marked and it was stressed that no vehicles should be allowed on the grassed areas unless boards had been laid on which to rest their wheels. The Committee expressed their thanks to the Community Development Manager for the extra hours that he, as well as the CDO, had put in to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Grant Funding The Committee was asked to note the funding applications in the Ward Project table in this report. It was commented that 1st Baldock Scouts were in need of a new tent, so hoped to raise funding for this. The Chairman thanked the Community Development Officer for his report and for his efforts on behalf of the people of Baldock and the surrounding District. RESOLVED: (1) That the Community Development Manager and the Community Development Officer both be thanked for their efforts and the extra hours that they had put in to ensure the smooth running of the Baldock Chartered Street Fair; (2) That the activities and schemes with which the Community Development Officer has been involved be noted; (3) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Development Budget spreadsheets at Appendix 1 be noted; (4) That the Committee acknowledges the discretionary grant award of £150 to Caldecote Church Friends group to assist with required maintenance work to the church roof which has developed dry rot; (5) That the Committee considers awarding support funding in relation to any potential Highways schemes as proposed and discussed under paragraph 8.8 of the report. REASON FOR DECISION: (1) To ensure that the Committee are kept informed of the work of the Community Development Officer; (2) To inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee. It draws attention to the current budgetary situation, assists in the effective financial management of the Baldock and District Committee's budget and ensures actions are performed within the Authority's Financial Regulations and the guidance in the Grants Policy; (3) The awarding of financial assistance to voluntary organisations and the use of discretionary spending allows the Committee to further the aims and strategic priorities of the Council; (4) Production of the report is a requirement of the ‘Priorities for the District', in which the Community Development Officer is required to produce a formal report to the Area Committee on six occasions each year in line with the Civic Calendar. |
Agreed | ||