Meeting documents

Southern Rural Committee
Thursday, 29th July, 2010 7.30 pm

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 Date: Thursday, 17th June, 2010 Time: 7.30 pm Place: Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth Garden City
 PRESENT: Councillor D.J. Barnard (Chairman), Councillor A. Bardett (Vice-Chairman), Councillor John Bishop, Councillor Tom Brindley, Councillor Tricia Cowley, Councillor Lee Downie, Councillor Jane Gray, Councillor Sal Jarvis, Councillor Mrs C.P.A. Strong
 IN ATTENDANCE: Garry Gover (Community Development Officer) and Hilary Dineen (Committee and Member Services Officer)
 ALSO PRESENT:
Item Description/Resolution Status Action
PART I
4 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Miller.
 Noted   
5 MINUTES
Data/Southern Rural Committee/201007291930/Agenda/Minutes

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 18 March 2010 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.
 Agreed   
6 MINUTES
Data/Southern Rural Committee/201007291930/Agenda/Minutes

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 May 2010 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.
 Agreed   
7 NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS

No other business was discussed at the meeting.
 Noted   
8 CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

(1) The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting;

(2) The Chairman reminded the Members that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda should be declared as either a prejudicial or personal interest and 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 prejudicial interest should leave the room and not seek to influence the decision during that particular item.
 Noted   
9 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

There were no public presentations to the Committee.
 Noted   
10 CHAMPION NEWS AND FINANCE REPORT
Report
Appendix 1 - Financial Spreadsheets
Appendix 1.1 - Grant Application - Ickleford Squash Club
Appendix 1.2 - Grant Application - Kings Walden PC
Appendix 1.3 - Grant Application - Great Ashby Youth Club
Appendix 1.4 - Grant Application - Hitchin Society
Appendix 2 - Highways Programme
Appendix 2.1 - Extract from Morth Herts Highway Panel Minutes
Appendix 3 - Area Committee Work Programme

The Community Development Officer presented the report of the Head of Policy, Partnerships and Community Development regarding Champion News and Finance Report. He drew attention to the following:

2010 VILLAGE OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
That judging would be completed by 18 June 2010 with an awards evening due to be held on 1 July 2010 and presentation ceremonies on 24 July 2010.

Members considered that they would promote this to the Parish Councils more effectively in 2011.

2010 PARISH AND TOWN COUNCILS CONFERENCE
That the conference would be held on Monday 28 June at 6.00pm, with refreshments available form 5.30pm. He advised that items for the agenda were still under consideration.

REVISION OF RURAL STRATEGY AND PARISH CHARTER
That a full revision of the existing Rural Strategy had been undertaken, which would be discussed at the 2010 Parish and Town Councils Conference.

REVIEW OF NHDC GRANTS CRITERIA
That the annual review of the grant aid criteria had been undertaken and that the formal launch of the 2010/2011 Rural Grants Fund took place this week.

HIGHWAYS WORK PROGRAMME
That Members are requested to note proposal regarding rural schemes as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

Members debated the pedestrian crossing at Whitehorse Lane, Great Ashby. They expressed concern and disappointment that the crossing simply consisted of a break in the barriers along the edge of the footpath, adjacent to an existing road hump, which was to be used as a crossing. They were concerned at the lack of signage warning motorists of the crossing. They were concerned that Members of this Committee did not have a clear picture of what was proposed and the result was therefore not what had been requested. They considered that a glossary of terms and sight of drawings of the proposed project would be helpful to understand exactly what was being considered, as well as a breakdown of costs to enable members to consider if a project was value for money. Members debated that a speed limit of 20 miles per hour should be imposed outside the school gates and that a controlled crossing was needed in Great Ashby Way to protect children entering and exiting the school.

Members also considered that it was appropriate to encourage all Parish Councils in the Southern Rural Area to contribute monies to enable schemes to proceed to implementation.

COVERT CAMERAS AND FURTHER DIVERSIONARY ANTI FLY-TIPPING ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
That detailed discussions were ongoing with Officers from Hertfordshire Highways, Hertfordshire County Council and NHDC. He advised that a full update would be made available to the Committee once these discussions were concluded.

WARD SURGERIES
That the Chairman of the Hitchin Committee had advised that Southern Rural Members would be welcome at the Hitchin Surgeries which are normally held on the first Saturday of each month.

Members expressed thanks to the Chairman of Hitchin Committee for agreeing that Southern Rural members could attend the surgeries in Hitchin and agreed that this offer would be accepted on an ad-hoc basis although it was noted that the Hitchin Surgery would not be appropriate for all Southern Rural Councillors, due to the distance from their wards.

COCKERNHOE MEMORIAL HALL
Councillors and officers attended the formal opening of the New Cockernhoe Memorial Hall.

FINANCE REPORT
The Community Development Officer drew Members' attention to the budget spreadsheets, grant applications and requests for funding of Highways projects detailed at Appendix 1 of the report. He advised that paragraph 10.9 of the report should read:
"The current unallocated discretionary base budget is £17,010. Should Members be mindful of considering the grant application requests from its 2010/11 development budget totalling £3,500, then the remaining unallocated budget would be £13,510."

Members agreed that the 2009 - 2010 Discretionary Budget under spend of £700 resulting from repayments received from Hertfordshire highways be transferred to the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget - Highways Issues and Anti Fly-Tipping Measures.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the actions taken by the Community Development Officer to promote greater community capacity and well being for rural communities be endorsed;

(2) That the Committee's budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Ward Development Budgets and the allocated Visioning Budgets, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be noted;

(3) That the 2009 - 2010 Discretionary Budget under spend of £700 resulting from repayments received from Hertfordshire highways be transferred to the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget - Highways Issues and Anti Fly-Tipping Measures.

RECOMMENDED TO NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE HIGHWAYSPARTNERSHIP - JOINT MEMBER PANEL:

(1) That the North Herts Highways Partnership - Joint Member Panel consider the following for inclusion in it's 2010/11 Highways Work Programme:
(i) Great Ashby Way, Great Ashby - Controlled Pedestrian Crossing near to School Gates;
(ii) Great Ashby Way, Great Ashby - 20 Miles Per Hour speed restriction around the school entrance.

(2) That Area Committees are provided with a glossary of terms to enable greater understanding of proposals;

(3) That drawings of proposed schemes, together with a breakdown of costs, are provided to Area Committees at the time funding is requested.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the Committee is kept informed of the work of the Community Development Officer and to inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee.
 Agreed   
11 GRANT APPLICATION - ICKLEFORD SQUASH CLUB

The Community Development Officer clarified that Ickleford Squash Club was open to the general public and that many different sports took place at the mains Sports and Social Club.

RESOLVED: That a grant of £1,000 be awarded to Ickleford Squash Club from the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget, as support funding towards the costs of refurbishing two squash courts.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
12 GRANT APPLICATION- KINGS WALDEN PARISH COUNCIL

Members debated that Parish Council Precepts were not capped and therefore funds could be raised to cover expected expenditure however grants should continue to be considered on a case by case basis.

RESOLVED: That a grant of £250 be awarded to King Walden Parish Council from the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget, as support funding towards the costs of setting up a parish web site.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
13 GRANT APPLICATION - GREAT ASHBY YOUTH CLUB

Members were advised that the Great Ashby Youth Club had been re-launched with support from professionals and that this grant application was to support initial set up costs including hire of the hall and a professional seasonal worker.

RESOLVED: That a grant of £1,000 be awarded to Great Ashby Youth Club from the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget marked "Youth Provision", as support funding towards the costs of youth provision.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
14 GRANT APPLICATION - HITCHIN SOCIETY

Members debated that Heritage Open Days are a national campaign run by English Heritage and that publicity costs should be born by that organisation. They also noted that rural areas often did not receive local press or magazines and therefore would not benefit from funding a publicity campaign. The Committee agreed that an offer to publicise events in the NHDC Outlook magazine, but agreed that financial support from this Committee would not be appropriate.

RESOLVED: That the Community Development Officer be requested to contact the Hitchin Society with details of NHDC Officers who can facilitate publicity in the NHDC Outlook magazine.

REASON FOR DECISION: To improve services provided by local organisations and groups which are accessed by the community.
 Agreed   
15 GRANT APPLICATION - HIGHWAYS - KERR CLOSE J/W WESTLAND ROAD, KNEBWORTH - JUNCTION PROTECTION

RESOLVED:
(1) That a grant of £2,000 be awarded to Hertfordshire Highways from the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget marked "Highways Issues and Anti Fly-tipping Measures", as support funding towards the costs of junction protection at Kerr Close j/w Westland Road, Knebworth.

(2) That Knebworth Parish Council be requested to provide the Southern Rural Committee with matched funding of £1,000 as support funding towards the costs of junction protection at Kerr Close j/w Westland Road, Knebworth.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that highways issues in the Southern Rural Areas are addressed effectively.
 Agreed   
16 GRANT APPLICATION - HIGHWAYS - FARRIERS CLOSE, CODICOTE - PARKING ISSUES

RESOLVED:
(1) That a grant of £3,000 be awarded to Hertfordshire Highways from the 2010
2011 Discretionary Budget marked "Highways Issues and Anti Fly- tipping Measures", as support funding towards the costs of a Feasibility study and detailed design of any Traffic Regulation Order to address parking issues at Farriers Close, Codicote.

(2) That Codicote Parish Council be requested to provide the Southern Rural Committee with matched funding of £1,500 as support funding towards the costs of a Feasibility study and detailed design of any Traffic Regulation Order to address parking issues at Farriers Close, Codicote.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that highways issues in the Southern Rural Areas are addressed effectively.
 Agreed   
17 GRANT APPLICATION - HIGHWAYS - ST PAULS WALDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL, BENDISH LANE, WHITWELL - PROVISION OF LAY-BY

RESOLVED:
(1) That a grant of £6,000 be awarded to Hertfordshire Highways from the 2010 - 2011 Discretionary Budget marked "Highways Issues and Anti Fly-Tipping Measures", as support funding towards the costs of design and works for the provision of a lay-by at St Paul's Walden Primary School, Bendish Lane, Whitwell.

(2) That St Paul's Walden Parish Council be requested to provide the Southern Rural Committee with matched funding of £3,000 as support funding towards the costs of design and works for the provision of a lay-by at St Paul's Walden Primary School, Bendish Lane, Whitwell.

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that highways issues in the Southern Rural Areas are addressed effectively.
 Agreed   
Published on Tuesday, 29th June, 2010
8.40 p.m.