Annual Parish Meeting - 13 May

MINUTES of the ANNUAL MEETING of the PARISH COUNCIL held on the
13 May 2009 in the PAVILION, KNEBWORTH RECREATION GROUNDS
at 8.00 p.m.
_____________________________________________________________

Present: Mr John Bantick (Chairman), Dr Graham Fothergill, Mr Ian Gilmore, Mr Richard Haigh, Mr Barry Hall, Mr John Hunt,
Mrs Rosemary Pateman, Mrs Caroline Presland, Mrs Carol Smith, Ms Elisabeth Smith, Mr Robin Smith, Mr Anthony Titmarsh and the Clerk

Apologies: None

1. Election of Chairman

It was proposed by Mr Gilmore, seconded by Mr Smith and

RESOLVED “that Mr Bantick is elected Chairman of Knebworth Parish Council for the next Council year 2009/10.”

Unanimous

The motion was carried.

2. Declaration of Acceptance of Office by Chairman

Mr Bantick then read and signed the declaration of acceptance of office, which was witnessed by the clerk.

3. Election of Vice-Chairman

It was proposed by Mr Smith, seconded by Mrs Smith and

RESOLVED “that Mr. Titmarsh serves as Vice Chairman.”

Unanimous

4. Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

5. Appointment of Committees 2009/10

5.1 Village Hall
Mr Gilmore, Mr Hall, Mr Hunt, Mrs Presland, Ms Smith

5.2 Recreation Grounds
Mr Hunt, Mrs Pateman, Mrs Presland, Mrs Smith, Mr Titmarsh

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5.3 Finance and General Purposes
Dr Fothergill, Mr Gilmore, Mr Hall, Mr Haigh, Mrs Smith, Mr Smith, Mr Titmarsh

5.4 Planning and Environment
Dr Fothergill, Mr Haigh, Mr Hunt, Mrs Pateman, Ms Smith, Mr Smith

6. Appointment of Chairman of Committees 2009/10

6.1 It was proposed by Mr Hunt, seconded by Ms Smith and

RESOLVED “that Mr Hall is elected Chairman of the Village Hall Committee.”

Unanimously agreed.

6.2 It was proposed by Mr Titmarsh, seconded by Mrs Pateman and

RESOLVED “that Mr Hunt is elected as Chairman of the Recreation Grounds Committee.

Unanimously agreed.

6.3 It was proposed by Dr Fothergill, seconded by Mr Smith and

RESOLVED “that Mr Titmarsh is elected Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.”

Unanimously agreed.

6.4 It was proposed by Mr Smith, seconded by Ms Smith and

RESOLVED “that Dr Fothergill is elected Chairman of the Planning and Environment Committee”.

Unanimously agreed.

7. Inspection of Schedule of Deeds and Documents

Mr Titmarsh reported that the schedule of deeds and documents will be inspected prior to the next meeting.

8. Appointment of Representatives of the Council to sit on outside bodies

It was proposed by the Chairman and

RESOLVED “that the Chairman sit on the Knebworth House Education and Preservation Trust and that the Chairman and Vice Chairman sit on Knebworth Village Trust.

Unanimously agreed.





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9. Approval of Parish Council Minutes

It was proposed by Mr Titmarsh, seconded by Ms Smith and

RESOLVED “that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council, held on 25 March 2009, be approved and signed.

Unanimously agreed.

10. Register of Interests

All interests were registered with the clerk.

11. The Council Noted the Minutes of the Committee Meetings

11.1 Minutes of the Meeting of the Recreation Grounds Committee held on 8 April 2009.

11.2 Minutes of the Meeting of the Village Hall Committee held on the 29 April 2009

11.3 Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on the 29 April 2009

11.4 Minutes of the Meetings of the Planning and Environment Committee held on the 6 April 2008

12. Bank Signatories

It was proposed by Mrs Smith and seconded by Dr Fothergill and

RESOLVED “that Barclays Bank PLC shall continue as the Parish Council’s bankers. The bank shall be authorised to honour all cheques and other orders for payment drawn, made or accepted on the Parish Council’s behalf.

The Bank shall act on all specimen signatories in accordance with any instruction, notice, and requirements of other documents in writing concerning the Parish Council’s accounts (including the opening of new accounts) affairs or property. The Parish Council Chairman, Chairmen of Committees and the Clerk to be authorised to sign cheques on the Parish Council’s behalf.”

Unanimously agreed.

13. Subscriptions

It was proposed by Mr Bantick, seconded by Mr Hall and

RESOLVED “that the annual subscription and affiliation fee of £915.25 to Hertfordshire Association of Parish and Town Councils be paid.”

For 8 Abstention 4. Agreed.


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14. 2009/10 Meeting Schedule

The proposed meeting schedule was circulated. It was agreed that the meeting times should be set by each committee, Planning 7.00pm, Village Hall 7.15 pm, Recreation Grounds 7.30pm, F&GP 8.00pm and Parish Council 8.00pm

It was proposed by the Chairman and

RESOLVED “that the Schedule of Meetings for 2009/10 be approved.”

Unanimously agreed.

15. Annual Parish Meeting Evaluation

The chairman’s speech was commended, although attendance was lower than normal with fewer questions and no contentious issues. The lobbying of a secondary school by a resident had not resulted in more people attending the meeting and it had been useful that County Councillor Thake was in attendance.

Mr Titmarsh suggested that there was no opportunity for residents to raise issues with District and County Councillors and perhaps the Parish Council might consider arranging a surgery for people to ask appropriate questions. It was suggested that this could be achieved with an invitation to the Parish Meeting.

16. Hertfordshire County Council

The Council considered and agreed in principle to the draft lease. HCC has agreed to a start date of 1 April 2009. There were a few clarifications which are to be sought prior to final approval. The clerk is to write to the Mr Piper, Foremans Law.

17. Parking

NHDC has agreed to proceed with the yellow lines on Park Lane and Pondcroft Road, a traffic order is to be published in the next few months. A two hour restriction on St Martins is to be pursued. A survey of the car park has shown that 52% is occupied for more than two hours. Eight cars stayed in the Coop car park for more than eight hours.

Mr Young is to review any impact on the roads around Park Lane with a view to managing the parking.

Mr Catt is to arrange another business parking survey.

18. Council Stationery

Triographics is preparing options for new stationery which is to be taken to the F&GP committee.





2009/10 5

19. Annual Accounts

Proposed by Dr Fothergill, seconded by Ms Smith and

RESOLVED “that the Annual Return for 2009 be approved with reserves of £98094.”

Agreed

Proposed by Ms Smith, second by Mr Titmarsh and

RESOLVED “that the Annual Governance Statement be approved”

Agreed.

20. Village Website

Proposed by Mr Bantick, seconded by Mr Haigh and

RESOLVED that “the Parish Council will undertake to pay the annual costs for the domain name knebworth.org from 2010”.

Unanimous.

The Council agreed that the website for Princes Risborough was well laid out.

21. Accounts for Payment

It was proposed by Mrs Smith and seconded by Mr Hall and

RESOLVED “that the list of accounts paid during Accounts Period 7 2008/09 and Accounts Period 1 2009/10 be approved.

Agreed.

Mr Titmarsh reported that he had agreed the monthly bank reconciliations to 30 April 2009.

22. Any Other Urgent Business

22.1 Councillors Allowances
Mr Gilmore reported that the working party had met Mr Parkin, NHDC. He had confirmed that allowances could be used to pay for carers and to support hardware costs. The questionnaire issued by the clerk is to be updated, re-issued information forward to Mr Parkin by early July.

22.2 Complaint by New Labour
New Labour has not replied to the clerk’s response to its complaint about the delivery of the conservative newsletter with the Parish Update.


2009/10 6

22.3 Apologies
Mr Hall apologised for not attending the last Village Hall meeting.

22.4 Music Festival
Mr Titmarsh requested information on the proposed traffic controls for the festival to be held on 1 & 2 August at Knebworth House.

22.5 Vandalism
Mr Hunt reported that the tennis hut has been vandalised again.


There being no other business the meeting closed at 10.00 p.m.