Present: Marshall Ferguson - chair, Ailsa Dempster, Terri Meechan, Andrew Royle, Tim Fox, Paul Seaton, Barrie Woolley, Phil Bromhall - Borough Councillor, Harry Pavitt - Jnr. Member, Phil Oram - Clerk.

1      Apologies - Vic Clark, Sue Forsey.

2      Meeting Open to Public

Jnr Member informed the council that "birdcage walk" was still not clear of rubbish and also asked about the land behind the garages being unused - this is the land that is being looked at with a view to building "affordable" houses in Gretton.

3      Declaration of Councillors' interests

Chairman reminded councillors that they should declare an interest where this was involved.

4      Minutes of meeting held 8 March 2004 were confirmed as a true record,

subject to item 5; Phil Bromhall did not understand that he was asked to pursue cars parked in the recreation field, and signed by the chairman.

5      Report from Borough Councillor

Phil Bromhall reported that comments he had received from Gretton Band re vandalism had been passed to C.B.C.

He had been informed that the litterbins should be in place within four weeks.

After informing the Parish Council that the new contractors for street cleaning had been in Gretton he was asked to chase up the cleaning up of Station Rd footpath, near to bottom of Clay Lane, and also "birdcage walk".

He also informed council that he would be having an informal look at land at rear of garages with Head of Housing.

Concern was expressed about how the new community policing will affect Gretton, as we have not been given any details at present.

He also expressed concern over the proposed closure of Pope John and Our Lady's school.

He also brought to the attention of organisations in Gretton the fact that Rates relief is available to them.

6      Report from County Councillor - None

7      Matters Arising from Minutes

Repairs to sports pavilion had not yet been carried out - Andrew Royle to chase.

8      Correspondence

a      Sports & Social Club lease - the date for the court hearing had been put back to 20 August. Andrew Royle to organise detail of lease and ask Lamb & Holmes to draw up the lease for their approval.

b      NALC - outline training programme for 2004 - to be put in circulation file.

c      Change of signatories for National Savings a/c (Pick funds) - agreed that we do not need to keep these funds separate and that the account be closed.

d      NCC - planning out crime - to be put in circulation file.

e      DEFRA - Broadband in Rural Communities - to be put in circulation file.

f      Statement from Councillor Willie Smith re Council Budget & Council Tax - to be put in circulation file.

g      CPRE sponsored walk takes place Sun 6 June.

h      CPRE - an evening with Sir Max Hastings 23 April.

i      CPRE - Milton Keynes/South Midlands meeting to be held 27 April at Cranford Hall. - to be put in circulation file.

j      NCC _ Parish Wildlife - do we want to create something in the village - to be passed to Pocket Park secretary.

k      Letter of thanks from Winged Fellowship Trust

l      NCC Minerals local plan - request for someone to get involved with plan - to be put in circulation file

m      CBC Code of Conduct - change of method of applying for a review of a referral - to be put in circulation file.

n      NCC - request for change of field gates to kissing gates or hand gates - agreed to raise no objection but would prefer kissing gates. Also a request for Mel Jarvis to be parish path warden for Gretton was agreed.

o      CBC request for details of cemetery & crematorium facilities - as the Parish Council has no direct facilities clerk to write to CBC asking the to contact the Church & Chapel for details.

p      CBC details of households in Borough - to be put in circulation file.

q      Phil Hope MP sent details of Village Hall survey in his constituency, as Ailsa Dempster already has some of this information she was given the remainder.

r      Smith Stuart Reynolds sent a letter thanking the Parish Council for being allowed to speak at the Annual Parish Meeting about quarrying in Gretton.

 

Circulation file:

CPRE Outlook Spring

NCC Community Strategy

NALC Acquisition of ownerless land

NALC Update March

CBC Performance assessment

CBC Community Safety Forum 29 March

NCC Corby Area Committee 31 March

CBC Rural Area Forum 18 March

CPRE Planning Update

CPRE Rural Matters

CPRE TCG News

CBC Dev Control meeting 6 April

PC Minutes - Middleton, Stanion, Weldon, Cottingham.

9      Highway Matters

a      Minor Works application and prioritised programme for 2004/5 - this includes in the prioritised programme junction improvement at Craxford Rd and Gateways in Corby Rd.

b      Dates and venues of Highway reps evening meetings were given for the whole of 2004.

c      Change of Bus timetable were given - this only affects people who use the bus to Kettering Tech. - leaflets are available in the Post Office.

d      Letter from CBC regarding various items in the village were detailed as follows - CBC is ordering new signs in general although only Orchard was mentioned as being one in Gretton that would be replaced. The lighting problems concerning new developments appears to revolve round a section 38 agreement, of which there was not such an agreement.

10    Planning Matters

a      Integral garage & first floor extension - 9 Fulwell Ave - permission granted subject to certain conditions.

b      Single storey front & rear extension - 46 Finch Hatton Drive - permission granted subject to certain conditions.

c      Ailsa Dempster reported that she had been told that planning permission for the new Village Hall had been granted.

11    Finance Matters

	a	Current balance		5189.87
	b	Payments received		50.00
	c	Payments due	Kandaprint - newsletter	95.70
			A Dempster - village plan	38.76
			E Jordan - village plan	22.87
			Uppingham C.C. - village plan	354.75
			Baptist Church - village plan	10.00
			P A Oram       petty cash	26.13
			Samson Ind Doors - changing room	330.18
			Terri Meechan - carnival queen	44.00

d      All information for Annual Audit is now to hand, needs completing by clerk and internal auditor.

12    Police Matters

It is understood that the "red car" referred to at the last meeting has now been dealt with.

Concern was expressed over the amount of car crime in the village and a general increase in vandalism.

The lights in Gretton Brook Rd have been reported on numerous occasions and following an accident recently, although in daylight, clerk was asked to write to CBC about the state of the lights.

13    Village Plan

Questionnaires have been delivered to every household in the village and will be collected on the 18 April. If there is a problem with collection they can be left at the Post Office.

14    Any Other Business

Barrie Woolley informed council that the railings at the second bridge in Lyddington Rd are in need of repair, need to check they are in Northamptonshire.

Paul Seaton reported that there is a lot of rubbish at church gap and probably needs a skip, clerk to check when O'Connor will carry out their first cleaning session.

Andrew Royle reported that the Japanese Knotweed under the railway bridge had been killed off but under the bridge looks a mess, he will try to find out who is responsible.

Terri Meechan informed the council that the cricket net cannot be put in the place agreed at the last meeting, it needs to be moved to a different place - asked to inform the Band of the new place.

She also wanted to look at CCTV cameras being installed because of the increased vandalism.

Also reported an attempted break in at the Sports & Social Club when the doors were damaged.

Marshall Ferguson reported that the odd nos in Corby Rd are causing confusion to the new postmen - asked clerk to write to CBC asking for them to be re-numbered.

Also reported that the Health & Safety signs for the BMX track had been put up.

He also reported that 'travellers' had been conning local pensioners when offering to carry out tree felling.