MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING
MADRON PARISH COUNCIL
HELD AT TRYTHALL CP SCHOOL
THURSDAY 2ND JUNE 2011 AT 7.30pm
Present:
Cllr S. Pritchard (chairman) Cllr Mrs C. Roberts (vice chairman)
Cllr Mrs A. Jenkin Cllr Miss M. Christopher
Cllr. M. Scoble Cllr D. Westlake
Cllr R. Mann Cllr I. Phillips
Cllr S. Bates Cllr V. Peake
Cllr C. Bone
Cornwall Cllrs. Miss I. Bailey and W. Madden
PCSO J. Taylor (to point stated)
Clerk, Mr W.E. Wilkins – no members of the public.
1.Apologies
Cllr R. Matthews
2.To Receive Notification of Financial and Other Interests from Councillor not at Annual Parish Council Meeting
Cllr Christopher signed her forms and returned them to the clerk.
3. Acceptance of Minutes
The minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held at Madron Community Rooms on 5th May 2011 were unanimously accepted
4. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Jenkin – item 17, Code of Conduct as a member of the Standards Board for England.
5. Public Participation
None
6. Police Report
Clerk reported that he had received an email from PC Thomas in which he states that a local youth has been convicted of arson following a car being set alight on 23rd April. The same youth will shortly be issued with a Stage 2 ASB warning and he, with his PCSOs, will be taking every opportunity to patrol the estate in Madron.
Another boy from Trelawney Estate has been issued a Stage 1 ASB warning following repeated reports of anti-social behaviour.
The PCSOs have had a meeting with David Ellin and Rachel Mullins from PHA who have also received a number of complaints of anti-social behaviour in Trelawney Estate. This has resulted in PHA sending out a blanket letter to residents reminding them of their responsibilities to control their children.
PC Thomas has circulated details of grants becoming available. Clerk has circulated these to members and playing field committee contacts where applicable by email.
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PCSO Gary Nicholls has been in contact with clerk and given him a guide to obtaining policing information concerning Madron Parish from the Devon and Cornwall and National Police websites. This has been circulated to members by email. It is only a base and does not contain sufficient detail to be of real value, but it is a start. Clerk applied for the crime figures for last month a week prior to this meeting. As a result of that he has received a review of offences, changes and detection rates over the last two years, but no information relating to current crime. These details have also been emailed to members.
PCSO Taylor informed members that there has been one crime in Madron during the last month and this was criminal damage when two windows at the King William 1V public house were smashed. This offence has been linked to offences in Heamoor. PCSO Taylor commented on the anti-social behaviour in Trelawney Estate which he felt has blown out of proportion as most of the problems related to very young children playing football on The Green to the annoyance of residents who had reacted to the problem.
He was concerned about the lack of communication in Madron between members of the community which had resulted in a lack of support for ideas to solve social problems. He outlined activities that the police had organised to show what can be done but still there was no support from parents or children. The chairman thanked PCSO Taylor for his input and agreed that this council would support a meeting between relevant parties in an effort to improve the situation. (PCSO Taylor left at this point)
7. Chairman’s Comments
Cllr Pritchard gave an update concerning the continued progress of the Community Bus operation.
8. Councillors’ Questions and Comments
None
9. Comments from Cornwall Councillors
Cornwall Cllr Bailey has been liaising with Mike Peters from Cornwall Highways concerning repairs to finger posts in Madron Parish and the quotes received for the work were considerable. Cornwall Cllr Maddern understood that there were similar problems in other nearby parishes and it was agreed that all the repairs needed be collated in an effort to obtain a better quote for all of the work.
10. Planning
Applications
PA11/03822 – conversion of dwelling into two dwellings and installation of roof lights at Landithy Farmhouse, Bellair Road, Madron. Clerk informed members that this application was received on Tuesday 31st May and had not been before Planning Advisory Panel He has also received a phone call today from Phil Brooks, the planning officer in this case, in which he asks for this item to be deferred until the meeting on 7th July as he understands there is a history of issues connected to this premises and at this stage he is unable to give any guidance. This was agreed.
Results
PA11/01426 – change of holiday let to residential at the Old Carthouse, Trezela – granted
PA11/02324 – demolition of first floor porch, and construction of two storey extension to provide a lounge on the ground floor and improved access on the first floor at Trevaylor Manor Care Home – granted
Other Planning Matters
Clerk has circulated details of extra local planning training to councillors. It appears that the training is the same as completed by interested members last year and no requests for further training have been received from councillors.
Cornwall Council has again circulated details of amended speaking procedures at Planning Committee which includes a limit of three minutes for parish council representatives. Full details are available from the clerk for interested members.
Building Control Services Newsletter for May has been circulated by email to councillors and this confirms that Planning will move its Penzance operations to Camborne in the future.
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11. Public Rights of Way
Clerk reported that he had accepted an offer from Cornwall Council concerning LMP payments which are the same as last year after confirming this with Cllr Westlake. He had forwarded the schedules to the contractors instructing them to do the work required in early July so that the paths were in order for the main holiday period.
He has also received complaints from Cllrs Christopher and Scoble who in turn had received complaints from members of the public to the effect that the path between Madron and Trelin had been diverted around the field and there are problems with large stones and the narrowness of the path which makes it difficult to negotiate. Requests for attention to the problem have been forwarded to Countryside Access.
Cllr Westlake asked clerk to ensure the contractors were aware of overgrown areas on footpaths 33 and 37.
12. Clerk’s Report and Correspondence
Clerk handed out to Cllrs Pritchard, Jenkin, Roberts and Matthews certified cards to show that they had, with him, completed the Traffic Management Course recently
Clerk reported that all instructions had been completed from the last meeting with the exception of forwarding the request for the road closures for Trafalgar and liaising regarding the proposed website. The forms are now ready concerning Trafalgar celebrations with the formal request for the road closures and the risk assessment sections have been completed and will be forwarded shortly, well within the 3 months advance notice required. Clerk has also spoken with Matt Stribley and the cones will be put out by Cornwall Council as last year. The proposed website will be discussed later in the meeting.
Cornwall Renewable Energy Conference and Exhibition will be held at the former Gaia Centre at Delabole on 28th and 29th July – noted.
CALC ‘This Week’ issue 30 has been circulated to members by email – noted
Clerk reported that he usually takes leave during June and he has arranged to be out of contact from 4th to 21st June. There is a five week gap between June and July meetings so this is a convenient time to take leave from his work with Madron Parish Council.
Clerk has circulated to members by email details of Cornwall Council Waste Awareness Campaign which will be operating in West Cornwall to encourage people to re-cycle more and waste less. The organisers ask for the best opportunities to talk to residents at events in the parish. Gulval Cricket Club Car Boot Sale on Friday mornings and Penzance Horse Show held at Badgers Cross on 19th June were suggestions and clerk was instructed to pass this to the waste Awareness Campaign.
CALC – ‘This Week’ issue 31 circulated to members by email.
‘Parish Online’ has been circulated to councillors by email with a free trial for 30 days. It was agreed not to pursue this offer.
Sally Newby from Cornwall Council has emailed asking representatives to attend a meeting at 7pm on 9th June at Committee Room 1 at St Clare concerning proposals for a festival of sport.
Clerk will be on leave and most councillors are committed at the Royal Cornwall Show on that day. Cllr Pritchard will attend if he is available. Clerk to inform Sally Newby
Clerk has received a request from a new resident in Madron asking for minutes and agendas of Parish Council Meetings to be forwarded to him. Requests such as this carried a £5 administration fee prior to emails being in common use. Clerk was instructed to respond to the person concerned to the effect that a website will be in operation shortly which will include these details and agendas and minutes are attached to notice boards.
13. Proposed Madron Parish Website
Cllr Westlake had been unable to take this any further during this month due to domestic commitments and it was agreed that this matter to be deferred until the next meeting.
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14. West Penwith Community Forum – 26th May 2011
This forum was attended by chairman, Cllr Scoble and clerk. Inspector Mark Bolt represented the police and reported on the changes in policing policy which really meant a return to policing of years ago with specialist officers performing response and other roles where manpower was needed. It was really standard fare and no improvements were experienced in the supplying of police reports or contact with the council. Cllr Pritchard enlarged on this expressing his concerns.
Beach management and the development of the Health Foundation Trust were the other presentations given.
15. West Cornwall ‘Reducing Waste’ Seminar
Cllr Roberts represented this council at this event. The attendance was poor but Cllr Roberts felt that it was a successful evening and she supported the efforts of the organisers to meet the public to encourage waste awareness and recycling.
16. To Approve Amended Standing Order in relation to Planning Advisory Panel.
Clerk has circulated the amended standing order to cover the acceptance of the Planning Advisory Panel. It was proposed by Cllr Peake, seconded by Cllr Bone and unanimously agreed by all members present that this amended standing order be adopted. The amended standing order has been signed by chairman and clerk.
17. Code of Conduct
(Cllr Jenkin declared an interest). Clerk has circulated to members changes in the Code of Conduct received from CALC where comments are invited from councils. Basically the Code of Conduct as we know it has been removed under the Localism Bill and councils can create their own code or use the codes of larger authority such as Cornwall Council.
Cllr Jenkin, as a standards board member, has prepared a paper in which she explains the considerations to be taken into account. This has been circulated by email. A discussion ensued concerning the introduction of a code which satisfies all parishes and also how any breaches of the code can be policed and enforced. Cornwall Cllr Maddern stated that Cornwall Council was developing a code and it was agreed that when this has been completed it will be studied and if regarded as appropriate to this parish be adopted.
18. Finance
It was proposed by Cllr Jenkin, seconded by Cllr Mann, and unanimously agreed that the following payments be approved – W.E. Wilkins, clerk – salary £433.65, office allowance £20.00, mileage £11.00, disbursements £45.22; R. Hibbert for meeting at Trythall £10.00; HMCR for clerks PAYE £108.40; Cornwall Association of Local Councils £363.62; Printerland for new printer for Parish Council £111.23
Clerk also reported that he had submitted a claim for £872.27 for VAT paid during the last financial year and this has been refunded.
Clerk had been instructed to enquire into the situation of an allowance for him working from home committing him to business rates. He reported that he had been in contact with the Council Tax Office for Cornwall Council at Camborne concerning this. They informed him that as it was not open for regular hours, that visitors did not usually come to his premises, that his working area was in a normal part of his house used for other purposes, that business rates would not apply to any allowance given to him for working from home. It was agreed that in view of the information obtained the allowance for the clerk should be reviewed, as this had been deferred for this enquiry from the Annual Parish Council Meeting. (clerk left the meeting at this point while this was discussed) It was proposed by Cllr Scoble, seconded by Cllr Mann and unanimously agreed that the office allowance for the clerk should now be set at £30.00 per month.
19. Time and date of Next Meeting
7.30pm, Thursday 7th July 2011 at Madron Community Rooms.