Minutes - March 2024
CROWTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Crowton Parish Council meeting held on
Tuesday 12th March 2024 at Crowton Village Hall
2023
Present
Cllr Richard Thorne (Acting Chair) (RT)
Cllr Joel Rutter (JR) Cllr Jennie Currie (JC) Cllr Roger Hammond (RH)
Ward Cllr Gillian Edwards
Clerk T Whitlow (TW)
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Apologies for Absence were received & accepted from:
Cllr Ross McCrickerd (RM) Cllr Bob Stubbs (BS)), Cllr Ralph Oultram (Chair) Cllr Bob Stubbs(BS)
Ward Councillors Lynn Stocks & Phil Rimmer
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Declarations of Members’ Interests: none
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Approve Minutes The minutes of the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 13th February 2024 were approved & signed by the Chair.
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Public Participation: none present.
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Ward Councillors reports:
Written report from Cllr Lynn Stocks see appendix 1
Cllr Gilian Edwards – reported that Highways are doing all they can at this point in the financial year with a limited budget. GE had arranged a meeting at Weaverham Community Hall with The Canal and Rivers Trust, Flood Engineers from CWAC and the Environment Agency. Cllr JC and other residents attended.
Speedwatch (with handheld devices & volunteer groups) appears to be doing well in other parishes – RT returned that Crowton have considered this and at present do not want to take it any further at present. The info from the SID’s will be downloaded and analysed, before revisiting the speed watch device.
Neighbourhood Development Plans have been given the go ahead again, Crowton PC feel they are too small with limited resources and limited professional volunteers to enable this to be carried forward successfully in Crowton. This is open to future review. It would require a separate working group with volunteers and costs are @£10k
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Matters arising from the previous minutes – unless an agenda item:
None, all covered under agenda items.
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Correspondence:
CWAC elections have confirmed that the PC can now co-opt a new member.
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Accounts/Financial:
1. Cash book as at 29.02.24 approved.
2. Bank reconciliation 29.02.24 approved.
3. Payments for approval.
Clerks Overtime Jan ratified
Clerks salary March
Clerks expenses Jan Feb £7.25
W Clarke – Maintenance £500
Crowton Village Hall- room hire (x2) £30
Linux email hosting £71.86
T Clarke – hedge cutting £300
4. Bank update:
Barclays have now paid £250 compensation – but – into TW’s account – TW to transfer to the PC account.
5. Receipts
Field rent £175.00
TW
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Clerk Update:
Noticeboard – TW &JC had re-arranged the noticeboard, TW had re-written a number of items for the community side of the notice board. No complaints have been received as yet- to monitor.
TW has written to Highways regarding the traffic measures for carrying out the work to the fence on the MG and combining with the work to the culvert- awaiting a response.
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Audit:
1. Resolved to appoint Blanchfield & Co as internal auditor for 2023-24
2. Resolved to certify as exempt from external audit for 2023-24 as under £25K and EA will cost over £300.
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Highways:
Following the road closure on Ainsworth Lane/Crewood Common and the redirection of traffic the roads are in a worst state than ever. TW to contact Highways.
TW
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Millennium Green:
1. Trust: deferred to next month with the absence of RO
2. Volunteers will be back at the MG on 26/03/23, where they will modify the gate.
3. Re-development work: RO, RT & JC have met with contractors who will now quote for the work TW has sent the programme of works.
4. Hedge Whips: JC has secured more hedge whips.
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Planning:
21/03527/FUL 23/03218/FUL, Little Brook Farm: TW to check on the status of these applications.
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Asset Maintenance & Register.
1. Diseased trees- JC has followed this up , being promised a 5 day response. RH to contact Tree Protection Team if no response.
2. War Memorial -TW to check progress with RM
TW
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Community Resilience Group: JC has spoken with the flood officer. EA are to speak to RM regarding changes to the stream around the Hare & Hounds. RM is aware of tis.
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Items for next agenda:
MG- works progress. Co-option policy
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Date of next meeting. Tuesday 9th April 2024 at Crowton Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 8.10pm Signed: Dated:
Cllr.Lynn StocksReport:
Weaver & Cuddington Ward Report for Crowton Parish Council Meeting, 12th March 2024, 7pm, Crowton Village Hall
1. Council tax - increase is 4.99%
2. Green bin tax – cost has risen from £40 to £50 for the current year. Collections have commenced.
3. Purdah for the PCC election will begin on 18th March with the election taking place on Thursday, 2nd May.
4. Members Budget – applications have now closed and will re-open again on 8thMay.
5. Potholes/gullies continue to be a problem across the borough. Please continue to report via the app or website and let us know if there are any problems.
6. The council is about to start a review of its household waste collection sites under the management of the current contractor.
7. Local Plan – the council has started the process of reviewing its Local Planning policies. This is currently out for consultation.