MAY 14 Minutes

RAVENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
Clerk: Mr. Julian Vischer
50 Gibsons Green, Heelands, Milton Keynes, MK13 7PE
Tel 07866 412706 email [email protected]
2014/05/009
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 8 May 2014 at Ravenstone Village Hall following the
Annual Meeting
Present: Cllrs R. Rook (Chair), W. Meades (Vice Chair), E. Reed, & S.Bailey; Ward Cllrs. Peter Geary & David
Hosking + 4 residents: Peter & Janet Baker, John Caplin & Beryl Rook
1. Apologies R. Humphreys, D. Brock
2. Declaration of Member’s Interests E Reed: Abbey Way; R. Rook & S. Bailey: allotments
3. Minutes of the April Meeting Approved. Proposed Cllr Reed, seconded Cllr Rook
4. Matters Arising None
5. Village Appearance
a. Verge near Yew Tree Farm – completed.
b. Reinstatement of ditch by Small Farm – On MKC works schedule
c. Potholes at North End – Patched up but not fully repaired. (keep on agenda)
d. Damage to Verges in Common Street –Repeatedly damaged when large vehicles pass through so
some kind of kerb/haunching required. Action Cllr. Rook/Meades to liaise with Ward Councillor
e. Bay Lane - John Caplin raised the issue of demarcation in Bay Lane.
6. Recreation Field Improvements
a. Funds – No funds received from Merchant Venturers to date. The Village Hall Committee's
contribution had been received.
b. Works – almost completed, but works had come to a halt. An invoice had been received from MKC
for £1,767 but it was not clear how this amount was arrived at. Action Clerk to establish
c. Residents group – Ongoing Action Cllr. Humphreys
d. Feasibility of higher fence/netting – it was felt that this problem was really the responsibility of the
owner and with the change in goal-posts siting away from the house the problem was less likely to
occur.
7. Village Hall Access Improvements works completed and had come in under budget. Action - Clerk
to pursue the allocated Parish Partnership Funds from MKC; Cllr Bailey to pass to the clerk the three
quotations for both the electrical work and the groundworks
8. Allotments
a. Lease & Site Plan – Site Plan not received to date. Draft lease received. It was agreed that legal
advice was required Action Cllr. Rook
b. Funding - PPF funding application had been drawn up Action Cllr Rook
c. Village consultation had been carried out and a majority was in favour of the project. Ten potential
new plot-holders had shown an interest.
9. Flood Mitigation
a. The ground level of the neighbouring orchard... – no future action required
b. Culvert emerging from under North End road – Ongoing Action Cllr Geary
c. The ditch opposite the North End Farm – the clerk had not managed to contact the farmer Steve
Armstrong of Yardley Hastings but John Caplin now provided up-to-date contact details. Action
Clerk
10. Landscaping - The new 3 year Service Level Agreement was still only Draft. Action Cllr Rook to
finalise. The clerk had issued an invoice for the first year's payment (£2,300).
Signed
Date
RAVENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
2014/05/010
11. Finance
a. Budget report – The clerk gave a budget update. it was agreed to circulate copies with the minutes
as payments were finally agreed at the meeting. (attached)
b. Cheques for approval:
This month's cheques approved:
chq no. 100591 Ambulance Service (NHS 1 st Responder)
£100.00
chq no. 100592 cancelled
chq no. 100593 Clerk's salary
£111.68
chq no. 100594 admin – ink, file
£24.98
chq no. 100596 BALC subscription
£29.28
chq no. 100595
MK Council awaiting clarification
c. 010/2011 PPF funding (Heritage lamps) RPC's contribution had been signed off by MKC and no
further payment was required. A vote of thanks was offered to Cllr. Brock for resolving this longoutstanding issue.
d. Parochial Church Council subsidy – payment received, contributions were now up-to-date.
12. Planning
a. Long Barn entrance alterations – No update. Action Cllr. Geary
b. Footpath 4 Diversion – A letter of support for the change had been issued.
c. 14/00508/FUL & 14/00509/LBC Yew Tree Farm - A letter objecting to various points had been
issued. Still pending.
13. Correspondence
a. A consultation paper had been received from MKC regarding the proposed new auditing
requirements – A Code of Transparency – which was quite onerous for small councils. Action Clerk
to contact BALC for advice
14. Councillors’ / Residents’ Items
a. Grit Bins offered by MKC – no update.
b. 'Handyman' jobs around the Parish – the re-painting the old postbox had been done. Action Cllr
Meades to confirm further work.
c. Abbey Way land ownership – MK Council was not prepared to buy the land but as it had looked
after it for more than 30 years it had a claim to ownership. Action Cllr Reed to collect letters from
relevant residents attesting to MKC's long period of maintenance. Action Cllr Rook to submit to
MKC.
15. Date and Time of next meeting Thursday, 12th June 2014 at 7:30pm.
Meeting closed at 8.57pm.
Signed
Date

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