Parish Council Minutes Annual Parish Meeting April 14th 2011

ORLINGBURY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of Annual Parish MeetingHeld in Orlingbury Village Hall
Thursday 14th April 2011


PRESENT
P Allen (Chairman), B.Rootham (Deputy S. Miles, G Rowlatt, P.Waller, Mrs A.McLaven (Clerk), and 2 Members of the public

APOLOGIES
Cllrs Bailey (County Council), G.Timms (Borough),), A.Norton, J.Watts, John Cooke and Nigel Carr, sent their apologies, which were accepted.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 15th April 2010
These were approved as a true and correct record

REPORT FROM THE CHAIR

We have a full team of Councillors, and still meet monthly with members of the public attending the meetings. The minutes continue to be available on the village blog, which has been set up by Rod Derry and on the village website run by Andy Gosling. Copies of draft minutes are placed in the village notice board, which is unlocked to enable people to take them out and read them. The Parish Council Newsletter established in October 2008 further informs the village on growing developments.

The Parish Council are on the point of achieving the objectives in the Development Plan established in 2008. Priorities include:
Parish Council Development - Improvement of Procedures and Communication
Roads and Footpaths – Safety and Maintenance
Developments arising from the securing of Section 106 Funding
Allotments
We regularly report on progress in these areas at Parish Council Meetings though progress can often be frustrating when dealing with external agencies to help complete projects.

The final instalment of section 106 money has still to be awarded but the bulk of funding has been agreed and granted by the Norlinton Close Developers and the Wellingborough Council. Progress reports on the agreed plan are submitted to the Council. Developments achieved last year, including new seating at the village green and car parking opposite the Church and these together with waste paper bins and dog waste bins have blended in well. The expected installation of village entrance gateways and integral village sign and speed restrictions with road markings scheduled for last April are close to being approved, delays having resulted from the legislation required to extend speed limits. The centre of village sign and village information lectern informed by the work of the Youth Focus Group are scheduled to be designed, and installed later this year.

Whilst we are grateful to the Highways Department for using their Section 106 grant and further match funding that to complete our village gateway project, the wait to complete this project has been very frustrating. Traffic calming measures including the Gateway Project, the Speed Watch project involving the police and a trained team of villagers together with our Speed Sensor have all made important contributions to raising the awareness of drivers to speeding through the village and have made it a safer place. The audit conducted in 2008 revealed a range of pressing needs to repair and improve pathways and road surfacing, key problem areas have been improved. With notable exceptions most boundary hedgerows have been trimmed to improve the vision of pedestrians and motorists and the overgrown area outside the Hall which made crossing for pedestrians difficult and negotiation by motorists at the junction hazardous has been grassed.

The Speed-Watch project is a central element in our priority to make roads and footpaths safer in the village and to enable adults and children to confidently enjoy the environment in safety. Unfortunately this is no longer being funded , and Councillor Waller has written to thank all the volunteers for their help with the scheme.

During the last three years, works have been completed in respect of extending a pavement at the Taggies Yard junction, and grit bins have been installed at some slippery points. The verge at Rectory Lane on the Old Rectory side still remains a problem and our lobbying with the Highways Department to restore the road edge and ideally to widen the road have been resisted owing to the dire lack of available funding for roads.

The establishment of an active Emergency planning group, inspired by the writing of our Emergency Plan and the successful training of a team of First-Aiders has been halted by the unavailability of people to lead the group. The establishment of a planning/action group would be a step to ensuring support for the community in unforeseen circumstances. Three hard winters have underlined the importance of providing support in the community when things come to a standstill.

As I pointed out in my report last year, endeavours to regularly inform the village of developments are designed to improve understanding of the works of the Council and to encourage people to participate in its work. Mindful of the need to encourage participation from all sectors of the community a number of sub-groups have been established to involve people e.g. the Emergency Planning Group and Speed Watch,

The four year cycle of work comes to an end this year and elections for new councillors take place. The Council has done much to promote its work and to encourage people to seek nominations. By this time all villagers interested in joining the Parish Council will have filled in their nomination papers and submitted them to Wellingborough Council. It is important to underline the areas of work that Councillors play a key role in:

· Representing our community
· Ensuring that services are delivered to meet local needs
· Striving to improve quality of life in the parish

As always we invite all those interested in the work of the Parish Council to attend meetings as observers and to take part in sub-committee work.

REPORT FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL FROM COUNCILLOR BAILEY
Councillor Bailey was unable to attend, but provided a report as follows:

“Isham’s by-pass is to be reconsidered in 2015. There is no money available at the moment. The planning applications and compulsory purchase orders run out this year and they will not be reapplied for until 2013/14.

The County Council have not increased the council tax, but they have had terrific cuts in government grants. The County have made difficult decisions on spending cuts, they have done their best to make cuts that don’t affect the front line. Libraries will not be closed, but they have got rid of Lollipop Ladies and reduced bus subsidies. A lot of staff including senior staff have been made redundant. Last year Councillors were given empowerment grants to support local initiatives. From this grant of £10,000 Isham and Orlingbury were given £2500 between them to purchase a ‘flashing speed sign’. Next year because of cuts Councillors are only being given £7000, but Councillor Bailey has to spend £5000 of his grant towards keeping Finedon Library open.”

REPORT ON THE BOROUGH COUNCIL FROM COUNCILLOR TIMMS
Councillor Timms was unable to attend, but provided a report as follows:

“The Borough is starting a one stop shop to deal with most things at the Tithe Barn. Wellingborough Tax Office has closed and also moved 3 members of staff into Tithe Barn and their manager has relocated to Northampton.

The Borough has kept the Council Tax Rate at the same as last year. They have staff doing 2 jobs now and if anyone one wants early retirement or voluntary redundancy it is available.”

REPORT ON NEIGBOURHOOD WATCH- CHARLOTTE COOK
Neighbourhood Watch is operating well in the village. All areas are covered by a co-ordinator. The Police send all co-ordinators reports, via email, of crimes committed in the area, so it is much easier to pass this information around the village quite quickly. In Orlingbury things have been quieter then last year. A nuisance problem has stopped and hopefully will not reoccur. I have attended meetings and training sessions in Northampton, Wellingborough and Mears Ashby.

The meetings in Mears Ashby are held so that the Police, Parish Councilors and NHW representatives can discuss the problems in the villages and decide where the Police will focus their attention for the next few weeks. I am the only representative from the village at these meetings. Mrs Cook provided a list of co-ordinators for the village.


REPORT ON THE DRAMA GROUP FROM BRIAN LEWIS
In 2010 the Orlingbury Drama Group was unable to find a play, which could be cast and produced. We read through numerous scripts, which had to be abandoned for one reason or another. It was finally decided that we should put a trilogy of three short plays. Those selected were – The Walking Dead by Michael Lamb, Between Mouthfuls and Gosforth’s Fete both by Alan Ayckbourn. These were performed on four evenings, 17th- 20th November 2010.The plays were well received and the group made a profit which will be donated to charity or other good causes, no final decision has yet been made.

The group is at present researching a suitable play for this November.

REPORTS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS
The Joseph Manning Trust, Over Sixties, Brownies & Guides, Village Hall, Orlingbury and Isham Short Mat Bowls Club, PCC, Village Fete Committee, Church Warden,Young Church, Green Team
The reports were all read to the meeting, and are available from the clerk. Copies of all reports are kept on file.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.00pm with thanks to all attending.