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Minutes June 2024

CROWTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Crowton Parish Council meeting held on

Tuesday 11th June 2024 at Crowton Village Hall

2024   Meeting started 7pm

Present

Cllr Ralph Oultram (Chair) (RO)  Cllr Richard Thorne (vice chair) RT

Cllr Jenny Currie (JC) Cllr Roger Hammond (RH))

Cllr Bob Stubbs, (BS) Cllr Joel Rutter, (JR)

Ward Councillor Gillian Edwards (GE)

Clerk - T Whitlow (TW)

24/18

Apologies   for Absence were received & accepted from:

Ward Councillor Lynn Stocks

24/19

Declarations of Members’ Interests:

Cllr Ralph Oultram – planning application 24/01306/AGR   Land at Onston Lane Crowton as owner of the tenanted land.

24/20

Approve   Minutes The minutes of the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday   14th May 2024 were approved & signed by the Chair.

24/21

Public   Participation:

None present.

24/22

Ward   Councillor reports:

GE – little to report as in pre-election period. Poplar Vale and the surface water drainage   is ongoing

GE reported that the Solar Farm plans at Winnington have been   deferred due to the impact on local roads with an expected 20 HGV’s per hour   traveling to the lime beds site, for 5 years. At present this was intended to   be through Barnton and over the bridge, but comments have been raised   regarding travelling through Crowton, Acton Bridge and Weaverham. GE to keep TW updated.

24/23

Matters   arising from the previous minutes – unless an agenda item:

Forresters lorries   using Bent/Bag Lane– TW has contacted Highways regarding the possibility of   “No HGV” signs. Awaiting a full response. Councillors were asked to send TW   noted incidents of HGV’s using Bent/Bag Lane to forward, as requested, to   Forresters.

TW

24/24

Correspondence:

None not   circulated or an agenda item.

24/25

Accounts/Financial:

1. Cash book as at 31.05.24 approved.

2. Bank reconciliation 31.05.24 approved.

3. Payments for approval.

WIX –   website payment £108.00

W Clarke –   village maintenance £250.00

Clerks   expenses March – April £78.25

June   payroll

4. Receipts

VAT refund £1736.02

24/26

Clerks Report:

The new   Financial Regulations have been received from ChALC – TW & JC are working   through any amendments required. To be added to future agenda once worked through.   All other items covered as an agenda item.

TW

JC

24/27

Annual Governance Statement 2023-24 – TW read out the statement for   all Cllr’s to confirm actions had taken place. All confirmed. Resolved to   sign the statement -signed by chair & clerk. TW to add to website.

TW

24/28

Annual Accounting Statement 2023-24- Accounting statement had been   circulated prior to the meeting –– Resolved to confirm accounts   statement as a true record. – signed by TW & the chair. TW to add   to website.

TW

24/29

Provision of Public Rights – 6-week public notice days were   agreed as 17 June to 26 July. TW to add to the website & noticeboard.

TW

24/30

Highways:

Onston Lane – re-surfacing – The PC   had made a complaint and raised questions for the necessity of this work upon   notification. Highways maintain that this is totally separate to pot-hole maintenance, as part of a schedule of   work . Highways response was:’ ‘Preventative treatment – forms a   number of different treatment types designed to extend the life of the   existing layers, most commonly surface dressing (referred to as tar and   chip). This is designed to stop the roads deteriorating into a state where reactive   maintenance will be required and is less expensive to carryout meaning more   of the network can be treated with the existing budgets. This is the work   being carried out on Onston Lane’

24/31

Councillor   Vacancy:

Deferred   until next month.

24/32

Planning:

24/00868/FUL Little Steading 1 Church Walk Crowton   Proposal: Two storey front and side extension, erection of rear second storey   balcony, alterations to windows and doors, realignment of driveway. Approved   by LPA

24/01306/AGR Land at   Onston Lane Crowton – General purpose agricultural building: Cllr RO, having   declared an interest left the building. This had not been received by TW as   an AGR, which are not notified to the PC, the PC will receive notification if   refused and has to go to a FUL application. TW to circulate details of the   application to the councillors, and any comments to be sent to TW for   submission if required.

Cllr RO rejoined the meeting.

Planning comments submissions: TW has   received correspondence from the LPA that extensions to planning comments   will no longer be permitted, meaning that any applications falling outside of   meeting dates will have to be reviewed via email, (under delegated power to   the clerk) unless contentious at which point an extraordinary meeting will   have to be held.

24/33

Millenium   Green:

1. Update of scheduled work: Work has not started yet as   contractor delayed due to wet weather. TW and RO to chase this up.

2. Volunteers:   Have   been on site. The new trombone latches have been fitted. Feelings that these   may encourage horses to be monitored, if so, notices will be placed on the   gates.

24/34

Asset   Maintenance & Register.

1. Diseased trees- JC reported that a senior Environmental Protection Officer has been   in contact with her – MG volunteers will highlight any further issues to JC   for reporting.

2. War Memorial Fence – work in progress

3. Defib – Hare & Hounds –   JC is currently arranging a meeting with the new tenants.

4. Fingerpost maintenance: TW has received one estimate of   @£700, TW to obtain full quote and at least one more quote for the July   meeting. The work is expensive as the Fingerpost need taking apart to enable   refurbishment work to be carried out

5. Post boxes – JC has complained again to royal   Mail over the failure to repaint the post boxes – response received that they   will be done in the next 25 weeks.

6. Planters: TW to obtain costing of having   “Crowton” stickers printed for the planters, they have either come off with   age or were never present, unlike other village planters in the area.


24/35

Community   Resilience Group:

1. This is Work in Progress. To follow this up at a meeting with   the new tenants at the Hare & Hounds.

JC

24/36

Items for   next agenda:

MG- works   progress. Councillor Vacancy. Financial Regulations.

24/37

Date of   next meeting.  Tuesday 9th  July 2024 at Crowton Village Hall.

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