Apethorpe Village Meeting

Minutes: 16th October, 2018 Venue: St. Leonard’s Church

Presiding Officers: Chairman: Anne Chamberlain, Treasurer: Peter Kerruish, Clerk: Jo Williams.

Those Present:Ray Mahoney, Ron Williams, Stephen Fox, Tamara Ord, Anne & Mick Johnson, Glenda Kerruish, Carolyn & Andrew Williams, Mike & Lois Phillips, Scott Prothman, Janet Rees, Nick Blackford, Elly & Darren Crawt, Annette Walsh, Wendy Groundwater, Baron von Pfetten, Alistair Campbell.

1. Apologies for Absence

Giles & Dorothy Shilson, Andy & Sandra Gardiner, Carole & Colin Deane, Jeremy & Yvette Thair, Rodney & Veronica Griffiths, Vanessa Perry, Fiona Gardiner, Zara & Ben Shacklock, Mike Walsh, Nicky O’Rouke, Sian Fox, Mark Ricketts.

2. Matters Outstanding from April’s MeetingAll outstanding actions resolved: 1) WW1 Commemorative plaque; approval granted and marble now with stonemason. Hopefully, the work will be completed in time for the plaque to be mounted in the Church in readiness for Remembrance Sunday. 2) Annual Audit; recent changes to legislation now permit villages with less than £25K in their bank account to self-audit. Apethorpe Village Bank accounts are managed by a treasurer and presented at the bi-annual meetings. The latest accounts can be viewed on the Apethorpe Community website and Village Notice Board. 3) Risk Assessment; a village risk assessment, required by our auditors, has been completed and was shown to the assembly. See attachments.

3. Minutes of April, 24th 2018 Meeting These were approved by the assembly as an accurate record of events and signed off by Anne Chamberlain, Chairman.

4. Roger Glithero – District Councillor, ENC.We were pleased to see Roger at our meeting. He was invited to give the assembly an update on the new Unitary Authorities which will come into power in May 2020 when Northamptonshire County Council and the county’s town and district councils will cease to exist. His view was that the Unitaries, operating under severe financial constraints, will be tasked to do more work with less people. He believes that Parish Councils will largely continue as now but can possibly expect the devolution of more powers and responsibilities.

East Northamptonshire Council will be amalgamated with the councils of Corby, Kettering, and Wellingborough to form one of the new Unitary Authorities. It is likely that council tax rates will be equalised throughout the district which will result in an increase for East Northamptonshire residents who have been enjoying lower rates than those living in urban areas.

Although no actual decision has been announced, Roger was 99% certain that the reorganisation would go ahead. Councillor Githero has held office since 1974 and plans to retire in May 2020. The Chairman thanked Roger for his continuing support to Apethorpe.

5. Chairman’s IntroductionAnne Chamberlain spoke of changing times in Apethorpe. The Palace is now occupied and renovations planned - which has, and will, impact on the village. The pub has been closed (although re-opening is planned). Meanwhile there are no social spaces, other than the Church. The tennis club is active but with a modest membership and it has missed greatly the facilities and refreshments formerly provided by the pub. The next three years will be challenging in terms of what we can expect from local government (see below). On the plus side the ‘Street Party’ in June was an opportunity to get together and was very successful. A number of facility and community

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improvement projects such as the defibrillator, traffic speed control and pruning the approaches to the bridge are underway or completed.   Anne emphasised that ‘times are changing’ around us and we are not really in a rural bubble anymore. There is an opportunity to be pro-active.

6. Treasurer’s Report Peter Kerruish reported that there is a total of £2,745 in the bank for both village bank accounts. The Main Account was bolstered by a yearly precept of £1,125.00 and a £429.50 surplus (after £150 had been donated to the defibrillator fund) from the Street Party. The War Memorial Account stands at £788.30. The accounts are included in the attachments section of these minutes and can also be viewed in the Apethorpe Community Website and Notice Board.

Public Liability InsurancePeter explained that households situated in Private Roads (i.e. roads not adopted or repaired by the local authority) are advised to take out Public Liability Insurance as a precaution against accidents or injuries to road users and pedestrians. The policy has to be in the name of the entity responsible for the maintenance of the private road. The residents of Apethorpe’s 3 private roads are free to make their own decisions in this matter.

7. Third Party FundingJo Williams attended an ENC run training course which advised those applying for grants how to approach local authorities and businesses for funding. Jo confirmed that funding is certainly available, particularly for community projects. However, it is a competitive arena and applications are subjected to rigorous examination. Kings Cliffe and other neighbouring villages have been particularly successful in obtaining monies for their communities while Apethorpe has never applied. Your village officers have been busy documenting our village plans and processes to increase our chances of making a successful bid.

8. Apethorpe Parish PlanFollowing on from her earlier presentation, Anne Chamberlain explained the rationale behind creating a Parish Plan. Many villages in our area have already done this; and are able to demonstrate the needs and expectations of their communities in order to influence local and regional policy decisions. When finalised, the Apethorpe Parish Plan will define our goals and direction over the next 10 years and will help to deliver tangible results, such as community green space, extra parking, new footpaths, wildlife reserves and improved recycling facilities. We should be ambitious for the future of our village. The next three years will be particularly challenging as our District and County councils will be confronted by financial debt and a very substantial reorganisation. We need to do all that we can to ensure that our village evolves in the way WE want it to.

Further, a documented plan will greatly improve our chances of winning grants from Fund Holders who will investigate our ‘credentials’ and examine our ability to manage our projects and expectations. Over the winter months we will be asking for your views in a survey. We hope to present the finalised plan at the Village Meeting AGM in April next year.

An open discussion ensued where many agreed that the pub closure had had a detrimental effect on the community. There is nowhere for the village to gather or to hold events. Mick Johnson expressed his ambition to see a ‘green space’ for villagers.

9. Apethorpe Village Initiatives

Street PartyStephen Fox and his team were thanked for delivering a very successful and enjoyable event. Anadditional bonus was the £579 raised for village projects. £150 was donated to the defibrillator fund.

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Apethorpe Village Meeting

Ray Mahoney informed the group that the defibrillator fund had now reached £581, subsequently; Councillor Glithero has kindly agreed to make a donation. Ray recommended that we begin renovations to the telephone box and activate the electricity supply. The assembly voted 5 against, 3 abstentions and 10 in favour.

Speed watchJo Williams explained that the Speed Watch team had had their first meeting and were now waiting for the Northamptonshire Community Police Team to organise training and speed monitoring implementation dates. More volunteers are welcome!

Village MaintenanceAnne Chamberlain stated that it was planned to repaint the railings of the bridge and thought that this could take place in the spring.

Tennis ClubAnne Chamberlain informed the assembly that the village meeting officers were working with the tennis club to investigate removing the current storage building and replacing it with an enhanced structure and opening the area for village use. Talks are at an early stage and it is proposed to investigate the opportunities of extending the current lease.

10. Proposed ExpenditurePeter ran through the proposed expenditure for the village in the next financial year (see attachments).

There was a unanimous vote that the Village Meeting should pay 50% towards the grass cutting cost of the Church yard and 100% cost of cutting grass verges (when needed) at the entrances to the village.

NCC Highways has provided an estimated cost for making ‘gates’ for the grass verges at the entrances to the village. This came in at £1600 ex vat and installation. A vote was taken as to whether we should 1) do nothing – 1 vote. 2) go with the council’s gates – 0 votes 3) Investigate option of building our own gates and paying a council approved contractor to install – 18 votes. Jo Williams will take this up with Highways.

It was agreed by a majority vote to increase the precept by £5 per year per household. This increases the precept from £1,125.00 to £1,500.00. This decision was needed to notify ENC in time for the next tax year. Peter stated that all expenditure has to be approved by the village meeting assembly.

11. St. Leonard’s Church Report. Tamara Ord informed the assembly that Church services would only take place on the 1st and 3rd

Sundays of the month.

12. AOBPlanning applications1) Bluefields Farm has appealed against the refusal of planning permission. They propose to convert the large barns (off Nassington Rd.) into a very sizeable wedding and event venue. See ENC website/planning applications 18/00025/REF. Concerns were raised about noise from music and increased traffic through the village. There were 15 votes against the proposal and 4 abstentions. The Village Meeting Officers will pass on these views to EN Planning.

2) Laundry Rd. Zara Brassey informed the village meeting officers that the Brassey Trust had applied to remove the wall in front of 2, Orchard Cottage, Laundry Rd. This is being done to provide car parking spaces. See attachments. Voting was unanimous in favour of the application which can be viewed on ENC website/planning Ref: 18/01956/FUL.

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Apethorpe Palace - 2018 English Heritage Visitors Jo Williams stated that this year’s programme had been much better organised. There were no car parking problems in the village and only one villager had reported a problem when they were unable to drive out of Laundry Rd. as it was blocked by vehicles waiting for the gates to the Palace to open. This is a great improvement and we will continue to work closely with English Heritage to ensure that progress is maintained.

Dog NoiseA number of villagers have been disturbed in the night by the sound of dogs barking. Residents in Estate Yard and Orchard Way have been most affected, although the sound carries across the village. Baron von Pfetten was of the opinion that the barking was coming from a muntjac which has settled into an area near the Palace.

Jo Williams informed the assembly that those wishing to complain must call the Environment Protection Service and speak with Mandy Dennis 01832 742263. The agency will not act until they feel there is sufficient evidence to do so. Complainants have to keep a diary of the disturbances using documents supplied by the agency.

Bulb PlantingMick Johnson Thanked those taking part in the project and made a plea for more volunteers to help get the bulbs planted.

Pub - Tenancy RecommendationsBaron von Pfetten informed the meeting that he was actively seeking a tenant for the pub. He asked if anyone knew of any suitable candidates and if so, he would be pleased to interview them. He explained that any tenant would need to demonstrate proof of good character and credit worthiness.

Minutes prepared by Jo Williams, Clerk to the Village Meeting.

Chairman’s Signature: ___________________________________________

Date: _________________________________

Please Note: Date of Next MeetingAGM: 30th April, 2019.

The AGM is the meeting at which the Officers of the Village Meeting are elected or re-elected. Anyone wishing to apply for the roles of Chairman, Treasurer or Clerk please contact any of the current Village Meeting Officers.

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Attachments:Content of slides used at Village Meeting:

Agenda

Risk Assessment

Treasurer’s Report

Defibrillator Project

Planning Applications

Please Note: Anne Chamberlain used Power Point slides to illustrate her presentations. They are not included in the attachments to spare disc space. Please contact me if you require a copy.

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Next Meeting: 30th April, 2019

APETHORPE VILLAGE MEETINGAgenda

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of the last Meeting

3. Matters arising from last meeting- WW1 Memorial Plaque, Annual audit, Risk Assessment

4. Chairman’s Introduction

5. Financial Review Peter Kerruish- Public Liability Insurance for private roads- 2017/2018 Village Accounts: expenditure vs plan

6. Third Party Fund Raising Jo Williams

7. Apethorpe Village Parish Plan Anne Chamberlain-The Village Parish Plan

8. Project Review:

- Street Party Review Anne Chamberlain- Defibrillator Update Ray Mahoney- Speed Watch Plans Jo Williams- Village Maintenance Anne Chamberlain- Tennis Club Anne Chamberlain

9. Proposed expenditure 2018/19 Anne Chamberlain &-2018 Precept Peter Kerruish

10. Church Report Tamara Ord

11. AOB- Planning Applications, Apethorpe Palace visitors, Dog noise, Bulb planting

Apethorpe Village Meeting

Risk Assessment

Item

Risk Scenario

Solution

Approved16/04/18Y/N

People There is a risk of accident to people in Apethorpe. These risks may be classified as third-party accidents where they may be injured through proven liability of the village, or accidents where they may be injured through proven liability of the village while carrying out work on behalf of the village. There are three private roads/drives within the village that are not covered by the village insurance policy and it is the responsibility of the owners/occupiers of these places to insure themselves against proven third-party liability.

Apethorpe has taken out an annual insurance policy whereby accidents of this nature on publicly owned land are covered. Apethorpe has no employees and only employs people on a contract/hands off basis.

Y

Money The Treasurer is responsible to Apethorpe Village for the efficient administration of funds held in the Treasurer’s care. Risks to these finances include loss of funds through mismanagement and / or fraud.

The Treasurer will not spend any money unless authorised by the Apethorpe Village Committee. No payments are made on-line and cheques require two signatories. The Treasurer maintains a close watch on any bank business and checks every bank statement against his cash flow figures. These accounts may be inspected at any time by the Committee and are independently audited annually.

Y

Buildings and associated property

A) War Memorial located in front of St Leonards Church:B) Telephone box by the entrance to Manor Road from the Kings Cliffe Road:C) Mirror to aid motorists at the top of Laundry Lane:D) Village notice board: by the entrance to Manor Road from the Kings Cliffe Road:E) The Stocks.There is therefore a risk of either accidental or criminal damage to all of the above listed.

Note: Item “A” the War Memorial has to be insured, as a requirement by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building and also as a result of its recent grant towards renovation. It is therefore insured.

Y

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Apethorpe Village MeetingTreasurer’s Report

1. UTD financial report: Total for both accounts is £2,745.22.2. Main Account. £1,956.92. Village fete surplus of £429.50 credited. Precept of £1,125.00 paid in full. Hire of Church for AGM on 24 April was £20. Village Meeting donation of £150.00 as agreed at AGM was paid. Annual insurance premium of £414.47 paid. Purchase of daffodil bulbs, as agreed at the AGM, was £157.28.3. War Memorial Account. £788.30. Half-yearly payment of £50.00 for maintenance of the Memorial paid. Deposit of £313.00 for the WW1 Memorial plaque paid.4. Payments for the remainder of this FY. c£100 for bridge painting. 5. Forecast of Expenditure for FY 2019/20.a. Annual Village Insurance. c£425.00. b. 50% shared cost of grass cutting in the Churchyard plus verges throughout the village. c£500.00. c. Boundary gates at each entrance to the village. c£1,600.00 but being discussed with the Council. d. Half-yearly cost of maintenance of the War Memorial. £50.00. e. Total cost therefore c£2,575.00 f. Total balance for both accounts if Precept stays at £1,125.00 is c£1,196.006. Amount of the Precept for FY 2019/20 will be discussed at Item 9 on the Agenda.

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AOB – Planning Applications

1. Bluefields – Have submitted an appeal. Details available on ENC website.

2, Orchard Cottage, Laundry Road, Apethorpe, PE8 5DQPlanning Application to remove 6 metres of stone wall along front of property boundaryPlanning Application Number Ref 18/01956/FUL

Area to be removed between arrows.