MINUTES of a meeting of CARHARRACK PARISH COUNCIL held at the Mills Hall, Carharrack, on Monday,

23^rd May, 2016.

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Present:  Councillors

Mrs. B. Williams  (Chairman)

Miss V. Aldridge

Mrs. J. Constable

G. Garbett

Mrs. J. Gardiner

C. Martin

Clerk:      T. Reynolds

Apologies received from:  Cllr. Mrs. V. Chown;   P.C.S.O. Ferris

 

Also present:

Cornwall Councillor M.A. Kaczmarek;   R. Evatt, C. Cottell

 

PUBLIC CLINIC

Mr. Cottell and Mr. Evatt, both of Carharrack Neighbourhood Watch, apologised that more members of the group were not present at this meeting, perhaps preferring to attend a yoga class elsewhere.  Mr. Cottell thanked the Clerk for the full, written, response given to matters raised by C.N.W. at the last meeting of this Council and went on to expand on problems concerning speeding traffic in the village, indicating that one local culprit had been identified to the police and appropriate action taken by them.  Motor cyclists continue to race through the village at high speeds and a sign prohibiting motor cycles from being ridden on Bridleway 13 at Sparry Bottom has been vandalised.  C.C. Kaczmarek requested notification by the Clerk so that he could arrange for the signage to be replaced.  It had been noted that First Kernow are now using a smaller bus on their 47 route and so the manoeuvre at the junction of Church Street and Higher Railway Terrace is a little easier for their drivers.  Mr. Cottell continued that the waste bin outside of St. Piran’s Church is almost always full to which C.C. Kaczmarek responded that it is the duty of Cory to empty it on a regular basis.  Mr. Evatt reported that a schoolgirl, possibly attending Camborne School, can be seen regularly exercising a Jack Russell type dog at the Recreation Ground after school.  It was thought that a gentle word from any Councillor witnessing this in the future should deter her from this contravention of the playing ground regulations.

The Clerk reported that P.C.S.O. Paul Ferris had again been unable to attend this meeting due to a colleague’s sick leave in addition to problems caused by the closure of Redruth Police Station and the transfer of staff to Camborne Police Station.  From the police web site it had been established that, during March, there had been incidents of Anti Social Behaviour reported at Treyew Place, Church Street and Tremayne Road and a burglary had taken place at Menakarne, the latter shown as being under investigation.

Cornwall Councillor Mark Kaczmarek reported:

• He continues to report fly-tipping, the latest being a microwave oven at Pennance Road.  He encouraged anyone witnessing fly-tipping to bring it to his attention for both action and record purposes;
• He had requested that street signs at Manor Road in a poor condition be repaired;
• He is aware of a build up of grit on the highway near the junction of Pennance Road and Shute Hill and will seek for this situation to be rectified;
• From his Community Chest he had approved replacement goalposts for the Carharrack  A.F.C. and replacement planters for I.C.E. at the entrances to the village on the B3298;
• There are ongoing issues involved with the Day Lewis approval for the opening of a pharmacy at St. Day;
• St. Day Feast is to take place on Monday, 6^th June;
• Allowances for Cornwall Councillors are to rise from £12,249 to £13,910 having been approved by Councillors following a previous period of 10 years when recommended increases had not been approved.

 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2016/17

 

CHAIRMAN

RESOLVED that Cllr. Mrs. Brenda Williams be elected

 

VICE CHAIRMAN

RESOLVED that Cllr. Carl Martin be elected

 

PARISH PATHS CO-ORDINATOR

RESOLVED that Christopher Cottell be elected

 

PARISH TREE WARDEN

In the absence of a nomination, the Clerk undertook to follow up matters relating to trees

 

INTERNAL AUDITOR

RESOLVED that Cllr. Carl Martin be elected

 

Further RESOLVED that Cllrs. Mrs. Brenda Williams and Miss Val. Aldridge liaise with plot holders on issues concerning the Allotments;  Cllr. Geoff Garbett represents this council at meetings of Carn Marth Trust;  Cllr. Carl Martin represents this Council at meetings of the Mining Villages Regeneration Group and Community Network Panel and that he and Cllr. Mrs. Brenda Williams attend meetings of the United Mines Liaison Group and the Geothermal Project Group; that Cllr. Geoff Garbett oversees the development of the Pound Field and that he and Cllr. Mrs Jenny Gardiner share attendances at meetings of Carharrack Neighbourhood Watch on behalf of this Council and the Clerk to continue attending meetings of the Police Liaison Group and Mineral Tramways Group.

 

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Cllr. Mrs. Williams declared an interest in matters involving I.C.E. and Cllr. Miss Aldridge in matters concerning Carharrack Players.

 

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th April are a true and accurate record of proceedings and they were duly signed by the Chairman.   Additional copies were made available for display at Carharrack Stars, Carharrack Club and the Mills Hall.

 

MATTERS ARISING

None

 

PLANNING

     Applications:

500      Mr. B. Buist, Harpenden, Trevarth Road – Proposed dormer including juliet balcony

            No objections

Decisions:

None outstanding

Others:

                       None                 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 

Footpaths

It was RESOLVED to invite our existing contractor, M.K. Herman, to continue cutting footpaths in the parish in view of his excellent service in the past.  Cllr. Martin reported that a large pothole remains at the Sparry Lane end of Footpath 13 and the  grid outside the South West Water Compound remains silted up.  The Clerk indicated that these two matters had been reported to Gavin Henderson of Cormac Solutions at a recent Mineral Tramways Group meeting he had attended and had been informed that these jobs were high on the waiting list.  C.C. Kaczmarek, who chairs the Mineral Tramways meetings, defended the Countryside Team who carry out such tasks since they are facing severe cuts in expenditure and prioritise work on a safety basis while accepting that delays cause frustration at Parish Council level.

Carn Marth Trust

Nothing to record.

Highway Matters

Since Cornwall Council no longer carry out weed spraying in the county and our previous contractor has retired it was thought a good idea that villagers be encouraged to remove any weeds growing immediately in front of their property as a community gesture.  An article to appear in the next Carharrack News magazine making this suggestion.

Litter Picking

Nothing to record except that no Councillor had seen our contractor, David Hall, recently in the village.

C.C. Kaczmarek left the meeting at this point, 8.15 p.m.

Recreation Ground

It was noted that a piece of playground equipment has recently been taken away by a C.C. Health & Safety Officer for attention.  The Chairman reported that I.C.E. has a planting session planned and that improvements to the goalmouths of the mini football pitch is on the agenda for a forthcoming meeting.  The Clerk indicated that measurements he had taken reflected that two square yards of turf would be required for each goal with some soil to level out the hollows that exist.

Carharrack News Quarterly Magazine

The Chairman indicated that the Summer edition of the parish magazine is now with the printer and she will make copies available to Councillors for distribution as soon as they arrive.  The disappointing news that Roger Benney, Editor of the magazine, has his house at Illogan Downs on the market was given by the Chairman, meaning that a replacement will need to be found.  An item indicating the vacancy will appear in the Summer edition and it was RESOLVED to advertise the post in the Voluntary & Charity Work section of the West Briton, the method which saw Roger come forward back in late 2012. A letter of thanks also to be sent to Roger for his sterling work on behalf of this Council.

Post Box at Church Row

The Chairman had noticed that the post box has been repainted within the last few days by Royal Mail and so the very long wait for this refurbishment is now over.

Cllr. Mrs. Constable left the meeting at this point 8.30 p.m.

Grass verge adjacent to the Mills Hall car park

The Clerk has approached Charlotte Caldwell of Cornwall Council with a request that she establishes ownership of this triangle of land but there had been a breakdown in communications and an answer not forthcoming.  The Clerk to try again.

 

UNITED MINES LANDFILL SITE

It was not clear when the next meeting of the United Mines Liaison Group will take place.

GEOTHERMAL PROJECT

Nothing further to record.

 

ALLOTMENTS

Cllr. Miss Aldridge reported that she had been approached by some 5 plot holders asking that the annual Allotments Competition is judged in July and not August.  The Clerk responded that judging always takes place in July but that the judges do not live their lives around this Parish Council’s activities and an exact date cannot be arranged too far in advance.

It was agreed that the Chairman and Cllr. Miss Aldridge would meet at the Allotments on Wednesday morning 25^th May, to draw up a list of plot holders who have carried out little or no work on their plots this season and supply this to the Clerk who would then send appropriate letters to these plot holders since they are in breach of the Agreement for Letting document they have all signed.

VILLAGE REGENERATION

1. Pound Footpath.  Nothing to record.
   1. Pound Field and building.  Cllr. Garbett reported that the strimming of brambles last October had allowed many wild

flowers to re-establish a presence in the Pound Field and it now looks quite attractive.  It was agreed to hold a further

strimming and clearance session on Sunday morning, 5^th June.

1. Mining Villages Regeneration.  Cllr. Martin reported on a recent meeting he had attended of the M.V.R. Group held at Chacewater at which potential Lengthman tasks was the main item on the agenda.
2. Iron Footbridge.  It was noted that a ‘pre-app’ submission for bridge improvements had been submitted by Cormac Solutions to the Planning Department of Cornwall Council but no details were available.
3. Park Stenak.  RESOLVED that the Clerk initiates a claim for Parish Council ownership of this small parcel of land.
4. Bus Shelters. The Clerk had removed the majority of weeds growing in the guttering of the Mills Hall shelter.

7.    Mills Hall.  The Clerk was thanked for reconstructing the Parish Council notice board standing in the Mills Hall car park

with a more user friendly surface and giving it a refreshing coat of paint.

8     Museum.  Nothing to record.

9.    Village Leaflets.  Nothing to record.

 

CORRESPONDENCE

1.  C.C. – Gypsy & Travelling Communities Site Allocation Development Plan         For circulation

2.  Petitions U.K. – Government decision on Give Parish Councils the right to appeal planning decisions       For circulation

3.  Clerks & Councils Direct – magazine       For circulation

4.  St. Day P.C. – Draft minutes for May meeting          For circulation

5.  Gwennap P.C.- Minutes of April meeting        For circulation

 

FINANCE

The Clerk reported that the Annual Accounts had been internally audited and all found to be in order and correct.  It was RESOLVED that the accounts be approved and the ledger was signed by the Chairman in addition to the Annual Return to be submitted to Grant Thornton UK LLP of Bristol, External Auditors.

 

RESOLVED to renew the Council’s annual insurance policy with Came & Company.

 

A letter had been received from Carharrack Players requesting financial assistance towards the provision of a replacement apron for the stage at the Mills Hall and improved lighting equipment, the former being over thirty years old and unstable.  It was RESOLVED to donate a sum of £500.  Cllr. Miss Aldridge took no part in the debate or resolution.

 

Cheques were signed for:

£436. 56   Came & Company       Renewal of annual insurance policy

£420.00    Clerk                            Reimbursement for cost of replacement storage shed for the Allotments

£  24.45    South West Water        Allotments supply

£500.00    Carharrack Players       Donation

 

NEXT MEETING

Monday, 20^th June

 

The meeting closed at 9.40 p.m.