Minutes of the meeting of ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL held at 8pm on Tuesday 25th May 2004 at The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue , Radlett.

In attendance: Ms. Carrie Lloyd – Clerk

1. Election of Chairman

Councillor J. Howley was elected Chairman for the ensuing Municipal Year.

2. Prayers

The Chairman, Councillor Howley, led prayers.

3. Apologies for Absence

Councillor Mrs Reith.

4. Election of Vice-Chairman

Councillor R. Worthy was elected Vice Chairman for the ensuing Municipal Year.

5. Membership of Committees

RESOLVED that Standing Order 41 be suspended to enable the Council to alter the number of Members on each Committee.

RESOLVED that Members be appointed to the Committees as follows;

Boundaries and Planning Committee
Councillor Burke
Councillor Mrs Charrett
Councillor Deem
Councillor Lambert
Councillor Mrs Reith
Councillor Mrs Wackrow

Newsletter Committee
Councillor Howley
Councillor Mrs Reith
Councillor Mrs Wackrow
Councillor Mrs Turner
Councillor Worthy
Councillor Mrs Charrett

Recreation Grounds Committee
Councillor Burke
Councillor Howley
Councillor Mrs Reith
Councillor Mrs Baker
Councillor Lambert
Councillor Mrs Turner
Councillor Worthy

Transportation Committee
Councillor Deem
Councillor Mrs Reith
Councillor Mrs Wackrow
Councillor Mrs Baker
Councillor Lambert
Councillor Mrs Turner
Councillor Worthy

Youth and Community Centre Committee
Councillor Mrs Baker
Councillor Mrs Charrett
Councillor Thompson
Councillor Mrs Turner
2 Vacancies

Finance and General Purposes Committee
Councillor Mrs Griffin
Councillor Howley
Councillor Mrs Reith
Councillor Mrs Wackrow
Councillor Thompson
Councillor Worthy

6. Nomination of Members to Outside Bodies

RESOLVED that the following Members represent the Council on the designated outside body;

7. Declarations of Interest by Members

There were no declarations of interest by Members.

8. To approve the signature of the Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 April 2004

The minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.

9. Matters arising from the Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 April 2004

•  Highways Tree Survey – The matter was still being followed up by Hertfordshire County Council Highways Department.

•  Street Name Plate – As no action appeared to have been taken by Hertsmere Borough Council regarding the street nameplates at Loom Lane , Watling Street opposite Theobald Street and Cobden Hill, the Clerk was requested to follow this up. (Action: Clerk)

•  Newberries Car Park Recycling Bins – A meeting had taken place on site with Members of the Parish Council, Councillor Dr S. Pitfield, the Clerk and Hertsmere Borough Council officers. Councillor Dr S. Pitfield left the meeting with a clear understanding of the Parish Council's concerns and reasons for wanting the bins relocated. He had undertaken to ensure that a report would be put to a meeting of Hertsmere Borough Council for consideration within the next month.

•  A right to crossover land known as The Green, Letchmore Heath – Mr Hill had confirmed that he would pay the Council's reasonable legal costs in this transaction. The Clerk had instructed the Council's solicitor to proceed with the agreement on the grounds that any costs from 25 th May onwards would be borne by Mr Hill. (Action: Clerk)

•  Herts Association of Parish and Town Councils – The Clerk had sent Councillor Howley's nomination to the Herts Association of Parish and Town Councils.

•  Mrs Gillian Shanks –The Clerk had written to the Chairman of the Board of Governors of St John's School expressing the Council's sympathy to the Governors and staff at the sad loss of Mrs Shanks. The Service of Remembrance was due to take place at 7.30pm on 27 th May.

•  Gully Cleansing - Hertfordshire County Council Highways Department were still being pursued regarding the lack of gully cleansing by the Clerk and Councillor Worthy.

•  Land adjacent to Bridgefoot Cottages, Watling Street , Radlett – The Clerk had asked Councillor H.M. Saunders to call in the application. He had advised that the application could be refused under delegated powers but had to be considered by the Bushey/Aldenham Planning Sub Committee if officers were minded to approve the application, therefore no call in was necessary unless a debate was required on refusal. The Clerk had confirmed that provided the application was to be refused this Council was happy for the application to be dealt with under delegated powers.

10. To adjourn the meeting for members of the public to address the Council

There was no one present who wished to address the Council.

11. To authorise the payment of accounts

The accounts were approved and the month's cheques signed.

12. To receive communications from the Chairman

•  Letter from Prof. A Beaver – The Chairman advised of a letter he had received from Prof. A Beaver. Prof. Beaver had been elected to be Rotary Club President in its Centenary year. Each club would be attempting to establish a small permanent local amenity and he suggested that a signpost by the war memorial in Watling Street might be appropriate.

Members requested that the Clerk thank Prof. Beaver for his kind offer and that it be considered at the next meeting of the Recreation Grounds Committee. (Action: Clerk)

•  Letter of thanks – Mrs S. Pearlman had written thanking the Council for the grant to the CAB and confirming that the outreach service would continue in Radlett for the year 2004/05.

13. To respond to questions from Councillors

•  Closure of Loom Lane for drainage works – The Clerk confirmed that she had no prior knowledge of the closure than that given to local residents. It was noted that some local residents had not received notification at all.

•  Ownership of gate and field on boundary of Wall Hall and Berrygrove Wood – A gate that was usually padlocked had been left open by contractors carrying out ground clearance work. It was confirmed that should this problem arise again Hertfordshire County Council Property Services should be contacted as the land was in their ownership.

•  Parking in Sainsbury's loading bay – A Member had seen officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary parking in the loading bay to Sainsbury's in Watling Street when visiting the shop for provisions. The Clerk was requested to write to the Chief Superintendent of Central Area expressing this Council's dissatisfaction with the poor level of enforcement of Traffic Regulations in the Parish and asking what course of action she intended to take to remedy the situation. The Clerk was requested to ask the Local Planning Authority about the planning conditions applying to the site and to place an item on the next agenda for Joint Councillors. (Action: Clerk)

14. Approval of the recommendations within the Minutes of the following Committees;

Members noted a recommendation for s.137 grants by the Finance and General Purposes Committee 12 th May 2004 and RESOLVED that Radlett Youth Club be awarded £400 and Radlett Senior Citizens' Welfare Committee be awarded £500 and be advised to approach the Council later in the financial year to ascertain whether additional funds were available towards their minibus replacement fund.

RESOLVED that the recommendations contained within the three sets of minutes be approved.

15. To note the Minutes of the following Sub Committees;

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Sub Committee meeting be noted.

16. Planning

(i)  Planning Statistics

123 applications had been received, 51 had been approved, 16 had been refused, 1 withdrawn and 55 outstanding.

(ii) Applications of special interest:

•  Faggotts End – Members had not objected to the application which included the demolition of the old greenhouses but had remarked that it was a pity that the only buildings left from the old Newberries Estate were to be removed.

•  Bhaktividanta Manor – A application had been received for the removal of the Planning Condition restricting the number of days and times that marquee and sound systems could be used on the site as they wished to hold weddings in the Manor. Members were concerned at the effect on local residents, particularly in relation to the level of noise.

(iii) Other Planning matters:

•  Orchard Cottage, Letchmore Heath – It was noted that the application for the removal of the “agricultural worker” condition had gone to appeal.

•  Conversion of public toilets, Watling Street – The Head of Asset Management at Hertsmere Borough Council had offered to hold a meeting with the Council in due course. Members confirmed that they would wish such a meeting to be arranged.

17. Reports from Officers of the Council

•  External Auditor's Report 2002/03 – The Report had been circulated to Members and it was noted that the criticism that the Council had no internal auditor had been addressed in 2003/04 by the appointment of RBS Auditing Solutions.

•  Redemption of Loan from Hertsmere Borough Council – Members noted the advice from Hertsmere Borough Council and the Council's Internal Auditor. The Clerk was requested to look at various deposit accounts to gauge the interest available on longer term deposits. (Action: Clerk)

•  Increase in anti-social behaviour – Phillimore Recreation Ground – Members noted the recent increase in anti-social behaviour at Phillimore Recreation Ground particularly the use of motorcycles/scooters. It was agreed that this should be discussed at the next meeting of the Recreation Grounds Committee on 7 th June and the Radlett Crime and Disorder Reduction Group on 14 th June.

18. June and July 2004 Meetings

(All commence at 8pm unless otherwise stated)

* Now changed to 8 July 2004

Closure 9.35pm.