Minutes of the meeting of PARISH COUNCIL held at 8pm on Tuesday 28th June 2004 at The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett.

In attendance: Ms. Carrie Lloyd – Clerk

19. Prayers

The Chairman, Councillor Howley, led prayers.

20. Apologies for Absence

Councillor S. Burke, Councillor D. Lambert, Councillor M. Thompson and Councillor R.T.A. Worthy

21. Declarations of Interest by Members

Councillor Mrs Baker declared an interest in item 12 – Planning, relating to the Houseboat Works' planning application.

22. Urgent Late Item

The Chairman advised that he intended to consider an urgent late item on the agenda relating to the Radlett Festival, the reason for urgency was so that plans could commence for 2005.

22. To approve the signature of the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 May 2004

It was noted that Councillor Mrs Charrett had also been appointed to the Finance and General Purposes Committee.

Subject to the above amendment, the minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.

23. Matters arising from the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 May 2004

•  Street Name Plate – Hertsmere Borough Council's officer had confirmed that a batch was being collated for an order to be placed. He had noticed that Kendals Close was missing a nameplate and would be ordering one for there too.

•  A right to crossover land known as The Green, Letchmore Heath – The Clerk had recently approved that draft easement for signing by Mr Hill and the Council. The Council's solicitor had confirmed that he would be advising Mr Hill to seek separate legal advice before signing the document. (Action: Clerk)

•  Head Teacher – St John's School – Councillor Mrs Turner advised that the Board of Governors had appointed a new Head Teacher commencing September 2004.

•  Gully Cleansing - Councillor Worthy advised that he had received a complaint about Canons Close. The Clerk advised that she had reported the lack of maintenance along the two footpaths leading from Canons Close and the state of the gullies. Hertfordshire County Council had advised that weeds in the gullies were causing a problem and the responsibility for the weed killing fell to Hertsmere Borough Council's grounds maintenance contractors. The Clerk would continue to pursue the matter. (Action: Clerk)

•  Parking in Sainsbury's loading bay – The Clerk was yet to action the letter 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 was still pursuing the planning conditions for the Sainsbury's site. (Action: Clerk)

•  Redemption of Loan from Hertsmere Borough Council –The Clerk had looked at various deposit accounts to gauge the interest available on longer term deposits. Alliance and Leicester appeared to be offering the best rate of 4.35% on a 30 day notice account. Members noted that this would be discussed at the next meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. (Action: Clerk)

•  Increase in anti-social behaviour – Phillimore Recreation Ground – The issue had been discussed at the meeting of the Recreation Grounds Committee on 7 th June and the Radlett Crime and Disorder Reduction Group on 14 th June. Many local residents had attended the latter meeting and it had been agreed that the various agencies involved would need to set out their short and long term solutions to the problem. The Clerk would be attending a meeting on 8 th July with officers from Hertfordshire Constabulary and Hertsmere Borough Council to discuss the police's action plan and proposals for the future.


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

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

25. To authorise the payment of accounts

Members RESOLVED that the second quarter's grant under s.145 Local Government Act 1972 to the Radlett Centre Trust for the sum of £29,125 be approved.

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

26. To receive communications from the Chairman

•  Council's Mission Statement – The Chairman circulated a draft Mission Statement and requested that Members and staff notify the Clerk or himself should they wish to add or detract from the suggested text. (Action: All Councillors and Staff)

•  Letters of thanks – Letters of thanks had been received from Radlett Choral Society and Radlett Senior Citizen's Welfare Committee for their s.137 grants.

•  Peace Hospice – Tara Shaw, newly appointed fundraiser for the Peace Hospice had requested that she be permitted to make a presentation to the Council at its meeting in July or September. Members agreed that Ms. Shaw should be invited to the next meeting to make a 10 minute presentation. (Action: Chairman)

27. To respond to questions from Councillors

•  Landmark sites – The Clerk advised that she intended to put an item on the next agenda of the council to consider whether there were any sites Members wished to nominate as a landmark site in the Parish.

•  Area surrounding the Radlett Centre – Some Members requested that the flowering baskets be reinstated on the wall fronting Aldenham Avenue as the area looked sparse. Councillor Mrs Griffin undertook to raise the matter at the next meeting of the Radlett Centre Trust. (Action: Councillor Mrs Griffin)

It was further suggested that the hedges fronting The Radlett Centre needed weeding and the saplings removed. Members were advised that the grounds staff would be closing the car park on a Monday which was convenient to the Radlett Centre bookings so that access could be gained to all areas for weeding and cleaning. Members advised that they were not satisfied with the geraniums planted in the beds outside the Radlett Centre and required more mature plants to be purchased in future. Due to the poor state of the area fronting onto Watling Street , Members requested that a membrane be put down and shingle or bark laid on top. (Action: Head of Grounds Maintenance)

•  War Memorial – Members complained that the area around the War Memorial needed weeding. The Clerk advised that this was in the grounds maintenance contract with Hertsmere Borough Council and she would find out when Hertsmere Borough Council's contractors proposed carrying out the work. (Action: Clerk)

•  Hedges on pathways – A Member advised of a hedge overhanging the footpath in Aldenham Avenue . The Clerk undertook to raise the matter with Hertfordshire County Council. (Action: Clerk)

•  Concerns with Service Provision - Hertsmere Borough Council – Following previous comments, Members generally raised their concern with the lack of street cleansing in Radlett, the lack of weed killing on pavements and gullies and the failure to repaint the yellow lines in the Parish. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to the four Borough Councillors for the Parish expressing Members' dissatisfaction and advising that they wished to discuss the issue at the Joint Councillors' meeting in August. (Action: Clerk)

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

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

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

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

30. Radlett Festival

The Council expressed their gratitude to Councillor Mrs Charrett and the Sub Committee for all of their hard work and such a successful event.

Councillor Mrs Charrett circulated a paper from the debriefing meeting held after the Festival. It had been decided that the Lakeside Concert would not take place every year but possibly every two years. It was proposed that the Fair should take place annually but this was subject to various factors.

Some of the issues involved were would the Council make a s.137 grant in future and should a Sub Committee of the Council carry out the organising.

Members RESOLVED that the Sub Committee should be requested to set out in writing their proposed way forward in order that it may be considered along with any budget implications at the next meeting of the Council and that Councillor Howley, Councillor Mrs Charrett and the Clerk meet to discuss the budget implications. (Action: Festival Sub Committee; Councillor Howley, Councillor Mrs Charrett and Clerk)

31. Planning

(i)  Planning Statistics

162 applications had been received, 70 had been approved, 25 had been refused, 1 withdrawn and 66 outstanding. The figures were unusually high because there had not been a meeting of the Bushey/Aldenham Planning Sub Committee since 27 th May.

(ii) Applications of special interest:

•  Quadrant Houseboat Works – Councillor Mrs Wackrow would be drafting a paper on particular issues raised by the application for 65 apartments in two blocks with 110 parking spaces including affordable housing. These would be considered in detail together with the application at the meeting of the Boundaries and Planning Committee on 5 th July 2004 .

(iii) Other Planning matters:

•  High Hedges – The Boundaries and Planning Committee had responded to the consultation document on high hedges.

•  52 Newlands Avenue – The application had been refused.

•  Sainsburys, Watling Street - Councillor Mrs Wackrow had been advised by the planning officer that taking refuse bins through the store had been specifically allowed within their planning permission provided the bins were covered.

32. Reports from Officers of the Council

•  Year end Accounts 2003/04 – Members were requested to consider the Year End Accounts and Statement of Assurance. RESOLVED that Year End Accounts and Statement of Assurance be approved. (Action: Clerk)

•  Consultation document by NALC on National Pay Negotiations 2004 – Members considered and concurred with the consultation document circulated by the Employers' Organisation on 17th June 2004 .

33. Recycling bins – Newberries Car Park

A meeting had taken place on site with Members of the Parish Council, Councillor Dr S. Pitfield, the Clerk and Hertsmere Borough Council officers on 18 th May. Councillor Dr S. Pitfield had undertaken to ensure that a report would be put to a meeting of Hertsmere Borough Council for consideration within the next month. It was accepted that due to the elections there may be some delay but Members were anxious that Councillor Dr Pitfield's report was given priority within his workload if he was re-appointed to the Executive as the relevant portfolio holder at the end of June.

34. Neighbourhood Watch

As her area's Co-ordinator, Councillor Mrs Turner advised of a spate of house burglaries in the Radlett Area. Further details could be obtained from the Clerk or www.hertsmereboroughwatch.org.uk .

35. Newberries School

The Travel Group at Newberries School were trying to encourage cycling a means of getting to school but there were no cycle routes in Radlett. It was suggested that a request for more cycle routes should be sent to the Greenways Officer at Hertsmere Borough Council or Hertfordshire Groundwork Trust. The Clerk and Councillor Howley would give the two officers' details to Councillor Mrs Wackrow. (Action: Councillor Howley and Clerk)

36. Herts. Association of Parish and Town Councils (H.A.P.T.C.)

Councillor Howley advised that the A.G.M. had discussed the substantial fee increase which was likely next year. The first stage was to address the services required by H.A.P.T.C. members. Members were requested to advise the Clerk of any services they considered particularly essential in order that this Council's comments could be passed to the H.A.P.T.C. Committee. (Action: All Councillors)

37. July, August and September 2004 Meetings

(All commence at 8pm unless otherwise stated)

Closure 9.45pm.