Minutes of the Meeting of the Clawson Hose and Harby Parish Council Monday 19th June 2023 7.00 pm at Hose Baptist Chapel
Present: Cllrs Nicola Draper(Chair), Mike Foulds, Jonathan Neale, Jo Towle, Nigel Hodges, Jacob Wilkinson & Mike Dunn County Councillor Bryan Lovegrove & Borough Councillor Chris Evans Clerk: Terry Brown Members of the Public: 11 23/024 Public Time Paul Gay spoke in support of the long standing aim to build a new Harby Village Hall and had previously distributed a paper to Councillors outlining the history of the bid (appended to these minutes).
Brian Hiley gave further background information and agreed to send to the Clerk past filed information. This was then considered as item 23/036/4. A parishioner spoke of past and present problems with access across the Village Green East End Long Clawson and Cllr Evans provided further substantive information. This information was carried forward to 23/034/1 Eugene Murphy provided full details of the Speedwatch which is to be mounted in Harby between 16th to 29th September.
Byron Rhodes gave information about the work of the Chester Charity and the impending need for the Parish Council to appoint new trustees. 23/025 To receive apologies for absence. None 23/026 To receive declarations of interest and consider any requests for dispensations. None 23/027 To consider applications for the Parish Councillor vacancy No applications had been received 23/028 Borough and County Councillor time Cllr Evans reported in detail on various Parish planning issues. Cllr Lovegrove updated the meeting on traffic issues and the implications of the proposed constituency boundary changes. 23/029 To approve the draft minutes of the meeting of the 10th May 2023 These were approved by the meeting and then signed by the Chair 23/030 To receive the Clerk’s report. /1 to report on current Handyperson arrangements The Clerk distributed the latest timesheet from the Handyperson to inform Councillors on the variety of tasks being performed.
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The Clerk reported on the number of complaints received on grass cutting arrangements to date. Councillors had previously been circulated with a copy of the current grass cutting contract. In particular Councillors noted concerns regarding the ease of access along the passage adjoining Hose Primary School. The meeting noted the Clerk’s suggestion that some changes might be appropriate when the 2024-25 contract was written in March 2024 and to prepare for such to consider at the next meeting a committee to plan for any such changes.
/2 to report on the most recent Rospa inspection Councillors had received a copy of the 2023 Annual Rospa inspection and the Clerk highlighted the range of tasks that were likely to need attention both in the immediate and longer term.
It was agreed that a Councillor from each village would liaise with Heather Woodhouse the Handyperson to jointly inspect facilities to further understand the problems and potential and then to report back to a future meeting action Cllr Draper for Harby, Cllr Hodges for Hose and Cllr Wilkinson for Long Clawson.
/3 to review Parish Councillor public contact details
The meeting agreed that the website should have the following details of Councillors – name, email and picture.
A copy of this information should be put onto all noticeboards. action Clerk
/4 to consider the forthcoming Speedwatch arrangements See Public Time. Councillors fully supported the initiative
23/031 Matters arising from previous meetings /1 The meeting approved that Karen Chandler and Edward Greaves should continue as the Parish Council trustees to the Long Clawson Parochial Charity action Clerk
23/032 To receive Councillors reports /1 Cllr Hodges reported a damaged kerb at the Green Hose He also reported damaged concrete litter bins in Harby Lane and Church Close Hose for future action. He also reminded the meeting of the long standing aim to replace the Climbing frame at Church Close removed some five years ago. /2 Cllrs Dunn and Towle asked that the Council consider longstanding parking concerns at the Sands in Long Clawson.
23/033 To receive and consider reports from representatives on outside bodies & meetings /1 PC Village Hall Representatives Following discussions it was agreed that the PC representative should be a Councillor and that Cllr Towle would represent at Long Clawson and Cllr Neale at Harby with Hose to be appointed at a future date.
/2 Tree Wardens No report
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23/034 Planning /1 22/01339/FUL – Field OS 6763 East End Long Clawson Retrospective application for siting of mobile home The Parish Council would object to this since the application lies outside of the limits to Development and infringes access to a Village Green.
In the light of this it was proposed to consider a committee to review all five Parish Council Village Greens.
/2 22/00852/REM – 1 Waltham Lane Long Clawson Reserved Matters (appearance, layout and scale) relating to 16/00560/OUT for the erection of 45 dwellings.
The Council accepted the advice from Cllr Evans that the Clerk should ask MBC for a Community Review to consider outstanding problems with this application. action Clerk /3 23/00431/LBC – The Old Farmhouse 23 Bolton Lane Hose Alterations to part of existing outbuildings to form a residential annexe to the main house No objections
In addition: /4 21/00013/FUL | Erection of 31 dwellings with associated access, open space and parking. | Land Rear Of 1 To 3 Hickling Lane Long Clawson It was agreed that Cllr Wilkinson would represent the Parish Council on this item at the MBC Planning Meeting 29th June. A summary of the points to be made is appended.
23/035 Correspondence received Emails: 23/5/2023 Notification of Forthcoming Planning Committee Meeting on 06.06.23 RE: 21/01134/FUL 23/5/2023 Notification of Forthcoming Planning Committee Meeting on 06.06.23 RE: 22/00006/VAC 27/5/2023 Helen Cheetham re Canal Lane Hose planning application June 6th 28/5/2023 Simon Shouler re LC Cemetery maintenance 31/5/2023 Speedwatch survey 1/6/2023 Melton Road LC 17th July 5 days 2/6/2023 TTRO Church Lane LC 2nd August 3 days 2/6/2023 Rospa Annual Report Noted In addition: 5/6/2023 Leics Highways re drainage works on Melton road Long Clawson for 5 days from 17th July. 16/6/2023 Ian Beale re trees on Village Green Long Clawson
23/036 Matters for Discussion /1 to discuss grass cutting arrangements See 23/030/1 /2 to consider a change to CHH banking arrangements It was agreed that current TSB banking facilities should be transferred immediately to Unity Trust in order to improve Internal Controls and achieve an uptodate signing mandate. action Clerk Page 63
/3 to consider the purchase of a new notice board for Harby The Council noted the Clerk’s advice that all forms of engagement with parishioners shoud be pursued and improived on actively, to include the website and Parish newsletters as well noticeboards. Therefore the Clerk was instructed to make arrangemetnts to have a regular insertion into all three Parish newsletters. action Clerk
/4 to consider future actions re Harby Village Hall It was agreed to discuss the formation of a Committee for this item at the next meeting.
/5 to review current CHH procedure for considering planning applications. Councillors approved the improvements recommended by the Clerk to be able to respond to all received planning applications in a timely manner.
/6 to consider CHH policies – Complaints, Data Protection and Publication Scheme All three policies were approved.
23/037 Finance /1 A list of payments for June 2023 is attached to these Minutes
/2 It was agreed that at 10/6/23 a true record of the Council’s financial position:
TSB Current account £3254.75
TSB Deposit account £87480.28
/3 Reserves at 10/6/23
Defibrillators £8505.97
/4 Parish Council operating funds £82229.06
23/038 To receive items for the next agenda /1 to review the CHH Risk Policy /2 to consider a CHH Reserves Policy /3 to review CHH Standing orders /4 to consider a committee to review grass cutting and revise the current contract for 2024-25. /5 to consider a committee to discuss a proposed new Harby Village Hall.
/6 to consider a committee to review all five Parish Council Village Greens. /7 to consider longstanding parking concerns at the Sands in Long Clawson. /8 to approve the appointment of Parish Council trustees to the Chester Charity
23/039 Date of next meeting: Monday 17th July 2023 Long Clawson
The meeting closed at 21.25 pm
Signed: ______________________
Chair – Clawson, Hose and Harby Parish Council
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2023 Meeting dates: The third Monday of the month at 7.00pm: therefore
July 17th Long Clawson August 21st Harby September18th Hose October 16th Long Clawson November 20th Harby December 18th Hose
June 2023 payments
SHED re May grass cutting £2695.98 nPower re May 23 charges £672.18 H Cheetham re leaving present £59.95 Playground Supplies re quarterly inspection £306.00 H Woodhouse re June salary £468.00 T Brown re June salary £1073.85 T Brown re May Clerk’s expenses £43.00 HMRC re June payment £385.40 H Woodhouse re expenses to 22/5/23 £13.05 Eon re qtrly maintenance £834.00 Waterplus re supply charges £15.37 NEW VILLAGE HALL HARBY Update June 2023
The Village Hall Committee (VHC) has been working on the New Village Hall project for several years. The proposal is to build a new hall on the Leys that will provide the additional space needed to offer a greater range of activities to the residents of Harby.
The Parish Council (PC) has been supportive of this aim but requires that an area of land equivalent to that required to build the new hall be provided so that the Leys would not be reduced in size.
Discussions have taken place between the PC and Paul and Helen Towns who own land adjacent to the Leys. It has been confirmed that they are amenable to selling a parcel of land and a price has been agreed. Although the PC discussed the possibility of purchasing the land and then leasing it to the VHC, the VHC would prefer to purchase the land directly and then to do a land-swap with the PC.
It has been proposed that there should be an option agreement set up such that the sale/purchase/land-swap would only progress if the VHC were successful in obtaining planning approval. The VHC has indicated that legal fees for all parties involved would be met by them.
Following discussions with Melton Borough Council planning officers, plans have been prepared which provide for a new hall plus dedicated car park with access from and egress onto Langar Lane.
The site of the existing village hall would be sold for housing with proceeds being put to the construction of the new hall.
Following a meeting with Paul Towns (PT) in July 2022 it was noted that there was a right of access for residents on Langar Lane across the parcel of land intended to be sold. PT suggested that this route could be diverted via the proposed new car park. This proposal was not accepted by the residents. Subsequently PT proposed an alternative solution which was presented to the PC for comment in January 2023, but none has yet been received. This alternative has not yet been suggested to the residents. It is proposed that a meeting involving all parties be arranged so that this issue can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. and an alternative has been suggested.
Once all the land matters have been resolved, the next step is for the VHC to submit a planning application. Should this be successful then the serious business of fundraising can begin.
In addition, the existing Village Hall Constitution will need to be revised. This can be progressed in parallel with the above and all legal fees will again be met by the VHC. Paul Gay 19.6.23 Page 65
Clawson, Hose and Harby Parish Council objection to: 21/00013/FUL | Erection of 31 dwellings with associated access, open space and parking. | Land Rear Of 1 To 3 Hickling Lane Long Clawson
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Whilst the Parish Council isn’t wholly opposed to the development, there are concerns that the developer’s application does not currently meet a number of the Neighbourhood Plan’s conditions of support for this development, most notably that ‘drainage infrastructure is available to accommodate surface water from the site without causing or adding to flooding elsewhere’.
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The developer proposes for surface water flooding to be discharged into an existing ditch and therefore deposed into the existing water network.
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The current water network around Long Clawson has come under considerable pressure over the last 10 years or so. The village has experienced multiple ‘1 in 100 years’ flood events impacting various locations in the village, notably The Sands, Sandpit Lane and West End/Claxton Rise.
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These events have led to considerable damage to people’s homes and businesses and also caused sewage flooding, which led to foul water washing up into the village centre.
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The Parish Council and local residents have considerable concerns that given the existing culvert system regularly blocks and therefore has struggled to cope; the current surface water disposal plan for this site will increase the strain on the system which has the potential of causing or adding to flooding elsewhere; notably the village centre around The Sands.
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The site is also in an elevated position in relation to Hickling Lane, and there is concern that as the development is on an existing field, which will lose its permeability, the surface run off could potentially flow in the direction of the road and have an impact on the dwellings directly opposite on Stokes Paddock. There isn’t any allowance for this within the drainage strategy.
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This ditch to the north of the development, along Broughton Lane, where the developer is proposing to dispose of surface water flooding is narrow and has limited distance to the road. There are concerns that the ditch might not be able to cope and could result in flooding along Broughton Lane/Hickling Lane which is used by Long Clawson Diary as the main access route to their site.
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At present the Parish Council opposes the development as we are not satisfied that the current application meets the following polices within the Neighbourhood Plan:
H7: Housing Design, Section N:
development should incorporate sustainable drainage systems with viable long term maintenance regimes to minimise vulnerability to flooding from streams, dykes and surface water run-off. All developments must consider impacts both within the site and in the surrounding area of the development within the development period.
ENV9; Flooding, Section C:
its design includes as appropriate, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) with ongoing maintenance provision, other surface water management measures and permeable surfaces;
ENV9; Flooding, Section D:
it does not increase the risk of flooding to third parties.
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We would ask that the committee either votes to reject the application in its current form or defers the decision and seeks greater assurance from the developer and Seven Trent that the existing water systems would be able to cope with the proposal.
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