Annual Meeting of the Council, 16 May 2011

HELMDON PARISH COUNCIL
All Councillors are summoned to the Annual General Meeting of Helmdon Parish
Council to be held in the Reading Room, Church Street, Helmdon on Monday 16th May 2011, commencing at 7.30 pm. This meeting will be followed by an Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council.
Members of the public and Press are invited to attend both meetings and to participate in the Open Forum
AGENDA – Annual General Meeting
1. Election of Chairman for 2011/12
2. Signing of Chairman’s declaration of acceptance of office
3. Apologies for Absence
4. To receive councillors’ declarations of acceptance of office
5. Election of Vice Chairman for 2011/2
6. To appoint the Responsible Financial Officer
7. To appoint an Internal Auditor
8.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
To appoint members for committees
Finance (5 ) including one named Cllr as Internal Control Councillor
Planning (5 )
Road Safety (5)
Playground (3)
Allotment ( 3)
Achieving Quality Council Status (5)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
To appoint parish representatives
Parish Paths Warden
Parish Highways Representative
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator
School Liaison Councillor
PC Rep on Reading Room Committee
PC Reps (2) on Parish Plan Monitoring Group
Poppy Organiser
PC Reps (2) on Blackpits Monitoring Group
Health and Safety Officers (2)
9.
10. Updating of Register of Interests
11. Approval and signature of the Minutes for the AGM held on 26th May 2010
12. Matters arising from the minutes of 26th May 2010
13.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
Committee & Representative Reports
Finance
Planning
Road Safety (Parish Highways Representative)
Playground
Allotments
Helmdon Parish Plan
Parish Paths Warden
Neighbourhood Watch
School Liaison
Reading Room

AGENDA – Ordinary Meeting following the AGM
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Approval and Signature of the Minutes for the Ordinary Meeting of 23rd March 2011.
3. Matters Arising from the Minutes of 23rd March 2011
4. Open Forum
5. Finance a) Financial statement b) Bills for Payment c) Payments Received
6. Planning:
a)
b)
c)
To receive decisions of Planning committee on applications since 23/03/11
To receive update on Affordable Housing development
To receive update on recent decisions and outstanding applications
7. Correspondence Review
8. To consider response to NCC Transport Consultation
9. Talkabout – To receive update on the vacant editor position
10. Reading Room Project Update
11. Annual Parish Meeting – to review the 2011 meeting and consider format for future ones
12. To set the date for the first Finance meeting to review grant applications, sign off Accounts and make recommendations regarding insurance.
13. To consider requirement for a June meeting and review frequency of future meetings
14. To adopt the Helmdon Parish Plan Action Plan
15. To receive update on the School Field licence
16. Footpaths- to consider claiming a new route due to prolonged use
17. Health and Safety a)
b)
To receive completed Inspections Reports
To address any other Health and Safety Issues
18. Allotments issues
19. To receive update on Village of the Year Competition Entry – Cllr Coatsworth
20. Highways Issues a) Traffic lights on Station Road bridge – update b) Speed limit extensions – update
21. Councillors’ Questions
Signed _______________________
Dated________________________
Liz Hart, Parish Clerk
[address removed]

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HELMDON PARISH COUNCIL
Draft Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Helmdon Parish Council held on Monday 16th May 2011
in the Reading Room, Church Street, Helmdon at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Councillors Barnes, Burns, Coatsworth, Adhemar, Simpson, Duncombe, England,
Moody
Parish Clerk: Liz Hart
Three members of the public were present.
Action
1 Election of Chairman for 2011/12
Cllr England proposed, seconded by Cllr Duncombe that Cllr Burns be nominated for
Chairman. All were in favour.
2 Signing of Chairman’s declaration of acceptance of office
Cllr Burns duly signed the declaration which was countersigned by the Parish Clerk.
3 Apologies for Absence
Cllr Earl had given apologies due to work commitments.
Roger Miles, Footpaths Warden had also given his apologies.
4 To receive councillors’ declarations of acceptance of office
These were received by the Clerk.
5 Election of Vice Chairman for 2011/12
Cllr England proposed, seconded by Cllr Adhemar that Cllr Earl be nominated for the position of Vice Chair. All were in favour.
6 To appoint the Responsible Financial Officer
Cllr Burns proposed, seconded by Cllr Barnes that the Parish Clerk, Liz Hart continue as
RFO. All were in favour.
7 To appoint an Internal Auditor
Cllr Moody declared a prejudicial interest in the following item.
Cllr Burns proposed, seconded by Cllr Barnes that NorthantsCALC be retained as the
Internal Auditor. All were in favour.

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The appointment of committee members
The membership for 2011/12 was resolved as follows:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
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Finance: Cllrs Burns, Barnes, Earl, Coatsworth, Moody and RFO
Planning: Cllrs Burns, Barnes, Coatsworth, Duncombe, Earl, Adhemar, Simpson
Road Safety: Cllrs Duncombe, England, Earl
Playground: Cllrs Earl, Simpson
Allotment: Cllrs Moody, Coatsworth, Adhemar
Achieving Quality Council Status (5) (Working Party): Cllrs Barnes, Coatsworth,
Burns, Adhemar and Moody
The appointment of Parish Representatives
The following were appointed with all in favour:
a) Parish Paths Warden – Roger Miles b) Parish Highways Representative – Cllr Moody c) Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator – Cllr England d) School Liaison Councillor – Cllrs Simpson and Adhemar e) PC Rep on Reading Room Committee – Cllr England f) PC Reps on Parish Plan Monitoring Group – Cllrs Barnes and Coatsworth g) Poppy Organiser – Cllr Earl h) PC Reps on Blackpits Monitoring Group – Cllr Coatsworth and Burns i) Health and Safety Officers – Cllrs Coatsworth and Earl
The Clerk will inform the Primary School of the appointment of Cllrs Simpson and Adhemar as School Liaison Councillors.
10 Updating of Register of Interests
The Clerk reminded all Councillors of the need to update to produce copies of the Register of Interest forms within 28 days for submission to SNC.
11th Approval and signature of the Minutes for the AGM held on 26 May 2010
Cllr Barnes proposed, seconded by Cllr England that the Minutes be approved by Council.
All were in favour and Cllr Burns duly signed the Minutes.
12th Matters arising from the minutes of 26 May 2010
None.
13 Committee & Representative Reports a) Finance – The Clerk informed the meeting that the Committee would shortly be reviewing the end of year accounts and grant applications and would continue to meet periodically throughout the year to review progress and report back to the Full Council
Meeting as required.
b) Planning – Cllr Burns confirmed that SNC were well aware that the Parish Council was disappointed with certain planning decisions; it remained to be seen what the impact of the new planning delegation scheme would be. The publication of the Localism Bill was awaited with interest.
c) Road Safety – Cllr England reported that no meeting had taken place in the year.
Speeding remained an issue.
d) Playground – no report.
nd e) Allotments – Cllr Coatsworth reported that a walkabout was scheduled for 22 May.
One plot was vacant, most of the plots were well maintained.
Clerk

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f) Helmdon Parish Plan – Cllr Barnes reported that the Refresh was well underway. The
Parish Council was due to adopt the new Action Plan; it was to be hoped that the Parish
Council would be more involved in the future g) Parish Paths Warden – Part of my role is to liaise with the Rights of Way officers at
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) on behalf of the Parish. I am pleased to report that throughout the past year they have responded well on a variety of matters. Several new bridges over ditches have been installed, stiles improved and new signs have been provided; some problems with landowners were addressed and an agreed list of priorities for further works is in hand. Also NCC have distributed a new definitive map of our paths, dated 1 October 2010.
My work to keep under review the 44 paths, which provide some 31 kilometres of rights of way in the Parish, is very greatly assisted by the active Paths Group, chaired by Mike
Barnes that developed from the Parish Plan. The Paths Group’s practical work has included cutting back hedges, repairing stiles and digging a drainage ditch. With the agreement of the landowner, Mervyn Humphrey, work to improve the permissive path along the old railway route towards Astwell has continued. This path is not a right of way but is an amenity that many use.
The highlight of the year has been the extension of this path with the agreement of the landowners, John and Geoff Watson. Several people helped with the bridge-building and brush cutting work that was needed to open this path. It is pleasing to see how well the new part of this path is being used and appreciated.
Copies of the village footpaths map that the Paths Group produced in 2006 have were distributed widely but some are still available. During this year we published the third of our series of leaflets on circular walks around Helmdon. A fourth on walking to
Wappenham and back in a figure of eight is nearing completion.
The Health Walks scheme sponsored by South Northants Council is active in Helmdon.
Thursday afternoon walks continued throughout the year, with only a few cancellations for bad weather; they start from the Reading room at 1.45pm and return for tea soon after 3pm. On Monday 16 May we will start a third year of summer evening walks, departing from “The Bell” at 7pm and returning by dusk; these will continue weekly until the last one on 22 August.
Several landowners have generously assisted with the planning of varied routes for these walks, for example by allowing some diversions from the official paths for these led groups.
Unfortunately there have been too many incidents of dogs fouling footpaths and running unchecked in fields with stock; also of gates being left open and fences broken down allowing stock to stray.
I am always pleased to hear from anyone with a paths question or problem and apologise that I cannot be present at this meeting.
Roger Miles
[phone number removed])
h) Neighbourhood Watch – No report.
i) School Liaison – Cllr Burns reported that the main contact with the school recently had been regarding the fence. He was pleased that the result was better that the original proposal.
j) Reading Room – Cllr England reported that the cupboard had been modified. The Post
Office has requested a cupboard in the kitchen which they would pay for. Fundraising would continue to raise money to replace reserves.
The meeting closed at 8.00 pm.
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