Wollaston Parish Council
Wollaston Parish Council
Document library

Minutes WPC meeting, February 2025

Document Date

20/02/2025

Created by

Parish Clerk

Category

Meetings

Download Minutes WPC meeting, February 2025
View full document library

Accessible version of document

WOLLASTON PARISH COUNCIL
Tel:            07856 203260
Email:        clerk@wollastonparishcouncil.gov.uk
Web:         wollastonparishcouncil.gov.uk

 

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WOLLASTON
PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE OASIS, HIGH STREET, WOLLASTON
ON THURSDAY 20th February 2025.

PRESENT: Cllr Alvis, Alms, Atkinson, Carter, Goldsmith, Jones, Mitchell, Milroy, Savage,
Talbutt, Threadgold and Mrs S. Grant (Clerk & RFO).

IN ATTENDANCE:  No members of the public attended.
WARD COUNCILLORS: None in attendance.

 

 

ACTION
25/013 – OPEN MEETING

None.

 

25/014 – TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr Boycott and Cllr Hodson.

 

25/015 – NORTH NORTHANTS COUNCIL – Apologies were received from Cllr Griffiths, Cllr Carr and Cllr Partridge-Underwood.

 

25/016 – DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

None relating to business on the agenda.

 

25/017 – MINUTES

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting from 16th January 2025 were agreed and signed as a true account.   Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

 

25/018 – VE-DAY 80 – It was RESOLVED to provide the Heritage Society with a grant of £150 towards the VE-Day 80 celebrations due to be held on May 8th, 2025.

Chair to attend to represent the Parish Council and to light the Beacon.

 

25/019 – POLICY REVIEW – The Standing Orders, Website privacy policy and Publication Scheme policy were reviewed and unanimously agreed.

 

25/020 –TO RESOLVE TO SPEND £2,500 ON VAS SOLAR POWERED UNITS FOLLOWING £2,500 SUCCESSFUL GRANT FUNDING – It was RESOLVED that £2,500 plus fitting costs can be spent on the 2 new solar powered VAS units.  Clerk to arrange.

 Clerk

 
25/021 – CLERK’S REPORT

Thank you to the Councillors that provided their opinions for the Greenhill Solar Farm, these have been passed to the Clerk at Grendon, and an update will follow.

Scott Bader will be providing a further two volunteer days in April and June for Village litter picking.

Local Elections on May 1st, NNC Publication of notice of election will be issued on March 7th and delivery of nomination papers will be from March 10th up to 4pm Wednesday 2nd April 4pm.  Papers to be collated by the Clerk hand delivered to NNC Kettering Council Offices by the Chair.

Scott Bader Safety and new Alarm system update was discussed.

Attendance to Town & Parish Strategic Forum Thursday 13th March 7pm Wellingborough – Cllr Atkinson and Cllr Jones to attend.

Bloor Homes update from phone meeting with Adam Brown (Road and Estates Adoptions Manager) Site now fully occupied with no site activity.  The Highways and Lighting will be handed over in 2 years.  The Open Spaces (Play area and Woodland) will be handed over to Trinity Estates in approximately 12 months and will be subject to a full audit and if the plans are correct, the case officer will approve and handover.  All shrubs/trees now planted, and they will be monitored throughout the growing season.  They are aware of the sub-stand footpath and once the wet weather has subsided, this will be addressed.  There are 2 litter bins and 2 dog waste bins being installed.  Play area concerns will be passed to the Planners; however, it is thought that the facilities are in accordance with the site plan.

Bins – Issues over past couple of weeks with NNC not emptying the litter and dog waste bins.  Please report any bin issues to waste@northnorthants@gov.uk or individual overflowing bins can be reported on the NNC website (report an issue with a public litter or dog waste bin).

Parish Council meal – Details to be finalised at the March meeting.

25/022 – FINANCES

 

Receipts circulated. It was RESOLVED to approve receipts for January 2025.  Unanimously agreed, motion carried

           
DATE RECEIVED FROM DESCRIPTION NET AMOUNT VAT ELEMENT TOTAL AMOUNT
09.01.25 Lloyds Bank *823 Interest £51.81 £0.00 £51.81
31.01.25 Nationwide Interest *607 Interest £139.87 £0.00 £139.87
31.01.25 Nationwide Interest *581 Interest £188.25 £0.00 £188.25
TOTAL: £379.93 £0.00 £379.93

 

 

 

Payments Circulated.  It was RESOLVED to approve payments for January 2025.    Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

 

PAYMENT PAYEE DESCRIPTION NETT OF VAT VAT ELEMENT TOTAL LEGISLATION
             
DD105 Tesco Mobile Monthly mobile Phone Contract £15.99 £0.00 £15.99 LGA 1972 s112
DD106 HP Instant Ink Monthly subscription for printer ink £17.91 £3.58 £21.49 LGA 1972 s112
DD107 NPS Shoes Office Hire & Internet  December 2024 £304.17 £60.83 £365.00 LGA 1972 s111
DD108 WhiteStar Ltd Monthly Website hosting fee £35.00 £0.00 £35.00 LGA 1972 S111
DD109 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 December – 31 December 2024 £7.90 £0.40 £8.30 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD110 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 December – 31 December 2024 £7.10 £0.36 £7.46 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD111 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 December – 31 December 2024 £75.74 £3.79 £79.53 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD112 LV Pension (NMPTL) LV Pension S Grant WPC Contribution £69.08 £0.00 £69.08 LGA 1972 s111
BACS996 HMRC Employer NI employee NI Tax payment £177.98 £0.00 £177.98 LGA 1972 s112
BACS997 Mrs Suzanne Grant January  2025  salary £1,285.67 £0.00 £1,285.67 LGA 1972 s112
BACS998 Hayeswood Landscapes Village Grass Cut Dec 2024 £1,839.44 £367.88 £2,207.32 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS999 J R Gamblen PF Tractor Repair £35.00 £7.00 £42.00 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS1000 J R Gamblen PF Tractor Repair £75.00 £15.00 £90.00 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
£3,945.98 £458.84 £4,404.82

 

Bank Reconciliation as of 31.01.25 was circulated.  It was RESOLVED to approve the January Bank Reconciliation.  Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

WOLLASTON PARISH COUNCIL
Bank Reconciliation as at 31/01/2025
Lloyds Current account – daily banking
    balance as at 31/01/2025 £2,823.85
Lloyds Instant access – General Reserves *823
     balance as at 31/01/2025 £54,727.34
Nationwide Business 95 day Saver *607 £42,365.66
Nationwide Business 95 day Saver *581 £57,019.37
Nationwide Building Society – S106 Monies *513 £70,476.39
Earmarked Reserves, Pyghtles, Neale Close  
In Accounts 31/01/2025 £227,412.61
From 2023/2024 £186,431.62
Figures incl VAT Receipts £121,170.54
Payments £80,189.55
£227,412.61
Difference £0.00

 

25/023 – REPORTS

 

  • New Community Centre/preschool Update – The Parish Council are still awaiting feedback and a site visit date from NNC/Early Learning Team for the architect plans, pre-application response, Busy Bees budget plan, Survey Monkey Early Learning needs results and revised ground floor plan sent prior to Christmas. Continue to chase w/c 24th February 2025.
  • Playing fields & Parks Management Committee (Draft Minutes appendix 5). No issues.
  • Streetlights – no issues. Street Doctor Report (Appendix 6) no issues, although number of logged issues has increased.
  • Footpaths Update – no issues.
  • Village Hall management Committee Update – (Draft minutes appendix 7). A £500 member empowerment grant is to be spent on upgrading the kitchen facilities. The Treasurer handover is almost complete with the exception of the Charity Commission.
  • Crime and Community Safety Update – figures provided by Northants Police confirmed that 13 crimes were reported in January. PCSO Donna Fenner will be in the Library on Wednesday 26th February 10am-12 noon. Wollaston Together Magazine – It was RESOLVED that the bank account is handed over to the Parish Council from Cllr Milroy.  Cllr Milroy to arrange with Clerk.
 Clerk
25/024 – PLANNING

  • Applications

Schedule was circulated with Agenda (Appendix 8).

 

NW/24/00422/FUL – Church of St Mary Church Lane Two storey extension to church and new resin bound gravel path and associated works.  WPC – no objection.  Awaiting decision.

NW/24/00448/EXT – Green Hill Solar Farm – Consultation on draft statement of Community Consultation (SoCC).  Awaiting decision.

NW/24/00644/FUL Agricultural Barn A509 – New dwelling to replace existing barn, approved for conversion into dwelling under class Q including vehicular access and hardstanding for parking.  WPC – no objection.   Application refused 24.01.25

 

Thrift Street – Next Level Gym – Concerns received from residents regarding parking issues.  Cllr Carter and Clerk to respond.

 

Cllr Mitchell presented an Awareness and Discussion document following the Town & Parish Planning Forum held on 30th January 2025. Whilst the current North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Document (2011-2031) remains in place, a new Local Plan for the North Northamptonshire area has been under review for 18 months and is slowing grinding through all the processes. The new plan will cover the years 2021- 2045 therefore straddling and superseding the current JCS by 5/6 years as it is expected to be submitted to The Secretary of State by December 2026.  A draft of the Local Plan will be out for consultation early in 2026 and is expected to be adopted in December 2027.  These dates will be ratified by the NNC Executive on 13th March 2025.  The Neighbourhood Plan to be an agenda item for the new Parish Council term in May.

 

25/025 – NEXT MEETING

Meeting of Wollaston Parish Council meeting to take place on Thursday March 20th, 2025, 7pm, Oasis Building, High Street, Wollaston.

 

The Chair thanked Councillors for their attendance. The meeting was closed at 8.30 pm.