Wollaston Parish Council
Wollaston Parish Council
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Minutes WPC meeting, January 2025

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16/01/2025

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Parish Clerk

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Meetings

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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 16th January 2025.

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

IN ATTENDANCE:  No members of the public attended.
WARD COUNCILLORS: Cllr Tom Partridge-Underwood, Cllr Carr.

  ACTION
25/001 – OPEN MEETING

None

 

25/002 – TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr Talbutt. No response from Cllr Carter, Goldsmith and Hodson.

 

25/003 – NORTH NORTHANTS COUNCIL – Apologies were received from Cllr Griffiths.  Cllr Mitchell asked for further information on the Mayoral Combined Authority for the South Midlands. It was confirmed that the Leader of the Council will be representing NNC and will report back and we are to await a Consultation.

Cllr Carr to request a Highways tour diary date for Wollaston with Kier representatives and members of the Environmental Team to discuss ongoing Highway issues within the village.  Cllr Carr confirmed that there was no further news on how the additional funding for road repairs would be spent.  Cllr Alvis to send Cllr Carr an email with details of the blocked culvert on Grendon Road reported by a local farmer which could potentially lead to flooding issues. The farmer has raised the matter with Highways and the Environmental Agency. However, he has not received any positive feedback or support from either organisation, so has turned to the Parish Council for help.  Cllr Carr to forward to relevant persons and Cllr Savage to also report on St Doctor.

Cllr Milroy raised the issue of requesting shorter licences for traffic works resulting in unnecessary disruption.  To be raised with Kier at the forthcoming Wollaston tour.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

LA

 

 

TS

 
25/004 – DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Cllr Jones declared his interest in Agenda point 10 (b) Annual Mowing payment to the Cricket Club.

 

25/005 – TO CONSIDER AND RESPOND TO THE GOVERNMENT’S CONSULTATION ON STRENGTHENING THE STANDARDS AND CONDUCT FRAMEWORK FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN ENGLAND

Cllrs have been sent the consultation to complete, however it was unanimously agreed that Wollaston Parish Council continue to work to the Standing Orders and Code of Conduct policies to a high standard and no further action is required.

 

  
25/006 – MINUTES

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting from 19th December 2024 were agreed and signed as a true account.   Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

 

25/007 – POLICY REVIEW – The Grant Application Policy was reviewed and unanimously agreed.

 

  
25/008 – CLERK’S REPORT

Report circulated with Agenda, appendix 1.

Clerk has applied for lottery funding for the 10-meter-long Monkey Challenge Climbing Wall to be based at St Mary’s Play Park, decision expected within 12 weeks.

Clerk is applying for a £5,000 Road Safety Community fund for a new solar powered VAS unit/s.  Clerk circulated the Wollaston Parish Council Action Plan 2025/26 – Cllr Alms requested that the request for Hedge planting in Cobbs Lane and Memorial signs for Shepherds Hill are added to the plan.

Cllrs are requested to return the Invitation to the Mayor of Wellingborough’s Civic Service on Sunday 9th February to the Clerk by the deadline of January 31st.

Thank you to Cllrs Savage, Jones and Threadgold for the litter pick carried out between London Road Playing Fields and the A509.

 

 Clerk
25/009 – FINANCES

 

Receipts circulated. It was RESOLVED to approve receipts for December 2024.  Unanimously agreed, motion carried

DATE RECEIVED FROM DESCRIPTION NET AMOUNT VAT ELEMENT TOTAL AMOUNT
09.12.24 Lloyds Bank *823 Interest £40.83 £0.00 £40.83
31.12.24 Nationwide Interest *607 Interest £143.77 £0.00 £143.77
31.12.24 Nationwide Interest *581 Interest £195.17 £0.00 £195.17
10.12.24 HMRC VAT return £0.00 £2,587.56 £2,587.56
18.12.24 Wollaston Victoria Youth F/Ball Contribution to Flood lights PF £116.00 £0.00 £116.00
TOTAL: £495.77 £2,587.56 £3,083.33

 

 

 

 

Payments Circulated.  It was RESOLVED to approve payments for December 2024.    Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

PAYMENT PAYEE DESCRIPTION NETT OF VAT VAT ELEMENT TOTAL LEGISLATION
             
DD97 Tesco Mobile Monthly mobile Phone Contract £15.99 £0.00 £15.99 LGA 1972 s112
DD98 HP Instant Ink Monthly subscription for printer ink £23.74 £4.75 £28.49 LGA 1972 s112
DD99 NPS Shoes Office Hire & Internet November 2024 £304.17 £60.83 £365.00 LGA 1972 s111
DD100 WhiteStar Ltd Monthly Website hosting fee £35.00 £0.00 £35.00 LGA 1972 S111
DD101 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 November – 30 November 2024 £6.88 £0.34 £7.22 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD102 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 November – 30 November 2024 £7.63 £0.38 £8.01 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD103 Yu Energy Street Lighting 01 November – 30 November 2024 £72.82 £3.64 £76.46 Highways Act 1980, S301
DD104 LV Pension (NMPTL) LV Pension S Grant WPC Contribution £69.08 £0.00 £69.08 LGA 1972 s111
BACS984 HMRC Employer NI employee NI Tax payment £177.98 £0.00 £177.98 LGA 1972 s112
BACS985 Mrs Suzanne Grant December 2024 salary £1,285.67 £0.00 £1,285.67 LGA 1972 s112
BACS986 Hayeswood Landscapes Village Grass Cut Nov 2024 £1,839.44 £367.88 £2,207.32 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS987 Mr L. Alvis Chairman’s Allowance £150.00 £0.00 £150.00 LGA 1972 ss15(5)
BACS988 NCALC Off to a Flying Start Course Cllr Stephen Atkinson 19.11.24 £48.00 £9.60 £57.60 LGA 1972 ss 143
BACS989 EDF Tennis Courts Electricity Usage 10 June – 01 Nov 2024 £83.89 £4.19 £88.08 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS990 The Post Office Book of 1st Class Stamps £13.20 £0.00 £13.20 LGA 1972 s112
BACS991 E-on Street Lighting Maintenance for 1/4 ending Sept 24 £77.50 £15.50 £93.00 Highways Act 1980, S301
BACS992 SLCC CiLCA Qualification Fee (Suzanne Grant) £450.00 £0.00 £450.00 LGA 1972 ss 143
BACS993 Midland Tree Specialists Neale Close Tree reduction/pollarding £1,200.00 £240.00 £1,440.00 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS994 ME Electrical Tennis Courts Timer Switch Repair £127.12 £0.00 £127.12 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
BACS995 North Northamptonshire Council PF wheelie/recycling bins empty 3 months £217.37 £0.00 £217.37 OS Act 1906 ss 9 & 10
GRAND TOTAL: £6,205.48 £707.11 £6,912.59

 

 

It was RESOLVED to agree the Q3 Budget to end of December 2024.  Unanimously agreed, motion carried.

 

2024 / 2025 Budget
BUDGET Oct Nov Dec Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Total to date
Precept £98,274.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £98,274.00 £0.00 £0.00 £98,274.00
Grants £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £5,485.00 £0.00 £0.00 £5,485.00
S106 / A509 Grass Cutting £995.00 £0.00 £995.54 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £995.54 £995.54
Bank Interest £1,000.00 £459.41 £430.27 £379.77 £1,368.50 £1,402.06 £1,269.45 £4,040.01
Sports Association £400.00 £0.00 £300.00 £116.00 £0.00 £192.00 £416.00 £608.00
Cricket Club £550.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £500.00 £0.00 £500.00
S106 Hookhams Path £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Sundry Income £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £116.37 £0.00 £116.37
Community Centre £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
S106 Pyghtles / Neale Close £4,000.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £4,000.00 £0.00 £0.00 £4,000.00
Total Income £105,219.00 £459.41 £1,725.81 £495.77 £109,127.50 £2,210.43 £2,680.99 £114,018.92
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Total to date
Salary £16,818.40 £1,401.28 £1,907.80 £1,463.65 £4,376.92 £4,264.41 £4,772.73 £13,414.06
LGCC Pension Provision £850.00 £66.16 £89.50 £69.08 £198.48 £198.48 £224.74 £621.70
Office / General Costs £10,905.88 £475.06 £373.07 £1,040.10 £4,808.05 £1,617.80 £1,888.23 £8,314.08
S137 Grants £5,350.00 £3,510.00 £32.00 £0.00 £30.00 £0.00 £3,542.00 £3,572.00
Street Lighting £1,750.00 £150.12 £217.71 £164.83 £370.94 £280.21 £532.66 £1,183.81
Grass Cutting £22,444.72 £1,139.44 £1,839.44 £1,839.44 £5,066.63 £5,518.32 £4,818.32 £15,403.27
Playing Field & Parks £12,000.00 £716.43 £450.00 £428.38 £3,835.33 £3,161.35 £1,594.81 £8,591.49
Sports Association £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Cricket Club £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Election Cost Provision £3,000.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Maintenance / Purchases £3,100.00 £14.15 £107.72 £0.00 £1,162.34 £93.32 £121.87 £1,377.53
Community Centre £25,000.00 £1,280.00 £0.00 £0.00 £5,690.00 £0.00 £1,280.00 £6,970.00
S106 Pyghtles / Neale Close £4,000.00 £0.00 £0.00 £1,200.00 £0.00 £187.50 £1,200.00 £1,387.50
Total Costs £105,219.00 £8,752.64 £5,017.24 £6,205.48 £25,538.69 £15,321.39 £19,975.36 £60,835.44

 

 

25/010 – REPORTS

 

(a)   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 showing the total internal activity area of 93sqm sent prior to Christmas.  Cllr Mitchell held a meeting with the new Property Services Director of Doc Martens to discuss the future of the Doc Shop and car park.  Doc Martens will be sending an updated letter with a car parking agreement to the 13 residents on the High Street for them to re-register and formalise their parking agreement. The company has no immediate plans to alter the car park or shop and has expressed its commitment to maintaining goodwill with the residents.

(b)  Playing fields & Parks Management Committee (Draft Minutes appendix 5). No issues although ongoing concerns continue with the Cess Pit levels.  Cllr Milroy raised her concerns with the process of the annual payment of £500 to the Cricket Club within the Playing Fields budget and a discussion was held.  (see Appendix 6).  It was agreed to re-word the payment to Grant going forward.

(c)    Streetlights – no issues. Street Doctor Report (Appendix 6) no issues, although number of logged issues has increased due to weather related drainage issues and potholes.  Litter pick carried out on London Road.

(d)  Footpaths Update – no issues.

(e)  Village Hall management Committee Update – (Draft minutes appendix 7). Cllr Mitchell reiterated that the Village Hall redevelopment project is critically dependent on the allocation of the £348K early learning years S106 funding and without this the Busy Bees preschool setting will be forced to close by the end of the academic year – even with the loan from the Village Hall and rent-free agreement.  Due to the delayed timescales of the project and the purdah period of potentially April and May this is cause for major concern.

(f)    Crime and Community Safety Update – figures provided by Northants Police confirmed that 7 crimes were reported in December. Wollaston Together Magazine – Cllr Milroy reported that the December issue was published with no issues and advertising slots were successfully sold.  Cllr Milroy requested that the handover of the bank account for the magazine be included as a resolution on the February agenda.

 

25/011 – PLANNING

(g)   Applications

Schedule was circulated with Agenda (Appendix 9).

 

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.   Awaiting decision.

NW/24/00666/LDP Scott Bader UK Ltd – Certificate of Lawful Development Proposed for the construction of a new hardstanding (in part replacing existing areas of hardstanding) to provide the new Intermediate Bulk Container storage facility, a new containment wall and new link road.  WPC – no objection.  Application permitted 14.01.25.

There are no updates on the future of the Hill Social Club.  Cllr Savage expressed his concern that the Parish Council did not object to the Green Hill Solar farm application, although individual Councillors confirmed that they had completed the Consultation.  The consultation has now closed.

 

25/012 – NEXT MEETING

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

 

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

8.30 pm.

 

Chair………………………………………………..            Date:   ………………………………