1) Attendance and Apologies

Jim Aldridge – Chair. Mary Beechey, Brian Greenfield, Andrew Gough, Oz Hall, Brian May, Kevin Morrell, Alf Oliver, Anne Parkinson

3 Parishioners, PC Anderson, Sally Crossfield and Ivan Ould

Apologies: Malcolm Greenwood, Brian Greenfield, and Pat Bingham

2) Parishioners’ Open Forum

Presentation from Village Sign Committee – Ian Papworth presented the artist’s impression of the sign for Sheepy Magna. Everyone was impressed and the Village Sign Committee were asked to go ahead commissioning the sign. Estimates had been received for the artwork and frame totalling £2,500. This was well within the budget agreed. Permission had also been received from various authorities for the sign at Sibson and it was anticipated that this would be produced in the new financial year at the same cost as Sheepy Magna.

Presentation from Sally Crossfield – Rural Events Officer – H &BBC – Sally explained her role and that of other colleagues within the department. She also left Events leaflets, which Oz Hall agreed to leave in the Community room at the Church. The Clerk indicated that she would be submitting a funding bid for the village signs to the Parish and Community Initiative Fund and the Chair advised that Sheepy Memorial Hall Committee would be submitting a bid for portable staging, which could be used by anyone in the parish.

PC Anderson addressed the meeting – he said that there was little crime around the villages in the parish. The main problem was still heavy plant being stolen, mainly from building sites.

Discussion took place around a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator and PC Anderson agreed that there was not enough activity in this area to employ one.

He said that parking outside schools is still a priority for the Police and that he had recently visited Sheepy School but the problem had been eased due to the efforts of Oz Hall in Mill Lane and outside the school. It had been suggested that the School Bus picks up and drops off by the Black Horse instead of outside the school. PC Anderson said that he was still looking for 30 mph outside the school and 20 mph at school opening/closing times.

Kevin Morrell asked if the Police had any influence about the dangerous crossroads at the Bull in the Oak. PC Anderson agreed that accidents had been caused by the give way markings, which had now been moved.

3) Minutes of Last Meeting – were approved as a true and correct record.

4) Matters Arising from Minutes

Flooding - Jim Aldridge reported that the Environment Agency had cleared 90% of the problem in the river and that he had arranged another meeting next week to walk the river with them. 3 tons of sand had been purchased and it was at the Car Park at Sheepy Memorial Hall another 3 ton of sand would be placed at Barncraft Printing. 200 bags had been purchased These had been distributed to residents who had the problem last time on the Main Road and there were spare bags available at the Black Horse. Residents were asked not to fill the bags until they were needed

Severn Trent has put in an Action Plan for the non-return valve. And a broken man- hole cover had also been reported. Severn Trent has also put some underground pipes on the Main Road back to their original size.

LCC Highways have cut into the ditch on the Main Road.

BOTATs – discussion took place around the state of the BOTATs and it was agreed that they were getting worse. Ivan Ould is following this up with the Legal department.

Hedge around the Playing Field – the Chair advised that this had been cut.

Pelican Crossing on Main Road – as the Clerk was having difficulty in getting a response; Ivan Ould agreed to follow this up.

5) Report by County Councillor – Ivan Ould reported on a Cabinet meeting, which had taken place in January. It has been agreed that the Council Tax for this year would be 3.9% and then 3.5% for the following two years. A Value for Money Award had been received by LCC. He also reported that David Wilkinson had been made redundant and the new Regional Divisional Manager was Ian Grierson.

LCC had turn down the Structure Plan submitted by H &BBC, as they felt there were too many houses in the rural area and there would not be enough money for extra schooling, infrastructure etc. It was also reported that the government does not want less than 100 pupils in schools, this may cause a problem in the rural areas.

Ivan reported on traffic issues, including a meeting to discuss the problem at the Bull in the Oak: the A444/Royal Red Gate roundabout, which was not now going ahead and traffic ignoring the 40 mph at Sibson. He also stated that there would be extra seats on the no. 7 bus and a pilot scheme was being looked at for 16 to 18 year olds, who feel isolated due to lack of transport

6) Report by Borough Councillor – Kevin Morrell reported that the Council Tax increase would be 4.6%. This makes H & BBC the 9^th lowest Borough/District Council in England. He said that the Parish Initiative Fund would remain at £100,000 and a decision was still to be made on whether the Leisure Centre should be refurbished or re built elsewhere.

Discussion took place with Ivan Ould concerning the Structure Plan and Councillor Morrell explained that 7 large village settlements had been earmarked for extra houses, including Sheepy (30 houses) between now and 2026.

7) Correspondence

The following was discussed:

LCC – Footpath diversion near Benn Hills Farm will be operational from 10 January

H & BBC – Copy of letter to Sheepy Playing Fields Ass re successful lottery bid. – Chair also read out a letter to Playing Fields Association stating that although Parish Council would still continue with paying insurance for public liability, they would not pay insurance for new equipment.

Market Bosworth Community First Responder Scheme 2 responses in Sheepy and 1 in Wellsborough in past twelve months.

RCC – Funding Fair at Melton Mowbray 28 February – Jim Aldridge and Kevin Morrell to attend

ABB – Increase in maintenance charges – proposed by Jim Aldridge, seconded by Kevin Morrell and all in agreement that we should accept this increase.

H & BBC – someone to deliver Borough Bulletin in Upton, Sibson and Wellsborough – Andrew Gough agreed to do this

LCC – 265 numbers changing to 305. Main switchboard still 0115 232 3232

Consultation document on Orders and Regulations Relating to the Conduct of Local Authority Members in England – this was discussed and Ivan Ould advised that the main change was that if you declare an interest you have to leave the room. The Parish Council agreed that this was already the practice at Parish Council meetings and would stay so.

Sheepy Memorial Hall Committee – request for donation towards staging. The Chair explained that the Memorial Hall Committee were putting a bid to Community and Initiative Fund for £2000 but needed £2000 match funding. Some small donations had been pledged from local businesses. As this would be available for every organisation in the Parish to use, it was proposed by Jim Aldridge that a donation of £2,000 be given on the understanding that this should be used as match funding and, if the bid was not successful or the other £2,000 could not be raised, the money would be returned to the Parish Council. This was seconded by Kevin Morrell and all in agreement.

The following was available for information

Sheepy Magna Parent Teacher Association – thank you for donation

Village Voice

Letter Sheepy Scout Group thanking for the donation

Draft East Midlands Plan Panel Report available to view on website – www.goem.gov.uk/goem/planning/regional-planning/rsspanelreport

Standards Board newsletter

8) Crime and Safety - Andrew Gough gave the Parish Council information on Bosworth Community Forum. This was an umbrella group of Parish Councils, which met twice a year with LCC and H & BBC. The Chair of the Group was Kevin Morrell. Andrew Gough was requested to include the following items on the agenda – Planning in rural area (more input from Parish Councils): Funding for Youth Clubs in villages: Travellers.

Andrew also reported that the Police had now divided into North, South and City, the Forum is now part of the South. The Parish Council felt that it was no longer a Local Forum and asked Andrew to push for a local forum. He also advised that he was getting more details on Smartwater, which is now available for householders to use. It was also advised that after April, the Mobile Youth Centre would visit villages.

To the end of December 2007, there had been a 17% reduction overall in recorded crimes in Market Bosworth area.

9) Accounts and Signing of cheques

A bank reconciliation showing money in bank as at end December 2007 had previously been circulated to Councillors.

The following cheques were presented for payment in January

P Roberts Emptying Dog Bins £100,00

M Bassett Salary/com/tel/windows/pos £576.89

J Aldridge Xmas tree lights £58.30*

Greenwoods (Coleshill) Ltd Sandbags £51.70*

Sign of the Times Colour sketch £141.00

Brian Mee Work to Church Croft £335.00*

Eon Electricity for streetlights £23.85*

The following will be presented for payment in February

P Roberts Emptying Dog Bins £100.00

M Bassett Sal/com/tel/windows £576.89

Information Commissioner Data Protection £ 35.00

J Aldridge Sand (re flooding) £124.89

ABB Streetlight maintenance £ 83.52

Viking Stationery £211.82

A Gough Expenses £17.84

MJ & AH Calcott Cutting hedge playing field £58.75

* includes VAT

10) Planning

The following applications were noted without comment:

07/01307/FUL Change of use from Agricultural to Industrial, The Haven Watery Lane, Sheepy Magna:

07/01461/FUL Loft conversion, Rocklyn, Mill Lane, Sheepy Parva

 

It was noted that the following application had been approved:

07/01321/FUL Cattery, Ratcliffe Lane, Sheepy

07/01298/COU Pergola to side of Red Lion, Pinwall

08/00035/FUL Extension to Orchard End, Sibson

08/00054/FUL Erection of Orangery, 5 Wembrook Coppice, Sheepy Magna

11) Any Other Business

The Chair reported that the Ground Maintenance Contract was going out to tender and it had been sent to Brian Mee and two other contractors. He also advised that the trees in the churchyard had now been trimmed.

Brian May and Alf Oliver reported on rubbish around the parish, Clerk to contact H &BBC.

Oz Hall reported consistent dog fouling in Mill Lane near San Giovanni restaurant. Clerk to arrange for Oz to have leaflets to put in area.