May 2023 Minutes
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting on 5 May 2023 held at Dry Doddington Village Hall at 6.30 pm
Present Cllrs A Durham (Chair), B Lett, V Birnage, H Martell, District Cllr P Wood, the clerk W McCallin and 42 members of the public.
24/23 Apologies were received from Cllr T Arnold, J Forman, S Woodward.
25/23 Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interest None
26/23 Planning application S23/0413 by Tavern Group Properties Ltd
Mr Woodward confirmed the pub has been made an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and he was appealing this. The area made into an ACV was determined by the title deeds.
He outlined how the title deeds of The Wheatsheaf Pub and the Wheatsheaf cottage did not match up to their respective uses. His application is to change the use of two rooms of The Wheatsheaf Pub (games room and the dining area) to residential along with a section of the rear garden. The intention is then to sell The Wheatsheaf pub and the price is £450,000. His alternative is to board up the pub for 5 years when the Asset of Community Value will have ceased. Mr Woodward confirmed he would not open up The Wheatsheaf as a pub again. It has not been put up for sale on the open market since closure by Mr Woodward. The Wheatsheaf cottage is now owned separately by Mr Harry Woodward.
Mr B Woodward answered questions from the public.
Cllr Paul Wood advised that he has concerns about the application and he has called it in. This means the application will be dealt with by the planning committee and the public will have the chance to speak.
27/23 Action regarding Planning Application S23/0413
Councillors voted unanimously to object to the above application on grounds to include: it limits its future commercial viability as a pub, the pub is an integral part of the fabric of village life for social life and well-being, it contravenes SKDC local plan SP6 Community Services and Facilities, the pub is a hub for individual support in times of stress or crisis, the site plan presented by Mr Woodward did not match the documents on the SDKC planning portal for the application.
28/23 Matters for Urgent Discussion
There is a vacancy for one parish councillor and residents are encouraged to apply.
29/23 Date of next meeting confirmed as – Thursday 11 May, 7.30pm at Dry Doddington Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 7.15 pm
SIGNED DATE
Minutes of Parish Council Meeting on 11 May 2023 held at Dry Doddington Village Hall at 7.30 pm
Present Cllrs V Birnage (Chair), T Arnold, J Forman, the clerk W McCallin and 0 members of the public.
30/23 Election of Chair and Vice Chair
Council postponed this until the July meeting when all Cllrs are present.
31/23 Cllrs observed a one-minute silence in memory of John Pygott, a member of the Community Benefit Fund working group.
32/23 Apologies were received from Cllrs A Durham, B Lett, S Woodward and District Cllr P Wood.
33/23 Minutes of the meetings on 9 March and 5 May were confirmed by council and signed by the Chair.
34/23 Dry Doddington Bus Shelter
The shelter is in need of maintenance, (wood treatment, surround tree pruning, window beading and possibly a book shelf). Volunteers will be sought via the newsletter.
35/23 Dry Doddington Village Poor Charity Trust
The managing trustees reported that £75 has been collected from J Nullis and distributed to 4 residents.
36/23 Insurance Council resolved to approve the insurance cover and pay the premium subject to removal of the seven year old strimmer.
37/23 Finance
a) Council receive internal auditors report and reviewed internal audit controls with no changes
b) Council unanimously approved 2022-23 accounts.
c) Annual Audit for 2022-23. Council resolved to approve the Annual Governance Statement.
d) Council resolved to approve and sign the Accounting Statements.
e) Council resolved to re-appoint Mr N Poulson as internal auditor
f) Council approved payment to Zurich insurance of £182.93, clerk’s expense £27.97, volunteer expenses of £16 for Dry Doddington and £46.92 Westborough,
Payments already made to Environ SK for £63.53 and Land registry (Poors Land) for £30.
Receipt of Precept of £2700
g) Council reviewed bank and building society signatories and resolved that Cllrs V Birnage and R Lett be signatories on the Melton Building Society Account, and Cllr V Birnage a signatory on the Nat West account.
h) The money earmarked for Dry Doddington bus shelter is surplus money from the fund raising and is in Parish Council accounts for transparency. It can be used for community projects.
38/22 Council reviewed and approved Standing Orders, Financial regulations, Asset register and Risk assessment.
39/23 County and District Councillors A written report was received from Cllr Maughan.
40/23 Co-option of another Councillor
Council resolved to invite residents to express an interest in writing by the end of June to the clerk with co-option at the July meeting.
41/23 Matters for Urgent Discussion
A defibrillator refresher course is wanted by residents, to be held in Westborough.
42/23 Date of next meeting confirmed as – Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm at Westborough Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 8.15 pm
SIGNED DATE