2023 May 23 Annual Parish Meeting Minutes
DRAFT: Minutes of Carlby Village Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday, 23 May 2023 at 19:00 in Carlby Village Hall.
The meeting started with a glass of wine and cheese.
In Attendance: Cllrs. Pete Holland (chairman), John Bavister (Vice Chairman), Lesley Sweeting and Chris Barnes together with Ken and Kath Pollitt, Alan Barnes, Roger Shed-Bowls Club, Steve Pearson-Village Hall, Amanda Pearson, Sarah Cardew-WI, Paul and Cull Reeson, Mike Sweeting, Sue Holloway-Mallard Pass Action Group and Sarah Gresty(Clerk)
Apologies. There were none at the time of the meeting.
Agenda
1. Carlby Parish Council (CPC)
Cllr. Pete Holland welcomed everyone to this open forum annual parish meeting. He introduced himself as the new chairman of CPC and gave a little background about himself having moved to the village during lockdown.
Pete thanked the 4 councillors who have stepped down during the year, Sue Robinson, Angela Cardew, Ben Haines and especially Ian Dair (who serviced for 19 years). Having achieved much in their term they will be much missed. Pete confirmed that there were 3 vacant seats available to anyone who was interested.
Pete also wanted to thank Steve Markham a previous Councillor who still continues to monitor the defibrillator units and speed indicator signs.
Thanks also to District Councillor Penny Robins and County Councillor Charlotte Vernon for their very active support in working in our area on our behalf.
CPC did investigate with Historic England the possibility to heritage list the dry stone walls in the village, which Ian Dair championed. After expert advice and a public meeting, unfortunately it was not well received, so the Council decided not to pursue this.
‘Bingate’ took place and with much challenging of SKDC we finally obtained 3 new bins for the village, these are in place and QR map is available for their locations.
Planning CPC continue to challenge and respond to applications, stressing the need for sustainability and good design and referencing the Neighbour Plan. The largest application active at present is for Agri linc. This has been contentious; however consideration has been given to CPC’s and public comments and we await the revised planning application. CPC try hard to get the opinions of the villagers.
Mallard Pass Solar Farm. Today we have received the latest timetable for the Planning Inspector process. CPC will continue to oppose this scheme and respond within the deadline set.
CPC did apply for a grant for a Kings Charles III coronation bench, however this was unsuccessful. The PC will always try and access grants where available.
Village Green Acquisition. Hopefully this process is drawing to a close and we hope to receive the deeds to transfer the land from Persimmon to the parish council shortly.
Bus shelters. The state of the bus shelters was brought up at this meeting last year. Work is slowing progressing. Replacement shelters will be in excess of £50k so if this is to take place a loan will be applied for if other funding avenues fall short. Work progresses. A member of the public asked if Delaines bus company are being approached. This was noted.
Finally, a big thank you to John for all his hard work as Chairman, and the clerk.
Report from the Clerk - The budget was set at the start of the year and a precept of £9018 was requested. We ended the year with a slight over spend against budget of £1245. Most of this was accounted for in the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations , additional costs for dog fouling signs after reports of this becoming a problem once again.
We managed to purchase, after much persuading and pressure, from our County Councillor Penny Robins and our chairman John to obtain 3 new bins, which especially outside he village hall here are so much better, these also came in at approx. £170 more than expected.
We are in a good financial position to be able to support this overspend with our small reserves.
We start this financial year with a b/f balance of £2754 so careful prudent spending is required for this coming year again, we have received grant requests from the Bowls Club, The Playing Fields Association and the PCC for the upkeep of the church grass and footpath.
If anyone would like any further details please don’t hesitate to contact me.
2. Roger Shead – Carlby Bowls Club
Bowls are played all year round, in the winter on a Wednesday evening in the village hall and in the summer at the green. With the hard work of Dave Richards from Thurlby the green is in the best condition it has every been. The club has 40 members and 2 league teams of 9 people per team. Bowls is a good fun game and Roger urged more Carlby residents to join, at present they only have 3 villagers who play.
Funding is being source for roller for the indoor matting, as this is very heavy to manoeuvre. An recent open day was unsucessul, but it was on the same day as the coronation!! All members are looking forward to a new summer season.
Signage was discussed at the meeting and some thought that better signage would be an advantage and an advertisement.
3. Steve Pearson - Village Hall report
After a couple of difficult years, thanks to Covid, I’m pleased to report that since our last AGM in March 2022, the Village Hall is now back on track with regular group bookings and monthly pub quiz nights.
As part of the Carlby Platinum Jubilee celebrations, we held a special Royal pub quiz night on Friday 3rd June. We had a record attendance of 110 people and nearly ran out of tables and chairs! Our Treasurer, David Nelson, created a superb illuminated outdoor crown displayed in prime position on the flat roof above the hall entrance. This made another outing for the for the King’s Coronation last month, when we enjoyed a special quiz night on the Saturday night followed by picnics and fizz on the green on the Sunday.
In December we held our second Winter Fair, with more stalls than expected. Some hardy stallholders braved the weather in outdoor gazebos with the remaining stallholders in the hall. Given the unpredictable weather in December, it was suggested we keep it as an indoor event next time.
I’m pleased to report that the monthly themed pub quiz nights are proving popular. A lot of time and effort goes into putting these events together each month so it makes it all worthwhile when they are well attended and enjoyed.
As always, repairs and refurbishments of the hall are an ongoing responsibility of the committee and 2022 saw a number of projects being undertaken. The entrance hall was painted, 2 blown windows in the kitchen and hall were replaced, the extractor fans were repaired, faulty heaters were replaced and the wall lights in the hall replaced with LED lighting.
In addition, we purchased 50 new lightweight chairs as well as a retractable screen, sound bar and projector for use in the hall – just in time for the football World Cup screenings in November. Less exciting (but just as essential) a new PIR sensor flushing valve has been fitted in the gents toilets, which should help our water bills!
This year, we will be replacing the old round and square tables, replacing old electric heaters, insulating the loft and look into installing solar panels.
Finally, I would like to thank all committee members for their support and commitment, in giving up their time to help run the Village Hall for the benefit of the whole community. New members are always very welcome and this year - after nearly 12 years in the role - I have stepped down as Chairman. We have a vacancy!
The water leak is hoping to be fixed on 7 June.
4. Pauline Crampin - St. Stephen’s Church Report
1. Continuing regular services by visiting rectors even though Rev.Jo Saunders retired through I’ll health summer 2022.
2. Thanks to Parish Grant grass cutting is regularly done and gravel was laid to maintain the public thoroughfare, which is much used by the village.
3. Trees have been managed in the graveyard and numerous saplings have been plated around the village.
4. In June we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee by opening the church with a flower display and a historic exhibition. This was very well attended.
5. The Garden Party in the Old Rectory Gardens hosted Bourne Grammar School band, along with delicious teas , stalls and garden games. The event was free to all the village but over £1000 was raised for Ukraine and Stamford Food Bank.
6. The sad occasion of the Queens Funeral was live screened in the church and we sang the accompanying hymns, as we did at the Coronation.
7. The wider community have joined in special services for Christmas, Easter,Rogation, Harvest, remembrance and we will have our first PET service in June. All services are followed by free refreshments, and sometimes lunch.
8. We continue to work with Peterborough Cathedral to gain planning permission for water connection and a toilet (5years work so far).
9. We have hosted two talks by Fiona Ogg to raise money for the above project( Waterloo ).
We celebrated the magnificent ceremony of the Coronation by live streaming in the church, it was well attended and a good lunch was enjoyed afterwards.
10. Also a successful Safari Supper.
5. Sarah Cardew Carlby and District WI AGM
At our AGM on 11th April 2022 was well attended and WI advisor Jane Williams joined us for the meeting.
Rosie Nelson stepped down after three years as President and Margaret Hawkins accepted the role, one that she has held several times in the past. We presented her with a gift and card to thank her. Sarah Gresty also stepped down after several years as our Treasurer and from the WI due to her work commitments conflicting with meetings. We thanked her and Rosie was presented with a gift and card.
This year the committee has comprised Margaret Hawkins as President, Rosie Nelson as Treasurer, Sarah Cardew as Secretary, Sue Blessett as Programme Secretary, Yas Fairbairn helping with the programme and keeping a photographic record, and Janet Blacoe organising refreshments.
We had a marvellous talk with slides, after our AGM, given by Shelagh Coates. The subject was her uncle, John Henry Coates, a WW2 Spitfire pilot, lost in 1945 near Venice and the subsequent events leading to his interment at the War Cemetery in Padua.
May’s meeting kept with the WW2 theme with a long-delayed talk on Bletchley Park and the cracking of the Enigma Code. May also saw some of attend a Ladies’ Lunch at Belton House Golf Club, with Sarah Hogg speaking about her home, that had once belonged to Kathryn Swynford.
June’s meeting gave us an entertaining and informative talk with nerf-gun demonstration, on ‘Firearms Incidents’ by retired Police Inspector Steve Seabrook.
Also, in June we heard from Shelagh Coates on her trip to the National AGM in Liverpool.
Outside trips in May and June included a fun pétanque competition in Bourne, a trip to see Noel Coward’s ‘Hayfever’ at Tolethorpe and an outing to the lovely Heron’s Way Garden in Spalding.
Our joint meeting in July with Witham on the Hill was such an interesting talk on ‘The Transformation of St Pancras Station’ and the topic in August was ‘Magistrates in the Community’, rather a recruitment drive, but still interesting! A Sunday afternoon tea party in Carlby Village Hall in August raised £255 for funds.
In September we held a minute’s silence for Queen Elizabeth who had died on the 8 th September, and we sang ‘God Save the King’ for King Charles III. Margaret read us ‘Floral Tribute’ by Simon Armitage, the Poet Laureate. We then heard from Linda Ball on ‘Greyfriars or Whitefriars in Stamford’. Several of us went ‘Behind the Scenes at Tolethorpe’ on a gorgeous September day and a ‘French Evening’ at Langtoft WI, with cheese, wine and a wonderful talk on Edith Piaf entertained us.
We also collected up lots of your spare handbags and kindly donated items to go into them. A group of us met at Margaret’s house to pack them and send them off to be distributed to women in need of emergency support in response to the LoveGrace appeal.
Sophie Cawdron gave us an interesting talk on her life as a film extra in October.
Also in October, several of us enjoyed breakfast at Barnsdale Gardens followed by a tour of the gardens with Nick Hamilton and a group went to Greetham Golf Club for another very good Ladies Lunch, when the speaker was a Police Family Liaison Officer.
A successful ‘Members night’ in November was organised by ‘Tricia and Friends’. We made some rather intricate Christmas stars and enjoyed a chat while we worked. On the first of December Margaret and Sarah went to a follow-up resolution discussion day at Scredington. Our December meeting was the Christmas party. We enjoyed a Christmas buffet by ‘Beverley’s Afternoon Teas,’ followed by Christmas cake made by our President. We had entertainment from singer Jane Howells, who sang songs from the musicals and some seasonal numbers, with technical assistance from her husband.
No meeting in January, and February was an in-house practical science evening run by school science teachers, Sarah and Rosie.
March saw Gerald Blacoe giving us a talk on ‘Cactii and Succulents’, useful additions to our gardening with hotter drier summers being the trend.
We have welcomed new members Lesley Sweeting and Binnie Bermingham, and Di Kennington, who is re-joining.
6. Sue Holloway – Mallard Pass Action Group
Sue gave an update of the examination process and will be circulating more information for “interested parties” once she has processed the recently received Planning Inspector Rule 8 letter.
The deadline to register to speak at an open hearing is next Tuesday and written submissions need to be in by 15 June.
It is a very complex process with some acquisition rights over access, subsoil interests. There will be considerable impact for Carlby with landscape and 3 construction compounds, 1 on Barmbers Hill and 2 off the B1176.
Rutland County Council and SKDC have to submit their local impact reports by 15 June.
7. Playing Fields Committee. No one from the playing fields committee was present and at the time on the meeting no correspondence was received.
A conclusion to this meeting was that all groups and the Parish Council were all short of volunteers to join committees and it was thought that a joint leaflet might be produced and be made available at quiz nights in the village hall, for information and to spread the word to anyone interested.
The meeting closed at 20:25