2025 Minutes

Date/ Time: Tuesday 1st April 2025 at 7.00 pm. 

 

Location:  The Parish Office @ The Venue, Navenby.

 

Present (Cllrs): Mr M J Burt (Chairman); Mr K Gunning (Vice Chairman); Mr R Baker; Mrs L Rooney; Mrs J Thompson-Burt; Mr C Mills & Mrs E Carless.

 

In Attendance: Ms S Letham (Parish Clerk)

 

Absent/Apologies: Mr K Lamyman, Mr T Watts, Mr C East & Mrs H McFaul.

 

1. Chairman’s - Welcoming Remarks

 

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

 

2. Public Session.  There was one resident present who expressed concern that the new trees and shrubs planted at Eleanor Gardens were unlikely to survive without routine watering.  It was agreed that the Clerk would write to the NKDC Planning Enforcement Officer and request information regarding the future care of the plants by the Contractor.

 

Action:  The Clerk to write to NKDC Planning Enforcement Officer and ascertain how the new trees & shrubs were going to be maintained in the future.

 

3. Apologies for absence and declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011. Consider any applications for dispensations in relation to disclosable pecuniary and/or prejudicial beneficial interests.

 

Absences – Mr K Lamyman, Mr T Watts, Mrs H McFaul & Mr C East.

Declaration of Interests – None.

 

4. To consider and sign the minutes from the previous Parish Council Meeting, held on Tuesday 4th March 2025.

 

It was proposed by Cllr Gunning and seconded by Cllr Carless and therefore RESOLVED that the minutes from the previous Parish Council meetings held on 4th March 2025, should be accepted as a true record of the meeting.  NB All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion.  

 

 5. To consider the financial report and authorise payments (Appendix A).

 

After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Gunning and seconded by Cllr Carless and therefore RESOLVED that all expenses listed in Appendix A were authorised.   NB All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion.   Cllr Gunning advised that he’d authorise the on-line payments.

 

6. To consider updates from District/County Councillors.

 

Cllr Hagues – not present.  Newsletter supplied.  

 

Cllr Overton – in attendance.  Newsletter supplied.  Cllr Overton briefed on the following subjects:

 

Springwell Solar Farms – planning applications.

New Mayor Elections – 1 May 2025

NKDC Grants available to Community Groups for VE & VJ Day celebrations

Traffic Regulation Orders – confirmed that a TRO had been submitted to LCC for Winton Road junction with the A607.

 

7. To consider updates from local police.

 

No updates received.

 

8. To consider Planning Matters

 

a. Planning Applications – no comments.

 

b. Correspondence – in respect of a recent application for a parcel locker at the CO-OP, the Chairman advised that a similar arrangement at The Venue might be worth exploring as a source of income.

 

c. Tree Conservation – no comments.

 

9. To consider correspondence.

 

a. 11 MAR 25 Resident request for marked parking bays on the High Street.

 

After discussion, it was agreed that marked parking bays would not add value, and people would continue to park as they wished.  The latter was evident at the various junctions off the High Street and at the back of the CO-OP.  The Chairman asked that the Clerk write to the resident and advise that the request would have to be declined.  

 

Actions:  The Clerk to write to the resident and advise that the request for marked parking bays could not be approved.

 

10. Navenby Christmas Lights Switch On 2025 – to consider what PC support will be given to the event.

 

After discussion, it was agreed that this item would be deferred until next month, allowing Cllr McFaul to contribute to the discussion as she has been involved in the planning for this event for each of the last two years.

 

11.  Updates from Portfolios Holders:

 

a. Cemetery.  Nothing to report.

 

b. Highways.

 

Community Speed Watch (CSW) – the Chairman advised that the CSW had conducted a check during March 2025.  

 

Parking outside Navenby Primary School -   Cllr Carless raised the issue of inconsiderate parking by parents on East Road & Chapel Lane.  After discussion it was agreed that the Clerk would write to the headmaster and ask that he include a notice in the next newsletter advising parents to be careful where they parked.

 

Bus Shelter outside the CO-OP – the Clerk advised that Cllr Lamyman had arranged for a temporary repair to the roof of the shelter.  However, the Contractor had advised that the roof needs replacing.  

 

c.  Play Areas.

 

Twenty Row Play Area – Cllr Mills advised that the play area was looking tired and would benefit from being redesigned and some additional equipment.  The Chairman commented that this should be a project for the portfolio Cllrs and could be discussed at the next meeting.

 

Action:  Play Area Portfolio Holders to discuss redesigning Twenty Row play area and bring proposals to the next meeting.

 

d.  Schools House Trust (SHT).  Nothing to report.

 

e.  Library

 

Friends of Navenby School – Grant to purchase books for new Library.  The Clerk advised that the Grant (£500) had been paid.

 

CO-OP Community Fund.  The Clerk advised that the sum of £665 had been received from the CO-OP in respect of the Community Library.  

 

f. WEBSITE/IT

 

Cllr Mills advised that he was still to arrange a meeting with the Clerk to discuss improvements to the PC website.  

 

g. VENUE Trustee Chairman

 

Events @ The Venue - the recent Afternoon Tea/Violin event had been very successful.

  

NJFC Progress on revised SLA/rent increase – the Chairman advised that an initial meeting with NJFC had taken place and a letter on the proposed way ahead had been handed to their chairman.  The NPC Chairman, Cllrs Gunning & Mills would be meeting with members of the NJFC Committee to discuss the finer detail of the Venues income & expenditure and why an increase in rent was necessary.

 

Venue Finances – Cllr Baker advised that the profit recorded at the end of FY 24/25 was £4,714. 

 

VE Day Celebrations – the Chairman advised that he had contacted AFCA regarding a joint event for either VE or VJ day and was waiting to hear back.  He would also be applying for a Community GRANT on behalf of the Venue to help fund the event.    

 

h. Community Wellbeing including Youth Club & Youth Café.  Cllr Rooney advised that all was going well with the Youth Club & Café, and that a neurodivergent children’s support group was going to meet in Rosies Bakes & Books.

 

i. Speed Indicator Device (SID).  The Chairman advised that the Clerk had recently requested a quote from Elan City for the supply of 3 new Solar SIDs and the upgrade of the current battery SID to solar.

 

j. Defibrillators.  Cllr Gunning advised that the defibrillator at the Venue had been checked, and some new pads were on order.

 

k. Street Lamps. No comments.

 

12.   Meeting Closure.  The Chairman thanked all present for their participation and declared the meeting closed at 20.30 hrs. However, in preparation for the AGM, the Chairman then raised the following:

 

a. He asked all those present if anyone would be interested in being Chairman for FY 25/26, but no one expressed an interest.  The Chairman then suggested that members should seriously consider how much commitment they are prepared to make to the PC, and by extension the Navenby Playing Field Association (NPFA), going forward.  If there is no Chairman, then the Parish Council cannot legally conduct business (and ultimately would be disbanded), and without the Parish Council there would be no Committee of Management to run the NPFA.  While many Navenby residents routinely show little interest in either organisation, they would certainly notice the impact if they disappeared, particularly if the Pavilion and The Venue were boarded up and allowed to fall into disrepair because nobody was responsible for their upkeep.  The Chairman also suggested that if nobody was prepared to assume the role of Chairman, perhaps some Councillors might wish to resign in order to make way for new blood.  It must be made clear to any new applicants to the Parish Council that if they join, there is an expectation that they will fill the roles of Vice-Chairman and Chairman in due course, and that there is far more to being a Councillor than just attending the monthly meetings. The Chairman took an action to write an article for the Graffoe Link detailing the roles and responsibilities of a Parish Councillor.

 

b. The current portfolio list needs to be updated to make portfolios more relevant to the current issues that the PC is dealing with.  A revised list will be circulated prior to the AGM for consideration and subsequent approval at the meeting.  

 

13. Date & Time of next meetings are the 6th May 2025 (AGM) at 7.00pm & the monthly meeting @ 7.30pm.

 

 

Minutes Accepted   (Chairman)  M J Burt     M J Burt                                Date: 6 MAY 2025