RIBCHESTER PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Council Meeting held at 7.30 pm on Monday 20 February 2006 at SS Peter & Paul’s Parish Centre, Ribchester, Lancashire.

PRESENT Cllrs. J D Jardine (in the chair)

Mrs J M Berry

Dr A M Brown

E Law - Riding

G W Rollinson

D Royle

102. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Were received from Councillor B M Collis.

103. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

104. MINUTES

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on the 16 January 2006 be confirmed as a true record.

105. MATTERS ARISING

(a) PARISH COUNCILLOR’S GUIDE: Copy of the guide now available to Councillors for loan (Min 95b).

(b) QUALITY PARISH SCHEME WORKSHOP: The application for Cllr. Law-Riding to attend the workshop was unsuccessful (100).

106. PLANNING

107. ACCOUNTS

(a) Clerk reported receipt of:

Allotment rents for year 2005/2006 £65.04

(b) RESOLVED: That the following payments be made: -

Clerk: clerical duties £256.35

Reimbursement of imprest £3.49 £259.84

Clerk: re C Holden £19.00

J F Slater: Lengthsman duties December £133.56

SS Peter & Paul’s Parish Centre: Meeting Fee £15.00

Shaw & Sons Ltd: Purchase of Councillor’s guide £13.50

J D Jardine: reimbursement of allotment rental on termination of lease £31.87

(c) PURCHASE OF GOODS VIA THE INTERNET: Purchase of certain goods, such as computer inks and other consumables may only be purchased from the internet and then by credit card. To overcome any doubt about the statutory requirements relating to the payment of accounts and the reclaiming of VAT the National Association has advised, in a policy and political briefing paper that Councils authorise such transactions by Resolution. After consideration of the issues involved Council:-

RESOLVED: That for the purpose of purchasing computer inks and other computer consumables, only available via the internet, the Clerk is authorised to use his credit card for each transaction. On each occasion, a single specific cheque on the Council’s account would be drawn in recompense.

108. MATTERS RELATING TO PRINCIPAL COUNCILS

(a) OUTSTANDING ISSUES: The Clerk gave an update of current issues within the parish boundary. Councillors agreed that the Borough Council should be asked to expedite the work promised for the Pope Croft car park. Issues relating to the increasing number of potholes in the village were raised although it was understood that the County Council intended to carry out repairs in the next few days

(b) CONSULTATIONS: Council considered a report, prepared by the Clerk, in relation to three consultation documents

The Configuration of NHS Ambulance Trusts in England: The key proposal here was the provision of 11 large, integrated ambulance trusts in England. For the North West region, it was proposed that the existing four Ambulance Service Trusts of Mersey, Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Lancashire should be dissolved and replaced by a single Ambulance Service Trust for the North West. Council believed the proposal to be a retrograde step. They were yet to be persuaded that ‘bigger and better’ would improve the local arrangements for the ambulance service and considered the new area with a population of 7 million and covering an area of 5400 square miles to be too large for it to be managed successfully.

Standards of Conduct in English Local Government of the Future: This consultation document sets out the Government’s thinking on the development of the conduct regime for local government. While much of the document’s content could be said to be common sense it was, nevertheless a weighty volume. Council feared that some of the proposals would get in the way of worthy individuals who wished to give their time for the benefit of the community.

Parish and Town Council Charter: Council reserved judgement on the draft model for the working relationship between the County Council and Parish & Town Councils. There is a worry that this current initiative will merely go the way of other similar initiatives, such as the Parish Partnership on Highway Issues were the Council’s experience has not been positive.

RESOLVED: That the three reports be noted. The Department of Health to be informed that the Parish Council opposed the proposed merger of Ambulance Trusts.

(c) LCC: PARISH PARTNERSHIP: The County Council has adopted a structured approach to local highway issues since 2004. This approach provides for an annual business plan to be agreed between the County and Parish Councils to provide an opportunity for a constructive approach to

highway issues. For the first eighteen months or so the system worked reasonably well, with a number of items on the Council’s wish list being implemented. However, during 2005/2006 no progress whatsoever has been made on the four items put forward for consideration. To make matters worse the County Council’s record on responding to correspondence is extremely poor.

Council agreed that, before considering a business plan for 2006/2007, the Director of Traffic & Safety should be asked for his views on the viability of the initiative and to explain the lack of courtesy in not responding to correspondence.

109. VILLAGE POLICING

Councillors agreed to invite Inspector Jenny Coulson to the next meeting of the Council.

RESOL:VED: That

- Both settlements be entered for the 2006 competition and that the entry fee of £20 be approved.

- SS Peter & Paul’s RC Church, Ribchester Playing Field and Millennium Garden, Stydd Almshouses, Knowle Green Village Hall, and (subject to agreement) Talbot’s guest house and the Ribchester Arms to be put forward as Certificate of Merit entries

113. OTHER CORRESPONDENCE

Home Start Ribble Valley: Request for a donation to be considered at the may meeting.

Ribble Valley Homecare & Repair: To be invited to address the annual parish meeting in May.

114. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Agreed that this would be held at SS Peter & Paul’s Parish Centre on Monday 20 March 2006.

There being mo further business the Chairman closed the Meeting at 09.40 pm