Mr P Bird (chair), Mr S Clifton, Mr P Colson, Mrs I Godden, Mrs S Hayman, Mrs E Reid, Mr D Sharples, Mr I Vaughan, Mr M Vaughan, Mr B Whalley, Mrs M Whalley and Mr D Woods

The minutes of the last meeting having been circulated, were proposed by Mrs Godden and seconded by Mr M Vaughan as a true record of the meeting, subject to the addition of the following paragraph. The chairman signed them as such.

New Correspondence

A letter from WS Atkins informed that the NCC Environment Team would cut back the overgrown verges in Thrapston Road.

2:      East Northants Housing. The Clerk’s letter inviting Sam Horner of East Northants Housing to the Parish Council Meeting was read out.

3:      Litter Picker. The Clerk’s letter appointing Mrs D Bosworth as the village litter picker was read out (initially for three months)

4:      Verge 4 High Street. The Clerks letter to Mr and Mrs Simmonds of the High Street was read out concerning the verge outside their property.

5:      Development – Mill Road. A letter was to hand from James Croucher, East Northants Council regarding the Mill Road development, was read out. Whilst the letter addressed some issues of the Parish Council’s enquiries the key issue of the Section 106 for recreation provision was not. The Clerk was asked to respond accordingly.

6:      Remembrance Service. The Chairman reported he had obtained a Poppy Wreath for the forthcoming Remembrance Service, although at the time of the Parish Council Meeting details had not been finalised for the Remembrance Service.

7:      Bollard Village Green. The Chairman thanked Mr Woods, Mr Sharples and the Clerk for installing the new bollard on the village green.

9:      Planning Committee Comments

a)           The Planning Committee had not considered any plans in the intervening month since the last Parish Council Meeting.

10:  East Northamptonshire Council Decisions

a)            No new Planning Decision Notices had been received

11:  New Planning Applications

a)            Conversion and extension of Barns opposite Ringstead Mill. No objections

b)           Removal of Tree covered by TPO 16 Church Street. No objections so long as suitable replacement planted.

12:  A14 Resurfacing. Carrillon UPS had written informing that the six weeks work commencing on 25 October would be carried out resurfacing the A14 between the A6 junction at Barton Seagrave and the A45 junction at Thrapston. Work would take place overnight. The resulting new road surface should reduce the amount of road noise.

13:  Audit Report. The External Auditors had completed their audit of the Parish Council accounts for year ending March 2004 and had found no issues to report

14:  Local Development Framework. ENC reported on the timetable for the new development plan. It was anticipated that the next consultation document will be published in May 2005 with the document being adopted in December 2006.

15:  Declaration of Interest. Revised guidelines were to hand regarding the declaration of interest for Freemasons.

16:  Peterborough Bus Service. NCC asked for the Council’s Comments regarding the weekly bus service to Peterborough. The Council agreed it was a well used service and should be retained. Clerk to respond to the County Council

17:  The Chairman asked that the following items of correspondence be circulated:

a)         ENC Councillors Circular

b)        NCC Transport Plan

c)         ENC Standards Board Reports

21:  Motorcross. Mr Colson reported that on the 17 October 2004 a further Motocross event had taken place. (Practise day before)

22:  Ford. Mention was made of the decaying bridge at the ford, the loose granite sets in the ford and the way that the verges were being undercut in Thrapston Road by heavy goods vehicles. It was agreed to refer the matter to W S Atkins (Highways).

23:  Stile Church Street near Woodford Rise. The Clerk confirmed that the stile, now replaced by a locked kissing gate, was not part of a designated footpath.