Minutes of Cossington Parish Council held in the Jubilee Hall on Wednesday 17 th January at 7pm

							Minutes of Cossington Parish Council held in the Jubilee Hall
            on Wednesday 17th January at 7pm

Present. Mrs P Weston-Webb. Chairman.
          Mr A Shuttlewood.
          Dr M Crowe.
          Mr R Cowley.
          Cllr D Houseman.
          Mrs M Fear. Clerk.
Apologies Mrs J Kitching.
            Cllr J Bush.
Members of the Public. None.
Disclosure of Interest. None

Cllr D Houseman.
Mr Houseman wished everyone a Happy New Year.
At the County Council Meeting held on 6th December,2006 Cllr Houseman
moved a motion seconded by Mr E F White regarding the National Health
Service. The points that he put forward were:
(a)
    i. The Health Service in Leicestershire finished the 2005/2006 financial
         year with a collective deficit of £42m and that this year the NHS in
         England is forecasting a gross deficit of almost £900m and the
         problems of the NHS finance are having an adverse effect on the
         budget of local authorities.
    ii. Historically, health bodies in Leicestershire have not received the
         level of funding appropriate to the health needs of the community.
    iii. The Governments insistence that health bodies should achieve in-
         year financial balance means that health bodies are having to take
         drastic measures rather than being able to prepare realistic and
         deliverable financial plans.
    iv. As a result of the NHS financial crisis, vital services in the County
         have been closed or are under threat of closure involving amongst
         other things proposals being put forward to close a health home for
         people with learning disabilities, to carry out more ward closures and
         most recently asking the local hospital trust to delay operations.
    v.
(b) That this Council therefore resolves to write to the Secretary of State
for Health calling on her to:-
  i. end excessive interference in the NHS from Whitehall so that
       decisions can be taken at a local level which better reflect the need of
       the communities served.
  ii. Ensure that NHS funding is provided to areas in a way which
       accurately reflects not only the burden of disease but also recognises
       the additional costs of providing NHS services in rural counties.
  iii. End the requirement for achieving in-year financial balance which
       has led to drastic ill-thought through short term measures and risks
       cut-backs and closures of a number of programmes currently in place
       to address the rising epidemics of obesity, alcohol abuse and sexually
       transmitted diseases, each of which stand to make the provision of
       high quality health care more costly in the long term.

Gold Card
Cllr Houseman referred to the letter which had been sent out regarding the
fact that the Borough Council is not receiving any funding from the
County Council for the revised Concessionary Travel Scheme. Charnwood
had the opportunity but wrote to the County Council in September stating
'it could not commit to the revised scheme'

County Council Grant Settlement
The general government grant to the County Council for 2007/2008 will
only be increased by 0.8%, this is when RPI inflation stands at
4.4%,electricity has risen 15%and gas 90%
The Citizens Panel has been consulted, Leicestershire County Council gets
£28 per head grant less than the average County Council. Excluding
schools 72% of County Council grant funding comes from Council Tax.

Volunteer Speed Watch.
Cllr Houseman suggested that Cossington could join with another Parish
Councils. It would be an advantage to help in another village.

External Drains.
Cllr Houseman pointed out that Severn Trent are not responsible for
external drains until they connect to the larger sewer. It would be wise to
consider Household Insurance that covers external drains although this is a
very grey area.
Should the Parish Council agree to meet at the earlier time of 6.30pm Cllr
Houseman would agree with the arrangement.

Matters Arising
A reminder to be sent to C Douthwaite asking him to fill in the pot holes
on the approach to the new Car Park.
Agreed to order a Waste Bin at a cost of £190 to replace the one situated
outside of Derry's.

Planning
Planning for Church. Clerk to write again and say that someone would like
to be present if it is decided by the Plans Committee.
Chestnut Farm. An application has been received for the retention of the
Bunds. This is a very sensitive issue so Parish Council would like an on-
site meeting.
Tree has been felled at the entrance to the new site for a house alongside
Old Manor House. With a majority vote in favour it was agreed not to
complain.

Blue Box
Dr M Crowe asked if this could be circulated more quickly and if
Councillors would tick when they had seen it.

Correspondence
Letter received from Richard Knight regarding The Old Rectory. Mr R
Cowley asked for the clerk to write and say that he would like the matter
put on hold until he has more time.
All were in agreement with the plans for the situation of the new flood
signs.
No one had any comments to make or any information that they would like
to be put on the Parish Council Web Site.
Joan Gregory had sent a copy of a letter that she had sent to the Electricity
Board regarding the frequent power cuts. Clerk to acknowledge and say
that we would be interested to hear of the explanations when she receives a
reply.

Accounts
Dr M Crowe. Flood Light for War Memorial. £5.48
Receipt received from Hacker Young.
Dr M Crowe asked for the monthly payment to be sent to Mr A Chambers
for the Neighbourhood Watch Tel A/c

Current A/c £1486.06         Reserve A/c £13,385.50
Proposed by Mr R Cowley       Seconded by Mr A Shuttlewood.

AOB
Letter to be sent to Ecclesiastical Commisioners regarding the state of the
Rectory adjacent to All Saints' Church.
Kissing Gates on the Seagrave-Sileby Road have been replaced. The one
by the Church Car Park will be replaced.
Clerk to send a letter to Mr D Hargreaves asking him to remove his Horse
Box from the Parish Council Car Park.
It was agreed that meetings should start at 6.30pm in the future.

The Meeting closed at 8.10pm