Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council – April, May & June

18th June 2020 | Councils

The parish council has held virtual Zoom meetings at 7pm on the first Thursdays in April, May and June. All were quorate despite members having to use the new technology. The agendas were published online and in the parish notice boards, together with details of how the public could participate.

The Council agreed in April to delegate Power to the Clerk until the next physical Parish Council could take place.The Council also approved signing, along with Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council, another legally drawn up Memorandum of Understanding to confirm arrangements for the line management of the two new joint staff – Helen Cleary, deputy clerk, and Richard Smith, groundsman.

The Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council website www.khpc.org.uk has had a new section added, on behalf of both parishes, to provide a coronavirus portal giving specific local information and guidance.

Planning –20/00509/PCD  – Miller Homes have applied to reduce the specification for the play area on their site.The parish council objected very strongly to the secure boundary fencing and gates being removed, and felt the original play equipment should be retained.The decision is still pending.

Joint Recreation The replacement railings and gates, funded by s106 community funds, are due to be fitted to the Warwick Park play area in late June. The Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), on the site of the old skate park, has been given planning permission and s106 funding so it can be installed during June. Jubilee Green, like the other play areas, has been closed until the current regulations are changed.

     Although the Joint Burial Board has not met since March, there have been a number of interments and the clerk had to pass on complaints to the contractors from some families about the disrespectful way the grass and artificial flowers had been treated.

     Although the Council had agreed to put their VE Day grant from HDC towards the cost of an afternoon cream tea for the elderly in the village hall on 8 May, this had to be cancelled. The money is being put towards a joint, commemorative bench with Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council.

     The county and district councillors’ reports were appended to the minutes and gave details of the work both tiers of local government are doing to support the community.  Although the Kibworth tip wasn’t being re-opened yet, appointment slots can be booked for either the Market Harborough or Oadby tips. DCllr King confirmed that the public open spaces on the Kibworth Meadows estate were in the process of being handed over to HDC for ongoing maintenance. The Polwell Road play area is awaiting a satisfactory RosPA report before the parish council take responsibility.

     It is hoped that a revised Neighbourhood Plan should be available in July with a new referendum likely to be in May 2021.

     HDC installed an additional, temporary new Zephyr air quality monitor along the A6 in late May. In addition to nitrogen dioxide, this can also detect other pollutants such as ozone and fine Particulate Matter – PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. These can all adversely affect human health. Particulates are the most harmful form of air pollutiondue to their ability to penetrate deep into the lungs and blood stream.

     The Society the Preservation of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), who own the iconic Kibworth Harcourt windmill on Langton Road, have announced that they are going to renovate the sails and restore the mill to demonstration working order again in 2021.

     The Annual Parish meeting was on 7 May, and Cllr Kevin Feltham was re-elected chairman, with Cllr Vijay Chavda as vice-chairman.  Existing representatives on the Joint Recreation and Joint Burial Boards were confirmed.

     Please visit our website for more information about us  www.khpc.org.uk

     If you would like to get involved and let us know of any community news, or up and coming events, then please contact the Clerk – clerk@khpc.org.uk

Sara Barrett, Clerk