30th May 2024 Meeting Minutes

Letwell Parish Meeting 2024

Minutes – Parish Meeting 30th May 2024

This meeting was held at Letwell Village Hall at 7:00pm.

Chairperson Amanda Wood

Present: Councillors: Louise Addy, Christina Warr, Martin Horn.

Apologies received from Liz Ladbrook.

The Acting Clerk: Martin Horn

14 parishioners were in attendance.

The Chairperson opened the meeting and asked for a quick overview of the difference between a Parish Council Meeting and a Parish Meeting.

A Council Meeting takes place with elected persons who have powers to make decisions.

A Parish Meeting has no powers to make decisions, it is for the public to highlight and discuss issues within the Parish.

  1. Presentation by organisation and groups

    Letwell Community Group

    The Letwell Community Group was set up when the management of the village hall transferred to the Parish council in 2021. The aim was to encourage a connected community within the village by holding events to generate funds that contribute to the upkeep of the village hall. Following feedback from several residents the group organised and paid for a deep cleaning of the hall. Music with a supper have been popular events that have taken place, recently a singer in February and the Lahdidahs in June. The group needs the support to ensure that it covers its cost and makes some profit for the village hall, something everyone will agree is a vital hub for the village. At present there are 4 members who meet bi-monthly and are always looking for new people to join in with ideas and help.

    The LCG only wants to provide what villagers want so would be grateful for feedback when they distribute a survey in the near future.
     

    Letwell Street Fayre

    An update was provided on this years fayre stating that everything is booked and in place. If anyone is able to assist on the day can they let someone on the committee know.

     

    Letwell Music

    Letwell has a proud and successful history of hosting high quality music in the intimate atmosphere of our historic village hall. The space may be small - we can only accommodate 70 or so at the most - but our reputation has grown and grown with visitors often travelling long distances to catch a show.

    Last year we had a couple travel all the way from Cornwall to watch their favourite band. Naturally they made a weekend of the 800 mile round trip. Other people have travelled from London and Newcastle. Letwell has worked its musical magic endless times over the years.

    Why, you might ask, are the ingredients so special?? Why does this small space in the middle of a small rural village cast such a spell on its visitors??

    Come to a gig and you'll find out. Principally, it's the atmosphere. The audience at Letwell listen rather than talk over the music. Of course, they sing along at times, but they listen to the music first and foremost, and the bands who come love it.

    We've had some big names over the years. Regulars still talk fondly of the night Kiki Dee played Letwell. The girl who duetted with Elton John on Don't Go Breaking My Heart went down a storm. John Parr, the rocker from Worksop seller of 10 million albums and famous for the the US no 1 film anthem St Elmo's Fire, has appeared twice, and there have been numerous visits from Billy Mitchell and Marty Craggs, both legendary names with Geordie band Lindisfarne.

    Famed Sheffield band Boy On A Dolphin - who have filled the City Hall countless times over the years - are regular visitors traditionally playing two consecutive gigs the week before Letwell street fayre each July. Lead singer John Reilly and song writing partner Lewis Nitikman are two of Letwell's biggest fans appearing twice a year at the hall usually in spring and winter time.

    Folk-rock has always been popular, and Letwell has hosted Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman - winners of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards at the Royal Albert Hall - three times.

    Hope this has given you an appetite to venture to a show. Keep an eye out for gig details on our website and in the pages of FLAG.

    Let me say finally that all this is only possible thanks to the hard-working, music loving volunteers in our village. Without that support none of this would happen!
     
  2.  Questions raised for discussion
    1. Does the village have too many groups? Parish Council, Street Fayre Committee and Letwell Community Group.
      It was felt that the groups all do something slightly different and this allowed them to focus on their specific area without having to consider other things. It was suggested that this question may have arisen because there had been the possibility of creating a new group to manage the village hall. The general view was there was nothing to gain by merging existing groups.
    2. Does the village need CCTV installing?
      Firbeck is paying £7500 for 3 cameras with a contribution from a RMBC councillor of £2000.
      Discussion took place on the benefits of CCTV cameras as a deterrent, and although they might not stop all crime they may prevent some from taking place. No one was opposed to cameras but it would come down to the cost to the village for installing them and the ongoing annual fees.
    3. Could there be a village Whatsapp group?
      Discussion took place about the benefits of using Whatsapp and the ability to communicate quickly across the village. Some people did not know about the break-ins for several days because it was sent by email. If there had been a Whatsapp group people would have known within minutes.It was generally felt it would be a benefit and that a group would be setup and people invited to join if they wanted to.
    4. ld Letwell have a neighbourhood watch?
      In the past there used to be a neighbourhood watch in Letwell. People agreed there could be some benefit in having one now but it would mean another group being setup with meetings held and people agreeing to being members, etc. Does Letwell need to do this or could we just put up signs for cameras and neighbourhood watch?
    5. Do residents want a Parish Council?
      The question came from the fact that there were only 3 persons who stood for the elections but the vacancies have now been filled.
      The benefits of a Parish Council were raised:
      • Having elected person that can talk to RMBC about issues.
      • The ability to raise funds locally to be spent locally.
      • If there was no Parish Council there is no one to speak on behalf of the community.
      • It was generally agreed Letwell benefited from having a Parish Council.
    6. What do residents expect the Parish Council to do?
      • Protect the parish from bad developments and maintain the look of the village.
      • Oversee the committees within the village and ensure they are being managed correctly. It was suggested they should provide a regular financial report to the Parish Council.
      • Maintain the village hall in a good state.
      • Get RMBC to do the work that they should be doing. An example was grass cutting, as no one knows what they should be cutting or how often they should be doing it.
      • Discuss the managing of the areas outside the village with landowners.
    7. What should happen to the trees on Ramper Road?

      Professional advice has been sought about the state of the trees on Ramper Road. This stated that the trees are the wrong variety for the location and are planted in the wrong place to thrive. The run-off from the road contaminates the soil making it difficult for the shallow rooted trees to grow.

      After some discussion residents comments included the following:

      • The trees have not been planted correctly with regard to planting distances from each other and the distance from the road.
      • If a tree is planted where a tree has already died it is highly unlikely to survive.
      • With all these factors in mind the general view was that most of the trees will die within 5 to 10 years.
      • Some trees are surviving and growing ok.
      • A lot of the trees have been replaced in the 16 years since they were originally planted.
      • Some people have attachments to the trees.
      • Some have been cutting the hedge and grass around their tree.
      • Some are indifferent to what happens to the trees.
      • Some have trees but have no attachment to them.
      • The issue of cutting the hedges and grass was raised with some wanting it to look more cared for by being simpler to manage and maintain, whilst others like the wild look.
        The follwing suggestions were made:
      • The Parish Council purchase a mower to maintain the grass. This raised questions of storage and who would do the work.
      • Removing dead trees, leaving the rest, and  then removing trees as they die.
      • Trees not to be replaced as they die.
      • Find other places on private land to replant trees to positions where they would thrive and take professional advice on how to do this.
    8. Should Letwell be a dark skies village?
      The idea is to reduce the number of lights on properties that are on overnight or are directed up to the sky.
      • This would not mean turning off street lights because it was generally felt that they are directing most light downwards.
      • One person said they had never thought about it and they would look at redirecting their lights so that they only light their property.
      • It was also suggested that reducing the number of lights left on overnight, which are on for decorative purposes, would be of great benefit to wildlife.

Meeting closed at 20:48