April 2023 Minutes EGM
Harlaxton Parish Council
3 Church St, Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, NG32 1HB
Email: harlaxtonpc@gmail.com
Parish Council Meeting 29 March 2023
19.30hrs Harlaxton Village Hall
EGM
6pm on Wednesday 12 April 2023
Harlaxton Sports & Social Club
Minutes
1) Meeting Open – Chair opened meeting giving thanks for those who were able to attend.
2) Present: Cllrs Cartlidge, Wicks, Whitworth, Darcy & Gabriel
3) Apologies: Received and accepted from Cllr Smith & Brown
4) Presentation by Carlos Marina from the Portuguese Football Academy [PFA]
i) Carlos advised that the Football training was going well, with approximately 60 children under 12, of which around 18 are from the village. Expressed thanks that the changing rooms are being made available and is kept so clean.
ii) Carlos would like to increase the training to under 13’s and to include 11-a-side matches on the full-size pitch with the existing metal goal posts both ends. This would be from August 2023 to May 2024. The Council remarked that the use of the large pitch, which overlaps significantly with the Cricket outfield, leading up to and during the cricket season would need to be agreed and worked through with the Harlaxton Cricket Club. Carlos will discuss at the following HSSC committee meeting.
iii) The Football Academy intend to start recording their sessions for training to play back during training sessions. The PFA will provide a television but will require a socket in the changing rooms. The intent is to use the away changing room, rather than the home changing room nearest the Umpires changing room. The Council commented that they would need to seek permission from the respective parents to record their children and advised that the socket would need to be sufficiently out of reach and suitably rated for the changing rooms. The PFA will need to arrange this and any electricity costs with the HSSC committee, who look after the building.
iv) Carlos would like to store other equipment between the container and the Bowls Club fence, e.g., the white lining machine. The Council advised that, so long as the items are stored safely and tidily, it would have no objections to this, but reminded Carlos that storage of any items on-site are at their own risk.
v) From August 2023, the PFA would like a longer term contract with the PC for 5 or 10 years, and would like an option to use the field 7 days a week. Currently, they use the field as follows:
Tuesday and Friday 6-7pm
Saturday 10-11am
Sunday 10-12am
And would wish to continue using the field at the same times on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The Council advised that it would have no objection to this, so long as a suitable contract can be drawn up. However, the Car Club have the option to use the field on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month.
vi) For this extended use, the PFA would like to pay £340 per month.
It was noted that the current contract rate is £300 for up to 18 uses per month [averages at approx. £17/use], but some winter months are as low as £150. The Council advised that it would need to consider the impact on the use of the field and other hirers and review costs and contract. Post meeting notes: The additional use of Mondays, alternate Wednesdays and Thursdays would increase the peak use by approx. 10 sessions, to up to circa 28 uses per month.
vii) The PFA would like a flag pole to be installed [to the left of the field gate] which would be for the PFA, FA and Union Flags, together with the Cricket club or other flags as relevant. The Council advised that it would need to review costs and consider this.
viii) Carlos would like lighting installed along the footway to, and within, the children’s play area. The Council advised that play areas should not be used at night and by all accounts should be locked up at night. The lighting of the footway for the PFA’s use of the playing field is their responsibility, and no lighting will be provided for the play area.
ix) Carlos advised that he was delighted to be asked to run a penalty shoot-out on Sunday 7 May. The Council advised that they may additionally dress their goal entry for entry into the Best Dressed Stand/Display category, and they have an option to charge for entry and donate monies raised to a charity/cause of the PFA’s choosing.
5) The Parish Council thanked Carlos for his hard work in developing the football training in Harlaxton. The Council asked for his participants to be reminded that No Dogs are allowed on the field, as designed by all the signage around the site, and that owners should be encouraged to pick up after their dogs on Harlaxton Manor’s Drive, which is a permitted walking route kindly provided by the Manor. Carlos was also asked to remind parents not to park in front of the Field Gate at any times. Councillors suggested that such reminders should be in the sign-up agreement with the parents, and on the PFA’s regular newsletters and postings.
6) Meeting Close