Minutes 4th July 2013

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 4th July 2013 at 7.30pm

 

Present

Councillors S Bosley (Chairman), Mrs J Boyle (vice-chairman), G Blandford, J Hayes, J Joyce-Townsend, Mrs D Preece, B Taylor and P Whitehead 

 

In attendance

J Chester – Parish Clerk

 

Public: 3

                                                                                                                                                                                Action

 

97/13 Apologies Received –  Ward Cllr C Attwood

 

98/13 Declarations of Interest & Requests for Dispensation

Cllr G Blandford expressed a predjudicial interest in agenda item 15.1 131290/F & 121291/L Nashend House planning application

Cllr B Taylor expressed a personal interest in the same agenda item

 

99/13 To approve minutes of the annual meeting held on 6th June 

          2013 (previously circulated)

The minutes were approved as a true and accurate record and duly signed by the chairman.

 

100/13 To receive a report from Ward Councillors:

Both ward councillors were unable to attend and had not sent through a report

 

101/13 Open forum for Local Residents to raise matters relevant to the Parish Council

There is growing frustration that repairs to roads that have been reported to Amey and given a defect number are not being carried out. The clerk advised that when she chases them she gets a standard email stating that they are on the list to be done but Amey cannot give a timescale. It is thought that little will be done until the new contractor takes over in September. It was suggested that if residents complain direct rather than through the parish council quicker results may be obtained. The clerk is to ask for the ward councillors help with any road repairs that are well overdue.

 

102/13  Highways and Footpaths

a)    Traffic Speed Management / SID Data

Cllrs Joyce-Townsend and Whitehead had met with Andrew Lee-Jones from Amey the previous week to primarily discuss the Cradley end of the village because some houses remain unprotected by speed limits. The proposal is a new 40mph sign reducing to a relocated 30mph sign. Cllr Joyce-Townsend had circulated a map showing positions and Andrew Lee-Jones was applying for the Traffic Road Order.

The sites for the new systems must be kept tidy with verges and hedges cut and maintained or the systems will not work.

b)    Procurement of furniture for threshold gates

Cllr Joyce-Townsend had received a sketch and quotation for the road furniture required for the ledbury end of the village from JACS whose products Herefordshire Council endorse. The price was questioned and after discussion it was RESOLVED to obtain three quotes from compliant suppliers which would be viewed by a working party of Cllrs Joyce-Townsend, Hayes and Whitehead who would then proceed with the best value quote.  The insurance aspect of installing this new scheme was also to be checked by Cllr Joyce-Townsend. Cllrs Joyce-Townsend and Whitehead were thanked for all their hard work on this project so far and the cluster group and Ward Cllr Attwood were also thanked for support.

c)    Flooding / Road conditions

Cllrs had nothing to say or add.

d)    Pavement lighting through the village

Concerns were raised that the lighting in the village is currently an orange shade when it used to be daylight colour. The orange is thought to be a sodium light but is unsightly in an AONB area. In the Parish Plan concerns were raised over nighttime safety and light pollution. Lighting is also a problem at Coddington Court and Stanley House.RESOLVED that the clerk is to check with conservation officer the history of the lighting and councillors are to check and monitor the lighting for further discussion at the September meeting..

e)    P3 Contract

The clerk has received confirmation of £!000 grant for the forthcoming year. The P3 contract is to be signed and returned.

f)     Update from Footpath Warden – none

The current lengthsman was present at this meeting and advised that he needs to be informed of any footpath work required and then the full budget would be used each year. Cllrs were asked to advise any works required to the footpath warden or clerk who would forward them onto the lengthsman.

g)    Lengthsman Contract

The clerk is to investigate of we can use one contractor for the lengthsman and another for the P3 work.  Some larger jobs such as ditching require bigger machinery and Herefordshire Council are not doing them. The clerk has sent off for references from other parishes but still awaits some replies. She will chase again, by phone if necessary. The current lengthsman reminded the council that one months notice to terminate his contract is required.

h)    Works for the Lengthsman / AmeyRESOLVED

i)      Traffic calming areas, verges to be cleared and mown regularly to obtain the required “garden like” finish.

ii)   Verges at the Coddington road junction towards Cradley need strimming as visibility is poor.

iii)  Cottons Corner railings need spraying, cutting and clearing.

iv)  The “hump” at Cottons Corner needs mowing / cutting. It needs checking whether this is highway or the landowners responsibility. It is believed that the road surface around this corner is to be replaced. Cllr Whitehead is to contact Simon Hobbs to ascertain details.

 

103/13 Finance

a)    Finance Report RESOLVED

b)    Payments RESOLVED

575: Clerk salary & expenses – as agreed

576: HALC CiLCA training course fee – £60.00

577: Seabright Solutions mowing – £120.00

578: S Maund Lengthsman – £607.50

 

104/13 Correspondence

a)     Malvern Hills AONB Management Plan (2014-19) – available for viewing if anyone interested

 

105/13 Consultation/Discussion

a)     Documents held at Masefields Solicitors – Cllr Whitehead had taken these away for checking and had compiled a list of what was held. He had also checked that Orme Dykes Solicitors hold no documents for Bosbury and Coddington Parish Council. The documents confirm that the parish council cannot sell the land at Forge Bank for development. RESOLVED The clerk is to confirm this to Festival Housing and also register it with the Land Registry. Cllr Whitehead was thanked for his time.

b)     Parish Plan – the seven area leads are to be pulled together to make a report to give to the general public through Network 5 and Coddington Clock parish magazines. Due to Cllr Watsons absence, Cllrs were asked to resend their annual reports to the clerk to compile the report.

c)     Items for the Website – The clerk has updated the website with the monthly minutes. Councillors were reminded to ensure that they feed information to be put onto the website. RESOLVED Councillor vacancies are to be advertised and the news of Foxhill footpath to be published. Also once the traffic calming scheme is finalized details to be put onto website.

d)      

106/13 Training / Meetings –

a)    To note dates of forthcoming meetings:-

      HALC Eastern Area meeting Tuesday 16th July – Roger Phillips,

      Herefordshire Council Cabinet member for Culture and Arts is

      speaking about the libraries and museums service.

      HALC HINTS Course Saturday 27th July – the clerk is attending this

      course which covered two modules. Further dates had been set for

      the other modules required to complete the course.

b)    Reports from meetings attended:-

i)      Cluster group AGM – The current chairman Patrick Whitehead, vice-chairman Martin Field and Secretary Janet Chester were all re-elected to serve for the next 12 months. The Cluster group will continue to meet on a quarterly basis rotating around the 13 member parishes. The cluster is an enthusiastic group now with issues being resolved and things are being achieved.

j)      Buchanan Trust – Cllrs Preece and Whitehead were thanked for attending this meeting. The report in the Hereford Times contradicts what was heard by our cllrs present at the meeting. Members of the Buchanan family attended and the meeting was much more productive. There is now a much better level of communication. The intention is to hold open meetings on a more regular basis. There is a move to appoint a project manager rather than Herefordshire Council running the trust.

 

107/13 To note Information Sheet and Outstanding Actions  

            (circulated) – RESOLVED

            Members were advised that Ledbury OX Roast raised £8000

      

.

 

 

108/13 To note Planning Record (circulated) – RESOLVED

         The record is to ideally read for the financial year rather than

         calender year, but because some decisions are outstanding older

         applications are left on the report.

 

109/13 Items for next meeting

  • ·         Lengthsman Contract
  • ·         Traffic Calming Project
  • ·         Councillor Vacancies
  • ·         BT Exchange at Cottons Corner
  • ·         Street Lighting

 

110/13 Date of Next Scheduled Meeting – Thurs 5th September 2013

 

Cllrs who were not members of the Planning Committee left the meeting at this point (9pm).

 

111/13 Planning

 

       111.13.1 Planning Applications to be considered

       a) 131290/F & 131291/L Nashend House, Bosbury, HR8 1JU

       Elderly relative annexe accommodation ancillary to main house in

       existing garage/workshop building  

        PC Comment: The Parish Council support this application and

        agree the application is for conversion into an annexe to be

        occupied as part of Nashend House and will not be sold separately.

       The parish council would wish to see that building materials used

       are sympathetic to the existing.

 

       111.13.2 To confirm response to Considered Applications –

       NOTED as per planning record

 

       111.13.3 To note decisions from Herefordshire Council –     

       NOTED as per planning record            

 

  Meeting closed at 9.20pm

 

 

 

Signed…………………………….    Dated……………………………….

Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 CLERK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 CLLRS JOYCE-TOWNSEND /HAYES / WHITEHEAD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 CLERK / ALL CLLRS

 

 

 CLERK

 

 

 

 ALL CLLRS

 

 

 

 

 

 CLERK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 CLERK

 

 

 ALL CLLRS / CLERK

 

 

 

 CLERK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

CLERK