Minutes Dec 2013

Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 5th December 2013 at 7.30pm

 

Present

Councillors S Bosley (Chairman),  J Joyce-Townsend, G Paganuzzi, B Taylor & M Twigg

 

In attendance

Ward Councillor Carl Attwood

J Boyce – Footpath Officer

J Chester – Parish Clerk

Public: 2

                                                                                                                                                                                Action

 

1/12/13 Apologies Received – Cllrs G Blandford,(prior engagement) J Boyle (ill) and J Hayes (prior engagement)

 

2/12/13 Declarations of Interest & Requests for Dispensation – none

 

3/12/13 To approve minutes of the annual meeting held on 7th November            2013 (previously circulated)

 

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

 

4/12/13 To receive a report from the Ward Councillor(s):

 

Cllr Attwood advised that he has received confirmation from Andrew Lee-Jones that there will be publication of the proposed traffic scheme ASAP. Herefordshire Council are currently undertaking budget consultations and are soon to decide on the Waste Contract and the costs involved. The leader of the council is inviting members of other political parties to share more in what the cabinet do. Cllr Attwood advised he is now on the board of Hoople, who are the company to whom Herefordshire Council outsource much of their administration work.

 

Cllr Attwood left the meeting at this point.

 

5/12/13 Open Forum for Local Residents to raise matters relevant to the Parish Council

 

Balfour Beatty have installed the anti-skid surface at Cottons Corner. The cats eyes and white lines through the village and on the road to Ledbury need replacing.

 

6/12/13 Councillor Vacancies

 

A member of the public was at the meeting with a view to becoming a future councillor. The chairman welcomed him and a brief exchange of information took place. He was invited to attend the February meeting if he was still interested.

 

 

 

 

7/12/13 Planning

 

a)  Planning Applications to be considered

 

    132940/FH 10 Morton Cottages, Bosbury, HR8 1PT

     First Floor extension and replacement windows

     PC Comment: The parish council support this application

    133047/FH 3 Morton Cottages, Bosbury, HR8 1PT

    Proposed extension

    PC Comment: The parish council support this application in principle but have concerns that the western side elevation appears to be drawn incorrectly as the window should project above the gutter line and the dormer window on the southern aspect would be visible form the road and set a precedent for future developments in an AONB area.

   

b) To confirm response to Considered Applications and To note decisions from Herefordshire Council –  NOTED as per planning record            

 

8/12/13  Highways and Footpaths

 

a)   Traffic Speed Management

 

Cllrs Joyce-Townsend confirmed that the TRO is to be publicized shortly. The Cable Avoidance Tool scan is still to take place to locate the buried services before installing removable sockets for the gates to be placed. The scheme is scheduled to be installed in the spring 2014. Other parish councils have expressed interest and the scheme is being seen as a pilot for Herefordshire.  

It was noted that speed checks have been taking place recently.

 

b)   SID deployments

 

The clerk has requested deployments for both ends of the village in January and possibly March but to advise that invoices will not be paid until full data has been received by the parish council. Cllr Joyce-Townsend is to advise Simon Hobbs of the dates once confirmation received RESOLVED

 

c)   Road conditions / Winter self-help / Flooding

 

The working group of Cllrs Joyce-Townsend, Hayes, Blandford and Twigg met and toured the village. It was noted that the bridge is humped, that the river bed is silted up and is partially blocking the outlet pipe behind the school. A letter drafted by Cllr Joyce-Townsend was AGREED to be sent to Steve Hodges of Herefordshire Council and he was also to contact the Environment Agency about dredging the river 100 yards downstream behind the outlet pipe.  A new Brook Lane sign has been requested from Balfour Beatty for junction at Notehouse / Noverings and also a new village sign for Coddington.  A tarpaulin to cover the salt and grit supplies has been found.

 

d)   Update from Footpath Warden

 

The footpath officer is still struggling to get replies to any correspondence sent to Herefordshire Council. The Herefordshire Ramblers Association held their AGM in Bosbury and were happy with the footpaths and stiles around the village. A list of required bridge repairs has been sent to Balfour Beatty by email, a copy is to be forwarded to the clerk from the Footpath Warden.

 

e)   Lengthsman Contract

 

The clerk had given instructions to the new lengthsman of required jobs. He plans to go to Coddington for a full day next week. A local contractor is to be asked by Cllr Joyce-Townsend if he would be willing to undertake lengthsman training and if he has the appropriate insurance to enable him to do the smaller jobs in the parish.

 

f)    Works for the Lengthsman RESOLVED

 

No new jobs were reported.

 

9/12/13 Finance

 

a)   Finance Report RESOLVED

 

b)   Payments RESOLVED

 

590: J Chester clerk salary and expenses as agreed

 

N.B. There were not enough bank signatories available to sign the cheques.

 

Authorisation was also given to spend up to £50 on materials for a new notice board for Coddington Crossroads and a quote that Cllr Hayes had obtained for signs and high-visability jackets was agreed.

 

c)   2014/15 Precept Requirements

 

After discussion it was RESOLVED that the clerk will request a precept of £10000.

 

10/12/13 Correspondence / Consultation / Discussion / Communications

 

a)   Hereford & Worcester Fire Service Consultation. – savings are having to be made and there is a possibility that Ledbury Fire Station would lose an appliance and that Herefordshire would go to one full time appliance with seven fulltime in Worcestershire. RESOLVED that individuals will send responses and the clerk is to send a letter of response on the parish councils’ behalf expressing our concerns for Ledbury particularly with the proposed further 600 houses being built and its close proximity to the motorway.

 

b)   Herefordshire Council Budget Consultation – members were encouraged to respond to this consultation

 

c)   Heart Start Defibrillator for village – deferred to February meeting

 

d)   Update on Play Area – it was RESOLVED for the signs to be ordered. The clerk is to register it with the Land Registry.

 

e)   Letterbox at Cottons Corner – The clerk has spoken to Ledbury Post Office about the possible relocation of the post box from Cottons Corner to by the parish hall but received a negative response because of fewer paper letters being sent. She has sent a request in writing and still awaits a response.

 

f)    f) Items for the website – The Parish Plan annual reports that have been submitted are to be put onto the website. All cllrs are to send photos to the clerk to be uploaded onto the website. RESOLVED

 

g)   Letters of thanks had been received from Coddington Church for the donation to the refurbishment of the meeting room.

 

11/12/13 Training / Meetings –

 

a)   To note dates of forthcoming meetings:-

 

Ledbury Rural Parishes Cluster Group – Wed 11th December 7.30pm at Bosbury Village Hall

 

b)   Reports from meetings attended:-

 

HALC Eastern Area 12th November at Tarrington Village Hall 7.30pm – the clerk and chairman attended. Keith Wildig, Watch Commander at Ledbury Fire Station gave a presentation on the Fire Service Consultation. The annual HALC subscription is to be raised by 10p per elector.

 

Balfour Beatty 21st & 26th November at Brockington 7pm – the clerk had attended. Managers were available to speak to. They are currently recruiting locaility inspectors and landline phones should be installed soon. They have a large backlog of road defects. They have eight teams going around the county repairing potholes and are refilling grit bins.

 

12/12/13 To note Information Sheet and Outstanding Actions  

 (circulated) – RESOLVED

 

13/12/13 To note Planning Record (circulated) – RESOLVED

 

14/12/13 Items for next meeting

  • Postbox
  • Flooding Update
  • Heart Start Defibrillator

 

15/12/13 Date of Next Scheduled Meeting – Thurs 6th February 2014

 

Meeting closed at 9.32pm

 

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

Chairman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk / Cllr Joyce-Townsend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

Cllr Boyle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J Boyce / Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr Joyce-Townsend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clerk/ All Cllrs

 

 

 

All cllrs

 

 

Clerk

 

 

Clerk/Cllr Hayes

 

 

 

Clerk

 

 

 

All Cllrs