Minutes of the Full Council meeting held in Bishopswood Village Hall
At 7.30pm on Wednesday 31st August 2016
Present: Frank Myers – Chairman
Councillors: Dave Berry, Shane Carlson, Karen Chinn, Eric Drummond, Heather Evans, Nesta Hirst, Martyn Jenkins, Angus McIntosh.
In attendance: Clerk Catherine Murray. Ward Councillor Paul Newman.
1. Apologies: Murray Alston (On leave), Simeon Cole and Sophie Hurley (Family Commitments), Luke Freeman (Work Commitment).
2. Declarations: None
3. Minutes: It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept minutes of the previous meetings held on 29/06/16 and 11/08/16.
4. To receive brief verbal reports from and address any questions to:
4.1 Police representative – Not present.
4.2 Ward Councillor Paul Newman: Attended the community “Big Breakfast” at Bishopswood Village hall and congratulated all the volunteers who work to make local community events a vibrant and positive part of our community. Also visited local residents at the home of Michael Constable, with Councillor Carlson, to understand and discuss local concerns about traffic problems at Howle Hill. It was suggested that a traffic agreement between local residents, to include local businesses Howle Hill Nursery and MF Freeman, might be a positive way forward. At Hereford, at the Full Council meeting on Friday 15th July, Cllr Durkin stood down as Chairman of the Council’s Audit and Governance Committee and a new Chairman, Cllr Newman, was duly elected to replace him. Cllr Newman attended various updates such as on the forthcoming 4 year funding settlement for Herefordshire and the new system being put in place for TROs and continues to forward any relevant briefings for the attention of the parish clerk. In particular, it has been confirmed that Herefordshire does not currently have a 5 year housing land supply in place, rendering our recently adopted core plan technically out of date and increasing the presumption in favour of development.
4.3 Localities Steward: Kevin Williams explained his role to the public present. Cllr Evans reported erosion under the road between Dunderhole Farm and Suff Lodge. Kevin will look and may pass it onto the bridges team. Martyn Jenkins reported overhanging branches on Sharman Pitch; Kevin will look and if the hedges / trees are on private land, Herefordshire Council will ask the landowners to cut them back.
5. Public Participation Session: The footpath behind Bishopswood Village Hall is very overgrown and is causing a hazard to walkers. The Clerk has reported this on more than one occasion to Herefordshire Council, as the footpath is a permissive one and is on their land, but nothing has been done. The Lengthsman will be asked to clear it and the clerk will raise the matter again with Herefordshire Council. <<Action Clerk>>
6. Finance – (Appendix A, bank reconciliation & bank statements for June and July were approved and signed)
6.1 It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the following payments: Lengthsman; Enviroability; Clerk salary / expenses August; IMI for work to Bishopswood Memorial; Flying Colours – printing leaflets / business cards; EC Drummond for handover cleaning of Bishopswood WCs; Designer Signs – polycarbonate for Bishopswood Noticeboard; Walford Village Hall hire.
6.2 The following payments were noted: Clerk salary and expenses, Community Support co-ordinator July.
7. Planning: Applicants and the public were invited to comment before applications were considered.
7.1 Planning Applications: To note Planning Appendix B and discuss and put forward comments on:
a) 162351 – Land adjacent to Howle Hill Crossroads, Howle Hill, Ross on Wye.
Comments: The Parish Council did not support the application, by a majority; there was one abstention: The site is considered to be unsuitable for development due to its location and concerns regarding traffic access on the narrow lane. The Parish Council queried why the land was no longer suitable for agriculture.
b) 162561 – Beaufort Lodge, Kerne Bridge, Ross on Wye, HR9 5QT.
Comments: There were no objections to the application.
7.2 Neighbourhood Planning: Will Warburg (Steering Group leader) had given his apologies.
Cllr Berry said that a meeting is being planned for next month. The Chairman stressed the urgency of producing a Neighbourhood Plan.
8. Highways / Rights of Way / AONB – (Appendix D contains Highways & Rights of Way Reports)
8.1 Reports: Lengthsman Co-ordinator: Had given his apologies; the clerk read out his report: There are overhanging branches on Sharman Pitch and the hedgerow on the left of the road from Whitings Lane to Kerne Lodge needs cutting back. Rights of Way Officer: Cllr Evans has contacted the new landowner at Deep Dean, who is responsible for the overhanging branches; there is a long stretch of woodland which needs to be addressed and the landowner has agreed to do this.
8.2 Approve work orders for the Lengthsman and Rights of Way: Other than those in the annual plan and those already mentioned above, no further work orders.
8.3 Sandbag request form: (Deadline 9th September) Cllrs Myers and Cole to complete the form. <>
8.4 Church Lane, Howle Hill – HGV signage: Cllr Carlson explained that he had met with residents to discuss locations for signage; an additional pole will be sited, the existing pole left as it is and signs will be placed in agreed locations; the existing sign will be re-positioned. Cllr Myers has received confirmation that smaller signs than used elsewhere can legally be used. It was acknowledged that the PC has already approved this expenditure.
8.5 AONB Annual Study Tour attendance: (Friday 23rd September) The PC AONB representative Bridget Vine will be attending. The Clerk is to pass any further information on to Councillors. <>
9. Parish Projects: To receive updates and discuss further action.
9.1 Community Support Scheme: In the absence of Cllr Hurley, The Chairman read out a report on progress; everything is now in place, volunteers have been signed up and DBS forms processed, publicity material has been printed and the scheme is ready to be launched; he also explained the scheme to members of the public present.
9.2 Defibrillator unit: The Parish defibrillator unit is now up and running and is sited on the wall outside the Mill Race Public House. If members of the public dial 999, they will be given a code to open the box.
9.3 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site: Now that the PC has taken over the site, initially there are 2 objectives, to put in place canoe launch licenses and a car park charging system; research is ongoing and The Chairman and Clerk are gathering information to bring back to the Working Group / Parish Council. The signage at the launch site currently has Herefordshire Council branding, which will be replaced by Walford Parish Council branding. <>
9.4 Bishopswood public WCs: The Chairman explained that the dialogue is currently about establishing new ownership and then exploring how to keep them open, which will need a funding source. A meeting is being arranged with Herefordshire Council representatives to discuss potential funding to help set up an income stream. <>
9.5 Bishopswood War Memorial: The Clerk explained the successful completion of work to the memorial, to a high standard and added that War Memorials Trust has approved the works and the 75% grant payment is on the way to the PC account by means of BACS.
10. Information and correspondence
10.1 Correspondence Appendix C, Clerks Report Appendix D and HALC Information corner were noted.
10.2 Responses required to correspondence received:
a) Leys Hill junction – Mr Carver: Cllr Newman explained that consideration of this junction could come under a Traffic Regulation Order, which can relate to speed limits and junctions and there is now an opportunity to get these things done quite quickly; however, any work would require some financial input from the PC. The Chairman asked Cllr Newman to let the clerk know how this can be done. <>. The Clerk will respond to Mr Carver. <> Cllr Myers and Carlson will look at the provision of mirrors and their cost and this will be on the next agenda. <>.
b) Car parking opposite Howle Hill Nursery – Yolande Watson: The Chairman explained that this was a land registry matter and that the PC does not know who owns the land. Yolande Watson was at the meeting and will share information during the public response session.
c) Travellers Site Consultation: No response required, as there are no sites in Walford Parish.
10.3 Consultations:
(1) Safer West Mercia Policing Plan Consultation (Deadline 16th September). No response required.
(2) New Standards Procedure for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints. (Deadline 7th October) No response required.
(3) Budget Consultation 2017/18 (Deadline 7th October) Following a lengthy discussion, it was felt that given the lack of detailed information, a response was not possible. Cllr McIntosh offered to put together a brief statement to Herefordshire council explaining why the PC felt unable to respond without being provided with information regarding the proposed priorities for the spend of any additional funds raised through council tax increases. <>
10.4 Parish Newsletter: The next issue will be published at the end of October. Please send suggestions to the clerk and copy by middle of October at the latest.
10.5 Councillors’ reports on local matters: Cllr Berry suggested setting up a planning working group, in order to consider applications more closely. To go on the next agenda.
11. Brief public response session:
• Yolande Watson explained that she has discovered who owns the land at Howle Hill crossroads and she suggested looking again at the application for Howle Hill Nursery; she thanked Cllr Evans for her help with a footpath enquiry.
• A member of the public asked if it might be sensible to put a sign at Howle Hill pointing to the location of Howle Hill Nursery; this will go on the next agenda. Cllr Berry had met with Peter Dowle at the Nursery, who said that he has tried to get permission for signage but has been turned down.
• Bob Puzey from Bishopswood Village Hall asked if the revenue from Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch site and car parking will be used to re-open the WCs, as the original purpose was for the WCs to serve the public at the site; he added that a lot of hard work by the local community went into building the WCs. The Chairman said the PC cannot formally commit to an answer, but the general consensus is that this outcome would be desirable. Cllr Carlson said that the PC will not take on the public WCs unless it can afford to do so, as it is not sustainable at present. The Chairman added that the PC is now in possession of a great asset in Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch site and wants to use it for public benefit. The Chairman asked if Bishopswood Village Hall might consider linking their car park to that of the canoe launch in order to create a more viable way of affording the toilet facilities, which is in the joint interests of Walford Parish Council, its parishioners and Bishopswood Village Hall.
12. Items for next meeting agenda: Planning: The Clerk was asked to get advice on the expected role of PCs in planning considerations. <> HGV traffic and directional signage for Howle Hill Nursery.
13. Next meeting: 12/10/16 Full Council at Walford Village Hall.