Minutes of the Full Council meeting held in Walford Village Hall At 7.30pm on Wednesday 11th January 2017
Present: Frank Myers – Chairman
Councillors: Murray Alston, Dave Berry, Shane Carlson, Karen Chinn, Simeon Cole, Heather Evans, Nesta Hirst, Sophie Hurley, Eric Drummond, Martyn Jenkins.
In attendance: Clerk Catherine Murray. Ward Councillor Paul Newman.
1. Apologies: Angus McIntosh, Luke Freeman.
2. Declarations: None, except a dispensation for all Councillors to discuss the precept.
3. Minutes: It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept minutes of the previous meeting held on 23/11/16 and 30/12/16
4. Reports: Further details available from the clerk.
4.1 Police representative – was not present.
4.2 Ward Councillor Paul Newman – Gave his report. Attended the Community Support coffee morning and the Bishopswood Village Hall lunch. He has been lobbying to protect the AONB from fracking and has full support of all Herefordshire Council members. He has written to Herefordshire MPs and the Prime Minister and asks those who feel strongly to write to him. The Chairman said that the PC will have a comprehensive discussion, possibly at a public meeting.
4.3 Localities Steward – was not present.
9.1 Item 9.1 – Community Support Scheme, was brought up the agenda: Sarah Hayes updated the Parish Council; there have been articles in the Ross Gazette and coffee mornings have been held for service users and volunteers; these will be held on the first Tuesday of every month at St Michaels and All Angels. The Facebook site is up and running, so please ‘like’ and ‘share’. The client base has grown by 2 over December and 3 more have come on board this week. Pendeen Surgery has agreed to recommend our scheme to their service users. New leaflets are going to be printed, to represent all target clients more fully. Please spread the word. The Dementia programme is being looked into, as 2 of our clients are affected.
4.1. Item 4.1 was re-introduced, as the Police Representative had arrived: PC Barradale Smith explained the ‘Herbert Protocol’, whereby carers of dementia sufferers fill out forms with sufferer’s information, to pre-warn The Police, should they go missing. There is also a ‘Safe Places’ sticker scheme at participating outlets in Ross on Wye. Walford Parish has not suffered badly from crime in the last few months. Out of the area, 8 quad bikes have been stolen, but also recovered because of a tracker, fitted to one of them. There has been poaching in Goodrich and Walford recently. Some speed enforcement has been carried out recently, in order to send a message.
5. Public Participation Session: A member of the public asked how many service users the Community Support Scheme has. The Co-ordinator said there were 9 service users and 3 more potential users; the scheme is very likely to expand quickly.
6. Finance: The bank reconciliation, Finance Appendix A and bank statements for Nov & Dec were noted.
6.1. Update from the Finance Chairman: Cllr Carlson explained that he was standing down as the Finance Committee Chairman and scaling back on other commitments, but will remain as Vice Chairman of the PC and a member of the Neighbourhood Planning Steering Group. The Chairman gave formal thanks to Cllr Carlson.
6.2. Precept and Budget:
6.2.1. The Budget Appendix and other associated paperwork were noted.
6.2.2. Cllr Carlson explained how the Finance Committee had arrived at their position, with consideration of the budget Appendix.
6.2.3. Budget and precept for 2017-18: Following the meeting of the Finance Committee, a £9,000 increase in the precept request was proposed and put forward to Council members for consideration. This increase is required specifically to keep the vitally important Community Support Scheme running, as the current funding stream for this project will cease at the end of March 2017. Further funding streams are being sought and if successfully applied for, will help to fund the scheme in the longer term, enabling the precept figure to be lowered in the future.
Cllr Carlson explained that having budgeted to include ongoing support for this scheme in 2017/18, some of the Parish Council financial reserves will be utilised in order to maintain the service for the Lengthsman and P3 schemes, following partial withdrawal of grant funds from Herefordshire Council and the newly introduced requirement for a mandatory contribution from Parish Councils in order to access grant funding. It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the precept request.
6.2.4 The Clerk was given delegated power to complete the precept request form and send to Herefordshire
Council. <>
7. Planning: Planning Appendix B was noted.
7.1 Planning Applications: No planning applications for consideration.
7.2 Discuss setting up a planning working group: Following a discussion regarding setting up a planning working group, it was proposed, but there was no seconder, so the proposal was not voted upon. The Clerk was asked to identify key elements and to bring a list of ‘Material Considerations’ to future meetings; also to send Cllr Hirst a list of these. <>
7.3 Neighbourhood Planning: Will Warburg said that the Steering Group is working on an initial draft of objectives; the big issue will be the settlement area and external help may be required for this. Grant funding will be applied for, to balance expenditure. The next meeting will be in 2 weeks. It will take the best part of this year to complete the Neighbourhood Plan. Cllr Alston will join the working group; the clerk was asked to add his name to the distribution list and send his details to Will Warburg. <>
8. Highways / Rights of Way / AONB: (Appendix D contains Councillors Highways & Rights of Way Reports.)
8.1 Reports:
Lengthsman Co-ordinator: The next job is to clear and jet the drains up Howle Hill.
Rights of Way Officer: A Cllr asked about why the public footpath crossing the bridge at Lydbrook is closed. Cllr Newman explained that it has been closed because it is dangerous, but there is no budget to repair it at the moment. The clerk was asked to make a laminated sign to position at Kerne Bridge, alerting walkers. <> Ward Cllr Newman will speak to Kevin Williams. <> Cllr Evans asked whether WA50 could be included on the next agenda.
8.2 Work orders for the Lengthsman and Rights of Way: As discussed above.
Cllr Cole left the meeting at 8.15, due to a work commitment.
8.3 Expression of Interest form for Lengthsman and P3: The clerk was given delegated power to fill out the form and send it to Balfour Beatty. <>
8.4 Red Road markings: A discussion was held about the newly applied red road markings at the junction with the A40 at Whitchurch; concern was expressed that this expenditure has been prioritised when, despite requests for new central white lines through Walford, this work has not been done and the Chairman queried how the balance of new work is prioritised. However, the Chairman read out an e mail from Balfour Beatty, explaining that the markings had been applied for Health and Safety reasons, following assessment after road traffic accidents. Ward Cllr Newman has sent the enquiry to Cllr Paul Rone, who has made a site visit. A highways document was referred to. It promotes the view that in an AONB signing should be kept to a minimum unless there are overriding safety considerations
8.5 Daycroft Lane: The Clerk explained that Balfour Beatty had responded to the e mail from Walford PC, explaining that the missing culvert had been located and offered to send an engineer to take photographs, with a view to progress the proposals put forward, to alleviate flooding.
9. Parish Projects: Updates and further action.
9.2 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site: The Clerk explained that the PC Insurance providers had suggested that signs are placed appropriately at the site, to warn users of the dangers of the proximity of the river and water hazard.
9.3 War Memorials: The Clerk explained that Historic England is considering listing the memorial and will keep the Parish Council up to date with their decisions.
9.4 BT phone Box proposals for use: Following a discussion over safety and funding, it was unanimously RESOLVED to leave this project for the time being and include it on the agenda again in 6 months’ time.
10. Information and correspondence
10.1 Appendix C, Appendix D and HALC Information corner were noted.
10.2 Consultations: Flood Risk Management consultation: Councillors and members of the public were asked to respond as individuals.
10.3 Responses required to correspondence received during November / December: None required.
10.4 Councillor’s reports on local matters: None.
11. Brief public response session: A member of the public said that the highways document referred to under item 8.4, is only a consultation document and has not been adopted.
12. Items for next meeting agenda: As listed above.
13. Next meeting: 22/02/17 Full Council @ 7.30pm at Bishopswood Village Hall.
14. Confidential Closed session: (The public were asked to leave the room)
14.1 Pension obligations:
14.2 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site:
14.3 New Lengthsman’s contract.