Minutes of the Full Council meeting held in Bishopswood Village Hall
At 7.30pm on Wednesday 18th May 2016
Present: Frank Myers – Chairman
Councillors: Dave Berry, Shane Carlson, Simeon Cole, Karen Chinn, Heather Evans, Nesta Hirst, Sophie Hurley, Martyn Jenkins.
In attendance: Clerk Catherine Murray. Ward Councillor Paul Newman.
1. Election of Officers – by means of a paper ballot
1.1 Chairman of the Parish Council: Frank Myers was elected unopposed as Chairman.
1.2 Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council: Shane Carlson was elected unopposed as Vice Chairman.
1.3 Acceptance of office: Cllrs Myers and Carlson signed declarations of acceptance of Office.
2. To accept apologies and note reasons for absence: Angus McIntosh and Luke Freeman (Work commitments) Murray Alston and Eric Drummond (Other commitments)
3. Declarations
3.1 Declarations of interest and dispensations: No declarations of interest. All Councillors were given a dispensation to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan.
3.2 Register of Interest: Councillors were reminded to update their Register of Interests within 28 days of any change.
4. General Power of Competence: It was unanimously RESOLVED to adopt GPOC.
5. Minutes: It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13/04/16.
6. Verbal Reports: Information is available from the Clerk.
Police representative: Was not present, but a written report was read out; the clerk was asked to forward it to Cllr Carlson, to be included on the Facebook page.
Localities Steward: Was not present, having given his apologies.
Ward Councillor: There have been 2 meetings of the Council: 1) Open meeting for the election of Herefordshire Council members – Cllr Newman assumes the same broad cabinet. 2) Adoption of Herefordshire Council’s Local Transport Plan, which covers the 15 years until 2031. Also Weston-Under- Penyard’s Neighbourhood Plan has been adopted.
7. Appointments and reviews
7.1 Members of Committees, Steering Groups, outside bodies and PC representatives: It was unanimously RESOLVED to maintain the roles as included in Appendix E. (Attached to these minutes)
7.2 Review of Internal Auditor: It was unanimously RESOLVED to retain Jayne Dunstan as Internal Auditor.
7.3 Standing Orders, Insurance policies and annual subscriptions: It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the following:
• Standing Orders should remain the same.
• Finance Regulations should be updated at the Finance Committee Meeting on 29th June.
• Insurance provision should remain with Came and Company.
• Subscriptions with HALC, SLCC and Village News should continue.
8. Public Participation Session: A member of the public asked when there would be a talk on Broadband, as mentioned at the previous meeting. The Clerk explained that Cllr Graham Powell had accepted an invitation to attend the meeting on 29th June.
9. Finance – It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve and sign the Finance Statement – Appendix A, bank reconciliation and bank statements for April.
9.1 Accounts: Completed R&P Accounts were noted, for adoption at June meeting. (See Appendix A2)
9.2 Payments: It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the following: Came & Company – PC Insurance; SLCC membership; Lonsdale DS – Spring Newsletter; River Festival Committee.
9.3 The following payments were noted: Clerk hours and expenses for April / Street Entertainers / Louise Jarvis.
9.4 Internet Banking Access: It was unanimously RESOLVED to sign the paperwork for Cllr Berry.
9.5 Phone provision for the Clerk: It was unanimously RESOLVED to pay up to £7.50 per month for anytime call boost for the Clerk’s work phone line.
10. Planning: The public and applicants were invited to comment before applications were considered.
10.1 Applications: Planning Appendix B was noted and comments put forward on:
a) Site: Land adjacent and North of Oxlet: cottages, Bishopswood. Application No: P161076
Comments: No objections.
b) Site: Glen Kerne, Kerne Bridge, HR9 670. Application No: 161670
Comments: No objections.
c) Site: Primrose Cottage, Howle Hill, HR9 5SP. Application No: 161175
Comments: No objections; provided sympathetic materials are used in the construction.
10.2 Neighbourhood Planning: The Steering Group Leader was not able to be present, but had sent a written report, which the Chairman read out. (Copy available from the Clerk)
11. Highways / Rights of Way / AONB – (Appendix D contains Councillors Highways & RsOW reports)
11.1 Reports: Lengthsman Co-ordinator: Everything is up together and seasonal work is to commence. Rights of Way: There appear to be 18 x grips, which have been dug down Bishopswood Hill. Cllr Cole offered to look into this. Also there is a worry that the road is being undermined by water near to Suff Lodge and the increase in vehicle numbers is not helping. The Clerk explained that this has been reported to the Localities Inspector.
11.2 Work Orders: None above the work included in the Annual Plan.
11.3 Other Parish Highways matters: (a) HGV signage on Church Lane, Howle Hill: Cllr Carlson explained the need for signage at the junction of Church Lane on Howle Hill, in order to prevent HGVs from mistakenly driving down the lane, getting stuck and doing damage to hedges and verges. Two signs and one post are needed. Prices and information will be brought to the next meeting. <<Action Cllr Carlson, Cllr Myers and Clerk>>
(b) New signage for Bishopswood Village Hall. The PC approves the proposal for a new sign to improve the site, and encourages the principle of working together with BVH in general; but has no immediate plans to put a sign on the site and has not budgeted for it; this will be considered in the future.
c) Bishopswood Notice board: The Clerk explained that quotes are being sought to replace the broken glazing with a polycarbonate, which Barry Pimblett has kindly offered to fit FOC. The Parish Council has already delegated the responsibility of arranging the replacement to the Clerk at her discretion.
12 Parish Projects – To receive updates and consider further action
12.1 War Memorials: The dilapidated Bishopswood Memorial fencing was discussed and it was unanimously RESOLVED to plant a natural beech hedge, set back from the retaining wall of the memorial and in front of the fencing, so that it will be hidden from view, subject to consultation with the landowner. Cllr Cole kindly offered to supply the beech hedging plants, to be planted in the autumn. <<Action Cllr Cole>>
12.2 Community Support Scheme. Microsoft Office for the laptop: It was unanimously RESOLVED to give delegated power to the Clerk, with support from Cllr Carlson, to select the most appropriate version of Microsoft Office from the process laid out in the ‘Options for Purchase’ appendix.
Loan Agreement: It was unanimously RESOLVED to sign the loan agreement with Walford Village Hall for the Sony Vaio laptop being used by the Community Support Co-ordinator.
12.3 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch:
(a) Consider potential outgoings: The Clerk explained that there is no additional insurance liability, as the site will be covered under the Parish Council’s existing policy; the only consideration is in keeping the site tidy, which could be organised on a voluntary basis. A Cllr mentioned the provision of waste bins, but the Chairman explained that as this has not been budgeted for, it will be looked at when an income stream has been established, as part of a business plan.
(b) Community Asset transfer paperwork: It was unanimously RESOLVED to sign the contract with Herefordshire Council, for the transfer of land at Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site and to pay the invoice from Okells Francis Law, which had already been budgeted for.
12.4 Public WCs at Bishopswood: The Chairman reported on the meeting with representatives from Herefordshire Council, Bishopswood Village Hall and Walford Parish Council; The proposal is that BVH and Walford PC jointly work to keep the WCs open and eventually create a revenue stream to finance them. Herefordshire Council has asked WPC and BVH to put a proposal to them. <>
13 Information and correspondence: Appendix C, Appendix D and HALC Information corner were noted.
13.1 Councillors reports on local matters: Cllr Chinn explained that the Walford Parish River Festival event took place on 2nd May in the field behind Bishopswood Village Hall; there was a good turn-out and good feedback and the event pulled the community together. Thanks are extended for the enormous efforts of everyone involved; it is hoped that another event will take place in 2 years’ time and possibly another will be planned in between.
13.2 Responses to correspondence received during April: None other than those that the Clerk has already dealt with.
14 Public response session: There was no further public participation.
15 Items for next meeting agenda: Broadband.
16 Next meeting: 29/06/16 Finance Committee 6.30pm, Full Council Meeting 7.30pm, Walford Village Hall
17 Confidential Session: The public were asked to leave the room.
Recorded in confidential minutes.