Minutes of the Full Council meeting held in Bishopswood Village Hall At 7.30pm on Wednesday 22nd February 2017
Present: Shane Carlson – Acting Chairman
Councillors: Murray Alston, Dave Berry, Karen Chinn, Simeon Cole, Heather Evans, Sophie Hurley, Angus McIntosh,
In attendance: Clerk Catherine Murray. Ward Councillor Paul Newman.
1. Apologies: Eric Drummond, Frank Myers, Nesta Hirst (on leave) Luke Freeman, Martyn Jenkins (work commitment)
2. Declarations: Dave Berry declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 6.2.3 and requested a dispensation to share information with the council, before leaving the room, which was granted.
3. Minutes: It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept minutes of the previous meeting held on 11/01/17
4. To receive brief verbal reports from and address any questions to:
4.1 Community Support Co-ordinator: Gave a report: 57 volunteer hours helping clients on 34 separate occasions, since the last meeting; an indication of how much this Scheme is needed especially when it is still in its’ relative infancy. We have 16 clients in total, an addition of 8 new clients in the past 6 weeks alone. We have 20 volunteers; coffee mornings continue to be a success, regularly attracting 15 people plus service users plus volunteers. New leaflets & business cards will be collected next week. I’ve been working alongside Social Services with regard to a particular case in our community. Should anyone have any concerns about any member of the community, even if they are already being helped by Social Services or not, please don’t hesitate to contact me; we all need to be sharing information if we’re worried about our neighbours & community members.
4.2 Police representative: Was not present.
4.3 Ward Councillor Paul Newman: Gave a report: Herefordshire Council has recently approved a budget for a 3.9% increase in Herefordshire’s council tax for next year, and MTF plan which incorporates continuing cuts. We continue to press the government for a fundamentally fairer assessment, while at the same time continuing to deliver the efficiency savings as required of us. (Rural Area Service Delivery Grant). I’ve started representing the Council on the Members’ Board of the South West Audit Partnership. Locally, I’ve continued to support the Walford Community Support Scheme; interest has been expressed in extending the scheme to similar, neighbouring parishes such as Goodrich and Whitchurch. Finally, I should say that I’m grateful and appreciative for the attendance this evening of Paul Rone, Cabinet Member for Transport and Roads.
Cllr Carlson offered Walford Parish Council’s sincere thanks and appreciation for the proactive and continuous support provided by Councillor Newman.
4.4 Localities Steward: Was not present.
4.5 Councillor Paul Rone (Herefordshire Council): Councillor Rone was asked various questions relating to the management of highways, particularly the need for re-application of white lines through Walford, the application of red road markings in the county, Traffic Regulation Orders and the use of time and resources. Cllr Rone responded to these queries and a summary is available from the Clerk.
5. Public Participation Session:
• Terry Griffiths (Lengthsman) pointed out that the Lengthsman’s budget is even more reduced because the materials and hardware, which used to be supplied by Herefordshire Council, now have to be purchased by Parish Councils. Mr Griffiths was asked to contact Cllr Rone directly with specific enquiries.
• A parishioner asked about the potential for improving the junction at Leys Hill and wondered if he was wasting his time trying to get something done. The Chairman explained that the junction has been visited by himself and Cllr Myers and possible improvements had been discussed.
• Another said that he would support a full donation to Walford Village Hall play area.
• Another said that the improvements to the Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch would probably cause an increase in traffic and asked if the PC was considering a TRO? The Chairman said that there would not necessarily be an increase in traffic.
6. Finance: The bank reconciliation, Finance Appendix A and bank statements for January were noted.
6.1 Update from the Finance Chairman: Karen Chinn has been elected as the new Chair of the Finance Committee and Angus McIntosh as a new member. It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the appointments.
6.2 Recommendations from the Finance Committee, for approval by Full Council.
6.2.1 Budget: Further information relating to the budget: A proposal was put to council, to outsource payroll and pensions provision to an external specialist company, for a sum more cost-effective than if the Clerk was to continue to manage these aspects of administration. 3 potential service providers had been considered by Finance Committee and Autela Group Ltd had been selected. It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve this proposal.
6.2.2 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch: Expenditure on advertising: This had been actioned, in order to take advantage of the time window before the season starts, to seek preferred partners to work with Walford PC to manage the canoe launch site. Funds have been set aside in the 2017-18 budget, to cover this expenditure.
6.2.3 Walford Village Hall Play Area: The application for a donation was considered, in light of new information relating to Grants and Donations and a proposal was put to the council, to give a donation to support the play area project. In light of provision in the 2017-18 budget for donations and in consideration that no other applications had been received by the council, it was unanimously RESOLVED to make a donation of £1,000 to Walford Village Hall play area in 2017-18.
6.2.4 Transparency Code Grant Application: For computer equipment and software: A grant application to HALC / NALC had been circulated, this grant is provided in order for Parish Councils to comply with the transparency legislation and is to cover the cost of the purchase of new computer hardware and software. It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the grant application.
7. Planning: Planning Appendix B was noted. Applicants were invited to share information with the Parish Council, prior to applications being considered.
7.1 Planning Applications:
7.1.1 Application No: 170294 Site: Kiln Rise, Howle Hill, HR9 5SH
The applicant was present to explain the proposals to the council.
Comments: The majority of the Parish Council supported the application – there was one abstention.
7.1.2 Application No: 170168 Site: Church Cottage, Hom Green, HR9 7TF
Comments: The Parish Council unanimously supported the application.
7.1.3 Application No: 170050 Site: Land at Myrtle Cottage, Howle Hill
The applicant was present to explain the proposals to the council.
Comments: The Parish Council unanimously supported the application.
7.1.4 Pre-application consultation: EE Emergency Services Network base station Ref: ESN0088
There was not sufficient information available to comment upon, so councillors and members of the public were invited to comment as individuals.
7.1 Neighbourhood Planning:
Will Warburg explained that Carla Johnson from Herefordshire Council did not attend the Neighbourhood Planning meeting, despite saying that she would be present. Will has been contacted by Ross NDP Group, who has said that there are development sites, identified as being in Ross and lie just on the Parish boundaries, which are actually in Walford Parish. It is proposed to use the Annual Parish Meeting to showcase the Neighbourhood Development Plan and the date of the meeting will be changed in order to allow for additional time. Simon Kinder has left the group, due to family commitments and Cllr Murray Alston has joined the group.
7.2 HALC ‘SNAPSHOT’ Pilot for Parish Plans: It was decided not to join the pilot; the Parish Plan will be revisited after completion of the Neighbourhood Plan.
8. Highways / Rights of Way / AONB: (Appendix D contains Councillors Highways & Rights of Way Reports.)
8.1 Report from the Lengthsman Co-ordinator: Everything is up to date.
Rights of Way Officer:
8.2 Approve work orders for the Lengthsman and Rights of Way: Bulls Hill is to be done.
8.3 New Rights of Way Contractor: It was unanimously RESOLVED to appoint Terry Griffiths as the new Rights of Way contractor.
8.4 SID Device deployment: It was unanimously RESOLVED not to deploy SID devices.
8.5 WA50: Cllr Evans said that the continued closure of WA50 is unacceptable. The Clerk was asked to write to the owner of the site and to the planning department. <>
8.6 Daycroft Lane: Cllr Cole had met with Balfour Beatty representatives, to show them the location of the culvert, identified as being helpful in resolving the flooding problem.
9. Parish Projects:
Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site and car park: Applications have been received and the Working Group will arrange a meeting, once the deadline of 24th February has passed. This meeting will be to will be to review the applications and decide next steps on selecting preferred partner. <>
10. Information and correspondence: Appendix C, Appendix D and HALC Information corner were noted.
10.1 Spring Newsletter: It was unanimously RESOLVED to publish at the end of March, with deadlines 10-14 days before. Cllrs were reminded to submit their copy in time.
10.2 The Great British Spring Clean: It was unanimously RESOLVED not take part.
10.3 Consultations: Waste Charges Consultation. (Deadline 03/03/17) To be responded to as individuals.
10.4 Responses required to correspondence: Ursells form accepting the proposal to make a plaque for Walford War Memorial, in final settlement of the negotiations over the War Memorials Grant reduction. The Clerk was asked to sign the form. <>
10.5 Councillors reports on local matters. Cllr Evans mentioned the state of the roads.
11. Brief public response session:
12. Items for next meeting agenda: None further than those above.
13. Next meeting: 5th April Full Council @ 7.30pm at Walford Village Hall. APM 10th May at 7.30pm – location to be confirmed.
14. Confidential Closed session: (The public were asked to leave the room)
14.1 Pension obligations.
14.2 Kerne Bridge Canoe Launch Site and Car Park.
14.3 New Lengthsman’s contract.