MINUTES – 19th November 2024

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 19th November 2024 at 19.00hrs at Peterchurch Village Hall

 

Present

Councillors: Isabelle Watkins (Chair), Chris Richardson, Sandra Salter, Richard Gaze and Anna Coda.

 

In attendance

Clerk Mark Hearne, Ward Councillor Price, Allan Gibbs (Footpath Officer), Greg Warwick (Footpath Officer) and 3 members of the public.

 

  1. Apologies for absence: Councillors David Morgan and Robert Metcalfe.

 

  1. Declarations of interest & written dispensation requests: None.

 

  1. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 15th October 2024 – It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes as a true and proper record of the meeting. The minutes were signed by the Chairman.
  2. Resolution Log – The Clerk reported that all outstanding actions will be addressed by items on the agenda.
  3. Public Participation Open Session:
    • West Mercia Police were not present at the meeting but had reported one instance of recorded crime (criminal damage) during the last month.
    • Ward Councillors Report: The Ward Councillor covered the following issues in his report.
      • Provided a brief description of the weather forecasting system used by Balfour Beatty/Highways Department in Herefordshire Council.
      • A meeting has been arranged in which the Chair of Governors and the Head Teacher at Peterchurch Primary School will discuss the recent flooding at the school with a drainage engineer from Balfour Beatty. It is expected a representative from the Section 106 team at Herefordshire Council will also be present.
      • It was confirmed that a delivery of planings has been received by the Parish Council.
      • Herefordshire Council are continuing to process bids from Parish Councils for drainage grant funding.
      • The Government has recently announced that additional funding (£3m) will be made available for enhancing bus services across the county.
      • Work continues on developing a new Public Realm contract.

 

  • Representations from Members of the Public: No issues were raised.
  1. Footpaths
    • Reports from both Footpath Officers were circulated prior to the meeting. Greg Warwick added that the Lengthsman has agreed to assist in the collection of materials from Hereford which will be used to undertake the repairs that formed the basis of the Parish Council’s bid for additional PROW funding. Councillor Coda highlighted the continuing problems with the bridge at Prospects.
  2. Planning – To comment on applications to be determined by Herefordshire Council. No planning applications were received for consideration.
  3. Finance:
    • To note the current bank balance- £74,893.74 The Clerk reported that there are two uncashed cheques to the value of £312.60 which reduces the balance to £74,581.14
    • It was RESOLVED to approve the following payments:
      • Clerk’s salary (October 2024) in accordance with his employment contract.
      • Clerk’s travel costs (October 2024)- £5.40
      • Postage – £6.80
      • Printing (Maps) – £55.69 (inclusive of VAT)
      • Hire of Village Hall (October 2024) – £20.00
      • Marches Ground Maintenance (October 2024) – £240.00
      • Eyelid Productions (website) – £100.00
      • DM Payroll Services – £60.00
    • Financial Monitoring and Bank Reconciliation 2023/24 – The Clerk reported that based on current spending assumptions the reserves at year end will be circa £67k. The bank reconciliation proforma was signed by the Chairman.
    • Councillors approved the budget for 2025/26 which will be appended to the minutes. It was RESOLVED to leave the precept unchanged for 2025/26 at £21,660.

 

  1. Housing Needs Survey—Councillors further considered the proposed survey offered by the Community First Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Rural Housing Enabler project team and in conclusion agreed to proceed. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk notifies the project team accordingly but seek clarification of the costs which may fall to the Parish Council. It was further RESOLVED to publicise the survey as soon as a timetable has been communicated by the project team.

 

  1. Parish Council Objectives – To provide an overview of progress since the last meeting plus feedback from the following workstreams:
    • Traffic
      • It was RESOLVED that the Clerk seeks clarification from Balfour Beatty on the actual work recently undertaken on the road which runs through the village and checks what tasks remain outstanding and a plan for completing said works.
    • Drainage
      • Councillors noted that Herefordshire Council have approved the bid for drainage funding to address drainage issues at Stockley Hill (site 1) and the Clerk has asked Councillor Metcalfe to commission the work in conjunction with the Lengthsman and it was RESOLVED that the Clerk seeks an update before the next meeting. The Clerk added that a decision on the submission for funds to resolve another drainage issue at Stockley Hill (site 2) was still awaited.
    • Facilities
      • Councillors reviewed the original plan for updating the recreation ground and agreed that the priority remains the relocation of the toddler equipment. Councillors also agreed to defer any decision on extending the car park which serves the recreation ground. In terms of the toddler equipment the Clerk reported that he had sought guidance from the RoSPA contact who advised that there are no requirements for a contractor to hold specific licences/qualifications in order to undertake this work. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk acquires three quotes and suggested that there may be merit in offering a site visit to allow contractors to scope the work accurately. It was further RESOLVED that the Clerk circulates brochures from play equipment suppliers with a view to considering the possible procurement of additional kit. Councillors also discussed possible locations for the adult gym equipment which is currently stored in the storage unit, and it was RESOLVED that available Councillors meet, at the recreation ground, on the afternoon of the 22 November 2024 to consider where best to place the adult kit and at the same time consider the preferred surface for the proposed path. It was RESOLVED to further discuss this matter at the next Parish Council meeting.
      • Councillors discussed the advice offered by the RoSPA representative regarding the relocation of the toddler play equipment at 10.3.1 and there was nothing further to add.
    • Environment
      • The Clerk confirmed that Tidy Fellas has been contracted to remove the two ash trees situated on the track between Hinton Farm and the church. It was noted that Tidy Fellas were hopeful of grinding down the trees to the surface of the track/path which would help with the proposed tarmacking of the surface. The Clerk added that Herefordshire Council has been approached but there was no firm commitment that they will fund the tarmacking of the track from the 2025/26 PROW budget.
      • Councillors discussed the recent flooding at Peterchurch Primary School and considered that the planned new build of the school offers the opportunity of introducing some measures to mitigate against future flooding events. Councillors also noted that there is concern that the proposed housing development at Hawthorn Rise may exacerbate the problem. It was RESOLVED to defer any future discussion until Ward Councillor Prices provides feedback from the meeting planned for later in the month during which he will join Herefordshire Council/Balfour Beatty representatives in discussing the issue with the Chairman of Governors and the Head Teacher from the school. Following a comment from Councillor Coda it was agreed that Ward Councillor Price would check that the current developers will “own” the Section 106 agreement recently circulated by the Clerk.

 

  1. Clerk Correspondence – No correspondence was received for consideration.

 

  1. Date of the Next Meeting: Tuesday 17th December 2024, 19.00hrs, Peterchurch Village Hall.

 

  1. Items for the next Agenda
    • Drainage project at Stockley Hill
    • Feedback from Ward Councillor Price’s meeting at Peterchurch Primary School.
    • Update on the proposals for the recreation ground.

 

The Chairman moved a motion to exclude members of the public from the following confidential item

 

  1. Employment Issues
    • Councillors approved an increase in the Clerk’s salary following the recent LGA pay award to be backdated to the 1st April 2024

 

The meeting closed at 20.28 hrs.

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