19th May 2022 Minutes

VOWCHURCH GROUP PARISH COUNCIL
Michaelchurch Escley, Newton, St Margarets, Turnastone, Vowchurch

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Vowchurch Group Parish Council held on
Thursday 19th May 2022 in Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall

PRESENT – Councillors E May, I Chadwick, T Williams and M Engel.
IN ATTENDANCE – Ward Councillor Peter Jinman, PCSO Pete Knight and Mrs L Cowles (Clerk).

  1. ELECTION OF CHAIR – Councillor E May was proposed by Councillor I Chadwick and seconded by Councillor T Williams. There were no other nominations and the proposal was carried. Councillor May signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
  2. ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Councillors E Williams, J Kernahan, R Lloyd and A Picton.
  3. RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & CONSIDER ANY WRITTEN APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION – There were no declarations of interest or written requests for dispensation.
  4. ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR – Councillor T Williams was nominated by Councillor E May and seconded by Councillor M Engel. There were no other nominations and the proposal was carried.
  5. NOTICE OF REGISTRABLE INTERESTES – Councillors were reminded to update their Notice of Registrable Interests when necessary.
  6. RECEIVE REPORTS FROM:
    6.1 Ward Councillor Peter Jinman – Ward Councillor Jinman’s report included: –
    Panorama Programme – The recent television programme covering problems at Herefordshire Councils Children’s Services are serious and date back to 2008/2014 & 2016. The current administration has invested heavily in child services and in time it will make a better world for the children in care. Herefordshire does have a high number of children in care for the population. If you do know of any children suffering locally, please let Ward Councillor Jinman know.
    Local Council funding – Ward Councillor Jinman reminded Councillors that central government funding has been reduced by thousands of pounds. Local councils have to bid for funding from central government, if the bid is successful the funding must be spent on that particular project and cannot be spent on anything else.
    Rotherwas Industrial Estate – Rotherwas continues to expand and create employment.
    Broadband – Local meetings continue to take place. There have been a couple of BT individuals in the area recently. Councillor Engel advised that they seemed to be visiting some of the harder to reach houses although a representative from Fastershire was completely unaware that they were in the area. There must be a continued effort for the whole area to be covered and not any individual village. Some areas of the country are helping by digging ducts for cable installation themselves, this is an option but not a solution. Toby Murcott etc continue to pursue answers from BT.
    Ukrainian Refugees – There are now approximately 100 local people helping 300 Ukrainian refugees in Herefordshire.
    Traffic Lights on B4348 – The county ecologist has looked at the badger sett and has agreed that it is probably not being used, hopefully the lights will be removed shortly.
    6.2 Local Police – PCSO Knight advised that there was nothing specific to report but left some ‘No Bikes’ signs to be displayed at Cefn Common and Vagar Hill. There are more available if needed.
    6.3 Lengthsman report and any new road defects – The Lengthsman was unable to attend the meeting. His monthly reports had been forwarded to Councillors prior to the meeting.
  7. DRAINAGE GRANT – The Clerk confirmed that Herefordshire Council will only provide funding of £4339.00 following the recent drainage grant application as the grant funding had been oversubscribed. The Lengthsman has recommended that scheme VGPC 001, VGPC 006 and VGPC 007 should be prioritised, which would take the cost of work over the funding to £4400. It was agreed to go ahead with his recommendations.
  8. PARISH COUNCIL INSURANCE 2022/23 – The Clerk has obtained a quote of £394.75 from Gallaghers and £359.07 from Zurich along with a Long-Term Agreement price of £349.76, also from Zurich. As the covers for both are very similar it was agreed to accept the quote of £349.76 from Zurich on a Long-Term Agreement.
  9. ANNUAL REVIEW OF BANK MANDATE – It was agreed that cheque signatories will be Councillor E May, Councillor T Williams, Councillor R Lloyd and Councillor I Chadwick.
  10. FINANCIAL WORKING GROUP – Finance working group members for 2022-23 will remain the same. Councillors E May, Councillor T Williams and Councillor E Williams
  11. APPROVE FOLLOWING POLICY AND PROCEDURE DOCUMENTS:
    11.1 Standing orders – Approved with no amendments
    11.2 Financial regulations – Approved with no amendments
    11.3 Complaints procedure – Approved with no amendments
    11.4 Risk assessment – Approved after amendment to include Chair holds passcodes for online banking in sealed envelope.
    11.5 Data protection – Approved with no amendments
    11.6 Model Publication Scheme – Approved with no amendments
    11.7 Planning applications between meetings – Approved with no amendments
    11.8 Website Accessibility Statement – Approved with no amendments
  12. ASSESTS REGISTER – The asset register was noted. Total assets of £1009.00
  13. ADOPT MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS ORDINARY MEETING – 21st April 2022 – The minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.
  14. CLERKS UPDATE – Planning permission 221138 has been granted at Urishay Barn, Michaelchurch Escley.
    A letter has been received from a local resident applying for the Lengthsman vacancy. Unfortunately, the Clerk does not have contact details of the applicant to respond that the vacancy has been filled.
    The requested road and footpath maps have been distributed to Councillors present at the meeting.
    Thanks have been sent to Bill Quan for attending the Annual Parish Meeting.
    The Clerk will be on holiday from 20th May – 29th May.
  15. CONSIDER PLANNING
    15.1 PRIOR APPROVAL GRANTED
    Site: Barn north of Marlborough Grange, Newton St Margarets, Herefordshire. HR2 0QN
    Description: Proposed change of use of an agricultural building to 1 larger dwelling house (Class C3) and for building operations reasonably necessary for conversion.
    Application No: 220819 Grid Ref: 334318:233485
    The Parish Council expressed concerns that this application had been granted.
  16. FINANCE
    16.1 Confirmation of bank balance – £5509.75 Statement Sheet No. 168 issued 17th April 2022.
    Receipts – None
    To include £5.00 bank charges 17th March 2022 – 16th April 2022.
    16.2 Payment to Mrs Linda Cowles May 2022 Clerk’s hours, £4.17 plus VAT for stationery, £11.15 postage and £7.87 for annual parish meeting refreshments – Payment agreed.
    16.3 Payment to Councillor E May of £24.57 plus VAT for annual parish meeting refreshments – Payment agreed.
    16.4 Payment to Mr T Griffiths, invoice no. TGC1854 for March 2022 (2) of £392.00 plus VAT – Payment agreed.
  17. VOWCHURCH COMMON RECYCLING & GENERAL RUBBISH COLLECTION – The Waste & Recycling Officer has confirmed that the landowner at Piccadilly Farm has agreed that refuse vehicles can continue to turn at the farm entrance. He has also agreed to give a good months’ notice ahead of this no longer being possible. Councillor Kernahan feels that pressure should be kept up on Herefordshire Council to adopt a section of the lane. The Waste & Recycling Officer has told him that this was going to be applied for and it might take a few months. It was agreed that the Clerk would contact him for an update.
  18. BROADBAND – See Ward Councillor Jinman’s report.
  19. RESILIENCE PLAN – Councillor Chadwick confirmed that the Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley has agreed to be listed as a place of refuge. He is waiting for a letter of authorisation and the plan should then be ready for adoption. It was agreed that Councillors should hold a hard copy of the plan, to be contacted if people needed them.
  20. THE LOCAL PLAN 2021 – 2041 POLICY OPTION CONSULTATION – The response to consultation was noted.
  21. VILLAGE SAFETY INITIATIVE – The response sent to Balfour Beatty was noted.
  22. TRIALS BIKE – PCSO Knight has left some notices to be displayed on Cefn Common and Vagar Hill. He advised that if residents do see any evidence of trials bikes using the area to call the local police mobile numbers instead of 101. It was agreed the Clerk would contact the local resident to advise of the update.
  23. JUNE NEWSLETTER – Chairs’ annual report.
  24. NOTE THE CORRESPONDENCE SHEET – The correspondence sheet was noted.
  25. RAISE MATTERS FOR THE NEXT ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – Thursday 16th June 2022 at 7.30pm in Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall – BBLP annual plan 2022 – 23 for the Golden Valley.

The chair declared the meeting closed at 8.50pm.

Signed……………………………………………………………….
Dated………………………………………………………………..

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