Parish
council meeting
September 22 2008
Belmont Community Centre
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BELMONT
RURAL PARISH COUNCIL
Parish
council meeting |
95/08 Declarations of Interest Councillor Edwards District Councillor declared a personal interest in all matters relating to planning applications and noted that comments expressed are preliminary views taking account of information currently available to BRPC whilst reserving final views for decision taking by District Council Planning Committee where all relevant and final facts can be available prior to making a decision. 96/08 Minutes of the previous meeting The Minutes of the meeting held on 18th August had been circulated to Members. It was agreed that the Chairman be authorised to sign the Minutes as a true record of proceedings at that meeting. (a) Parish Councillor Vacancy The Clerk noted that there are three candidates for the Parish Council vacancy and as a result an election will be held on 2nd October. (b) Repairs and maintenance Members were advised that pavements etc. identified at the last meeting for repair have been notified to Herefordshire Council. Items have also been added to the database of matters requiring attention which is to be discussed with Herefordshire Council’s Streetscene team on a quarterly basis. It was further noted that hazardous items would continue to be notified to Herefordshire Council urgently and not wait for the quarterly repair schedule. (c) Training · Members agreed that it would not be appropriate for a representative from BRPC to attend a HALC seminar to be held in Knighton Community Centre on 15th October to consider Parish/Community Council Cross Border Working. · The Clerk reported that she will be attending the Herefordshire Community Development Conference at The Leadership Trust on Thursday 13th November. · Members were reminded of a free HALC seminar on the Code of Conduct to be held on 1st October at Brockington from 7pm – 9pm. Members wishing to attend should contact the Clerk. · The Clerk is arranging a parish plan training event for those who have volunteered to form the Parish Plan review steering group and other interested Parish Councillors, prior to work beginning on updating the Parish Plan. HALC has kindly agreed to provide the event and Lynda Wilcox has suggested any evening during the week commencing Monday 20th October. It was agreed that Monday 20th October was the preferred date and instructed the Clerk to make the necessary arrangements for a meeting to take place at a venue to be confirmed. 98/08 Report from West Mercia Police/Parish Watch PC Fiona Farrington reported that there has been little activity since the last meeting. CSO Jason Merrick has returned to light duty and is arranging a smart water information evening. On behalf of Parish Watch, Councillor Edwards reported that there continues to be some complaints of noisy youths in the vicinity of the Northolme Centre and evidence of alcohol misuse. There have also been complaints of camping on Abbey View Park. He has asked for the undergrowth to be cut back along stream embankments. During the first period of public participation it was reported that shrubs in Northolme Road are growing over the footpath and need to be cut back. There was some concern that the shrubs may be in private ownership. Other than routine items of correspondence that have been circulated to Members, the following have been received since the last meeting: (a) An invitation to participate in the Herefordshire Community Safety and Drugs Partnership Community Consultation on crime and disorder and drug misuse in Herefordshire. Members were provided with a copy of the questionnaire and asked to return it to the Clerk in due course. (b) Letter from Herefordshire Council requesting details of local flooding recently. It was noted that there were no reported incidents of flooding within the Parish now that the Newton Brook has been cleared. (a) Payments Members were reminded that the Clerk’s salary and corresponding payment to the Inland Revenue are currently being paid by standing order at the end of each month. Authority was given to make the following payments: South Wye Community Association HSBC Invoice Finance Ltd. Cash (b) Receipts The following amount has been received since the last meeting: Precept of £15,000 was received on 9th September from Herefordshire Council. (c) Balances: Current account: £500.00 (a) Applications received since last meeting The following application has been received since the last meeting: Ref: DCCW2008/2101/F (b) Observations passed to Herefordshire Council since the last meeting None other than that noted above. (c) Notifications of planning decisions received Ref: DCCW2008/1659/F Ref: DCCW2008/1925/F (d) Other planning matters The Chairman reported that in his District Council role he had attended the Planning Appeal Inquiry in connection with the development off Kingfisher Road/Haywood Country Park delivery. He noted that Herefordshire Council offered no further objection to the development and although the detailed judgement is awaited, it is understood that the Inspector has allowed the appeal. However, in the current economic climate it was quite possible that work on the development would not begin for some time. Delivery of the land for the Country Park is dependent upon work commencing on this development. Members noted a report from the Clerk on expenditure to date against budget and forecast expenditure for the year, noting that on current estimates, a surplus of some £26,000 might be expected at the end of this financial year. It was suggested that some of this funding might be used to make some improvements to the local environment such as the provision of footpaths across Abbey View Park as this was one item which residents expressed a positive opinion when surveyed last year. The Parks and Countryside Department in Herefordshire Council have indicated that they may consider favourably a move to improve the CH7 footpath where it crosses Abbey View Park, with a chipped bark or crushed brick surface. It was agreed to give further consideration to this and other possible projects at the next meeting at which the precept for 2009-10 would be considered. 104/08 Notice BoardAs requested at the last meeting, the Clerk had researched notice board designs that might be suitable for Dorchester Way, providing details of a flat wooden notice board and a roofed design for further consideration. Members agreed that the roofed design was more in keeping with the locale and the Clerk was instructed to undertake further research to ascertain a budget price. During the final period of public participation, the following items were raised: · Concern was expressed that a resident in Dorchester Way has put a wooden shed on the driveway to the property, although behind the building line. It was noted that Planning Services has been asked for guidance on this and has advised that planning consent is not required as the structure is relatively small and located behind the building line. · Following a report that the A465 is to come under the control of Herefordshire Council’s Highways Department, the Clerk was instructed to ascertain responsibility of the Tesco roundabout and to request that the trees be thinned. · It was noted that the only formal public right of way through the Parish is the footpath CH7. (a) It was noted that a drain cover is loose in Dorchester Way, close to the junction with Stanbrook Road. The Clerk was instructed to request that this be repaired. (b) It was agreed that the Clerk write to Herefordshire Council in support of the Chairman’s District Councillor request that speed restrictions on the A465 be extended beyond the Belmont Abbey development. (c) It was noted that improvements to the Haywood Lane junction and footpath have been agreed. The next meeting will take place on Monday 3rd November at Belmont Community Centre, Eastholme Avenue, Belmont, commencing at 7pm. There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.05pm.
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