The Clerk having confirmed that Mr. Taylor, having been duly elected to the Parish Council at the election held on 2nd October and having signed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office, the Chairman welcomed Councillor Taylor to the Parish Council.

108/08 Declarations of Interest

Councillor Edwards and Councillor Powell as District Councillors, 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.

Councillor Edwards declared a personal interest in agenda item 7, payments.

109/08 Minutes of the previous meeting

The draft Minutes of the previous meeting, held on 22nd September, had been previously circulated. It was agreed that two amendments were required to the draft circulated to Members:

· That Minute reference 98/08 be amended so that the last sentence reads ‘he has asked for the undergrowth to be cut back along stream embankments’ and
· The Minute reference 102/08(d) be amended to read ‘Kingfisher Road’.

Subject to these amendments, the Chairman was authorised to sign the Minutes as a true record of proceedings at that meeting.

110/08 Clerk’s Report

(a) Parish Council elections

It was noted that the election has now been completed. No invoice or indication of the final cost has been made available to the Clerk.

(b) Belmont Pools

Members were thanked for their help in circulating the recent petition to encourage Herefordshire Council to purchase the Belmont Pools. The petition was handed to Herefordshire Council on Friday 31st October.

(c) Minutes of the meeting held in August

It was noted that the Minutes of the meeting held on 18th August and approved on 22nd September contain an inaccuracy in that it is stated that Councillor Edwards is the Chair of Herefordshire Neighbourhood Watch. In fact, Councillor Powell is the Chair.

111/08 Report from West Mercia Police/Parish Watch

A representative from West Mercia Police was not in attendance at the meeting but the Chairman reported that he had spoken with PC Farrington who had advised that other than some incidents of egg throwing in the Byland Close/Grantham Close area during Halloween, there have be no incidents of note to report since the last meeting.

Members were pleased to note that a new Community Support Officer would soon be available within South Wye.

Under Parish Watch, Members noted that a door had been damaged at Belmont Community Centre and there has been evidence of drinking in the immediate vicinity.

112/08 Public Participation

During the period allowed for public participation, the following items were raised:

(a) A request was received to reduce lighting on the roundabout at the junction of Broadholme Road/Abbotsmead Road to discourage the teenagers who gather there to drink and generally disturb nearby residents. It was suggested that this would also help reduce lighting costs. Similar actions elsewhere in the county had proved popular and effective. It was suggested that this be raised at the PACT meeting on 24th November to gain police support. It was also agreed that the Clerk be authorised to write to Clive Hall at Herefordshire Council to ask if lighting can be reduced.

(b) Members received a petition from residents of Glastonbury Close, presented by Mr. James, urging the Parish Council not to use the small area of open space at the end of Glastonbury Close for housing. It was noted that the land in question is owned by Herefordshire Council and therefore the Clerk was instructed to pass the petition to Mr Rob Hemblade at Herefordshire Council.

(c) It was reported that following the extension to the Three Counties Hotel, debris has been left in the brook. As District Councillors, Councillor Powell and Councillor Edwards have been pressing for Herefordshire Council to clear the brook.

(d) It was agreed that the Clerk be instructed to write to Herefordshire Council to request action to cut back hedges around the public open spaces and along pavements throughout the Parish after several requests were made for shrubs to be cut back by members of the public.

(e) The Clerk was instructed to notify Herefordshire Council that one of the ribbed strips to aide the visually impaired where the footpath CH7 crosses Abbotsmead Road, and bricks where the footpath crosses Dorchester Way, require replacement and/or repair.

113/08 Correspondence

Other than routine items of correspondence that have been circulated, the following have been received since the last meeting:

a) Letter from Herefordshire Council setting the final date for precept estimates to be submitted to Herefordshire Council as Friday 2nd January 2009. This was considered further later in the meeting.

b) Letter from Herefordshire Council advising that a draft Archaeology Strategy and Strategic Plan cover the next three year’s work of the Council’s Archaeological Service can be viewed on the Council’s Website. Comments can be submitted on these documents no later than 3rd December. It was agreed that in view of there being no archaeological sites within the parish, it would not be necessary to download the strategic plan.

c) Letter from Herefordshire Council inviting comments on a draft Shop Front Design Guide. The guide can be viewed online or downloaded and comments must be submitted no later than 3rd December. Members were encouraged to view the guide online and raise any comments with the Clerk.

d) A consultation document is currently in circulation which is seeking views on proposed amendments to the Code of Conduct for local authority members and employees. Members were encouraged to comment on the proposed amendments and forward these to the Clerk no later than the end of November.

114/08 Payments/Receipts

(a) Payments

Members are reminded that the Clerk’s salary for October and corresponding Inland Revenue payment were paid on 28th October by standing order.

Authority was given to make the following payments:

Payee Details £ £
MA Edwards Delivery of Newsletter 110.00
Repairs to litter bins 15.00
Total payment: 125.00

Dawn ‘til Dusk Printers Printing of Newsletter 120.00
SWCA Room Hire for September meeting 26.25
Cash Petty Cash reimbursement 68.80

(b) Receipts

Bank interest of £221.59 in total was received on 30th September 2008.

(c) Balances

Current account: £500.00
Deposit account £46,164.51

Belmont Pools reserve £7,500.00
Petty cash -£68.80

(d) Other financial matters

The Clerk reported that interim national salary scales for local government employees for the year from 1st April 2008 have been released, pending arbitration, and NALC guidance is that the new scales should be applied with effect from 1st April 2008. The clerk’s salary will be adjusted for the November payment, details of which will be attached as a confidential addendum to the minutes of this meeting.

115/08 Planning matters

(a) Applications received since the last meeting

The following planning applications have been received for comment since the last meeting:

Ref: DCCW/2008/2578/F
Site: Tesco Stores Ltd., Abbotsmead Road
Development: Variation of condition 10 of planning permission ref. DCCW/2001/1848/F, as amended, to permit additional petrol filling station deliveries from those currently permitted.
Comments: Members expressed concern at these proposals and in particular questioned whether this was an attempt at moving towards 24 hour opening of the petrol filling station. No evidence of fuel running out had been witnessed which might support the move for additional opening hours. I was agreed that the Clerk write expressing this Parish Council’s objection to these proposals as being too disruptive to the lives of local residents.

Ref: DCCW/2008/2685/F
Site: 16 Yarlington Mill, Belmont
Development: Replace existing conservatory with new larger conservatory
Comments: Plans currently in circulation.

(b) Observations passed to Herefordshire Council since the last meeting

None.

(c) Notification of planning decisions received since the last meeting

Ref: DCCW/25008/1966/F
Site: Three Counties Hotel, Belmont
Development: Proposed additional three storey bedroom wing
Comments: Approved with conditions.

Ref: DCCW/2008/2002/F
Site: 8 Abingdon Drive, Belmont
Development: Proposed first floor extension to rear and wind turbine on gable.
Comment: Application refused by Herefordshire Council on the grounds that the size and position of the extension will impact detrimentally on the amenity and privacy of adjoining neighbours. Members were reminded that the Parish Council offered no objections to the proposed extension but had some reservations about the wind turbine.

(d) Other Planning Matters

Notification has been received that application ref. DCCW2008/2101/F by Tesco Stores Ltd., to vary condition 8 of planning permission DCCW2007/1226/F to extend the time allowed for dot.com operations on a Sunday, is to be considered by the Central Area Planning Sub-Committee on Wednesday 5th November at 2pm. It was noted that no Member was available to attend the meeting.

116/08 2009-10 Precept

Members considered a schedule prepared by the Clerk showing expected expenditure for 2007/8 and budget proposals for 2009/10. After some discussion regarding suggested projects for 2009/10, it was proposed by Councillor Edwards and seconded by Councillor Powell that the precept for 2009/10 be set at £25,000.00. Councillor Myatt proposed an amendment to this resolution that the precept be set at £30,000.00. This was seconded by Councillor Brown and when put to the meeting, the amendment was agreed with six votes for and two against. Finally it was put to the meeting that the precept be set at £30,000.00 for the year 2009/10. The Chairman declared the resolution agreed.

The Clerk was instructed to notify Herefordshire Council accordingly.

117/08 Notice Board

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

118/08 Parish Freighter

Members noted that the Freighter has confirmed bookings for the first and third Saturday of each month for 2009 (excluding January and December), from 2pm to 4pm. Details of the dates will be placed on notice boards and copied to Members in due course.

It was also noted that there has been some instances of individuals leaving items for the freighter in the community centre car park before the allotted time. A warning of possible action for fly tipping has been added to the notice detailing freighter times. It was agreed to monitor the situation.

119/08 Request for funding – Sharp

Details of the funding request from Sharp for £100 to meet administrative costs, including room hire for meetings, photocopying etc. for the forthcoming year. After some discussion, during which the form of support (for example payment direct to the meeting venue), was discussed. It was finally agreed to support the request from Sharp subject to the Clerk receiving a copy of Sharp’s most recent accounts to confirm that the grant request is reasonable for the anticipated expenditure. The Clerk was authorised to make a payment upon receipt of satisfactory documentation from Sharp.

120/08 Belmont Roundabout

In response to an item raised by a member of the public, the Chairman advised that prior to the detrunking of the A465, the Tesco roundabout had been identified as an accident blackspot after some 17 reported accidents in recent years. The main cause of accidents had been identified as individuals not giving way at the roundabout and the Highways Agency had proposed a hard shoulder around the roundabout and hatched lines (i.e. a yellow box) at the junction with Abbotsmead Road. Use of the pavements as cycle lanes had also been proposed.

The road is now managed by Herefordshire Council and these proposals are being considered further.

It was agreed that the Clerk be instructed to write to Herefordshire Council to support the proposal for hatched lines at the junction of Abbotsmead Road and request that these be extended to other junctions from the roundabout, to reiterate the Parish Council’s support for proposals to extend the speed restrictions to Belmont Abbey and to request that the Parish Council be kept informed of proposals regarding this area.

121/08 Litter bins

It was noted that several litter bins now require either replacement liners or other repairs and one additional litter bin has been requested for the Grantham Close area. After some discussion it was agreed that a budget of £1,000.00 be set aside for the replacement of damaged bins and to purchase an additional bin for Grantham Close. This project to be completed by 31st March 2008.

122/08 Parish Plan

Members who attended will be aware that on 20th October, Lynda Wilcox, CEO of HALC attended a meeting and explained the current advice regarding parish planning. In brief, she advised:

· Current guidelines suggest that a parish plan should be revised/re-written every five years in order to ensure that it remains appropriate for the area and reflects the views of the local population.
· The process of putting together a parish plan now follows an agreed/recommended protocol which can be supported by HALC and/or Community First
· The procedures include:

o Public meeting attended by HALC to explain the process of parish planning and to seek initial ideas for a public consultation exercise. Volunteers for the steering group can also be sought from this initial meeting
o An “ideas harvest” event at which members of the public are invited to indicate their preferences and ideas. It was suggested that two such events would be preferable in Belmont at each of the two community centres.
o A public consultation through a survey, following on from the “Ideas harvest(s)”
o Collating results and consultation with Herefordshire Council officers.
o Regular steering group meetings which should be open to the public.

An up to date Parish Plan is increasingly required to secure grant funding for any projects and is recognized as “good practice” for parish councils as it ensures that residents play a greater part in directing parish council work in the short and medium term.

Those who attended the meeting on October 20th indicated a willingness to continue to re-write the parish plan and are now seeking the Parish Council support for this exercise. Grant funding is available to meet some or all of the likely costs

After a brief discussion, it was agreed that the Parish Council supports the revisit of the Parish Plan including the application of any grant funding and that the Clerk be authorised to progress this project. It was further noted that the next meeting of the Parish Plan steering group is scheduled for 1st December at the Northolme Community Centre, commencing at 7pm.

123/08 Parish Matters

(a) Councillor Loft reported that he pursuing the removal and replacement of dead trees in Wheatridge Road and Chichester Close.

(b) It has been reported that one householder is driving across the public open space between Wyedean Rise and Deerhurst Drive, damaging the grass. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Parks and Countryside Service of Herefordshire Council to notify them.

(c) It was reported by Councillor Powell that following the cutting back of overgrown embankments and grass cutting within the Parish, cuttings had been left on the pavements which become slippery in wet weather. It was generally noted that most cuttings were removed by contractors.

(d) Sandbags were requested for two properties in Mulberry Close following recent flooding in the area.

(e) Councillor Edwards gave a brief report on activities as District Councillor, including:

· Completing a litter pick with volunteers of the Withy Brook when five bags of rubbish were collected
· Seeing clarification of proposals for the Tesco roundabout
· Raising concerns about poor standard of grounds maintenance throughout the Parish

(f) Members noted that the evening bus service along Dorchester Way and Whitefriars Road had reported difficulties resulting from vehicles parked in the highway.

124/08 Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 15th December 2008 at Belmont Community Centre, Eastholme Avenue, Belmont, commencing at 7pm.

There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.30pm.