Parish
council meeting
March 9 2009
Belmont Community Centre
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BELMONT
RURAL PARISH COUNCIL
Parish
council meeting |
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016/09 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 and agenda item 12, as a Member of Herefordshire Council. Councillors Cook and Schoffer declared a personal interested
in agenda item 9, Parish Plan update and request for funding, as members
of the Parish Plan Steering Group. The Minutes of the meeting held on 26th January had been previously circulated. It was agreed that the Chairman be authorised to sign the Minutes as a true record of proceedings at that meeting. 018/09 Clerk's Report(a) Repairs and Maintenance The list of outstanding items listed under the Parish Initiative Defect Reporting Form was discussed. The Clerk was instructed to write to Clive Hall of Herefordshire Council to ask for guidance on progressing these items through the scheme. (b) Training It was noted that the Clerk and Chairman had attended the Clerks and Chairperson’s informal evening with Herefordshire Council on 17th February at which a number of items were raised including an update on procedures under the Code of Conduct and a presentation on the provision of allotments.Chairman has attended a Power of Wellbeing evening and provided a brief update on this new Power, which Belmont Rural Parish would not be in a position to qualify for as the target for elected Councillors at the last election had not been met. It was agreed that an informal training evening be arranged by the Clerk for Members so that formal training attended by Parish Councillors in recent months can be cascaded to other Members. (c) Notice Board Authority has now been given by Herefordshire Council for the chosen position of the new Notice Board. Delivery and installation are expected shortly. (d) Grant to Northolme Community Centre The second quotation has now been received by the Clerk to her satisfaction. (e) Belmont Library extension The library extension has now been completed and Members have been invited to the opening on March 12th. Copies of receipted invoices in respect of the funding provided to the Belmont Centre have been received by the Clerk in accordance with the funding agreement. 19/09 Report from West Mercia Police & Parish Watch CSO Jason Merrick, in attendance at the meeting, noted that instances of anti social behaviour seem to be falling, possibly because of the colder weather but also because letters are being sent to the parents of youngsters who have been causing trouble. Just outside the Parish boundary, thefts of car badges have been reported. In his report under the Parish Watch scheme, the Chairman noted that litter bins are still being regularly damaged or removed. Fencing to the rear of Macdonalds behind Glastonbury Close has been damaged by fire and there is a substantial amount of litter in the immediate vicinity. Finally Members and members of the public in attendance were reminded of the importance of telephoning the police on the non emergency number to report all minor offences so that they can be properly logged and any pattern of anti social behaviour noted so that appropriate police resources can be directed towards any issues. The Chairman invited members of the public to raise any issues of concern, during which the following items were discussed: · Concern was expressed at the apparent lack of police physical presence within the Parish and the whereabouts of the bicycle partly financed by a grant from the Parish Council. CSO Meyrick explained that resources were stretched as a result of one CSO being unwell. The bicycle is currently being used by Jason. · It was reported that residents in Glastonbury Close are being disturbed by noise from the vicinity of the Three Counties Hotel at night. · It was noted that there has been concern expressed via the Parish website about dog mess in the streets. Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, in attendance at the meeting, explained that enforcement officers were being trained so that they can issue fixed penalty notices for offences such as littering and not clearing up after a dog. · Litter from the Tesco store was also considered an increasing nuisance. Members noted that some stores, such as Macdonalds, conduct a regular litter pick along the Belmont Road but Tesco do not appear to do so. Photographs clearing slowing Tesco carrier bags along the grass verges have been sent to the store manager and it was also noted that it had been a condition of the Tesco licence that the immediate store surroundings are to be kept clear of litter. The Chairman noted that a direct approach to Tesco head office had proved successful in the past. It was agreed that the Clerk write to Councillor Jarvis with a copy to Paul Nicholas of Herefordshire Council to request action to improve the site. · The Clerk was instructed to approach Herefordshire Council again regarding the request to reduce lighting levels on the mini roundabout on the junction of Abbotsmead Road and Broadholme Road. Other than routine items routinely circulated the Clerk noted that she has received information about the development of locality teams for children and young people and their families in Herefordshire, upon which Members are invited to comment. Time is relatively short for observations to be provided to Children’s Services so observations are to be submitted to the Clerk no later than 21st March. (a) Payments Authority was given to make the following payments: Northolme Community
Association Northolme Community
Association MA Edwards HSBC Invoice Finance
(UK) South Wye Community
Association Mrs. E. Kelso Cash (b) Receipts No amounts were received since the last meeting (c) Balances Current account:
£500.00 (a) Applications received since last meeting Ref: DCCW2008/2775/F
(b) Observations passed to Herefordshire Council since the last meeting None (c) Other Planning Matters Members noted that the developers of the land off Mulberry Close had begun preliminary tree and shrub clearance prior to commencement of work on the entrance to their site. Some concern was expressed at vehicles parking and partially blocking Westholme Road whilst work takes place in Mulberry Close. The Clerk was instructed to request a copy of the planning conditions for this development and to seek assurances that the work is being monitored by Planning Services. The report from the Parish Plan Steering Group on progress towards the two consultation events was noted. In particular it was noted that an application to the Big Lottery Awards for All fund is being prepared, to cover the cost of preparing the Plan. The Clerk explained that Awards for All expect a contribution towards the cost of the plan to be made by the Parish Council and therefore the Steering Group are formally requesting that Belmont Rural Parish Council pledge £1,000 towards the cost of preparing the plan, should this be required. It was noted that this funding would be in addition to the cost of the Clerk’s time in facilitating the Steering Group meetings, which had been previously agreed. After a brief discussion, it was unanimously agreed that the sum of £1,000 be offered to the Parish Plan Steering Group towards the cost of activities in connection with the preparation of the Parish Plan. Finally it was noted that a first draft of part of the Plan which looks at progress against targets from the initial plan had been prepared by volunteer Adrian Bridges. Members were asked to feedback comments via the Parish Clerk as soon as possible. Mr. Bridges was congratulated on the professional looking first draft and thanked for the extensive work that he has undertaken so far. 025/09 Abbey View Park Footpaths and Bridges The Chairman reported that he, the Vice Chairman and Clerk had met with Herefordshire Council officers with a view to seeking quotations for a rough footpath around Abbey View Park and bridges across the Brook, these being the two most popular items from the survey carried out last year. A quotation has been promised for the next meeting. Councillor John Jarvis, in attendance at the meeting, explained the reasons behind the proposal to increase the charge for the Parish Freighter service from £38 per visit to £380 per visit, namely: · The need
to reduce the volume of waste being sent to landfill through out the county,
noting that waste collected by the freighter was sent to landfill, and Members expressed disappointment that no consultation had taken place before the decision to increase the price had been made and that no alternatives were put forward. The following comments were also made: · Many residents viewed the service as a recycling facility due to the presence of a collecting van for the charity Full House. Usable items of household furniture are brought to the Full House van and those items deemed unsuitable, collected by the freighter. Withdrawal of the freighter service will have a major impact on Full House’s collection of items for recycling. · The Parish of Belmont Rural has a higher than average level of elderly residents, many of whom do not own vehicles which they can use to take waste to the Household Waste site at Rotherwas. Of those who do own vehicles, many elderly residents are unable to use the site because of infirmity or disability, finding the freighter a much easier service to use. · Elderly residents have complained that if they employ a handyman or contractor to remove large items to the Household Waste site, they are forced to pay trade waste disposal fees even if the items are clearly household waste such as garden waste. · There was no evidence that the service has been misused for the disposal of trade waste. The freighter driver has been seen to turn away inappropriate waste. · Concern was expressed that the nature of the Parish combined with the withdrawal of the freighter service would lead to an increase in fly tipping. Possible alternative solutions were briefly discussed, including the provision of skips for garden waste, for which there was felt to be no suitable site within the Parish, and the possibility of a collecting van for garden waste which could be given exemption from the trade waste fee. Councillor Jarvis indicated that further consideration was being given to alternatives to the service and that a letter explaining the options would be sent to all Parishes in future. It was agreed that the Clerk should continue to seek an alternative service provider and that this shouldbe discussed further at the next meeting. Members noted that the original offer of funding towards purchase of the Belmont Pools had been dependent upon the offer being taken up within the current financial year. Whilst negotiations are currently underway, Herefordshire Council has indicated that the purchase is unlikely to go ahead during the current financial year and has requested that the grant offer be extended into the forthcoming financial year. After a brief discussion, it was unanimously agreed that the offer of £7,500.00 towards the purchase of the Belmont Pools be extended for a further year. It was unanimously agreed that the date of the Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Council meeting be changed from 18th May to 11th May to avoid a clash with the Annual Meetings of Hereford City Council. Members were asked to consider the format for the Annual Parish Meeting and forward any suggestions to the Clerk. (a) It was reported that there have been evidence of fly tipping in the Newton Brook off Southolme Road. Councillor Powell volunteered to arrange for the brook to be cleared. (b) Trees require pruning in Arundel Close and Westholme Road. Both are thought to be in private ownership but have been reported to Herefordshire Council to follow up. The Clerk was instructed to write to Herefordshire Council with a view to the trees on the roundabout being thinned. (c) Concern was expressed at the continued practice of vehicles parking on grass verges throughout the Parish. The Clerk was instructed to write to Herefordshire Council to ask for the policy regarding vehicles parked on verges. (d) A pavement sweep is to be requested between the Belmont Community Centre car park and Yarlington Mill as the corridor is full of leaves. (e) It was noted that the roadworks on the A465 will be completed shortly. There no further items raised during the final period of public participation 031/09 Date of the next meeting The next meeting
will take place on Monday 20th April at Belmont Community Centre, Eastholme
Avenue, Belmont, commencing at 7pm. |