089/11 Declarations of Interest

A personal interest in agenda item 9 (minute reference 097/11) was declared by Councillors Bridges, Edwards and Powell as councillors with another authority, Herefordshire Council.

A prejudicial interest was declared in agenda item 9 by Councillors Hubbard and Myatt.

A prejudicial interest was declared in agenda item 11 by Councillors Bridges, Myatt and Schoffer.
090/11 Minutes of the previous meeting

It was agreed that the Chairman be authorised to sign the Minutes as a true record of proceedings at the meeting held on 30th June 2011.

091/11 Clerks Report

(a) Parish Plan
The analysis of the parish plan questionnaire has been completed and will be discussed by the parish plan steering group within the next few weeks. An update will be provided at the next parish council meeting.

(b) Weed spray
Herefordshire Council has now carried out a kerb weed spray of the entire area and a follow up kerb sweep to remove dead weeds has been requested. It was noted that no spray or subsequent sweep has taken place in the passageway leading from Belmont Medical Centre to Yarlington Mill. The clerk will ascertain why this passageway was not swept.

(c) Home Farm
The Clerk has received a telephone message from the prospective developers indicating that they wish to attend a parish council meeting in the future but that they will forward further information in due course before any meeting.

(d) Annual Return
The Annual Return has now been forwarded to the external auditors. There were no requests to view the accounts during the statutory period when accounts can be made available for public scrutiny.

(e) Annual Report
The Annual Report to residents is now being printed and will be distributed to residents within the next few weeks.

(f) Website working party
Annual leave commitments has prevented the website working party from meeting. A meeting is to be arranged for early September. It was noted that Breinton Parish Council are in the process of creating their own website.

(g) Litter bins
A litter bin top has been removed and is missing from the bin along the CH7 footpath adjacent to where the footpath crosses Northolme Road. A replacement and one spare top has been ordered by the Clerk under delegated powers for repairs and maintenance.

(h) Parish Boundary Map
At the request of the Chairman, a copy of the Parish Boundary Map has been obtained from Herefordshire Council and was provided to Members at the meeting.

(i) Ragwort
Ragwort has been reported on Abbey View Park. Herefordshire Council Parks and Countryside officers have been advised.

(j) Review of Subsidised Bus Services and Community Transport
Following the consultation last month, Herefordshire Council has issued an update on the responses to the consultation which include proposals to withdraw the service subsidy on the 448 service and 449 service during the evenings which pass through the parish. There are similar proposals for reductions in subsidy for the evening service 74/75 to Newton Farm which also service the parish.

In his role as District Councillor, Councillor Edwards reported that he had attended a briefing meeting on this subject and had reminded Herefordshire Council of a commitment to advise parish councils of any reduction or removal of subsidy on bus routes in advance of the setting of parish council precepts for 2012-2013 so that parish councils can make provision to support services if they wished to do so.

092/11 Report from West Mercia Police/Parish Watch

West Mercia Police were not in attendance at this meeting.

As Parish Watch co-ordinator, Councillor Edwards reported that he understood PC Roger Bradley was now on board as the local PC for the area. The following items were reported to the police or to parish watch:
• A motor bike has been used on Abbey View Park. Police were informed.
• Several small grass fires resulted from one group of youths setting fire to items adjacent to Northolme Community Centre one evening. Police were informed and fire brigade presence was not required.
• There have been complaints of youths playing football inside the equipped children’s play area at the top of Canterbury Close. Herefordshire Council has been informed.

093/11 Correspondence

Other than items addressed elsewhere on the agenda, the Clerk has received the following:

(a) a letter from a resident complaining of being nearly injured by a horse whilst walking along the CH7 footpath where it crosses farmland within the Parish. The matter was referred to Herefordshire Council’s public rights of way officer who, in conjunction with Councillor Edwards, has contacted the landowner and the horse has been moved, allowing the footpath to be reopened following it’s closure on receipt of the complaint. PROW officer advises that in the event of further issues of this kind, both the police and Health and Safety Executive can be approached as they have more powers to deal with this than the PROW.

(b) Letter from Dore Community Transport requesting a donation to continue their work. This arrived too late to be considered at the meeting and will be presented for further discussion at the next meeting.

(c) A copy of a press release from Buckingham Palace has been received detailing some of the events for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend 2012 and encouraging communities to take part with a Jubilee Big Lunch and/or a Jubilee Beacon. Members to consider whether they wish to take part or initiate any event but in the meantime a copy will be passed to the Community Centres.

(d) A request has been made for another memorial bench by a resident in Dorchester Way. The matter has been referred to Geoff Tarring at Herefordshire Council in the first instance.

094/11 Payments/Receipts

(a) Payments

Authority was given to make the following payments

ABC Print (Hereford) Ltd.
Printing of Annual Report £274.00

PIP Printing
Printing of monthly newsletter £144.00

Northolme Community Centre Association
Room Hire for June meeting £22.50

Cash

Petty Cash reimbursement £104.26

(b) Receipts

Bank interest of £5.21 was received from Royal Bank of Scotland on 30th June.

(c) Balances

Current account: £500.00
Deposit account: £38,547.08
Petty cash: (£27.26)
Current commitments, items ordered but not yet invoices, amount to: £7,072.79

095/11 Planning Matters

The following planning applications were received since the last meeting:

Ref: DMS-111513-FH
Site: 21 Northolme Road, Belmont
Development: Demolish existing garage and replace with two storey side extension
Comments: Plans have been circulated. Overall members had no objections although concern was expressed at vehicle parking and lack of on street parking at this location. Notification has been received that permission has been granted for this development and conditions for approval require that parking for two vehicles must be provided within the cartilage of the property prior to occupation of the extension and that the vehicle parking area must not be used for any purpose other than the parking of vehicles

Ref: DMS-111433-FH
Site: 6 The Meadows, Belmont
Development: Proposed extension and alterations to existing garage and formation of self contained annex
Comment: Plans have been circulated and members had no objections to this development. Herefordshire Council has been notified accordingly.

Ref: DMS-111965-F
Site: 10 Romsey Drive, Belmont
Development: Proposed ground floor single storey extension
Comments: Plans were considered at the meeting and members confirmed no objections to the proposed development which consists mainly of a rear extension. The Clerk was instructed to notify Herefordshire Council accordingly.

096/11 To receive reports from HALC training sessions

There were no attendances at HALC training sessions since the last meeting

097/11 Maintenance and development of wild flower meadow

The Clerk explained that as two Members, Councillors Hubbard and Myatt, had declared a prejudicial interest in this agenda item, they would be permitted to speak as members of the public in the public participation session at the start of this agenda item but would then be required to leave the room whilst the matter was discussed. Accordingly, Councillor Hubbard introduced this item, explaining that he wished Members to consider work to begin to establish a wild flower meadow on the land behind Dorchester Way, including cutting the grass to allow current wildflowers to seed and then removing the cuttings after about two weeks. He suggested that volunteer help could be used for some of the proposed work.

The Clerk explained that Herefordshire Council had been invited to attend as landowners but were unable to do so due to annual leave commitments. A copy of the approved management plan for the area was provided to members.

After a brief discussion, it was agreed to defer this item until the next meeting to allow time for Members to consider the Management Plan and that Herefordshire Council officers be invited to attend the next meeting. It was also noted that the next meeting in September would be quite late in the season if a grass cut had not taken place by then.

098/11 Local Partnership Working

Councillor Myatt introduced this item with a report on the Community Fun Day organised by the Northolme Community Centre and supported by Belmont Community Centre. The event had proved to be a great success with very many local residents in attendance on the day. It had also proved to be an excellent example of the two community centres working together and was felt by many that this should become an annual event.

It was suggested that the Parish Council should support and encourage all local organisations working within the Parish to work together either informally, through networking opportunities or perhaps through a joint working agreement which could be beneficial in a number of ways such as to help secure services or funding for services within the parish in future. The Clerk had approached HALC for further guidance and been advised that a briefing on locality working in partnership with Herefordshire Council was planned for September which would address some of these issues. It was agreed that the Clerk and/or other Members might attend this briefing and report back to the next meeting to progress this item.

099/11 Funding application, Kraftimonkies Holiday Club

Councillors Bridges, Myatt and Schoffer declared a prejudicial interest in this agenda item as directors of Northolme Community Centre Association. Following the period of public participation in this item during which further clarification was sought from Mrs. Watts regarding the holiday club, they left the room and returned immediately before the commencement of the next agenda item.

Members had been provided with a copy of the application for funding from Kraftimonkies Holiday club for funding to help with costs associated with the running of the Kraftimonkies Holiday club during the remainder of the school summer holiday. Mrs. Watts, in attendance at the meeting, explained that some 80% of attendees were from the Belmont rural area and the cost of each session was kept low to be affordable for all. Long term plans for the club included registering with Ofsted so that full week sessions could be offered in future. Many of the items of play equipment had been donated rather than purchased to keep costs down but it had still proved difficult to cover all operating costs.

The Clerk confirmed that it would not be possible to support individual children to attend as this would be contrary to parish council regulations but supporting the club through the payment of room hire would be within the power of the parish council.

After some debate, it was agreed to fund the remainder of the room hire charge for the holiday club to the amount of £367.50 and to provide additional funding of £100 towards the purchase cost of toys and equipment to be used by the holiday club, with the proviso that (a) receipts be provided to show how the money has been spent and (b) that any toys and equipment purchased with this funding remain within the Northolme Centre to be used by the holiday club in subsequent sessions.

100/11 Parish Matters

(a) Councillor Bridges provided a report on the Community Fun Day at the Northolme Centre and outlined his activities as a District Councillor, including:

• Reporting potholes in Abbotsmead Road that have now been corrected/repaired
• Taken part in the online survey into bus services
• Nominated Argyll Rise under the Fields in Trust scheme
• Attended, with Councillor Powell, a consultation on proposals to levy car park charges for Sundays and Bank Holidays in Herefordshire. Members noted the proposal to consult on the possible withdrawal of the free parking concession for the over 65s which could generate additional income of £500,000 for Herefordshire Council. Councillor Bridges also reported that he had proposed that the free car parking for Herefordshire Council staff be withdrawn.

(b) The poor state of fencing surrounding the Tesco car park was discussed and Councillors Hubbard and Edwards reporting that they had reported the dangerous state of the wire fencing to the local manager who has indicated that work should be started towards the end of September. Councillor Edwards noted that in the past he had reported this to senior managers within Tesco.

(c) It was noted that some residents in Monkscroft Drive have removed hedges between their property and Belmont Road. It was confirmed that these hedges are in private ownership with no condition requiring that they be retained.

(d) It was agreed that the Clerk seek clarification from Herefordshire Council regarding the original Highways Agency proposal to construct a hard edge to the Tesco roundabout to prevent damage by heavy goods vehicles travelling around the roundabout.

(e) The Clerk was instructed to ask when damaged shrubs in Rosedale Close are to be replaced.

(f) Councillor Powell provided a report on activities as a District Councillor, including:

• Requesting that the banks of the brook along the CH7 footpath be cut back
• Requesting removal of tree stumps on land at the end of Glastonbury Close as the stumps are being used by youths to climb the fence between Glastonbury Close and the Macdonalds land
• Requesting an improvement to the grounds maintenance work in Glastonbury Close which was felt by residents to have been poorly done initially
• Reporting a Golden Post resident for fly tipping garden waste onto public open space in Glastonbury Close. Herefordshire Council enforcement officers are contacting the resident.

(g) Councillor Edwards provided a report into his activities as District Councillor, including:

• Requesting inspection and improvement of some Westholme Road junction dropped kerbs
• Cutting back the overgrowth from CH7 footpath at Abbey View West
• Requesting repairs to the stops up to Canterbury Close from the brook
• Requesting kerb sweep to be completed
• Requesting Withy Brook embankment strim and several pavement hedges to be cut?•Attending the Belmont Lake Angling Club AGM
• Requesting that the experimental speed limit on the A465 and Ruckhall Lane be implemented.

101/11 Public Participation

During the final period for public participation, there were no additional matters raised.

102/11 Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Thursday 22nd September at Northolme Community Centre, Northolme Road, Belmont, commencing at 7.15pm.