HANLEY CASTLE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday, 21st May 2015 starting at 8:40pm in Hanley Swan Village Hall.

Present: Councillors: Sue Roberts (Chairman) Bob Lamb Sue Adeney Wendy Roberts-Powell

Apologies: John Taverner (Cllr) Peter Goodyear (PPW)

A Morgan (DCllr) M Morgan (DCllr) M Nelson N Lechmere all left after the Annual Parish Meeting

In Attendance: Mrs Rebecca Abunassar (Clerk) A Atkinson

64/15 Welcome: The chairman welcomed all present to the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.

65/15 Election of Chairman 2015/16 & signing of Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Cllr Roberts the existing Chairman asked if there were any nominations for the role of Chairman. Cllr Lamb nominated Cllr Roberts, Cllr Adeney seconded the proposal and all voted in favour. Cllr Roberts signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Declarations of Interest

a) Register of Interests: Councillors were reminded of the need to update their register of interests.

b) To declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in items on the agenda and their nature: None were declared

c) To declare any Other Disclosable Interests in items on the agenda and their nature: Cllr Lamb declared an interest in the Cemex application.

66/15 To Consider Written Requests from Councillors for the Council to Grant a Dispensation (S33 of the Localism Act 2011):

None received but it was agreed to renew Dispensations previously granted at the next meeting as they were due to expire at the end of May 2015.

67/15 Election of Vice Chairman 2015/16

Nominations were requested for the role of Vice Chairman. Cllr Roberts nominated Cllr Taverner and it was seconded by Cllr Adeney and all voted in favour.

68/15 Election of Representatives

The following members were elected as representatives:

Staffing Committee – to be left until after co-options

Environmental Monitoring Group – Cllrs Adeney & Taverner

Worcestershire County Association of Local Councils – Cllrs Taverner & Roberts

Village Hall Committee – Anthony Atkinson

Bus Passenger/Transport Representative – Cllr Adeney

Housing Association Development Liaison (1) – to be left vacant at present

Lead Finance Member – Cllr Taverner

Lead Neighbourhood Plan Member – Cllr Lamb

Business Focused Member – Cllr Taverner

Upton Library Representative – Cllr Roberts

Hanley Castle Parochial Charities (2) – to note the existing appointments run from 2013 – 2017

69/15 To Confirm the Bank Signatories & amend the Mandate where necessary

It was agreed to review the signatories held on file and remove past councillors and include additional ones if appropriate.

Action: The Clerk to liaise with the bank regarding paperwork required.

70/15 To Confirm the Appointment of the Internal Auditor

Chris Price was appointed as internal auditor and it would be arranged for him to review the books prior to the external audit deadline of 29th June.

71/15 Minutes

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 16th April 2015 had been previously circulated and the minutes were approved and signed.

72/15 Matters Arising & Progress Reports not Listed elsewhere on the Agenda

a) Min 69c/14: Anne Ballinger gift

Action: Councillors to continue to source ideas.

b) Min 70d/14: Cycle Route – Is was agreed that an Opening ceremony would be planned for a date after 15th June. A list of invitees was required to be drawn up. Cllr Wells would be contacted with a list of possible dates as the first part of the process.

c) Min 148/14: Superfast Broadband – No additional update.

d) Min 164/14: Cemex Application – The Clerk confirmed the council’s comments had been submitted to the County Council. Cllr Lamb talked of a meeting he had attended that had been called by Nick Lechmere regarding the location of the Wharf within the application. Cllr Lamb explained that the comments submitted by the Parish Council made reference to conditions to be applied to operative hours and noise levels/minimisation to lessen the impact on the residents of Quay Lane and other local properties. Cllr Lamb also talked the Council through Upton Rowing Club’s desire to have a 1000 metre course on the lake that was in the application plans. It would mean going into land that was not part of the existing application so a further application would be required in the future.

e) Min 45b/15 Blackmore Bus Stop: No additional update.

73/15 Finance:

a) Payment of Accounts: Members approved the payments of accounts as in the presented schedule in Appendix 1.

b) Notification of receipts received: 1st instalment of the annual precept.

c) Annual Finances: A copy of the annual receipts and payments was distributed along with copies of the end of year report. It was agreed to sign off the accounts in preparation for the Internal Audit.

74/15 Projects related to the Section 106 Funding:

a) Cricket Club: The legal agreement was currently being drafted and submitted to the school and cricket club for approval.

b) Parish Council: Cllr Roberts confirmed that the benches had been installed. Cllr Lamb asked whether they needed to be painted for protection but the supplier suggested that they were just cleaned and allowed to weather naturally. It was agreed that the Clerk could order the signage as per the grant agreements. The signage would go on the gate/fence and was required to be vandal proof.

Action: The Clerk to follow up on signage.

c) Request for possible future projects for Section 106 Consideration: Possible project were discussed and it was agreed that the second part of the cycle track should take priority. Cllr Lamb updated the Councillors on a meeting that had taken place at the High School to discuss the parking issues and said that there was a section of land that could be used as an extension of the bus bay to alleviate some of the problems. He said that he had contacted Gerry Brienza who had put him in contact with Lindsay Kier who said there was no 106 funding for Hanley Castle but there were other parishes that feed into the high school that had 106 funds and it may be possible to access these.

Action: The Clerk to inform Simon Rowles and Cllr Lamb to place in the Parish Link.

75/15 Planning:

a) To Consider the following applications referred by MHDC for consultation:

15/00592/FUL Aalps College, The Rhydd

2 no. 300KW biomass heating systems

No objection but assurance sought that any noise and visual impact on neighbouring properties would be at a minimum.

b) To consider under the Scheme of Delegation any Planning Applications received between the publication of the agenda and the Meeting

15/00606/FUL Blackmore House, Blackmore Park, Hanley Swan

Proposed conversion of an exisiting studio workshop into a private residential single dwelling

The application was discussed and no objections were raised against the proposals. It was agreed to request that it must be tied to the main dwelling and for residency purposes only.

Action: The Clerk to contact the planning officer.

c) Details of Decision Notices Received to-date:

14/01158/FUL & 14/01158/LBC – Hanley Hall, Gilberts End

Change of use of existing agricultural buildings & construction of a pool house

Approved 30th April 2015

15/00253/FUL – Serenity Spa, Upton Road, Hanley Castle

Change of use from Spa to outbuilding

Application withdrawn 12th May 2015

d) Details of Appeal Notices Received to-date:

None received

e) Details of enforcement action:

Nothing to report

76/15 Highway Matters

a) Report & Works for the Lengthsman – Welland Parish Clerk had written to the Clerk to ask if a new VAS rota could be implemented as the sign was now working. It was agreed that from the 1st June a new rota would start.

b) Update on reported issues – Cllr Smith’s response & Ian Bamforth’s email were read out. It was agreed to invite Cll Smith to visit Gilbets End. Cllr Lamb reported a deep pothole on the footpath in front of the school playing field and asked that it was reported. The drains on Quay Lane & by Bowling Green on the main road were reported as not draining adequately.

Action: Clerk to contact Cllr Smith.

77/15 District & County Councillors Reports

a) District Cllrs Morgan & Perry: DCllrs Perry & Morgan spoke at the Parish Meeting.

b) County Cllr Tom Wells: Cllr Wells was not present.

78/15 Report of the:

a) Parish Paths Warden – (Peter Goodyear)- Received at the Parish Meeting

b) Pond Wardens (Neil & Gigi Verlander) – None received

c) Playing Field Warden (Graham Holmes) -Received at the Parish Meeting

d) Local Police – Received at the Parish Meeting

79/15 Environmental Matters

a) Report of the Environmental Working Group – Received at the Parish Meeting

b) The Big Lunch – Would be held on 12th July and the Parish Council would arrange the insurance and pay for the cost of the road closure notice.

c) Brickwalls Barn – The letter received by the editor of the parish link was read out. It was agreed to clarify exactly what the site licence actually covers.

80/15 Neighbourhood Development Plan

Update received at Parish Meeting.

81/15 Correspondence

a) Three Counties Tickets – The Clerk gave the 12 family tickets received to Cllr Roberts. The names had been collected from the school, The Three Kings and email. Cllr Roberts-Powell would collect from the shop and organise the draw.

b) CALC Training Bulletin – The planned training courses were read out and Councillors agreed to let the Clerk know if they wished to attend any.

c) Fire damage to the Youth Shelter

82/15 Topics raised by Councillors, Committees, Clerk & Parishioners

Nothing raised.

83/15 Councillors reports and items for future agenda:

a) Coverdale Wood: possible community asset issue – Cllr Adeney asked if the possibility of listing Coverside Wood as a community right to buy asset could be investigated.

Action: The Clerk to look into the Community Right to Buy proposal and how to register an asset.

b) Co-Option of Councillor Vacancies – The Council was able to Co-opt the vacant seats on the Parish Council until 25th June and it was agreed to ask possible candidates to contact the Clerk with the intention of Co-Option at the next meeting.

Action: Councillors to speak to possible candidates.

84/15 Date of Next Scheduled Meeting:

18th June 2015

The meeting closed at 10.30 pm

Signed ……………………………… Date: 18th June 2015

Chairman

Appendix 1: Schedule of Payments & Receipts 21st May 2015

Payment of Accounts:

The under mentioned accounts were approved:

Signed ……………………………………… Date: 18th June 2015

Chairman