Meeting of Longdon, Queenhill and Holdfast Parish Council at 7:30PM on Monday 1st July 2024 at Longdon Village Hall, GL20 6AZ
Minutes 07/2024
Present: Trish Mullins (Chair), Kate Cook, Neil Gray, Nick Radford, Phil Jones
In attendance: David Hunter-Miller (Clerk), Jennie Watkins (District Councillor)
1. Chairman’s welcome and announcements
Trish Mullins opened the meeting and welcomed attendees.
2. Apologies for absence: To receive apologies and to approve reasons for absence
Apologies were noted from Carl Taylor-Hall and Hugh Davey.
3. Declarations of personal and prejudicial interest
3.1. Register of Interests: With reference to items on the agenda councillors are reminded of their responsibility to declare interests and to update their register of interests as required.
Noted.
3.2. Disclosable Pecuniary Interests: To declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in items on the agenda and their nature.
Nil declared.
3.3. Other Interests: To declare any Other Registerable Interests or Non-Registerable Interests in items on the agenda and their nature.
Trish Mullins declared a non-registerable interest in item 6.3.
3.4. Dispensations: To consider any written dispensations from councillors who have declared an interest but wish to stay in the meeting during that time to aid discussion / speak / vote.
Nil received.
4. Open Session
The meeting will be adjourned for the open session
4.1. District Councillor
Jennie Watkins provided a report as follows:
• Malvern Hills District Council would review possible funding to support the installation of additional defibrillators.
• Details were circulated on national grant funding schemes for defibrillators.
• A number of updates were provided on specific items later in the agenda.
4.2. County Councillor
No matters were reported.
4.3. Parish Paths Wardens
No matters were reported.
4.4. Public participation
No matters were reported.
The meeting resumed following the open session.
5. To consider and adopt the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 3rd June 2024
It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as true record and they were duly signed by the Chair.
6. Progress reports
6.1. Councillor vacancy
It was noted that there was one vacancy on the parish council and enquiries from parishioners were welcomed.
6.2. Collaboration with AppFest organisers
Jennie Watkins confirmed that discussions were ongoing with Malvern Hills District Council.
6.3. Unoccupied property, Marsh Lane
Jennie Watkins confirmed that discussions were ongoing with Malvern Hills District Council.
6.4. Community Speedwatch
The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office had responded to confirm that the necessary background checks could not be expedited. Jennie Watkins would endeavour to make further enquiries on the parish council’s behalf.
7. Correspondence
7.1. Nil.
No correspondence requiring a decision.
8. Highways and Lengthsman Scheme
8.1. To receive an update on the Lengthsman Scheme and to consider any items for the Lengthsman’s work schedule
It was RESOLVED to review if the Lengthsman could trim the overgrown hedge on the A438 at Long Green to increase visibility to the new Speed Indicating Device.
8.2. To receive an update on highway drainage matters and to consider actions
There was no update from Worcestershire County Council.
8.3. To consider road surface maintenance issues at Byway QH-521 (to St Nicholas’ Church)
It was noted that Worcestershire County Council had undertaken some minor repairs to the byway surface and councillors would review on site.
8.4. To receive an update on traffic calming/signage improvements
The parish council extended their thanks to the Clerk and a parishioner who had recently installed the new Speed Indicating Device on the A438 at Long Green. It was noted that positive feedback had already been received.
It was noted that Worcestershire County Council would not permit the use of the Speed Indicating Device at Buckbury due to the 50MPH speed limit.
8.5. To consider applying for review of solid centre line (no overtaking) on B4211 near Queenhill junction
It was RESOLVED to ask Worcestershire County Council to review concerns relating to overtaking on the B4211 which was causing difficulties for those turning out of the Queenhill junction.
8.6. To note reporting of faded centre line markings on B4211 at Longdon
It was noted that the faded road markings had been reported to Worcestershire County Council.
9. Planning
9.1. To consider the following applications to be determined by Malvern Hills District Council:
9.1.1. M/24/00740/HP and M/24/00741/LB: Squirrel Cottage, Pipers End, Longdon, Tewkesbury, GL20 6AP. Erection of two storey extension with link to dwelling and installation of solar panels to garage roof.
It was RESOLVED that the parish council had no objections, but attention would be drawn to the recommendations in the bat survey.
9.1.2. M/23/01058/CU (amended): Brook Farm, Longdon Marsh, Longdon, Tewkesbury, GL20 6BD. Installation of new 35 x 40m menage on site for personal use only. Additional ecological mitigation strategy submitted.
It was RESOLVED that the parish council had no additional comments.
10. Longdon Village Hall
10.1. To consider a donation of £528.38 towards the cost of replacement door locks and hold-back devices
It was RESOLVED to donate £528.38 to Longdon Village Hall (remaining earmarked reserves) to cover replacement door locks and to enable the purchase of hold-back devices.
11. Playing Field
11.1. To receive an update on the refurbishment of the goal posts
No update was available.
11.2. To consider the Natural Networks Biodiversity Enhancement Assessment and available grant funding
It was RESOLVED to circulate details of the proposals with the community (via website and WhatsApp) for feedback and to invite interested parishioners to support the project.
It was RESOLVED, subject to feedback received, to make an application for grant funding to cover some of the suggested biodiversity improvements, provided that measures did not intrude on the football pitch or play area.
12. Parish matters for discussion/decision
12.1. To consider the provision of additional defibrillators
It was RESOLVED to make enquiries with The Hunters Inn to see if they would approve the installation of a parish council defibrillator. It was RESOLVED, if permission was secured, to apply for grant funding for an additional defibrillator.
It was noted that solar powered cabinets were now available, removing the requirement for a permanent electrical supply. It was RESOLVED to make enquiries with residents at Holdfast and Queenhill to see if a suitable location for a cabinet could be identified.
13. Finance
13.1. Budget expenditure: To consider and approve
It was RESOLVED to approve the budget expenditure.
13.2. Bank reconciliation: To consider and approve
It was RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation.
13.3. Invoices: To approve the following invoices for payment:
13.3.1. David Hunter-Miller (Clerk’s salary and expenses)
13.3.2. HMRC (PAYE)
13.3.3. Worcestershire County Council Pension Fund (Clerk’s pension)
13.3.4. Jeremy Moore (Lengthsman): £288.00
13.3.5. Longdon Village Hall (room hire): £80.00
13.3.6. Worcestershire County Council (village signage): £1,935.26
13.3.7. Iain Selkirk (Internal Audit): £120.00
13.3.8. David Hunter-Miller (Microsoft 365 subscription): £59.99
It was RESOLVED to settle the above invoices.
13.4. Direct Debits: To note the following payments:
13.4.1. 07/06/24 Google Cloud EMEA (email hosting): £36.00
The above payment was noted.
14. Councillors’ reports and items for the next agenda
It was RESOLVED to add the following items to the next agenda:
• Convex mirror for pedestrians (B4211)
• Defibrillators (update)
• Biodiversity Enhancement Assessment (update)
It was RESOLVED to report a hedge obscuring a 30MPH repeater sign on the B4211 at Longdon.
15. Date of the next meeting
The next scheduled meeting is at 7:30PM on Monday 2nd September 2024.
The meeting closed at 8:37PM.