Meeting of Longdon, Queenhill and Holdfast Parish Council at 7:30PM on Monday 3rd June 2024 at Longdon Village Hall, GL20 6AZ
Minutes 06/2024
Present: Trish Mullins (Chair), Carl Taylor-Hall, Hugh Davey, Nick Radford, Jim Unwin, Kate Cook
In attendance: David Hunter-Miller (Clerk), Tom Wells (County 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 Neil Gray and Phil Jones.
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 was adjourned for the open session
4.1. District Councillor: To receive a brief report
Jennie Watkins had provided updates on various items between meetings.
4.2. County Councillor: To receive a brief report
Tom Wells provided an update as follows:
• Carriageway surface dressing operations were continuing across the county, with a larger programme than ever before.
• Highway verge cutting operations had started, a one metre swathe would be cut on all verges at the beginning and end of summer.
A suggestion was raised regarding Worcestershire Regulatory Services event licencing policies.
4.3. Parish Paths Wardens: To receive a brief report
There were no matters reported.
4.4. Public participation
No questions were received.
The meeting resumed following the open session.
5. To consider and adopt the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 13th May 2024
It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record and they were duly signed by the Chair.
6. Progress reports
6.1. Councillor vacancies
It was noted that there was one vacancy on the parish council and enquiries from parishioners were welcomed.
6.2. Collaboration with AppFest organisers
No update was available.
6.3. Unoccupied property, Marsh Lane
It was noted that Malvern Hills District Council were continuing to make enquiries regarding the unoccupied property.
6.4. Community Speedwatch
It was noted that the Clerk had continued to apply pressure on the Police to undertake the necessary background checks. It was RESOLVED to contact the Police and Crime Commissioner over the lack of progress.
7. Correspondence
7.1. Energy Ombudsman: Complaint regarding SSE Business Energy (upheld)
It was noted that the Energy Ombudsman had upheld the parish council’s complaint and recommended that SSE Energy award £300.00 compensation.
7.2. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Changes to various permitted development rights
It was clarified that existing local planning policies prevented the conversion of barns that were unfit for residential development.
8. Playing Field
8.1. To receive an update on the refurbishment of the goal posts
It was RESOLVED to accept a quote from Worcester Powder Coating Ltd of £315.00 (plus VAT) and an order would be placed accordingly.
8.2. To consider potential grant funding opportunities for additional play area equipment
It was noted that enquiries were ongoing.
9. Longdon Village Hall
9.1. To consider a donation towards the cost of replacement door locks and hold-back devices
It was RESOLVED to request a breakdown of costs for the replacement door locks and hold-back devices and to approve a contribution not exceeding £528.38 (current remaining earmarked reserves for the village hall).
10. Parish matters for discussion/decision
10.1. To consider the provision of additional defibrillators
It was noted defibrillators were only accessible to those living within 600m of a cabinet. It was RESOLVED to bring costs and details of any grant funding to the next meeting.
10.2. To consider and adopt the NALC New Model Financial Regulations
It was RESOLVED that the Chair and Clerk would prepare a draft document for consideration and adoption at a future meeting.
10.3. To review/update the Risk Management Policy and Risk Register
It was RESOLVED that the Risk Management Policy and Risk Register was up to date.
11. Highways and Lengthsman Scheme
11.1. To receive an update on the Lengthsman Scheme and to consider any items for the Lengthsman’s work schedule
Councillors extended thanks to the Lengthsman for his continued hard work across the parish.
11.2. To receive an update on highway drainage matters and to consider actions
It was noted that communications with Worcestershire County Council Highways and Malvern Hills District Council Land Drainage teams were ongoing.
11.3. To consider road surface maintenance issues at Byway QH-521 (to St Nicholas’s Church)
It was noted that the Worcestershire County Council Public Rights of Way Team had inspected the location and considered the surface adequate for a byway. It was RESOLVED to make further enquiries to better understand the surfacing standards for byways.
11.4. To receive an update on traffic/signage improvements and the purchase of a Speed Indicating Device
It was RESOLVED to purchase a Speed Indicating Device with solar panel from Elan City (previous supplier to the parish council) at £2,250.00 (plus VAT). Tom Wells kindly offered a contribution of £1,500.00 towards the purchase costs.
It was RESOLVED to make enquiries with Worcestershire County Council regarding an additional site for the new Speed Indicating Device at Buckbury (50mph limit).
12. Planning
12.1. To consider the following applications to be determined by Malvern Hills District Council:
12.1.1. M/24/00651/FUL: Land At (Os 8223 3370), Long Green, Forthampton. Erection of hay and fodder store together with hardcore yard area for agricultural storage – variation of conditions 2 & 3 on planning permission M/22/01736/FUL.
It was RESOLVED that the parish council had no objections.
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. VAT: To note HMRC erroneous duplication of VAT refund (£1,469.91)
It was RESOLVED to make arrangements to return HMRC’s overpayment of £1,469.91.
13.4. Invoices: To approve the following invoices for payment:
13.4.1. David Hunter-Miller (Clerk’s salary and expenses)
13.4.2. HMRC (PAYE)
13.4.3. Worcestershire County Council Pension Fund (Clerk’s pension)
13.4.4. Jeremy Moore (Lengthsman): £288.00
13.4.5. Elias Garden Services Limited (grass cutting): £144.00
13.4.6. Elan City Ltd (Speed Indicating Device): £2,700.00
13.4.7. Playsafety Limited (play area inspection): £93.60
It was RESOLVED to settle the above invoices.
13.5. Direct Debits: To note the following payments:
13.5.1. 08/05/24 Google Cloud EMEA (email hosting): £36.00
The above direct debit payment was noted.
14. Councillors’ reports and items for the next agenda
It was RESOLVED to add the following items to the next agenda:
• Extension of solid centre lines on B4211 near Queenhill junction
• Repainting of centre line, Longdon
15. Date of the next meeting
The next scheduled meetings are as follows:
• LVH Sole Trustee, 6:30PM on Monday 1st July 2024
• LQH Parish Council, 7:30PM on Monday 1st July 2024
The meeting closed at 9:04PM.