Meeting of Longdon, Queenhill and Holdfast Parish Council at 7:30PM on Monday 4th November 2024 at Longdon Village Hall, GL20 6AZ
Minutes 11/2024
Present: Trish Mullins (Chair), Neil Gray, Carl Taylor-Hall, Hugh Davey, Kate Cook, Phil Jones, Nick Radford, Jim Unwin
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
All members present.
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
Jennie Watkins provided a report as follows:
• The Police and Crime Commissioner would be contacted to expedite progress on the Community Speedwatch scheme
• Investigations into the unoccupied property on Marsh Lane were continuing
• The West Midlands Ambulance Trust would provide a training session for parishioners on defibrillators
4.2. County Councillor
No matters were reported.
4.3. Parish Paths Wardens
No matters were 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 21st October 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 vacancy
It was noted that there was one vacancy on the parish council and enquiries from parishioners were welcomed.
6.2. AppFest
It was noted that the Clerk had contacted Worcester Regulatory Services to query their policies on event licencing.
6.3. Unoccupied property, Marsh Lane
No update was available.
6.4. Community Speedwatch
It was noted that Jennie Watkins would raise concerns with the Police and Crime Commissioner.
7. Correspondence
7.1. Nil.
No correspondence.
8. Planning
8.1. To consider the following applications to be determined by Malvern Hills District Council:
8.1.1. Nil
No planning applications.
9. Highways and Lengthsman Scheme
9.1. To receive an update on the Lengthsman Scheme and to consider any items for the Lengthsman’s work schedule
It was RESOLVED to ask the Lengthsman to clear the gully grates in the vicinity of Dowdeswell Cottages, Queenhill.
9.2. To receive an update on highway drainage matters and to consider actions
It was noted that drainage maintenance work at Queenhill was scheduled for mid-November.
Thanks were extended to Jennie Watkins for advice on drainage discharge at Buckbury; it was noted that there had been an increase in water flow since nearby building/maintenance work had been completed and the land drainage officer would be contacted for advice.
9.3. To receive an update on hedge flailing on the A438 at Long Green
No update was available.
10. Playing Field
10.1. To receive an update on the refurbishment of the goal posts
No update was available.
11. Parish matters for discussion/decision
11.1. To receive an update on the additional defibrillator for Buckbury and to consider next steps
It was RESOLVED to arrange for a quote(s) to be obtained for an electrician to fit the new defibrillator at the Hunters Inn. Due to the tight timescales imposed by the grant conditions it was RESOLVED to approve all arrangements under delegated authority.
11.2. To consider replacement of defibrillator pads and batteries (village hall)
It was RESOLVED to update the contact details on ‘The Circuit’ to the Clerk.
It was RESOLVED to review the expiry dates for the pads and batteries and order replacements if required.
12. Finance
12.1. To consider and approve the 2025/26 budget and precept
It was RESOLVED to approve the 2025/26 budget and to request a precept of £16,375.00.
In percentage terms this is an increase of approximately 25%, accordingly it was RESOLVED to publish the reasons for the increase on the parish council’s website.
12.2. To consider and approve the budget expenditure
It was RESOLVED to approve the budget expenditure.
12.3. To consider and approve the bank reconciliation
It was RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation.
12.4. To receive an update on bank signatory changes
It was noted that arrangements had been made to add Nick Radford as a full-power signatory.
12.5. To approve the following invoices for payment:
12.5.1. David Hunter-Miller (Clerk’s salary and expenses)
12.5.2. HMRC (PAYE)
12.5.3. Worcestershire County Council Pension Fund (Clerk’s pension)
12.5.4. Jeremy Moore (Lengthsman): £288.00
It was RESOLVED to settle the above invoices.
12.6. To note the following Direct Debit payments:
12.6.1. 07/10/24 Google Cloud EMEA (email hosting): £18.60
The above payment was noted.
13. Councillors’ reports and items for the next agenda
It was RESOLVED to add the following items to the next agenda:
• Phone box light replacement
• Defibrillator installation and training event
• Speed limits (Buckbury)
• Review of Natural Networks BEA report (circulate to Village Hall Committee for comments)
14. Date of the next meeting
The next scheduled meeting is at 7:30PM on Monday 6th January 2025.
A resolution was passed to exclude members of the public due to the confidential nature of the following item.
15. Clerk’s employment: To note the National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) National Salary Award 2024-25.
It was noted that the 2024/25 salary award had been applied and backdated to 1st April 2024.
16. Expenses: To review the Clerk’s working from home allowance.
It was RESOLVED to approve £13.00 per month to cover the Clerk’s home working expenses.
The meeting closed at 8:15PM.