MINUTES OF THE PYONS GROUP PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT 7.40 PM ON TUESDAY 3 MARCH 2020 AT CANON PYON PARISH HALL
Present: Mr G. R. Vaughan (Vice Chairman), Mrs L. Pugh, Mr I. Barber, Mr D. Bowen-Jones, Mr N.C. Davies, Mr M. Perruzza, Mr D. Spooner, Mr B. Thomas.
In attendance: Ward Cllr. M. Jones; and Mr R. Hewitt, Clerk. There was one (1) member of the public present.
2019/366 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Mrs G. Dickson and Mr H. Ray (Chairman). It was noted that Mr D. Wilkinson has resigned.
2019/367 CO-OPT A NEW MEMBER – Deferred
2019/368 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION – None.
2019/369 MINUTES OF MEETING
The minutes of the Meeting held on 4 February 2020 were agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2019/370 REPORT OF THE WEOBLEY WARD COUNCILLOR
Ward Cllr. M. Jones reported that Herefordshire Council is on track for a balanced budget. The county has £67 million in reserves. Council Tax is to increase by 3.9 percent with 2 percent of the increase ring fenced for social care. £500 has been made available for each residential property that flooded, and £2,500 for businesses. The flooding also caused extensive damage to roads and culverts with two thousand reported potholes per week. A coronavirus poster will be distributed to parish councils to put in noticeboards.
Fastershire is offering training, and some grant funding is available for the remaining 5-6 percent of properties that remain unable to access fast broadband speeds. The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has withdrawn funding for the southern link road. There have been six new projects submitted for LEP funding including sustainable transport. There is new supported housing being provided for young people in Hereford.
Planning application 194106 Land to the south of Canon Pyon is to be redirected to Herefordshire Council’s planning committee for a decision.
[Cllr. Pugh joined the meeting.]2019/371 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
There were no matters raised.
2019/372 FOOTPATHS
The parish council appointed Mrs Celia Klenk footpath officer.
2019/373 PLANNING
200145 Rogers Farm, Bush Bank, HR4 8EP – Installation of ground source heat pumps and plant housing for space heating and cooling of poultry units (permitted via LPA Ref: 151983 & APP/W1850/W/17/3170855). The parish council noted the application and decided not to submit a comment.
2019/374 CLERK’S REPORT
The Clerk reported that the grant from the War Memorials Trust (£850) has been received. The obligations of the parish council under a cultivation licence are effectively in perpetuity until or unless the highway authority requires the removal of the cultivation in which case the turf will need to be reinstated to their satisfaction at the expense of the parish council. Litter pick kits have been reserved with Balfour Beatty. Cllr. Thomas has kindly renewed/ repaired the bolts on the Kings Pyon noticeboard.
2019/375 FINANCE
The following payments were agreed: Canon Pyon Parish Hall, meetings 2020 (£400.00); Friends of Westhope, donation (£120.00); T Hughes, P3 footpaths (£356.30); HMRC, PAYE for period to 5 April 2020 (£79.60); and R Mills, lengthsman (£205.20).
The parish council considered two proposals from planning consultants to support the review of the neighbourhood development plan. It was noted that a third locally based planning consultant did not have sufficient time to support an additional project. After due consideration, Kirkwells was appointed to support the NDP review.
The Vice Chairman reported on a site visit with an arboriculturist to cut back branches around the roadside telephone cable at Kings Pyon. It was agreed to take no further action on the matter.
2019/376 FLOODING
The parish council agreed to set up a working group to develop a Community Resilience Plan using the template provided via HALC.
2019/377 HIGHWAYS/ LENGTHSMAN
It was agreed to re-appoint the current lengthsman and P3 footpath contractors for 2020-21, and to submit an Expression of Interest to Balfour Beatty to participate in both schemes from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. Herefordshire Council’s scrutiny review of highways maintenance was noted.
The Vice Chairman reported on work by the Friends of Westhope to clear trees on Westhope Hill. A quotation will be obtained from the lengthsman to cut the grass in front of the Ledgemoor Club Room during the 2020 growing season.
2019/378 NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NDP) REVIEW
The recommendations from the steering group meetings held on 6 and 13 February 2020, and highlighted in the notes of the respective meetings, were approved. A verbal update from members of the steering group on plans for the drop-in consultation on 14 and 15 March 2020 was noted. The distribution of leaflets to households in the group parishes was organised to raise awareness of the drop-in consultation. The core strategy settlement hierarchy review 2020 was agreed and will be submitted to Herefordshire Council.
2019/379 s106 HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS, CANON PYON
The parish council considered draft drawings for the footway extension by the war memorial and proposed work on the carriageway/ footway by the shop and post office. It was agreed to request that the scheme at the war memorial is progressed and a target cost provided by Balfour Beatty. A request will be made to place the scheme by the shop on hold until the cost of the remaining two schemes discussed at the recent site meeting are known, namely:
• Extension of the 30mph zone past the school on the A4110; and
• Controlled pedestrian crossing
This is because the parish council wants to ensure there is sufficient s106 development funding to deliver the schemes with the highest priority.
2019/380 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS 2020-21
The proposed schedule of meetings for 2020-21 was agreed. The Annual Parish Meeting for Canon Pyon and Kings Pyon parishes will be held before the Annual Meeting of the parish council on 5 May 2020.
2019/381 PARISH POUND, CANON PYON – Deferred.
2019/382 PARISH COUNCIL NEWSLETTER – Deferred.
2019/383 MATTERS RAISED FOR NEXT MEETING (no discussion) – None.
2019/384 INFORMATION ITEMS – Noted.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday 5 May 2020, Canon Pyon Parish Hall.
The Vice Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.50 pm.