MINUTES OF THE PYONS GROUP MEETING HELD AT 7.30 PM ON 1 JULY 2014 AT WESTHOPE CHURCH.
Present: Mr. H. Ray (Vice Chairman)
Mrs L. Pugh, Mr R. Doran, Mr A. Drew, Mr H. Patterson and Mr N.C. Davies.
In attendance: District Cllr. A. Blackshaw; and Mr R. Hewitt, Clerk.
2015/46 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies were accepted from Mrs C. Barrell, Mrs G. Dickson, Mr D. Spooner, Mr M. Verdin and Mr G.R. Vaughan (Chairman).
2014/47 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
There were no declarations of interest or requests for dispensation made during the meeting.
2015/48 MINUTES OF MEETING.
The minutes of the Meeting of 3 June 2014 were proposed by Cllr. Pugh, seconded by Cllr. Drew, agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2014/49 CO-OPT NEW MEMBER FOR KINGS PYON
The meeting AGREED to co-opt Mr David Bowen Jones to represent the parish of Kings Pyon. Mr Bowen Jones was not present, so will sign the Acceptance of Office and Notice of Registrable Interests at the next meeting of the parish council.
2015/50 FOOTPATHS SCHEME
The footpaths contract for 2014-15 has been completed and the £1,000 grant paid to the parish council.
2015/51 CLERK’S REPORT
The Clerk reported that the parish plan report has been submitted to Herefordshire Council, and the final grant payment of £426.49 received. The final grant is lower than forecast as the parish plan was completed under budget.
The member of the public who asked for audited accounts of the parish council has written to request detailed information on income and expenditure, and the Precept agreed last November has been emailed. The meeting noted that the member of the public said he was considering a complaint, and has been provided with contact details of HALC to enable him to do so should he wish.
Planning enforcement has been asked to investigate reports of renewed building work at The Craft, Westhope Hill.
Cllr. Patterson said he was not able to take the lead on consultations and surveys on behalf of the parish council. It was agreed to review the parish council process for consultations at the next meeting.
2015/52 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
There were no members of the public present at the meeting.
2015/53 REPORT OF THE DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
District Cllr. Blackshaw provided an overview of Herefordshire Council’s financial position and the £30 million reduction in spending that will be required over the next period. Care for vulnerable children and adults is by far the largest category of spend. By 2017, if no cuts are made, he said there will be a £65 million shortfall. The reduction in the grass cutting service to three times per year will save £670,000 per year.
Cllr. Blackshaw said the enhanced lengthsman scheme to repair potholes is now up and running. The meeting noted there is no additional lengthsman funding to pay for the pothole repairs, though material is being provided free of charge under the pilot.
2015/54 LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
The Clerk reported that the lengthsman has completed the required training, provided a copy of his insurance certificate, which includes cover for pothole repair, and received material from Balfour Beatty. The Chairman and locality steward have met to agree the potholes that will be repaired by the lengthsman under the enhanced scheme.
The meeting noted that the lengthsman has paid a significant sum to increase his insurance cover, and agreed to pay half the cost of the additional training day invoice presented at the meeting. The additional day was required because the first day of training, organised by Balfour Beatty, was incomplete. The parish council believes the cost of the additional day of training for two people should be shared equally with Wellington Parish Council as both parishes share the same lengthsman and are participating in the enhanced lengthsman scheme.
Cllr. Blackshaw said he will request that Pyons Group and Wellington parish councils are reimbursed for the additional day of training that was required due to insufficient preparation by Herefordshire Council’s agents, Balfour Beatty.
[District Cllr. Blackshaw left the meeting.]2015/55 LOCAL POLICE MATTERS
The Clerk summarised the West Mercia Police newsletter, which reported a smashed window in a detached wooden garage in Kings Pyon in May 2014.
2015/56 FINANCE
The Clerk reported Grant Thornton has completed the external audit 2013-14. The audit report states the return is in accordance with proper practices and no matters have given concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements have not been met.
Herefordshire Council has paid the £1,000.00 footpaths grant for 2014-15, and the final parish plan grant has been received as well (£426.49). The following payments were agreed: CPRE, subscription 2014-15 (£36.00); HMRC, PAYE for period to 5 July 2014 (£92.40); T Hughes, footpaths (£204.00); Grant Thornton, external audit (£120.00); R Mills, lengthsman (£241.20); and R Mills, half of the cost of additional training day for enhanced scheme (£133.20).
2015/57 HIGHWAY MATTERS
The Clerk reported the Chairman and Balfour Beatty locality steward have recently reviewed outstanding defects. The road to Westhope Hill will be resurfaced on 7 July 2014, and will be closed for 1-2 days to allow the work to be done. The slip road by the shop in Canon Pyon has been highlighted as needing resurfacing. Balfour Beatty has been asked to cut the verge by the parish hall, Canon Pyon.
The meeting asked for an update from Balfour Beatty on the defects reported on the A4110 at Bush Bank. Balfour Beatty provided defect numbers in March 2014.
2015/58 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
Cllr. Drew reported that Data Orchard has quoted to integrate the feedback from the online questionnaire with the printed questionnaire, and is able to present the findings to indicate the relative strength of support for the different ideas presented. The parish council noted the cost to undertake this for all 9 topics and associated questions will be £720.00 (+VAT), to be paid for from the neighbourhood plan grant. There will be a meeting shortly with Data Orchard to finalise the analysis project.
2015/59 PARISH PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Cllr. Pugh reported the Pyonear will publish a new list of organisations and groups in the parishes of Canon Pyon and Kings Pyon.
Cllr. Patterson, reporting on education, said the school already provides care at the start and end of the day. They are looking at a holiday club as well. At a recent meeting with Balfour Beatty, the proposed footpath from the school to Canon Pyon was discussed; it would be 750 metres, necessitate the acquisition of land and cost more than the council can afford. More importantly, the school does not want the footpath, should it be built, to limit the bus service which currently collects children from the village of Canon Pyon.
The meeting decided to request a speed enforcement van by the school as well as the car park at Canon Pyon.
2015/60 CORE STRATEGY CONSULTATION
The parish council AGREED not to participate in the consultation as it did not feel able to comment on the process of the core strategy.
2015/61 ALTERNATE WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS
The meeting noted the planned introduction of fortnightly refuse collection by Herefordshire Council from November 2014.
2015/62 MATTERS RAISED FOR NEXT MEETING (no discussion)
It was agreed to review the process for planning applications and external consultations and surveys at the next meeting.
2015/63 PLANNING
There were no planning applications for the meeting to consider.
Planning Decisions – The meeting noted planning permission for Carmen House, Bush Bank (P140997/FH); and the refusal of planning permission for Fair View, Bush Bank (P141303/FH).
2015/64 INFORMATION ITEMS
The parish council noted the information items on the agenda and that the Chairman and Clerk intend to attend Herefordshire Council’s 2015-16 Budget Consultation meeting on 24 July 2014
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 2 September 2013, Ledgemoor Village Hall.
The Vice Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.05 pm.
Signed: ………………………………………………..