MINUTES OF THE PYONS GROUP MEETING HELD AT 7.30 PM ON 3 JUNE 2014 AT CANON PYON PARISH HALL.
Present: Mr. G.R. Vaughan (Chairman)
Mrs C. Barrell, Mrs G. Dickson, Mrs L. Pugh, Mr H. Ray, Mr D. Spooner and Mr A. Drew.
In attendance: Mr R. Hewitt, Clerk to the Parish Council.
2015/31 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies were accepted from Mr R. Doran (Vice Chairman), Mr N.C. Davies, Mr H. Patterson and Mr M. Verdin.
2015/32 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
There were no declarations of interest or requests for dispensation.
2015/33 MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING.
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of 6 May 2014 were proposed by Cllr. Spooner, seconded by Cllr. Ray, agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2015/34 ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN
Cllr. Ray was proposed as Vice Chairman by Cllr. Pugh, seconded by Cllr. Dickson, and the appointment was unanimously agreed.
2015/35 CO-OPT NEW MEMBER FOR KINGS PYON
The Chairman reported that a member of the public had expressed interest in becoming a member of the parish council. The meeting agreed to invite the member of the public to the next meeting of the parish council.
2015/36 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
There were no members of the public present at the meeting.
2015/37 FINANCE
The Clerk reported that 90 percent of the neighbourhood plan grant has been paid to the parish council’s treasury account (£446.00). The following payments were agreed: Arbortech, tree works at Westhope (£210.00); and Clerk expenses for the period April to May 2014 (£102.82).
2015/38 EXTENDED LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
Cllr. Ray and the Clerk reported that Balfour Beatty has finalised the arrangements for the pilot enhanced lengthsman scheme, which will allow the lengthsman to fill minor potholes. The main exception is potholes on the A4110 which will remain the sole responsibility of Balfour Beatty.
The parish council agreed to sign the Balfour Beatty contract for the enhanced lengthsman scheme, and the updated lengthsman contract with the lengthsman, R. Mills. It was noted that the lengthsman will need to provide a copy of his insurance policy, updated to cover potholes work,
return the lengthsman contract and attend a training day at Balfour Beatty, before filling any potholes.
At the outset, the parish council and lengthsman will liaise with the Balfour Beatty locality steward to agree which potholes will be repaired by the lengthsman in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of work.
The meeting agreed to ask Balfour Beatty to order 1 tonne of cold fill for the pilot enhanced lengthsman scheme at Pyons Group. It was noted that the materials and training are provided at no cost, but the activities of the lengthsman will be paid for by the parish council and that there is no additional funding for the pilot scheme.
2015/39 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
Cllr. Drew said the steering group has asked Data Orchard to organise the data produced by the neighbourhood plan questionnaire. Members of Data Orchard worked with the parish council on the parish plan survey. The steering group will provide Data Orchard with the completed questionnaires and results of the online electronic survey.
The parish council noted that Westhope is identified as an RA1 village in the Core Strategy, which means it has its own guidance for development. Figures provided by the neighbourhood planning team at Herefordshire Council indicate growth of 18 percent for the period up to 2031, which is equivalent to approximately 15 houses at Westhope.
Cllr. Drew said the steering group was considering a criteria based approach to the neighbourhood plan for Pyons Group. Data Orchard will provide the planning policies required to complete the document prior to submission to Herefordshire Council.
2015/40 PARISH PLAN
The meeting reviewed the parish plan status report and proposed councillors to take the lead on each section. It is envisioned that implementing the parish plan actions will be the responsibility of volunteers from the community as well as councillors.
Housing – Neighbourhood plan steering group
Environment – Cllr. Doran
Services – Cllr. Spooner
Health & Social Care – a member of the parish plan steering group has expressed an interest in taking the lead on health and social services. Cllr. Dickson agreed to help with the health and social care actions.
Traffic and transport – it was agreed that this will be a responsibility of whoever is Chairman.
Leisure – Cllr. Pugh
Information Communication – Cllrs. Pugh, Ray and the Clerk
Safety and security – two members of the public may be interested in taking the lead on safety and security. The Chairman agreed to confirm this.
Education/ Children and Young People – Cllr. Patterson
The meeting agreed a number of additional roles for councillors to support the Chairman, which are: Cllr. Barrell, planning; Cllrs. Patterson and Verdin, consultations; Cllr. Spooner, broadband; and Vice Chairman, lengthsman. A fourth member is required for the finance working group.
2015/41 FOOTPATHS SCHEME
The Clerk reported Herefordshire Council has topped up the footpaths budget for 2014-15 with a £1,000 grant. The footpath officer has signed the P3 contract for 2014-15. The meeting agreed that the P3 contract should be signed and this was done by the Chairman.
2015/42 CORE STRATEGY CONSULTATION
It was decided to postpone consideration of the consultation to the next meeting.
2015/43 MATTERS RAISED FOR NEXT MEETING
There were no matters raised.
2015/44 PLANNING
P141303/FH Fair View, Bush Bank, HR4 8PJ – Proposed detached garage and storage building. The meeting had reservations about the size, scale and location of the proposed building. It was decided to delegate the matter to a planning group who will hold a site meeting before commenting on the planning application. [The planning group visited the site on 7 June 2014 and had no objection to the planning application.]
Planning decisions – The meeting noted planning application P133504/F Land West of A4110, Knapton Green, for the erection of 6 No. broiler rearing units had been granted at the planning committee.
The parish council decided to ask the enforcement officer, Herefordshire Council, to investigate reports of renewed building work at the former mobile home on Westhope Hill.
2015/45 INFORMATION ITEMS
Cllr. Ray invited members to the Kiosk event at 3pm at Ledgemoor on 7 June 2014. The meeting noted the information items on the agenda.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 1 July 2014, Westhope Church/ Hall.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.18 pm.