Minutes of the Pyons Group Parish Council Meeting Held at 7.30 Pm on Tuesday 4 October 2016 at Canon Pyon Parish Hall
Present: Mr H. Ray (Chairman), Mr. G.R. Vaughan (Vice Chairman), Mrs S. Bagnall, Mrs. L. Pugh, Mrs M. Riley, Mr N.C. Davies, Mr B. Thomas and Mr D. Spooner.
In attendance: Ward Cllr. M. Cooper; Mr R. Hewitt, Clerk. Five members of the public were present.
2017/86 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were accepted from Mrs J. Carr, Mrs L. Evans, Mrs G. Dickson and Mr D. Bowen-Jones.
2017/87 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
Cllr. Bagnall declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the pre- consultation under 2017/91. The Chairman declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in planning application 162872 Sunnyside.
2017/88 MINUTES OF MEETING
The minutes of the Meeting of 6 September 2016 were agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2017/89 REPORT OF THE WEOBLEY WARD COUNCILLOR
Ward Cllr. Cooper talked about the forthcoming Herefordshire Council planning committee meeting which will consider 161601 Land at Watling Meadow.
2017/90 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
Two members of the public spoke against planning application 162311 Site adjacent to Summerlease. The applicant spoke in support of 162311 Site adjacent to Summerlease.
2017/91 PLANNING
162311 Site adjacent to Summerlease, Westhope Hill – Demolition of outbuildings and erection of four dwellings. The parish council agreed request a height restriction on plots 1, 2, 3 and 4, and that access to the highway will be at the appropriate standard.
162883 Orchard adjacent Bramley, Bush Bank – Propose to construct new bungalow. The parish council agreed to object to the planning application on the following grounds: the need to protect the traditional listed orchard as a Habitat of Principal Importance; the risk posed by proposed new sewage infrastructure to the adjacent property’s water supply which is provided by a well; and the scale of the property which is out of proportion with neighbouring buildings and located too far back from the road.
162872 Sunnyside, Ledgemoor Road, Weobley, HR4 8RJ – Propose to convert flat roof to pitch roof. The meeting agreed to support the planning application
[The Chairman re-joined the meeting and resumed chairing the meeting. Cllr. Bagnall left the meeting.]Pre-consultation re: proposed plans for a single property in the Nags Head orchard, Canon Pyon. The parish council noted the proposed plans.
[Cllr. Bagnall re-joined the meeting.]The meeting noted Herefordshire Council has granted planning permission for 162409 New Street Stone House, 162106 Pyon Cottage, 161490 Barn at Court Farm and 161217 Land at Butchers Meadow. The meeting supported the Chairman’s presentation to the forthcoming planning committee meeting on 5 October 2016.
2017/92 CLERKS REPORT
The community website has been updated with details of recycling week and the annual canvass. The finance working group will meet shortly.
2017/93 FINANCE
The receipt of the second precept payment by Herefordshire Council (£4,565,00) was noted. The following payments were agreed: British Heart Foundation, iPAD SP1 defibrillator (£400.00); and HMRC, PAYE period to 5 October 2016 (£136.80).
The Clerk reported that the 2015-16 audit has been completed. The external auditor’s certificate and report highlights the need to have a separate minute reference for the annual governance statement and accounting statements in future years.
The meeting agreed the quotation (£395.00 plus VAT) for an unlocked heated cabinet for the defibrillator.
The parish council asked the finance working group to consider including a budget in the 2017-18 precept for legal fees to register parish maintained land on Westhope Hill.
2017/94 DEFIBRILLATOR AT CANON PYON
The meeting noted that the British Heart Foundation has confirmed that a condition of purchasing the subsidised defibrillator is that it is kept in an unlocked, publicly accessible cabinet. The location of the cabinet on the external wall of the parish hall in the vicinity of the entrance at Canon Pyon has been agreed by Cllr. Evans with a representative of the parish hall committee.
Also, Cllr. Evans has kindly agreed to facilitate the installation of the equipment, including finding an electrician willing to ‘donate’ their work. Insurance, running costs and maintenance will be the responsibility of the parish council. It was agreed to proceed with the purchase and installation of the defibrillator and cabinet on this basis.
2017/95 HIGHWAYS/ LENGTHSMAN SCHEME/ FOOTPATHS
There was no footpaths report. The Vice Chairman reported that the roads are in a relatively good condition and that the potholes which are emerging have yet to reach a size that can be repaired effectively. The meeting noted that the locality steward has indicated the zig zag markings outside the school will be repainted shortly.
The Clerk reported that the highways defects by the school at Canon Pyon, which were raised at the last meeting, have been reported to Balfour Beatty. Balfour Beatty’s initiative to provide a global list of charges has been shelved for the time being. The rough cost for a village gateway is £2-3,000, but there is scope to reduce the cost by self-help options.
It was noted that the lengthsman has removed approximately 85 percent of the roots of the former hedge at the War Memorial, Canon Pyon, and has been asked to make sure the work is completed in time for the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in November 2016.
2017/96 BT CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED CLOSURE OF KIOSKS
The parish council agreed to object to the proposed removal of the telephone kiosk at Kings Pyon on the grounds of there being a “social need” for its retention: there is no reliable mobile signal in the village at present, and the kiosk is used by a local member of the public. Information on BT Basic was noted. There was no objection by the parish council to the proposed removal of kiosks at Canon Pyon and Westhope.
2017/97 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
The neighbourhood plan has completed Regulation 16, and has been recommended to progress to examination by Herefordshire Council. The parish council considered the shortlist of independent examiners provided, and selected Ann Skippers as the preferred examiner. It was noted the independent examination is likely to begin in December 2016.
2017/98 PLAYING FIELDS TRUSTEES
The Clerk reported that the chairman of the trustees for the Playing Field, Canon Pyon, has requested the parish council look at the trustee structure. Possible options were highlighted. It was agreed to look at the matter at the next meeting.
2017/99 LITTER PICK WITH SCHOOL
Postponed to the next meeting.
2017/100 CONSULTATIONS
Consultations on Herefordshire Council’s 2017-18 budget, new standards procedure and bus and community transport were noted.
2017/101 MATTERS RAISED FOR NEXT MEETING (no discussion)
There were no matters raised.
2017/102 INFORMATION ITEMS
The parish council noted the information items on the agenda.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 1 November 2016, Canon Pyon Parish Hall.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 10.01pm.