Minutes of the Pyons Group Parish Council Meeting Held at 7.30 Pm on Tuesday 7 June 2016 at Canon Pyon Parish Hall
Present: Mr H. Ray (Chairman)
Mr. G.R. Vaughan (Vice Chairman), Mrs S. Bagnall, Mrs L. Evans, Mrs G. Dickson, Mrs. L. Pugh, Mr N.C. Davies and Mr D. Bowen-Jones.
In attendance: Mr A. Drew, Chairman, Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group; Mr R. Hewitt, Clerk to the Parish Council. Three members of the public were present.
2017/29 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies accepted from Mrs J. Carr, Mrs M. Riley, Mr B. Thomas and Mr D. Spooner.
2017/30 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION – None.
2017/31 MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of 3 May 2016 were agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2017/32 FAST BROADBAND
The matter was postponed to the next meeting. An invitation to attend the meeting on 5 July 2016 has been extended to Ward Cllr. N. E. Shaw, the new cabinet member, Economy and Corporate Services, Herefordshire Council.
2017/33 FOOTPATHS
There was no report from the footpath officer.
2017/34 PLANNING
161217 Land at Butchers Meadow, Bush Bank – Proposed 3 detached two storey houses with detached garages. Two members of the public present asked the parish council to note the elevation of the field.
The meeting agreed to comment that the parish council does not object in principle to the development of the field. However, account needs to be taken of the higher elevation of the field, which is approximately 5 feet higher than the opposite side of the narrow lane. Because of the higher elevation, the proposed site for Plot 3, Type C means the property will overlook and be overbearing for the property opposite (Cranbourne). Consideration should be given to this concern, including having fewer houses on the field. The parish council would prefer to see one or two houses on the field, located in areas which do not overlook the property opposite.
161601 Land at Watling Meadow, Canon Pyon, HR4 8NZ – Proposed erection of 25 new dwellings of mixed tenure and associated works to provide a new access road.
The parish council agreed to oppose the planning application on the grounds of unproven housing need for the number and scale of affordable properties proposed (35).
The supporting documents make no reference to housing need surveys carried out by Herefordshire Council. The last housing need survey published in March 2011 identified 14 local households that would require affordable housing within the next three years. The proposal to have 35 affordable properties should be considered in the context of the 10 affordable properties which are being built as part of 141917 Land West of Patrick Orchard, Canon Pyon, making a total of 45 additional affordable properties. On balance, the parish council would prefer to see the development of the site in line with already approved plans (131885), which will provide a mix of housing more in line with the draft neighbourhood development plan, and number of affordable houses highlighted in the housing need survey of March 2011.
Herefordshire Housing carried out a consultation on the proposed plans for the site in April 2016, and their survey found that 55 percent of people disagreed (24 percent were undecided, and just 21 percent agreed) with the plans for 35 affordable dwellings. According to Herefordshire Housing, only two respondents expressed an interest in affordable rent, shared ownership, low cost market sale or social rent properties.
In summary, the proposal to build 35 affordable properties in a village the size of Canon Pyon is out of proportion with the scale of the village and known affordable housing need (underlined by the fact that 10 affordable properties are being built already on Land West of Patrick Orchard). The Herefordshire Housing consultation uncovered an interest, or affordable housing need, from just two respondents, demonstrating that a local housing need for 45 affordable properties cannot be justified. The consultation carried out by Herefordshire Housing shows insufficient local support for the number of affordable dwellings proposed. For these reasons, the parish council urges that the planning application is refused.
It was agreed to request that planning application 161601 Land at Watling Meadow, Canon Pyon is considered by Herefordshire Council’s planning committee.
151983 Rogers Farm, Bush Bank, HR4 8EP – Proposed erection of two poultry buildings, new access and conversion of building to house biomass boiler. Consultation on amended plans or documents.
The amended documents were noted. The parish council remained opposed to planning application 151983 Rogers Farm on the grounds of scale and over-development relative to the size of Knapton; increased traffic, including the impact on the A4110 at Canon Pyon of vehicles servicing the site; flood risk from water run-off to neighbouring properties; and odour given the proximity of neighbouring properties.
The proposed poultry buildings would be across the road from another extensive poultry facility, and it is felt this application will lead to over- development. The parish council supports comments made by Birley and Upper Hill Parish Council.
2017/35 REPORT OF THE WEOBLEY WARD COUNCILLOR
There was no report from the Ward Councillor.
2017/36 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
There were no matters raised.
2017/37 PARISH PLAN
Cllr. Pugh said a number of actions were being progressed, including the newsletter, defibrillator, broadband and litter pick. The meeting agreed to approach the school to encourage awareness of litter, and to look at this at the next meeting.
Another key action from the parish plan is the neighbourhood development plan. Mr Drew, chairman, Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group, asked members of the parish council to review the representations schedule from the public consultation, and list of proposed alterations to the draft neighbourhood development plan.
[Mr Drew left the meeting.]It was agreed that the parish council will consider the representations schedule, list of alterations, revised neighbourhood development plan, consultation statement, basic condition statement and other documents required for Regulation 15 at the next meeting if possible.
The parish council noted a grant application to support the neighbourhood plan is pending, and agreed that the steering group should not incur additional expense until the grant process has concluded.
2017/38 GROUP PARISH NEWSLETTER
The meeting reviewed the draft newsletter, and thanked members of the working group for their hard work. It was agreed to provide comments by email by 15 June 2016, and a budget to print 450 copies for distribution to every household was agreed (£82.00). Members kindly agreed to distribute the newsletter in their area.
2016/39 CLERKS REPORT
The latest Safer Neighbourhood Team newsletter has highlighted no recent incidents within the group parishes. An application has been made to Groundwork UK for £1,520.00 to support the neighbourhood plan. The grant will pay for work undertaken by Data Orchard and MF Design Studio.
2017/40 FINANCE
Receipt of £1,106.42 from Herefordshire Council for Footpaths and lengthsman work in the final quarter of 2015-16 was noted. The following invoices were passed for payment: H Ray, expense re: VoodooChilli Design work on www.pyonsgroup.co.uk (£45.00); Clerk, honorarium for internal auditor (£25.00); and R Mills, lengthsman (£192.00).
It was agreed that the finance working group will meet in October and March during each financial year.
2017/41 HIGHWAYS/ LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
A recent review of the roads with the locality steward found 55 minor potholes for the lengthsman to repair. Twenty bags of cold fill tarmac have been ordered for the lengthsman from Balfour Beatty. The Vice Chairman said there may be a future problem with Hopweed as it appears no longer to be dealt with by the highways authority.
The Vice Chairman will be reviewing the trees on parish land at Westhope with Arbortech later in June 2016. There will be a report on this at the next meeting.
2017/42 DEFIBRILLATOR AT CANON PYON
The Clerk reported that the grant application to the British Heart Foundation has been successful. On receipt of a cheque for £400.00 an iPAD SP1 defibrillator will be provided, which is approximately a 50 percent saving on the full cost. The grant does require the use of a kit to train people in CPR, and for the defibrillator to “be freely accessible and not kept in a locked or key-coded cabinet”.
It was agreed to review the additional cost of the cabinet, believed to be £395.00, and installation cost at the next meeting. Cllr. Evans kindly agreed to approach an electrician. The location of the cabinet will be agreed with the parish hall committee, taking into account access to an electrical supply, and availability of external lighting.
2017/43 SECTION 106/ COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY PROJECTS
The draft Section 106 agreement included in planning application 161601 Land at Watling Meadow was noted, including the allocation of funding for transport facilities which is in line with the parish council request made in September 2015.
Cllr. Bagnall said the playing fields committee have expressed an interest in obtaining Section 106 funding for some play area equipment. It was agreed to ask the playing fields committee to provide an overview which can be considered for the wish list of Section 106 projects for the group parishes. In the future, Community Intrastructure Levy funding for local projects is anticipated.
2017/44 COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS
The meeting agreed to hand out the commemorative medals which mark the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen on 2 July 2016. The parish council agreed to pay for refreshments (tea, coffee, milk, biscuits and soft drinks). The medals will be available for children aged up to 11 years old who live in one of the parishes.
2017/45 TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES/ LOWER SPEED LIMIT BY SCHOOL, CANON PYON
The meeting agreed to look at traffic calming and other measures once Balfour Beatty has made available a list of options and associated costs for parish councils.
2017/46 REGULATION 16 NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN CONSULTATION
The parish council noted the Regulation 16 consultation on Hope under Dinmore Group Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Development Plan.
2017/47 MATTERS RAISED FOR NEXT MEETING (no discussion)
Amended Neighbourhood Development Plan and associated documents following Regulation 14 public consultation.
2017/48 INFORMATION ITEMS
The parish council noted the information items on the agenda.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 5 July 2016, Westhope Church.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.45pm.