MINUTES OF THE PYONS GROUP ANNUAL MEETING HELD AT 7.55 PM ON 6 MAY 2014 AT CANON PYON PARISH HALL.
Present: Mr. G.R. Vaughan (Chairman)
Mrs C. Barrell, Mrs. L. Pugh, Mr N.C. Davies, Mr H. Patterson, Mrs G. Dickson, Mr A. Drew, Mr H. Ray, Mr M. Verdin and Mr D. Spooner.
In attendance: Mr R Hewitt, Clerk to the Parish Council.
2015/6 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies accepted from Mr R. Doran.
2015/7 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION
Cllr. Patterson declared a disclosable interest in the field behind the parish hall land at Canon Pyon (item 22).
2015/8 ELECTION OF OFFICERS
In the absence of any alternative nominations, Cllr. Vaughan agreed to accept the position of Chairman for a further year. It was agreed that members will take on specific responsibilities so that they do not fall to the Chairman alone. Cllr. Vaughan was proposed as Chairman by Cllr. Spooner, seconded by Cllr. Pugh, and the appointment was unanimously agreed. Cllr. Vaughan signed the acceptance of office as Chairman.
It was agreed to postpone the appointment of the Vice Chairman to the next meeting. The Chairman said the Vice Chairman will need to attend some meetings during the year on his behalf.
2015/9 UPDATE REGISTER OF INTERESTS
There were no updates to the Register of Interests.
2015/10 PYONS GROUP PARISH COUNCIL ACCOUNTS 2011-12
The Clerk confirmed that the internal audit has been completed. The meeting considered the accounting statements, asset register and bank reconciliation of the parish council.
The meeting noted that the asset register now includes the new grit bin at Nupton, and wheeled strimmer purchased during 2013-14 for the P3 footpaths scheme.
The Accounts and Accounting Statements were agreed unanimously by the meeting and signed by the Chairman and Clerk.
The parish council AGREED the Annual Governance Statement which was signed by the Chairman and Clerk. It was noted that the finance working group reviewed the effectiveness of the internal control systems in October 2013, and found them to be satisfactory.
2015/11 APPOINTMENT OF INTERNAL AUDITOR
The parish council agreed to re-appoint Mr John Sharp as internal auditor.
2015/12 OBSERVATIONS OF THE DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
District Cllr. Blackshaw was absent from the meeting.
2015/13 INSURANCE RENEWAL
The meeting noted the £5 million public liability cover under the parish council policy with Zurich Municipal Insurance, and that the policy will cover the proposed extended lengthsman scheme at no additional charge. Zurich Municipal advised that the main liability for the extended scheme will fall under the lengthsman’s insurance. The parish council RESOLVED to renew the policy for the year from 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2015.
2015/14 RISK SCHEDULE
The parish council reviewed and AGREED the risk schedule.
2015/15 LOCAL POLICE MATTERS
The Clerk read out a report from the West Mercia Police newsletter, which highlighted the theft of copper piping from a disused farm cottage in Canon Pyon in April 2014. The meeting noted that Friends of Westhope had declined to support Smartwater signs for Westhope.
2015/16 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the Meeting of 4 March 2014 were proposed by Cllr. Davies, seconded by Cllr. Patterson, agreed unanimously and signed as a true record.
2015/17 ACTION ITEMS AND MATTERS OUTSTANDING
There were no matters raised.
2015/18 VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
There were no matters raised.
2015/19 FOOTPATHS SCHEME
There was no footpaths report. The Clerk highlighted the strimming achieved during 2013-14 – 8,701 metres of footpaths have been strimmed during the past year.
2015/20 TREES AT WESTHOPE
The meeting considered a Visual Tree Assessment report and recommendations for the trees at Westhope provided by Arbortech. The Chairman said that the local landowner has agreed to carry out the recommended maintenance by Hawthornes, and Friends of Westhope will manage the other minor work. However, a mature Ash tree at the Plantation needed to be taken down as a matter of some urgency and this cost, estimated to be approximately £180.00, was agreed by the parish council.
2015/21 FINANCE
The Clerk reported that the lengthsman grant for Q4, 2013-14 (£697.00) and 50 percent of the 2014-15 precept (£3,700.00) have been received from Herefordshire Council.
The following invoices were passed for payment: Zurich Insurance, parish insurance (£243.80); P. Austerfield, P3 footpath expenses (£329.99); Balfour Beatty, SID hire (£360.00); PIP Printing, parish plan publication (£472.47); Chairman’s Allowance (£25.00); Arbortech, report on trees at Westhope (£90.00); R. Mills, lengthsman scheme (£288.00); Honorarium for internal audit (£25.00); Herefordshire Council, planning applications to 31 March 2014 (£44.00); and ICO, data registration 2013-14 (£35.00).
The parish council agreed to update the standing order for the Clerk’s salary in line with the SCP22 scale agreed for FY2014-15.
The meeting considered a letter from a member of the public regarding the 2014-15 parish precept, and noted the Clerk has sent the audited annual returns for the last three years as requested. It was agreed to write again to explain the precept has been increased to pay for the SID hire, and parish plan and neighbourhood plan expenses, and to highlight recent parish council expenditure in Westhope.
The £340.00 quotation from Richard Mills for the maintenance of the Canon Pyon War Memorial and surrounding areas in 2014 was agreed.
2015/22 HIGHWAY MATTERS
The Chairman reported that the new locality steward is very proactive. During a recent meeting to review outstanding defects, work was logged straight into the system and several potholes fixed the following day. Cllr. Drew said Balfour Beatty had done a good job on Kilbullock. Large potholes by the village hall at Ledgemoor are already on the locality steward’s system.
The Clerk said two defects have been reported to Balfour Beatty: a group of potholes on the 93400 Bush Bank-Westhope, 450 yards from the A4110 junction; and unfinished work on the A4110 at Bush Bank, where a protective traffic cone is still in place after months without progress. Both defects have been logged by Balfour Beatty and passed to the locality steward to investigate.
2015/23 LENGTHSMAN SCHEME
Cllr. Ray said he will check with the new Balfour Beatty locality steward what can and cannot be done with the silt from cleared ditches. Balfour Beatty will clear the ditch on Church Lane, Canon Pyon by the end of summer 2014. The meeting noted that Balfour Beatty has drafted a leaflet which advises landowners of their responsibilities to clear ditches.
2015/24 PARISH PLAN
The allocation of roles to members for the actions from the parish plan will be considered at the next meeting.
2015/25 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
The Clerk reported that an application has been made for a £4,920.00 grant to help the steering group to complete the neighbourhood plan. The funding will pay for the additional work undertaken by Vocaleyes, and for Data Orchard to provide advice for the period up to the submission of the neighbourhood plan to the planning inspector. However, it will not pay for activities retrospectively, and needs to be spent by 31 December 2014.
Cllrs. Drew and Ray said the steering group meeting scheduled for the following week will be postponed to allow the group to meet with Data Orchard and the neighbourhood plan officer from Herefordshire Council later in the month.
2015/26 KINGS PYON VACANCY
The meeting noted the resignation of Mrs S. Maxwell from the parish council. The Clerk said the notice of casual vacancy has been displayed in Kings Pyon, and the parish council may co-opt a new member at the next meeting.
2015/27 LETTER RE: FIELD AT CANON PYON
The parish council noted the letter from the managing agent for the owner of Kinford Farm, which stated that the field behind the parish hall is available for development.
2015/28 DRAFT TRANSPARENCY CODE
The meeting commented on the draft transparency code for parish councils.
2015/29 COUNCILLORS’ FORUM
Cllr. Pugh asked the parish council to look at the bus services review. It was agreed to provide the Clerk with individual comments on the proposed review in time for the 28 May 2014 deadline. The Chairman’s allowance will be reviewed in the autumn when the next precept is set. Publicity to raise awareness of the parish council will be considered at the next meeting.
2015/30 PLANNING
P140797/RM Waterloo Farm, Canon Pyon, HR4 8PW – Variation of condition 1 of planning permission DCCW2006/0893/RM. There were no objections to the planning application.
P141051/L Ciderbarn Court, Westhope, HR4 8BT – Proposed internal and external alterations. There were no objections to the planning application.
P140997/FH Carmen House, Bush Bank, HR4 8EH – Proposed single storey extension. There were no objections to the planning application.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 3 June 2014, Canon Pyon Parish Hall.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 10.10 pm.