16th June 2022 Minutes

VOWCHURCH & DISTRICT GROUP PARISH COUNCIL
Michaelchurch Escley, Newton, St Margarets, Turnastone, Vowchurch.
Minutes of the Vowchurch & District Group Parish Council meeting held on
Thursday 16th June 2022 at 7.30pm
in Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall.

PRESENT – Councillors E May (Chair), I Chadwick, A Picton, D Cross, M Engel, G Deas, R Lloyd and G Franklin.
IN ATTENDANCE – PCSO Pete Knight, Ward Councillor Peter Jinman and Mrs L Cowles (Clerk).

  1. ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Councillors T Williams, E Williams and J Kernahan.
  2. RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & CONSIDER ANY WRITTEN APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION – Councillor G Deas declared a non-disclosable interest in agenda item 9; the declarations book was signed accordingly. There were no written requests for dispensation.
  3. ADOPT MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL – 19th May 2022 – The Ukrainian refugee numbers in agenda item 6.1 staying in the local area was queried. It was agreed that the figure related to Herefordshire and not locally. The minutes were amended and then signed as a true and accurate record.
  4. OPEN DISCUSSION – No members of the public attended the meeting and therefore no specific points were raised.
  5. REPORTS
    5.1 Ward Councillor – Ward Councillor Jinman’s report included: –
    Herefordshire Trail – The Herefordshire Trail is relaunched tomorrow; the trail does pass through some of the parishes.
    Hereford Hoard – Fundraising is still on-going to get the Hoard home to Herefordshire.
    Volunteers in Herefordshire – There are a staggering number of people within the county volunteering as reported recently by a HVOSS survey.
    Talk Parish – A reminder to attend the Talk Parish event on 22nd June.
    Local Council funding – Councillor Jinman re-iterated again that local councils have to bid for government funding, if the bid is successful those funds must be spent on that particular project and cannot be spent elsewhere.
    Broadband – Still ongoing. Councillor Engel reported that he has received a message stating that households have started to be contacted if they have applied for the broadband voucher scheme.
    5.2 Local Police – PCSO Pete Knight reported there had been little or no crime in the parishes in the last month. Please be aware there has been a burglary in Abbeydore very recently where a large amount of cash was stolen. The investigation is at the very early stages and the police are unsure if this was opportunists. If anybody did see anything suspicious, please contact PCSO Knight. A national seatbelt campaign runs from 13th – 26th June. You can receive a £100 fine for not wearing a seatbelt, this includes passengers as well as the driver.
    Councillor May thanks PCSO Knight for the motorbike signs and requested some additional signs.
    5.3 Lengthsman report and any new road defects – The Lengthsman was unable to attend the meeting. His monthly report had been forwarded to Councillors prior to the meeting.
  6. CLERKS UPDATE – Reminder to Councillors of the Talk Parish event on 22nd June from 7pm via zoom. Councillor May had agreed to take part in the Talk Parish Reference Group although organisers have advised they have not received many responses and realise that they may need to rethink how they form the reference groups. There will be more communication on this in the coming weeks. Training courses have been booked for Councillors Deas and May as requested. Planning has been granted for a non-material amendment to planning application 173682 at Chapel Cottage, Newton St Margarets.
  7. CONSIDER PLANNING
    7.1 PLANNING CONSULTATION/LISTED BUILDING CONSENT
    Site: Turnastone Court Farm Education Centre & Lodge, Vowchurch, HR2 0RA.
    Description: Retrospective application for variations from the approved plans on applications P160151/F and P160152/L and for an Air Source Heat Pump.
    Application No: 221768/221769 Grid Ref: 335866:236425
    The Parish Council raised concerns that the centre & lodge are not being used as per the original planning application and reiterated their points previously raised with the Enforcement Officer. Are the Countryside Restoration Trust actually using the centre for any educational events? There are also concerns regarding the sale of Glendore. It was agreed to include on the July agenda to discuss.
    7.2 PLANNING CONSULTATION
    Site: Upper Llanrosser, Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire. HR2 0PU.
    Description: Proposed change of use of two traditional barns to holiday accommodation and associated works including removal of modern lean-to extension, new access and foul drainage.
    Application No: 221741 Grid Ref: 328656:238085
    NO OBJECTION
    7.3 PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED
    Site: Coed Poeth Farm, Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire, HR2 0JX.
    Description: Proposed construction of a garden room extension.
    Application No: 214693 Grid Ref: 332246:235671
  8. FINANCE
    8.1 Confirmation of bank balance – £12,888.37 Statement Sheet No. 169/170 issued 17th May 2022.
    Receipts – 1st Precept payment of £7124.33 and VAT reclaim of £1717.94.
    To include £5.00 bank charges 17th April 2022 to 16th May 2022.
    8.2 Payment to Mrs Linda Cowles for June 2022 Clerk’s hours and £43.23 plus VAT for ink cartridges – Payment agreed.
    8.3 Payment to Mr T Griffiths invoice no. TGC1872, roads account April 2022 (1) of £399.00 plus VAT – Payment agreed.
    8.4 Payment to Escleyside Hall of £21.00 for hall hire – Payment agreed.
    8.5 INTERNAL AUDITORS REPORT – The Internal Auditors report was received and comments noted.
    8.6 CONSIDER AND APPROVE ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2021/22 – The annual governance statement was approved and signed by the Clerk and Chair.
    8.7 CONSIDER AND APPROVE ACCOUNTING STATEMENT 2021/22 – The accounting statement was certified by the RFO prior to being approved and signed by the Chair.
  9. VOWCHURCH COMMON RECYCLING & GENERAL RUBBISH COLLECTION – Councillor Deas reported that residents are still currently leaving their rubbish at Piccadilly Farm. The Waste & Recycling Officer has advised that after speaking to Highways and BBLP the only way to progress with a turning head to be installed at a suitable proposed location previously pinpointed by Councillor Deas was through the Community Commissioning Project from the Parish Council to BBLP or another contractor. Some Councillors raised concerns about funding such a project for a small number of houses. Councillor May suggested visiting the site to see how residents are affected. It was agreed that the Clerk would initially request a quote for the works through the Community Commissioning Project.
  10. HEREFORDSHIRE LOCAL PLAN 2021 – 2041 PLACE SHAPING CONSULTATION – It was agreed that Councillor Chadwick would draft a response to the latest consultation to be discussed at the July meeting. There is a local consultation event being held in Ewyas Harold Memorial Hall on Monday 4th July from 2pm-4pm. This will give Planning Officers the opportunity to speak to residents’ face to face and answer any questions they may have.
  11. RESILIENCE PLAN – It was agreed to adopt the Resilience Plan. This will be available on the Parish Council website.
  12. GOLDEN VALLEY ANNUAL PLAN 2022-2023 – Proposed works on the draft plan were noted. The Clerk has been advised that works identified as no. 26 on the C1209 at Michaelchurch is to repair a damaged culvert. This could possibly be the on-going problems between Percival Place and Little Green Farm, although this is still a draft plan and has not been approved yet by Herefordshire Council.
  13. NEWSLETTER – Resilience Plan, Herefordshire Trail, Place Shaping Consultation.
  14. NOTE THE CORRESPONDENCE SHEET – The correspondence sheet was noted.
  15. RAISE MATTERS FOR THE NEXT ORDINARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – Thursday 21st July 2022 at 7.30pm at Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall – Turnastone Court, Countryside Restoration Trust.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 8.35pm.

Signed………………………………………………………………..
Dated…………………………………………………………………

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