16th January 2025 Minutes

VOWCHURCH & DISTRICT GROUP PARISH COUNCIL
Michaelchurch Escley, Newton, St Margarets, Turnastone, Vowchurch.
Minutes of the Vowchurch & District Group Parish Council meeting to held on
Thursday 16th January 2025 at 7.30pm in Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall.

PRESENT – Councillors E May (Chair), I Chadwick, A Picton, D Cross, E Williams, A Mason, R Lloyd, J Kernahan, G Deas, and J Andrews.
IN ATTENDANCE – PC Jeff Rouse, five members of the public and Mrs L Cowles (Clerk).

  1. ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Councillor S Craddock and Ward Councillor M Engel.
  2. RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & CONSIDER ANY WRITTEN APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION – There were no declarations of interest or written requests for dispensation.
  3. ADOPT MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL – 21st November 2024 – The minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.
  4. OPEN DISCUSSION – Members of the public present raised concerns and are interested in the management of the verges for this coming season in the hope of avoiding the issues last year and to propose a way forward. They would like one cut in mid-July and would like the Parish Council to consider using the Lengthsman in June to beat down encroaching bracken. They would like to work together to address both road safety, environmental concerns and find a way forward. The Parish Council also noted correspondence from an additional resident who would prefer a cut in late May/early June along with the bulk purchase of yellow rattle seed to sow and eliminate some areas of coarse grasses.
  5. VERGES – The Chair thanked members of the public for attending and invited each Councillor to give their view. The consensus was that the Parish Council completely understood residents’ environmental concerns but the primary concern is road safety. The contractors are employed by Balfour Beatty and the Parish Council currently has no control over when the contractor will visit other than requesting one or two cuts which are currently in May and August. As in previous years residents can take responsibility by adopting a section of verge if they wish but dangerous spots will also be cut as instructed by the Locality Steward. The Lengthsman currently strims around the road junctions. It was agreed that ideally the contractors should not decide when the verges should be cut and the Clerk was instructed to contact the Ward Councillor to take this forward to establish if Balfour Beatty would cut at varying times of the year.
  6. REPORTS
    All members of the public left the meeting.
    6.1 Local Police – PC Rouse advised that there are no problems to report in the Vowchurch group area. He did confirm that there had been an attempted break-in at Lower Maescoed. He also advised that if groups are seen coming onto land looking for foxes and rabbits etc., this should be reported as it is a criminal offence, please get a car registration number if possible.
    6.2 Ward Councillor – Ward Councillor Engels report was read by Councillor May in his absence and included: –
    Council budget meeting in three weeks’ time, the main item is likely to be the go-ahead for the Southern Link Road with building to start in 2026.
    Devolution – It seems that certain that all district councils will be abolished by the government and that unity authorities as small as Herefordshire are liable to be abolished. There seems to be some traction in favour of a three-way county solution whereby Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire would remain separate councils for most purposes but be yoked together under a mayor.
    With the budget due there is a small possibility that some roads could be brought up to proper standard. If councillors are aware of any roads, please let Councillor Engel know

6.3 Lengthsman report and any new road defects. – The Lengthsman was unable to attend the meeting. His monthly reports have been forwarded to Councillors prior to the meeting.

  1. CLERKS UPDATE – Clerk’s update included-
    Questions regarding the re-purposed noticeboard at Newton
    The local drainage and PROW funding has been extended until June 2025
    The Lengthsman contract for 2025/26 will be advertised in the February newsletter on the website and Facebook page. The clerk has also contacted the Kentchurch clerk for contact details of their lengthsman.
    Police parish priorities – It was agreed to keep the same as previously stated – speeding, rural theft, and presence of large vehicles.
    A request for a member of the Kingstone Charitable Trust to attend a meeting to discuss their prescription machine project was noted and agreed that the parish council would not be willing to donate at this time.
    HALC training courses – Councillor Picton requested to attend the ‘Planning Overview’ course.
    BBLP Annual briefing sessions on 29th and 30th January.
    It was agreed that the lengthsman would complete an additional day in the parishes filling grit bins. There is no longer salt available locally at Councillor William’s farm. The Clerk would request another bulk supply from Herefordshire Council.
    Correspondence has been received from a local resident regarding propaganda material placed on the Vowchurch noticeboard. The Clerk had responded that the noticeboard was an open community noticeboard and that the Parish Council does not censor or approve material that is displayed there but relies on members of the public taking full responsibility and only displaying relevant notices of an appropriate nature. The Parish Council agreed that the noticeboards’ main purpose was to display information about local events. It is a community resource and community policed. It was agreed that the clerk would draft a response for Councillors to approve prior to responding to the local resident.
  2. PLANNING
    8.1 PRIOR APPROVAL IS REQUIRED
    Site: National Grid Electricity Distribution, Bonnylands Radio Station, The Tower, Dorstone, Herefordshire.
    Description: Application for prior notification of proposed development by telecommunications code systems operators for the installation of a new mast with antennas and dishes, cable gantry and support poles and ancillary development thereto.
    Application No: 242617 Grid Ref: 328795:239700
    8.2 PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED
    Site: Former Chapel and land adjacent Commerce House, Vowchurch, Herefordshire.
    Description: Proposed conversion and extension of former chapel to create a dwelling additional detached dwelling and replacement access.
    Application No: 240652 Grid Ref: 336243:236517
  3. FINANCE
    9.1 Confirmation of bank balance – £15,598.40 dated 31st December 2024.
    To include £6.00 bank charges
    9.2 Payment to Mrs Linda Cowles for January 2025 Clerk’s hours – Payment agreed.
    9.3 Payment to Mr T Griffiths invoice no. TGC2960 roads account October 2024 (2) of £559.20 gross (VAT £93.20), invoice no. TGC2969 roads account November 2024 (1) of £559.20 gross (VAT £93.20), invoice no. TGC2991 roads account November 2024 (2) of £559.20 gross (VAT £93.20), invoice no. TGC2992 PROW grant funding of £194.40 gross (VAT £32.40), invoice no. TGC3003 roads account December 2024 (1) of £559.20 gross (VAT £93.20), invoice no. TGC3018 roads account December 2024 (2) of £559.20 gross (VAT £93.20) – Payment agreed.
    9.4 Payment to Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall of £90.00 for meeting room hire – Payment agreed.

9.5 Payment to HMRC of £169.20 PAYE October – December 2024 – Payment agreed.
9.6 Precept 2025/26 – It was agreed to increase the precept as per the approved budget at 5% to £18,102.92.
9.7 Finance Working Group – The latest quarterly reports were distributed to Councillors prior to the meeting. The finance working group confirmed spreadsheets and invoices had been checked and all were in order.

  1. TRO ASSESSMENT C1206 – The proposals from Herefordshire Council were noted regarding the Traffic Regulation Order assessment along the C1206 through Vowchurch and Turnastone. It was agreed that the parish council would like to avoid white line markings through the village but instead install road markings stating ‘caution, mixed use surface’ along with signage at either end of the village. The suggestion of the signage near Ladywell Cottage was acceptable but it was agreed to contact the local resident for their approval. The Parish Council would also like confirmation that the hedge by the bridge going east would also be reduced as originally suggested.
  2. HOLIDAY LET ACCOMMODATION – It was agreed to currently put this idea on hold.
  3. COMMUNICATION WITH PARISHIONERS – Following recent comments from residents via social media the Clerk had some concerns that parishioners did not know how to contact the Parish Council and that comments over social media were not often seen. There appears to be some confusion as to who the Parish Council are and what they are responsible for. It was agreed to investigate posting a QR code on the noticeboards to enable access to the website and continue to spread the word via word-of-mouth.
  4. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – Defer to February meeting.
  5. CODE OF CONDUCT – Councillors were reminded of their responsibilities under the Code of Conduct.
  6. NEWSLETTER – The newsletter for November/December had not made the monthly cut-off. This would be forwarded again for the February issue to also include Lengthsman tender, noticeboards and contacting the Parish Council.
  7. NOTE THE CORRESPONDENCE SHEET – The correspondence sheet was noted.
  8. RAISE MATTERS FOR THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL – Thursday 20th February 2025 from 7.30pm at Escley Sports Pavilion, Michaelchurch Escley – Annual meeting, verges and Vowchurch TRO.

A RESOLUTION WAS PASSED TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC & PRESS DUE TO EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

  1. PARISH CLERK HOURS AND SALARY SCALE.
    Since the meeting in November the Chair has been made aware that the Clerk has held the CILCA qualification since 2016. Following discussion with Herefordshire Association of Local Councils and their recommendation that a qualified clerk should be on the salary scale between SCP26 – SCP30 it was agreed to increase the clerk’s salary to SCP28 backdated to April 2024. HALC also recommended that the clerk should work a minimum of 7 hours per week. It was agreed between Councillors and the Clerk that weekly hours would currently be monitored with a review at the May annual meeting of the Parish Council.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 9.30pm

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

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