Draft 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 3rd September 2026 at 7.30pm in Newton Church Room

PRESENT – Councillors E May (Chair), T Smith, E Williams, A Mason, S Craddock, A Picton, K Price and R Lloyd.
IN ATTENDANCE – Ward Councillor M Engel, J Probert (Lengthsman) and Mrs L Cowles (Clerk).

  1. ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – Councillor I Chadwick, J Kernahan, D Cross and the police.
  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 PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 16th July 2026 – The minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.
  4. OPEN DISCUSSION – No members of the pubic attended the meeting therefore no specific points were raised.
  5. REPORTS
    5.1 Local Police – The local police were unable to attend the meeting but reported via the clerk;
    Please accept our apologies for not being able to attend this evening’s meeting.
    In terms of an update since your last meeting in July there’s been a few incidents to tell councillors about.
    One is a theft of a quad bike from a farm in Vowchurch on 7th August.
    It’s also worth mentioning that in the early hours of 8 August a farm utility vehicle was stolen from a property at Lower Maescoed. This vehicle was then used in an attempt to steal a quad bike from a farm at Longtown but the offenders were disturbed by the farm occupiers and fled the scene, leaving behind another of their own vehicles. Two males were arrested in south Wales a short time later, with one of them being charged with multiple offences and the other released on police bail whilst enquiries continue.
    Also, for awareness, In the early hours of 21 August two unsuccessful attempts were made to steal old Land Rovers from separate addresses in Craswall. Both attempts failed due to the security measures in place on each vehicle.
    5.2 Lengthsman – The Lengthsman has been in the area this week and did see the Locality Steward. He enquired when the road will be swept to help with the newly laid chippings. The Locality Steward confirmed that it would be done but was unsure of a date
    5.3 Ward Councillor – Ward Councillors Engels report included: An update on planning at Greyhound Close in Longtown along with an update on the speed restrictions by Locks Garage in Allensmore. Herefordshire Council has been relatively quiet. A scheduled briefing regarding the bypass has been cancelled with a new date yet to be set.
  6. CLERKS UPDATE –Unfortunately, the Locality Steward is not available to attend evening meetings but is available to attend meetings between 8.00am and 4. 00pm. I reported concerns regarding the hedges along the C1206 in Michaelchurch. The Locality Steward has been out to inspect them and considers the hedges to be acceptable and not a safety issue. The landowner has not been contacted at this stage due to the current bird nesting season at the time. I have been contacted by Jesse Norman’s secretary regarding concerns raised by a local resident about flooding on the Escley Brook near NW13. The resident has requested that the Lengthsman clear debris and trees along the water’s edge while water levels are low. Councillor May has contacted the resident to arrange a meeting when convenient. I have also been contacted by a local resident regarding the verges on Vowchurch Common not being cut. I have been trying to resolve this matter since June. Councillor Craddock has now been added to the bank account. I have the necessary forms for Councillor Picton’s removal from the account, which need to be signed.
    I have been unable to find any planning application or permission relating to the yurts at the Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch. I am aware that one yurt has been there for some time, probably for more than five years. Councillors agreed that they have been there for some time and agreed to take no further action. Reminder that the Wildfire Ready Teams meeting is being held on Monday, 7th September 2026 5.30pm – 7.00pm.
    I have been contacted by a local resident who believes that the Parish Council may be the trustees of Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall, although I have never seen any paperwork confirming this.
    I have been asked to provide a letter giving permission for Solicitors, Woodland Davies in Hay, where he believes the deeds are held, to release copies for him to examine. He has said that the documents will then be returned. It was agreed that the clerk would contact the solicitor in the first instance and arrange for any documentation to be sent directly to the Parish Council to enable them to be reviewed at the next Parish Council meeting. A road closure will take place on B4348 from Poston Mill Park to Stone Street, overnight from 12th October to 16th October 2026. The Clerk will be on annual leave from Thursday 10th September to Monday 28th September
  7. CONSIDER PLANNING
    7.1 PLANNING PERMSSION – GRANTED
    Site: Barn adj Llanbaddon Farm, Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire. HR2 0PP
    Description: Construction of a self-build dwelling in lieu of extant class Q permission to convert existing barn to a dwelling.
    Application No: 261442 Grid Ref: 330856:233304
  8. FINANCE
    8.1 Confirmation of bank balance – Updated bank balance of £20,664.78 dated 31st August 2026

Receipts – £875.00 1st quarter Lengthsman claim
To include £7.00 bank charges.
8.2 Payment to Mrs Linda Cowles for September 2026 Clerk’s hours – Payment agreed.
8.3 Payment to Mr J Probert invoice no. 1139 roads account July 2026 (1) and August 2026 (1) of £600.00 gross (VAT £100.00) – Payment agreed.
8.4 Payment to Parish & Town Auditing Services invoice no. IA/0341/26 for internal audit 2025/26 of £150.00. (no VAT) – Payment agreed.
8.5 Payment to SLCC invoice no. MEM259573-1 Clerk membership fee 2026/27 of £158.00 – Payment agreed.
9. EXTERNAL AUDIT 2025/26 – Note section 3 of the External Auditor report and the Notice of Conclusion of Audit –It was noted that the Clerk had not yet received the report from the External Auditor. The External Auditor had been advised on two occasions that the meeting was taking place and that the Clerk would subsequently be on annual leave.
As the External Audit Report must be displayed by 30 September, the Clerk will arrange for this to be done upon receipt of the report. The report will then be noted at the October meeting.
10. WHITEHOUSE ESTATE – WOODLAND CREATION CONSULTATION – The lead consultant forester has engaged with all local residents who have express any concerns. Following discussions with the landowner and forestry commission parts of the scheme have been modified. They will be producing an updated planting map when they have agreed the final design.
11. TOWN AND PARISH COUNCIL OPCC SURVERY 2026 – General concerns included lack of visibility, difficulty contacting officers, theft, vandalism and speeding. It was acknowledged that officers cover a large area and that this was not a criticism of individual officers. Councillors May and Craddock agreed to complete the survey on behalf of the Parish Council. Councillors were also encouraged to complete the survey individually.

  1. DRAINAGE GRANT FUNDING 2026/27 – The Clerk confirmed that the parish council have been awarded £5413.64 of the £7125 requested from the drainage grant funding. This would include maintenance and capital works on the C1206 in Michaelchurch Escley and U74204 in Newton St Margarets. Additional self-funding of £2241.00 would be needed to complete works, this would include an additional area near Lower House Common on C1206. The clerk confirmed that there are funds available within the budget therefore it was agreed to instruct the lengthsman to complete works.
  2. DIVERSION OF PART OF FOOTPATH ME20 IN MICHAELCHURCH ESCLEY – The Clerk has advised the landowner that the majority of councillors have no objections to the proposed route being changed. It is therefore assumed that you will now follow the proper process to have the new footpath/route officially recorded.
  3. WELSH WATER – There continues to be problems with Welsh Water at Newton St Margarets. Following an update from Councillor Price it was agreed that the clerk would contact Welsh Water/ Jesse Norman requesting an update on their last email dated 27th March 2026 which included their action plan of early warning monitoring, leakage reduction, network modelling and investment planning and air valve installations. None of these have either been done or appear to be working. It was also agreed to invite a representative to the next parish council meeting.
  4. ROAD SIGNAGE – Following reports of property damage on U74204 in St Margarets it was agreed to investigate the possibility of having additional road signage in the area to include ‘Unsuitable for HGVS’ or ‘Do not follow SATNAV’ signage. Councillors queried who actually sets the criteria for each road regarding weight, size of vehicle and road limits?
  5. NEWSLETTER – Landowners responsibilities under Riparian Ownership to include rivers, blocked drains and footpaths.
  6. NOTE THE CORRESPONDENCE SHEET – No additional correspondence.
  7. RAISE MATTERS FOR THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL – Thursday 15th October 2026 at 7.30pm in Vowchurch & Turnastone Memorial Hall – Clerks mobile phone, update on water leak at Shobdon Barn, Firebreak teams meeting update and how this will affect the Resilience Plan, stone dressing on Dore bridge and capping stones over bridge near Sunny Bank Farm

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

  1. CLERKS SALARY – It was agreed to increase the Clerks salary as per the approved nationally agreed pay scale award 2026/27 back dated to April 2026.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 9pm.

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