MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

 Meeting of the Parish Council

held on Monday 2^nd November 2020

at 7.30 pm, online.

Members present:

Cllr Cliffe

Cllr Dhillon

Cllr Mason

Cllrs Meikle

Cllr Purkess

Present: Mrs M Jones, Clerk

1.   To receive and approve apologies

Cllr Mason acted as Chair to the meeting. Cllr Startin had apologised as he was on holiday and his apology was accepted.

Cllr Lacey had apologised as he was unable to join online, his apology was accepted.

2.   To receive any Declarations of Interest

None received

3.   To approve the draft Minutes of the meeting of 5^th October 2020

The Minutes were approved and would be signed by the Chair at the next face to face meeting of the Council.

4.   To adjourn the meeting, to hold the Public Session, to reconvene the meeting.

No members of the public had attended.

5.   To receive the Clerk’s Report

Bromford Homes had been contacted regarding the untidy drive in Croxall Road, it has been confirmed the tenant was apologetic but was awaiting Highways’ consent for a dropped kerb before the work to resurface the drive could commence.

The Police had confirmed that the parked vehicle at Woodyard Close belonged to a local person and was not abandoned.

Highways had confirmed that the refurbishment of Chetwynd Bridge would be controlled by traffic lights, the long closure and diversions would not take place, although there were likely to be some short closures in the Spring.

The Christmas lights installation had been confirmed with the electrician, and a new set of lights would be ordered.

The Clerk had attended a course on funding and information had been shared with the Village Hall Committee.

Information had been received from a resident on the obstruction to Right of Way 13A off Church Hollow and this had been reported to the County Council. Cllr Mason asked whether it could be accessed through the gate from the Village Hall car park.

A wreath had been ordered for the Remembrance Service but as this could no longer proceed due to the lockdown the Church Warden would be contacted to arrange the laying of the wreath by Cllr Meikle.

The work to the hedges would be done by Village Gardeners in November at a cost of £100 as last year.

The work to the paths had been completed by the County Council, with the compound removed and the area left tidy.

The Clerk would contact the National Forest to ask whether the village name signs could be replaced.

6.   To consider any planning matters

20/01326/FUL and 20/01325/FUL; 6 Holding, Pessall Lane; extension of existing cow shed, construction of additional cow shed, roof to muck store. RESOLVED no objection.

20/01278/FUH; Woodside Barn, Mill Lane, conversion of existing garage, installation of new link section and carport. RESOLVED no objection.

19/00042/COU; New Buildings Farm, A513 – a response had been sent stating no objection to the changed access, reiterating concerns about the number of properties proposed, improved highway signage requested.

7.   To consider replacement oak tree

Cllr Mason reported that a suitable site had been identified off Blakeways Close. The neighbouring property owners would need to be consulted.  He had discussed this plan with a National Forest Woodland Officer who had suggested a small tree could be supplied, although a part grown one from a local tree nursery may be preferable. Options and prices would be obtained.  Cllr Mason would also discuss with the school a suggestion that the children could grow acorns and the best one could be planted in the village.

8.   To consider consultation on Mease Woodland Management Plan

The Parish Council had been consulted on a proposal to maintain the woodlands by thinning trees and removing those threatened by ash die back disease. The Clerk would  confirm to the National Forest that there was no objection.

9.   To receive correspondence

Staffordshire Parish Council Association bulletins                                      Lichfield District Council news items, displayed on website

Staffordshire Police, information on how to receive Smart Alert updates

Resident enquiry regarding tree surgeon payment, clarified work done

Community Speed watch update

10.                To receive Councillors’ Reports

Cllr Meikle offered to remove the signs left in the village by a legal firm, they had been asked to remove these but had not done so. He also offered to clear up some litter around the village as this had increased in the absence of the Best Kept Village competition. Cllrs Mason and Purkess also agreed to help clear litter.

Cllr Purkess said that the Village Hall would not be in use from Thursday 5^th November due to the government lockdown regulations.

Cllr Cliffe said that the potholes in Pessall Lane were getting deeper.

Cllr Mason said that the barrels had now been planted.

Repairs on Right of Way 7 to a finger post had been done but the bridge still needed repair and he would contact the fencing contractor.

Cllr Startin had been thanked for his hard work on clearing Right of Way 2 off Pessall Lane, and County Farms should be informed of the work done on land they were responsible for.

The insurers had recommended periodic tree inspections and the tree surgeon should be asked to quote for this.

11.                To receive the Financial Report

• The current account stood at £12,441.14.
• The capital fund remained the same at £68,577.84. The Buckingham Building Society Bond was due for renewal at the end of November; no information had been received, the interest rate was likely to be low.
• It was RESOLVED to approve Toplis Associates as Internal Auditors for the year.
• Lichfield District Council had requested the precept figure by January 22^nd and informed Parish Councils that due to an increase in Local Council Tax Support claimants the Council Tax base would be reduced. The Clerk would prepare the budget figures for consideration during the December meeting.

12.                To approve the payments on the payment schedule

It was RESOLVED to approve the payments.

13.                Date of next meeting

Monday 7^th December 2020 at 7.30 p.m. online. The meeting closed at 8.30 p.m.