item

detail

80

Register of members in attendance:

Cllrs David Salter; Sheila Beilby; John Branch; Nicola Macdonald; Gail Nicholls; Neil Perry; David Thompson; Stuart Jones; Mick Cox; Nicki Gobran & Lesley Edgley.

County Cllr David Smith. Clerk: Shirley O’Mara.

81

Acceptance of apologies.

Cllrs Val Neale & Kelly Harrison. District Cllr Elizabeth Hassell

82

Public Participation.

None

83

Declarations of interest. Members should consider whether they should partake in any discussion or vote on matters on the agenda unless they have a dispensation:

None

84

To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 13^th October 2020:

Signed and approved with addendum to item 71.

85

Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting:

The Clerk asked Cllr Jones for an update on Shenstone Village Hall’s request for grant funding towards specialist chairs. Cllr Jones stated that the purchase has been made already and no further assistance is required.

The Clerk shared quotes so far for the repair of St John the Baptist Church wall behind the Old Tower & installation of safety railings. The quotes are £4650 + VAT from Traditional Fabrications & £7960 from S&G Construction. Further quotes are being obtained for consideration at Council in January. In the meantime, temporary fencing is in place for safety.

Quotes are also expected regarding the outstanding cemetery topple testing.

Cllr Thompson queried the recent graveyard assessment re capacity & the Clerk reported that she is meeting with Mark Ridgeway on Dec 9^th.

Cllr Salter mentioned that the Remembrance Sunday Service, though very different, was very nice with community associations able to lay their own wreaths & some public attendance.

The flood defence work in Stonnall is almost complete with Traditional Fabrications scheduled to finish off in January. There will then be an onsite inspection and sign off by Adam Bushnell.

86

To receive reports from District and County Councillors:

County Cllr Smith updated as follows:

• Traffic measures on the A5127 & Carters field Lane are on schedule for Jan 2021.

• Parking around Shenstone Station: objection report completed. There are then 3/4 weeks to be assessed. Work likely in Feb.

• Traffic survey being conducted on Walsall Rd, Little Aston

Cllr Smith has a meeting this week with Network Rail to discuss the Blake Street crossing.

Cllr Gobran raised the issue of the lights on Little Aston Lane, outside the shops.

She asked if a survey was planned to look at traffic flow as it is very dangerous to cross. Cllr Salter said this has been an issue for some time and a County survey was done 4 years ago with no effect. Cllr Smith will make some enquiries. The traffic lights are due for replacement soon. Cllr Salter suggested we should be prepared with some sound reasoning of what we would like to see.

Cllr Salter gave an overview of Covid 19 numbers from Lichfield District Council.

The lights on the Christmas tree in Little Aston have a fault with the top of the tree not lighting up. This is the third year since installation so may be due to growth. Protech will investigate.

87

Update from Stonnall Youth & Community Centre Working Group.

Feedback from all virtual meetings and consider recommendations as follows:

1. Challenge to the village consultation. RECOMMENDATION: A further consultation of Stonnall residents with clear update on decisions to date & direction proposed.

2. Request to consider holding off on the ratification of Council’s decision to

Reject the Staffs County Council offer of sale & the investigation of the Stonnall Village Hall. RECOMMENDATION: To decline this request as Council will only be investigating not decision making.

3. Agree that the consultation should be conducted with input from interested Stonnall residents.

RECOMMENDATION. Agreed -that participation in the consultation was welcome but that Council would lead.

4. Request for Stonnall residents to be part of the Working Group. RECOMMENDATION: Agreed- increase the Working Party to ten with a request for nominations to join to be advertised as part of the next stage of consultation.

Cllr Thompson gave an update to Council:

Council have reminded themselves that they are a Custodian Trustee of Stonnall Village Hall & therefore the option to explore any development of Stonnall Village Hall can only be funded by Council; it cannot manage the application or project in any way. Funding would be circa £40,000.

The Village Hall Committee Members have informed Council that they do not wish to take on the responsibility of a project to explore developing the hall & if the project does go ahead, the Management Committee will retire. That news, cumulatively, means that Council need to reflect on their position.

Representation from residents has been received requesting greater involvement & greater representation. Stonnall residents need to be updated on Council’s initial consideration as well as where Council are now and why.

There are a range of options to progress: keeping the current lease, purchasing the SY&CC for the £1.00 offer & all that entails and, if after consultation, Stonnall residents may wish to take over the Stonnall Village Hall project, replacing the existing committee.

Council will inform Staffs County Council of the latest chain of events.

At this point Cllr Salter suspended Standing Orders in order that Council could revoke the decision from the October meeting which was to inform Staffs CC that Council did not wish to take up the offer of purchase. A vote was then taken to revoke this decision so that options may still be explored.

RESOLUTION: Council voted to revoke the decision under Item 71 of the October meeting. The October minutes, which are a true record, having been signed & approved, will carry an addendum to this effect. The vote was unanimously in favour to revoke.

Cllr Thompson summarised that Council are effectively beginning again as a working group and all must be communicated to residents.

Council then discussed extending the working group to ten members. The Working Group recommended that Council vote to agree this action which could be communicated to Stonnall residents in some form of press release & social media communication.

88

Financial transactions for approval were shared with an update of the latest

financial position as at 8^th December 2020 (Link to Transactions spreadsheet)

Nat West Current Account £905.00 Nat West Business Reserve £53,310.65

Nat West Liquidity Account ( ring fenced funds for Stonnall Community Facility,

Revised Neighbourhood Plans, professional fees) £162,179.29 Unity Account

£138,189.15.

A recommendation from the Finance Committee to purchase new litter bins that

are beyond repair was shared- cost approx. £5,000. RESOLUTION: Council voted

unanimously to approve purchase from ring fenced funds.

Financial Regulations were unanimously approved & adopted

Precept & Forecast. The Clerk shared all expenditure & income to date, a forecast

of expected income & expenditure and position against Precept. Looking at

Precept income, expenditure is very much in line with the budget.

RESOLUTION: After discussions, Council voted unanimously to leave the precept

at £182,000 with no increase.

Ring fenced funds need to be broken down into projects with more specific detail.

89

Planning.

Approve planning applications received in last month and update on any objections/ developments. (Link to planning applications spreadsheet)

Cllr Edgley had highlighted to Cllr Thompson planning application 20/01562 for change of use from an office building to 2 x apartments. Cllr Thompson stated that the Neighbourhood plan is very clear on not losing employment, the plot needs to be vacant for 12 months & there has to be six months active advertising to other possible commercial ventures. Objection submitted to this effect.

The Oakwood Close neighbour dispute has a fast track inspection scheduled.

The Clerk updated Council of recommendations from the Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee Oct 27^th:

RECOMMENDATION: Having identified 13 dangerous trees on the Lammas Land it is recommended that they receive immediate attention. RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved- Clerk to seek tenders.

RECOMMENDATION: Quote of £700.00 received for a significant branch failure in St John’s Churchyard. Needs remedial work following TPO approval which is pending.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved subject to TPO.

Cllr Thompson asked for an update on burial capacity. The Clerk confirmed a meeting with Mark Ridgeway scheduled for Dec 9^th.

90

Doctors Lane- resurfacing.

The Clerk briefed Council on the quotes received to date which cover full resurfacing and also tar & chipping. Quotes for the complete resurfacing vary from £19.5K to £45K whilst tar & chipping range from £8K to £12k.

It was agreed that drainage could be a major issue & the Clerk will seek advice from Staffs CC Highways before presenting all information to Council in January.

91

Greysbrooke School Grant Funding requests.

a) request for grant funding to support the Accelerated Reader Scheme Phase 2. RESOLUTION: Council advise applying in January under normal Community Grant funding guidelines

b) request for Covid 19 grant funding towards refurbishment of an IT room to replace the teaching room which is now Covid isolation room.

RESOLUTION: Council requested more information on what was required as well as costings.

92

Consider upgrade of office photocopier.

RESOLUTION: After discussion relating to savings & efficiencies this was unanimously agreed.

93

Councillor Vacancy.

It was agreed that the Employment Committee would interview both candidates in January. Cllr Gobran will join the selection panel.

94

Communications: feedback on Breakthrough Communications article Clerk magazine Nov.

Cllr Salter supported the idea of Councillor profiles.

Cllr Macdonald would like to include Parish news on Facebook.

It was agreed to discuss in more detail at next meeting.

Cllr Thompson said that the Newsletter should be used to promote what the Council does & not what other organisations do. Further discussions to follow.

95

Next meeting of Full Council Tuesday 12^th January 2021 7.15pm.