S.P.C Minutes December 2018

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SHENSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

 

Serving Little Aston, Shenstone, Stonnall, Shenstone Wood End, Lynn, Parish Council Office 25C Main Street Shenstone WS14 OLZ
Tel: 01543 481 947
e-mail: <admin@shenstone-staffs.gov.uk >
web: www.shenstone-staffs.gov.uk

 APPROVED MINUTES OF FULL COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY DECEMBER 11th 2018

 SHENSTONE VILLAGE HALL

 

  1. Register of members in attendance.

Cllrs David Salter, Sheila Beilby, Rita Hancocks, Mick Cox, Neil Perry, Gail Nicholls, Val Neale, John Branch, Stuart Jones. Shirley O’Mara- Clerk.

Members of the public- Mrs Louise Branch, Mr Darryl Godden, Mr & Mrs Brian Cook, Mr Bob Share & Mrs Lee Fitzpatrick

  1. Acceptance of apologies

Cllr David Thompson, Cllr Charles Fordham & Cllr Nicola Macdonald.  County Cllr David Smith.  District Cllrs Elizabeth Little & Joseph Powell.                  

  1. Declarations of interest: The following Councillors applied for and were granted a dispensation to run until the  annual meeting of the Council in May 2019 permitting them to speak and vote on matters as specified on which they had a disclosable interest under Part B of the Councils Code of Conduct as members of the specified committees.

Cllr David Salter on matters relating to Little Aston Recreation Ground and the Richard Cooper Room

Cllr Rita Hancocks on matters relating to Shenstone Village Hall, Richard Cooper Room and Shenstone Community Library

Cllr Sheila Beilby on matters relating to Stonnall Playing Fields and Stonnall Village Hall

Cllr Val Neale on matters relating to Stonnall Youth & Community Centre

Cllr Mick Cox on matters relating to Stonnall Youth & Community Centre

Cllr Gail Nicholls on matters relating to Stonnall Playing Fields & Stonnall Village Hall

Cllr Jean Wilson on matters relating to Little Aston Recreation Ground

Cllr Charles Fordham on matters relating to Little Aston Recreation Ground

Cllr Stuart Jones on matters relating to the Lammas Land and Shenstone Community Library

  1. To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 13th November 2018.

Duly approved & signed.

  1. Clerks report on outstanding matters from minutes Tuesday 13th November 2018 –

 – Request for a bench at the top of Churchill Road, Shenstone- deferred to January.

 – Cllr Salter reported that Protech Electrical Services have done an excellent job with the Christmas tree lights at Little Aston. Cllr Wilson said they are spectacular.  

 – The meeting between Archdeacon Simon & Rev Chamberlain to discuss the possibility of the re-use of land in the closed cemetery at St Johns took place on Dec 4th with Cllrs Salter & Cox & the Clerk representing Council. 

Whilst understanding of the Council’s needs to investigate all avenues regarding burial space Archdeacon Simon stated that, regardless of pastoral concerns, it would be an almost impossible task to get permission granted as it would need to go as high as the Privy Council & the costs involved would be prohibitive, with no guarantee of success. He did say that he would be supportive of Council limiting the use of the existing ground in the Lower Lawn Cemetery to cremated remains burials only to extend time available and that he had no concerns over full burial options only being available in Stonnall & Little Aston.

A meeting with a Land Agent is scheduled for Wednesday Dec 12th to discuss approaching those landowners identified in the SLAR report.

The Clerk shared with Council advice from Staffordshire Parish Council Association stating as follows:

There is no statutory duty on a parish council to provide burial facilities, but if it does so, the management is governed by the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977 (copy attached).

As a burial authority the parish council shares a responsibility with the parochial church council (PCC) to consider what should be done when it is evident that a churchyard’s further usefulness for burials is limited. One possibility is that the PCC itself should acquire additional land, preferably adjacent to the existing churchyard as an extension to it and the parish council may contribute to the related expense (The Local Government Act 1972 section 214(6) provides the power to do this).

The parish council may, however, also provide cemeteries outside its own area (LGA 1972 s 214(2)) and it can arrange to have this function discharged by another local authority (LGA 1972 s 101). Thus if it is not practical to extend an existing churchyard in the parish, a joint arrangement with a neighbouring council may be entered into.

Newsletter. The latest edition of the newsletter has had favourable response but large areas of Shenstone have not received a copy. The Clerk has spoken with the design agency who has confirmed distribution details but clearly something has gone amiss. The Clerk has requested an investigation with the distributor themselves.

Following Council’s decision at the last meeting not to include details of the Staffordshire County Council traffic survey in the newsletter the Clerk has received an email from County Cllr David Smith expressing his disappointment that he has received no apology or explanation as to why the information was withheld. 

The Clerk explained that the reason for the decision was that Council wished to see the data first before publication and share it then.

Update on item 123 from previous minutes- an invitation to meet with Council has been sent but as yet there has been no response.

Shenstone Post Office. The Clerk has received an update from The Post Office stating that they are at the interview stage and an update will follow in the New Year.

  1. Public Participation.

 Six residents attended the meeting to express their serious concerns over the speeding issues on the A5127 in Shenstone.  Mrs Branch stated that in 2012 when she herself was a Parish Councillor, villagers were promised that measures to enforce the 30 mph zone would happen but nothing has been done with only ineffective & useless actions so far. This is despite repeated pleas for action to Parish Council, County, Matthew Ellis & Christopher Pincher MP. Mrs Branch feels that  fatalities on the road are inevitable.

Mr & Mrs Cook are new residents to the village and already seriously concerned when walking along the Road  especially as the paths are narrow due to overgrown hedges 

Mr Godden & Mrs Fitzpatrick both have real fears for the safety of their children on walks to and from school.

The residents requested Councils support in seeking permanent speed enforcement.

Cllr Salter stated that Council are fully supportive and will do all they can to lobby for action but stressed that the residents group themselves actually have more clout. Average speed cameras are something that could be pursued. Council have already requested details from Highways on how to arrange & fund an independent speed check but as yet there has been no response.

The Clerk was requested to do some further investigations and take findings to the next Council meeting. The Clerk will also address the problem of the overgrown hedges on Birmingham Road.

  1. To receive reports from District and County Councillors.

 Cllr Little, via email, requested that members be advised of three consultations in the coming weeks and encourages everyone to have their say on planning policies.

The first consultation, running 19th Dec 2018 to 6th Feb 2019, will seek local views on the main modifications recommended by the planning inspector to make the Local Plan Allocations document sound following the public hearings in September. The Allocations document is the second part of Lichfield District’s Local Plan and covers issues from housing and employment land allocations through to reviewing planning policies used to determine planning applications.

The second consultation is on an updated version of the Statement of Community Involvement, which sets out when, why and with who the council will consult on local plans and planning applications. This runs 2nd Jan to 1st Feb 2019.

The third consultation is on changes to the Sustainable Design Supplementary Planning Document which gives guidance on how sustainable development can be achieved through new development. This runs 2nd Jan to 1st Feb 2019. 

Cllr Perry requested that the content of the consultation papers referred to might be very briefly summarised/important content flagged etc and in a in language that is more accessible for residents- Cllr Salter to action.   

  1. Finance- current position as at Nov 13th.

The Clerk shared the current position of accounts:  Unity Bank £145,776.86

Nat West current account £985.00. Nat West Liquidity Account (earmarked funds for cemetery) £140,029.92

Nat West Business Reserve £3095.18

The Clerk shared details of December transactions to date.

Council then voted on the Precept for 2019/20. The Clerk had prepared figures based on 4%,5% & 6% increases with Council voting in the majority for the smallest increase of 4%, taking the Precept request to £182,000- an increase of £7,000.

Next Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Meeting Jan 29th 2019 5.15 Parish Council Office.

  1. Consider Shenstone Parish Council/ Little Aston Recreation Ground Management Agreement addendum of tenancy agreement

Cllr Salter stated that he was disappointed that no approval in principle was given to this proposal at the last Full Council meeting but grateful that it had not been dismissed. The Chairman of Little Aston Recreation Ground (LARGA) will attend the January meeting to provide more information in support of the proposal.

He also stated that in the last few days LARGA have missed out on a £50,000 grant on the grounds that they do not have a tenancy agreement, emphasising the importance of such an agreement to secure significant grant funding going forward.  Without grant funding the recreation ground will not be able to develop, costing £15,000 to stand still. Cllr Wilson shared Cllr Salters sentiments and asked if the Council could not consider the proposal there and then.  A discussion then followed with concern expressed about the length of tenure, Cllr Perry suggesting a much shorter tenure of perhaps 15 years with a review period built in and Cllr Cox keen to establish the impact of any tenancy agreement in relation to Fields in Trust.  The majority of Council would also wish to take independent legal advice before any actions are taken. Cllr Salter commented  that if the Parish Council do not support this application then it is likely to have to pay very considerable maintenance costs in the future

Item carried forward to January Full Council for further consideration.

  1. Speeding on the A5127- covered under Public Participation.

  2. Lengthsmans contract- three month probationary period complete. Consider next steps.

Following a very successful probationary period Council voted unanimously to make the position of Lengthsman permanent . Stephen Crane was unanimously commended for his performance so far especially in relation to the refurbishment of Little Aston bus stop & the Shenstone Christmas lights.

  1. Shenstone Christmas Market 2019

A resident of Shenstone has requested, via Cllr Jones, Councils support in running a Shenstone Christmas Market in 2019. Council were unanimous in supporting this initiative.

Cllr Hancocks thanked Cllr Salter for his support as Santa at this Saturday’s village hall.

  1. Date of next meeting.

Tuesday January 8th 2019 Stonnall Youth & Community Centre.