Approved Minutes from virtual meeting of Full Council held on  9^th March 2021 via Zoom at 7:15pm

Meeting held under regulations made in the Coronavirus Act 2020.

130 Register of members in attendance:

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

Cllr Nick Smith attempted to join but had technical issues with Zoom.

PCSO Andrea Horsnall

County Cllr David Smith. District Cllr Joseph Powell. Clerk: Shirley O’Mara.

131 Acceptance of apologies. Cllr Val Neale

132 Public Participation.

PCSO Andrea Horsnall briefed Council on an ongoing investigation in Little Aston regarding a property that has been purchased & rented out which is being used for parties, with massive covid violations and a suggestion of an underage presence. Residents are very concerned. This is currently with the legal team who are looking at a closure order but the police are working very hard with the community to resolve this situation.

District Cllr Powell said he has had a large number of calls re this matter including concerns about the large number of laughing gas canisters left requiring LDC input to deal with excessive litter.

Stonnall residents have requested a Zoom meeting with Andrea to discuss how the community can work with the PCSO to prevent crime. A meeting will be arranged shortly.

In Footherley Woods there were problems with youths drinking in the woods, lighting fires and leaving litter. Some fixed penalty notices were issued to parents & the situation is being closely monitored.

Cllr Edgley has spoken to a resident re the track at the edge of Footherley Woods & problems with bikes whizzing up and down. Andrea has not had a report of this but needs to be notified as soon as they are seen. Signage can’t be used to deter if it is on private land.

Andrea said there is an issue with a green quad bike causing disturbance in the village. Cllr Branch was able to supply information re the quad bike owner.

133 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

134 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 9th Feb 2021:

Signed and approved.

135 Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting.

• BT have acknowledged the receipt of the quote received for the potential re-surfacing of Doctors Lane. They will come back to us shortly.

• Gareth Hare, Tree Officer at Lichfield District Council, is still to assess the tree in Stonnall which a resident has requested be cut back. Cllr Powell added that. Gareth Hare has County Highways involved as well.

• PCSO Steve Smith has asked for confirmation that Council are still supportive of the Parking Buddies initiative around schools in the Parish. The expected contribution from Parish would be £150.00.

RESOLUTION: Council unanimously approved £150.00 funding.

136 To receive reports from District and County Councillors.

County Cllr Smith shared:

• There is a new Government initiative on cycling so if members have any ideas they should let him know.

• Blake St: the crossing has a recommendation for funding which is going to Cabinet and if approved should be implemented this year.

• Birmingham Rd speed restrictions- amended drawings will be circulated shortly.

• Shenstone Station: the order has gone through for the work due early in the new financial year.

• Cartersfield Lane: The design for the speeding restrictions has been signed off & circulated to Council as well as S.C.A.R.

• Walsall Road: Looking at relining various parts of & adding additional signage.

Cllr Edgley asked if there will be any planning re the traffic order for the parking around Shenstone Station. Cllr Smith said that planning is not required.

Cllr Salter queried the missing speeding device on Birmingham Rd but Cllr Smith was not aware of this matter as it will be part of normal maintenance. Cllr Branch said it would be good if the sign could be upgraded but Cllr Smith said this was unlikely.

Cllr Smith then moved on to notes he had earlier forwarded in regard to Stonnall Youth & Community Centre. These notes had, at Cllr Smith’s request, been shared with Full Council. He reiterated he has to sign off any decisions and asked if there were questions. Cllr Salter said the details had been circulated & the subject was scheduled for discussion later in the meeting.

Cllr Powell shared: – LDC grant funding is open again.

• Elections are due in May including Police & Crime Commissioner.

• There will be two swimming pools in Lichfield.

Cllr Gobran asked what the rationale is for two. Cllr Powell explained that one is part of Friary Grange which has become an academy & the second is a private company.

• Pedestrianisation is planned for Lichfield centre in October.

• The new HS2 railway will be put under the A38 near Streethay

Cllr Salter said the new Lichfield Lottery is now live.

137 Update from Stonnall Youth & Community Centre (SY&CC) Working Group.

Cllr Thompson updated Council of a meeting on 24th Feb with members of the Stonnall Youth & Community Centre Management Committee (SY&CCMC) & County Cllr David Smith. The SY&CC had presented the Committee with a written submission of comments which Cllr Smith read through and commented on as Mr Doug Morrison had technical issues with Zoom. The Working Party took the comments on board for discussion later & promised a thorough & robust response. Cllr Thompson was later charged with drafting this but due to ill health has not done so as yet. However, he will work on this and present to the Clerk & the rest of the Committee by Mon 15th March. This will be then shared with Council & on to the SY&CC Committee. The points shared this evening (link to 2 -part minutes) by Cllr Smith by & large repeat those made at the Feb 24th meeting, anything additional will also be included.

138 Finance.

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

financial position as at 8th March 2021.Link to transactions spreadsheet.

Nat West Current Account £905.00 Nat West Business Reserve £53,312.38

Nat West Liquidity Account (ring fenced funds) £162,258.61 Unity Account

£37384.38.

The Clerk has submitted a VAT refund of approx. £14K for the period Nov-Feb.

The emergency grant request for £50.00 from 1st Stonnall Scouts was approved & paid.

The Clerk highlighted the importance of ring fenced funds being much clearer in detail as to exactly what they are ring fenced for. Currently headings are very generic- SY&CC, St Johns Church Wall, Neighbourhood Plans. Cllr Thompson suggested that quotes are obtained from Navigus for neighbourhood plans, especially as boundary changes have occurred since they were last done.

RESOLUTION: This was unanimously approved.

139 Risk Register.

Reviewed & approved.

140 Planning.

Approve planning applications received in last month and update on any objections/ developments. No issues raised. Link to planning applications spreadsheet

Update from Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee & recommendations: RECOMMENDATION: St Johns Church wall repairs: Seek quotes using approved lime mortar for the repair of the 20 metres of wall identified. Specification to be drawn up to include dynamic monitoring. RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

St Johns Churchyard – update on burial capacity. The proposal is to fill the empty spaces between burial plots with cremated remains and to also start burials on the cremated remains side of the cemetery. By mixing both cremated remains plots & burial plots space is maximised and capacity last circa 25 years.

RECOMMENDATION: Approve proposal with notes added in the burial authority register that a review will be required closer to the time.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

141 Update on speeding measures in Stonnall & Shenstone.

Covered under Item 136

142 Request for new bench Shenstone Lower Lawn Cemetery.

A resident of Shenstone has asked for permission to purchase and erect a bench at the side of the Lower Lawn Cemetery close to the back wall.

He understands that, if approved, this may need to be moved at some point if the area is required for additional plots. RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

143 Parish Online Training- update from Cllr Salter.

Cllr Salter talked through a very useful online mapping tool which would be useful.

Currently, there is an offer of a free subscription (currently £600) to this tool with an insurance company called BHIB Insurance. As our insurance is due to expire, Cllr Salter suggested it would be useful to get a comparison quote as BHIB are considered Parish Council insurance specialists.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved that the Clerk seeks alternative quotes.

144 Parish emails & computer upgrade: consider quotation from Boldmere Computers.

The clerk shared a quotation for the migration of mailboxes to Office 365 £2153.00 +VAT. This will not only allow the Clerk to work with much improved software & have synchronicity between laptop & main office computer but allow Councillors to operate effective Council emails plus increasing IT security with more cloud storage.

Cllr Beilby said she thought it was extremely important for the Clerk to have the upgrade in order to run as effectively and efficiently as possible.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

145 Newsletter.

The Spring newsletter will lead with the SY&CC Council consultation as well as an article on neighbourhood planning.

There will be a feature on grant funding, a Lengthsmen update, a feature on litter picking and two updates on the Team Shenstone “Hearts & Minds” project & Shenstone Community Library.

Cllr Salter asked Council to check Community contacts info in case anything needs to be changed. Deadline is March 18th.

The Clerk raised the issue of circulation in Little Aston. There was a discussion re how to tackle the problem with Cllr Macdonald suggesting an advert to recruit a delivery person & Cllr Gobran suggesting how this could be done.

The Clerk will investigate.

146 Date of next virtual meeting: Tues 13th April 2021.

Cllr Salter reminded Council that the May meeting is a week earlier than normal & that Councillors should consider whether they wish to stand for Chair or Vice Chair & on what Committees and/or outside bodies they wish to sit.

 27.04.21