Approved minutes of Full Council Meeting held on Tuesday Nov 14^th at Shenstone Community Library at 7.15pm

107 Register of members in attendance

Cllr David Salter, Chair (Shenstone Wood End), Cllrs Gail Nicholls, Phil Whitehouse, Mick Cox, Val Neale, Ruth Graham & Dino D’Ambrosio (Stonnall), Cllrs Stuart Jones, Lesley Edgley, David Thompson, Christopher Callow, Simon Fisher (Shenstone), Cllr Emma Scothern (Little Aston).

Shirley O’Mara (Clerk). County Cllr David Smith.

PCSO Andrea Horsnall. Marie Jenkins (Stonnall resident)

108 Acceptance of apologies. Cllrs Leona Leung & Stuart Harrison.

109 Public Participation.

Members of the public are invited to address Council for a maximum of 15 minutes.

PCSO Horsnall commended Council on the Remembrance Service on Sunday.

She shared the following data:

Calls to the Police in the last month: Shenstone 77, Stonnall 10, Little Aston 34.

There are intense police patrols around the UAV Factory due to the current conflict in the Middle East with security at the factory site on a state of high alert all the time.

There was a protest in October which was peaceful.

County Cllr Smith added that he has met the Company Manager at UAV & their export licences, which are in the public arena, confirm that the company are not involved in production for Israel, but protesters will not accept this. He stated it is disgraceful that the company are being targeted.

There have been no reports of traffic collisions on or around the Chester Rd in Stonnall. Cllr Whitehouse stated though that he had informed the Police of the fact of some accidents there since our last Parish Meeting but she confirmed that she wasn’t aware because the accidents would have been dealt with by West Midlands Police and hence not recorded by Staffs Police or not reported at all

A group of residents in Shenstone are interested in forming a Neighbourhood Watch group with a meeting scheduled at The Railway on 20^th Nov at 7.00pm.

110 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

111 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 10^th Oct 2023:

Accepted & signed.

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

Tree outside Edwards Rest, Stonnall. Cllr Cox confirmed that, though outside Edwards Rest has been deemed unsuitable, the next-door resident is happy for a tree to be planted on the verge outside her house. This is also acceptable to the applicant. Council will now seek Highways approval & costings.

Phone box adoption, Smarts Avenue, Shenstone Wood End. Cllr D’Ambrosio confirmed that this is progressing with only the paperwork to be completed & sent off to BT. Clerk to pursue.

Lock up for Lengthsman’s tools. The Clerk has received photographs of the tools & materials required for storage which needs to be reviewed.

Malkins Coppice meeting with South Staffs Water (SSW).

A meeting was held with SSW to discuss the possibility of a footpath around Malkins Coppice to allow access. SSW are very much in favour but need to consult with their Legal Department.

They are also very keen to reestablish Council as the leaseholder of the land in the future. In the meantime, though Council have terminated the lease, SSW are happy for us to continue to maintain the land.

Cllr Thompson said the proposal should be included in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Cllr Smith commented that if the plan is to register the pathway with County, then an application should be put in quickly as the applications can take some time.

Consider quotes for tree work in Lower Lawn Cemetery: RESOLUTION: The contract was unanimously awarded to Tonks Tree Surgeons at £1008.00 + VAT.

113 Pursuant to the Resolution of the Council of 12^th September 2023 relating to Item 74 Neighbourhood Plan reviews, and in accordance with the provisions of Shenstone Parish Council’s Standing Order 8, whereby 6 members of the Council having provided written notice, this item in relation to Stonnall Neighbourhood Plan refresh to be (re-)considered].

Cllr Nicholls wished to register her concerns that a resolution made only two months ago is being re-visited. There was a long discussion, particularly with regards to point three, and County Cllr Smith produced documentation pertaining to the Stonnall Working Group which could not be addressed as Council had not been given prior knowledge. However, the following resolutions were made.

RESOLUTION: Of the 6 sections of the resolution passed at the October meeting, only items 1,3,5&6 made reference to Stonnall. It was agreed that 1&5 required no change. Item 6 should be reworded from the original text of: “The Parish Council to approve that if the application for government funding is unsuccessful in 2023/24 or in 2024/25, use will be made of the Parish Council ring fenced Neighbourhood Plan review resources of £25K for Little Aston and Shenstone and also the Staffordshire County Council ring fenced £11,040.10.”

to read: “The Parish Council to approve the now received Government funding in 2023/24 for the first stage review of the Little Aston and Shenstone Neighbourhood Plans, and the ‘ring-fenced’ £11,040.10 remainder from the front-runner grant for the Stonnall review.”

Item 3 was debated, and it was agreed that any residual front-runner grant remaining after the finalising of the review would be used to support projects arising from the Stonnall Neighbourhood Plan. The only change to the wording of item 3 is the removal of the words –first stage… which wrongly implied that the whole review was not covered.

Cllr Thompson said Stonnall should be commended for the energy demonstrated by the Working Group. It was asked by Cll Cox I believe, why a Government Grant for Stonnall’s NP refresh was not applied for by The Parish when other grant applications were made for Shenstone and Little Aston. Cllr Nicholls said that when she filled in the grant application forms the rules did not allow for The Parish to apply for a grant for The Stonnall NP refresh.

Additional amendments Resolution 3: remove “by 31^st March 2024” as this does not apply to Stonnall.

114 To receive reports from District and County Councillors.

The following report from Cllr Smith.

• County Cllr Smith commended the lovely remembrance service held by the uniformed groups in Stonnall.

• Steady progress with Walsall MBC leader re the Chester Rd/Lazy Hill junction. Petition submitted.

• Looking at getting police assistance with a camera van in Church Road & Wallheath Lane.

• Requested that any issues regarding Highways matters are addressed directly to Cllr Smith

• Meeting with residents of Burnett Road who are unhappy with parking around the nursery.

Cllr Whitehouse stated that the projects he briefed Council on in September are all underway.

He also informed Council of a planned initiative by LDC to involve and work with Parish Councils on Waste Collection and also Re-cycling initiatives in the Community.

LDC Cabinet Member Mike Wilcox will soon be in touch to make a presentation to all Parish Councils to explain this initiative and see how The Parish could get involved.

Cllr Salter said that a media release will be sent out shortly re new access arrangements for Lichfield city centre.

115 Finance.

Current financial position & transactions for approval as of 14^th Nov 2023. Link to Financial Transactions spreadsheet

Cllr Whitehouse asked if the Clerk receives support information regarding CIL payments from Lichfield District Council. The Clerk confirmed she does not.

There were no other questions re transactions.

Current financial position: Nat West Current account £905.00, Nat West Business Reserve £53,952.17, Nat West Liquidity Account ring fenced funds for ear marked projects £153,222.71. Unity Bank £144,930.86.

Budget and Forecast: Presentation of position against budget & forecast. Link to budget forecast spreadsheet

The budget & forecast figures were shared.

Agree Precept for 2024/25- on the advice of Staffordshire Parish Council Association any decision re Precept to be delayed until January in order to respond to the economic position at the time.

Community Grant applications now being accepted.

Next meeting of Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee Tues Nov 28^th, 2023, at 5.30 pm Shenstone Community Library.

116 Planning.

Approve planning applications received in last month and update on any objections. Link to Local Planning Applications spreadsheet

• Haddon House planning application withdrawn.

Recommendations from Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee Mon 6^th Nov 2023.

1. Adoption of the draft Terms of Reference for Neighbourhood Planning Working Groups

RESOLUTION: Council to review the document & email any suggestions for changes/additions to the Clerk for presentation in December.

2. Consider & agree Parish Council response to Shenstone Playing Fields Consultation.

RESOLUTION: The Clerk to share the objection drafted by Cllr Thompson & to date only shared with the attendees of the consultation meeting.

117 Neighbourhood Plan refreshes: update & next steps.

Evidence gathering progressing for Shenstone & Little Aston to be forwarded to Navigus by month end. There is a preference for Zoom meetings which may not be feasible for Stonnall with so many participants.

Cllr Thompson added that regarding CIL payments, though the funds are generated in relation to Ward specific building projects, the actual income is equally shared across all three Wards.

118 Lammas Land Boundary incursion: feedback from solicitor & consideration of next steps.

Cllr Salter had shared the feedback & options suggested by the Solicitor with Council prior to the meeting. The Clerk is awaiting feedback from the Insurers Legal Services regarding cover.

RESOLUTION: Establish costs of a Civil Procedure Rules Survey for consideration of Council in December.

119 Feedback from Employment Committee Meeting on Tues 17^th Oct 2023.

RECOMENDATIONS:

a) Clerk salary increase to scale 26- £32,909 to £35,000 per annum back dated to April.

The Chairman explained that, at the time of the Employment meeting, there had still been no update received in respect of information about the rate or figures for the statutory annual incremental increase for the Clerks salary and that the suggested increase of her current scale 26 from £32,909 to £35,000 was a rough calculation and rounded up from the precise existing figure based on the percentage increase of the previous year plus an additional increase due to the additional workload placed upon her such as the Neighbourhood Plans, the community heat source project etc… However, he announced that NALC had circulated the new pay-scale chart on the day before this Full Council meeting. The chart shows that point 26 is now £34,834, which is below the recommendation, but that it is in the gift of Council to set its own figure, or, move the scale point if it were felt that a higher salary was justified. The next scale point (27) would be a salary of £35,745pa. though a figure between the points could be determined.

RESOLUTION: the statutory incremental increase to £34,834 be made with immediate effect, back-dated to April 2023 and that to maintain transparency, the Employment committee will meet again prior to the December meeting to draft a document clearly justifying the recommendation of the employment committee.

2. Registrar salary increase from £150 per month to £165 effective from November.

RESOLUTION: Unanimous agreement that the Registrar salary be increased from £150 to £165 per month from November.

c) Lengthsmen’s salary not due review until April 2024 but appraisals to be scheduled.

120 Consideration of Councillor led Grant (Cllr Thompson) for £660.00 contribution towards LED lighting on Shenstone Playing Fields

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved

At this point the Clerk had to leave the meeting for personal reasons and there was agreement that the remaining 3 agenda items could be deferred to the December meeting.

The Chairman thanked members for their attendance and the meeting closed at 21:30.

121 Right of Way, Manor Farm, Stonnall: receive feedback from residents re path.

122 Stonnall Pinfold Map: consideration of refresh

123 Newsletter; update

124 Next meeting of Full Council 12^th December 2023 7.15pm at Stonnall Community Hall