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 meeting of Full Council held on Tuesday 10^th January 2023 at Shenstone Community Library at 7.15pm.

188 Register of members in attendance

Cllr David Salter – Chair (Shenstone Wood End), Cllrs Sheila Beilby, Gail Nicholls, Val Neale, Mick Cox, Duncan Gleig & Phil Whitehouse (Stonnall), Cllrs Stuart Jones, Rita Hancocks, David Thompson, Leona Leung (Shenstone).

189 Acceptance of apologies.

Cllrs Lesley Edgley (prior engagement), Cllr Neil Perry (personal family circumstance), Cllr Kelly Harrison (unwell), Cllr Nick Smith (no reason stated).

County Cllr David Smith. District Cllr Joe Powell.

190 Public Participation.

Members of the public are invited to address Council for a maximum of 15 minutes. None

191 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

192 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 13^th Dec 2022

Duly approved & signed.

193 Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting:

• Lammas Land investigation into boundary incursion. Update.

The Clerk shared the draft letter prepared by Pickerings for approval prior to being sent to the homeowners. The letter was unanimously approved with the following addendums-

The “do not contact the client” needs to be emphasised

There needs to be a 28-day period of settlement

The letter needs to go recorded delivery

The letter needs to have the date of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) amended

Cllr Thompson stated that any ADR is to establish what evidence may be produced re rights and establish ownership claims.

Cllr Beilby suggested that if a financial settlement should be offered the funds go immediately to the Lammas Land Committee rather than Council. Cllrs Jones and Thompson proposed that there should be no financial settlement as that signals to others that future incursions are possible.

• Lammas Land looped path update. The Contractor will now start in April.

• Safety fencing at St Johns Cemetery, Shenstone: update & feedback received.

Cllr Salter briefed members on a large donation of plants gifted to the Parish Council by Creative Plants. Many are suitable for behind the Old Tower & over time will grow to a height that covers the fencing. Other plants will be used at Little Aston Recreation Ground & in the grounds of the Community Library

Cllr Whitehouse stated that he had visited the cemetery to review the fencing & any additional work required to solve the fencing issue would have been expensive, so he is pleased that a cost neutral solution has been found.

• UAV Protests/Malkins Coppice update. No further communications from County.

Cllr Thompson to chase personally.

Crime prevention initiatives: update

The following data was shared from PCSO Tom Passmore

Calls to Police between13/12/2 and 09/01/23

Shenstone 90 calls to the Police

• Vehicle crime 11

• Theft – other 3

• Suspicious incidents 5

Stonnall 13 calls to the Police

• Burglary Residential 1

• Vehicle crime 6

• Suspicious incidents 1

Little Aston 16 calls to the Police

• Criminal Damage 1

• Vehicle crime 2

There have been no calls relating to anti-social behaviour in any of the communities.

A date with the District Council and the Crime Prevention team for an extended clinic in Shenstone Library is being arranged shortly.

Cllr Whitehouse has spoken to PCSO Horsnall re moving forward with the idea of crime prevention roadshows, but PCSO Horsnall has advised that it is too early to do so now.

Cllr Thompson is waiting on PCSO Horsnall to come back to him re an outstanding query from the December meeting.

194 To receive reports from District and County Councillors.

Cllr Salter notified members of the start of a 10-week consultation on boundary changes within County Divisions. A link will be circulated.

195 Finance.

• Current financial position & transactions for approval 10^th January 2023 Link to financial transactions spreadsheet

There were no questions re transactions to date.

Unity Bank £107,084.29. Nat West Current A/C £905. Nat West Business Reserve

A/C £53,432.86. Nat West Liquidity A/C ring fenced funds for ear marked projects

£112,852.03 (this account still holds £20,000 which has been requested to be transferred to Unity account following completion of the St Johns Cemetery project).

• Consideration of Councillor led grant from Cllr Cox for £676.18 insurance refund to Stonnall Community Centre.

Cllr Salter explained, for the benefit of new members, that a grant of this kind would not normally be presented by a Council member, but Cllr Cox was pursuing it as an outstanding issue from the recent changeover of ownership. As there is no longer a direct connection with the council, such as being custodian trustees, a request will need to be submitted annually for consideration. Cllr Whitehouse asked if it was Councils responsibility to assess whether insurance refund requests included assessing whether the insurances were fit for purpose. The Clerk confirmed that in this case it was not, with Cllr Salter adding that in a wider context Council are refunding not arranging policies. Cllr Thompson also said all bodies which make insurance refund claims have a Parish Council member on their Committees so are part of the decision-making process. Cllr Beilby also reminded Council that ex Councillor Charles Fordham still reviews policies for us in his professional capacity as a Broker.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

• Consideration of £350.00 budget to redecorate Parish Office toilet & hallway.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

• Update on Community Grants. The Clerk gave an overview of applications received since the closing date with a total of 27 applications from all kinds of groups, large & small, across all Wards. Applications to be reviewed at the next Finance meeting with recommendations at Full Council on Feb 14^th.

• Refresh of ring-fenced funds. The Clerk reminded members that at an earlier Parish Council meeting it was noted that we wished to review ring fenced funds in January.

The existing funds ring fenced are:

• £25,000 neighbourhood plan refresh

• £20,000 St Johns Cemetery restoration & safety project (transfer to Unity pending)

• £25,000 traffic calming

• £25,000 Professional fees.

There was some discussion around the potential cost of the neighbourhood plans & the possibility of an increase in costs if referendums are required. Cllr Whitehouse asked if there are plans in place for these projects. Cllr Thompson explained that the neighbourhood plan specifications had been shared last month & will be going forward for tender soon. The traffic calming is part of the wider Traffic initiative with County bearing in mind that Parish Council can now upgrade & move forward specific projects if it has the funding to back them.

Cllr Salter mentioned an upcoming meeting that Cllr Cox has arranged with the Safer Road Partnership. There was interest in attending expressed by other members, but Cllr Cox said he did not wish to overpower the meeting with Parish representation.

The Clerk highlighted that no funds had been ringfenced for any potential Election expenses. Cllr Salter used this opportunity to point out to members that they will shortly be receiving dates for notice of intent to stand from the Monitoring Officer so should be considering whether they wish to stand or not. RESOLUTION: £10,000 ring fenced for possible Election costs.

Next meeting of Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee Tuesday 7^th Feb 2023 at 5.30 at Shenstone Community Library.

196 Planning.

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

Objection to garage development in Foden Close, Shenstone: refused.

Objection to development at Derry Farm, Shenstone: upheld.

Update on Neighbourhood Planning & Property Tenders. To be more in line with Lichfield District Council Local Plan approval timetable and senior officer recruitment the tender dates in the approved document will be revised as follows:

Event Date

1. Invitation distribution to suppliers Monday 3rd April 2023

2. Email confirmation of interest required Monday 10^th April 2023

3. Return tender Friday 12^th May 2023

4. Tender award by Parish Council Tuesday 13^th June 2023

4. Preferred tender notified Wednesday 14^th June 2023

5. Anticipated commencement date of work Monday 4^th Sept 2023

Update on grounds Maintenance Contract St John the Baptist Cemetery tenders.

Deadline is Jan 27^th.

Next meeting of the Neighbourhood, Planning & Property Committee Meeting Tuesday Jan 24^th at the Parish Office at 5.30pm.

197 The Decarbonisation of Shenstone and Stonnall Feasibility Study.

Update.

Cllr Thompson briefed Council as follows:

• South Staffs Water have responded to receipt of the feasibility study very favourably and are extremely interested in meeting the Working Group as well as organising a trip for the Working Group & other potential stakeholders to visit R.A.F Duxford in Cambridgeshire to demonstrate how buildings there are heated from an underground aquifer.

• Cllr Thompson asked for assistance from the Clerk in identifying all the larger Shenstone and Birchbrrok estates factory/commercial/light industrial owners names and addresses.

• Cllr Gleig informed the meeting he had past experience of the commercial activities of Utilities and expressed an interest in joining the Working Group.

198 Update from Employment Committee Meeting 5^th Jan 2023 including Lengthsman vehicle review cost/benefit analysis & discussion.

Cllr Gleig briefed Council on his assessment of the Lengthsman contract & stated that from a tax perspective the Lengthsman is probably self-employed but from the perspective of employment rights, he is probably a worker entitled to sick pay, parental rights, etc.

1. RECOMMENDATION: With a view to forming a new contract for the Lengthsman, the Employment Committee recommend consulting an employment law specialist

to establish what this entails and likely costs. Also, what the effect would be on the contract position should a vehicle be purchased.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

The Clerk briefed members on an earlier conversation with Burntwood Town Council who do employ 2 x Lengthsmen at 25 hours per week on continuing contracts. They also purchased an electric van for £15K with running costs of “almost nothing”, charging from a domestic supply with each charge providing 90 k.m. Feedback is excellent. An opportunity to visit Burntwood to see the van was extended.

2. RECOMMENDATION: Standard cost of living rise for Lengthsmen from April

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

3. RECOMMENDATION: An article to appear in the Parish magazine & on website highlighting that the Clerk will be hybrid working and, as the role requires frequent absences from the office, residents who wish to speak to the clerk in person should consider making an appointment first before visiting the office.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

199 Staffs County Council Traffic Survey: update on access to data from locations identified & findings.

Nothing received to date- Clerk to Chase County Cllr Smith.

The Clerk also shared with Council two requests received over the last few days relating to traffic.

• Cllr Harrison has expressed interest in arranging “Turn off your engines” signs/banners for outside Little Aston School. Cllr Nicholls has experience of dealing with this issue in Stonnall & will share info with the Clerk.

• A resident had has complained to the office about the speed of drivers around Little Aston School, particularly parents after dropping off or picking up children, and the discourteous driving through puddles as well as the speed danger. On reporting concerns to the school, the lady was told there was no dialogue between the school and Council. This information to be taken forward to the next traffic meeting.

Cllr Gleig also suggested that such incidents should be reported to 101 as anti-social behaviour.

200 Street Lighting: feedback on research into alternative supply.

Ongoing.

201 Civility & Respect Pledge: next steps.

Following two separate complaints about lack of civility & respect, and in order to move forward with the adoption of this pledge, the Clerk proposed that any members in office after the May election should take part in the NALC Civility & Respect Training webinar. This will demonstrate that our council is committed to this pledge by investing time & money to improve understanding.

Link to Civility and Respect form

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.

202 Feedback on Shenstone Christmas Market including Christmas lights.

Feedback is overwhelmingly positive but some comments that the market was not as good as previous years. Several comments though that the Christmas lights were not very effective and should be significantly improved upon. Also, some comments like this from Stonnall. RESOLUTION: Unanimous decision to purchase extra sets of lights & to replace sets which are no longer working.

203 Next meeting of Full Council Tuesday Feb 14^th 2023 , 7.15pm Stonnall Community Centre.