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 meeting of Full Council Tuesday 13th December 2022, at 7.15pm at Little Aston Village Hall.
112 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), Cllr Kelly Harrison (Little Aston). Cllrs Lesley Edgley, Stuart Jones, Neil Perry, Rita Hancocks, David Thompson, Leona Leung (Shenstone).
County Cllr David Smith. PCSO Andrea Horsnall
113 Acceptance of apologies. None
114 Public Participation.
Members of the public are invited to address Council for a maximum of 15 minutes.
PCSO Andrea Horsnall gave the following update:
Crime statistics for 7th Nov-13th Dec period- Shenstone 105 calls, Stonnall 22 & Little Aston 25.
In all areas, as in the whole of South Staffs, there is a significant increase in vehicle crime. The police are working hard to get the message out that everyone needs to be especially vigilant. Cllr Perry asked if there is a particular time of day being targeted & if police are focusing on the main hot spots. PCSO Horsnall responded that it is at all times of the day with some vehicles clearly being watched & that the police are doing all they can in all areas but with limited resources.
Cllr Gleig asked about further distraction crimes with the PCSO responding that none have been brought to her attention.
Cllr Whitehouse said it is vital that Council take a lead on crime prevention initiatives & suggested roadshows. Cllr Perry also suggested perhaps Council consider sponsoring Faraday bags – signal blocking pouches.
Cllr Thompson requested that PCSO Horsnall find out if there are any Parish Councils
that buy in police support, for example to review & support speeding follow up action? PCSO Horsnall said she would investigate & report back.
115 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
116 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday 8th Nov 2022
Duly accepted & signed.
117 Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting:
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Noticeboard at corner of Lincoln Croft/Main Street, Shenstone : repaired
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Lammas Land investigation into boundary incursion. Email from Pickerings has not yet arrived. Clerk chased.
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Lammas Land looped path update. Cllr Jones said that one quote has been received and, following earlier Council approval, has been accepted by the Lammas Land Committee with work scheduled for January.
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Handrail at Little Aston. Consider £950.00 quote for installation.
RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved.
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Safety fencing at St Johns Cemetery, Shenstone: update & feedback received.
Cllr Jones & the Clerk shared some feedback received which is that the fencing is stepping rather than being level to the eye. After discussions it was decided that Councillors should review the fencing for themselves & discuss again at the next meeting.
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UAV Protests/Malkins Coppice update. Nothing to report.
Cllr Salter referred to item 108 of the November minutes which included the resolution to form a committee from the Energy Study Feasibility Working Group. It has since been discovered that part of the study’s grant funding regulations stipulates that it must be a working group, so it was necessary to suspend standing orders & retract that resolution.
All members agreed with this.
118 To receive reports from District and County Councillors.
County Cllr Smith reported:
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Stonnall Community Centre party Dec 21st.
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The transfer of ownership/funds of the Community Centre from Staffs County now complete.
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Blake Street Crossing in place
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Data from the recent traffic survey has not yet been analysed but should be soon.
Cllr Thompson asked for more clarity on this point as at Full Council in November, Cllr Smith had said it was due in two weeks. Cllr Smith said he is doing the best he can.
Cllr Thompson said that Council would be interested in a presentation from the company that completed the survey to translate the data. Cllr Smith agreed this would be a good idea but that it would need to be a Highways Officer.
Cllr Harrison asked Cllr Smith for an update on her previous enquiry re a pedestrian crossing in Little Aston. Cllr Smith said that the data would be available soon.
119 Finance.
Current financial position & transactions for approval 13th Dec 2022. Link to the financial transactions spreadsheet
Unity Account: £150,301.45. Nat West Current Account £905.00. Nat West Business Reserve £53,397.57. Nat West Liquidity Account Ring Fenced funds for ear marked projects £112,780.06.
Recommendations from the Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee Meeting Tues 29th Nov 2022.
Review feedback from Alan Topliss (Auditor) mid-year audit.
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Happy with all administration & financial procedures
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Does not feel there is any justification for a Precept increase in 2022/23 & would support Council if this decision was agreed to hold at £182,000.
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Acknowledges that there are likely increases in street cleaning contract & utilities, but funds are healthy enough to cope.
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Recommendation to focus on spending the existing ring-fenced funds as much as possible
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If Council decide to approve a purchase of a Lengthsman van, costs should be ring fenced & spent before the end of March.
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Community Grant spending could be increased.
RECOMMENDATION: The Committee agreed with all the advice and agreed also to a refresh of ring-fenced funds in January with Cllr Thompson mentioning the requirement to repair the Richard Cooper Room roof as one example that could be included. Cllr Beilby said that Councillors in each Ward should look at what the needs are in their area. RESOLUTION: Proposed Cllr Beilby, seconded Cllr Jones & unanimously approved.
RECOMMENDATION: Regarding establishing Community Organisations planning strategy to succession planning & the promotion of volunteering opportunities to assist the community: 1) A feature in the next Parish newsletter.
2) Consideration of communication strategy
RESOLUTION: Prosed Cllr Beilby, seconded Cllr Thompson & unanimously approved.
RECOMMENDATION: Regarding the potential purchase of a vehicle for the Lengthsman & concerns around his employment status: Cllr Gleig to advise. Covered under item 122.
Next meeting of Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee Tuesday 7th March 2023 at 5.30 Shenstone Community Library.
120 Planning.
Approve planning applications received in last month and update on any objections/ developments. Link to planning applications spreadsheet
Cllr Thompson reported that the recent objection to planning application 22/00758 for the development of land at the rear of Main Street, Shenstone has been refused and that, following a Council objection to a development in Foden Close, this has been called in by LDC.
Update on Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee Meeting Nov 22nd.
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RECOMMENDATION: Neighbourhood Plan Review Tender Specification. Approve attached tender document. Tender request to cover Shenstone, Stonnall & Little Aston as an inclusive way forward with the tender document to be revised to include Stonnall if approved.
RESOLUTION: Prosed Cllr Thompson, seconded Cllr Jones & unanimously approved.
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RECOMMENDATION Grounds Maintenance Contract St John the Baptist Cemetery. Approve the attached document for tender.
RESOLUTION: Proposed Cllr Thompson, seconded Cllr Nicholls & unanimously approved.
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RECOMMENDATION Agree £2, 300.00 budget for next stage of Bioregional Feasibility Study. See item 121
RESOLUTION: Proposed Cllr Thompson, seconded Cllr Jones & majority approved.
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RECOMMENDATION Consideration of purchase of events equipment for use across Parish.: A working party be formed to investigate further.
RESOLUTION: Refused. Cllr Perry suggested finding out what equipment community groups currently hold so we can form a central list of what could potentially be shared.
Next meeting of the Neighbourhood, Planning & Property Committee Meeting Tuesday Jan 24th at the Parish Office at 5.30pm.
121 The Decarbonisation of Shenstone and Stonnall Feasibility Study.
Update & approval of £2,300 budget request.
Cllr Thompson briefed Council on the next stage of the study which will involve community engagement to share the findings of the study & explain options.
The funding was approved under item 120.
122 Lengthsman vehicle: review cost/benefit analysis & discussion.
In order to move forward with any decision re purchase of a vehicle it was agreed previously that more research needed to be done & this included looking at the employment status of the Lengthsman. Cllr Gleig, having looked at job specification & contract, and calling on his background with HMRC, reported that the situation could be open to interpretation.
County Cllr Smith also spoke on the importance of recognising the status of someone as an employee and the responsibilities this incurs quoting a recent case at LDC where a claim was approved.
Having listened carefully to Cllr Gleig it became clear that further clarification & potential amendments need to be made before any consideration of spending can be made.
The Clerk closed further discussion on the issue until a later date.
123 Staffs County Council Traffic Survey: update on access to data from locations identified & findings. Covered under item 118.
124 Street Lighting: feedback on research into alternative supply
Cllr Nicholls has done some research on this which has been shared with the Clerk.
It was agreed to re-schedule pending further investigations until January.
125 February newsletter: update on ideas including those received so far.
Cllr Thompson suggested the following items could be included:
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Refresh of the Traffic management order around Shenstone Station
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Article on Lammas Land looped path
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Aspirations for pedestrian crossing In Little Aston
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Diamond Jubilee Allotments- spaces
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Street lighting alternatives investigations
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PCSO update
Cllr Jones agreed with comments from Cllr Thompson that Council needs to promote its own work & successes but said that Council should not be blinkered and to promote community & encourage community cohesion, include other news from groups/organisations.
Cllr Leong suggested including a photograph/photographs of Council members. It was agreed this could be included after the May elections.
She also proposed a Lichfield Fire Station family safety event. It was agreed this should be followed up when the weather improves next year.