A meeting of Llangarron Parish Council was held on Tuesday, 26th September, 2017 at Llangarron Village Hall at 8.00pm with Councillor Fisher in the chair.
Present
Present at the meeting were Councillors Bailey, Bainbridge, Fisher, Hitchen, Jones and Joseph.
Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Morehead, Thomas, Turner and Wright
Co-option of new concillor
The Parish Council voted in favour of co-opting Paul Lodge as a new Councillor.
Declarations of interest
Declarations of interest from Councillors Bailey, Bainbridge, Fisher, Jones, Lodge and Joseph, in respect of the proposed development adjacent to Trecilla Court (on behalf of Councillor Hitchen), were noted.
Public participation
Paul Neep & Rachel Hare from the Architype architectural practice outlined the Passivhaus scheme that they hope to build at Lower Herbert’s Hill in advance of formal submission for planning consent.
Councillor Jones asked for a better interface between the parish council and the village.
Minutes of previous meetings
Minutes of the last parish council meeting on 25th July and the special planning meeting on 5th September were approved and duly signed by the chairman.
Planning matters – new
Application No. 172419 – Land adjacent to Trecilla Court, Llangarron. Permission already granted by Herefordshire Council.
Application No. 173051 – Biddlestone, Llangarron. No objection.
Application No. 172664 – Wendover, Three Ashes. No objection.
Application No. 173032 – No objection, subject to the static caravan being removed from site on completion of works.
Highways: old & new matters
1. Dog waste. Council approved the purchase and installation of one dog waste bin in Llangrove from Terry Griffiths. The exact location to be decided.
2. Consideration of options for signs in the parish. Councillor Wright being absent, this was deferred until next meeting.
3. SID, Llangrove. Councillor Bailey has obtained replacement battery. To chase up re-installation.
4. Purchase of BT ‘phone box, Llangarron. Council agreed this. Clerk confirmed that it was already covered by Council’s insurance as a fixed asset.
Parish lengthsman
Terry Griffiths did not attend the meeting, but sent a report in advance noting dog waste bags were being placed in drains. It is hoped that the placement of a dog waste bin will eliminate this problem. Salt bins: clerk to chase up Balfour Beatty.
Boundary Commission
Our parish will not be directly affected by these changes.
Parish freighter
The clerk advised that this had been ordered for 28th October between 11.00am and 1.00pm. A notice of this has been placed in Border News.
Footpaths officer’s report
Nothing to report
Ward councillor’s report
Councillor Swinglehurst reported on a meeting of GOSC which discussed the Youth Justice Scheme and the Traveller Development Plan. She noted that 80 per cent of crime is committed by young men with an average age of 17
Also reported on was the Blueschool House, Hereford overspend of £980,000. There is still grant money available from the LEADER scheme for setting up businesses and supporting communities to do feasibility studies for affordable housing. Also that a business opportunity has arisen from National Grid requiring accommodation for its personnel who will be working in the area.
Clerk’s contract
The clerk noted that he was typically working between 10 and 12 hours per week on Council business, but was paid for 5 hours reducing his salary to below minimum wage levels, which is unlawful. HALC have advised that the contract be amended to 7 hours per week. The Council decided to take advice from HALC before any decision could be made.
Finance
The Clerk advised that a budget will need to be drawn up in order to apply for next year’s precept. This to be discussed more fully at the next meeting.
Correspondence
The Clerk was instructed to write to Diane Aps and the committee of Llangrove Village Hall to note the Council’s support of their project to extend and re-furbish the building and to invite them to attend our next meeting.
The Clerk was also asked to circulate Council Members with a draft letter to be sent to Barry Deakin, the newly appointed Minister for Roads at Herefordshire Council in respect of the state of the road from Whitchurch to Llangrove U71224, especially in the light of housing developments in Llangrove village and its consequence of additional traffic, and to copy this to the Head of Planning, Councillor P. Cutter; to our MP, Jesse Norman; and to Ward Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst.
Any other business
There being no further business the meeting was closed by the chair at 10.10pm.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday, 24th October at Llangrove Village Hall.