2021-05-26 – Minutes of Annual Ordinary Meeting of Sellack Parish Council (Approved)

SELLACK PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON

WEDNESDAY 26th MAY 2021 AT SELLACK VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30PM

PRESENT:

Cllrs Mark Whittal (Chairman), Mark Robinson, Nick Washington and Kate Hughes (Clerk to Council)

APOLOGIES: Cllr Sarah Aitken

RESIDENTS IN ATTENDANCE: None

  1. Election of Chairman. Cllr Mark Robinson proposed that Cllr Mark Whittal take up the position of Chairman and Cllr Nick Washington seconded it.  As there were no other proposals for Chairman, Cllr M Whittal was re-elected.  The Chairman signed the Acceptance of Office of Chairman form.
  2. Election of Vice Chairman. Cllr Mark Whittal proposed that Cllr Mark Robinson be elected as Vice Chairman and Cllr Nick Washington seconded it. As there were no other proposals for Vice Chairman, Cllr Mark Robinson was duly elected.
  3. Apologies were received from Cllr Sarah Aitken, Cllr Paul Franklin, Ward Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst and Terry Griffiths (Parish Lengthsman)
  1. Election of other offices
    • Internal Auditor – Clerk informed the Parish Council that she had asked Clare Perez if she would be happy to stand as Internal Audit and she has confirmed she would. It was RESOLVED to appoint Clare Perez to this post.
    • Representative on the Village Hall Management Committee – Cllr M Whittal proposed that Cllr M Robinson and Cllr P Franklin continue as Village Hall Representative and Cllr N Washington seconded the proposal. Cllr M Robinson accepted this proposal and the Clerk to check with Cllr P Franklin.
    • Parish Charity Trustees – Cllr M Robinson proposed that Cllr S Aitken continues as the Parish Council’s representative on the Parish Charity Trust and Cllr M Whittal seconded the proposal.
    • Parish Footpath Officer – It was RESOLVED that Cllr M Robinson to continue as Parish Footpath Officer.
  1. Declarations of Interest
    • The Clerk asked the Councillors to check their Declaration of Interests Form to make sure the information was up to date. The Councillors confirmed that there were no amendments to be made.
    • None declared for the agenda items.
  1. The minutes of the last virtual meeting held on 9th March 2021 were adopted and signed.
  1. Backney Bridge Picnic Site
    • The Council received the following quick update on the Picnic Site. The site has been managed well over the past year and has been open during the pandemic for residents to use. The Council RESOLVED for the Working Group to discuss the options and management plan for dealing with Himalayan Balsam plant.  Action Working Group
    • The Council RESOLVED to defer making a decision on the quotation for writing a development plan for BBPS, until Cllr Aitken is present at the next meeting.
    • There was no further update on Backney Common.
  1. Open discussion (limited to 10 mins)
    • There were no residents present and nothing was raised.
    • There was nothing to report, as Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst was unable to attend, but had circulated her monthly report.
  1. Finances
    • The Council reviewed the internal and external auditor’s report from 2020. The Internal Auditor will be looking at the accounts to report back at the next meeting with any comments.
    • The Council RESOLVED to complete the External Audit Exemption Form. Clerk to action
    • The Council RESOLVED to complete the Governance Statement Annual Audit Form
    • The Council RESOLVED to adopt the accounts and completed the Audit Commission Annual Return
    • The Council noted the bank balance to be £12,634.48 on 13/4/21 and budget spend was currently on track.
    • The Council noted receipt of 1st part of Precept Payment £4750
    • The Council noted payment of the following invoices:
      • Clerks April Salary
    • The Council RESOLVED to pay the following invoices: Clerk to action
      • Autela Payroll Services invoice 5967 £36.98+VAT
      • Terry Griffiths contracts invoiceTGC1463 – £125+VAT
      • Clerks May Salary
      • Clerks Expenses – Zoom Subscription April £11.99 (final one) £11.99. Clerk confirmed that she had now cancelled the Zoom subscription now that the return to face-to-face meetings had resumed.
    • There were no financial risks raised.
  1. Report from Parish Footpath Officer and Report from Lengthsman & P3 Scheme
    • Cllr Mark Robinson Parish Footpath Officer reported that the items reported at the last meeting were still outstanding. Clerk/Cllr Robinson to follow up with Terry Griffiths
    • Terry Griffiths, Lengthsman was unable to attend the meeting but the Clerk was able to update the Council on the Drainage Grant work. Terry had completed some of the work and a request to Balfour Beatty and Herefordshire Council for an extension to complete the work had been granted to the end of July.  All paperwork to claim back the grant money needs to be returned by 31st  Clerk to action
    • The Council RESOLVED for the Clerk to contact Terry to arrange for work to be carried out. Clerk to action
  2. Planning
    • The Council reviewed the policy for Clerk to reply with comments to Planning Applications between meetings as instructed by the Parish Council and RESOLVED to continue with the current policy.
    • The Council looked at planning applications received and decisions made from Herefordshire Council since the last meeting
      • Planning Application – Appeal Decision 201992 Lawless Hill Cottage Sellack Ross-on-Wye. The Council noted that the applicant had won the appeal.
        • Planning Application – 211520 – 4 Caradoc Meadow, Sellack, Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6GJ. Demolition of a timber shed and erection of a timber garage in it’s place.  The Council RESOLVED to make no comment.
  3. To receive update on following items:
    • Village Hall – update on the upgrading or moving noticeboard. The Council RESOLVED that they would need to discuss this further and look at other options for sourcing a noticeboard. Cllr Whittal to discuss with Village Hall committee
    • Update on speeding issues on road by Picts Cross/Loughpool – Clerk had received a follow up email from Balfour Beatty & Herefordshire Council and will forward on to Cllr Robinson and Cllr Franklin so that they can make contact. Action Cllrs Robinson and Franklin
    • WW1 Plaques – to be carried over to another meeting agenda
    • Website redesign – Cllr Washington has looked into different designs of websites and discussed the options with the Parish Council. He would like to do some more research and report back at the July meeting so that the design can be formalised. Action Cllr Washington
  4. To note correspondence received and Clerk’s information sheet – Website Design, Drainage Grant reclaim, Maintenance Contract Tender.
  5. The Council RESOLVED to meet on the following dates at the Parish Hall and meetings will start at 8pm on the second Tuesday of the month (except August and December): 13th July, 14th Sept, 12th Oct and 9th Clerk to action booking these dates with Parish Hall.  Clerk to action with the Parish Hall bookings Clerk
  6. The date of next meeting will be held on Tuesday 13th July 2021 at 8pm at Sellack Parish Hall

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.54pm.

 

Accessibility by WAH