2023-09-23 – Minutes of Ordinary Meeting of Sellack Parish Council (Approved)

SELLACK PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON

MONDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2023

IN ST TYSILIO’S CHURCH AT 7.00PM

Present:           Parish Councillors Sarah Aitken (Chair), Mark Robinson (Vice Chair) and Emma Crowe.

In attendance: Claire Vaughan (Clerk).

Residents:       None.

The meeting started later than the advertised time, at 7.15pm.

  1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Ward Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst.

  1. Declarations of Interests

There were no declarations of interest from Members.

  1. Open Public Session

3.1 Resident views – none.

3.2 PCSO update – Council noted the update from PCSO Hall, advising that he had undertaken some patrols in Sellack and Backney Bridge in August, with nothing to report.

3.3 Ward Councillor update – Council noted the July and August reports. The Chair highlighted that the update included details of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) and it was RESOLVED to follow-up with the Ward Councillor on Backney Bridge Picnic Site (BBPS) and the potential to develop it as a local nature reserve and whether this would fit in with Herefordshire Council’s LNRS.

  1. Minutes of meeting held on 11th July 2023

It was RESOLVED to approve and adopt the above minutes. The minutes were signed by the Chairman.

The Parish Council discussed the outstanding actions as follows:

4.1 Herefordshire Local Plan 2021-2041 update (standing item) – Council noted that no further update had been received but that the process was recommencing. It was RESOLVED to ask the Ward Councillor what the process would be for the Parish Council engaging in this.

  1. Parish Council Assets

5.1 Backney Bridge Picnic Site

5.1.1 Council considered the quotes received for tree works and ivy removal. It was RESOLVED to approve the quote for £620 to pollard the trees along the riverbank and remove the ivy from the abutment. The Clerk was asked to confirm with the tree service company that the small tree on the embankment would be removed at the root, as part of these works. The Clerk advised that she was awaiting permission from Natural England, for the tree works on the riverbank.

5.1.2 Car park barriers – Council RESOLVED to fund up to £400 towards materials for the work to be carried out by Men’s Sheds. Council RESOLVED to donate £100 to Men’s Sheds for work carried out.

5.1.3 Council agreed the wording for the ‘Leave Nothing Behind’ poster for the BBPS. The Chair agreed to erect the poster. It was RESOLVED to include a poster on the noticeboard regarding the Parish Council’s position on overnight stays.

5.1.4 BBPS Volunteer day:

      • Council RESOLVED to hold the next volunteer day on Saturday 21st October, 10.30am – 1pm. Councillor Crowe advised that she would not be available for this date.
      • Council agreed that works should include cutting back brambles, litterpicking and other jobs, as carried out on previous volunteer days. It was agreed to carry out an assessment of the furniture and steps on site, to check all remain safe and if any future repair work might be required.
      • Volunteer Day Risk Assessment – it was RESOLVED to amend the draft risk assessment, to reflect that there is a level of personal responsibility for safety. It was agreed that the Parish Council would finalise the risk assessment via email, before the volunteer day on 21st
      • Defibrillator – it was RESOLVED to purchase new pads for the defibrillator, at a cost of £59.95 plus VAT.
      • Any risk to Parish Council assets – BBPS abutment and benches (to monitor).
  1. Reports from Parish Footpath Officer and Parish Lengthsman

6.1 Parish Footpath Officer Update – The site meeting to discuss removal of the redundant gates has not yet taken place but the Footpath Officer will advise the council when this has been done. The Chair reported that the SK10 path from the bridge to Sellack Church, appeared to be obstructed by an electric fence and it was RESOLVED to direct the Clerk to make the Locality Steward aware of this.

6.1.1 Memorial plaques:

      • Council RESOLVED to approve the plaque format provided by the Clerk, on the proviso that the sponsorship line is in a smaller font. It was RESOLVED to approve the material for the plaques as brass and to agree the cost per plaque of approximately £50.
      • Plaque unveiling event – Council RESOLVED to hold the event on Saturday 11th November, 2.15 – 3.30pm at Sellack Village Hall. Council RESOLVED to invite Bill Webb to attend. It was agreed to include information from his booklet on each soldier in the room, with a mock up what each plaque would look like. Tea and cake will be served. In order to ensure the event is accessible, the main element of the event will take place at the hall, with the option for attendees to visit the gate where the first plaque will be placed (nearby). It was RESOLVED that Cllr Robinson would request the landowner’s permission to erect the first plaque and request permission to access the land on the day, to erect and unveil the plaque. It was RESOLVED to purchase a wreath and to invite Mr Webb and a local service man to lay this at the War Memorial on 11th It was noted that this would be in addition to the actions of the local volunteer, who regularly tends to the war memorial and purchases a wreath to place at the site every year, on behalf of the Parish Council.

6.1.2 Footpath SK13 – It was RESOLVED that the new gates would be fitted at the first and second points from the road (pending landowner consent). It was agreed that the two gates (to be relocated) should be moved to near the school and the next point along (pending landowner consent). The parish lengthsman has received this information. It was agreed the Chair would email the landowner for consent (which the Parish Footpath officer will draft). It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would contact the PROW team to advise of the change in furniture (pending landowner consent).

6.2 Parish Lengthsman Update:

    • Update on recent completed works by lengthsman – there is one outstanding job remaining, as part of the drainage grant funding, at the Loughpool.
    • Herefordshire Council’s Lengthsman Scheme 2023/24 – Council noted its successful enrolment to the lengthsman scheme this financial year and receipt of the grant and match funding.

6.3 Defects to be raised – It was RESOLVED to inform the Locality Steward of the electric fence, obstructing part of SK10.

7. Finances

7.1 The Council noted the current bank balance and RESOLVED to approve and sign the latest bank reconciliation and account statement.

    • Cllr Crowe confirmed receipt and review of bank statements and bank reconciliation, as part of the Council’s Financial Regulations. Councillor Crowe signed the bank statements and bank reconciliation.

7.2 Council noted receipt of the following:

      • Parish Precept Part 2 from Herefordshire Council HC109702 on 19/09/23 – £6,000.00

7.3 Invoices for payment – Council approved and it was RESOLVED to pay the following invoices:

    • Clerks C Vaughan salary – August and September 2023
    • HMRC PAYE Q2 (for Employee tax contributions) – £278.40
    • Herefordshire Association of Local Councils for Website Hosting and Domain Name for 2 years H1893 – £225.00 plus VAT
    • T Griffiths Lengthsman Highways Routine Maintenance Day TGC2408 – £450.00 plus VAT

7.4 The Council identified the following risk – not having a maintenance contract for Backney Bridge Picnic Site.

  1. Policies and Procedures

8.1 Social Media Policy – it was RESOLVED to agree the social media policy and review again in September 2024.

8.2 Working group protocol – it was RESOLVED to agree the working group protocol and review again in September 2025.

  1. Communications

9.1 Autumn newsletter

      • Council RESOLVED to agree the content and format for the newsletter, with one amendment to the item on CPR training, as we are still awaiting a date for this. It was agreed to deliver the newsletters to the Chair’s address for distribution. It was RESOLVED to set up a Councillor WhatsApp group.
      • It was RESOLVED to approve the printing cost of the newsletter.#

9.2 Discuss content for the parish council website and Facebook page – Council agreed to continue to promote details of co-option to both the website and Facebook, as well Home Upgrade grants; BBPS volunteer day and the Armistice event.

  1. Planning.

Council noted planning applications received and decisions made from Herefordshire Council since the last meeting. The Chair asked to note that the parish council had received a planning application for comment, outside of the meeting schedule. The parish council opted not to comment on this application, due to two councillors declaring an interest:

    • Planning Consultation – 231983 – Marsh Villa, Sellack, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 6QU
  1. Clerk’s Information Sheet

Council noted the correspondence received and the Clerk’s information sheet and discussed a response to the following:

    • The Sustainability and Climate Change Team at Herefordshire Council regarding a request for location suggestions for EV Charging points – it was RESOLVED to email the Village Hall to see if they would have any objection to the Parish Council suggesting it as a potential location. It was RESOLVED to put forward BBPS as a potential site for consideration
    • Ross-on-Wye Town Council regarding Proposed Provision of an Outreach of Herefordshire Veteran Support Centre in Ross-on-Wye and requesting a contribution – it was RESOLVED to respond to request clarification on what a reasonable and proportionate contribution (for our population size) would be.
    • Wye Valley AONB regarding Partnership Consultations – the Parish Council noted that a consultation was taking place with a deadline of Friday. It was RESOLVED to respond to the consultation to advise that the Parish Council was supportive of the AONBs principle to provide more affordable housing within the AONB area.
    • Survey from Herefordshire Council on Developing a Climate Change Adaptation Plan – the Parish Council noted this item.
  1. Matters arising after the preparation of this agenda

None were raised.

  1. Future meetings
    • No items were raised for future meeting agendas but the Parish Council did note the Forward Plan.
    • The date of the next meeting was noted – Tuesday 14th November, 7pm at Sellack Village Hall.

Meeting closed at 21:15

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