2025-02-11 – Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting of Sellack Parish Council (Approved)

SELLACK PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF EXTRAORDINARY MEETING HELD ON

TUESDAY 11th February 2025

IN SELLACK VILLAGE HALL AT 7.00PM

Present:           Parish Councillors S. Aitken (Chair), M. Robinson (Vice Chair), E. Crowe and J. Marshall. Parish Council Clerk, Claire Vaughan.

Residents:       Two present.

  1. Apologies

None received.

  1. Declarations of Interest

None received.

  1. Open Public Session

3.1 Resident views:

    • A resident requested that the local PCSOs contact details be shared. Council agreed to ensure that the local policing details are included on the Parish Council website. The Chair also advised of the West Mercia Police Neighbourhood Matters community messaging tool. Local residents can sign up for local police alerts, receive information about crime in the area, find out about drop-in sessions etc. More information available at https://neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk/
    • A resident raised concern about the growing number of potholes in the parish, particularly on the road between Upper Grove Common and The Red Lion Public House. The Chair agreed to let the Herefordshire Council Locality Steward know about this issue and encouraged the local resident to report potholes to Herefordshire Council via the ‘report it’ button on their website at https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/roads-1/report-problems-road
  1. Backney Bridge Picnic Site
    • To discuss approach made by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, to enhance and protect the species found at Backney Common, and the role of the Parish Council – following a local resident’s attendance at the Parish Council meeting in January 2025, the Parish Council had agreed to include this item on the agenda for further discussion at the February Extraordinary meeting of Council. As previously raised, the Parish Council was approached about rare species on Backney Common, with a meeting of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Sellack Parish Council Chairperson, Backney Common Committee Chairman and a local resident (who is a member of the BBPS Working Group) taking place to discuss options to protect some of these species and raise awareness.

The local resident and a representative of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust have recommended that some temporary stake posts and rope be used to clearly show where the nesting areas are and to discourage people from walking on them or letting their dogs loose. It was noted that any potential work or signage would have to be advisory, as the common is open access land. Council RESOLVED to purchase stakes and neutral coloured rope, in time for the breeding season, at a cost of approximately £300. The local resident agreed to store these items and to erect and dismantle them as and when appropriate, on the Common.

In addition to this, it has been recommended that two flood proof signs be erected – at the entrance to the Common and near the beachside area (for the benefit of canoeists), to raise awareness, with a third information type sign to be included in the car park at BBPS, to provide further details of history of, photos, brief description of key species and map.

  • To consider external grant funding opportunities that could support this project and to agree next steps – Council noted that there is potentially some funding available (through Herefordshire Wildlife Trust) towards this project and Council RESOLVED to task the Clerk with finding out further details.
  1. Herefordshire Histories Festival and Memorial Trail
    • To approve Terms of Reference for the Council’s Herefordshire History Festival Working Group – Council RESOLVED to approve the terms of reference and the Chairperson of the Working Group (Cllr Marshall) signed the terms of reference document.
    • To hold an initial discussion on content for the Information boards, to be placed on the trail and agree for Working Group to present final recommendations on content at next Council meeting – Council RESOLVED to task the working group with finalising the layout and content of the information boards and returning to Council in March for final approval. It was noted that Council should avoid erecting the information boards near homes and consent would need to be sought for the final locations agreed, from any landowner or affected party. Council RESOLVED to continue to work towards the May deadline (Histories Festival) to have information boards installed but noted the tight timescales and that a back-up provision could be to have mock-ups of the boards available for the public to view at the Church, as part of the Festival.
    • To note the amount of sponsorship raised to contribute to the purchase of the Information boards – the Clerk confirmed that the Parish Council had received over £150 in sponsorship through the plaque sponsors. The Clerk is awaiting confirmation from a number of sponsors, so will confirm the exact amount at the next meeting.
    • To note quotes received to supply and fit Information boards and agree preferred supplier – Council RESOLVED to task the Clerk with finding out the lead in times for the three suppliers that have provided quotes.
    • To agree to seek graphic designer quotes to design Information boards – Council RESOLVED to seek quotes from graphic designers.
  1. Future meetings
    • No additional items were raised for future meeting agendas (other than those raised during the meeting). Council noted the Forward Plan.
    • Council RESOLVED to change the date of the next ordinary meeting of the Parish Council (and also the Annual Parish Meeting) to Thursday 20th March, 6pm at Sellack Village Hall.

Meeting closed at 20:45

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