SELLACK PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL
HELD ON TUESDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2025
IN SELLACK PARISH HALL AT 7.00PM
Present: Parish Councillors S. Aitken (Chair), M. Robinson, E. Crowe and J. Marshall (Vice Chair)
In attendance: Claire Vaughan (Clerk), Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst (Herefordshire Council)
Residents: Two in attendance
1. Apologies
None.
2. Declarations of Interest
2.1. To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of any matter on the agenda and to receive and consider any written requests for dispensation.
Councillor S. Aitken and Councillor E. Crowe declared an interest in Item 8.1.1. of the agenda, advising that they reside on a road listed within the draft drainage maintenance grant application.
Cllr Aitken submitted a dispensation request to participate in any discussion of business, participate further in discussion of business, participate in any vote taken on the business, further vote on the business and remain in the meeting room with the reason given being ‘without dispensation transaction of business will be impeded due to lacking number of participants’.
Council RESOLVED to approve the dispensation request for Councillor S. Aitken, for this meeting.
3. Co-option – to consider any applications received for co-option onto the Parish Council
None received.
4. Open Public Session
4.1. Resident views: A resident raised concerns about the state of the road near Lower Grove pond. The Chair encouraged residents to report potholes and road resurface requests to Herefordshire Council at https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/roads-1/report-problems-road Residents can also check if potholes have already been reported by others, by reviewing the map at https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/roads-1/pothole-road-defect-progress-map The Ward Member advised the Parish Council to also send the Locality Steward a list of roads that they would like to see assessed (and copy the Ward Member in). Council RESOLVED to write to the Locality Steward to request a condition assessment of the road surface at Loughpool Lane, the whole of Church Lane, Lower Grove pond, the bottom end of Sellack Marsh road (C1271) and a section of the road between Baysham and Strangford.
4.2. Ward Member Report: Noted. The Ward Member noted the Parish Council’s immediate focus on resolving road and drainage issues.
5. To adopt minutes of the meetings held on 8th July 2025
It was RESOLVED to approve and adopt the minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council, held on 8th July subject to the following amendment being made:
Item 6.1 – To replace ‘Use of pesticide to improve viewing platform’ with ‘Use of weed killer…’
The minutes were then signed by the Chairperson.
To review any outstanding actions:
5.1. We Don’t Buy Crime – to agree next steps following the Annual Parish Meeting.
Council RESOLVED to include an item on this in the next newsletter to ask residents to express an interest in receiving a pack, including a note that states we require 80% sign up from residents to do this.
5.2. Remembrance Event on Sat 8th November – to approve the event plan.
Council RESOLVED to approve the plan and agreed to invite the local Vicar to be involved in the event. It was agreed to include an optional, short walk after the remembrance service, which will take place at 11am.
5.3 Sakura Tree Project – to consider applying for a tree for the parish.
Council RESOLVED to apply for a tree and agreed to plant it at the BBPS.
The Chair proposed and Council RESOLVED to bring forward Item 8.1 on the agenda.
8.1.Parish Lengthsman Update
8.1.1. To approve the draft application for the Herefordshire Council 2025/26 Drainage Grant Funding Scheme
Council noted that, if they do apply for the full list of drainage works listed in the draft application form, in addition to lengthsman and PROW grants then it is likely to go over the £25,000 expenditure limit that will trigger a limited assurance review during audit this year, which could cost the Council approximately £300. Cllr Robinson advised that Herefordshire Council does have a legal duty, as the drainage authority, to take action on any drainage issues affecting the public highways.
Council RESOLVED to agree to pay the cost of a limited assurance review in 2025-26, should the Council trigger the expenditure limit for exemption this year.
Council noted that it could only apply for a maximum of £25,000 from Herefordshire Council for lengthsman, PROW and drainage works and that the Parish Council had already been allocated £1872 towards the lengthsman scheme, leaving the Parish Council with up to £23,128 to apply for, for both drainage and PROW works. Council noted that if it did agree to apply for all of the jobs listed in the draft drainage application, this would leave £1788 remaining to apply from the PROW grant. The Chair added that the Parish Council had budgeted for £515 for PROW work this year and had £231 remaining from a previous PROW grant, giving a potential total of £2534 towards PROW work in 2025-26.
Councillor E. Crowe left the room at 7.20pm.
Council RESOLVED to agree to include the following three drainage jobs within the final drainage application:
Drainage improvement – SPCDM06 – From Corner House to turnoff to Strangford C1271. From U71007 junction to U71006 junction.
Drainage improvement – SPCDM12 – C1271. Sellack Marsh. Galatea to ditch headwall.
Drainage Improvement – SPCDM13 – U71007. Baysham Farm Area.
Council RESOLVED to make these three jobs a priority within the application and to request a response from Herefordshire Council by the end of October, to allow for work to take place as soon as possible.
Councillor E. Crowe returned to the meeting at 7.39pm.
Council RESOLVED to agree to include the remaining seven drainage jobs within the final application, as follows:
Ditching Works – SPCDM01 – STRANGFORD FARM ROAD FROM C1271 TO COTTFIELD U71007. From C1271
Ditching Works – SPCDM02 – U71007. Near junction with U71006.
Ditching Works – SPCDM04 – U71006. From C1271 junction to Backney Picnic Site.
Drainage Asset Survey – SPCDM05
Drainage Improvement – SPCDM08 – U71006. From C1271 junction to Backney Picnic Site.
Drainage Improvement – SPCDM10 – C1270. Lower Grove Common.Pond Area.
Drainage Improvement – SPCDM11 – U71007. At junction with U71006
The Chair proposed and Council RESOLVED to bring forward Item 7 on the agenda.
7.1. Backney Bridge Picnic Site (BBPS)
7.1.1. Volunteer Risk Assessment, Disclaimer and Insurance cover – for review and approval
Council reviewed the updated draft Volunteer Risk Assessment for the Backney Bridge Picnic Site, to consider proposed work to repair the wooden car park barriers. Council RESOLVED to approve the Risk Assessment.
Council reviewed the updated the draft Volunteer ‘Work Risk Acknowledgement’ form and RESOLVED to approve the draft form, subject to the removal of the section titled ‘Parties involved’ and the addition of wording under ‘Acknowledgement of Risk’ as follows, ‘(ii) the Volunteer acknowledges that they may be liable for any incident caused by use of their own equipment’
Council discussed the advice provided by the Insurer and HSE guidance and felt satisfied that this advice and guidance had been addressed within the updated risk assessment and work risk acknowledgement form.
7.1.2. Car Park Barrier and Steps repair plan and budget – for approval
Council RESOLVED to approve a budget of up to £550 towards the materials required to repair the car park barriers and agreed to set up a Council credit account with Walford Timber.
Council noted that volunteers would be on site, to begin the repair work, on 22nd September. Council noted that the car park gates might be closed at intervals during that day and it was RESOLVED to prepare notices to display at the picnic site, to advise the public of any gate and path closures whilst work is being carried out. Council noted that the Chairperson would be present on site, during the day, as per the Risk assessment requirements.
Council RESOLVED to approve an initial budget of £200 towards materials for repair work to take place on the steps at the picnic site. A date to carry out this work has not yet been scheduled.
Councillor John Marshall, as Chair of the BBPS Working Group, thanked the volunteers in advance, for the work to be carried out on the car park barriers.
7.1.3. BBPS Volunteer Day on Sat 11th October – to approve the work list for volunteers
Council RESOLVED to agree to carry out the standard set of jobs on the volunteer day, including cutting back brambles, tree surveying, litterpicking and painting of rails and benches.
7.1.4. Annual Maintenance Plan for BBPS – to consider the development of
Council RESOLVED to task the BBPS working group with developing this. The Chair suggested that this include a periodic strim of certain areas of the site during the spring/summer period. Council noted that ‘Friends of the River Wye’ carry out a ‘Ranunculus Watch’ in the summer months, which could be included within the plan.
7.1.5. Water quality – to note Parish Council participation in Great UK Water Blitz 2025
Council noted this and it was confirmed that testing would take place at two sites within Sellack, with BBPS being one.
7.2. Benches – to consider the repair quote for the QE Coronation bench (from Caradoc) and agree next steps
Council RESOLVED to attempt to repair the bench, rather than replace or remove it. Council RESOLVED to approve the quote provided to carry out the repair, at a cost of £359 plus an additional £290 to galvanise the bench, should it be possible to do so.
Council RESOLVED to discuss where the bench should be located, at the November Council meeting.
7.3. Consider any potential risks to Parish Council assets
No additional risks noted.
Council returned to the agenda running order.
6. Policies and Procedures – https://sellackparishcouncil.gov.uk/policies-and-procedures/
6.1. UPDATED – Financial Regulations – for approval and adoption.
Council discussed the draft financial regulations, amending several points (highlighted on the final published copy). Council unanimously RESOLVED to approve and adopt the Financial Regulations and agreed to review on an annual basis.
At 8.55pm the Chair asked Council if they were content for the meeting to run over two hours. Council RESOLVED to continue and complete the meeting agenda.
8. Parish Footpath Officer and Lengthsman (continued)
8.2. Parish Footpath Officer Update (Cllr Mark Robinson):
8.2.1. To approve the draft application for the Herefordshire Council 2025/26 Public Rights of Way Grant Funding Scheme.
Council RESOLVED to apply for the full amount that a Parish Council can apply for, from the Lengthsman, Drainage and PROW grants. Council agreed to continue to prioritise making the parish footpaths accessible and replacing stiles with gates, wherever landowner permission is given.
8.2.2. Sellack War Memorial Trail:
• To agree and approve final amendments to the Information Board draft – Council RESOLVED to remove reference to the monolith stone from the design brief but add it to the Parish website. Council RESOLVED to send the list of amendments to the designer and to approve the final design at the November meeting of Council.
• To consider funding options to purchase the Information Boards – Council RESOLVED to defer this item.
• To receive update on permissions to site Information Boards – Council RESOLVED to defer this item.
8.2.3. Review any defects to be raised with and receive updates on work requests from Herefordshire Council – no additional defects were noted under this item.
9. Finances
9.1. To consider the September finance report and agree and approve the latest bank reconciliation (included in Appendix 1 of Agenda)
9.1.1. Cllr Marshall confirmed receipt and review of bank statements for July and August 2025, as part of Council’s Financial Regulations. Cllr Marshall signed the bank statements to confirm they had been reviewed. Council RESOLVED to approve the latest bank reconciliation.
9.2. To note receipt of any income since the previous meeting – Council noted receipt of the following:
HCC Creditors – Drainage Maintenance Grant Claim 24/25 – £3266.00
9.3. To note any payments made since previous meeting, under delegated authority – Council noted payments made since previous meeting, as follows:
Unity Trust Service Charge (Account Fee) – £6 per month for July and August 2025. Automatically deducted from account.
Contribution to Armed Forces Outreach Scheme in Ross-on-Wye – £100.00 (approved at July 2025 meeting)
9.4. To consider and approve any invoices for payment. Council RESOLVED to approve the following invoices for payment:
Clerk’s Salary for August and September 2025.
HMRC PAYE Q2 – £351.44
Autela Payroll Services April-July – Inv15929 – £72.50 plus VAT
Lengthsman Routine Maintenance Day – Inv TGC3437 – £489.30 plus VAT (HCC funded)
Wreath for Remembrance Day Event – £24.49
9.5. To approve carry forward of £250 Participatory Budgeting funding for 2025/26 and to review and update the PB policy – Council RESOLVED to defer this item.
9.6. Consider any financial risks to the Parish Council.
10. Communications
10.1. Newsletter – to approve the draft Autumn newsletter, cost of printing and delivery schedule – Council RESOLVED to include crime prevention, Smartwater, neighbourhood watch, Riverwatch, emergency planning, promotion of the Remembrance event, drainage grant, BBPS environment and memorial trail update.
10.2. Discuss content for the parish council website and Facebook page, including a review of social media posts – Council RESOLVED to promote the upcoming BBPS volunteer day.
11. To note items arising after the preparation of this Agenda which the Chairman agrees to take as urgent. Such matters will be for noting only or deferral to a future meeting
None noted.
12. Correspondence – for consideration
12.1. Herefordshire Histories Festival – to consider membership fee and next steps.
Council RESOLVED not to pay membership for this at the present time.
13. Clerk’s information sheet and correspondence – for noting
Council noted:
• Bank statements
• HALC Information Corner (dated 14.08.25)
14. Future meetings:
14.1. Council noted the forward plan.
14.2. Council noted the date of the next meeting: Ordinary Meeting of Parish Council, Tues 11th November 2025, 7pm at Sellack Village Hall.
Meeting closed at 21:25