Minutes 6th September 2016

Minutes of the Two Hundred and Tenth Parish Council Meeting of Hatfield and District Group Parish Council Held on 6th September 2016 in Pudleston Village Hall at 7pm

In Attendance
Councillor T Brooke [Chair] Councillor R Hanson [Vice chair] Councillor E Griffiths Councillor M Thomas
Clerk A Billinge 6 members of the Public Ward Member Councillor Bruce Baker

1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Councillor Price and Councillor Lewis sent apologies. [both due to work commitments] Councillor E Griffiths left the meeting at 8pm.

2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND WRITTEN APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATIONS by Parish Councillors. None were reported.

3 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING, were approved and signed.

4 OPEN SESSION [10 Minutes]

4.1 Ward Members report. Councillor Bruce Baker reported the new waste disposal was under test and Councillors would soon visit. The race course would be re-starting. The university NMITE was moving on and would receive students in 2018. South Wye transport package was coming on line, the A49 would link with the A465. 7 Neighbourhood Development plans had now been accepted, and another 104 were in the system. Without a local plan, Herefordshire council will eventually identify sites. The proposed Enterprise zone, should have 1000 job opportunities within 6 months. In Herefordshire only 750 draw unemployment benefit. Herefordshire Council website is being upgraded. GCSE results for the county are above the national average. The Bath street Council offices have now been sold, subject to planning permission.

4.2 Bryn Hill [Agent] from Balfours asked questions regarding the proposed diversion of the bridleway at Highfields, Pudleston, and it was agreed that this be an Agenda Item at the next Parish Council Meeting. Residents told the meeting that the faster BT broadband was not available in Pudleston. The clerk reported that on the Open Reach Website, about half of Pudleston was scheduled for faster broadband in four months. Unfortunately there was a proportion of houses that did not appear to be scheduled. It was suggested that on the Fastershire website, grants were available for satellite broadband. Councillor Baker told that meeting that Herefordshire Council were on the case, and individuals should contact BT and register their interest, he told the meeting that he felt, there was no point in the Parish Council writing to BT. Another option was ‘airband’ with a booster station at Newhampton.

5. FINANCE

5.1 Invoices and payments, the following cheques were approved and signed, Parish Council expenses £54.65 Pudleston Village Hall £18. An invoice for £100 which was pre-agreed website costs, for Eyelid Productions, was agreed and a cheque signed. Cheques were signed for the following pre-agreed expenditure clerks wages, and it was noted that the clerks salary payment included a repayment of income tax, [PAYE] and the back dated payrise of 9p per hour as agreed at the last meeting.

6. PLANNING
No Applications had been received.
No decisions had been made.

7. HIGHWAYS

7.1 Potholes and road defects. The following were reported: A series of potholes were still not repaired on the U94209, these had been agreed with the Locality Stewart two months ago, and the clerk was requested to chase this urgent repair. Deep hole at the back gate of the Church, which may be the responsibility of the Church. 2 drains by the grave yard which were subsiding.
12/16
Ditches at Golderfield belonging to a local resident had not been maintained, and the clerk was instructed to write to this resident again. Potholes at Hatfield by Bishops the C1059 were reported, together with one pothole by the old railway bridge at Fencote. Some litter had been found and litter bins were discussed.
IT WAS RESOLVED THAT COUNCILLOR THOMAS LOOK AT THE DEEP HOLE BY THE CHURCH
IT WAS RESOLVED THAT THE CLERK REPORT ALL THESE DEFECTS TO BELFOUR BEATTY
IT WAS RESOLVED THAT THE CLERK WRITE TO THE DITCH LANDOWNER AGAIN
7.2 Speed Limit Update. The clerk read out an email from Belfour Beatty, and a discussion followed. It was agreed that the clerk contact Belfour Beatty regarding signs at both ends of the village and these were agreed to read. WELCOME TO HATFIELD, PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY, was the suggested wording.
IT WAS RESOLVED THAT THE CLERK CONTACT BELFOUR BEATTY, AND SIGNRITE REGARDING THE SIGNS

8. CLERKS REPORT, CORRESPONDENCE AND ITEMS OF INTEREST AS CIRCULATED
1. Housing in Herefordshire from Councillor Bruce Baker
2. New call for potential housing sites in rural Herefordshire from Stuart Powell
3. Budget Consultation from Anthony Bush
4. Budget meeting from Anthony Bush
5. Public Green Spaces Grant from Anthony Bush
6. New phone number 105 launch [power cuts]
7. Parish and Town Council community transport consultation from Anthony Bush
8. Call for potential housing sites/ John Amos and Co/ forwarded by Councillor T Brooke
9. Malvern Hills Development Plan from Malvern Hills Council.
10. Travellers Sites Development Plan Document, for consultation from Susannah. Gilson@herefordshire.gov.uk.
11. Tree Talk 13 September
12. SLCC Training
13. HALC Training
14. Marches Growth Hub Events

The clerk told the meeting that she was resigning, and gave a months notice. The Parish Council suggested 6 months leave instead, with the option of return in March 2017, subject to the agreement of the Councillors who were absent from the meeting. The clerk agreed to 6 months unpaid leave.

9. TO CONSIDER MATTERS RAISED BY MEMBERS AS AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING [NO DISCUSSION] Risk Assessment and precept budget setting, deadlined 31 December. Finance committee needs to meet beforehand. BT broadband in Pudleston. Proposed diversion of bridleway at Highfields, Pudleston.

10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The clerk told the meeting that unfortunately the Hall was book for Tuesday 1 November, but was available for Thursday 3 November. Due to the clerks resignation the meeting for November will be cancelled, and a meeting may be arranged in December.

The meeting closed at 8.15pm.