Wigginton and Hopwas Parish Council
TH
Present: Cllr Stevens (Chair), Cllr Mrs Whitehead, Cllr Mrs Croft, Cllr Shirtliff.
In attendance: Mrs M Jones (Clerk), Mr Robey.
Open Forum
Mr Robey reported on a faulty streetlight in School Lane; the Clerk would report this to Staffordshire County Council.
1.
2.
3.
To receive and approve apologies. Cllr Chesworth had sent his resignation from the Parish Council. This was accepted with regret and his contribution would be missed. The vacancy would be advertised.
To receive any Declarations of Interest. None were received. The
Chair asked if these were needed for the budget discussion; the Clerk advised these were no longer required for this.
To approve the Minutes of the meeting of 7 th November 2013.
RESOLVED to approve the Minutes; these were signed by the Chair.
4.
Date of next and future Meetings:
(a) 9 th January, St. Leonard’s School, Wigginton. (second Thursday, thereafter first Thursday of the month)
(b) 6 th February, Thomas Barnes School, Hopwas.
(c) 6 th March, St. Leonard’s School, Wigginton.
(d) 3 rd April, Thomas Barnes School, Hopwas.
5.
To receive updates from:
a District Cllrs Cllr Arnold had asked for comments to be sent regarding the appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the wind turbine application at Hogs Hill.
b County Cllrs None received.
c Police None received.
d Highways Highways had not sent any information about traffic calming measures, but a further speed recording device had been placed in Wigginton.
WHPC Minutes 5.12.13
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Wigginton and Hopwas Parish Council
6.
To receive the Clerk's Report.
Newsletter - This had been printed and delivered to residents by
Councillors.
Firing Times – the MOD had sent a list of firing times at Whittington
Ranges; these were put on the notice board and passed to Mr Robey for his Herald articles.
Nursery Lane road sign – it was reported to the District Council that this had been damaged by a refuse truck.
Local Audit and Accountability Bill – this was under consideration; the proposed changes were likely to affect Parish Councils.
Mud on Manor Lane, Comberford – this seemed to have improved.
Comberford Flood Warden - A potential volunteer had been sent information on the role.
Comberford Millennium Green – Les had been asked to replace the ‘no dogs’ sign which had been taken down, and the grass had been cut.
7.
8.
To consider any Planning matters.
To consider planning application 13/01277/FUL St Leonard’s C of E
Primary School, Wigginton retention of staff car park.
RESOLVED no objection.
To consider Hopwas Playing Field maintenance.
Bob from Entrust had met the Clerk regarding next year’s grass cutting at the playing field, a quote would be forwarded shortly.
Wicksteed had agreed to visit the site and to fit the bridge on the junior climber correctly.
Quotes for replenishing the bark had been obtained, and Les would do this work. Les had replaced the missing bolt on the roundabout seat and had replaced the ‘no dogs’ sign which had been damaged again.
RESOLVED to order bark at £525 plus VAT.
9. To consider the Neighbourhood Plan.
The recent meeting had gone well and it had been decided to hold a further meeting on 8 th January to prepare for the open meeting. The public meeting would be held on 15 th January at Wigginton. A leaflet would need to be delivered in early January, to all residents and also to homes affected by the plans for building at Browns Lane.
Cllrs Stevens and Shirtliff had attended a training session at Burton and reported back on this.
Discussion took place on a suggestion by Cllr Shirtliff that it would be useful for a sub- group to focus on how our villages should develop.
RESOLVED to prepare and print a leaflet to advertise the public meeting.
10. To consider the draft budget for financial year 2014-15.
The Clerk had prepared a draft budget and this was discussed.
As the costs of producing a Neighbourhood Plan were unclear and could be substantial, and the availability of grant funding was not yet known, it was proposed that a higher amount would be allocated to this. It was also proposed that a larger amount was required for contingencies.
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Wigginton and Hopwas Parish Council
It was unclear whether changes to the way precept figures were worked out would have an impact on the sum received. It was suggested that any reduction in the precept now would make it difficult to increase it again if necessary in the future. It would be preferable to build reserves slightly. The precept figure should be kept as in the past 2 years.
RESOLVED to approve the amended budget, and to request a precept of
£19,000 from the District Council.
11. To receive Councillors’ Reports.
Cllr Whitehead informed the meeting that Mrs Jo Jackson, a former
Councillor for Hopwas, had died suddenly. She had been a valued member of the Parish Council in previous years, and the Parish Council expressed their sadness at this news.
Cllr Stevens reported that there was no further information from the PCC regarding the community hall, regarding whether the land required for an extension was consecrated, and he would follow this up in due course.
12. To receive correspondence.
Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, consultation on Spatial Plan for Recovery and Growth
Community Council, regarding entering for Best Kept Village 2014, notices would be prepared asking for volunteers.
Lichfield District Council, Section 106 newsletter, regarding how this had been spent in the district.
Lichfield District Council, Neighbourhood Planning Training at Burton
13. To receive a Financial Report.
(a) To consider the payment of cheques on the cheques for
payment list.
RESOLVED to make the following payments:
M Jones, salary and expenses; Prontaprint, newsletter printing; Viking, stationery; L. Watkins, grounds maintenance, Hopwas and Comberford;
Staffordshire County Council, room hire.
(b) To receive a bank reconciliation. Noted.
(c) To receive information on pending legislation on cheque
payments. An amendment to the rules was under consideration.
(d) To appoint a finance member and internet banking user.
It was resolved that Cllr Shirtliff would replace Cllr Chesworth. The Clerk would complete the Unity Trust Bank forms.
14. Items for next meeting
None.
15. Date of next meeting. 9 th January 2014, 7.15 p.m
, St Leonard’s
School, Wigginton.
The meeting closed at 9.00 p.m.
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