Minutes of Meeting held in St. Chad’s Church Room on Thursday 19th. June 2014.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

Councillors T. Beastall, R. P. A. Lovell, C. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

District Councillor N. Hawkins.

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

14/14. Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor L. Bills.

15/14. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

16/14. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman reported that he and Councillor Taylor had attended a special meeting of the Moorlands Parish Assembly on 8th. May 2014 to discuss the Core Strategy. Information had been received on the subject and would be discussed later in the meeting.

17/14. Public Comments.

District Council Hawkins gave her opinion on the way parish councils had been consulted on the Core Strategy so far. The legal department of the Moorlands Council had taken up the matter. She suggested that there would be differing views from parishioners.

She also reported that the adherence to the conditions placed on the planning permission approval for Dunwood Hall would be watched carefully.

The Chairman thanked her for her observations.

18/14. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1st. May 2014 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.

19/14. Matters Arising.

Further letter had been sent to the Canals & Rivers Trust regarding the procedure for providing wooden seats and fixing etc. on the canal towpath. A reply had been received stating that a sum of £2,500 – 00 would be the cost of purchase, installation and ongoing care of a seat. This cost was considered excessive by Councillors and it was agreed to write again to try to find a cheaper alternative project.

An e.mail had been sent to Royal Mail in Birmingham regarding the missing post box at Sutherland Road.

A reply had been received giving Royal Mail’s views on the matter and stating that no decision had yet been taken. It was agreed to write again to request a replacement box.

District Councillor Hawkins had also written a letter to Royal Mail on the subject.

A telephone call had been received from British Heart Foundation regarding the siting of the defibrillator machine and this had been answered. The call suggested that the Ambulance Service had agreed the venture and the matter was now with the Heart Foundation.

A further discussion took place regarding a Concealed Driveway sign on the A53 near to the old New Inn.

It was agreed to write to the Police asking for a speed camera van to be used under the Safety Partnership Scheme.

No action had yet been taken to trim trees in Leek Old Road. Councillor Beastall reported that numerous telephone calls had been made and work was expected to be carried out next week after the completion of electrical works in the area.

The blocked road gullies in Denford Road which had been reported to Staffs County Council after the last meeting have still not been attended to. It was agreed to contact the County again.

No suggestions had been received from the advertisement regarding the free Parish Council Pack which had been received from Western Power Distribution. It was agreed to donate the pack to an elderly worthy recipient in School Lane.

A letter had been received from the objectors to the planning application for events at Dunwood Hall thanking the Council for its help in forwarding objections to the application and also to Councillor Lovell for his help by attending a meeting on the matter.

Proctor’s Nursery had been instructed to plant the village tubs but it was reported that this work had not yet taken place. The Nursery would be contacted again.

St. Chad’s Church had been approached about the complaint regarding the front car park at the Church. A reply had been received which gave the Church’s views on the parking of cars at the front of the church and setting out safety issues.

It was reported that:

the list of works for the local Highways Team had been forwarded to County Councillor Heath.

20/14. Correspondence.

A cheque for the sum of £71 – 36 had been received from Staffs. Moorlands District Council for a Neighbourhood Recycling Centre. This should have been sent to Longsdon Memorial Hall. It was agreed to issue a contra cheque for the amount and forward it to the Memorial Hall.

A request had been received from St. Chad’s Church for the £450 – 00 agreed grant now that the repairs had been done on the church clock. It was agreed that this be paid.

Information received under this item was:

New Minerals Local Plan for Staffordshire 2015 – 2030, Draft for Consultation.

notice of next meeting of Staffs Moorlands Parish Assembly – 26th. June and minutes of last meeting.

Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly Newsletter – Issue 1.

changes to T.S.B. banking arrangements.

Preparing for a Power Cut or Emergency from Western Power Distribution.

21/14. Finance Matters.

Confirmation had been received of the Council’s insurance renewal.

A report received from the Council’s internal auditor stated that he had worked to the requirements outlined in Section 4 of the Annual Return and also to the suggested approach in the Governance & Accountability Practitioner’s Report. He had found that the checking and control measures in place were effective and the records and accounts were maintained to a high standard and in good order.

There were no matters which needed to be brought to the attention of the Council. The Annual Return had been completed using the figures audited by the Council’s internal auditor. It was unanimously agreed to approve the Annual Accounts and the Annual Return was duly signed accordingly.

22/14. Planning Matters.

Two planning applications had been circulated to Councillors, due to the time factor, and it was agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines to:

SMD/2014/0177 Gable End Balcony at High View, Sutherland Road, Longsdon.

With regard to SMD/2014 Erection of Single Log Cabin on Land behind St. James Chapel, School Lane, Longsdon, it was agreed to OBJECT on the grounds that:

this was inappropriate development at this location, not in keeping with the surrounding area.

the term “Log Cabin” disguises the fact that this structure could be used as an additional dwelling on the site now or in the future.

the proposed structure has all the necessary facilities for it to be used as a dwelling.

the structure could easily be converted into a more permanent building in the future.

Planning application SMD/2014/0267 Replacement Agricultural Building for Housing of Livestock at Harracles Hall, Dunwood Road was then considered and it was agreed to forward no objections to the proposal, subject to normal planning guidelines, but with the proviso that the proposed building is to be used solely for housing livestock.

Information had been received from Staffs Moorlands District Council on the number of houses required and also a proposed site for development under the Core Strategy programme. It was agreed to write to the Moorlands Council pointing out that Longsdon could not sustain the proposed number of houses proposed for the village. There was no shop and no facilities and the number given amounted to an approx. 10% increase in the number of properties.

The plan which accompanied the letter only showed part of the village when other parts could also accept possible infill plots. The numbers shown on the one site mentioned was considered to be an overdevelopment.

The information shown in the letter etc. was to be considered confidential at this stage.

23/14. Orders for Payment.

It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-

24/14. Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

25/14. Any Other Business.

A report had been received that the commemorative bench in St. Chad’s Church porch needed renovation.As the Council had provided this bench it was agreed to ask the lengthsman to paint the bench.

The bench in Sutherland Road and the Jubilee bench in Denford Road were overgrown and this to be reported to the Council’s lengthsman.

The excessive speed of vehicles in Denford Road was mentioned. It was agreed to report the matter to the police after ascertaining any action on the A53.

Mention was made of obscure notices appearing on memorials in St. Chad’s churchyard and also a broken memorial cross.

It was reported that the A.G.M. of Longsdon Memorial Hall would be held on 15th. July 2014.

26/14. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at 7-30p.m. on Thursday 7th. August 2014 at St. Chad’s Church Room, Leek Road, Longsdon.