Minutes of Meeting held in St. Chad’s Church Room on Thursday 4th. December 2014.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

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

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

The Chairman wished everyone the compliments of the Season and seasonal refreshments were served during the meeting.

54/14. Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor L. Bills & District Councillor N. Hawkins.

55/14. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

56/14. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Taylor for laying the Remembrance wreath, on behalf of the Council, at the service of Remembrance held at St. Chad’s Church.

57/14. Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

58/14. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 2nd. October 2014 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.

59/14. Matters Arising.

Proctor’s Nursery had been contacted and they had reported that the village tubs had been replanted. It was agreed to leave any further work until the Spring after the condition of all the tubs had been assessed, when any replacement tubs would be ordered.

Individual plaques for the tubs had been priced at £6 - 00 each and it was agreed to go ahead with these on the tubs in the Spring.

The Wykeham type bench seat, complete with plaque, had arrived and had been delivered to Councillor Taylor’s residence. The Canals & Rivers Trust had been informed that the seat had arrived and should now be fixed, as agreed.

A further form regarding the grant had been received from the Churnet Valley Living Landscape Project and this had been duly returned.

The British Heart Foundation had been contacted about any insurance needed for the defibrillator machine. The Foundation did not provide insurance but suggested that the insurance of the building to which it would be fixed may cover the machine.

As no exterior case to house the machine had been located, one price had been obtained in the sum of £550 – 00 + V.A.T. Further quotations had been obtained from a manufacturer and it was agreed to purchase an unheated Outdoor AED Cabinet in the sum of £249 – 00 + V.A.T.

Nothing further had been received regarding the replacement post box in Sutherland Road. It was agreed to contact Royal Mail again.

It was reported that:

further e.mail had been received from the police regarding the setting up a Community Speed Watch.

the half year invoice for the lengthsman scheme had been paid by Staffs. Moorlands District Council.

it had been confirmed that the Core Strategy had been delayed until after the May 2015 elections. the Council’s lengthsman had repaired the varnish coat on the seat in the porch of St. Chad’s Church. the pot holes in Leek Old Road had been reported to Staffs. County Council Highways.

60/14. Correspondence.

Information had been received regarding Staffs. County Council Ice Busters Scheme. It gave details of how to obtain treatment materials from the County and also how these should be used. The important issue of note was that householders could not be sued or held responsible for any injuries so long as snow and ice had been removed carefully.

Other information received under this item was:

Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly Review 2014.

invitation to take part in the Best Kept Village Competition 2015 from Community Council – no action.

request for a contribution from Staffs. Campaign to Protect Rural England – no action. notice of historical items etc from Staffs. & Stoke on Trent Archive Service. Clerks & Council Direct.

61/14. Finance Matters.

A refund of £53 – 46 for V. A. T. from last year had been received from H. M. Revenue & Customs.

Notice had been received from Leek United Building Society that the Council’s One Year Bond would mature on 20th. December 2014. It was agreed that the Bond be renewed with a further One Year Bond.

62/14. Planning Matters.

Due to the time scale, Councillors had been consulted on the following planning applications and had agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines to:

SMD/2014/0603 Proposed New Access at Highfield House, School Lane, Longsdon.

SMD/2014/0620 Proposed Conversion of Store Rooms to Form Additional Living Accommodation & Alterations to Elevations at Summerhill Farm, Dunwood Lane, Longsdon.

The following planning applications were discussed and it was agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines to:

SMD/2014/0740 Demolition of Existing Attached Garage, Car Port. Log Store & Prefabricated Concrete Detached Garage to Allow the Formation of an Extension at Byways, Denford Road, Longsdon.

With regard to planning application No. SMD/2014/0748 Erection of Single Detached Dwelling at Wyndene, Leek Road, Longsdon Councillors agreed to OBJECT most strongly to this proposed development on the following grounds:

The development is within the Green Belt.

The proposal is inappropriate development of the site, There is inconsistency between the Planning & Design & Access Statement which mentions a two storey building with 4 bedrooms while the accompanying plans show a three storey building with 5 bedrooms. The development is not in keeping with the surrounding properties.

63/14. Orders for Payment.

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

64/14. Public Comment.

There was no business under this item.

65/14. Any Other Business.

The Council’s lengthsman had reported that two trees on the common land needed replacements. This action was agreed.

66/14. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at 7-30p.m. on Thursday 29th. January 2015 at St. Chad’s Church Room, Leek Road, Longsdon.