Minutes of Meeting held in St. Chad’s Church Room on Thursday 1st. December 2016.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

Councillors T. Beastall, R. Lovell, D. Sargeant, C. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

53/16. Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from District Councillor N. Hawkins.

54/16. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

55/16. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Taylor for attending the Remembrance Sunday Service and laying the wreath on behalf of the Council. He also thanked Councillor D. Sargeant for the festive refreshments.

56/16. Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

57/16. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29th. September 2016 had been circulated. It was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.

58/16. Matters Arising.

A parishioner had forwarded a copy of a letter which she had received from Network Rail confirming that gates had been fixed on the disused railway line to prevent cattle and the public from accessing the track. It also stated that gates would also be installed at the bridges.

A letter had been sent to the local police inspector regarding speeding on the A53. A telephoned reply stated that the matter was being looked into with possibilities of a shared camera under a Speed Watch scheme.

A letter had been sent to Staffs. Moorlands District Council requesting a replacement litter bin to be sited on the canal bridge in Sutherland Road. A reply stated that there was a standard monitoring procedure to establish whether an additional bin was required. It also suggested that the bin further up Sutherland Road could be re-sited in that position as it was not well used currently. It was agreed to ask for the bin which had been removed from the towpath by the bridge to be re-installed.

The collapsing stone retaining wall adjacent to Horse Bridge had been reported to Canals & Rivers Trust. A reply stated that the problem would be investigated.

It was reported that:

the problem with the road gullies in Leek Road A53 had been reported again.

damage to the ditch etc in Honeysuckle Lane had been reported to Staffs. County Council.

the pavement outside The Old Smithy which had been damaged by an accident was to be repaired.

59/16. Correspondence.

Information received under this item:

invitation from Community Council of Staffs to enter the Best Kept Village Competition 2017 - no action.

Clerks & Councils Direct – December 16 issue.

60/16. Planning Matters.

The following plan had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time scale, and they had agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:

SMD/2016/0647 Outline Planning Application with some matters reserved (except for Access, Layout & Scale) for the Erection of a Single Dwelling with Garage at Ridgeway House, Leek Road, Longsdon.

A rider was added that no mention had been made of the need for septic tank drainage.

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

SMD/2016/0702 Certificate of Lawfulness for Confirmation that Residential Use at Bradshaw Cottage has not been abandoned at Bradshaw Cottage, Dunwood Lane, Longsdon.

SMD/2016/0704 Proposed Siting of One Glasshouse at Proctor’s Nursery, Leek Road, Endon.

61/16. Finance Matters.

Payment for the Staffs Moorland’s Lengthsman Scheme quarterly account had been received.

Quarterly Account Update was presented to Councillors.

62/16. Orders for Payment.

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

63/16. Public Comment.

There was no business under this item.

64/16. Any Other Business.

It was agreed that the Council’s lengthsman be instructed to paint / varnish the new bench seat on the top canal near to Denford Road.

A report was given that repairs to the bus shelter on Leek Road, opposite the old New Inn, had never been carried out by the Moorlands District Council. It was agreed that an estimate for the necessary repairs be obtained from a local tradesman for future discussion.

It was agreed that the Chairman’s chain of office be engraved to update it.

A report was given of a partly completed extension at a property in Denford Road in a Conservation area which did not appear in keeping with the actual property. This matter to be reported to Staffs. Moorlands Planning Dept. for investigation.

Councillor Lovell reported that due to the flooding of his dwelling he was staying in temporary accommodation in Wood Road.

After a request from the Council’s lengthsman, his hourly rate was discussed and it was agreed that this matter be left until next year’s estimates were discussed.

52/16. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held at 7 - 00p.m. on Thursday 2nd. February 2017 at St. Chad’s Church Room, Leek Road, Longsdon.