Minutes of Meeting held on Thursday 23rd. March 2023 in the Upstairs Room of the Wheel Public House, Leek Road, Longsdon at 7.00pm.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

Councillors S. Dickinson, C. Hogan, R. Lovell & K. Shaw.

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

One member of the Public.

79/22 Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from T. Beastall & District Councillor N. Hawkins.

80/22 Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

81/22 Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman thanked everyone for their attendance at the meeting.

He reminded everyone about the forthcoming elections on 4th. May 2023 and specifically about completing the nomination procedure. He gave details of how the nomination papers could be obtained from the electoral office at SMDC with the closing date for delivery being 4th. April 2023.

Electoral roll numbers were available from the Clerk.

82/22 Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

83/22 Approval of Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26th. January 2023 had been circulated and it was agreed that the minutes be signed as a true copy.

84/22 Matters Arising.

(a) Memorial Seat.

Councillor Hogan reported on his mediation with the landowner for his permission to site the seat on his land. The landowner, having previously given his permission, had now agreed with his wife that the permission had been rescinded.

A suggestion had been received from a member of the public that the seat should be sited where an existing seat was in Micklea Lane near to its junction with Denford Road.

This site was agreed and the originally agreed 5ft. Oak York Seat would now be ordered. The existing seat on the site would be stored and used for replacement parts to other seats around the parish.

(b) HM Queen Elizabeth II 1926 – 2022.

The anodised plaque for the seat in Sutherland Road had been obtained in the sum of £37.50 incl. V.A.T and was presented to the meeting. Councillor Lovell was thanked for his efforts in this matter.

(c) Pavements / Verges.

District Councillor Norma Hawkins had been contacted to ask for her assistance with the problem of pavements along the A53 Leek Road becoming overgrown with adjacent grass verges causing extreme narrowing of the pavement in places.

She had replied and said that she would contact County Councillor Gill Heath and press for action.

85/22 Correspondence.

The following had already been distributed to Councillors – Information for Candidates for the Forthcoming elections.

Moorlands Climate Action Newsletter – Mid Winter 2023.

Moorlands Climate Action – What’s On.

Consultation on Council Boundaries.

Staffs. Police – Smart Alert.

A letter had been received stating that the Defibrillator at The Holly Bush Inn, Denford was not properly operational. A reply had been sent informing the correspondent that the machine was in the Cheddleton Parish area.

An invitation had been received from Karen Bradley M.P. inviting people to join a coach trip to London to include a tour of Parliament on Friday 12th. May 2023 at a cost of £25.00.

A notice of a Road Closure on Dunwood Lane on 23rd. May 2023 had been received.

Clerks & Councils Direct Magazine, March 2023 issue, had also been received.

86/22 Planning Matters.

A report had been received that a Householder Appeal had been lodged against a refusal of planning permission SMD/2022/0429 at Willowbrook, Micklea Lane, Longsdon.

The Staffs. Moorlands Planning Officer Manager had been contacted about whether planning permission was required for the siting of a mobile home in the garden of a property in Sutherland Road, Longsdon and to also enquire about another mobile home parked in a field in School Lane.

A reply pointed out that planning permission was not required for a caravan or mobile home within the curtilage of a dwelling provided that it was occupied as ancillary to the main dwelling.

He also pointed out that the one in School Lane would not require permission if it was used for purposes ancillary to the agricultural use of the land.

87/22 Finance Matters.

(a) A report was given regarding the very late payment for the SMDC lengthsman scheme. That Council had been contacted and it appeared that there had been an error in the system. The payment of £400.00 had now been received. An invoice for the current year had been requested.

(b) The request for the Precept of £5,000.00 for 2023 / 2024 had been forwarded and an acknowledgement received.

(c) Details for the submission of the Annual Accounts for audit had been received. However, a report was received that the Council’s usual Internal Auditor had sadly passed away. Enquiries to find a replacement would be undertaken.

(d) Orders for Payment.

It was agreed that the following items be paid:

88/22 Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

89/22 Items for Inclusion in the Agenda for the Next Meeting.

There was no business under this item.

90/22 Date of Next Meeting.

The date of the next meeting was arranged for Thursday 18th. May 2023 at 7.00pm in the upstairs room of the Wheel Public House, Leek Road, Longsdon.