Parish Council Meeting July 2024

Draft Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 11^th July 2024

1. Cllr Turner (Chair), Cllr M Flower, Cllr M Shermer, Cllr Wright, Cllr E Edmonds, Cllr Stratton, Cllr Mountney, and Julie Sadler (Clerk)

Apologies: Cllr C Naylor, Cllr Ratcliffe and Borough Councillor Steve Sankey (ESBC). There were 5 Members of the village at the meeting.

2. To receive declarations of interest – None
3. To approve the minutes of the 10^th June 2024 The minutes were approved and agreed by all as a true record of the meeting. They were signed and dated by Cllr Turner (Chair)
4. Adjournment for public participation
   1. Roberts Green – Cllr Edmonds informed the meeting that a member of the village informed him that cattle would soon be put back on Roberts Green.

Cllr Flower confirmed that The Tom Boden Memorial Sports Trust has had its lease withdrawn for Roberts Green with effect from the 31.7.24.

The clerk also confirmed that she had received an email from a member of the public stating that both the hedge and the footpath going to Roberts Green are overgrown. It was agreed that the clerk would forward this email to Cllr Mountney, who would check if the hedge belonged to the owner of one of the properties backing onto the footpath. If so she would let the clerk know which one so that the clerk could drop a letter to the landowner. If not it would be discussed at the next meeting. Clerk to reply to the original email. Action Clerk and Cllr Mountney.

5. Matters Arising/Clerk’s report
   1. Correspondence Received
      1. Local Transport Plan – the clerk informed the meeting that there will be a meeting on the 20^th September most likely in Stafford but yet to be confirmed. It was suggested that the clerk contact Cllr Sankey to see if he wanted to go, if not to reserve a place for a Parish Councillor as there are limited spaces available. Action Clerk
      2. Golf Tournament at JCB – Cllr Turner updated the Parish Council on the outcome of a meeting that she and Cllr Flowers attended on the 9^th July regarding the Golf Tournament that will take place on the 26th,27^th and 28^th July at JCB. A map was distributed informing people of the road closures during this time. Details to be put on Denstone Matters Facebook page.
   2. Drains – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that no further information had been received regarding the drains on College Road or Alton Road. Clerk to email new labour MP for an update. Action Clerk
   3. Railway Line Fence/Grass – The clerk informed the meeting that she had received further pictures regarding the problem water on the railway line. It was agreed that the clerk would chase the ranger regarding the water problem and also the fence. It was suggested that the water problem could possibly stem from when Francis Close was built. Cllr Turner volunteered to look on the planning portal for a possible soakaway issue. Action Cllr Turner and the Clerk
   4. Defibrillator – Stubwood – the clerk informed the meeting that the batteries and pads had been fitted in the defibrillator at Stubwood. It was unanimously agreed that the payment be made to AEDdonate.
   5. Village Hall – Hire of Hall – The clerk informed the meeting that an invoice had been received from the Village Hall for the hire of the hall from January 2024 to June 2024 inclusive. It was unanimously agreed that this would be paid. The clerk also informed the meeting that a payment for £250 had been received from the Village Hall towards the cost of the work carried out on behalf of the Village Hall by the Lengthsman.
6. Planning (Permitted & Refused are decisions by ESBC) – Cllr Turner
   1. Bank House Farm Appeal – The clerk informed the meeting that there was no further update at this time, however she would continue to chase. Action Clerk
   2. P/2024/00376 – Upper Croft Oak Road Denstone Staffordshire – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that this had been withdrawn. Clerk to chase if there is any connection with the fact that this property is now an Air B&B. Action Clerk
   3. P/2019/01489 – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that it has been decided by the ESBC that this application would go back to the planning committee. A date is yet to be determined but it will definitely not be before September. The Parish Council will be fully represented at the meeting. As soon as the Parish Council have been informed of a date they will update the village. Cllr Turner thanked everyone for their help with this.
   4. NP review – Cllr Turner gave a brief update to the meeting, she also informed them that the NPMG had applied for a grant to help pay for the technical support required to move things onto the next stage. The NPMG were awaiting a decision on the grant. However just in case the grant was not agreed it was unanimously agreed by the Parish Council that NPMG could spend up to £1500 if this was required to move the review on.
   5. P/2024/00635 – The Riddings Farm, Stubwood Lane, Denstone, Staffs – Application of a Certificate of Lawfulness for the retention of extensions as built – It was unanimously agreed that the clerk would give the following comment to the ESBC. Applicants should apply for planning applications at the correct time and not leave it until the building has been erected. Action Clerk
7. Highways – Cllr Shermer
   1. Feasibility Study – Cllr Shermer confirmed that as yet there was no further update on this but she would continue to chase. Action Cllr Shermer.
   2. Data Collection B5031 decision – The clerk confirmed that as yet there has been no further update on this but she would continue to chase. Action Clerk
   3. Potholes – Nothing to report at this time.
8. Liaison – Cllr Stratton
   1. Village Hall – Cllr Stratton confirmed that there was nothing to report at this time.
9. Play Area – Cllr Flower
   1. Update of Actions on Play area report – No update at this time.
   2. Roundabout – Cllr Flowers sent out 3 quotes for the repair of the roundabout before the meeting. A spend of £969 was unanimously agreed by the Parish Council. Cllr Flower to move this matter forward. Action Cllr Flower.
10. Green Spaces – Cllr Wright
    1. Staffs Way – Cllr Wright updated the meeting and Cllr Mountney agreed to take this forward.
    2. Mower Storage – Cllr Wright informed the meeting that Lengthman’s mower would be temporarily stored in the old playgroup shed at the back of the village hall.
11. Miscellaneous
    1. Carved Tree – No further update at this time. Clerk to email Cllr Ratcliffe. Action Clerk
    2. Microsoft 365 renewal – The clerk informed the meeting that this was up for renewal. It was unanimously agreed by the Parish Council that they would pay £20 for the quarter share of this.
    3. ICO renewal – The Parish Council unanimously agreed to renew the subscription for this.
    4. Alton Towers Meeting – the clerk informed the meeting that Cllrs Mountney, Shermer and Wright would meet the representative from Alton Towers at the village hall car park on Monday 22^nd July at 9.30. Cllr Mountney agreed to update the representative of the place and time. Action Cllr Mountney
    5. War Memorial – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that at the end of the meeting on the 10^th June some of the councillors looked at the condition of the War Memorial. She confirmed that they were somewhat concerned by the condition it was in. Cllr Edmonds volunteered to weed the ground around the War Memorial and the Fountain in the next couple of weeks. Once that was completed the clerk would ask RTS to come and jet wash the War Memorial. The Parish Council agreed a spend of up to £150 for the cost of this. After the area was jet washed RJS would come and repair the paving. Cllr Turner volunteered to talk to RJS regarding this. Action Cllr Edmonds, Clerk and Cllr Turner.  
12. Payments – To approve the following payments: The clerk went through the payments individually. The payments were Proposed by Cllr Edmonds and seconded by Cllr Stratton and agreed by all. All payments would be processed online by Cllr Shermer and Cllr Flower. All invoices would be signed and would be returned to the clerk once actioned.
    25. Lascombe Consulting – Website – pay for June 2024 = £25.00 [LGA 1972 s142 & 144]
    26. Clerk’s pay for June 2024 (Made by Standing Order) = Net Pay £398.92 [LGA 1972 s112]
    27. HMRC – Clerk – Tax – June £95.60
    28. J Etherington – Cleaning Village Hall toilets June 2024 = £50
    29. N Power – Electricity – June 2024 £41.63
    30. Stuart Smith Lengthsman – June 2024 £223.29 + Petrol £7.35 total £230.64
    31. AEDdonate – Defibrillator Pads and Battery for Stubwood – £135.99 + VAT £27.20 = £163.19
    32. Microsoft 365 – J Sadler – renewal £20.00
    33. Village Hall – Hire of the Hall for Meetings £35.00
    34. ICO – Data Protection renewal =£40.00

Date of next meeting:  Wednesday 18^th September 2024 at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall Denstone.