Parish Council Meeting June 2023

Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 12th June 2023
1. Present – Cllr Jess Turner (Chair), Cllr B Wright, Cllr M Shermer, Cllr S Ratcliffe, Cllr J Mountney, Cllr Flower, Borough Cllr Steve Sankey, and Julie Sadler (Clerk)
Apologies: Cllr E Edmonds,
There were 6 Members of the village at the meeting.
2. The Minutes of the Meeting held on 10th May 2023 – The minutes were agreed by all as a true record of the meeting and were signed and dated by Cllr Turner (Chair).
3. To receive declarations of interest – None.
4. Adjournment for public participation – A member of the village asked if his email would be accepted as comments for the Neighbourhood Plan Review as the details on the document, he had seen were misleading. Cllr Turner confirmed that only comments received on the appropriate form would be accepted. Cllr Turner confirmed that she had copies of the form with her, or one could be downloaded from the website. The member of the village went onto ask why this was the case and Cllr Shermer confirmed that this was for the process of Reg 14.
5. Councillor Vacancy – The clerk confirmed that she had not received any applications with regards to the councillor vacancy. It was therefore agreed that a new poster would be put up with no end date and if someone wanted to apply, they could do. Cllr Mountney also volunteered to write a paragraph for the website and Facebook page stating why she became a councillor. Cllr Turner thanked Cllr Mountney. Action Clerk and Cllr Mountney
6. Matters Arising/Clerk’s Report
a. Correspondence Received – Nothing to report.
b. Roberts Green – The clerk informed the meeting that she had received confirmation from Marco (ESBC) that the bin had been emptied. Cllr Mountney agreed to keep an eye on the bin and report it to the clerk once it became half full again. Action Cllr Mountney
7. Planning (Permitted & Refused are decisions by ESBC)
a. P/2022/00953 Bankhouse Farm Outcome – Cllr Turner confirmed that the Parish Council had received confirmation that a notice was issued on the 11 May informing the applicant to remove the steel building.
b. NP review update – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that regulation 14 had now started. This however had been extended by one week to the 18th July 2023 as one of the consultees had not received the email. Any feedback must be submitted on the appropriate form.
c. JCB Planning Application – Cllr Flower confirmed that he had seen information on the ESBC portal of an application from JCB to extend the plant into the car park and create a new carpark. Cllr Sankey confirmed that he knew nothing of this but would investigate it. It was agreed that the clerk would contact the planning department at ESBC and Rocester Parish Clerk. Cllrs to be updated as soon as any information received. Cllr Turner thanked Cllr Flower for bringing this to the attention of the Parish Council. Action Clerk and Cllr Sankey
8. Highways – Cllr Shermer
a. SIDS –Cllr Ratcliffe confirmed that he had not been able to download any data yet but would look to do this before the next meeting. Action Cllr Ratcliffe
b. Feasibility update – Cllr Shermer confirmed that there had not been any update on the feasibility study. Though this was not expected for at least a couple of months.
c. Potholes – Though there were no new potholes to report Cllr Wright did raise the issue surrounding the depth of a pothole before it was dealt with. Though the pothole was not a hazard to a car if at the side of the road it would be a hazard to a cyclist. Cllr Sankey
Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 12th June 2023
confirmed that these measures were set by SCC and on the website. Cllr Wright agreed to
look at the website. Action Cllr Wright
9. Denstone College Liaison – the clerk confirmed that no itinerary had been received yet from
Denstone College with regards to the party on the 24th June. Cllr Mountney confirmed that she had
received some details on an email and would forward them to the clerk. It was agreed that the clerk
would put this information on the website and the noticeboards around the village. Cllr Flower
confirmed that he had been contacted by a Community Liaison Officer from the College with
regards to the Denstone Show. He confirmed that he would forward the details onto the Parish
Clerk. Action Cllr Mountney, Cllr Flower and Clerk
10. Green Spaces – Cllr Wright
a. Staffs Way – Nothing to report.
b. Giant Hogweed – Cllr Wright had confirmed that 2 patches of Giant Hogweed had been
reported by a member of the public. Cllr Wright volunteered to burn the seeds to prevent it
spreading. It was agreed that the clerk would mention it to the landowners. Action Clerk
c. Cllr Mountney also raised overgrown weeds on the TaylorMade land next to the footpath.
Cllr Wright volunteered to talk to TaylorMade. Action Cllr Wright
11. Liaison – Cllr Stratton
a. Village Hall – Nothing to report.
b. All Saints School – Cllr Mountney confirmed that she contacted the school and received
confirmation that the school had mentioned the idea of the walking bus to the school
community and did not have anyone come forward to volunteer so this will have to readdressed
in the next academic year as they need full parental commitment to move
forward. The school actively promoted walk to school week and pointed out the possibility of
parking in the farm shop and walking over, and although some children took part it has
unfortunately not carried on.
It was also mentioned that the school are having a few cars parking and using their car park
for the tennis courts after 4 pm. The car park is school private property and should not be
used. Cllr Flower agreed to take up the issue regarding parking at the school with the Sports
Trust. Action Cllr Flower
12. Play Area – Cllr Flower
a. Funding for the play area – It was suggested by Cllr Sankey that Cllr Flower contact Sara
Botham as a Trustee of the Tom Boden Memorial Sports Trust as the landowners of the
play area. Cllr Flower confirmed that he would discuss this with the TBMST before taking
this any further. Action Cllr Flower
b. Play Area Report – Inspections have been completed and the log up-dated to the end of
May. This was sent to the clerk before the meeting.
c. Fencing Update -Cllr Flower confirmed that the gate on the play area had been vandalised.
This has now been temporarily fixed thanks to Karl Whittaker.
With regards to the fencing and the toilet block this is all in hand and will hopefully be started
within the next 5 weeks. Cllr Flower to keep the Parish Council updated. Action Cllr Flower
13. Miscellaneous
a. Old Website – Cllr Turner confirmed that the old website could not be closed just yet.
However, in the meantime she asked for a note to be put on the old website confirming this
is not the correct webpage. Clerk to contact Carolyn. Action Clerk
Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 12th June 2023
b. Village Enhancement Programme – Cllr Turner asked Cllr Sankey if there was an update
regarding the funding due to the change in leadership at the ESBC since the elections. Cllr
Sankey agreed to send the clerk an update so that she can forward this onto the members
of the village who sent in the suggestions. Action Clerk and Cllr Sankey
c. Gardener – the clerk informed the meeting that the position of gardener was available due to
Tracy Hyder resigning. The Parish Council thanked Tracy for all her work during the last
couple of years. It was agreed that the clerk would advertise the position in the usual way.
However, in the meantime Cllr Mountney volunteered to look after the War Memorial and the
area around the Fountain in the village until a replacement could be found. Action Clerk
and Cllr Mountney
d. DE-Fib at North end of the Village – Cllr Turner confirmed that the clerk had spoken to
AEDdonate, and they suggested that it was put on a house or a garage. AEDdonate had
also confirmed that they could offer £400 funding to the council for a new defib however this
would not be available for very long. Cllr Edmonds had sent an email to be read in his
absence confirming that some had been put on lampposts. Clerk to go back to AEDdonate
and raise the issue of a defib being installed on a lamp post. Action Clerk
e. War Memorial – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that the work on the War Memorial had
now been carried out and until the rain it looked fabulous. Thanks to Cllr Mountney for taking
the photos. Cllr Turner confirmed that the 2 grids had been removed and an eco-drain put in
at no extra cost to the council. It was unanimously agreed that an excellent job was done by
RJS and especially Adam. Clerk to send a letter of thanks to RJS. Action Clerk
14. Finance – Cllr Ratcliffe/Cllr Flower
The clerk informed the meeting that the accounts had been checked by Cllr Ratcliffe and Cllr
Flower. Then had been forwarded to the Internal Auditor who had confirmed that everything was
correct. The clerk had issued the documents to the councillors before the meeting.
a. Signing off Governance Statement 2022/23 – The clerk went through the document in detail.
The Annual Governance Statement was agreed by all and was signed off by the clerk and Cllr
Turner during the meeting. Clerk to send to the external auditor. Action Clerk
b. Signing off Accounting Statement 2022/23 – The clerk went through the document in detail. The
Accounting Statement was agreed by all and was signed off by the clerk and Cllr Turner during
the meeting. Clerk to send to the external auditor Action Clerk
c. Notice period for Public Rights – The period of public notice was agreed by the councillors to be
the 19th June to 28th July inclusive this is a 30 day period. The clerk informed the meeting that
the public rights notice would be put on the notice boards and website on the 18th June 2023.
Action Clerk
d. Denstone Diary – The clerk informed the meeting that she had received an invoice from Lavin
Printers for the Denstone Diary. Cllr Edmonds informed the clerk before the meeting that most
of the cost would be covered by advertisements in the diary. The Parish Council unanimously
agreed to pay the invoice and ask the clerk to inform them of the shortfall at the next meeting.
Action Clerk
15. Payments – To approve the following payments: Proposed by Cllr Ratcliffe and seconded by Cllr
Wright. 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. Action Clerk, Cllr Shermer and Cllr
Flower.
a. Lascombe Consulting – Website – pay for May 2023 = £25.00 [LGA 1972 s142 & 144]
Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 12th June 2023
b. Clerk’s pay for May 2023 (Made by Standing Order) = £453.37 [LGA 1972 s112]
c. J Etherington – Cleaning Village Hall toilets May 2023 = £40.00 plus £8.50 for expenses total £48.50
d. N Power – April 2023 – Electricity – £32.51 May 2023 £30.80 total is £63.31
e. Andrew Hillman – payment for May 2023 Lengthsman = £127.64
f. Janice Jackson Internal Audit £75.00
g. RJS – War Memorial = £3400 + £680.VAT = £4080.00
h. Lavin Printers – Denstone Diary £828.00
items for Future Agenda
No items raised for the next meeting.
Date of next meeting: Monday 10th July at 7.00 pm in the Village Hall Denstone