Parish Council Meeting June 2025

Draft Minutes of Denstone Parish Council Meeting 9^th June 2025 at 7.00pm

1. Attendees: Cllr Turner (Chair) Cllr Oldroyd–Clarke, Cllr E Edmonds, Cllr M Flower, Cllr K Stratton, Cllr Ratcliffe, Cllr Wright, County Councillor Gary Hales, County Councillor Patrick Allen and J Sadler (Clerk)

 Apologies – Cllr M Shermer, Cllr Mountney, Borough Cllr Steve Sankey

15 members of the village present.

2. To receive declarations of interest – None.
3. To approve the minutes of the 12^th May 2025 – The minutes were approved and agreed by all as a true record of the meeting. These were signed and dated by Cllr Turner (Chair).
4. Adjournment for public participation
   1. Grit Bin – a member of the public raised the issue that the grit bin and the street sign had been damaged by a car on Marlpit Lane near the post box. It was agreed the clerk would report this. Action Clerk
   2. Lady Meadow Bridge – It was raised that the timbers either side of the bridge are damaged. Clerk to report to Highways. Action Clerk
   3. Carved Tree on College Road -It was agreed that the clerk would contact Dave Green to ask him to do an assessment of the tree and if it can be moved. Action Clerk
   4. Drains outside church – it was raised that the wrong drain had been cleared. The workmen cleared the drain outside the farm shop instead of outside the church. Clerk to contact Highways.
5. New County Councillor introduction – County Councillor Gary Hales introduced himself to the meeting stating that he was going to bring common sense back to politics and he works by the Nolan principals. County Councillor Patrick Allen also introduced himself at the meeting stating that he was from Doveridge and was a strategic officer with highways. Councillor Turner thanked both gentlemen for coming to the meeting.
6. Signing of Declaration of Acceptance of Office – Cllr Turner signed the declaration of acceptance of office as the chair and this was witnessed by the clerk.
7. Matters Arising/Clerk’s report
   1. Correspondence Received
      1. Noticeboard at Stubwood – the clerk raised that the back of the noticeboard at Stubwood was damaged. Cllr Edmonds volunteered to speak to man who built the notice board. Action Cllr Edmonds.
      2. Defibrillator pads – the clerk informed the meeting that the defibrillator at Stubwood was used at Stubwood last week so the defibrillator required new pads. The clerk had obtained a quote. It was unanimously agreed that the pads could be ordered. Action Clerk

• Railway Line – Cllr Turner informed the meeting that the parish council had received an email from a member of the village regarding the track being churned up due to vehicles going down the track to the property as they had set up animal grazing on some extra land they had purchased. It was not clear if the permission had been granted from the ranger so clerk contacted him. However, it was agreed that the main issue is that the fence has not been erected yet. The clerk had been informed that the fence will be done by the end of July. Action Clerk

1. Reorganisation of Councils – the clerk asked if any councillor would like to attend a zoom session on the 18^th June at 6pm. No councillors were available.
2. All Saints School – Several members of the village raised the issue of the proposed fence that was due to be erected at the school. It was discussed in great detail and agreed by the Parish Council that more information was required from the school. Cllr Turner volunteered to draft a letter as soon as possible and forward to the clerk to send to the head teacher. Action Clerk and Cllr Turner.

1. Railway Line Leak – Cllr Flower informed the meeting that it had been established that there was a drain on the left side of the track. It was agreed that the clerk would report this to SCC to look into. This therefore means that the leak had nothing to do with any properties on Frances Close. Action Clerk
2. CRBT – It was agreed that the Parish Council could not take this issue any further. The only other option was to approach the landowner to establish if he would be interested in selling the land. Cllr Turner said that she knew a member of the village who would be happy to do this. County Councillor Hales also suggested looking at the local Green Space Designation. Action Cllr Turner and Clerk
3. Carparking on the Railway line – A meeting was held regarding using part of the railway line as a carpark. Cllr Edmonds confirmed that he had informed the interested party that this was outside the Parish Councils remit as the land was owned by SCC. The clerk also confirmed that she had now received confirmation from the church stating that they objected to a sign being put on the small carpark opposite the Farm Shop. Therefore both of these issues are now closed.
4. Street Light on Jardines Lane – The clerk informed the meeting that she had received confirmation from Eon stating that material has now arrived for the new streetlight. Eon

have requested for the job pack to be made up and sent for programming, this usually takes 5 weeks, however they will try and pull it forward if possible.

1. Domain Change – All councillors apart from Cllr Ratcliffe were now set up on their new email addresses. It was therefore agreed that the clerk would use the new email addresses. Action Clerk

8. Planning (Permitted & Refused are decisions by ESBC) – Cllr Turner
   1. P/2025/00499 – Retention of office and storage units in connection with a specialist haulage business for a further period of 3 years. Previous consent P/2022/00926 – Lilac Cottage, Oak Road, Denstone, Staffordshire, ST14 5HT – No objections were made.
   2. P/2025/00406 – Listed Building Consent for the installation of 296 solar panels to the main building Barrowhall, Building A Churnet Building A and Building B. – Barrowhill Hall Care Home, Barrowhill, Rocester, Staffordshire, ST14 5BX – No objections were made
   3. P/2025/00390 – Installation of 296 solar panels to the main building Barrowhall, Building A Churnet and Building B – Barrowhill Hall Care Home, Barrowhill, Rocester, Staffordshire, ST14 5BX – No objections were made
   4. NP Review – Cllr Turner confirmed that the Parish Council had now been granted a meeting with Naomi Perry from ESBC and were just awaiting clarification of the date.
9. Highways – Cllr Shermer
   1. Potholes – nothing to raise.
   2. Feasibility Report – In the absence of Cllr Shermer the clerk confirmed that she had not received any further updates on the meeting with the engineer.
   3. Data B5032 – The clerk confirmed that she was still waiting confirmation from SCC regarding the dates of the collection of data.
10. Playground – Cllr Flower
    1. No update at this time however it was agreed that the item would be kept on the agenda.
11. Village Hall – Cllr Stratton
    1. Cllr Stratton stated that there was nothing extra to report.
12. Finance
    1. Sign off Annual Governance Statement 2024-25 – The clerk informed the meeting that the accounts had been checked by two councillors and then forwarded to the internal auditor who had agreed all items as a true record. The papers had then been issued before the meeting to all councillors. This was discussed, completed, and agreed and was signed by the clerk and Cllr Turner. The clerk would now forward the document to the external auditor. Agreed by all Action Clerk
    2. Sign off Annual Accounting Statement 2024-25 – This was discussed and agreed and was signed by the clerk and Cllr Turner. Clerk to forward to the external auditor. Agreed by all Action Clerk
    3. Exercise of Public Rights – The clerk informed the meeting that the parishioners can ask to see the accounts and suggested that the Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Annual Governance and Accountability return be displayed on the 16^th June for the period 17^th June to the 28^th July 2025. This was unanimously agreed. Action Clerk                         
13. Miscellaneous
    1. Benches on the Railway Line – it was agreed to put this on the next agenda as Cllr Mountney was absent.
    2. Denstone Show 2026 – Cllr Oldroyd – Clarke informed the meeting that he was looking to form a show committee for 2026.
    3. Denstone College Meeting – Cllr Edmonds confirmed that he attended the meeting with Cllr Shermer. From the data gathered prior to the meeting there had been a minimal increase in the number of cars going up College Road, however there was no proof the extra traffic was going to the college. The head confirmed that the college are not looking to increase the number of pupils at the school. It was requested by Cllr Ratcliffe that the busses from the college in an evening be staggered to prevent traffic jams in the village. Cllr Edmonds volunteered to take this up with the Head of the college. Action Cllr Edmonds.
14. Payments – To approve the following payments:

The clerk went through the payments individually. The payments were Proposed by Cllr Oldroyd – Clarke and seconded by Cllr Ratcliffe. 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. Carolyn Hinton – Website – pay for May 2025 = £25.00 [LGA 1972 s142 & 144]
26. Clerk’s pay for May 2025 (Made by Standing Order) = Net Pay £550.63 [LGA 1972 s112]
27. Julie Sadler – Travel April and May 2025 – £9.00
28. HMRC – Clerk – Tax – May 2025 – £137.60
29. HMRC – Clerk Employee National Insurance – May 2025 – £40.69
30. Stuart Smith – Lengthsman – May 2025 – £96.18
31. Open Strike – Domain Change – £325.00 paid
32. Hilda Tideswell Internal Audit – £75.00

1. items for Future Agenda

Date of next meeting – The date of the next meeting will be 14^TH July 2025 at 7.00pm in the Village Hall Denstone