CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL

PRESENT Cllr R J Whiston (Chairman)

Cllr A J Cairns

Cllr S J Danks

Cllr P A Dearden

Cllr Mrs P V Hayward

Cllr B A Pitt

Cllr Mrs M Thomas

In attendance: R D Gurney, Clerk to the Parish Council

These were received and accepted from Cllr Dr Parker and Cllr Mrs Scott.

None.

PC McGill was not in attendance, but the Clerk had spoken to him and he had asked for three matters to be reported. First, the new Beat Officer for this area is PC Phil Green. Second, crime statistics for the last Quarters of 2003 and 2004 for this area are available; there has been a drop from 37 cases to 13 in the parish, and across the area there has been a 20% fall. Third, the number of accidents on the A.456 towards Kidderminster is still being investigated and the barriers have been altered.

ADJOURNMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

(One member of the public (Jim Brown) was in attendance. He explained how the Friends of Blakedown Playground is progressing. There are regular meetings and have expended some £2,500 which has already been raised locally. Grant applications have been applied for and other applications will be made to meet the complete refurbishment which could cost between £60,000 and £100,000. It is hoped that the PC will contribute £1,000 for running repairs and Wyre Forest Community Housing may also contribute. The first draft of a constitution and a Business Plan have been prepared. Weekly visits to the playground are being made and will be logged).

County Cllr Clee had submitted his apology and there was no report.

It was proposed by Cllr Dearden, seconded by Cllr Mrs Hayward, and resolved that the Minutes, being a true and accurate record of the proceedings of the meeting, be signed by the Chairman.

(1) Parish Web site. Malcolm Hall was invited to address the meeting. He reported that the hit rate is now about 700 per month world wide, with hits from USA (12), South Africa and Australia. The Clerk was asked to send details of the booklets, but not the PC fax machine, as this could be donated to the Post Office.

(2) Problems at former Blakedown Nursery site (WF/0583/04). The Clerk has not received a reply from the Planning Office to his letter.

(3) Network Rail account for Street Light no. 1, Churchill Lane. The Clerk reported that Network Rail has passed the conern to their agents. They, in turn, have asked for the PC to mark the exact position of the column on a plan to be returned. Cllr Dearden agreed to photograph the column and email it to the Clerk.

(4) Dog Fouling signs. The Clerk’s letter has been forwarded to the Cultural, Leisure and Commercial Services department for action.

(5) Traffic problems, Lynwood Drive/Station Drive. The Clerk has spoken to PC McGill who will monitor the problem and take action as necessary.

(6) Replacement bus shelter, Birmingham Road. Allianz Cornhill has agreed that the PC can progress with a replacement wooden shelter and the Clerk has placed an order for this with Walkers of Worcestershire to be done as soon as possible.

(7) Speaker for Annual Parish Meeting. Cllr Dearden is still pursuing Mr Legat. Mr Brown has confirmed that he would update the Parish on the progress of the Playground Committee.

(8) Public Rights of Way, Parish Improvement Programme. The Chairman has emailed the Countryside Service with several problems on the footpath network. This has been acknowledged and should be attended to.

(9) Wolverhampton Business Airport. The December newsletter was circulated with the agenda.

(1) Applications received

WF/1298/04 TPO: Prune 2 yew trees in front gardens, 4 Roxall Close, Blakedown

No objection

WF/1295/04 Single storey extensions to side and rear including new garage and relocation of conservatory, 32 Mill Lane, Blakedown

No objection

(2) Decision notices

The following decision notices have been received and are noted.

WF/0758/04 Modifications to conditions nos. 2 and 25 of WF/0794/03 to allow alterations to car parking layout, land at 23A Birmingham Road, Blakedown - GRANTED

WF/1197/04 Two storey side extension, 90 Belbroughton Road, Blakedown - GRANTED

WF/1211/04 Garage extension to front and replacement conservatory, 16 Wannerton Road, Blakedown - GRANTED

CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes 19.01.05

A request has been received from Mr David Houle, for Churchill PCC, for a grant towards emergency repairs to the roof and gutter on the church. A copy of the invoice was circulated with the agenda. That 50% of the invoice, ie £198.50p, be paid was proposed by Cllr Pitt, seconded by Cllr Mrs Thomas, and agreed. It was also confirmed that the grant of £770.00, which was approved in May 2004 (Minute 104/04(2)), be paid.

(1) The Clerk reported that the current account stands at £467.64p in credit and the Instant Access account stands at £12,678.41p, giving a total balance of £13,146.05p.

(3) It was proposed by Cllr Dearden, seconded by Cllr Mrs Hayward, and resolved that the following account be approved for payment:

Staples UK Ltd, photocopying - December, £7.80 + £1.36 VAT £ 9.16

R D Gurney salary for December 2004/January 2005 £492.54

Training expenses, conference on 25.01.05 £ 33.00

SLCC subscription for 2005 £ 69.00

CPRE subscription for 2005 £ 25.00

Blakedown Parish Rooms Committee (Oct/Nov/Dec) £ 39.00

St James the Great Churchill PCC - repair to stonework £770.00

St James the Great Churchill PCC - emergency roof repair £198.50

A draft budget prepared by the Clerk was circulated with the agenda. The Clerk explained that this had been prepared using estimates of the likely receipts and payments in the coming year, allowing for modest inflation and based on information available at the time. The sum indicated for grants is based on requests already received or committed, particularly £1,000 for the Friends of Blakedown Playground and the agreed sum for St James the Great, Churchill (which has now been paid). Since the draft budget has been prepared further requests have been received from Blakedown School and the Sports Centre Committee. Members also questioned whether a street light survey should be undertaken. The estimated balance at the end of the year is some £10,300, just less that the current precept. The draft budget was agreed as a general basis for the financial aspects of he Parish Council for the coming year.

After some discussion it was proposed by Cllr Danks, seconded by Cllr Mrs Thomas, and agreed that the precept for 2005/2006 be increased by 3% to £11,080.

The Clerk informed Members that he had still not received replies from the HPU regarding Churchill crossroads or the poor condition of Belbroughton Road.

Members reported that they had received complaints about a newly constructed brick wall in front of the Crown Inn at Iverley, in Kinver parish, South Staffordshire DC. The clerk was asked to pass these complaints on to SSDC and for the need for the potholes in

CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes 19.01.05

Crown Lane to be filled in.

The comments made by Mr Brown during the Open Session were formally noted. It was reported that a complete refurbishment of the Play Area could cost up to £100,000.This would be a longer term strategy and Members felt that it would be advisable for the Parish Council to retain a “maintenance fund”, which could be drawn on as required, with the ability to reclaim VAT. It was proposed by Cllr Danks, seconded by Cllr Cairns, and agreed that an allocation of £800 be made available for this purpose.

Members agreed that the PC makes arrangement for the annual RoSPA inspection.

The Clerk reported that Mr Harvey Smith had informed him that he would resign from this post, because of personal problems. This was due to be followed up in writing, together with an invoice for the work undertaken since August and the name of another contractor, but neither has materialised. Members felt that the advertising procedure used earlier in 2004 indicated that the most successful approach is likely to be through personal contacts. This was left to Members to follow up, with a request that any likely applicants speak to the Clerk regarding specific details.

The Clerk read out a letter he had received from the Development Control Manager at WFDC, in which it is claimed that the two blocks of flats on this former garage site have been built in the correct positions. Members still felt that the original plans and the current plans do not tally. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Head of Planning at WFDC drawing attention to this discrepancy, asking for a response within 5 working days and informing Mr Parker that the matter is likely to be taken further in the event of a less than satisfactory reply.

The Clerk told the Parish Council that he has been informed that parking spaces would be provided, but these would not be marked on the ground until the driveway is resurfaced.

It was agreed that meetings continue to be held on the third Wednesday of each month and this matter be discussed in further detail at a later meeting.

The Clerk circulated the January MAIL to members at the meeting. The Chairman reported that he had received a letter from the Chairman of Kidderminster Foreign PC, requesting a meeting of all T&PC chairmen to discuss CALC matters. The Chairman confirmed that he would attend and report back as necessary.

The following items were noted:

1. WFDC - notice of arrangements for Parish Games

2. WFDC - Comprehensive Performance Assessment report

3. WCC - Winter gritting routes

CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes 19.01.05

4. Wyre Forest Community Housing - notice of meeting, 1^st February 2005 in Blakedown Parish Rooms

5. WCC - Temporary Road Closures, Wagon Lane/ Churchill Lane and Stakenbridge Lane

6. WFDC - Final Registers of Electors 2005

7. WFDC - Design Quality Supplementary Planning Guidance

8. County Cllr Clee - Highway obstructions, Churchill crossroads

None

This is confirmed for 16^th February 2005, in the Blakedown Parish Room.

The meeting closed at 10.15 pm.

Dated this 16th day of February 2005

………………………………............

Chairman