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 Dr J M Parker

Cllr B A Pitt

Cllr Mrs I A Scott

Cllr Mrs M Thomas

In attendance: PC Andy McGill and Sgt John Elliot

R D Gurney, Clerk to the Parish Council

These were received from County Cllr S J M Clee.

None.

PC McGill was invited to address the meeting and he introduced Sgt Elliot who has recently been appointed. He commented that there is a continuing decline in the number of cases in the parish; there were three recorded house burglaries in the last month and one arrest has been made and one arrest is imminent. There have also been three shed break ins. PC McGill mentioned that a Mercedes van with no number plate has been seen around the area and this could be related to a number of car thefts in the east Kidderminster area.

Members raised the matter of the Police Computer Vehicle Recognition system which is in use across the country; fly tipping, especially in the shoppers’ car park, and equestrian crime, which is now falling.

ADJOURNMENT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

(15 members of the public were in attendance.

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

Subject to the substitution of “Wagon and Horses” for “The Old Rose and Crown” in Minute no. 111/05 it was proposed by Cllr Dr Parker, seconded by Cllr Mrs Scott, 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 speak. He commented that the web site is continuing to be well used with over 300 visitors in the last month. A new site for environmental issues is to be set up.

(2) Blakedown Playground. Cllr Danks reported that applications for grant aid have been made. The Chairman commented that the appearance of the playground is a credit to the Committee.

(3) Consultation with Kinver PC. There has been no reply from the Clerk to Kinver PC and the Clerk will speak to him again.

(4) Car Parking Agreement, The Old House at Home. The Clerk is awaiting a reply from the Cultural, Leisure and Commercial Services Division at WFDC, confirming that the present owners are fully aware of the agreement.

(5) Notice of approval of audit. The Clerk reported that, since the last meeting the Internal Auditor, Mr Hale, had agreed the accounts and procedures. The Annual Return had been sent to the External Auditor, Mr Bates of Clement Keys, and an unqualified audit opinion has been given. The closure of the audit is currently being advertised, as required.

(6) Stream Course, adj. Churchill Lane. The Environment Agency confirm that this is a designated “main river”, but that the EA has done little work on the course, as flows have been low. Following a recent inspection action will be taken to remove existing blockages and further tree work will be done later in the year. The Clerk will check whether there is SSSI status and will keep in touch with the EA to see if further help will be required.

(7) Street naming/nameplates, Churchill/Crown Lane. Cllr Hart (WFDC) has arranged for the Parish Council’s suggestions to be investigated and for a report to be given.

(8) Hedge cutting, Wheatmill Close. County Cllr Clee has informed the Clerk that the overgrown hedge should now be trimmed back, although it will not be cut back to its proper height until next month.

(9) Disabled parking sign at the Parish Room. No reply has been received.

(10) Visibility at the Crown Inn, Iverley. It was reported that the restricted visibility caused by the new wall has now been rectified, as the wall has been reduced in height. The Chairman thanked PC McGill and Staffordshire CC highways department for their help in achieving this.

(11) Planning consultations with South Staffordshire DC. The Clerk reported that he has received a letter from the DC Manager at WFDC, indicating that a procedure is to be set up to review consultation across the county boundary. The meeting to discuss this has been brought forward to 21^st July and the Clerk is now unable to attend at the revised date.

support and suggestions before proceeding. The PC would be asked to take over the car park. A housing needs survey would have to be undertaken and an agreement would need to be drawn up to cover matters such as the management of the housing, details of the layout, parking restrictions in adjoining roads. Further publicity and feedback will be needed.

(1) Applications received

WF/0637/05 TPO: Fell one Scots pine tree, 5 Mill Close, Blakedown

No objection, subject to a suitable replacement.

WF/0694/05 TPO: Fell 2 conifers and 2 willows, 12 Churchill Lane, Blakedown

No objection, subject to suitable replacements.

WF/0704/05 Retention of external canopy and decking, and extension to balustrade, The Swan Inn, Birmingham Road, Blakedown

No objection.

WF/0717/05 Erection of stable block, land off New Wood Lane, Blakedown

No objection and suggests that there is a complete turning circle for horse boxes and a hardstanding within the site.

WF/0718/05 Erection of wooden stable block, land off New Wood Lane, Blakedown

No objection and suggests that there is a complete turning circle for horse boxes and a hardstanding within the site.

WF/0720/05 Two storey and single storey extensions, 30 Mill Lane, Blakedown

No objection.

WF/0727/05 Erection of bungalow with rooms in roof space lit by skylights, Plot 4, Swan Close, Blakedown

No objection

(2) Decision notices

WF/1342/04 Conversion of existing barn to create two bedroom dwelling with associated parking, Activity Barn (Barn no. 2), Park Hall, Blakedown - REFUSED

WF/0390/05 Satellite dish, Attlee House, Churchill - LBC GRANTED

WF/0420/05 Dwelling with link extension, 9 Sculthorpe Road, Blakedown - GRANTED

WF/0434/05 Extension, 91 Belbroughton Road, Blakedown - GRANTED

CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes 20.07.05

WF/0460/05 Alterations, The Balcony House, Harborough Hall, Blakedown - WITHDRAWN

WF/0496/05 One dwelling, land adj. 1 Mill Lane, Blakedown - WITHDRAWN

WF/0520/05 Loft conversion, Church Farm Cottage, Churchill - GRANTED

(1) The Clerk reported that the current account stands at £2,590.05p in credit and the Instant Access account stands at £11,358.36p, giving a total balance of £13,948.41p.

(2) The Receipts and Payments Account for 06.04.05 - 06.07.05 was received.

Staples UK Ltd, photocopying - June

£36.42 + £3.60 VAT(3 invoices) £ 40.02

Worcestershire CALC - Clerk’s training course, 07.07.05 £ 25.00

R D Gurney - salary, June/July 2005 £525.60

- expenses, March/June 2005(telephone, travel) £ 69.73

Blakedown Parish Room Committee (09/02, 09/03, 18/05) £ 42.00

Clement Keys £120.00 + £21.00 VAT £141.00

V Rudge grass cutting, June/July £270.00

£1,113.35

The Clerk read out a letter from Mr Broome (HPU) to County Cllr Clee relating to Churchill crossroads. Mr Broome notes that this is not an accident cluster site, but should other possible improvements, other then routine maintenance, be identified then the proposals will need to be considered at County Hall.

After the last meeting an application for this one day a week contract was received by the Clerk from Mr Mark Jones. The Chairman reported that he has met Mr Jones and explained and shown the duties required by the handyman contract; he was satisfied that Mr Jones would be acceptable for this post. The Chairman proposed and Cllr Pitt seconded that Mr Jones be appointed for the Handyman duties, at £10.00 per hour; this was agreed. The Clerk was asked to write formally to Mr Jones with the details of the appointment. Members expressed a view that Mr Jones could take on other duties in due course.

Members made comment that there does not appear to be any written agreement for the bus shelter cleaning and that payment was made for shelter cleaning whilst one shelter was burnt down. It was suggested that bus shelter cleaning duties would best be included in the handyman’s duties. That the present arrangement for bus shelter cleaning ceases and be added to the handyman’s duties was proposed by Cllr Danks, seconded by Cllr Dr

Parker, and agreed. The Clerk was asked to make the necessary arrangements. Cllr Danks

asked for it to be recorded that he wished for a refund of the previous payment, but this was not supported by the Parish Council.

It was agreed that regular annual payments for churchyard maintenance continue for the time being, and this matter can be looked and extended when the budget is considered.

The Clerk reported that his survey of the 40 footway lights revealed that the PC owned 11 steel columns, 27 concrete columns and 2 upvc columns. Based on the cost set out in the WCC letter dated 1^st June 2005 the work necessary for Pirelli to undertake at this stage will be between £360 and £400. It was agreed that the Clerk arranges for Pirelli to undertake this work.

The Clerk reported that he had been told by Pirelli that the concrete column, no. 13 in Lynwood Drive has had to be replaced with a new steel column. The Parish Council agreed that this be re-connected.

The Chairman informed Members that there is no direct footpath/footway link between Churchill village and the Crown Inn, Iverley. There is a footpath from Churchill village as far as the A.451, but there is no path along this busy road, although there is a wide verge. It is known that this is in the Staffordshire CC budget, but with low priority. It was agreed that the construction of a public pavement along the A.451 be supported and the Clerk was asked to write to Staffs County Council accordingly, with a copy to Kinver PC.

Cllr Mrs Scott reported that the property behind this eyesore has recently changed hands and the new owner has found that this land is owned by the highway authority, namely the HPU. It was agreed that the Clerk write to the HPU informing them of this information and expecting them to take on their responsibilities and tidy the land.

The Clerk was also asked to report the overgrown holly hedge fronting Birmingham Road, at the rear of Roxall Close, to the HPU and ask them to attend to the problem.

The Clerk reported that he has received a request from the owners of these cottages for the Parish Council’s informal views on this proposal to take surplus highway land in to private ownership. It was agreed that there is no objection, although the Parish Council does have concerns with any future highway provision.

The Clerk reported that he has been informed that the current Blakedown Warden, Mrs Owen, has resigned. The duties of the warden were explained by the Chairman. Cllr Dearden and Cllr Cairns agreed to undertake the duties jointly; copies of the “job description” are to be circulated.

The Head of Planning at WFDC has written to parish councils stating that, from

CHURCHILL AND BLAKEDOWN PARISH COUNCIL Minutes 20.07.05

January 2006, all planning applications will be able to be viewed electronically and, therefore, hard paper copies of plans will not be sent after that date. Members were concerned that the Clerk does not have the facility to produce copies from the web site

nor to display plans at Parish Council meetings. The Clerk informed Members that the

CALC Executive Officer had discussed this matter with Mr Parker, pointing out that the timescale is unrealistic for PCs, particularly as there will be a need for further investment and no source of funding is available. There will be opportunities to discuss these problems and, meanwhile, it is suggested that a letter is sent to Dr Richard Taylor, MP, regarding the lack of central government grant aid for parish council investment in electronic communication, unlike other tiers of local government.

Notice of the Nuts’n’Bolts training and the latest edition of the MAIL were noted.

The following items of correspondence were noted:

1. WCC Temporary Road Closure Order, Station Drive, Blakedown from 23.00 hrs on 30^th July until 18.00 hrs on 31^st July 2005.

3. WCC - Wyre Forest Schools Review: Head Teacher appointments

4. Wyre Forest Police/Community Consultative Group - minutes of meeting

5. Npower - notice of price increase for business customers

1. Dangerous trees, Mill Lane/Churchill Lane

This is confirmed as 17^th August 2005 at Blakedown Parish Room.

The meeting closed at 10.33 pm.

Dated this 17th day of August 2005

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Chairman