1

GARWAY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the ordinary meeting of Garway Parish Council held on Monday 16th September 2013 in Garway Village Hall

PRESENT

Mr D Atkinson (Chairman), Mr M Howard (Vice Chairman),Mrs S Partridge, Mr C Robinson, Mrs R Sparey and Mr C Strange.

IN ATTENDANCE – Mrs L Cowles (Clerk), Ward Councillor Russell Hamilton, PCSO Fiona Witcher, PSCO Kevin Powell and seven members of the public.

  1. ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE – None.
  2. RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Mr D Atkinson declared a Non-Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in item 9 and signed the declarations book accordingly.
  3. ADOPT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING– 22nd July and 22nd August 2013 – The minutes were signed as a true and accurate record.
  4. REPORTS
  5. Local Police

Local policing areas are separating from Monday 30th September and Garway parish will now be covered by Hereford Rural South. PCSO Fiona Witcher introduced PCSO Kevin Powell who would cover the area in future. Police Briefings would continue and PCSO Powell would attend parish council meeting when available. The Chairman thanked PCSO Witcher for her support over the past 6½ years.

There have been no recent crimes to report.

4.2Ward Councillor Mr Russell Hamilton

Councillor Hamilton reported that a full cabinet meeting would be held on Thursday, 19th September and many challenges lay ahead. £57 million will need to be saved between 2010-2015. Possible changes included Library services, museums and customer services. Progress has been made in safeguarding Children’s Services, helping learners with learning difficulties and adoption projects. Four out of twenty five public toilets have been closed to date in Herefordshire situated in Union Street, East Street, Merton Meadow and Maylord’s Shopping Centre. There are currently 48 members in the community toilet scheme; there are plans to increase advertising and signage.

Councillor Hamilton will contact the First Responder manager concerning access to a defibrillator in Garway.

  1. CLERKS UPDATE

Councillors were reminded that the Fair Share of Funding petition needs to be signed by the second week in September and the West Mercia Policing Survey completed by 27th September.

Information had been received concerning the Speed Indicator Scheme, the parish council agreed that they would be interested in the scheme, clerk to request further information.

Membership information had been received from the Open Spaces Society – to be included on the October agenda.

Cross-Border GP healthcare arrangements are changing, there are currently 134 patients in the Garway parish registered with a Welsh GP, it was agreed to include relevant information on the website

HMRC had issued a fine of £100 for late submission of the 2012/13 tax return – clerk has appealed.

Various HALC training dates were advised.

  1. PLANNING
  2. PLANNING PERMISSION APPLICATION

Site: The Old School, Garway, Herefordshire.

Description: Proposed conversion to two dwelling units with parking areas.

Application No: 132281/F Grid Ref: 346058:222679

THE PARISH COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WHOLE SITE DECONTAMINTED BUT OTHERWISE HAVE NO OBJECTIONS.

6.2PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED

Site: Old Field Farm, Garway Hill, Herefordshire. HR2 8HA

Description: Replacement of existing tile/corrugated iron roof with second hand welsh slates

(or acceptable non-domestic slates) and replacement of timbers in roof.

Application No: 132000/L Grid Ref: 345237:223997

  1. FINANCE
  2. Bank balance as per statement number 45 dated 30th August 2013 is £5375.65
  3. Receipts

£1065.00 grant from Parish Paths Partnership Scheme.

£100.00 donation from Mrs Valerie Horspool for care and maintenance of the Common

7.3Lengthsmans invoice dated 11/08/13 of £350.00 plus VAT and invoice dated 09/09/13 of £350.00 plus VAT – Payment Agreed.

7.4Playground Inspection Invoice of £40.60 – Payment Agreed.

7.5Payment to Mrs Linda Cowles for Clerk’s hours of £181.29 for July 2013 and £181.09 for August 2013 plus £45.00 expenses to join Open Spaces Society – Payment Agreed.

  1. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

Several people have shown an interest in joining the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, it was agreed to arrange a meeting after Councillor Atkinson and Councillor Howard had attended a Neighbourhood Planning seminar on 28th September.

  1. GARWAY COMMON

At the Parish Council meeting dated 22nd August it was agreed to seek legal advice. Councillor Howard agreed to contact the Law Society for a recommendation of solicitors with Common Landexperience, Councillor Sparey will also seek recommendations locally.

  1. COMMONS MAINTENANCE

The Commons had previously been walked with Caroline Hanks from Herefordshire FWAG. She had suggested ways of maintaining the common. Some paths had recently been established to enable it to be used. Councillor Atkinson and Councillor Howard will contact Caroline again for advice and to arrange a meeting.

  1. BROADBAND UPDATE

There is very little to report at present, although upgrades have started. Information can be found on the website.

  1. FOOTPATH OFFICER

A report was given by Mr Jeremy Harris regarding Garway now participating in the Parish Paths scheme, as the role of the Footpaths Officer had become more demanding Mr Harris felt he could no longer commit the time at present to continue in the role, although he would still consider some involvement in the scheme. As the footpaths would need to be walked twice a year it was suggested that the parish be split into six areas with the possibility of a group parishioners walking a small section. A co-ordinator would then be needed to delegate works with an idea being that theLengthsman could carry out the works. It was agreed that Councillor Howard would advertise for volunteers on the website.

  1. ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

Any major road defects to be reported to the clerk to forward to Balfour Beatty.

  1. SPEED LIMITS

Concerns were expressed over speed limits through the village, signs were in the wrong place and the limits need to be reduced. Ward Councillor Hamilton advised that he had recently had a meeting and that Garway would be the next area to be reviewed possibly in October, speeds and volume would be measured with a report being issued in due course.

  1. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

There is no longer a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in the parish. Councillor Howard had been approached about the possibility of resurrecting the scheme. Information has been obtained from the police which would be forwarded to Councillors with the idea of sending questionnaires out to the local community.

  1. PICNIC AREA AT BROAD OAK

The triangle area by St Mary’s in Broad Oak is maintained by the parish council and is not the responsibility of Herefordshire Council. The Highway Agency has expressed concerns over road safety and visibility splay in that area. After much discussion it was agreed that the parish council would display a notice for 30 days enquiring about local ownership of the land, there after the road would be blocked off at one end.

  1. BENCH ON THE COMMON

A bench on the common has some rotten rails and one is broken, Councillor Atkinson proposed to ask Councillor Strange to repair it, which was unanimously approved.

  1. PLAYGROUND REPORT

To be discussed at the next parish council meeting on 21st October.

  1. UPGRADE OF PUBLIC FOOTPATH GW12 (PART) TO A BRIDLEWAY – The Director of Places and Communications has considered this application. The decision has been taken not to upgrade part of footpath Garway 12 to a bridleway.
  2. OFFICIAL MOUNTAINBOARD COMPETITION ON GARWAY HILL

The clerk had received a request to hold a Mountain board competition on Garway Hill, it was unanimously agreed that this could not be supported.

  1. NOTE THE CORRESPONDENCE SHEET – The correspondence sheet was noted.
  2. RAISE MATTERS FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING – Footpath officer, Open Spaces Society, Playground report and Defibrillator.
  3. CONFIRMATION OF THE NEXT ORDINARY MEETING, TIME, DATE AND VENUE – The next Ordinary meeting of the parish council will be held on Monday 21st October in Garway Village Hall at 7.30pm.

Meeting declared closed at 2125pm

Signed...... Councillor Mr David Atkinson

Dated......