CITY AND PARISH OF HEREFORD
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PARISH MEETING 2014
Held on Wednesday 14th May 2013 at 6-00 pm in the Shire Hall, St Peter’s Square, Hereford
Present : The Mayor of Hereford and Chairman of the Council and around 120 electors
In attendance: Councillor Len Tawn, the City Councillor for Central Ward, not on the electoral role of the City.
APM2014/1 Opening the Meeting
The Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Phil Edwards, opened the meeting and welcomed everyone to the evening. He also commented that it was a privilege to Chair two of these meetings as the timing of the Mayoral Year meant he had been in office for the 2013 meeting too.
APM2014/2 APOLOGIES
The Town Clerk, Mr Steve Kerry, reported receiving apologies from Councillors Vaughan-Powell and Jacqui Carwardine, and also from Clive Hanscombe, Sally Robertson, Tony Bailey, Ian Broom, Bobbie Heavens, Brian Williams, Jean O’Donnell, Fiona Rawlinson, Sally Hollingshead and Andrew Myatt.
APM2014/3 MINUTES
The Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting of 23rd May 2013 had been circulated at the meeting. Councillor Polly Andrews proposed, Councillor Jim Kenyon seconded and it was :
RESOLVED That the Minutes of the meeting of 23rd May 2103 be confirmed as an accurate record and signed accordingly by the Chairman.
APM2014/4 ANNUAL REPORT
4.1 In giving his annual report, the Mayor referred to the published document which had been placed on chairs before the meeting. He highlighted the unprecedented cuts in public spending forced upon Herefordshire Council and serious effects these had had on a number of services. Where possible the City Council was acting to ameliorate some of these effects but could not simply shoulder burdens previously carried by Herefordshire Council. Re-opening some of the public toilets which had been recently closed was a priority and he thanked Councillor Kenyon and his Committee for their efforts in this regard. The Mayor and other city councillors had been involved in discussions which were ongoing around securing a future for the Butter Market which was a prized local asset and should not be allowed to fall into decay through lack of maintenance and investment.
4.2 The City had distributed over £85,000 in grants, large and small to community groups across the City and in a number of cases the Council’s grant had been instrumental in enabling groups to lever in much larger sums from national or regional funds. Grants had covered, among many other things, the installation of seats , improvements to parks, road safety works and the improvement of community centres.
4.3 The Council had promoted several significant events since the last meeting, including a celebration of Fifty Years of Doctor Who, a Wedding Fayre, Christmas Lights and Historical Hereford Day – which the Mayor reminded the meeting was happening again this year on 12th July.
4.4 Work continued to be guided by the City Plan, written not by the Council but by citizens through their responses to questionnaires and suggestions at planning for real events and road shows. The Mayor urged all present to look out for the road show at events through the year and thanked the Civic and Community Development Officer and Councillor Kenyon for doing so much of the work to turn that into a reality.
4.5 The Council has responded to over 350 planning applications within the City, and the Mayor thanked Councillor Andrews and her committee for their hard work in getting through so may applications.
4.6 The Council continues to be well run and efficient as confirmed by its internal audit reports, with many councillors prepared to get stuck in to making events a success and improving their communities, supported by hard working staff.
4.7 The Mayor concluded by thanking all of those mentioned and everyone who had made the effort to turn out for the meeting, which had become an important event into its own right.
APM2014/5 PRESENTATION OF A MAYOR’S COMMENDATION
5.1 The Mayor explained that from time to time distinguished contributions to the life of the City are recognised by the Mayor’s Commendation. In the past these had included the Guild of Guides and individuals who had worked for the betterment of disabled access throughout the City and someone who saved the life of someone who had fallen into the river. Tonight it was his great pleasure to present an award for Sally Hollingshead, recognising the immense contribution she has made to the North Tupsley Action Group. Responding to a need for a decent community meeting place, Sally had spearheaded the campaign to get the White House pub converted for community use. She had been tireless in her pursuit of that goal and had encouraged many other to join in, whilst also setting up and running a thriving community group. She had been an impressive advocate for the group when seeking funding from the Council. The Mayor noted that projects of this kind don’t always go smoothly and the best community workers need to dig in and work hard to make things happen.
5.2 As Sally Hollingshead couldn’t at the meeting tonight the Mayor invited two of her fellow workers at NTAG, Dulcie Maber and Margaret Russell to come forward and accept the certificate of commendation on her behalf.
APM2014/6 ANY PUBLIC MATTER OF A PAROCHIAL NATURE AS AUTHORISED BY SCHEDULE 12, PART 3 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972
6.1 Councillor Aubrey Oliver raised the issue of the reduction in grass cutting and urged that the Council complains at the highest level about this unwise measure, especially as access to children’s play areas was being severely affected. The Mayor confirmed that a strong message had already been sent by one of the fifty or so Chairmen and Clerks who had met recently with the Leader and Chief Executive of Herefordshire Council. The Mayor noted that these two has opened the meeting for questions after speaking for an hour about their achievements, and when the question was raised with some force about grass cutting undertook to seek partnership arrangements with parishes and community groups. Mrs Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes recounted being told by a constituent that someone was cutting grass in Siddons Road, it turned out to be Councillor Kenyon. She asked if others can borrow equipment for community use. The Mayor urged people to be sure they had proper insurance and permission but otherwise was in favour of communities and individuals taking this kind of responsibility.
6.2 Mr Deli Alkaija raised the issue of greater democracy at Herefordshire Council and asked for more to be done to force renovations at fire site which had remained an eyesore for far too long. He felt this was symptom of a dying city centre. The Mayor responded that the city centre isn’t dying, although it undoubtedly had problems. The statutory powers to force action on the site belonged to Herefordshire Council who have so far declined to use them, favouring a negotiated plan for renovation. The Mayor asked the Town Clerk to write on behalf of the meeting to the relevant officers at Herefordshire seeking to put the owner under pressure to get something moving. Ms Lucy Hurds added that she believes the owner is the insurance company Aviva and referred to a local petition available in the Butter Market and local shops to put additional pressure on to get something done.
APM2014/7 PRESENTATION OF HEREFORD CITY COMMUNITY ACHEIVEMENT AWARDS
7.1 The Mayor described the decision to create these awards and to present them at the Annual Parish Meeting which had been very successful last year. He was pleased to see again a strong turnout at the meeting, and was impressed by the high quality of the nominated groups. The Mayor thanked the judges who had determined the awards and invited their Chairman, Will Lindesay the Chief Executive of Herefordshire Voluntary Organisations Support Service to present the awards with him.
7.2 In the first category “highly commended” certificates were given to :
The Christian Life Centre
Herefordshire MS Therapy Centre
The Crafters Club
Herefordshire Roller Skating Club
Newton Farm Community Association.
7.2 The £200-00 award was given to South Wye Community Gardeners for their work in improving the appearance of Saxon Hall and around their local area.
7.3 The £500-00 award was given to the Central Tupsley Community Group for their work in turning the Quarry into a valuable community asset and the impressive programme of events they had run there.
7.4 The £1,000 award was given to a newly formed community group who had made a huge impact in their area including saving local tennis courts from commercial redevelopment and keeping them for community use, litter picks and other community activities and for the the hugely impressive way they had grown from small beginnings. This award went to the Grandstand Road Community Association.
7.5 Mr Lindesay thanked the panel of judges for their work and their organisations for putting up the money to pay for the awards. He then handed over to Mr Trevor Swindells for the Hereford in Bloom award.
7.6 Mr Swindells recalled attending an Annual Parish Meeting a few years ago when he had been the only non-Councillor who bothered to attend. He congratulated the Council on setting up these awards and giving new life and purpose to the meeting. He had been fascinated to see so much being done by so many across the City. The Hereford in Bloom Community Award went to a new group who’s achievements had already been mentioned. Mr Swindells echoed all that had been said and added his joy at seeing a croquet lawn being restored for use too. He presented the award to the Grandstand Road Community Association.
APM2014/8 CLOSURE OF THE MEETING
8.1 The Mayor took the opportunity of Mr Swindell’s presence to thank him and the Hereford in Bloom team for bringing so much credit and joy to the City with their work.
8.2 The Mayor thanked the judges for the community awards, everyone for attending and invited all present to enjoy the exhibitions around the edge of the room and the buffet.
The meeting was closed at 6.55 pm
Signed ...... Date ...... e thanked everyone for attednign, the judges of reh Commity Acheivmenet Awrads and urged everyone to stayt, shre the buffet and look at teh exhbitiobns around the room.