1 Feb 2019

Parish Council Minutes Jan 2019

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BRERETON  AND  RAVENHILL  PARISH  COUNCIL

 

Minutes of a Parish Council meeting held at the Parish Hall, Ravenhill Park, Brereton, on Tuesday, 8th January 2019.

 

Present

 

Councillors R Easton [Chairman], K Ansell, Mrs P Ansell, Ms IJ Brown, Mrs DM Easton, PA Fisher,

TA Jones and GN Molineux.

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Miss C Harvey, Mrs G Harvey,                  Mrs R Harvey and Mrs W Fisher and District Councillor D Foley.

 

Mr PG Davies, the Parish Clerk, was also in attendance.

 

  1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

No declarations were given at the commencement of the meeting.

 

  1. MINUTES

 

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4th December 2018, be approved and signed as a           correct record.

 

  1. POLICE MATTERS

 

The Clerk circulated, for information, the following correspondence relating to policing matters:-

 

  • letter from Amanda Milling responding to the Parish Council’s concerns regarding lack of prosecutions for criminal damage and the severe delays experienced in using the non-emergency 101 number;
  • e-mail from Sarah Wainwright responding to highway and parking issues in the parish.

 

  1. RUGELEY AND BRERETON POWER STATION – COMMUNITY PLANNING

 

The Chairman welcomed the following representatives to the meeting:-

 

Mr Charles Campion [JTP]

Mr Dale Sager [ENGIE]

 

The representatives circulated a ‘Community Planning Report Back Broadsheet’ which included an illustrative masterplan for the regeneration of the power station site.  The broadsheet incorporated key themes resulting from the initial consultative exercise [copy attached].  A further public meeting would be held on 30th January 2019, at 7.30 pm at the Parish Hall.

 

The Parish Council noted that an outline planning application was likely to be submitted later this year for the whole site.  Detailed planning would follow.  It was expected that the first homes would be built within two/three years of planning permission being granted, with redevelopment of the whole site taking between 10 – 15 years.

 

Members made the following points which were noted by the two representatives present:-

 

 

  • Concern was expressed at the greatly reduced area allocated for employment. This was not what the young people at the initial consultation exercise had requested; they wanted more of the site to include good employment opportunities. It was important that their aspirations were given proper recognition.  This concern was increased by the description which added live/work to employment and by the possibility the retention of the lower parts of the towers would further reduce the land actually available for employment,

 

  • The Parish Council strongly supported the riverside park and stressed the importance of incorporating the Brereton and Ravenhill Way into the proposals.

 

  • The provision of additional community facilities such as a small cinema would be seen as an important and much valued addition to the site. Reference was also made to the need for a new doctor’s surgery.

 

  • Public transport would be required to serve the housing on the site.

 

  • The ‘links’ onto the site were key – a link into the Brereton side of the Chase Line was important and it was disappointing to note that there was no link through to the new roundabout due to land ownership. The only current links provided were at the two far extremities of the site.

 

Mr Campion was asked to identify for the meeting on 30th January 2019, examples of live/work zones elsewhere in the country.  The Parish Council would welcome a visit to such areas to assess their long-term viability.

 

During the course of the discussion, the Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow the members of the public present to contribute to the debate.

 

After duly reconvening the meeting, the Chairman thanked both Mr Campion and Mr Sager for attending.

 

  1. COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY [CIL] RECEIPTS AND ALLOCATIONS PROCESS – UPDATE 2017 – 2018

 

The Clerk had circulated a letter from the District Council outlining the CIL receipts and allocation process 2017/2018, including Guidance for Parish and Town Councils.

 

The Parish Council acknowledged that it would be important to verify individual projects with the District Council in advance of any expenditure being incurred.

 

  1. CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL AND CHRISTMAS FEATURES

 

The Parish Council placed on record its thanks to Councillors P Fisher and Mrs G Harvey and Mr Harvey for the work they had done in preparing the Christmas tree for the festival which was held in St Michaels Church on 15th December 2018.

 

Members also thanked Mr Peter McGee for providing the Christmas tree which was situated in Ravenhill Park.  The Chairman also thanked those Members and parishioners who had assisted with the erection and maintenance of the tree over the Christmas period.

 

RESOLVED

 

That a letter of thanks be sent to Mr Peter McGee.

 

  1. DRAFT CONSULTATION AREA APPRAISALS AND MANAGEMENT PLANS

 

The Parish Council noted the responses prepared by Councillor TA Jones in respect of the           following Area Appraisals and Management Plans:-

 

Talbot Street/Lichfield Street, Rugeley [the part within Brereton and Ravenhill parish]

Trent and Mersey Canal [within the Cannock Chase District]

 

The Clerk reported that the draft responses had been submitted to the District Council to meet the 17th December 2018 deadline.

 

RESOLVED

 

  1. That the action taken be approved and confirmed,
  2. That the Parish Council place on record its thanks to Councillor TA Jones for preparing the responses to these consultation documents.

 

  1. CIL – LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD FUNDS

 

The Clerk reported that the District Council had advised that the £1,370.28 received for use on the refurbishment/replacement of bus shelters ‘may’ by spent within five years of receipt.  However, this was a ‘may’ dependent upon the circumstances – for instance, if the Parish Council was saving up funds for a larger project which might take longer than five years, then this might be acceptable if it was justified as such.

 

  1. COALPIT LANE / BIRCH LANE / COLLIERY ROAD

 

The Clerk reported that the occupiers of 2 Coalpit Lane had acted in a most co-operative and expeditious manner in cutting back the height of the hedge in the front garden of their property.  A letter of thanks had been sent to the occupiers on behalf of the Parish Council.

 

Following consultation with the Chairman, the Clerk had sent a letter to the County Council requesting them to arrange for the removal of the tree on highway land fronting 2 Coalpit Lane.  Mr M Keeling had responded by advising that an officer would be inspecting the site with the intention of asking a tree surgeon to ‘undertake a report’.

 

Councillor PA Fisher reported that he had spoken to Mr Keeling who had indicated that the tree would be topped and lopped and had given an assurance that it would be properly maintained in the future.  He had also advised that he was arranging for the holly and brambles in the same area to be removed.

 

  1. MEMBERS LIAISON MEETING WITH AMAZON

 

The Clerk reported that Councillor PA Fisher had been appointed as the District Council’s representative on the Liaison Committee.  As a consequence and as agreed at the last meeting, Councillor R Easton would become the Parish Council’s representative.

 

  1. MARTIAL ARTS CENTRE – STATE OF WALL

 

The Parish Council noted that the tenants of the Martial Arts Centre had forwarded the Clerk’s letter regarding the state of the wall to the owners of the property.

 

  1. COMMUNITY FUNDED SCHOOL CROSSING PATROLS

 

The Clerk circulated a letter received from the Chief Executive of the County Council setting       the Authority’s position on a review of the School Crossing Patrol Service.

 

Members considered that the County Council’s proposals represented regressive taxation.

More urban areas with poorer communities had the majority of major roads where patrols were required.  The Parish Council considered that attempts to transfer the cost of providing this service to these communities was a form of regressive taxation as the rural, more affluent, parts of the county would not be contributing to this service provision.  The

 

 

Parish Council had made cuts to its services but these had not been targeted at the less well off.

 

The safety of children was paramount and it was the responsibility of the County Council to ensure this service was fully maintained.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the foregoing comments be sent to the Chief Executive of the County Council, with a copy to County Councillor A Dudson.

 

  1. DOCUMENTATION

 

The Clerk tabled the following document for the information of Members:-

 

Response of Rugeley Town Council to the consultation exercise on Conservation Areas.

 

  1. STRATEGY FOR VETERANS

 

Councillor TA Jones referred to a consultation document issued by the Government entitled ‘The Strategy for our Veterans’.

 

Councillor Jones kindly undertook to prepare a carefully considered response on behalf of the Parish Council.

 

  1. CANNOCK CHASE AONB – NEW MEMBER TEAM

 

The Clerk reported that the following new members of staff were now in post at the Cannock Chase AONB:-

 

Julia Banbury – AONB Landscape Planning Officer

Richard Harris – AONB Land Management Officer

 

RESOLVED

 

That the new members of staff at the AONB be invited to attend a future meeting of the Parish Council.

 

  1. PRECEPT 2019 – 2020

 

The Report of the Clerk on the precept for 2019 – 2020 was considered.

 

RESOLVED

 

  1. That the budget for 2019 – 2020, as submitted by the Clerk, be approved and adopted.
  2. That the Parish Council’s precept be set at £62,969.00 for the 2019 – 2020 financial year, representing a 2.3% decrease in the Band D charge.

 

  1. FUNDRAISING FOR POCKET PARKS

 

            The Parish Council considered an e-mail from Councillor TA Jones on funding for Pocket Parks.  The Government had made available £1 million in funding for communities to create their Pocket Parks.  Pocket Parks were small plots of land, often about the size of a tennis court, and mostly seen in urban spaces.

 

The Clerk advised that the deadline for the submission of bids was 25th January 2019.

 

 

Members undertook to form the Brereton and Ravenhill Community Association who would then prepare a bid for part of the open space land at St Michaels.  This bid would be submitted prior to the 25th January 2019 deadline.

 

  1. PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 4th December 2018, be approved.

 

  1. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

The Parish Council had previously agreed that the next meeting would be held on

5th February 2019.

 

  1. PUBLIC FORUM

 

No additional matters were raised by the public at this juncture in the meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

______________________

[Chairman]