Parish council meeting
Hixon Parish Council
To: All Councillors
A meeting of the full council will be held on 18th January 2022 at 7:30pm in Hixon Memorial Hall
Masks must be worn in Hixon Memorial Hall
Agenda
| Item Ref | Agenda Item | Report By |
| Open Meeting | Chair | |
| 001/21 | To receive apologies. | Chair |
| 002/21 | To receive declaration of interest in any matter on the Agenda. | Chair |
| 003/21 | Consider minutes of meeting 21st December 2021 and 4th January 2022 | Chair |
| 004/21 | To determine any items on the agenda considered to be of a private nature that should be discussed at the exclusion of the Public and Press, under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 1 (2). | Chair |
| 005/21 | To receive Borough Councillors’ reports. | Chair |
| 006/21 | To receive County Councillor’s report. | Chair |
| 007/21 | Close meeting for Public Participation. | Chair |
| 008/21 | Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting (February 15th 2022) | Chair |
| 009/21 | Chair’s announcements and Parish Councillor questions. | Chair/Cllrs |
| 010/21 | Planning Applications (Applications received post publication of agenda may be considered in addition) | None |
| Agenda Items | ||
| 040/20 | To receive and consider any matters arising from updated, Resolution Tracker. | Chair |
| 045/21 | Best Kept Garden etc. competition: update | Clerk |
| 056/21 | Finalise budget and precept for 2022-2023 | Chair |
| 069/21 | Denstone Matters – a possible problem for all communities. Consider a donation: Deferred from December to allow councillors to look at the website and form opinions. | Cllr. Hopcroft |
| 074/21 | Consider appointment of internal auditor – Black Rose Solutions was the auditor for 2020-2021 | Clerk |
| 075/21 | Consider renewal of flower bed/planter maintenance and weed-killing agreement with TGM: Same price as last year. Flowerbed maintenance, prune trees on Ridgeway, weed-spray nettles on Hammonds Croft OS 2x/year £365 + VAT. Church Lane Planter maintenance 2x/year £60 + VAT and monthly tidy and water @£8/month. Weed spraying at various locations 2x/year @£61 + VAT per occasion. | Clerk |
| 079/21 | Consider Civic Amenity Skip visits at £106 per visit. | Clerk |
| Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports | ||
| 032/20 | To consider progress (from Staffordshire CC Highways/Amey) on proposed design for build out at T junction at Lea Heath. | Chair |
| 046/21 | To receive and consider report on progress to improve appearance of entrance to JBMI off New Road: Joint project with JBMI and Plymouth Brethren. | Clerk & Cllr Mrs S. McKeown |
| 062/21 | To consider potential designs to enhance appearance of former bus shelter in Church Lane, including notice panels. | ALL |
| 076/21 | To receive and consider report on proposed new notice board at Pasturefields (to include potential designs and costs) | Clerk
|
| 064/21 | Update on planters around mini island. Nothing to report until March 2022 | Chair |
| 077/21 | To receive and consider report on proposed tree and hedge trimming/removal at Meadow Glade | Cllrs Mrs S. McKeown and J. Carmichael |
| 078/21 | To inform Council of date(s) for installation of Gateways at New Road, Church Lane, Lea Road and Lea Heath (scheduled for 19th January 2022) | Clerk and Chair |
| Finance / Administration / Legal | ||
| 011/21 | Bank Reconciliation | Chair |
| 012/21 | Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments (late invoices not included on the agenda may be paid, subject to resolution by majority of Councillors). | |
| C Gill salary January (Net tax/NI). Local Gov act 1972 s111. | £836.31 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill (costs: working from home) – January. Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £59.50 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill mileage (6 miles @ £0.45p/mile). Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £2.70
|
|
| Reimbursement C Gill Stamps 12 x 2nd class@ 66p plus 12 x 1st class @ 85p = £18.12. | £18.12 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill for purchase of high yield yellow (£20.75) and pink (£22.07) ink | £42.82 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill : monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business | £11.28 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill for BKG gift cards | £75.00 | |
| Weston Ground Maintenance for SID moving | £39.60 | |
| Fenns Stationery for blue ink | £12.58 | |
| Hixon Memorial Hall Oct to Dec room hire | £48.60 | |
| WaterPlus – car park drainage for 4th Oct 2021 to 4th January 2022 | £111.17 | |
| HMRC for NI payments (employer £14.44 and employee £5.36) January= £19.80 | £19.80 | |
| From Ring fenced account | ||
| Glasdon for gateways at 4 locations (New Road; Church Lane; Lea Road; Lea Heath) | £5874.45 | |
| Transfer to main account for allotment fence posts (ex VAT) | £100 | |
| 013/21 | Correspondence received in the post: Thank you letter from Katharine House Hospice, Clerks and Councils Direct |
| 13th January 2022
Catherine Gill |
Minutes
In attendance for all or part of the meeting:
Cllr. Hever-Smith, Cllr. Carmichael Cllr. Hopcroft (Vice-Chair), Cllr. B McKeown (Chair), Cllr. Mrs S McKeown, Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch, Cllr D Wheatley. Clerk
Absent: Cllr. Mrs H Lunn
Members of the public. 1
| Item Ref | Item | Action By |
| 001/21 | Apologies received: Cllr. Mrs H Lunn | Clerk |
| 002/21 | Declarations of interest: None | Clerk |
| 003/21 | It was resolved to accept the Minutes of meeting 4th January 2022 and also 21st December 202, with a request to swap the ‘action by’ names for 032/20 and 064/21 | Clerk |
| 004/21 | Items on the agenda considered to be of a private nature that should be discussed at the exclusion of the Public and Press, under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 1 (2).: Agreed items to be discussed later in meeting. | None |
| 005/21 | Borough Councillors’ reports. | None |
| 006/21 | County Councillor’s report. | None |
| 007/21 | Close meeting for Public Participation. | |
| A member of the public raised the entrance to JBMI and the Gospel Hall Trust’s help in improving this. | –
|
|
| 008/21 | Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting (February 22nd agreed due to Chair’s absence on 15th). | Clerk |
| 009/21 | Chair’s announcements | |
| The date of the next meeting was discussed and February 22nd agreed. The Chair has drafted a newsletter, which was looked at on screen. Chair spoke about some Speedwatch statistics for Staffordshire and the police involvement for repeat offenders. |
–
|
|
| Parish Councillor questions. | ||
| Cllr Mrs S McKeown: – asked about online banking – it was confirmed that a procedure would be written for this. – asked what councillors wanted to do with the SID data e.g. what reports were required. Cllr Hopcroft will ask his Speedwatch police contact if it is of any use to the police. Will be useful for Highways re the amount of traffic. |
Councillors
|
|
| 010/21 | Planning: Applications/Reports | None |
| Agenda Items: Item 046/21 brought forward to assist a member of the public | ||
| 046/21 | To receive and consider report from Cllr. Mrs S McKeown on progress to improve appearance of entrance to JBMI off New Road: Joint project with JBMI and Plymouth Brethren: Use a scanner to detect the pipes/cables and hand dig. 27m of concrete edgings required plus cement, get quote from contractor for supply and delivery to Gospel Hall. | Clerk |
| 040/20 | To receive and consider any matters arising from Resolution Tracker: Chair will update and circulate. | Chair |
| 045/21 | Best Kept Garden etc. competition: Cllr Carmichael will prepare and laminate certificates, Chair has the gift cards and accompanying cards/envelopes. | Cllr Carmichael |
| 056/21 | Finalise budget and precept for 2022-2023. It was agreed that the precept would be £35,045.60 and the amount charged to taxpayers would be £32,478.62 (an increase of 5%). | Chair |
| 069/21 | Denstone Matters – a possible problem for all communities. Consider a donation: Decided to email Denstone Matters Community Group to say HPC is supportive of their situation and will offer help/expertise if it can. Not in a position to offer financial support at the moment. | Clerk |
| 074/21 | Appointment of internal auditor – it was agreed to appoint Black Rose Solutions for the 2021-2022 financial year. | Clerk |
| 075/21 | Consider renewal of flower bed/planter maintenance and weed-killing agreement with TGM: Same price as last year. Flowerbed maintenance, prune trees on Ridgeway, weed-spray nettles on Hammonds Croft OS 2x/year £365 + VAT. Church Lane Planter maintenance 2x/year £60 + VAT and monthly tidy and water @£8/month. Weed spraying at various locations 2x/year @£61 + VAT per occasion. Agreed to renew agreement, all in favour. | Clerk |
| 079/21 | Consider Civic Amenity Skip visits at £106 per visit (one hour): Agreed to go ahead with 4 1-hour visits per year. | Clerk |
| Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports | ||
| 032/20 | Progress (from Staffordshire CC Highways/Amey) on proposed design for build out at T junction at Lea Heath: Cllr Hopcroft to chase Highways. | Cllr Hopcroft |
| 062/21 | Potential designs to enhance appearance of former bus shelter in Church Lane, including notice panels: It was decided to go back to a traditional style of roof as it was previously. Raise the back wall by two courses of bricks. Have a solar panel for lighting. Need a price to reinstate the bus shelter. | Chair
|
| 076/21 | To receive and consider report on proposed new notice board at Pasturefields (to include potential designs and costs): Chair proposed a notice board by Kedel which was agreed to be appropriate. Clerk to ask Highways re ownership of land. | Clerk
|
| 064/21 | Update on planters around mini island. Nothing to report until March 2022 | Chair-
|
| 077/21 | To receive and consider report on proposed tree and hedge trimming/removal at Meadow Glade: a plan had been produced by Cllr Mrs S. McKeown. Clerk to get prices for various items as discussed. | Clerk |
| 078/21 | To inform Council of date(s) for installation of Gateways at New Road, Church Lane, Lea Road and Lea Heath (scheduled for 19th January 2022): Now 20th January 2022. | –
|
| Finance / Administration / Legal | ||
| 011/21 | Bank Reconciliation | Chair |
| 012/21 | Schedule of Agreed Payments (late invoices not included on the agenda may be paid, subject to resolution by majority of Councillors). | Chair/Cllr. Hopcroft |
| C Gill salary January (Net tax/NI). Local Gov act 1972 s111. | £836.31 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill (costs: working from home) – January. Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £59.50 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill mileage (6 miles @ £0.45p/mile). Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £2.70
|
|
| Reimbursement C Gill Stamps 12 x 2nd class@ 66p plus 12 x 1st class @ 85p = £18.12. | £18.12 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill for purchase of high yield yellow (£20.75) and pink (£22.07) ink | £42.82 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill : monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business | £11.28 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill for BKG gift cards | £75.00 | |
| Weston Ground Maintenance for SID moving | £39.60 | |
| Fenns Stationery for blue ink | £12.58 | |
| Hixon Memorial Hall Oct to Dec room hire | £48.60 | |
| WaterPlus – car park drainage for 4th Oct 2021 to 4th January 2022 | £111.17 | |
| HMRC for NI payments (employer £14.44 and employee £5.36) January= £19.80 | £19.80 | |
| From Ring fenced account | ||
| Glasdon for gateways at 4 locations (New Road; Church Lane; Lea Road; Lea Heath) | £5874.45 | |
| Transfer to main account for allotment fence posts (ex VAT) | £100 | |
| 013/21 | Correspondence received in the post: Thank you letter from Katharine House Hospice, Clerks and Councils Direct | |
| Reports received: Meadow Glade Open Space Plan, Notice Board for Pasturefields. |
Meeting ended 9:15pm