Parish Council Meeting

21 Mar 2023

Hixon Parish Council

To: All Councillors

Notice, Summons and Agenda for a meeting of the full council on 21 March 2023 at 7:00pm in Hixon Memorial Hall

Agenda

Agenda

Item Ref	Agenda Item	Report By
	Open Meeting	Chair
001/22	To receive apologies.	Chair
002/22	To receive declaration of interest in any matter on the Agenda.	Chair
037/22	To receive written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011	Chair
003/22	Consider minutes of meeting 17^th January 2023	Chair
004/22	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
005/22	To receive Borough Councillors’ reports.	Chair
006/22	To receive County Councillor’s report.	Chair
007/22	Close meeting for Public Participation.	Chair
008/22	Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting (16^th May 2023). Consider Parish Meeting.	Chair
009/22	Chair’s announcements and Parish Councillor questions.
010/22	Planning Applications (Applications received post publication of agenda may be considered in addition)	Chair
	22/36544/FUL Installation of ground mounted solar panels along the northern border of the property paddocks Charity Farm Lea Road Lea Heath
	Agenda Items
040/20	To consider any matters arising from updated Resolution Tracker.	Chair
092/22	Consider Clerk’s Report	Clerk
078/22	Consider final allocations in budget for 2023-2024. Consider best replacement printer to buy.	Chair/Clerk/Cllr Hever-Smith
020/22	Update on additional drainage grid at High Street Car Park	Vice-Chair
050/22	To consider overnight parking, maintenance costs and surface water charges for Parish Council car park.	Chair
061/22	Consider street cleaning, weed-killing and gutter emptying by contractors.	Vice-Chair
064/22	Consider grass mowing contract. To follow up report received at December 2022 meeting i.e. reducing areas for mowing, planting new coppices and wildflower areas. Any feedback from residents?	Vice-Chair/Cllr S McKeown
073/22	Update on using Staffordshire County Council to set up/manage file sharing on Sharepoint – see Resolution Tracker	Cllr S McKeown /Chair
075/22	Consider adopting the Civility and Respect Model Councillor-Officer Protocol and signing up to the same on the NALC website: To follow up report from Admin Group received in January 2023 and in March 2023.	Clerk
083/22	Consider agreement to continue with the scheme of delegation agreed at last meeting.	Clerk
091/22	Demonstration of Parish Online	Cllr S McKeown
093/22	Consider footpaths in Hixon parish	Cllrs S McKeown /J Craen
094/22	Consider canal notice boards in Hixon Parish	Cllrs S McKeown /J Craen
095/22	Problems with Cllr C Jones’ .gov.uk email address	Cllr S McKeown
096/22	Consider purchase of replacement baby swing seats (see annual inspection report)	Cllr P Hopcroft /Clerk
097/22	Consider how best to engage with Hixon Green and Clean, including the Great British Spring Clean	Cllr P Hopcroft/ Cllr J Craen
098/22	Consider Hixon Millennium Green Trust’s request for a donation of £400 (in relation to providing a King’s Coronation Celebration Event) LGA 1972, section 145	Clerk
099/22	Consider drop in level on path from Memorial Hall to car park.	Clerk
100/22	Consider applying for the Kings Coronation Fund from Stafford Borough Council	Clerk
101/22	Consider proposed new letterhead from the Admin Group	Chair/Clerk
	Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports
062/21	To receive update on refurbishment of bus shelter in Church Lane: Quote received.	Cllr S McKeown
045/22	Proposal for new all-weather cricket practice surface & enclosure at Church Lane Playing Field	Chair
	Finance / Administration / Legal
011/22	Bank Reconciliation	Chair
012/22	Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments (late invoices not included on the agenda may be paid, subject to resolution by majority of Councillors).
	Employment costs – March	£896.96
	Reimburse C Gill March – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business	£11.28
	Reimburse C Gill – stamps	£5.44
	Reimburse C Gill mileage (24 miles @ £0.45 per mile)	£10.80
	WaterPlus – car park drainage for 4^th Feb to 4^th March 2023	£35.40
	Weston Ground Maintenance, SID move Feb (New Road to Church Road)	£39.60
	SBC Amenity skip (whole year)	£444.00
	Annual payment of £1 to Hixon Millennium Green for use of strip of land.	£1.00
	SPCA subscription (£365) plus NALC subscription (£126.06)	£391.06
	Fenns Stationery pockets, ink, pens	£33.67
	Transfer to Ring-fenced account: Allotments £441.39, annuity £303.11	£744.49
	HMRC – March	£11.59

099/22	Receipts – February 2023
	Interest on Nat West Business Reserve Account	£37.10

013/22	Consider correspondence received from residents:
	Post	None
	Email/phone calls: Re Hixon Green and Clean. Re noisy Virgin box. Re Hammonds Croft – land owned by PC. Email complaining about the newsletter. Email from Headteacher of St Peter’s Primary School. Emails (x2) re fly tipping. Email regarding fence replacement in Hammonds Croft.
012/22	From February 2023 – Payments agreed and made
	Employment costs – February	£896.96
	Reimburse C Gill : Feb – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business	£11.28
	Reimburse C Gill mileage (24 miles @ £0.45p/mile)	£10.80
	Reimburse C Gill for stamps 8 x 1^st class	£7.60
	EON – replacement cheque (cheque 3197 from Dec 2022 was not received).	£136.24
	Drs for Spring Newsletter	£188
	Weston Ground Maintenance – SID moving	£39.60
	PC Paramedics Solutions Ltd. – hire of snow machine	£240
	Wicksteed Leisure Ltd. Play/Fitness equipment annual inspection	£288
	TGM – weedspraying on 2 occasions	£146.40
	TGM – maintenance of planter on Church Lane incl. watering	£110.40
	TGM – Flower bed maintenance on 2 occasions	£876
	Water Plus (car park drainage 4^th Jan to 4^th Feb 2023)	£39.20
	HMRC – February	£11.59
	From Ringfenced allotment account
	Reimburse J Garner for additional insurance	£104.81

	Receipts in January 2023
	From Staffordshire County Council (SCC) Highways Mowing money	£1657.00
	Q3 VAT refund from HMRC	£2314.74
	Interest on Nat West Business Reserve Account	£36.48

16th March 2023
Catherine Gill
Clerk to Hixon Parish Council

Minutes

Hixon Parish Council
Minutes of Full Council meeting held at 7.00pm on 21^st March 2023
in Hixon Memorial Hall

In attendance for all or part of the meeting:

Cllr. J Craen, Cllr. D Hever-Smith, Cllr. P Hopcroft (Vice-Chair),
Cllr. C Jones, Cllr. B McKeown (Chair), Cllr. S McKeown, Cllr D Wheatley
Apologies: Cllr R TillOfficer present – Mrs C Gill (Clerk)
Members of the public: 4

Item Ref	Item	Action By
001/22	Apologies received: None	Clerk
002/22	Declarations of interest: None	Clerk
037/22	Written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011	None
003/22	It was resolved to accept the Minutes of meeting 17 January 2023 with two minor amendments (075/22, 062/21).	Clerk
004/22	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).	None
005/22	Borough Councillors’ report
	Chair reported that the SBC Planning Department is in disarray.
006/22	County Councillor’s report.	None
007/22	Close meeting for Public Participation.
	A resident enquired if her paperwork regarding Hammonds Croft had been circulated to all councillors – no, but it will be scanned and circulated.	Clerk
	There are vehicles etc. causing an eyesore opposite Ed Weetman on land going down to the canal. – HPC has previously reported this to Planning Enforcement. There is a pothole as you turn from New Road onto Church Road – Clerk will report	– Clerk
	Can a fruit tree be planted to disguise the litter bin on Meadow Glade open space, between the footpath and the road? Will be looked at. What is happening regarding the footpath along the road edge of the car park? This with Staffordshire County Council.	Councillors –
	The metal framework for the new Gospel Hall Trust church has gone up and the building should be completed by the end of the year.	–
008/22	Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting May 16th 2023
009/22	Chair’s announcements
	Chair reminded council that this was the last meeting in current 4-year term, election is Thursday 4^th May.
	Parish Councillor questions.
	Cllr Craen asked if the replacement post-box could be placed outside the Memorial Hall or one placed here in addition to one near the Post Office. Clerk to contact Royal Mail. Query regarding delivery of newsletters on Broadmore Lane.	Clerk –
	Cllr Hever-Smith enquired whether a teenager doing his D of E award could take videos of/on PC land – Yes.	–
	Cllr Wheatley enquired whether a SID could be placed in Lea Heath – Clerk to ask Highways, suggest pole by notice board, SID pointing towards former Wicket Inn.	Clerk
	Cllr S McKeown asked if the time of the PC meeting could be changed in the Hall’s advert in Compass. Clerk to contact Compass. Should the PC start making an annual donation to Compass again?	Clerk –
	Cllr Hopcroft – hardstanding has been put in at entrance to field off Pasturefields Lane where the notice board is sited. Network Rail have been in the field alongside the rail line. A section of hedge has been removed on Hixon Airfield Estate on the road alongside the ALE access, adjacent to where the cars are being parked. Lea Heath build-out – signage and bollards have been requested but not in place – Chair confirmed he had requested these.
	Cllr C Jones asked if the proposed Youth Council could be advertised e.g. on Facebook, website, notice boards. Advert will need to be drawn up.	Cllr C Jones
010/22	Planning: Applications
	22/36544/FUL Installation of ground mounted solar panels along the northern border of the property paddocks Charity Farm Lea Road Lea Heath	No objection
	Agenda Items: Reported in order discussed at meeting.
040/20	The Resolution Tracker was considered on screen.	–
092/22	Clerk’s Report was considered and accepted. Agreed to purchase 20 traffic cones and some Hi-Viz vests with Hixon Parish Council on the back. Clerk to get price.	Clerk
078/22	Decided to leave budget allocations as per final version of January 17^th, despite there being no specific provision for some agreed spending and no contingency. Clerk advised that some spending may have to be allocated to an incorrect line. Final spend budget figure is £59,155.88. Agreed to purchase printer at ca.£600, Cllr Hever-Smith has details and will arrange the purchase on behalf of HPC.	–
020/22	Drainage grid at High Street Car Park/ the Millenium Green footpath that is being washed away due to mains drains overflowing.: Cllr S McKeown has provided a specification of concrete with a top dressing for the affected footpath on Millennium Green. Same specification can be used for footpath under 099/22, to level-up, smooth out footpath. Get price for both footpaths.	Cllr S McKeown/ Vice Chair
099/22	Consider drop in level on path from Memorial Hall to car park. See 020/22.
050/22	Overnight parking, maintenance costs and surface water charges for Parish Council car park: Councillors to meet with Bank House owners/managers.	Chair
061/22	Street cleaning, weed-killing and gully emptying by contractors: Waiting for Highways contact to respond with requested information.	Vice-Chair
064/22	Grass mowing contract. To follow up report received at December 2022 meeting regarding wildflowers etc.– look at each area, decide what to do and then consult with local residents.	Councillors
073/22	Setting up/managing file sharing on Sharepoint – Meet with Neil Fletcher once contact has been made.	Cllr S McKeown/ Chair/Clerk
075/22	Consider adopting the Civility and Respect Model Councillor-Officer Protocol and signing up to the same on the NALC website. The current Code of Conduct and the model protocol had been circulated again for councillors to compare. Chair requested (and it was agreed)) that the Admin Group consider these on March 22^nd,to make a recommendation regarding adoption of new model protocol etc.	Chair/Cllr S McKeown/Clerk
083/22	Scheme of delegation dated January 2023 was approved. To be reviewed at each meeting.	Clerk
091/22	Cllr S. McKeown demonstrated the use of Parish Online.	–
093/22	Cllr Craen went through a report on footpaths in Hixon parish, he will take photos, make observations and put together some circular walks (walks do not have to entirely in Hixon Parish). Let landowner/affected resident know that Footpath No. 5 is likely to be opened up again.	Cllr Craen
094/22	Canal notice boards in Hixon Parish – these need cleaning and minor repairs, councillors to action.	Cllr Craen/ S McKeown
095/22	Problems logging on to Cllr C Jones’ .gov.uk email address – Clerk to send password and instructions to Cllr C Jones again.	Clerk
096/22	Consider purchase of replacement baby swing seats (see annual inspection report). Look at cost.	Clerk/Cllr P Hopcroft
097/22	Engaging with Hixon Green and Clean. It was decided to draw up plans for areas and pass these by Hixon Green and Clean for comments. Cllrs Hopcroft and Craen to liaise with/feedback to Hixon Green and Clean to get communications rolling. The group may help with cleaning canal boards.	Cllr P Hopcroft /J Craen
098/22	Hixon Millennium Green Trust’s (HMGT) request for a donation of £400 (in relation to providing a King’s Coronation Celebration Event). This item was chaired by the Vice-Chair, discussed and more information in writing on what the money would be spent on was requested. On the basis of this written information being provided, a vote on the £400 donation was taken and agreed. Cllrs McKeown did not take part in the discussion or vote, a member of the public was allowed to speak on behalf of HMGT. LGA 1972, section 145	Clerk
100/22	The Kings Coronation Fund from Stafford Borough Council – £300 to be given solely to (limited numbers of) Parish Councils. It was agreed to apply for this funding, referencing the support being given to HMGT for its event (see 098/22), once the HMGT had added the events to two webpages. (This item was moved up the agenda and chaired by the Vice-Chair in conjunction with 098/22).	Clerk/Chair
101/22	New letterhead presented by the Admin Group – this was displayed on paper and on screen and agreement given for it to be used in the future.	Clerk
	Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports
062/21	Refurbishment of bus shelter in Church Lane: Quote of £4095 received. Quote thought expensive but agreed in principle with the proviso of looking at cheaper tiles and getting a re-quote.	Cllr S McKeown
045/22	Proposal for new all-weather cricket practice surface & enclosure at Church Lane Playing Field – funding from S106 money should be available.	Chair
	Finance / Administration / Legal
011/22	Bank Reconciliation	Chair
012/22	Schedule of Payments Agreed and made	Chair/Vice-Chair
	Employment costs – March	£896.96
	Reimburse C Gill March – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business	£11.28
	Reimburse C Gill – stamps	£5.44
	Reimburse C Gill mileage (24 miles @ £0.45 per mile)	£10.80
	WaterPlus – car park drainage for 4^th Feb to 4^th March 2023	£35.40
	Weston Ground Maintenance, SID move Feb (New Road to Church Road)	£39.60
	SBC Amenity skip (whole year)	£444.00
	Annual payment of £1 to Hixon Millennium Green for use of strip of land.	£1.00
	SPCA subscription (£365) plus NALC subscription (£126.06)	£391.06
	Fenns Stationery pockets, ink, pens	£33.67
	Transfer to Ring-fenced account: Allotments £441.39, annuity £303.10	£744.49
	HMRC – March	£11.59

	Receipts – February 2023
013/22	Interest on Nat West Business Reserve Account	£37.10

013/22	Consider correspondence received from residents:
	Post	None
	Email/phone calls: Re Hixon Green and Clean. Re noisy Virgin box. Re Hammonds Croft – land owned by PC. Email complaining about the newsletter. Email from Headteacher of St Peter’s Primary School. Emails (x2) re fly tipping. Email regarding fence replacement in Hammonds Croft.
012/22	From February 2023 – Payments agreed and made	Chair /Vice-Chair
	Employment costs – February	£896.96
	Reimburse C Gill : Feb – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business	£11.28
	Reimburse C Gill mileage (24 miles @ £0.45p/mile)	£10.80
	Reimburse C Gill for stamps 8 x 1^st class	£7.60
	EON – replacement cheque (cheque 3197 from Dec 2022 was not received).	£136.24
	Drs for Spring Newsletter	£188
	Weston Ground Maintenance – SID moving	£39.60
	PC Paramedics Solutions Ltd. – hire of snow machine	£240
	Wicksteed Leisure Ltd. Play/Fitness equipment annual inspection	£288
	TGM – weed spraying on 2 occasions	£146.40
	TGM – maintenance of planter on Church Lane incl. watering	£110.40
	TGM – Flower bed maintenance on 2 occasions	£876
	Water Plus (car park drainage 4^th Jan to 4^th Feb 2023)	£39.20
	HMRC – February	£11.59
	From Ringfenced allotment account
	Reimburse J Garner for additional insurance	£104.81

	Receipts in January 2023
	From Staffordshire County Council (SCC) Highways Mowing money	£1657.00
	Q3 VAT refund from HMRC	£2314.74
	Interest on Nat West Business Reserve Account	£36.48

Meeting ended 9:45pm

Reports

Hixon Parish Council

17th January 2023
21^st March 2023

1 Purpose of Report: To consider adopting the new model councillor-officer protocol and signing up to the Civility and Respect Pledge .

2 Background Information and Key Issues.

2.1 The National Association of Local Councils (NALC), One Voice Wales, the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) and county associations have set up a Civility and Respect Working Group to oversee the Civility and Respect Project as a result of growing concerns about the impact bullying, harassment, and intimidation are having on local (parish and town) councils, councillors, clerks and council staff and the resulting effectiveness of local councils.

2.2 The Pledge

The Civility and Respect Pledge is being introduced because there is no place for bullying, harassment and intimidation within our sector. The pledge is easy for councils to sign up for and it will enable councils to demonstrate that they are committed to standing up to poor behaviour across our sector and to driving through positive changes which support civil and respectful conduct.

By signing the Pledge, your council is agreeing that the council will treat councillors, clerks, employees, members of the public, and representatives of partner organisations and volunteers with civility and respect in their roles and that it:

Has put in place a training programme for councillors and staff
Has signed up to the Code of Conduct for councillors
Has good governance arrangements in place including staff contracts and a dignity at work policy
Will seek professional help at the early stages should civility and respect issues arise
Will commit to calling out bullying and harassment if and when it happens
Will continue to learn from best practices in the sector and aspire to be a role model/champion council through for example the Local Council Award Scheme
Supports the continued lobbying for change in legislation to support the Civility and Respect Pledge including sanctions for elected members where appropriate

2.3 The pledge on the NALC website: Civility and Respect Project (nalc.gov.uk)

2.4 The Civility and Respect Project has also published a new model councillor-officer protocol. The protocol’s purpose is to guide councillors and officers in their relations with one another and help build and maintain good working relationships. It covers respective roles, relationships, handling concerns and decision-making.

Viewable from here: The Civility and Respect Project publishes a new model councillor-officer protocol – News (nalc.gov.uk)

3 Financial, Resource and Legal Implications

3.1 None

4 Recommendation

4.1 To adopt the model councillor – officer protocol and to sign up to the pledge when

additional policies and training are in place.

5 Report produced by: Catherine Gill, Clerk and Admin Group