Hixon Parish Council Meeting
Hixon Parish Council
To: All Councillors
Notice, Summons and Agenda for a Meeting of the full council on
19 March 2024 at 7:00pm in Hixon Memorial Hall
(following the Planning Committee meeting)
Agenda
AGENDA
Item Ref | Agenda Item | Report By |
Open Meeting | Chair | |
005/23 | To receive apologies. | Chair |
006/23 | To receive declaration of interest in any matter on the Agenda. Chair has recused himself from discussions/votes on all planning applications. |
Chair |
007/23 | To receive written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011 | Chair |
008/23 | Consider minutes of meeting 16th January 2024 | Chair |
009/23 | 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). (Proposed 108 & 111/23). | Chair |
083/22 | Consider agreement to continue with the scheme of delegation as agreed at meeting in January 2023. | Chair |
010/23 | To receive Borough Councillors’ reports. Written or verbal | Chair |
011/23 | To receive County Councillor’s report. Written or verbal | Chair |
012/23 | Close meeting for Public Participation. | Chair |
014/23 | Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting (21st May 2024). | Chair |
015/23 | Chair’s announcements and Parish Councillor questions comments. | All |
016/23 | Planning Applications (previously considered by delegation to Clerk/Planning Committee) | |
24/38705/HOU Single storey side extension to an existing dwelling to form larger dining area. Broadmore Farmhouse Broadmore Lane Hixon | ||
23/38129/FUL Modular welfare and office building (portacabin) for use in connection with adjoining vehicle storage facility. Land At Hixon Airfield Industrial Estate Road Hixon | ||
Agenda Items | ||
095/23 | Report from the Chair of Wellington Fields Allotment Association | Chair |
026/23 | To consider updated Resolution Tracker and agree actions | Chair |
027/23 | Clerk’s Report – To note, and for information only. | Clerk |
059/23 | Consider purchase of a refurbished smart phone for use by the Clerk, suitable models can be purchased for less than £100, example has been circulated. PAYG using current SIM card or contract. | Cllr Hilton |
096/23 | Consider purchase of new seat for baby swing as recommended by Wicksteed. Cost of £475 + VAT fitted. | Cllr Hopcroft |
097/23 | Proposed new email addresses from SCC ICT – or look for an alternative supplier and support. | Clerk |
098/23 | Footpath from Church field to St Peter’s School – update | Cllr Hopcroft |
099/23 | Consider theme for St Peter’s poster competition | Clerk |
100/23 | Consider offer of support from Hex | Cllr S McKeown |
101/23 | Consider adopting the corrections to the budget as described in Clerk’s email dated 24th January. Consider/Agree the contractor agreements for 2024-2025. |
Clerk |
102/23 | Consider report on purchases for Portacabin. | Cllr S McKeown |
103/23 | Consider report regarding new access gate, track and vehicle storage on airfield estate and any Planning implications. | Cllr Hopcroft |
104/23 | Update on complaints received (1. Land opposite Grange Court. 2. Stile on playing field 3. Complaint regarding airfield 4. Grass mowing). | Clerk |
105/23 |
Consider request from Hixon Millennium Green Trust to use the car park on June 8th 2024 11am to 3pm for a Classic Car Show. | Cllr S McKeown |
106/23 | Consider request from HCA to use the car park on 13th April 9am – 1pm, 8th June 9am – 1pm for car washes and on 19th and 20th July for CHEF Fest. | Clerk |
107/23 | Consider reports of recent increased criminal activity in Hixon and what actions Hixon Parish Council can do to help protect the community | Chair |
108/23 | Defibrillators – consider protocol, costs and location. | Chair |
Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports | ||
045/22 | To receive and consider report for bike track facility at Church Lane Playing Fields. | Cllr Hever- Smith |
083/23 | Feedback from TVCG meeting on March 12th. | Chair/Cllr Hopcroft |
109/23 | Consider signing off construction of pathways on the Car Park and any lessons to be learned. | Cllr S McKeown |
110/23 | Consider report from Highway and Road Safety group | Chair |
111/23 | Consider report regarding Electric Vehicle Charging | Cllr S McKeown |
Finance / Administration / Legal | ||
033/23 | Bank Reconciliation | Chair |
013/23 | Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments (Amounts to be confirmed (amended if necessary) when known. Late invoices not included on the agenda may be paid, subject to resolution by majority of Councillors). | Chair/Cllr Hopcroft |
Employment costs – March | £689.54 | |
Reimburse C Gill March – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business | £12.36 | |
Reimburse C Gill mileage (13 miles @ £0.45 per mile) | £5.85 | |
Reimburse C Gill for Land Registry title register and plan | £6.00 | |
Reimburse C Gill for 8 2nd class stamps | £6.00 | |
Drs for newsletters | £198.00 | |
TGM for some asset works | £642.00 | |
Brendan McKeown – Chair’s allowance | £60.00 | |
WaterPlus – car park drainage 4th Feb – 4th March 2024 | £43.00 | |
Rob Keyzor for tree works – final invoice | £1200.00 | |
HMRC – March | £288.86 | |
034/23 | Receipts February 2024 | |
VAT for Q3 | £1477.28 | |
SCC for mowing | £1723.00 | |
Bank Interest | £62.98 | |
035/23 | Consider significant correspondence received from residents: | |
Post (Not from residents, letter re previous correspondence and enquiry re employment opportunity). | ||
Email/phone calls: Complaints as listed on agenda | ||
From February 2024 | ||
033/23 | Bank Reconciliation | Cllr Craen |
013/23 | Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments | Chair/ Cllr Hopcroft |
Employment costs – February | £689.54 | |
Reimburse C Gill February – monthly purchase of Microsoft 365 Business | £12.36 | |
Reimburse C Gill mileage (8 miles @ £0.45p/mile) | £3.60 | |
Reimburse C Gill for stamps 8x2nd class | £6.00 | |
Reimburse C Gill phone top-up | £40.00 | |
Reimburse C Gill copier paper | £18.97 | |
NALC for Fighting Climate Change event (Cllr. Mrs S McKeown) From May 2022, previous cheque not received. | £38.93 | |
Graham Crisp – painting 2x bus shelters back wall | £120.00 | |
Acer SID move January | £60.00 | |
TGM – repair car park fence, Greenfields tree, Lauder Grove undergrowth, Xmas tree sockets for screen | £498.00 | |
Wicksteed – annual inspection | £316.80 | |
Transfer to RF account Allotment £593.28 Gratuity £321.71 | £914.99 | |
WaterPlus 8th Jan – 8th Feb 2024 | £45.96 | |
Stowe village Hall TVCG meeting March 12th | £50.00 | |
Rob Keyzor SI 2220 | £420.00 | |
Annual payment of £1 to Hixon Millennium Green for use of strip of land. | £1.00 | |
HMRC | £288.86 | |
From RingFenced account | ||
Frances Garner for additional allotment insurance | £106.71 | |
Receipts 6th Jan 2023 to 5th Feb 2024 | ||
Nat West Interest | £72.08 |
14th March 2024 Catherine Gill Clerk to Hixon Parish Council |
Minutes
Hixon Parish Council
Draft Minutes of Council meeting held at 7.00pm on 19 March 2024
in Hixon Memorial Hall
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Cllr. B McKeown (Chair), Cllr. J Craen, Cllr. D Hever-Smith, Cllr C Hilton, Cllr. P Hopcroft, Cllr J Hughes, Cllr. C Jones (part), Cllr. S McKeown Apologies: None Officer present – Mrs C Gill (Clerk/Proper Officer/RFO)
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Reports
Hixon Parish Council
19 March 2024 Agenda Item 097/23
Parish Council Email addresses and website hosting/updating/support
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To consider whether to stay with Staffordshire County Council (SCC) for email addresses and website hosting or to look elsewhere.
2 Background Information and Key Issues
2.1 SCC Digital Staffordshire has announced that it will not be hosting Parish Council emails for much longer. The suggestion from SCC Digital Staffordshire is that our emails are moved to SCC ICT who currently host other Parish Council emails. However, the email addresses would have to change from @hixon.gov.uk to @hixon.staffslc.gov.uk.
2.2 The current Hixon Parish Council website requires several changes to make it more user friendly and fit for purpose, the main issues being lack of the ability to upload documents on all pages and the format of some of the documents e.g. Standing Orders which cannot currently be amended/updated by the council.
The availability and ability of SCC Digital Staffordshire staff to make these required changes and any costs involved has not yet been established.
2.3 A company called Eyelid Productions together with a hosting company called Coud Next has designed and currently host many parish council websites.
Cloud Next can host our emails and keep them as @hixon.gov.uk for the sum of £99.99 + VAT per annum.
They can also host our website plus emails for £99 + VAT per annum i.e. no additional cost for website hosting.
Eyelid Productions could re-build our website and add in the features we require for £650 and then provide support for £100 per annum.
This means the hosting and support for website and emails would be £199 per annum – for context, SCC currently charge us £200 per annum.
2.4 Hixon Parish Council should consider which way it wants to proceed and whether any further pricing options should be sought.
3 Financial
3.1 To be determined, see above for known costs.
4 Resources
4.1 Some time will be required whichever route is taken.
5 Legal Implications
5.1 There are no known legal implications.
6 Recommendation
6.1 None – options to be discussed.
7 Report produced by
7.1 Clerk – Catherine Gill
8 Appendices
8.1 Separate attachment from Eyelid Productions.
Hixon Parish Council
19th March 2024
Purchase items for Portakabin
Item 102/23
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To recommend this report be received and considered at Hixon Parish Council (HPC) meeting 19th March 2024
2 Background Information and Key Issues
2.1 This report follows on from the report presented to HPC on 26th September 2023.
2.2 A few years ago HPC made arrangements with Hixon Memorial Hall to rent the Portakabin outside the back of the Hall for storage and office space.
Many items and equipment were sorted out during the transfer from the old storage shed to the new Portakabin. However, the cabin required further work to make it presentable.
In September 2023, following the previous report, it was agreed to tidy the Portakabin.
2.3 Hixon Parish Council has started to publicise and use the Portakabin for its planning committee meetings, which invites the public to attend. Therefore, HPC needed to address the layout issues if it wishes to continue using the room as a meeting room
The Portakabin was finally tided-up on 19th January 2024.
2.4 To make the Portakabin more user friendly, can the Council consider purchasing the following item:-
i.. 1.4 x 1.6m rug (to cover the holes in the Lino)
- New or second hand television to connect to HPC’s laptops for meetings. The television to be located on the back wall and to have a HDMI socket.
iii. A blind for the window that looks out over the Millennium Green
2.5 Filing system needs to be established in the two cabinets and a note made of contents.
3 Financial
3.1 Approximately £200.00
4 Resources –
4.1 Clerk or Councillor to make agreed purchases
4.2 Clerk to implement appropriate filing system.
5 Legal Implications
5.1 Legal documents, such as land ownership, should be kept in a secure place.
5.2 Certain documents are required to be retained for a specified number of years.
5.3 Whilst not a legal requirement, documents for archiving purposes should also be stored.
6 Recommendation
6.1 To implement items 2.4 and 2.5 in this report as soon as possible.
7 Report produced by
7.1 Cllr Susan McKeown
8 Appendices
8.1 None
Hixon Parish Council
14th March 2024
Highways & Road Safety Working Group
Report No. 1
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 A meeting of working group (Cllrs B. McKeown; S. McKeown; C. Hilton; D. Hever-Smith and J. Hughes was convened on Thursday 14th March 2024;
1.2 The purpose of the working group is to identify and prioritise highways issues within Hixon Parish and to propose any actions to the full Hixon Parish Council;
1.3 The working group was joined by Matt Trussler and John Dalton of the Hex Group;
1.4 To recommend this report be received for information at Hixon Parish Council (HPC) meeting 19th March 2024.
2 Background Information and Key Issues
2.1 In 2012 Hixon Parish Council submitted a dossier to Staffordshire County Council Highways for consideration;
2.2 The dossier detailed location, perceived problem, desired outcome and proposed design solution;
2.3 Highways responded in 2013 indicating support or opposition to the proposals, as well as other suggestions;
2.4 Several of the Parish Council’s proposals, aims and objectives have been completed;
2.5 The March 14th meeting briefly reviewed an updated version of the 2012 dossier;
2.6 It was agreed the meeting would focus on the potential highway safety and congestion issues that are likely to occur when Church Lane is closed between May 6th and May 28th 2024 for pipe laying works;
2.7 The meeting proposed advanced warning signage along the A51 from Wolseley Bridge to New Road and from Weston to New Road;
2.8 Proposed temporary traffic lights at the New Road/Martins way junction. Lights controlling ‘incoming’ traffic to be sited between Walnut Cottage and Central Fasteners.
2.9 It was also agreed that volunteers wearing Hi-Viz vests would be helpful to manage traffic speed congestion at the New Road/Martins Way junction and around the mini island. An ‘informal’ traffic count by volunteers to be considered;
2.10 Speed Indicator Device to be in place on the New Road location from Mid April to Mid June;
2.11 Hex Group reps agreed to review times of arrival/departure of large transporter vehicles (up to fifteen each day = thirty vehicle movements) during the road closure period. In particular to ‘avoid’ the school drop off and pick up times. Other local businesses to be made aware;
2.12 The meeting agreed that St Peter’s School needs to engage with parents to encourage more walking to school journeys and minimise the number of car journeys. It was noted that all cars arriving at the school will need to ‘turn around’ as the route to the A51 at Farley Corner would be blocked. Jon Hughes offered to liaise with the head teacher;
2.13 It was noted that HEX Group had not received any formal notification of the road closure. The meeting agreed that there should be discussions with Staffordshire County Council Highways and Forkers/Severn Trent water to consider the advance warning signage, temporary traffic control systems and possible temporary 20mph speed limit from New Road to the HEX Group site. Brendan McKeown will facilitate this as a matter of urgency.
2.13 The meeting agreed to meet again on Thursday April 4th at 6.00pm
3 Financial
3.1 No financial demand on Hixon Parish Council.
4 Resources –
4.1 Councillor volunteer time.
5 Legal Implications
5.1 Nil
7 Report produced by
7.1 Cllr Brendan McKeown
8 Appendices
8.1 None