Parish council meeting
Hixon Parish Council
To: All Councillors
A meeting of the full council will be held on 16th November 2021 at 7:30pm 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 19th October 2021 | 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 (December 21st 2021) | 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) | Chair |
| Reports | SBC Decision | |
| 21/34276/HOU Single storey side extension incorporating a toilet, utility and kitchen extension 41 Ridgeway Hixon | Allowed | |
| 21/34290/FUL Installation of mechanical plant items – AC units, Gas cooler and Arctic circle refrigeration pack Former Green Man PH Lea Road Hixon | Allowed | |
| Agenda Items | ||
| 057/21 | Annual report from the Chair of the Wellington Fields Allotment Committee | Chair |
| 040/20 | To receive and consider any matters arising from updated, Resolution Tracker. | Chair |
| 045/21 | Best Kept Garden etc. competition: update | Cllr Carmichael/ Cllr. Hopcroft |
| 046/21 | To receive an update on improvements at entrance to JBMI off New Road: | Clerk |
| 053/21 | Christmas Tree Lights – receive report an ratify report from October | Cllrs. McKeown/ Carmichael |
| 056/21 | To consider proposals/ideas for further research/discussion in budget setting discussions for the 2022/2023 year. | Chair/ALL |
| 057/21 | To consider numbering of agenda/minute items | Clerk |
| 058/21 | To consider donation to Katharine House Hospice | Clerk |
| 059/21 | Queens Platinum Jubilee Beacons: consider participation of the Parish Council | Chair |
| 060/21 | Consider additional annual charge from Digital Staffordshire | Clerk |
| 061/21 | Consider Communications and Engagement Courses for Cllr. B McKeown and Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch @£30 each via SPCA. | Clerk |
| 062/21 | Report on notice boards and bus shelter | Cllr Mrs S. McKeown |
| Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports | ||
| 032/20 | Proposed re-alignment (build out) of T junction at Lea Heath: Update. | Cllr B McKeown |
| 063/21 | Portacabin storage – sort items for archiving. Agree date and participants. | Chair |
| 064/21 | Report on planters around mini island | Cllr Mrs S. McKeown |
| 060/20 | Feedback in respect of FOI complaint to SCC: | Clerk |
| Finance / Administration / Legal | ||
| 011/21 | Bank Reconciliation | Chair |
| 012/21 | Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments | |
| C Gill salary November (Net tax/NI). Local Gov act 1972 s111. | £836.31 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill (costs: working from home) – November. Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £59.50 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill mileage (18 miles @ £0.45p/mile). Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £8.10
|
|
| Reimbursement C Gill Stamps 12 x 2nd class@66p = £7.92 | £7.92 | |
| Hixon Memorial Hall | £16.20 | |
| Acer – October mowing, hedging, | £1515.72 | |
| Poppy Appeal (nine small wreaths for flower beds plus one larger one for Remembrance Service) | £82.50 | |
| John Martin for fence posts for allotment fence | £120.00 | |
| Fenns Stationery: ink | £44.39 | |
| Stafford Borough Council for Road Closure Order | £117.70 | |
| Drs for Christmas tree lights flyers | £60.00 | |
| SPCA for training course Councillor Fundamentals | £25.00 | |
| HMRC for NI payments (employer £14.44 and employee £5.36) Sept = £19.80 | £19.80 | |
| 013/21 | Correspondence received in the post: Clerks Direct |
| 12th November 2021 Catherine Gill Clerk to Hixon Parish Council |
Minutes
In attendance for all or part of the meeting:
Cllr. Carmichael, Cllr. Hever-Smith, Cllr. Hopcroft (Vice-Chair),
Cllr. B McKeown (Chair), Cllr. Mrs S McKeown, Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch
Members of the public: 3
| 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 19th October 2021 | 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. | – |
| 005/21 | Borough Councillors’ reports. | None |
| 006/21 | County Councillor’s report. | None |
| 007/21 | Close meeting for Public Participation. | |
| A resident asked:
– if a Welcome Pack could be prepared for new residents, as some seem to be unaware of what facilities are in the village. The Hixon Community Association will take forward. – Can the plot of land next to the Co-op be tidied up? The Chair has asked for this to occur, it is believed that the land may have been sold. – there was recently a long line of delivery lorries parked nose to tail on Church Lane, going down to Pasturefields Lane, delivering to BriStor. Made it extremely difficult to pass them – can each lorry leave a space between it and the next one to allow traffic to pull in? |
–
–
Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch |
|
| 008/21 | Reopen meeting & agree date of next meeting (December 21st 2021). | Clerk |
| 009/21 | Chair’s announcements | |
| There are flyers to deliver, Chair will circulate a distribution list. | Chair | |
| Stafford Borough Council’s planning department is shambolic and is taking 10-12 weeks to validate an application. the Councillors want something done, changes in the planning department are needed. Put Planning on the next TVCG agenda. | Chair | |
| Parish Councillor questions. | ||
| Cllr. Hopcroft: Portacabin compound on far end of airfield – is it HS2? Chair to ask landowner. | Chair | |
| Cllr. Hopcroft: New permanent entrance off Lea Road into Knowle Farm has been made – Clerk to contact Planning/Enforcement. | Clerk | |
| Cllr. Hopcroft: A truck from Elwells went from JBMI or Selwood out of Hixon via Stowe Lane to the A518 – breaking the 7.5 ton limit. Clerk to contact Elwells. | Clerk | |
| Cllr Mrs S. McKeown: The 6 fruit trees donated to us are being planted tomorrow on the playing field. Send a thank you message to the donator. | Clerk | |
| Cllr Mrs S. McKeown: Has the FOI response back to SCC been replied to – No. | – | |
| Cllr Mrs S. McKeown: Can we add paper copies of the reports to the minutes? Yes. | Clerk | |
| Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch:There is a lot of mud on New Road from the lorries delivering top soil – deliveries now finished. | – | |
| 010/21 | Planning: Applications | None |
| Reports | SBC Decision | |
| 21/34276/HOU Single storey side extension incorporating a toilet, utility and kitchen extension 41 Ridgeway Hixon | Allowed | |
| 21/34290/FUL Installation of mechanical plant items – AC units, Gas cooler and Arctic circle refrigeration pack Former Green Man PH Lea Road Hixon | Allowed | |
| Agenda Items | ||
| 057/21 | The Annual report from the Chair of the Wellington Fields Allotment Committee was presented and a copy attached to the minutes. | –
|
| 040/20 | To receive and consider any matters arising from updated, Resolution Tracker – all relevant items are on the agenda as separate items. | – |
| 045/21 | Best Kept Garden etc. competition: update. List provided by Cllr. Hopcroft was agreed by Cllr. Carmichael. Presentation evening on Tuesday 11th January in the Bank House. Prizes of gift cards of usual value agreed. | Clerk |
| 046/21 | To receive an update on improvements at entrance to JBMI off New Road: No prices received, contractor having some difficulties with pricing. Chair presented a report on alternative site and structure for Welcome to Hixon sign – report agreed. use bitumen and concrete godfathers to keep sign supported. Vote (Cllrs. Hopcroft/Carmichael) all in favour. | Clerk |
| 053/21 | Christmas Tree Lights – receive report from October received and ratified. Need a new transformer at ca. £60 and a waterproof box. Low noise fireworks at end of event agreed. Expenditure on electrics and fireworks agreed. | Clerk |
| 056/21 | Proposals/ideas for further research/discussion for budget 2022/2023: 20 is plenty by school, footpath Blenheim to Sycamore, speed stickers on bins, SIDS – one on each pole, Online banking, BMX track, land between St Peter’s View and playing field- plant up as woodland – Cllr Hopcroft to try and establish who owns it, reducing number of cars dropping children off at the school – walking bus, new Head may be receptive climate change campaign (leave car at home) – form a working group on Climate Change.. | ALL/
Cllr Hopcroft |
| 057/21 No. 2 |
The numbering of agenda/minute items was discussed: It was decided to keep the numbering system the same as it is rather than changing it to consecutive numbering per year for all items, regardless of whether they were a repeat/regular item. | Clerk |
| 058/21 | It was decided to make a donation to Katharine House Hospice of £200 using the councillors allowance. | Clerk |
| 059/21 | Queens Platinum Jubilee Beacons: consider participation of the Parish Council- the Millennium Green Trust have joined with the National Network of Beacons. A proposal for engaging with the community was discussed. | Chair |
| 060/21 | It was decided to pay the additional annual charge from Digital Staffordshire of £50 for the emails but to show it separately on the purchase order as it was not something that agreed when the website was initially discussed. | Clerk |
| 061/21 | It was agreed to spend £30 each for Cllr. B McKeown and Cllr. Mrs C Murdoch to attend appropriate Communications and Engagement Courses via SPCA. | Clerk |
| 062/21 | The report on notice boards and bus shelter was received. Councillors to look at further options for the roof of the Church Lane former bus shelter as the proposed option was not liked by many councillors. Maintenance of benches and notice boards will be arranged as per the asset inspection. Clerk to look at prices for a notice board at Pasturefields. | ALL |
| Projects, Task Groups and External Meeting Reports | ||
| 032/20 | Proposed re-alignment (build out) of T junction at Lea Heath: Update: waiting for a response from Highways re design by Amey. | – |
| 063/21 | Portacabin storage – sort items for archiving. A date of 15th/16th January was agreed, Cllrs available are Cllrs. Hever-Smith, Carmichael, McKeowns. Book the hall. Enquire about the situation regarding use of former doctor’s room. | Clerk |
| 064/21 | The report on planters around mini island (softening the street scene) was received and agreed. | Cllr Mrs S. McKeown |
| 060/20 | Feedback in respect of FOI complaint to SCC: No response to last communication. SBC unhappy that there is no trace of the money at SCC as SBC signed the agreement as well. Keep pushing. | Chair
|
| Finance / Administration / Legal | ||
| 011/21 | Bank Reconciliation | Chair |
| 012/21 | Schedule of Prospective Agreed Payments | Cllr.Hopcroft /Chair |
| C Gill salary November (Net tax/NI). Local Gov act 1972 s111. | £836.31 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill (costs: working from home) – November. Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £59.50 | |
| Reimbursement C Gill mileage (18 miles @ £0.45p/mile). Local Gov act 1972 s111 | £8.10
|
|
| Reimbursement C Gill Stamps 12 x 2nd class@66p = £7.92 | £7.92 | |
| Hixon Memorial Hall | £16.20 | |
| Acer – October mowing, hedging, | £1515.72 | |
| Poppy Appeal (nine small wreaths for flower beds plus one larger one for Remembrance Service) | £82.50 | |
| John Martin for fence posts for allotment fence | £120.00 | |
| Fenns Stationery: ink | £44.39 | |
| Stafford Borough Council for Road Closure Order | £117.70 | |
| Drs for Christmas tree lights flyers | £60.00 | |
| SPCA for training course Councillor Fundamentals | £25.00 | |
| HMRC for NI payments (employer £14.44 and employee £5.36) Sept = £19.80 | £19.80 | |
| Correspondence received in the post: Clerks Direct | ||
| Reports received: Softening the streetscene, Christmas lights, Welcome to Hixon sign, bus shelters and notice boards. |
Meeting ended 9:50pm