Draft Minutes

 ORCOP PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Parish Hall on Wednesday 20th September 2023

Meeting began @ 7.30PM

 

Councillors Present … Margaret Serle, Peter Garratt, Barry Shaw, and Mick Murphy.   Also in attendance were Neil Barrington (Clerk) and 10 members of the public.

 

  1. To receive apologies for absence – Councillor Toni Fagan sent her apologies.

 

  1. Declarations of Interest – Councillor Shaw declared an interest on Item 5 on the agenda. Councillor Garrett declared an interest on Item 9 on the agenda.

 

  1. To consider minutes of the previous meeting 10th July 2023 – It was RESOLVED that these minutes were a true and accurate reflection of the meeting. Prop. Cllr Shaw Sec. Cllr Murphy

 

  1. Public Forum –

 

  • To receive verbal report from the Ward Councillor – Apologies received from Councillor Fagen

 

4.2         Members of the public made the following comments – Possibility of opening some.

green spaces in the parish, for the purposes of allowing children to play football etc.

Querying a planning application

Questions about the parish website. On the agenda to be addressed.

 

Councillor Shaw apologised to the Parish Council for inadvertently failing to disclose an interest in a previous planning application as requested by the monitoring officer recommendation.

 

  1. Planning – Councillor Shaw left the room at 7.53pm.

                    232501 Land adjacent to Homelands, Orcop Hill – Parish council are RESOLVED support this application. However, reference was made of concerns over provision of adequate drainage. NDP section ORC 6 refers to this point.

  1. Finance
    • To note the current bank balance = £16062.27 on Aug 10, 2023

 

  • To consider the invoices received and payments in line with budget–

 

6.2.1 Stationary – Not applicable

 

6.2.2 Previous clerk salary- In accordance with employment.

 

6.2.3 PAYE – Previous clerk £202.00

 

6.2.4 HALC for clerk services – £220 plus VAT 20%

  1. Lengthsman – It was RESOLVED that the clerk will contact the Lengthsman to request cleaning of all Parish Road signage.

 

  1. Defibrillator – Councillor Shaw will provide details to Clerk of the cardiac science powerheart device. Agreed previously by the Parish council.

Councillor Garratt left meeting at 8.15pm

  1. Churchyard wall repairs – It was RESOLVED that a donation £200 would be made to the summer fete.

 

  1. Highways – Councillors reminded parishioner’s that Lyston Lane would be closed for 2 days ON September 25 and 26.

 

  1. Footpaths – It was RESOLVED to appoint Tracy Pizzannelli as new footpath officer Prop Cllr Murphy Sec Cllr Garrett. Parish council extended a warm welcome to Tracy.

 

  1. Noticeboards – It was RESOLVED that there is no current need for a new noticeboard. After some remedial work was completed.

 

  1. Newcastle farm Field – Following discussion, it was RESOLVED that the Clerk writes to the landowner requesting the need to reduce the height of the hedge at Newcastle Farm.
  2. Clerk delegated powers – It was RESOLVED to award delegated powers to the clerk. This allows the Clerk to meet within budget spending commitments, and authority to comment on behalf of the council on planning matters. Prop Councillor Garratt Sec Councillor Shaw

 

  1. Change of Website– Following discussion, it was RESOLVED that the Clerk writes to HALC to initiate process to change to an official government website. Clerk will also obtain costs and process of alteration.

 

  1. Cancellation of Digital Mapping – It was RESOLVED that the Clerk writes to Parish online and cancels the digital mapping subscription. It was felt with the completion of the NDP this no longer offered any value.

 

  1. Co-option of new Councillors – It was RESOLVED to co-opt David Temple and Sarah Read to the Parish Council. This was agreed unanimously, and the Councillors extended a warm welcome to their future colleagues.

 

  1. Copywell update – Councillor Shaw was requested to assist Councillor Fagan facilitate a meeting between residents and environment agency. As the Copywell still emits unpleasant odours Ward Cllr Fagan has sent an update as follows.

 

with regard to Copywell, I have spoken to Dougal Ziegler from Environment Agency and he says he cannot get involved in enforcement action but he would be willing to assist with a community activity involving 1-4 Wilkes Row (where he thinks the problem comes from) and bring some dyes along to help try and identify where the issue is. The project could also involve things like getting rainwater harvesting so that rainwater does not overload the system, using products that do not kill any biomes in the system thereby reducing efficiency. He said that anything he assisted with would be informal and would need the agreement of residents.
It sounds like a way of trying to deal with the issues. I would be happy to help navigate a way forward.
Afraid I have not managed to get anything useful out of the council in this regard.
I hope this is slightly helpful and apologies for the late reply.
Kind regards
Toni

 

 

 

  1. Police charter- Regrettably, the copy of the police charter didn’t allow the councillors to access the dropdown list. As such it was agreed to consider the charter at the next meeting.
  2. Items for next meeting (no discussion) – None
  3. Date of next meeting – Wednesday 15 November 2023 7.30pm

 

The meeting closed at 9.28pm

 

 

 

SIGNED ……………………………………..    DATE ………………………………