MINUTES OF ORLETON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ONLINE AT 7.30PM ON THURSDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2021
PRESENT: B Gandy – Chairman; P Smith – Vice Chairman; P Burnham; L Mackay; S Perry; and M Simmons.
IN ATTENDANCE: Ward Cllr. Bowen; and R Hewitt (Clerk). There were nine (9) members of the public were present.
1. Apologies for absence – E Clanzy-Hodge.
2. Declarations of interest and written dispensations on agenda items – Cllr. M Simmons declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in #16 shop and post office.
3. The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2021 were agreed to be a true record.
4. Invitation to members of the public to address the council (limited to 15 minutes) – There were no matters raised.
5. Receive report on Herefordshire Council – Ward Cllr. Bowen reported on a planning enforcement matter. The planned bypass to the west of Hereford has been axed. There is a commitment to improve the A465-A49 connection. An eastern bypass is to be looked at as a possible alternative. Council Tax will increase by 4.99 percent with 3 percent earmarked for social services. The council is looking for more foster carers. The number of potholes on the roads have increased, not helped by the poor weather. The velocity patcher will be back in operation once the weather is warmer and drier.
6. Clerk’s report and reports on meetings attended by parish councillors – The lengthsman has completed the grant funded ditch and drainage work. An article summarising the work carried out has been submitted to Grapevine. The lengthsman also jetted mud and silt from the pavement, left after recent heavy rainfall. The new dog bin will be installed shortly by the lengthsman. A report of a fallen oak at the recreation ground has been received by email. A HALC training course has been booked for Cllr. Perry. A response to the Future of mobility: Rural Strategy has been submitted to the Department for Transport.
7. Plans
210024 Bower Orchard, Church Lane, Orleton, SY8 4HU – Replace conservatory with single storey rear extension and construct front porch. The planning application was supported.
204413 1 – 6 St. Georges Crescent, Orleton, SY8 4HL – Retrospective application for the installation of ground source heat pumps (1 in each dwelling), drilling of 3 boreholes and associated works. The planning application was supported.
203419 Bluebell Cottage, Orleton, SY8 4HG – Proposed small glass room and car port. The planning application was supported.
210204 Kitchen Hill, Kitchen Hill Road, Orleton, SY8 4HP – 3 Yews by the gate (Numbered 1-3 on the plan) Heavy reduction to reinstate an arch way. 1 Yew by the house (numbered 4) Prune away from the house by 1-2 metres. Fell holly (Numbered 7). Pollard Yew (numbered 6) to be managed as topiary. Coppice hazel (numbered 9. Fell shrub – hawthorn/holly/hazel to chest height to form a boundary hedge. Crown lift Yew (numbered 5). Sympathetically weight reduction on long field maple limbs (numbered 8) over the dog kennel. Crown lift Ash numbered (10). The proposed tree work was supported.
Herefordshire Council has granted planning permission for 203874 Orleton Manor and 203622 Land off Ashley Moor Lane. Listed building consent has been granted for 203875 Orleton Manor. Herefordshire Council decided not to confirm TPO 647.
8. Accounts
i) Financial Statement to date: The balances of the parish council accounts on 3 February 2021 were noted: Treasurer – £11,397.70; and Money Manager – £7,887.33. A transfer of £12,500.00 to the Treasurer account was noted.
ii) The following payments were agreed: HALC, affiliation and subscription 2021-22 (£669.53); Honorarium for 2019-20 audit (£50.00); B Gandy, ties for Remembrance Sunday poppies (£6.00); and Leo Pest Control, dog waste removal (£45.60). The following payment was ratified: D C Gardening Services, drainage work (£10,004.40).
The highway authority’s offer to award 100 percent of the costs submitted in the drainage grant application was accepted formally by the parish council. A submission for the cost of the additional work will be made to Herefordshire Council.
9. Lengthsman/ Highways/ Footpaths – The lengthsman’s reports on jetting and ditching work, which include areas that have been highlighted as requiring further investigation/ work, have been brought to the attention of Balfour Beatty’s locality steward and drainage team. The annual maintenance plan for P3 footpath and lengthsman activities in 2021-22 was agreed. A new footpath officer was appointed.
10. CCTV at the village hall car park – A request to support the implementation of CCTV at the village hall was considered. The Chairman permitted members of the public to speak in support of the proposal which the speakers felt will address an increase in dog fouling on the recreation ground and other incidents reported by the public. An alternative proposal to implement lockable gates was suggested. A decision was deferred to the next meeting.
11. Options to address dog fouling – The location of the additional dog waste bin by OL28 was noted. A member of the public requested a dog waste bin for Green Lane. A suggestion was made to increase the number of ‘no dog fouling’ notices. A decision was deferred to the next meeting when CCTV (#10) will be considered as an option.
12. Talk Community hub – The Chairman asked the meeting to note that the operation of a Talk Community Hub was not a matter for the parish council. Cllr. L Mackay reported on a call with the project management team, Talk Community Hub, Herefordshire Council. It was agreed in principle to support the setting up of a Talk Community Hub at Orleton.
13. Herefordshire Council report on draft definitive map modification order for the addition of a bridleway at Patrick’s Hill – The parish council agreed to support the recommendation as set out in section #9 of the report. Ward Cllr. Bowen was thanked for making the application to modify the definitive map and add a bridleway as set out in the report.
14. Community Resilience plan – The Chairman reported that the ambulance and fire services have agreed the draft plan.
15. Proposal to declare Climate Emergency and work towards becoming a carbon neutral organisation – It was agreed to look at a parish council environmental policy at the next meeting.
(Cllr. Simmons left the meeting.)
16. Registration of shop and post office as an asset of community value – It was noted that the parish council supported the registration of the shop and post office as an asset of community value in June 2020. It was agreed to defer the processing of the application and to review this at the next meeting.
(Cllr. Simmons re-joined the meeting.)
17. Matters raised for next meeting (no discussion) – None.
18. Information items – Noted.
19. Date of next meeting –18 March 2021. The meeting will be held online.
The meeting closed at 9.16 pm.