Minutes of a virtual meeting of Shobnall Parish Council

held on Monday 15 June 2020 commencing at 7.05pm

Present

Councillor Dennis (in the Chair)

Councillors Dittmer, Donlon, Hoare, Shilton and Yousaf

In attendance

Borough Councillors McKiernan and Walker

Mary Danby, Clerk

Public Forum

No members of the public were present at the meeting.

2020-21/023               Apologies

Councillor Asghar

2020-21/024               Declarations of interest

Councillor Hoare declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in Planning Application No. P/2020/00476 as the applicant is a close neighbour.

2020-21/025               Written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011

                                        None were received.

2020-21/026               Updates to Councillors’ Register of Interest Forms

No updates were notified.

2020-21/027               Minutes

                                        Resolved     That the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2020 be approved and signed as a true record.

2020-21/028               Matters arising from the previous meeting

                                        2019-20/181.2 and 2020-21/006        Children’s Writing Competition

                                        The Clerk reported that a response had yet to be received from Grimm & Co. Councillors asked that Councillor Hoare’s list of things to be considered in organising the competition be circulated to all Councillors to enable this item to be considered further at the next meeting.

2019-20/181(b) and 2020-21/006      Mobile CCTV

Councillors received information from ESBC. ESBC had confirmed that they would not have the capacity to accept a mobile CCTV unit on loan for use in the Shobnall Parish area if the parish council were to purchase a unit.

Councillors asked for more information to enable them to reach a decision at the next meeting on whether a mobile CCTV unit should be purchased:

• ESBC to be asked for the specification of the camera they have purchased.

• Ascertain if there is a specimen Risk Assessment template that can be used by the council.
• Consideration to be given as to where the CCTV unit would be located, subject to fulfilling the legislative requirements and consultation, and how/who would operate the unit, i.e. initial installation, changing batteries and SD cards.

2020-21/029               Borough Councillors reports

Councillor Walker reported that:

• Fly tipping continued to be an issue at Vernon Terrace, mattresses had been dumped at the garages opposite Vernon Terrace.

• Gatherings on Shobnall Fields had seen complaints of increased litter on the site and he had been in contact with ESBC Officers in this matter.

• Activities on the Shobnall Fields car park had been reported to the Police.

2020-21/030               County Councillor’s report

Councillor Clarke had provided the following report as he was unable to attend the meeting:

I am sorry but I am unable to join the meeting on Webex, the same is for Zoom or any other cam site, SCC will not allow members access because it has not been checked out by their system . I am having meetings with SCC through Team.

I am still waiting for information on the question of the roundabout by Shobnall School, I still believe it is still part of the planning application, but I am waiting for conformation, if I get before your meeting I will let you know.

                                        Through my County Council Highway Fund, I have agreed for all the pavement gratings to be cleaned out in Wellington Street. The drain in Shobnall Street (part of my £20,000 fund) is still on the agenda to be cleaned. Dallow Bridge potholes which I have raised on many occasions, on the part of the road which comes into the Shobnall Ward has now, I am pleased to say has been repaired.

2020-21/031               Financial matters

2020-21/031.1            Schedule of payments

                                        Resolved     That the above payments be approved and that the documents be signed at the next face to face meeting of the council.

2020-21/031.2            Bank reconciliation

                                         Resolved     That the above was a true record.

2020-21/031.3            Earmarked Reserves (EMRs)                                

2020-21/032               2020/21 Budget as at 31 May 2020

                                        Resolved     That the Budget report showing receipts and payments as at 31 May 2020 be received and noted.

2020-21/033               Grant Aid applications

2020-21/033.1            Horninglow & Eton Parish Council (H&EPC)

Joint Fund Consideration – COVID-19

H&EPC had contacted all East Staffordshire parish councils for joint support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parish councils were requited to unite in support of the three main registered charitable food banks operating within the area (Salvation Army (Burton Corps), Burton Hope and the YMCA (Burton branch)) by each donating £100.

The Clerk had circulated the information to all parish councillors seeking their input on the request. Only three responses were received, two for making the donation and one against. This fell short of the minimum of four responses (i.e. the quorum). The Clerk liaised with the Chair and it was decided that the parish council would not donate to the Joint Fund.

RESOLVED   That the above action be retrospectively agreed.

2020-21/033.2            The Salvation Army (Burton Corps)

Councillors were advised that The Salvation Army had applied for grant aid in the sum of £500 to replenish foodstuff used up in the making of food parcels for the community in need within the Burton upon Trent area, which included Shobnall.

                                        RESOLVED   That The Salvation Army be awarded a grant in the sum of £500.

2020-21/034               Annual review of policies and documents

                                        RESOLVED   THAT:

1. Asset Register: No changes were necessary
2. Financial Regulations: No changes were necessary

1. Financial Risk Assessment: Play and fitness equipment at The Link Park to be deleted

1. Information and Data Protection: No changes were necessary

1. Publication Scheme: No changes were necessary

1. Standing Orders: No changes were necessary

2020-21/035               Shobnall Parish Council website

• It was noted that there had been 101 visits to the website in the 30 days to 05 June 2020.

• It was noted that the Website Accessibility Regulations come into effect in September 2020 and that the council’s website must meet the criteria.

• Non-Parish schools were to be removed from the “Education” section of the website.

2020-21/036               Planning matters

2020-21/036.1            Planning Applications

                                        Resolved     That the following observations be submitted to ESBC:

2020-21/036.2            Planning decisions

                                        Resolved     That the notified planning decisions be received and noted.

2020-21/037               Staffordshire County Council

                                        The Staffordshire County Council (East Staffordshire) (Prohibition and Restriction of Waiting and Loading and Parking Places) (Consolidation) Order 2018 (Amendment) No. 11/20xx

                                        RESOLVED   The parish council has no objection to the above proposal.

2020-21/038               The Link Park

2020-21/038.1            Litter bin (Minute No. 2020-21/018 refers)

                                        RESOLVED   THAT:

1. 2 No. Derby Standard Litter Bins (pyramid tops) with ground fixing spikes for installation into grass be ordered from Broxap at a total cost of £634 plus delivery and VAT.

1. Bloomin’ Gardens quotation in the sum of £170 plus VAT to install the above litter bins.

1. Consideration of installation of drainage on the site be deferred until the next face to face meeting of the council.

2020-21/038.2            Fitness and play equipment (Minute No. 2019-20/161 refers)

Bloomin’ Gardens had reported that the final pieces of equipment were removed from The Link Park on 27 May, leaving the area ready for levelling and re-seeding.

2020-21/039               To receive questions from Councillors

2020-21.39.1               Unity Park: Councillor Yousaf asked when the ESBC would be replacing the missing piece of play equipment on the site. Borough Councillor Walker said he would write to the ESBC seeking confirmation of when this would be done, and if not, why not? as it was known that the piece of equipment had been missing for a long time.

2020-21/039.2            Junction Grange Street/Shobnall Road: Councillor Dittmer reported an overgrown hedge.

AGREED       That the overgrown hedge be reported to Staffordshire County Highways as it was encroaching onto the footpath and restricting road users’ visibility.

2020-21/039.3            Princess Street Training Centre: Councillor Dennis reported that the council is looking at using the Centre’s IT Suite for those Councillors who are unable to access the Internet to enable them to participate in the council’s virtual meetings. The Clerk was asked to make a provisional booking of the IT Suite for the council’s July meeting.

2020-21/039.4            Clerk’s Annual Appraisal: Councillor Dennis noted that the Clerk’s Annual Appraisal was overdue (normally held in April annually) but given the current restrictions on meeting it was agreed that the Appraisal be held over until such time as a face to face meeting can be arranged.

2020-21/040               Correspondence and Circulars

2020-21/040.1            Staffordshire Parish Councils’ Association (SPCA)

It was noted that SPCA’s weekly newsletters had been circulated to all Councillors.

2020-21/040.2            Highways England

                                        The weekly A38 Traffic Management Bulletins had been circulated to all Councillors.

2020-21/040.3            East Staffordshire Borough Council – Parish Council Forum

                                        It was noted that ESBC were looking to restart the Parish Council Forum and the council had been asked to submit topics for possible consideration by the Forum.

AGREED       THAT:

• Two representatives be invited from each parish council.

• Consideration of how parish councils can be promoted, i.e. to encourage people to stand to be parish councillors.

• Communications generally between ESBC and the parish councils needs to be improved.

2020-21/041               Items for next meeting

                                        Councillors Tablets: Consideration as to whether the current tablets (purchased in August 2016 for Councillors and the Clerk) should be replaced by iPads.

AGREED       THAT:

1. Quotations for 8 No. iPads (7 Councillors and the Clerk) be presented for consideration at the next meeting of the council.

1. An Earmarked Reserve be created to accrue funds over time to replace IT equipment (i.e. Tablets, Clerk’s laptop) as and when necessary.

Date of next meeting

Monday 20 July 2020 commencing at 7.00pm via Zoom unless otherwise notified.

The Meeting closed at 8.20pm

Signed …………………………………………………….

Date ……………………………………………………….