MINUTES of a Meeting of Shobnall Parish Council

held at the Princess Street Training Education and Enterprise Centre, Princess Street, Burton on Trent on Monday 15 April 2019 commencing at 7.05pm

PRESENT

Councillor Dennis (in the Chair)

Councillors Donlon, Shilton and Yousaf

In attendance

ESBC Councillors McKiernan and Walker

SCC Councillor Clarke

Mary Danby, Clerk

PUBLIC FORUM

No members of the public were present

2018-19/176       APOLOGIES

Councillors Dittmer and Hoare.

Councillors were informed that Councillor Dittmer’s husband had passed away and it was agreed that a condolence card be sent to her from all Councillors and the Clerk.

2018-19/177       Declarations of interest

None declared.

2018-19/178       WRITTEN APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATIONS UNDER THE LOCALISM ACT 2011

                                None had been received.

2018-19/179       UPDATES TO COUNCILLORS’ REIGSTER OF INTEREST FORMS

                                None reported.

Councillors were advised that new forms would have to be completed following the 02 May 2019 local elections.

2018-19/180       Minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 FEBRUARY AND NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18 MARCH 2019

RESOLVED           That:

1. The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2019 be approved and signed as an accurate record.

1. The Notes of the meeting held on 18 March 2019 be agreed and the action/recommendations be retrospectively approved.

2018-19/181       Matters arising from the Council meetings held on 18 February AND 18 March 2019

                                None raised.                     

2018-19/182       PCSO’S REPORT

No report was therefore available as the PCSO was not present at the meeting.

2018-19/183       BOROUGH COUNCILLORS REPORTS

                                Councillor Walker reported that:

• The Unity Park net had been reinstalled

• Fly tipping continues to be a big problem:
• Vernon Terrace had been cleared by ESBC
• Princess Street – mattresses had been cleared but settees had now been dumped there
• Edward Street/Casey Lane becoming a big problem
• Shobnall Ward is not as bad as some other areas, but this may be because people do not report the problem
• Roadside flooding – top of Waterloo Street

• Virgin Media had caused a nuisance problem for residents of Shobnall Street. It had been reported that Virgin Media had incorrectly consulted with Eaton & Horninglow Parish Council, when they should have consulted with Shobnall Parish Council regarding the works.

• Shobnall Leisure Complex: Sports clubs and teams are beginning to move out and look for other venues because of the price rise put in place by the new company running the facilities.

AGREED       That a letter be sent to ESBC saying that the significant price rise was having an adverse effect on those groups who make block bookings and was putting people off using the facilities. A query was to be made asking whether the price increase will affect those using the facilities on a one-off / irregular basis or is it necessary for people to take out an annual membership?

Councillor McKiernan reported that:

• She had met with some residents about the planned housing development behind Forest Road. It was noted that most of the development was in Outwoods Parish Council’s area. She had advised them to raise their concerns with the Planning Officer.

• A Shobnall Street resident had raised concern at vehicles parked outside his house. ESBC Enforcement cannot do anything about one vehicle because it is taxed and insured, the other vehicle is parked on private land.

• Some residents of Shobnall Road (next to Hodges garage) had contacted her as the landowner had installed gates and would be charging them £350pa to access their own garages. She had informed them that there isn’t anything ESBC can do and she advised them to seek legal advice.

2018-19/184       COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT

                                Councillor Clarke reported:

• Shobnall Street – he had had no consultation with Virgin Media. He had received two complaints from residents re abusive language from workers, mainly regarding parking issues. He was attending a meeting where he would raise the issue of lack of consultation with himself and Shobnall Parish Council.

He said that the next phase of the Virgin Media works would commence on 26 April (Victoria Crescent-Waterloo Street).

• Rangemore Street: Two people with disabilities had applied for disabled parking but these cannot be agreed due to double yellow lines which are installed on the opposite side of the road. This situation was being investigated.

• He was liaising with Richard Rayson, Staffordshire Highways re increased parking arising from the University Technical College (UTC).

• Shobnall Primary School had raised a concern regarding the resurfacing of Shobnall Road. He had been able to confirm to them that the works will be done during the evening, not the daytime.

At a meeting at the School, the Headteacher had raised parking issues caused by parents which was causing problems for the houses opposite the school. Double yellow lines were to be investigated by Councillor Clarke; he also suggested that a grassed area to the rear of the school might be used to accommodate herringbone parking for staff, etc if the developer would do this as part of the road works.

Councillor Dennis asked if parking could be provided for the church which could be used by the school as well. Councillor Clarke said he would include this in the discussions.

• Shobnall Playing Fields: The Environment Agency require Severn Trent to get the channel into a reasonable condition by the end of the year, the Environment Agency will then take over responsibility for the channel.

2018-19/185       Financial matters 

2018-19/185.1    Schedule of Payments

RESOLVED           That the above payments be approved.

2018-19/185.2    Bank reconciliation       

RESOLVED           That the above was a true record.

2018-19/185.3    2018/19 Budget as at Year End

RESOLVED           That the Budget report showing receipts and payments as at 31 March 2019 be received and noted.

2018-19/186       PLANNING MATTERS 

2018-19/186.1    Planning Applications

2018-19/186.2    Planning decisions

RESOLVED           That the notified planning decisions be received and noted.

2018-19/187       NOTICEBOARD: JUNCTION CASETY LANE/GRANGE STREET

Councillors were advised that BACT had notified the council to say that the noticeboard had been vandalised and the doors have had the glass smashed and they have fallen off their hinges. The damage occurred during the recent school half-term break.

The Clerk had liaised with Councillor Dennis and the College had been instructed to take the noticeboard down for safety reasons; they had also been asked to proceed with the repairs. The council will need to purchase a new polycarbonate glass, but not necessarily to the same specification as that used for The Link noticeboard.

RESOLVED           That the action taken by the Chair and Clerk be approved, i.e. that the College undertake the repairs and install polycarbonate “glazing” to be appropriate standard.

2018-19/188       Kingfisher Project

The Clerk reported that she had attended a recent meeting of the Kingfisher Project on behalf of the council. The 2019/20 Action Plan had been tabled which had been compiled following an evaluation exercise. The Kingfisher Project Team will be working towards forming a Trust, the formation of which it is hoped will be approved at the 2019 AGM. The Trust would have a board of Trustees to direct and sustain the project and fill the skills and community representation gaps. The AGM will also be asked to approve a five-year plan to take the Project forward. They are looking to renew connections with parish councils and would like to see Shobnall PC represented at the meetings.

The Clerk indicated that she would be happy to attend future meetings if the council wished to be involved in the Kingfisher Project.

RESOLVED           That the Clerk attend meetings of the Kingfisher Project and updates be reported to the council.

2018-19/189       To receive questions from Councillors and reports from Representatives

Councillor Yousaf reported that:

• He had contacted ESBC asking them to take steps to stop children from accessing residents’ premises from Unity Park. ESBC are looking to extend the railings to alleviate this problem. ESBC had also previously said that they would look at establishing a “Friends of” group but this had yet to happen.

• Vernon Terrace: Street nameplate was missing; fly tipping had been a problem in the road for a very long time.

Councillor Donlon said that she knew someone who was interested in joining the Parish Council. She was asked to invite them to the next meeting of the council so that they could see how things operate and then, if they were still interested, they could be co-opted at the June 2019 meeting.               

2018-19/190       Correspondence and Circulars

2018-19/190.1    SPCA: Weekly Bulletins had been forwarded to all Councillors.

Date of next meeting

Annual Parish Council Meeting – Monday 13 May 2019 commencing at 7.00pm at The Princess Street Training Enterprise Centre, 25-28 Princess Street, Burton on Trent DE14 2NW.

The Meeting closed at 9.12pm