Penkridge Parish Council
Minutes of the Penkridge Parish Council Meeting held
On 10th November 2022 at 7.30 pm at the Haling Dene Centre
Audio recordings will be made of all Ordinary and Special Council meetings and Committee meetings, with the inclusion of confidential matters.
PRESENT
Councillor Victor Kelly [Chairman]
“ Mrs Petula M C Hughes [Vice Chairman]
“ Andrew Adams
“ Mrs Helen Adams
“ Ms Gail Ballance
“ John Eastwood
“ Sam Harper-Wallis
“ Andrew Lenz
“ Anthony Minshall
Also in Attendance Ms L Hough
SSC Cllr Len Bates
PCSO Chris Neal
There were four members of the Public in attendance
Part I – Public Session
5440. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Cllrs Gordon Hawkins, David Oldfield, Mrs Vivienne Smith, Calvert Stonehouse and Alan Smallwood.
5441. PERSONALIA AND EVENTS
[a] The above was received for October 2022.
[b] Members of the Council and Public in attendance who declared they were video/recording the meeting were Cllr Andrew Lenz.
5442. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no Declarations of Interest.
5443. DISCLOSABLE PECUNINARY INTEREST [DPI}
There were no Disposable Pecuniary Interests received.
5444. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mrs Dorothy Briggs, Cannock Road, voiced her concerns regarding the speed humps on the Cannock Road. She said nothing had been done with the humps, which in her opinion were not legal, but she advised there was improvement with less lorries using the road but trailers going over the humps were still very noisy
Mr Alan Stevens, Haling Road, asked if a continuous hump could not be installed as this would slow all vehicles and not just private owned cars.
The Chairman asked if this could be placed on the next Highway Liaison agenda for further discussion.
Mr Gary Poston, Croydon Drive, said the new Website was now live but it was not perfect, he understood it was a work in progress and asked when it would be fully up to date, also when would the old website be closed or would they run together.
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5445. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Cllr Len Bates gave his report on South Staffordshire Council’s Local Plan. He advised that there had been a special meeting on 8th November where South Staffordshire Council endorsed the Plan and the document would now be subject to a Public Consultation from 11th November to noon on 23rd December. The document would then be assessed early in the new year and submitted for approval by the Secretary of State. All planning contained within the Plan would go through the normal process of consideration by the South Staffordshire Council planning department.
Cllr Bates read out a letter he had sent to South Staffordshire Council’s Lead Planning Manager and their reply to him.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Bates for the update and asked if his report could be forwarded to the Parish Council for publication.
5446. POLICE MATTERS
[a]T The Police reports for September and October were received.
5447. MINUTES
Resolved that the Minutes of the meeting be approved for:
[a] Full Council meeting of the 6th October 2022
[b] The Follow Up Sheets were received for the Full Council, Haling Dene Management and Recreation and Amenities.
5448 . COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes were noted for the:
[a] Planning Minutes for 6th October 2022.
[b] Recreation and Amenities meeting of 27th October 2022.
[c] Haling Dene Management meeting of 27th October 2022
The minutes were received for:
[d] Finance and Resources meeting of 3rd November 2022
BUDGET 2023/2024
Consideration was given to the budget requirements for the financial year 2023/2024 for:
[a] Full Council
[b] Haling Dene Management
[c] Recreation and Amenities
[d] Burial Ground
Resolved that:
[i] The budgets for the above be approved.
[ii] The balance of the Haling Dene Events Budget be carried forward to 2023/2024 for the Kings Coronation Celebrations.
[iii] The Council agree, in principle, with the approval of South Staffordshire Council and Staffordshire County Council to purchase a SID.
[iv] Burial Ground Table of Fee to increase by 3%.
VIREMENTS/RESERVES FOR 2021/2022 BUDGETS
[a] Consideration was given to virements for 2022/2023.
Resolved that the virements be approved.
COUNCIL THREE MONTHS RUNNING COSTS
[a] Consideration was given to amending the running Cost figure of £50,000 to £60,000 from April 2023 and a further £10,000 in 2024 and 2025.
Resolved that the running cost figure of £50,000 be increased to £60,000 from April 2023 and a further £10,000 in 2024 and 2025.
COUNCIL PROCEDURES
[a] Following the items raised at the October Full Council meeting to consider the following inclusion to the Standing Orders:
1.6 The Proper Officer and Chairman may in the case of extreme urgency/emergency vary the date, time and place of meetings subject to reasonable notice of the change and reason having been given.
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Resolved that the above addition be made to the Council’s Standing Orders.
5448 . COMMITTEE MINUTES [Cont’d]
INTERNAL AUDITOR
[a] Consideration was given to appointing Mrs Vivienne Evans as the Council’s Internal Auditor for the financial year 2023-2024.
Resolved that Mrs Vivienne Evans be appointed as the Internal Auditor for the financial year 2023-2024.
5449. WORKING GROUP MINUTES
[a] It was noted that no minutes had been received.
5450. OUTSIDE GROUPS WITH PC REPRESENTATION
It was noted that no minutes had been received.
5451. ACCOUNTS
Resolved that:
[a] The accounts for payment for the months of September and October 2022 be approved.
[b] The expenditure summary print outs for September and October were received.
[c] The September and October Monthly Summary of Accounts and Pie Chart for the website were noted.
[d] Consideration was given to setting the Precept for 2023/2024 at £270,000.
Resolved that the Precept be set at £270,000 for the financial year 2023-2024.
[e] It was noted the National Joint Council for Local Government Services have agreed:
[i] A pay increase of £1,925 for all NJC pay points 1 and above with effect from 1st April 2022
[ii] With effect from 1st April 2023 an increase of one day to all employee’s annual leave entitlement.
[f] The following accounting details were noted:
Current Account Balance £ 48,793
Business Saver Balance £334,895
Expenditure for the Month of October:
Full Council £ 48,906
Haling Dene Mgt £ 66,427
Recreation and Amenities £ 138,282
Burial Ground £ 20,921
Total Income for the Month of August:
Full Council £ 1,790
Haling Dene Mgt £ 39,090
Recreation and Amenities £ 40,901
Burial Ground £ 9,545
5452. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The below Procedures were received and considered:
[a] Civility and Respect
Under the header of ‘Scope at the bottom of page one the wording be amended to read:
Should the complaint be about the Chairman of the Council the complaint should be raised to the Vice Chairman and PA who would then report to Full Council for consideration.
[b] Councillor-Officer Protocol
Resolved that the above be approved with the agreed amendments.
5453. CASUAL VACANCIES
[a] It was noted that the offer of Co-Option had been declined.
[b] Consideration was given to the Options available:
[i] Following the Election six month rule to not fill the vacancy
[ii] To re-advertise the Co-Option [with the previous candidates to also be considered if they wished]
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Resolved that the Parish Council advertise the Casual Vacancy with the previous candidates to also be considered if they wished.
5454. HALING DENE CENTRE
[a] Consideration was given to recinding the decision made at the Haling Dene Management Meeting to not increase the room hire costs for the financial year 2023-2024.
Resolved that the decision be rescinded.
[b] Consideration was given to increasing the Room Hire Charges for the coming financial year.
Resolved that:
[i] The room hire cost for Regular/Ad Hoc/Functions increase by six percent for the year 2023-2024.
[ii] The room hire rate for Excusive Users increase from zero to 6%.
[c] Consideration was given to if the Council wished to provide a room at the Haling Dene Centre as a ‘Warm Room’ during the Winter months and if so to consider the detail of provision.
Resolved that:
[i] The Council have a Warm room at the Haling Dene Centre with details and rotas for Councillors to be circulated.
[ii] Details of other locations in the village who have a ‘Warm Room’ be placed on the Council website.
5455. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
[a] Cllr Harper-Wallis gave a verbal update on the progress of the above.
The group met Officers from South Staffordshire Council, items can be added to the Local Plan as long as they were positives and not negatives, two Parishioners had joined the group, members of the group had also met with the Developers for land north of the village, they were coming to the end of data gathering and the next stage would be a six-month engagement with residents.
The Chairman suspended Standing Orders at 10.00 pm.
5456. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE PARISH SUMMIT
[a] The Chairman and Councillor Adams gave a verbal update following the above event.
5457. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN
[a] Councillors agreed that they wished to submit comments for the Local Plan Public Consultation and it was noted there would be an Agenda item on the 8th December agenda to discuss the Council’s submission.
Resolved that there be a Working Group meeting of any interested Councillors before the Full Council and a draft submission would be compiled and circulated to all Councillors.
[b] It was noted that South Staffordshire Council will hold a Public Consultation at the Haling Dene Centre on Monday 14th November between 10.00 am and 7.00 pm.
5458. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 8th December 2022 at 7.30 pm.
5459. Local Government Act 1972 – Exclusion of Press and Public – to resolve that the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they are likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph(s) Section 1[2] Public Bodies/Admission to meetings Act 1960.
The meeting closed at 10.35 pm
Chairman ……………………………………………………………………………….. Dated ……………………………
