Penkridge Parish Council
Minutes of the Penkridge Parish Council Meeting held
On 13th June 2019 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 Mrs Petula M C Hughes [Chairman]
“ Calvert Stonehouse [Vice Chairman]
“ Mrs Gail Balance
“ Bevan Craddock
“ John L Eastwood
“ Mrs Isabel G A Ford
“ Gordon Hawkins
“ Victor Kelly
“ Andrew Lenz
“ Anthony Minshall
“ David Oldfield
“ Alan Smallwood
“ Mrs Vivienne Smith
Also in Attendance Miss L Hough
There were 32 members of the Public in attendance
Part I – Public Session
3905. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Cllrs Andrew Adams and Ms Helen Sutton.
3906. PERSONALIA AND EVENTS
[a] The above was received for May/June 2019.
The Chairman said she had been approached by Mr George Elsmore with regard to showing the G90 Slide Show to any interested parties. She asked if a date could be arranged.
Cllr Eastwood gave an updated on the Twinning visit to Ablon and circulated photographs taken.
[b] The Annual Appointments for 2019-2020 were received.
[c] The Council’s Membership for 2019-2020 was received.
3907. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
3908. DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST (DPI)
There had been no DPI requests received.
3909. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr Mike Smith of New Road said he would like to talk about the Library, there was no justification based on the Library Procurement Bid to remove the skilled coordinator.
Mrs Ruth Goodison of Wolverhampton Road said she was astonished, and it was an afront to democracy and she was in support of a Coordinator. Council should continue with the role for one or two years. Mrs Goodison said they should run with the Coordinator not the other way around it would be flawed.
Mrs Jayne Taylor of Cherrybrook said she was shocked at the state of Penkridge, surrounding Villages did not have the same appearance. She had tried to get a response for over a week with regard to the responsibility of authorities for grass cutting and weeds. She asked if there was a schedule for grass cutting and weed spraying and a map which showed who was responsible for the areas in Penkridge.
753
3909. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [CON’D]
Miss Joanne Taylor of Stafford Road asked to speak about the Bloor Homes appeal decision, Parishioners had met Jeremy Lefroy MP and handed a petition with over 1000 signatures and he was going to call a Parliamentary review of the decision. The five year housing plan had been changed two days after the Appeal Decision and if this had been undertaken earlier the Appeal would not have been allowed. She asked if the residents take this matter further that the Parish Council support their cause.
Miss Claire Geoghegan of Mill Street said the Council had started to discuss the Library situation in July 2018. She said if the Motion were approved it would jeopardise the Bid.
Cllr Mrs Ford entered the meeting at 7.50 pm.
3910. POLICE MATTERS
[a] PCSO Andy Poxon forwarded his apologies and submitted a Police report which contained incidents reported during May and June.
Cllr Minshall asked why the drug raids at the Village Pubs had not been included in the report.
3911. MINUTES
Resolved that:
The Minutes of the meetings be confirmed and signed as a true and correct record which were held on:
[a] Full Council of 9th May 2019.
[b] Extra Full Council held on 23rd May 2019.
3912. COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes were noted of:-
[a] Planning Meeting of the 9th May 2019.
[b] Haling Dene Management of 23rd May 2019
[c] Recreation and Amenities of 23rd May 2019
3913. WORKING GROUP MINUTES
It was noted that no minutes had been received.
3914. OUTSIDE GROUPS WITH PC REPRESENTATION
It was noted that no minutes had been received.
3915. ACCOUNTS
Resolved that:
[a] The accounts for payment were approved for the months of April and May 2019.
[b] The expenditure summary print outs were approved for April and May 2019.
[c] The Internal Auditor’s report for the Financial Year End 2018-2019 was received and the comments noted.
A Councillor asked that the points raised with regard to their decisions to keep the Public Bar open and their reasons for the Library Procurement Bid submission be made aware to the Internal Auditor.
[d] The following accounting details were noted:
Current Account Balance £ 43,200
Business Saver Balance £291,264
Expenditure for the Month of May:
Full Council £ 14,837
Haling Dene Mgt £ 25,566
Recreation and Amenities £ 10,903
Burial Ground £ 6,413
Income for The Month of May:
Full Council £ 234
Haling Dene Mgt £ 19,406
Recreation and Amenities £ 541
Burial Ground £ 1,578
754
3916. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE COUNCIL
A letter dated 15th May was received and considered from the Corporate Director of Governance which asked for nominations for co-optees to the Standards and Resources Committee. It was noted that only one member from a Parish Council could be nominated,
Resolved that Cllr Oldfield be put forward as a nomination from Penkridge.
3917. HIGHWAY ENGLAND
A letter was received and dated 23rd May from the above which advised of a Statutory Consultation for the M54-M6 Link Road Scheme and asked for Council’s comments. It was noted that the closing date was 5th July.
Resolved that Councillors submit comments to the PA before 5th July.
3918. LIBRARY
[a] Notice of Motion from Cllr Stonehouse:
The Parish Council rescinds all previous decisions for having a new role of a paid Volunteer Coordinator and amend the Procurement bid, to exclude the mention and provision for a paid Volunteer Coordinator at this time. Such a position to be reconsidered in the future, if found necessary, and when more is known about the running of the library as a CML with a Volunteer team after the hand over from Staffordshire County Council.
The Motion was seconded by Cllr Victor Kelly.
Councillor Stonehouse read out his Special Notice of Motion. The Chairman read out the names of the Councillors who had signed the Special Notice of the Motion; Cllrs Mrs Isabel Ford, Gordon Hawkins, Mrs Petula Hughes, Victor Kelly, David Oldfield, Mrs Vivienne Smith and Calvert Stonehouse.
A Councillor asked if they could make an amendment to the Motion, the Chairman advised that an amendment could not be made to a Special Notice of Motion.
Councillors had an in-depth discussion on the agenda item.
The Chairman asked that Council vote on the Motion and informed Councillors she had received a request from a Councillor for the vote be a written, signed ballot as per the Council’s Standing Orders 6.1.
Whilst the voting slips were being counted by the PA a Councillor asked for clarification on how the vote should have been made. After an explanation from the Chairman, if a Councillor were for the Motion they should write Yes on the ballot paper and if they were against the Motion they should write No on the ballot paper. It was agreed that there be a second ballot.
Cllr Mrs Ford tore up the first ballot papers and placed these in the waste bin.
There was a second ballot with seven votes for the Motion and six votes against.
The Motion was carried.
During the above discussions some Councillors were out-spoken and there were interruptions from the Public. A couple of the public left the meeting and the Chairman had to ask a member of the Public to leave the meeting.
Cllr Tony Minshall left the meeting at 9.10 pm in disgust.
Resolved that the Motion be carried, and Staffordshire County Council be advised of Council’s decision to remove the wording for the ‘Paid Volunteer Coordinator’ from the Procurement Bid for Penkridge Library.
[b] The Steering Group’s Notes and the Action Plans for the above were received.
Resolved that the consideration of using the SCC Health and Safety Officer for the Library at a cost of £300 be deferred to the next meeting.
3919. HALING DENE MANAGEMENT REFERRAL
[a] Consideration was given to a quotation from Penkridge Electrical to have new lighting in the Marquee at a cost of £285 be approved.
Resolved that the quotation from Penkridge Electrical for new Marquee Lights at a cost of £285 be approved.
[b] Consideration was given to a quotation from Penkridge Electrical to have the lighting behind the bar upgraded to LED at a cost of £187 be approved.
Resolved that the quotation from Penkridge Electrical to upgrade the lights behind the bar to LED at a cost of £187 be approved.
755
3920. CHAIRMAN’S CHARITY
The Chairman advised that her Charities for the coming year were Air Ambulance and Penkridge Community First Responders.
3921. GRANTS
Consideration was given to grant applications from:
[a] Churches Together for a grant towards their room hire cost of £30.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £30 towards their room hire costs.
[b] Penkridge Anglo German for a grant towards their room hire cost of £100
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £100 towards their room hire costs.
[c] Citizens Advice for a grant towards the cost of their room hire at the Haling Dene at a cost of £500.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £500 towards their room hire costs.
[d] CASS The Carers Association for a grant towards their room hire cost of £480.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £480 towards their room hire costs.
[e] Penkridge Round Table for a grant towards their room hire cost for the Fun Run at a cost of £597.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £597 towards their room hire costs.
[f] Phoenix Art Group A for a grant towards their room hire costs of £500.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £300 towards their room hire costs.
[g] Phoenix Art Group B for a grant towards their room hire costs of £500.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £300 towards their room hire costs.
[h] St Michaels & All Angels Church for a grant towards the Church Yard Maintenance at cost of £1,500.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £1,500 towards the cost of the Church Yard Maintenance.
[i] Penkridge Petanque for a grant towards the cost of a new Petanque Piste at a cost of £500
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £500 towards the cost of a Petanque Piste.
[j] Peace Memorial Hall for a grant towards the replacement of the Stage Lights at a cost of £500.
Resolved that a grant be awarded of £500 towards the cost of Stage Lights t the Peace Memorial Hall.
Cllrs Craddock and Smallwood left the meeting at 9.30 pm.
3922. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 11th July 2019 at 7.30 pm
3923. 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.
Part II – Private Session
3924. LIBRARY
[a] A Draft Settlement Agreement was received from Staffordshire County Council which would protect the Parish Council against any TUPE claims.
Resolved that the document be forwarded to the Council’s Solicitors, Hand Morgan and Owen, for their thoughts/comments.
[b] If the Council approve the attached document the Chairman to sign on behalf of the Council.
The meeting closed at 9.40 pm
Chairman: _________________________ Date: __________________
