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Penkridge Parish Council
Minutes of the Penkridge Parish Council Meeting held
On 9th May 2024 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 Helen Adams [Chairman]
“ Mrs Petula M C Hughes [Vice Chairman]
“ Andrew Adams
“ Miss Luana Bills
“ Jo Chapman
“ Sam Harper-Wallis
“ Victor Kelly
“ Ron Kenyon
“ Andrew Lenz
“ Christopher Manton
“ Anthony Minshall
“ Gary Poston
“ Mrs Vivienne Smith
“ Alan Smallwood
Parish Administrator Lesley Hough
There no members of the public in attendance.
Part I – Public Session
5788. APOLOGIES
[a] There were no apologies received.
5789. CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN
[a] There were two nominations put forward and seconded to stand for Chairman: Cllrs Mrs Helen
Adams and Sam Harper-Wallis.
The PA advised Councillors that under Standing Orders – 24.4:
24.4 All members of the Finance and Resources Committee must be listed on the Council’s Bank
Mandate and take responsibility for all Council Financial transactions – sign cheques, approve
emergency transactions in conjunction with the Proper Officer.
The above has been in place pre September 2015.
Cllr Harper-Wallis was not on the updated Bank Mandate so could not be nominated to stand as a
Chair or Vice Chair.
Councillors then questioned the above with the PA and asked who made up the Finance and
Resources Committee:
The PA read out Standing Order 23.1:
23.1 The Finance and Resources Committee shall be made up of the Chairman and Vice Chairman
of Council and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Haling Dene Management and
Recreation and Amenities.
Councillors then questioned the PA and said it was her responsibility to guide and advise Councillors
regarding the completion of details for the Bank Mandate, who was included on the Bank Mandate
and the above was her interpretation of the Standing Orders.
The PA advised that Standing Orders were the Parish Council’s Rules which they approved not the
PA. Councillors should be aware of its contents; this item was raised at the commencement of the
Bank Mandate process in May 2023 when one Councillor did not want to be on the bank mandate
but when advised they could not be the Vice Chair of the Recreation and Amenities Committee
they signed the bank mandate form.
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5789. CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN [cont’d]
Councillors then went round the table in turn asking their fellow Councillors if they wished to stand as
Chair, but no one accepted.
Cllr Mrs Helen Adams accepted to stand as Chairman and signed the Register of Acceptance to
Office.
[b] There was one nomination put forward and seconded to stand as Vice Chairman: Cllrs Mrs Petula
Hughes.
The Chairman congratulated Cllr Mrs Hughes.
Councillors advised they had not made any nominations and then proceeded to go around the
table again asking fellow Councillors if they wished to stand as Vice Chairman.
Cllr Victor Kelly said he wished to stand as Vice Chairman.
There were nine votes for Cllr Mrs Hughes and four votes for Cllr Kelly with one paper spoilt.
Cllr Mrs Petula Hughes accepted to stand as Vice Chairman.
5790. PERSONALIA AND EVENTS
[a] The above was received for May 2024.
[b] Members of the Council and Public in attendance who declared they were video/audio recording
the meeting – Cllrs Victor Kelly and Andrew Lenz.
[c] The 2024-2025 Meetings Calendar was received.
[d] An email was received dated 24th April from South Staffordshire Council advising they had raised the
payment request for the S106 monies, land north west of Penkridge.
[e] Cllr Mrs Adams update the Council that during her year as Chairman she had raised £2,600 for her
Chairty, The Daisy Garland Trust.
She said that the Community Café was growing each week, and it was proposed that for the 2024-
2025 financial year there would be four charities that would benefit from the funds raised, Daisy
Garland, Demetia, Alzheimer’s and Heart Foundation.
5791. COMMITTEES
[a] Appointment of members to Committees for 2024-2025 were made and a copy attached to the
official copy of the Minutes.
[b] It was noted that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each Committee would be elected at their
first meeting.
5792. APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OTHER BODIES
The 2024-2025 list of representatives to other bodies is attached to the official copy of the minutes.
5793. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no Declarations of Interest.
5794. DISCLOSABLE PECUNINARY INTEREST [DPI]
There were no Disposable Pecuniary Interests received.
5795. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Cllr Smallwood advised that the hedges had not been cut from Francis Green Lane Bridge to Francis
Close.
The Chairman said that the hedges could not be cut at present as it was the nesting season.
The grass along the brook was being cut in the coming couple of weeks together with Naggington
Drive and Eggington Drive.
Cllr Lenz asked if SCC Cllr David Williams was no long the Cabinet Member for Highways. He asked if
the person responsible for Highways could be invited come along to a Council meeting and update
Councillors on what they are doing with the roads in Penkridge.
Cllr Poston asked how regular the bin in the Burial Ground was emptied and could the wording on
the large bins be re-worded.
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5796. POLICE MATTERS
[a] A Police report for January to April 2024 was received.
Councillors asked if the report could be circulated by email.
It was reported that a young person was travelling along the A449 at speeds in excess of 80 mph
during the weekend.
There were also two dens, one behind the White Hart Public House and the other opposite the Bloor
Homes island.
Councillors asked that Mr Ben Adams be involved.
[b] It was noted that in future Police Reports would be received quarterly.
5797. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCILS
There were no updates at this moment in time.
5798. MINUTES
Resolved that the Minutes of the meetings be approved for:
[a] Full Council Meeting of 14th March 2024
[b] Full Council Meeting of 11th April 2024.
[b] The Follow Up Sheets for the April Full Council were received.
5799. COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes were noted for the:
[a] Planning Minutes of the 11th April 2024
5800. WORKING GROUP MINUTES
[a] It was noted that no minutes had been received.
5801. OUTSIDE GROUPS WITH PC REPRESENTATION
[a] It was noted that no minutes had been received.
5802. ACCOUNTS
[a] Councillors advised that they had only received the accounts for payment for the month of April
2024 that evening.
The Chairman said if Councillors have any questions on the above, they could raise these with the
PA before the June Full Council meeting.
Resolved that the accounts or payment be approved subject to their being no points raised by
Councillors before the June Full Council meeting.
[b] The end of Year Financial Accounts for 2023-2024 were receive and approved.
Cllr Poston raised a question with regard to the Full Council Summary sheet and asked if the Net
Surplus [Deficit] 2024 Variance figure should be a deficit.
The PA advised she would look into this and get back to Cllr Poston. She also said Councillors
received their packs on the Friday morning previous to meetings and if they had any questions on
the contents they should ask the PA before so she could have the answer for the meeting not raise
points on the evening.
Resolved that:
[i] The above be approved.
[ii] Councillors should raise any questions on the contents of the meeting pack with the PA before
a meeting so she could have the answer for the meeting.
[iii] The PA to look into Cllr Poston’s question and answer his query.
[c] The Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2024 – Section 1 Annual Governance Statement
2023/2024 be approved and signed by the Chairman and Parish Administrator.
[d] The Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2024 – Section 2 Accounting Statements 2023/2024
be approved and signed by the Chairman and Parish Administrator.
[e] The Internal Auditor’s year end audit report for 2023 – 2024 was received.
Resolved that the Internal Auditor be asked to attend the June Full Council meeting.
[f] The year end Pie Chart for 2023-2024 was received.
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5803. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The updates to the below Procedures were received and approved:
[a] Financial Regulations
to include an additional item
1.8 – Contracts for work to be advertised on Social Media.
The addition of regulations for the Council’s Barclaycard in Annex II
[b] Standing Orders to move Item 24.4 to 23.3.
The new wording for 23.3 be:
23.3 All members of the Finance and Resources Committee must be listed on the Council’s Bank
Mandate and take responsibility for all Council Financial transactions and approve emergency
transactions in conjunction with the Proper Officer.
[c] It was noted that there were no updates to the Transparency Code 2015.
[d] The dates available for South Staffordshire Council’s Code of Conduct training were received.
Councillors asked if the PA could advise the times of the training and they would then let the PA
know which date and location they could attend.
Resolved that the PA to advise Councillors the time of the Code of Conduct training.
5804. PENKRIDGE PARISH CASUAL VACANCY – NORTH EAST WARD
[a] The Chairman advised that the above would be considered under the Private Session.
5805. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
[a] Members of the above advised there was no updates at present.
5806. CROWN BRIDGE HANGING BASKET TREE
[a] Consideration was given to the two quotations received to re-align the above.
Resolved that the Hanging Basket Tree be removed and the monies for the above be used to
purchase addition troughs for River Penk bridge.
5807. HALING DENE CENTRE DRIVE
[a] Approval was given for the PA’s action in conjunction with the Chair and Vice Chair of Council to
have a repair to the manhole cover on the driveway by TJB Properties at a cost of £1,500 plus VAT.
5808. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 13th June 2024 at 7.30 pm.
5809. 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 10.00 pm
Chairman ………………………………………………………………………… Dated …..……………………