Hilderstone Parish Council

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 23rd January 2019 at 7:30pm

Present: Cllr. Shelley (Chairman), Cllr. Crump, Cllr. Stringer (Vice Chairman), Cllr. Woodward, Cllr. P Davies, Cllr. Clark, Cllr. J Davies, Stafford Borough Cllr. Harp and Mrs Amanda Kingston (Clerk). There were no members of the public or press present.

1. Chairman’s Welcome. Cllr. Shelley welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2. Apologies. Staffordshire County Cllr. Parry

3. Minutes of the last meeting. These were read, amended, approved and signed.

4. Matters arising. None

5. Public Participation. None

6. Borough Councillor’s Report. Council Tax for Stafford Borough Council will increase by 1.9% in 2019/20. A discussion was held regarding the recent publicised introduction of off-street parking charges in Stafford and Stone.

7. County Councillor’s Report. Cllr. Parry was not in attendance to provide a report.

8. Planning. 18/29810/LBC Yew Tree House Sandon Road Hilderstone Stone ST15 8SF
Demolishing the existing outshuts to the listed farmhouse with in conservation area and replaced with single storey extension in same location, relocation of porch door.

18/29809/HOU Yew Tree House, Sandon Road, Hilderstone, Stone, ST15 8SF
Demolishing the existing extensions to listed farmhouse with in conservation area and replaced with single storey extension in same location, relocation of porch door. In conjunction with 18/29810/LBC above. The Parish Council have no objections to this or the above application.

18/29729/FUL Land at Former Bird In Hand, Sandon Road, Sharpley Heath, Stone, Staffordshire. Revised design and minor amendments to previously approved stable and barn/store to include revision of roof pitch and repositioning on same site. The Parish Council have no objections to the application.

Status of Earlier Applications:
18/29705/HOU Ash Grange, Sandon Road, Hilderstone, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8RT. Side extension. Awaiting Decision.

18/29577/HOU at Netherfield 7 Barnes Croft, Hilderstone, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8XU. Conversion of loft space in existing garage to habitable room with toilet facilities plus four roof lights. Re siting existing garden wall to edge of homeowner boundary, retaining existing grassed service strip. Awaiting Decision.

18/29357/FUL at Highfields Farm, The Annexe, Sandon Road, Hilderstone. The application is to remove condition 3 from the approved application 05/04087/FUL. Decided – Allowed.

9. Traffic and Highways. Part of the hedge has been removed on Sandon Road to enable the land owner to install a wider gateway. Concerns were expressed regarding the removal of the hedge and modifications to the gateway given the location is adjacent to a bend in the road. Clerk to speak with SCC Highways.

The Clerk is in the process of obtaining quotations for both a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) and a Speed Indicator Device (SID) to replace the faulty sign on Sandon Road on entry to the village. Costings have been requested for mains powered, battery operated and solar powered signs for comparison.

One of the temporary signs that advise there are ‘no road markings’ at the Hardiwick crossroads has been knocked over and the Stop sign on the road at the junction has almost worn away. Clerk to report to SCC highways.

10. Footpaths/Village Maintenance/Best Kept Village. Hilderstone has entered the Best Kept Village Competition for 2019.

Grass cutting on the Sandon Road bank by the Roebuck PH has been completed. Payment of the invoice will be agreed at the next meeting.

Care must be taken during the next round of verge maintenance to ensure the daffodils are protected. Clerk to speak to the contractor.

11. Village Events. The events during the Christmas period were well attended. The pantomime was sold out, the carols around the Crib and the Crib service went well as did the Village Christmas Party.

Forthcoming Events:  Chocolate Bingo, Saturday 2nd February at 6pm in Hilderstone Village Hall.

12. Correspondence.
• Warmer Homes Team, Stafford.
• Stone Parish Liaison Group – minutes
• Parish Elections Briefing – 6th February
• NALC Approved Salary Scale’s 2019-20
• Civic Amenity Visits.
• Members Digest 249 and 250

Correspondence was also received from a resident regarding the planned removal and disposal of the bus shelter in Moss Lane. Resolved – A nominal fee of £30 to be requested to discharge the Shelter as a council asset. Clerk to request that the ground is made good following removal.

Members Digest 248 (Cllr. Crump) Financial plan 2018/19 – 2021/22 (p2.1-2.26). Attention was drawn to the publication of the three year financial plan for the Borough Council.

Freeze on parking charges to give trading a boost (p6.5-6.6).
Charges on Stafford Borough Council run car parks are to be frozen for the coming year to help local traders. There are 20 short and long stay car parks in Stafford and Stone and the council is proposing that there will be no increase in price next year. It would mean an hour stay will continue to be 60p in Stone and £1 in Stafford. All the hourly tariffs will remain the same – as will prices for season tickets. The proposed price freeze will be discussed by the council’s cabinet in November. A list of car parks run by the borough council can be found at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/parking

13. Finance. The monthly accounts were presented and signed by the Chairman. The current account is £11,749.85 in credit and the deposit account £3124.11 in credit. Although most of these funds are allocated as indicated by the monthly accounts which are circulated to all Councillors prior to each meeting. The following payments were approved:

1. W H Holmes Grounds Maintenance – £93.75

The Clerk circulated the new pay scales for Clerks as agreed by the NJC. The Clerk is currently on scale point 25 which now equates to scale point 17 in the new structure.

14. Any Other Business. The Annual Parish Meeting must be held between the 1st March and 1st June 2019. As 2019 is an election year it was agreed it would be prudent to hold the meeting in March. A provisional date of the 20th was agreed. The meeting of the Parish Council will be brought forward to be held on the same date.

Cllr. J Davies provided an update on the latest Stone Area Parish Liaison Group Meeting, and a recent article published in the Stone Gazette.

Cllr. Clark informed the meeting that work is underway at the Church to move the font to create a community area within the church as part of the Access for All initiative.

15. Date of next meeting.  The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 27th February 2019 at 7.30pm. The meeting closed at 9.35pm

………………………………………………… Cllr. M. Shelley, Chairman. 27.02.19