Minutes of Meeting held in The Rez Country Café on Thursday 15th. January 2009.

Present: Councillor R. Dawson (Chair)

Councillors T. Beastall, J. F. Sargeant, C. E. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

Three Members of the Public.

Two Members of The Sentinel staff.

91/8. Apologies for Absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J. Deaville & District Councillor N. Hawkins.

92/8. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

93/8. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

He reported that there had been an instance of fly tipping in Denford Road which had been cleared by

Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s Response Team who had also carried out some litter picking.

A defective inspection chamber cover on the A53 had also been reported and this had been replaced.

94/8. Public Comments.

A discussion took place, with questions asked by the members of the press, on how the Council could act in response to the recent fatal accident on the A53 near to the Wheel public house. The Chairman gave a brief report on the history of the Council’s comments and concerns which had been recorded in the minutes over the last decade. It was agreed to write to Staffs. Council asking what traffic calming measures could be taken and suggesting: double white lines on the bend in question, provision of a 30m.p.h speed limit, and the speed camera at the top of Ladderedge, where speeds were generally low, to be moved near to the accident site. It was felt that even though there had not been a great number of fatalities at the scene, doing nothing would invite more accidents.

A request was received from a member of the public for the grit bin to be replaced near to the entrance to the Rez Country Café for use on the adjacent steep incline in Sutherland Road during icy conditions. This to be forwarded to Staffs. County Council.

95/8. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27th. November 2008 had been circulated. It was agreed that they be signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.

96/8. Matters Arising.

Letter had been sent to the Information Commissioner’s Office pointing out that the anomaly with the second letter received from a different department on the same subject. No reply had been received.

A letter of thanks for his service had been forwarded to former Councillor J. J. Leah.

The matter had been reported to the Electoral Officer of Staffs. Moorlands District Council and statutory notices placed in the notice boards. No replies had been received by the Electoral Office and the Parish Council had been instructed to co-opt to fill the casual vacancy.

A letter had been received from Mrs. Lorna Bills of Leek Road, Longsdon asking to be considered for the vacancy. Councillors unanimously agreed to co-opt Mrs. Bills onto the Council.

Information had been received on Staffs. Moorlands District Council Sports Awards. It was felt that Anna Bebington, the local Olympic bronze medal winner, could be nominated but enquiries with the District Council had resulted in information that she was not actually eligible for this type of award.

It was reported that:

a further invoice for the lengthsman scheme had been sent to Staffs. County Council. more information on the new Model Publication Scheme had been received.

97/8. Correspondence.

A letter had been received from a former Councillor giving details of Project Carbon which was being coordinated by the Marches Energy Agency and is funded Staffs. Moorlands District Council, Staffs. County Council and Advantage West Midlands. The Clerk reported on a talk he had recently heard from Jeremy Thorp of the Agency giving details of project to assist in saving energy in domestic, business and public buildings. It was agreed to write to the Agency asking for the possibility of holding a workshop in the village possibly in the Memorial Hall.

The letter also raised various queries relating to the minutes of the Council with regard to the pond area in School Lane. The clerk had replied explaining the minutes in full.

No report had been received from the last meeting of the Staffs, Moorlands Parish Assembly. It appeared that Councillor Deaville was finding it increasingly difficult to attend the meetings due to business commitments. It was agreed that the Clerk contacts him and if he agreed, new representatives would be appointed.

Councillors Sargeant and Taylor volunteered to attend future meetings should the need arise.

Information received under this item was:

details of the Best Kept Village Competition 2009.

Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power.

Staffs. Parish Councils’ Association – December 2008 Newsletter.

current copy of the Electoral Register for the Parish.

newsletter from Smiths of Derby – St. Chad’s Church clock maintenance ontractor.

Rural Services Network from the Rural Services Community Clerks & Councils’

Direct – January issue.

98/8. Planning Matters.

The training session at Leek on Changes to Householder Permitted Development had been postponed due to inclement weather. A new date was awaited.

A planning applications had been received and had been distributed to Councillors because of the time scale involved. Councillors agreed to forward no objections in principle, subject to normal planning guidelines, to Application 08/02007/FUL Erection of Stable Block on Land at The Ashes, Leek Road. Endon (revised application) but would wish for conditions to be imposed to limit the use of the building solely for the stabling of horses.

It was agreed to write to the Planning Officer pointing out that the Council had not been notified of any decision on Application 08/01657 Agricultural Track at Field 8347 Leek Road, Endon, Staffs.

99/8. Finance – Estimates/Precept for the year 2009 / 2010.

The Clerk produced (1) Actual Figures for the Year 2007/08, (2) Estimated Expenditure and end of year balance for the Year 2008/09 and (3) Estimated Expenditure for the Year 2009/10.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council had advised that there was no limit on the amount of any rise in the precept but the Council was expected to be prudent.

After studying the figures produced, it was agreed unanimously that, in the light of the current economic climate, the amount of the Precept remain UNCHANGED at £3,500 – 00.

The precept request form was duly signed by the Chairman and the Clerk.

100/8. Orders for Payment.

It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-

101/8 Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

102/8. Any Other Business.

Blocked ditches were reported in Honeysuckle Lane with water cascading over the main road – this matter to be reported to Clarence.

It was reported that huge lorries were travelling over the British Waterways bridge in Denford Road. This matter had been reported to both British Waterway and Staffs. County Council.

British Waterways had organised a “clean-up” operation to remove the Himalayan Balsam etc from the canal towpaths on 28th. & 29th. March 2009. Volunteers to be informed.

103/8. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held on Thursday 19th. February 2009 at The Rez Country Café in Sutherland Road, Longsdon at 7-30p.m.

The Chairman thanked Councillors for their attendance and duly closed the meeting.