Minutes of Meeting held in The Rez Country Café on Thursday 2nd. August 2012.

Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).

Councillors T. Beastall, L. Bills, R. P. A. Lovell, C. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

District Councillor N. Hawkins.

One Member of the Public.

In Attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

40/12. Apologies for Absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

41/12. Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest at this point.

42/12. Chairman’s Address.

The Chairman thanked Councillors Bills and Weston for dealing with a problem of travellers parking caravans on the car park of the old New Inn.

He reported that he had received prices for bars to be attached to the Chairman’s Chain of Office.

These ranged from £70 – 00 each or with a non bevelled edge at £20 – 00 to £25 - 00 each. It was agreed to purchase four bars with non bevelled edges to update the chain.

He had received a complaint about some trees in Sutherland Road which were considered dangerous. It was felt that the trees were not in a dangerous condition but the matter would be reported to the Trees and Woodlands Officer of Staffs. Moorlands District Council for his attention.

43/12. Public Comments.

District Councillor N. Hawkins reported that the Local Development Framework - Core Strategy had now been approved by Staffs. Moorlands District Council and had been submitted to the Government.

She also gave a report on the Renewable Energy Working Group.

With regard to conservation, Staffs. Moorlands District Council Conservation Office was compiling a list of buildings etc under a conservation scheme. She suggested that any interesting parish structures or artefacts could be photographed and submitted to the Moorlands Council for potential inclusion. It was agreed to write to the Council to ask if any items were already covered on the list.

44/12. Minutes of Last Meeting.

The minutes of the meeting on 14th. June 2012 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record after a slight amendment to show that a number of Councillors had attended the funeral of the late Councillor Roy Dawson.

45/12. Matters Arising.

Some Councillors had visited a neighbouring parish to view a type of bench seat and it was agreed that a Phoenix seat manufactured by Glasdon Ltd. at a cost of £373 – 85 be purchased. The Clerk reported that a License to Plant, free of charge, for the seat had been arranged with the Highways Authority for the siting of the seat in Denford Road.

Letter had been sent to the Caldon Canal Society regarding the Himalayan Balsam weed on the top canal towpath. A telephoned reply explained that the Society undertook the work of clearing the weed on a voluntary basis and thanked the Council for the information.

An up to date version of the Code of Conduct for Councillors had been distributed to each Councillor and no objections to its adoption had been received by the due date. The new Code of Conduct had, therefore, been officially adopted.

Some anomalies regarding the publication of personal details on the internet had been addressed and these would be determined in due course. The Chairman would investigate the best way forward for the Council’s website. This would be discussed at the next meeting.

A letter had been sent reporting the dangerous structures at the old New Inn site. However it was also agreed to write to the Enforcement Dept. of Staffs. Moorlands District Council to enquire whether any action was being taken on the unauthorised green roofing on the outbuildings on the site.

It was reported that:

suitable notices advertising the vacancy on the Council had been displayed on the notice boards.

invoice for the lengthsman scheme of Staffs. County Council had been forwarded.

letter of thanks had been sent to Mrs D. Kent for the replanting of the flower tub.

letter of thanks had been received from Dunwood Community First Responders for the grant.

the survey of War Memorials had been completed and returned.

names of representatives for the Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly had been forwarded.

46/12. Correspondence.

Letter had been received from Cheadle Town Council asking for support against the proposed removal of dog waste bins in Staffs. Moorlands area. As general waste bins could now be used for dog waste, it was agreed that no action was necessary.

Information received under this item was:

literature from the maintenance company of St. Chad’s Church clock – passed to the church.

update on Dog Control Orders from Staffs. Moorlands District Council.

from Leek Citizens Advice Bureau asking for volunteers to become Trust Members of the charity.

Transition Update from Staffs. Police Authority.

on insurance for small charity organisations from Zurich Insurance subsidiary – Tennyson Insurance Ltd.

47/12. Planning Matters.

No planning application had been received for comments.

The Clerk asked how long plans and applications should be stored in the Council’s files. It was agreed to investigate how long these could be accessed at Staffs. Moorlands District Council before any decision was taken.

48/12. Finance Matters.

The Annual Return Form had been forwarded to the Audit Commission by recorded delivery post.

A quarterly statement of account was distributed to Councillors.

49/12. Orders for Payment.

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

50/12. Public Comments.

There was no business under this item.

51/12. Any Other Business.

A complaint was received about unfinished cutting of grass verges on Leek Old Road. This to be reported to Staffs. County Council.

It was reported that the bus shelter opposite to old New Inn had been repaired.

Councillor Taylor informed the meeting that Dunwood Community First Responders were holding training sessions in the use of a defibrillator at the Holly Bush Inn, Denford during September 2012 in conjunction with Heart Start UK.

52/12. Date of Next Meeting.

The next meeting of the Council will be held on Thursday 6th. September 2012 at The Rez Country Café in Sutherland Road, Longsdon at 7 - 30p.m.