Minutes of the Longsdon Annual Parish Assembly held on Wednesday 3rd. May 2017 at St. Chad’s Church Room, Leek Road, Longsdon, Staffordshire Moorlands.

Present: Councillors T. Beastall, D. Sargeant, J. F. Sargeant, C. Taylor & S. R. Weston.

District Councillor Hawkins.

One Member of the Public.

In attendance: John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.

1. Apologies for Absence:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R. P. A. Lovell,

2. Minutes of Last Annual Parish Assembly.

The minutes of the last Annual Parish Assembly held on Tuesday 3rd. May 2016 were read and approved as a true record.

3. Matters Arising.

Chairman, Councillor J. Sargeant, once again expressed his thanks for the work that each of the Councillors had put in during the past year. It has been good to have a full Council again. Without the Council our village would be a less clean and pleasant place to live and visit.

He particularly thanked Councillor Lovell for representing the Council at the Memorial Hall and Councillor Taylor likewise at Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly. These functions do take up time and seem thankless.

He also applauded the exemplary meeting attendance record of Councillors, Beastall, Lovell & Weston who have each achieved 100% over the seven meetings.

He also thanked District Councillor Norma Hawkins, who despite illness, has attended many of our meetings this year, kept us in touch with the District Council and assisted us in cases that we have raised.

He admitted that he was disappointed that despite our best efforts we still don’t have clarity on the number of new dwellings that the parish is expected to allow between now and 2031. It would allow us to be appropriately realistic when reviewing planning applications and we can only hope that this will be resolved in the coming year.

Finally, he thanked the Clerk, John Bourne, who has once again produced numerous concise letters and emails on our behalf and provided clear and timely financial reports as well as high quality minutes. We are fortunate to have him on our side.

4. To Receive a Report for the Year 2016 / 2017.

Councillor John Sargeant was again re-elected as Chairman with Councillor Bills again re-elected as Vice Chairman at the Annual General Meeting of the Council.

Councillors Sargeant and Taylor were again elected as representatives on the Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly.

Councillor Lovell was appointed as the Council’s representative on the Longsdon Memorial Hall Management Committee.

John Bourne, Clerk to the Council, was appointed as the Responsible Financial Officer.

Estimates for the coming financial year were prepared together with figures, showing the Council Tax Support grant, from Staffs. Moorlands District Council. Due to the fact that the Staffs. County Council’s Lengthsman Scheme was to discontinue from next year, Councillors agreed that there should be an increase in the precept. This would rise to £4,420 – 84, not including the Council Tax Grant, which would result in the Band D property parish rate being £16 – 02, a rise of £1 – 63 on last year’s figure.

A grant of £600 – 00 was made to Dunwood First Responders Group.

The annual accounts of the Council were audited by the usual internal auditor. He commented that the accounts had been kept to a high standard and were in good order. There were no adverse comments. The accounts were then submitted to Grant Thornton, the official auditors, and were certified with no official comments. There was no charge for the official audit.

The Council’s reserve remained in the Two Year Bond with Leek United Building Society.

The Council’s insurance was again renewed with the Zurich insurance company with its quotation being considered with one more.

A wreath was again purchased for the Remembrance Day service and the village tubs were again planted for the summer period.

It was agreed that all the village plant tubs be replaced due to deterioration with half being purchased in the coming year and half next year.

The Council’s normal contractor was again employed under the lengthsman schemes of both Staffs. County Council and Staffs. Moorlands District Council.

Notice was received that the equipment in the telephone box in Sutherland Road was to be removed due to lack of use.

After a site visit by the Clerk, Councillor Bills and some parishioners, the firm working on the upgrading of the reservoir equipment at the top of Ladderedge agreed to plant screening trees and bushes to screen a large piece of water treatment equipment on the site.

As no repairs had been carried out on the bus shelter opposite to the old New Inn, the bars of the windows in the side elevations were removed as a safety measure.

The Staffs. Moorlands District Council has stated that the required number of properties needed for Longsdon from 2011 to 2031 could possibly be accommodated with an infill programme rather than major development sites. The Parish Council stated that the proposed infill site boundary could be extended to take in Micklea Lane and part of School Lane.

The Planning Enforcement Department of Staffs. Moorlands District Council investigations into a possible breach of planning at a property in Denford Road are continuing.

The Council contacted the owners of the old New Inn site to ascertain when work on the site would commence. Recently it appeared that some work had started.

Endon Parish Council had contacted the Parish Council regarding proposals for the lay-by at Endon but nothing has been achieved to date.

A dog waste bin on the towpath of the canal near to the bridge in Sutherland Road was removed by Staffs. Moorlands District Council. Efforts to get a replacement are still ongoing.

Further complaints regarding speeding on the main road, A53, were forwarded to the Police.

Numerous highway complaints were forwarded to Staffs. County Council with most eventually being attended to.

A letter of congratulation was sent to a parishioner, Dr Shiers, on his award of the OBE.

5. Any Other Business.

There was no business under this item.