Minutes of Meeting held in the upstairs room of The Wheel on Thursday 13th December 2018.
Contents
Meeting Details
Councillors T. Beastall, B. Bromley, D. Sargeant, K. Shaw & S. R. Weston
54/18. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R. Lovell & District Councillor N. Hawkins.
55/18. Declarations of Interest.
Councillors D Sargeant & J. Sargeant declared an interest in a planning application which would be discussed later in the meeting.
56/18. Chairman’s Address.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He thanked Councillor Bromley for laying the wreath at the Remembrance Sunday Service.
57/18. Public Comments.
There was no business under this item.
58/18. Minutes of Last Meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 18th. October 2018 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.
59/18. Matters Arising.
It was reported that the work to renew the support post to the “Longsdon” village sign had now been completed and an account for the work received
Letter had been sent to Staffs. Moorlands Enforcement Officer to establish whether the original planning permission details for the old New Inn site had expired and also about the change of adjacent land in Denford Road. The reply stated that the original planning conditions were still in force and the change of use of the land was permitted in connection with the development.
An email had been received from the Moorlands Council regarding the missing dog waste bin near Horse Bridge. This stated that the area would not meet the necessary criteria for a bin due to the low volume of litter present.
A possible candidate for the post of the Council’s lengthsman was still being sought.
A further email had been received from Leek Town Council giving notice of a Special Meeting on 16th January 2019 to keep Parish Councils and the public up to date on the progress made by the Town Council regarding the closure of wards and re-locating of service at Leek Moorlands Hospital.
More information had been obtained on new bus shelters. It was agreed that the Halton Anti-vandal bus shelter would be a suitable choice. Information had been obtained from the County Council that the siting of the shelter on the pavement outside the Memorial Hall would involve a costly operation with permits and approved contractors etc. etc. It had been suggested that the shelter legs could be sited within the boundary of the Memorial Hall and still overhang the pavement. Memorial Hall representatives had raised no objections to this suggestion but formal permission would be required from the next Management Committee meeting.
60/18. Correspondence.
A notice of consultation on the Future of Local Health Services in North Staffs had been received. It was agreed that this be forwarded by email to all Councillors.
Information received included:
- invite to Drop-in Session for Staffs. Parish Councils’ Association – no action.
- information on Increased Pension Contributions from the Pensions Regulator – not applicable.
- information from Moorlands Radio.
- Clerks & Councils Direct – November 18 issue.
61/18. Planning Matters.
The following planning application had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time frame, and it had been agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:
- SMD/2018/0656 Two Storey & Single Storey Extension to Rear, Alterations to Front Entrance, Formation of a Porch to Front at White Chimneys, Devils Lane, Longsdon.
The following planning applications were considered and it was agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:
- SMD/2018/0687 Replacement of Conservatory with Orangery & Link Section to Garage at Churnet Croft Cottage, Wood Road, Longsdon.
- SMD/2018/0754 Demolition of an Existing Part Single Storey, Part Two Storey, Side / Rear Extension & Construction of a Single Storey Side / Rear Extension at 2 Dunwood House, Dunwood Lane, Longsdon.
- *SMD/2018/0698 Approval of Reserved Matters relating to SMD/2016/0822 on Land Adjacent to Whitehaven, Leek Road, Longsdon was also considered and it was agreed to forward no objections in principle, but to express concerns about the amount of traffic which could be generated by the proposed very large dwellings. The proposal is for one access driveway which could serve four very large properties. The amount of vehicles using this access could cause major problems when accessing or emerging from the site onto the main A53 Leek Road on a blind bend.
*Councillors D Sargeant and J. Sargeant declared a prejudicial interest in this application and took no part in the discussion.
62/18. Finance Matters.
Notice was given that the Council’s Fixed Term Bond with Leek United Building Society would be maturing in January 2019. This to be discussed at the next meeting.
It was unanimously agreed that the Clerk’s salary be increased by £100 – 00 per annum from the next financial year.
63/18. Orders for Payment.
It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-
- The Wheel. £ 25 – 00. Room Hire.
- Proctor’s Nursery. £ 269 – 36. Planting of Village Tubs.
- The Chairman. £ 31 – 98. Two Months Internet Charge & Remembrance Wreath (already paid).
An account had been received from Lymewood for the new post for the “Longsdon” sign but this was not in keeping with the original quotation. Enquiries would be made and it was agreed that the account be paid after agreement on the subsequent amount between the Chairman, Vice Chairman and the Clerk.
64/18. Public Comment.
There was no business under this item.
65/18. Any Other Business.
A report was given of the setting up of a sanctuary for old animals near to Leek Old Road.
66/18. Date of Next Meeting.
The date of the next meeting of the Council was arranged for Thursday 31st January 2019 at 7 – 00p.m. in the upstairs room of The Wheel public house, Leek Road, Longsdon.
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Minutes of Meeting held in the upstairs room of The Wheel on Thursday 18th October 2018.
Contents
Meeting Details
Councillors B. Bromley, R. Lovell, D. Sargeant, K. Shaw & S. R. Weston.
John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.
Two Members of the Public
41/18. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor T. Beastall.
42/18. Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest at this point.
43/18. Chairman’s Address.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He reported that the wreath for the Remembrance Sunday Service had been purchased.
He also gave details of the Council’s email address site which had been compromised but this had now been rectified.
44/18. Public Comments.
One member of the public raised objections to a planning application for an amenity building in Sutherland Road on the grounds that there were problems with the proposed access and increased traffic on a narrow lane especially if a caravan park was established.
The owner of the site then gave his reasons why permission should be granted. The amenity building would be used by fisherman on an adjacent site and could also be used by dog walkers. The project was to assist with helping his farm to be profitable.
District Councillor Hawkins asked what comments the Council had forwarded to the planning application in Mollatts Wood Road. She was informed of the Council’s objections which had been sent in.
She also reported on difficulties with insuring a lengthsman by another Council.
45/18. Minutes of Last Meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 23 rd. August 2018 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.
46/18. Matters Arising.
It was reported that the work to renew the support post to the “Longsdon” village sign had still not been completed. It was agreed to write to the contractor asking if he could complete the work or should another source be investigated.
A reply had been received from the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s Building Control Department stating that in their opinion the old New Inn building was not in a dangerous state.
The large quantity of graffiti on the protective hoardings at the front of the building had been painted over by the owners. However they had suggested that work on the building would not be commencing until Spring 2019. It was agreed to write to Staffordshire Moorlands Enforcement Officer to establish whether the original planning permission details had expired.
The Chairman reported on discussions with a possible candidate for the post of the Council’s lengthsman. Further details were awaited.
Staffordshire Moorlands D.C. had been contacted again about the dangerous state of the bus shelter opposite the old New Inn. A reply stated that the matter had been passed to a different department for attention. The Clerk reported that there were no grants available for new bus shelters. Various leaflets of new shelters were perused and it was agreed that more information on one particular shelter be obtained and the County Council be approached regarding the siting of the shelter on the pavement outside the Memorial Hall.
An email had been sent to the Moorlands Council regarding the missing dog waste bin near Horse Bridge. A reply stated that the area supervisor would carry out a four week monitoring procedure of the area.
A letter of thanks had been received from the Douglas Macmillan Hospice expressing their gratitude for the Council’s donation of £100 – 00 to the organisation.
A letter of complaint had been sent to the North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group expressing concerns about the closure of beds and relocation of some services at Leek Moorlands Hospital. Meanwhile an email had been received from Leek Town Council asking for support in their efforts to reverse the aforementioned cuts in services etc. It was agreed to forward a supporting reply.
47/18. Correspondence.
Information received included:
- Notice of the closure of the Community Council of Staffordshire
- Notice of Consultation on Staffordshire Moorlands Revised Statement of Gambling Policy
- Information & Poster on Scam Mail from Royal Mail – posted on website and notice boards.
- Clerks & Councils Direct – September 18 issue.
48/18. Planning Matters.
The following planning applications had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time frame, and it had been agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:
- HNT/2018/0014 Demolition of Extensions & Construction of Singe Storey Side/Rear Extension at 2 Dunwood Lane, Lonsdon.
Councillors had agreed to OBJECT to:
- SMD/2018/0525 Demolition of Redundant Timber Stable, Erection of a Timber Frame One Bedrom Single Storey Dwelling at The Stables, Mollatts Wood Road, Leek on the following grounds:
- The site is within the Green Belt.
- It is not an infill site and there are no exceptional circumstances for this development.
An application, SMD/2018/0549 Erection of an Amenity Building on land off Sutherland Road, Longsdon in an adjacent parish was mentioned. Due to the vast number of public objections to the proposal, it was agreed to forward the Council’s objections on the following grounds:
- Inappropriate development in the green belt.
- The development is on agricultural land and there is no application for change of use.
- The development will progress into a permitted caravan site which will have a dangerous access onto a narrow lane and will generate more traffic onto Sutherland Road / Micklea Lane which both have dangerous accesses onto the main road A53.
- There could also be a problem with satellite navigation directing caravans down Park Lane which is a single track road which is certainly unsuitable for caravans.
- No ecological survey has been submitted with the application.
- There are no details for the disposal of sewage with no mains sewers in the area.
- The development is sited on a possible flood zone.
49/18. Finance Matters.
The Council had been registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under the Data Protection Bill.
A quarterly account update was distributed to each Councillor.
50/18. Orders For Payment.
It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-
- The Wheel. £ 25 – 00. Room Hire.
- GeoXphere Ltd. £ 43 – 20. Parish Online Fee.
- John Bourne. £ Clerk’s Salary.
- John Bourne. £ 51 – 18. Clerk’s Expenses.
- H. M. Revenue & Customs. £ 56 – 00. P. A. Y. E.
51/18. Public Comment.
The member of the public raised the question of the hoardings at the old New Inn site, hardcore deposits and a white metal cabinet on adjacent land. This matter to be included in the letter to SMDC Enforcement Dept.
52/18. Any Other Business.
Items mentioned under this category included:
- A car parked dangerously on a bend in Denford Road – this was being investigated.
- Speed of vehicles in Sutherland Road.
- Longsdon Memorial Hall was investigating the availability of grants.
- Painting of the public seats – awaiting the appointment of a lengthsman and a suitable weather period.
- Notice of a special Valentines Dance at the Memorial Hall.
53/18. Date of Next Meeting.
The date of the next meeting of the Council was arranged for Thursday 13th December 2018 at 7 – 00p.m. in the upstairs room of The Wheel public house, Leek Road, Longsdon.
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Minutes of Meeting held in the upstairs room of The Wheel on Thursday 23rd. August 2018.
Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).
Councillors T. Beastall, B. Bromley, R. Lovell, K. Shaw & S. R. Weston.
In Attendance: District Councillor N. Hawkins.
John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.
28/18. Apologies for Absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D. Sargeant.
29/18. Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest at this point.
30/18. Chairman’s Address.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He thanked the Clerk for organising all the details for the annual audit including submission of the External Audit Exemption Certificate. All the relevant details had been published on the Council’s website.
31/18. Public Comments.
District Councillor Hawkins gave details of the Planning Committee’s decision on the planning application for the erection of a single dwelling on land adjacent to Prospect House Farm, Sutherland Road, Longsdon. The plan would not be approved until such time that an issue with sewers on the land had been resolved.
She also gave details of closure of beds and relocation of certain services at Leek Moorlands Hospital and suggested that the Council writes to register its objections to these closures. This was agreed.
32/18. Minutes of Last Meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 28th. June 2018 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.
33/18. Matters Arising.
It was reported that the work to renew the support post to the “Longsdon” village sign would be completed the following day. Concern was expressed about the delay but it was agreed to leave the matter in abeyance for now.
Email had been sent to Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s Building Control Department pointing out the unsafe condition of the old New Inn building but no reply had been received. It was agreed to write again.
Mention was made of a large quantity of graffiti which had appeared on the protective hoardings at the front of the building. It was agreed to write to the owners about this matter and also to ask when any work on the building would be commencing.
A letter had been sent to the Council’s lengthsman asking if the outstanding work could be undertaken or would he prefer that the Council employs another lengthsman. No reply had been received. It was agreed to investigate whether another individual would undertake the work involved with the scheme - approx. ten hours per month.
Staffs. Moorlands D.C. had been contacted again about the dangerous state of bus shelter opposite the old New Inn but no reply had been received. It would be contacted again.
Some guideline prices had been obtained for suitable bus shelters especially for a suggested site outside the Memorial Hall. Further information would be obtained for the next meeting and also whether grants were available.
34/18. Correspondence.
A request for a financial donation had been received from the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. It was agreed to forward a cheque for £100 – 00 to the organisation.
Other information received included:
offer of a Commemorative tree from Karen Bradley MP for the Queen’s Canopy – oversubscribed.
New Governance for Fire & Rescue from the Staffordshire Commissioner.
Notice of submission of Staffs. Moorlands Local Plan to the Secretary of State.
35/18. Planning Matters.
The following planning application had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time frame, and it had been agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:
SMD/2018/0416 Reserved Matters relating to Application SMD/2018/0578 detailing the Appearance, Layout, Scale & Landscaping at Proctor’s Nursery, Leek Road, Endon.
It was reported that a written appeal had been lodged for land South of Hillcrest, Sutherland Road, Longsdon
36/18. Finance Matters.
It was reported that there was a need to register the Council with the Information Commissioner’s Office under the Data Protection Bill in the sum of £40 – 00 per annum. This was after the Chairman had contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office for further information. It was agreed that this be paid.
37/18. Orders for Payment.
It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-
| Recipient | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Wheel. | £25.00 | Room Hire. |
| D. Ingman. | £60.00 | Internal Audit Fee. |
| Douglas Macmillan Hospice. | £100.00 | Donation. |
| Information Commissioner’s Office. | £40.00 | Data Protection Fee. |
38/18. Public Comment.
There was no business under this item.
39/18. Any Other Business.
The question of the missing dog waste bin near Horse Bridge was again discussed. The history of the removal of the bin and attempts to replace it were reported. It was agreed to write again to the Moorlands Council asking if a solution could be found with the Parish Council possibly buying a bin subject to it being emptied.
Councillor Lovell, the Council’s representative on the Memorial Hall Management Committee reported that the Hall was doing well at the moment.
40/18. Date of Next Meeting.
The date of the next meeting of the Council was arranged for Thursday 18th. October 2018 at 7 – 00p.m. in the upstairs room of The Wheel public house, Leek Road, Longsdon.
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Minutes of Meeting held in the upstairs room of The Wheel on Thursday 28th. June 2018.
Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).
Councillors T. Beastall, B. Bromley, R. Lovell, D. Sargeant, K. Shaw & S. R. Weston.
In Attendance: District Councillor N. Hawkins.
John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.
One member of the public.
15/18. Apologies for Absence.
There were no apologies for absence.
16/18. Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest at this point.
17/18. Chairman’s Address.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
He gave a short report on the last meeting of the Staffs. Moorlands Parish Assembly meeting which he had attended on 14th. June 2018. The main item was to elect officers for the coming year and there was a short presentation which stated that Staffs. County Council could offer support in the creation of new volunteer groups. Beat the Cold also gave a short presentation.
18/18. Public Comments.
District Councillor Hawkins gave details of current situation with the Local Plan. It had been presented to the Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s Assembly and is due to be submitted to the Secretary of State for examination this next month.
A member of the public asked about the details of the procedure for attending a meeting of Staffs. Moorlands Planning Committee which would be considering a planning application for the erection of a single dwelling on land adjacent to Prospect House Farm, Sutherland Road, Longsdon. Details of the meeting had been received and would be published later in the meeting.
19/18. Minutes of Last Meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 3rd. May 2018 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.
20/18. Matters Arising.
The repairs to renew the support post to the “Longsdon” village sign previously situated near to the Leek boundary were still ongoing.
The flower tubs around the village had been replanted by Proctor’s Nursery but there were problems with the watering due to the current weather conditions. One tub was reported as not being up to standard. This was to be checked but others appeared to be quite satisfactory.
Further mention was made of the dangerous situation with the state of the old New Inn building. It was agreed to write to Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s Building Control Department pointing out the unsafe condition.
The Clerk reported that he had informed the lengthsman, again, of some outstanding work which had still not been completed. It was agreed to write to him asking if the work could be undertaken or would he prefer that the Council employs another lengthsman.
The dangerous state of the bus shelter opposite the old New Inn was again mentioned. Some time ago the Staffs. Moorlands D.C. promised to undertake repairs but nothing has taken place. It was agreed to contact that Council again to see if the shelter could at least be made safe. In the meantime prices for suitable bus shelters for elsewhere in the village would be obtained.
It was reported that:
the letter of thanks for the fencing in Micklea Lane had been sent.
the pot hole in Micklea Lane and the disintegrating footpath surface in Leek Road had been reported to S.C.C
21/18. Correspondence.
A notice had been received that Leek Town Council had made an application for Neighbourhood Plan Area Designation with a consultation period running from 31st. May 2018 to 28th. June 2018. This had already been forwarded to all Councillors.
Other information received included:
details of Staffordshire Police “Space” programme- 23rd. July to 31st. August 18 – posted on notice boards.
Clerks & Councils Direct – May Issue.
22/18. Planning Matters.
The following planning applications had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time frame, and it had been agreed to forward no objections, subject to normal planning guidelines, to:
SMD/2018/0276 Conversion of Existing Garage to Form Lounge Extension at The Coach House, Dunwood Lane, Longsdon.
SMD/2018/0301 Proposed First Floor Extension to North Elevation & Internal Alterations at Limerick Farm, Devils Lane, Longsdon.
Details had been received that a planning application for outline permission for a dwelling on land adjacent to Prospect House Farm, Sutherland Road would be considered by Staffs. Moorlands Planning Committee on 5th. July 2018. Details of opportunities to speak at the meeting were outlined.
23/18. Finance Matters.
It was reported that the Council’s insurance had been renewed.
The External Audit Exemption Certificate had been sent in and acknowledged. The Annual Accounts had been audited by the usual Internal Auditor who had reported that he had worked to the requirements outlined in Section 4 of the Annual Return and had found that the Council’s internal checking and control systems in place are effective. The records and accounts maintained are kept to a high standard and in good order. There were no matters which needed to be brought to the attention of the Council.
Section 1. Annual Governance Statement 2017/2018.
The Annual Governance Statement for the year was perused and approved unanimously.
Section 2. Accounting Statement 2017/2018.
The Accounting Statement for the year was perused and approved unanimously.
All the accounting information would now be published on the Council’s website.
It was reported that the amendment to the Data Protection Bill had passed through parliament and there would now be no need for the Council to appoint a Data Protection Officer. There would also be no need for each Councillor to register as Data Controller unless they held parishioner’s surgeries.
The Chairman offered to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office if further information was required.
24/18. Orders for Payment.
It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-
| Recipient | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Wheel. | £25.00 | Room Hire. |
| John Bourne. | Clerk's salary | |
| John Bourne. | £65.62 | Clerk’s Expenses. |
| H.M. Revenue & Customs. | £65.00 | P.A.Y.E. |
25/18. Public Comment.
There was no business under this item.
26/18. Any Other Business.
Most of the business under this item was incorporated in the minutes above.
Reports of further potholes were mentioned and Councillor Lovell offered to compile a list and report these directly to Staffs. County Council.
27/18. Date of Next Meeting.
The date of the next meeting of the Council was arranged for Thursday 23rd. August 2018 at 7 – 00p.m. in the upstairs room of The Wheel public house, Leek Road, Longsdon.
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Minutes of Meeting held in the upstairs room of The Wheel on Thursday 3rd. May 2018.
Present: Councillor J. Sargeant (Chair).
Councillors T. Beastall, B. Bromley, R. Lovell, D. Sargeant, K. Shaw & S. R. Weston.
In Attendance: District Councillor N. Hawkins.
John Bourne, Clerk to the Council.
Three members of the public.
1/18. Apologies for Absence.
There were no apologies for absence.
2/18. Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest at this point.
3/18. Chairman’s Address.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
4/18. Public Comments.
District Councillor Hawkins gave details of the ongoing situation with the Local Plan, the meeting at Staffs. Moorlands being held this evening on the Data Protection Act, proposed boundary changes for Parliamentary elections and also discussions on the large costs of elections imposed on Parish Councils.
Two members of the public gave details of their objections to a planning application for the erection of a single dwelling on land adjacent to Prospect House Farm, Sutherland Road, Longsdon. The Chairman thanked them for the input and informed them that the application would be discussed later in the meeting.
Another member of the public asked whether Longsdon could commence the procedure to adopt a Neighbourhood Plan. It was explained that this was a lengthy and costly process and, in any case, the whole of the village was classed as green belt.
5/18. Minutes of Last Meeting.
The minutes of the meeting held on 8th. March 2018 had been circulated and it was agreed that they be signed as a true and correct record.
6/18. Matters Arising.
The Electoral Office of Staffs. Moorlands District Council had been informed of the co-option of Beverley Bromley onto the Council and her details had been sent in.
The repairs to renew the support post to the “Longsdon” village sign previously situated near to the Leek boundary were still ongoing.
A letter had been sent to the owner of the land where the reported dangerous situation with a damaged / missing fence in Micklea Lane, opposite the entrance to Sandy Lane, and the fence had immediately been replaced. It was agreed to send a letter of thanks for the prompt attention to the matter.
Further mention was made of the dangerous situation with the state of the old New Inn building. It was agreed to write to Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s Building Control Department pointing out the dangers.
7/18. Correspondence.
Information received included:
Availability of grant aid from Staffs. Moorlands District Council for help to mark the centenary of the end of World War One.
2018 National Rural Crime Survey from Staffs. Police Commissioner’s Office until 10th. June 2018 – posted on notice boards.
Results of Rights of Way Survey from Staffs. County Council Request to recycle used postage stamps for UK AIR Ambulance Service – posted on notice board.
Message from the Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police.
Message from “Beat the Cold” re support for off-gas properties.
8/18. Planning Matters.
The following planning applications had been distributed to Councillors, due to the time frame, and it had been agreed, with two abstentions, to forward no objections to:
SMD/2018/0145 Proposed New Detached Dwelling on land adjacent to High View, Sutherland Road, Longsdon.
Councillor Shaw had not been consulted on this application as he had a pecuniary interest in the matter and therefore took no part in the deliberations.
Mark Trillo, the Standards Officer at Staffs. Moorlands District Council had been consulted on the matter as the application had been submitted by a fellow Parish Councillor.
The following planning application was considered:
SMD/2018/0231 Outline Permission for Erection of Single Dwelling & Garage, including access and layout.
with all other matters reserved on land at Prospect House Farm, Sutherland Road, Longsdon.
It was agreed to OBJECT to this application on the grounds that the site is NOT an infill site and is IN the Green Belt with no exceptional circumstances for approval.
9/18. The Data Protection Regulation.
The Chairman reported that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from the EU is due to come into force on 25th. May 2018. In the UK a third version of the Data Protection Bill is being used to determine how GDPR is to be applied here.
As it stands there is a requirement for all public authorities, including parish meetings and parish councils to appoint a Data Protection Officer, a post demanding a certain level of training and expertise.
Some organisations offer the services of a DPO on an as needed basis and while fees vary an annual cost of around £350 – 00 seems common.
Very recently the Government has tabled an amendment to its own Data Protection Bill to exempt all parish and town councils and parish meetings in England from the requirement to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) under the General Data Protection Regulation.
If agreed by the House of Lords and the House of Commons then it seems common sense will prevail.
This Council does not keep any personal information that would be considered a filing system. The Data Protection Act defines a Filing System as any structured set of personal data which is accessible according to strict criteria, whether held by automated means or manually and whether centralised, decentralised or dispersed on a functional or geographical basis.
The key is in the data being “Structured” and ours is not.
While other measures from the GDPR regarding safeguarding of information will still apply to us we will need to be seen to be doing the right thing. He was hopeful that we will not incur the unreasonable cost of a Data Protection Officer.
He suggested that we wait to see the outcome of the government’s amendment before deciding any specific course of action.
He thanked the Clerk for keeping the Council informed about the GDPR’s progress, the new proposed amendment and how it might affect our Council.
10/18. Finance Matters.
Two half yearly payment for the Staffs. Moorlands District Council’s lengthsman scheme had been applied for and payments received.
Insurance premium renewal notice for 1st. June 2018 had been received from Zurich Municipal in the sum of £328 – 22. As this figure was only very slightly more than last years’ premium no other quotation was requested. It was agreed that this premium be paid.
A copy of the unaudited account for the last financial year was distributed to Councillors. It was agreed that the usual internal auditor be employed to audit the accounts.
Under the new system, as the Council’s turnover was less than £25,000 – 00, the Council could claim exemption from an external audit. It was agreed that this exemption be certified and the necessary form was duly signed the Responsible Financial Officer and the Chairman and would be forwarded to the external audit firm.
11/18. Orders for Payment.
It was unanimously agreed that the following items be paid:-
| Recipient | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The Wheel. | £25.00 | Room Hire. |
| A. Bridgwood. | £131.75 | Agency Work. |
| Smith of Derby. | £264.00 | Maintenance of St. Chad’s Church Clock. |
| Zurich Municipal. | £328.22 | Insurance Premium. |
| John Bourne. | Clerk's Salary | |
| John Bourne. | £82.64 | Clerk’s Expenses. |
| H.M. Revenue & Customs. | £58.00 | P.A.Y.E. |
12/18. Public Comment.
There was no business under this item.
13/18. Any Other Business.
It was agreed to employ Proctor’s Nursery to replant the flower tubs around the village together with replacing the remainder of the tubs not replaced last year.
The following items were outlined for attention:
Excessive litter in Dunwood Lane. ) to be reported Benches in Sutherland Road and Micklea Lane. ) to the Blocked gully grating in Sutherland Road / Micklea Lane. ) lengthsman.
Pot hole in Micklea Lane. ) to be reported to Disintegrating footpath surface in Leek Road. ) the County Council.
Dangerous state of bus shelter opp. the old New Inn - to be reported to Staffs. Moorlands D.C.
14/18. Date of Next Meeting.
The date of the next meeting of the Council was arranged for Thursday 28th. June 2018 at 7 – 00p.m. in the upstairs room of The Wheel public house, Leek Road, Longsdon.
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