Annual Parish Meeting held at 7.30PM on Thursday 22nd May 2025 at Abbots Morton Village Hall
DRAFT Minutes
Present: Martin Willingale (Parish Council Chair), Nick Humphries (Parish Councillor), Martyn Walton (Parish Councillor) and Pat Willingale (Village Hall Committee Secretary).
In attendance: Kerry Williamson (Clerk).
Parishioners: 0
- Chairman’s welcome and announcements
Martin Willingale opened the meeting and welcomed attendees.
- Apologies for absence
Jacqueline Allum (Parish Councillor), Richard Whitlow (Parish Councillor) and Ben Hurdman (District Councillor).
- To approve the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on the 23rd May 2024
It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record, and they were duly signed by the Chair.
- Matters arising from those minutes (if any)
There were no matters arising.
- To receive a report from the District Councillors
Ben Hurdman provided the following report to be shared at the meeting:
Digital Fundraising for Town/Parish Councils and Village Halls
The first three months of this year has seen Wychavon’s Communities Team partner with the Directory of Social Change to provide a series of training sessions for town/parish councils and village halls around digital fundraising.
Each session built on the previous one to explore approaches to improving local engagement and fundraising opportunities. Topics have included:
- Identifying and Putting Your Resources to Work
- Understanding Your Community
- Communicating Effectively with Your Community for Effective Fundraising
Fundraising has become increasingly challenging within the voluntary sector and how to grapple with these challenges to support local projects is of vital importance. The Communities Team continue to offer support, advice and guidance to make sure communities are able to keep their spaces accessible and sustainable.
Community Youth Projects
As part of our new promise to develop five new community youth projects in rural areas some new detached work is taking place. YMCA Worcestershire will be out and about in rural areas across the district over the next year to check in with young people and find out what is going on for them in their local area. Detached workers will be targeting identified areas for around six weeks to engage with young people and encourage local communities to start a youth project. Volunteers can also access the training and support needed to help them get a new youth project off the ground. For more information about this exciting community resource please contact robin.mace@wychavon.gov.uk
Planning & SWDPR
A backlog of planning applications has started to form due to the planning application fee increase on 1 April which resulted in a large increase of planning applications prior to the fee increase. The fee increase, combined with Easter annual leave, Bank Holiday and other unavoidable absences have had an impact but the team continue to work extremely hard to process as many planning applications as possible, alongside completing all other duties.
The final week of the Public Examination commenced on the 29 April to discuss the remaining strategic policies and the development management policies within Matter 15 (Policies for Climate Change, Resource Management and Environmental Quality) and Matter 16 (Policies for Transport, Green Infrastructure, Historic Environment, Tourism, Leisure and Community Facilities). Both of these matters were concluded on the first day, and the Hearings were closed for now. The Planning Inspectors raised the prospect of a further hearing session in the week commencing 8th September to consider further work on ecology (curlew surveys) and transportation, which is currently underway regarding the strategic allocation at Mitton.
All the latest news, evidence and representations can be viewed on the examination webpage: https://www.localplanservices.co.uk/swdpreview
Rural Grant
The Wychavon Rural Grant has now reopened all information can be found on the Wychavon website. This is open for local community projects or local businesses. The application end date has been extended until 9th June, if you can publicise this it would be most appreciated.
- To receive a report from the County Councillor
No report provided.
- To receive a report from the Parochial Church Council
The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley provided the following 2024 annual report to be shared at the meeting:
Incumbent The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley
Pioneer Deacon The Revd Dr Chris Sheehan
Licensed Lay Minister Pippa Heenan
Church Architect Churchwarden
John Middleton, Nick Joyce Architects Limited Vacant
Number on Electoral Roll: 14 (December 2024)
Average Weekly attendance: Adults 0 Children
Parochial Church Council
The Parochial Church Council of St Peter’s, Abbots Morton is a charity exempted from registration with the Charity Commission.
It aims to cooperate with the incumbent in promoting in the parish the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical (PCC (Powers) Measure 1956)
Members
Incumbent The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley
Pioneer Deacon (ex-officio) The Revd Chris Sheehan
LLM (ex-officio) Pippa Heenan
Churchwarden Vacant
Deanery Synod rep Vacant
Elected members Roma Jones, Tim Jones, Guy Ledger, Lynda Payne, Colin Pemberton, Lynne Pemberton,
Honorary Treasurer: Tim Jones
Electoral Roll Officer: Lynne Pemberton
Honorary Secretary: Colin Pemberton
PCC members are appointed in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. The Incumbent, Church Wardens and Deanery Synod Representatives are ex-officio members of the PCC. Other members are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) or co-opted during the year.
Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP 2015 (FRS 102).
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements.
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud or other irregularities.
The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information included on the charity’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Review and thanks for the Year 2024
Our incumbent Richard confirmed that his last service before retiring would take place on 6 July 2025, so plans were put in place for preparing for his departure. The ARCH Co-ordinating Group comprising members from across the Benefice have met regularly to discuss the next steps. A useful by-product is the growing camaraderie of this group and plans are afoot to keep up future meetings to encourage cross parish support.
We were encouraged to hear from the Archdeacon that Richard will be replaced, and we will not be amalgamated with another Benefice in the immediate future. This is as a result of the level of Mission Share which the Benefice has paid towards the Diocesan expenses.
Pippa Heenan our Licensed Lay Minister has played a growing part in taking services alongside Richard both in Abbots Morton and other parishes in the Benefice. She generously hosted our Harvest Supper in October which was again a great success.
We are also blessed in this Benefice with Chris Sheehan our Pioneer Deacon, a retired Bishop Robert Paterson and three retired priests The Revds David, Gerry Foster and Steve Tilley who also help with leading services.
Services
We confirmed in May last year that we will continue to have only two services a month, generally with a Communion Service on the second week and a Morning Service on the fourth week and share in hosting a Benefice-wide service when there’s fifth week in the month.
We have had a range of distinctive services through the year we hosted a combined with Rous Lench Mothering Sunday service in March, a Rogation service in May, a Benefice service in June, Harvest Thanksgiving in October, a combined with Rous Lench Remembrance in November led by Pippa with David Bullock reading the names, Carol and Gift with visiting speaker from Action for Children and well received 9.00 pm Christmas Eve Eucharist in December.
A benefice wide All Souls Service to commemorate those who’ve died during the year was held at Harvington on Nov 2nd.
Our thanks to Roma Jones and Jackie Allum for putting up and decorating the NEW artificial Christmas tree in church. The Tree was bought through the generous donation from Margaret Brewster in memory of her husband Terry and our long serving Treasurer.
The lights on the Parish Council’s Christmas Tree on the village green were switched on 6th December by The Reverend Canon Richard Thorniley who was honoured to have been given the task, and, as previously, the church was pleased to provide electricity for the lights without any charge.
Carols on the Green was a very enjoyable gathering and a record collection raised £105 for the Flower Fund, used for purchasing flowers/plants for those who’ve been hospitalised or are in need of support.
St Peter’s is open every day and many entries in the visitors’ book show how grateful people are for that. To enhance the visitor experience and to remind people that St Peter’s is a place of prayer Jackie and Stephen Allum at the invitation of the PCC set up a prayer corner in the church which is also well received. We thank everyone in the community who give of their time to open and unlock the church and we thank Lynda Payne for organising the locking rota.
The PCC
The PCC, the Parochial Church Council, urgently needs more members. Guy Ledger has recently joined our PCC meetings which are held in the evenings once every two months via Zoom. The PCC plans and carries out developments to the church and churchyard, organises fundraising activities and contributes to the forms of service used. The current members of the PCC are the Rector, Rev Richard Thorniley, Lynne Pemberton, Colin Pemberton, (PCC secretary) Roma Jones, Tim Jones (Treasurer), Guy Ledger and Lynda Payne. Lynne Pemberton decided for reasons of ill health to stand down from being Churchwarden but agreed to remain on the PCC for which we are most grateful.
The new church gates installed in memory of Kevin Clarke now have a commemorative plaque, Pippa and Guy added tarmac to the church path to smooth the entrance at the top of the steps making it less of a trip hazard. Plans, specification and quotations for redecorating the church were drawn up under the professional guidance of John Middleton the church architect ready for the PCC to take forward.
Events
On 29th June a Pilgrimage Walk was held during Flower Festival weekend. Starting at Harvington and ending via lovely pathways at Abbots Morton with a stop for lunch at Church Lench. This walk was repeated on 17 August when we had a visit from our link church based in the Diocese of Magdeburg but the other way round.
Flower Festival.
The Flower Festival Lunch 2024 was a lighter touch ‘Bring and Share’ which took place in the Village Hall. It was a new experience for many – and provided a novel picnic experience for those who came along.
The festival: Lynne particularly praised Roma who had worked so hard on organising it. The flower arrangements were almost all made without using Oasis, in line with our environmentally friendly policy not to use non-biodegradable materials. A nice touch was to have flowerpots on the steps.
Harvest Festival
Harvest Supper: A total of £1065 was made. Pippa Heenan was thanked for stepping in and making the food with Nicki Massey and Roma Jones. Lynne and Colin although unable to attend made sure along with others that it was a full house through a lot of rustling up the locals.
Thanks & Goodbyes
Standing down from the PCC: Tim and Roma informed us that through the successful sale of their house and with plans to move out of the parish they gave us warning of their plans to step down from the PCC. The news was received with regret at their leaving and thanks offered for their faithful service over many years to St Peter’s in a variety of roles – including being Treasurer and overseeing the churchyard and wonderful church spring cleaners!
Roma recruited Tina Hill to take over Flower rota and flower fund oversight.
We also had the news that Terry Brewster our long-standing previous Treasurer died in November. It was a mercifully gentle end to a man who was loved and respected and along with his wide Margaret great stalwarts in the community. His funeral at the Vale crematorium involved his beloved Lagonda being used as a hearse – it was impressive.
Churchyard
New hedge: In January Roma Jones purchased and John and Janet Hulse planted an extension to the hedge along the northern boundary of the churchyard to enhance the wildlife opportunities,
Steps: The stone steps to the churchyard continue to be a challenge. Overhanging trees have been professionally pruned to reduce leaf drop in Autumn and we bought a grit box for use in winter. Anyone can scoop out some grit and strew on the steps in icy weather.
Grass Cutting: The churchyard is regularly strimmed by Smartcut. The average cost is substantial but a decision in Parliament may help us. Legislation has been amended to allow local councils to make payments to churches and it may be that our parish council could help with grass cutting costs in future. No application has been made to date and we are not hopeful of success as the Parish Council has limited funds.
Conservation Areas: Leylandii Trees. The PCC has plans to professionally prune the Leylandii trees at the eastern edge of the churchyard which are overgrown. We are in regular consultation with the nearest affected resident, Peter Duck at Church View. It was believed the row of trees were probably planted in the 1960s. We still need to get quotes for this work.
Deanery Synod
Jack Hegarty representative from Harvington reports. Meetings were held in March and July 2024.
In addition, an Open Deanery Service was held in November at All Saints Church in Evesham led by our new Archdeacon, Mark Badger reflecting on our journey together towards the light.
At the meeting on 13th March there was a varied agenda which included a presentation by Alison Maddocks (the Dean of Smaller Churches) on the topic of ‘Simplifying the Parish’ – with suggestions for making the governance of parishes less onerous, reflecting on situations where clergy roles can be very stretched and lay roles are duplicated. This generated much debate and questions.
A paper prepared by Jack Hegarty had been circulated prior to the meeting emphasising that this Deanery will be taking the greater share of the new housing planned for South Worcestershire, some of which will include significant numbers including Worcester Parkway with up to 10,000 homes and Throckmorton 5000 homes. These large developments over the next decade will have huge social impact. Archdeacon Mark Badger is having meetings with developers and is looking at what could be done ecumenically.
A further agenda item related to eco-champions and the fact that many churches in the Deanery had achieved eco awards.
The meeting on 23rd July at St Andrews Centre, Pershore focused on new worshipping communities with a presentation from Kim Brown (the new Diocesan New Communities Enabler). Kim referred to an excellent CofE resource for introducing a short period of informal worship entitled ‘How to introduce worship into an outreach or social action group’.
Finally, the Rous Lench solar panels project was showcased to those present and the huge efforts to bring forward this ambitious scheme.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding officer for the Arch Benefice, Jill Francis writes:
The Parochial Church Council has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to comply with the House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children, young persons and vulnerable adults).
- There have been no reported Safeguarding concerns during the last year.
- All new volunteers are encouraged to complete online Safeguarding Awareness Training and existing volunteers are reminded to refresh their Safeguarding Awareness Training every three years. This training can now be completed online using the Diocesan Safeguarding website.
- During the last year ten people from the Benefice have engaged in Safeguarding Awareness Training on the Diocesan Portal and received certificates.
- From January 2024 all DBS criminal checks have to be caried out every three years (formerly five years). This will be a time-consuming task for the PSO.
- The Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) has continued to review and update information onto the Diocesan Parish Dashboard. This online facility shows evidence of our church’s progress in implementing required procedures for a Safer Church and also shows where we still need to improve. It can be viewed by the Diocese at any time.
- A further update this year is the news that The Church of England began (in January 2024) a new three-year programme of Safeguarding Audits for Dioceses and Cathedrals. Auditors visited the Worcester Diocese in July 2024 and were highly impressed by the progress being made in our dioceses’ churches and parishes towards safer church environments and recruitment and our emphasis on Safeguarding Awareness Training.
Future of St Peter’s
It was a year of quietly ministering and offering spiritual succour to the community and visitor. The challenge remains with dwindling numbers of Sunday church attendance how to keep worship viable this will be decisions for future PCCs, but the building is essentially in good order though redecorating is required to make it a welcoming place in the long term. It is a jewel well worth polishing.
Summary
It has been a steady as you go year, and the year ahead has its challenges as we change incumbents and face a period of being in interregnum. Abbots Morton is privileged to be part of a benefice that offers love and opportunity and in a most glorious setting. We need to recruit more members to the PCC and into our worshipping community.
Richard Thorniley, Rector St Peter’s PCC
- To receive a report from the Village Hall Committee
Pat Willingale (Village Hall Committee Secretary) shared the following report on behalf of the Village Hall Committee:
This annual Village Hall Committee report is very different from that of last year. As you all know, our dear friend and Village Hall stalwart, Colin Pemberton, very unexpectedly passed away at the end of February, leaving an enormous hole in the Committee as Colin filled two roles – that of Bookings AND Publicity Officer, and Lynne, his wife, our Chair. Our AGM went ahead in March, with Sarah Dykes, who no longer lives in the Village, magnificently stepping up to act as temporary Chair, as well as Treasurer, with Lynne’s blessing. The fate of the Village Hall Committee was not looking too bright but at the AGM several villagers stepped forward and offered their help and time, enabling the Committee to continue to serve the Village, and keep our Hall open for business. New members and Trustees of the Committee are Sue Bunce, Bookings Officer, Debra Carew-Cox, Publicity Officer, and Tina Hill, general Committee member, and Martin Willingale resumes his role as Parish Council representative. We are also very fortunate that many villagers have offered to be ‘Friends’ of the Village Hall – around 19 people willing to help if required but not be official members of the Committee. We are grateful indeed and looking forward to the future. Several events are being planned for 2025.
Tight hold continues to be kept on the Hall’s finances. Electricity charges remain our biggest expense, and in November Sarah arranged a new contract with our supplier, which certainly helped. Only essential Hall maintenance is carried out, and we are grateful to our ‘Friends’ and volunteers who have helped with keeping the grounds in good order. Expenses still unfortunately exceed income, and at the end of November 2024, at Sarah’s suggestion, we held a Christmas Fayre for the first time since pre-Covid days raising around £300 for Hall funds.
Amy Hoang-Jone’s Monday morning Yoga class has continued, and we are happy to report that there is now a Thursday morning class as well, and Amy held a single Sunday Yoga Workshop last month. Andrew Lowe’s popular Tai-Chi Wednesday morning classes also continue. We are thankful for our regular hirers. At the beginning of April, the Hall welcomed the 6-week Arty Farky Art Class, with Charli Farquharson, and we are hopeful that this may continue in the future. In addition to regulars, we have had some children’s parties, and funeral/wake bookings from A Natural Undertaking, plus Lent Courses in the ARCH Benefice, Buddhist Group Discussion Sessions, and the extremely welcome May Local Elections, when the Hall is used as a Polling Station.
Our very popular Community Coffee Mornings still take place on the first Tuesday of every month – the new Committee members have helped us to carry on this event, one that was so dear to Colin Pemberton’s heart, and the gathering on March 3rd was a celebration of Colin’s life. The Committee was very grateful for the donation received from the Parish Council for the successful VE Day 80th Anniversary Coffee Morning.
So, the Village Hall Committee has managed to continue its activities, and we hope to encourage more interest in this precious Village asset. Lynne Pemberton has now stepped down from her role as Chair, and Sarah Dykes will continue in the role of Chair/Treasurer for the time being.
Please support us all you can!
Pat Willingale
Secretary AMVH
- To receive the Annual Report of the Parish Council by the Chairman
Cllr Martin Willingale provided the following report:
The Parish Council has had another active year.
Martyn Walton did a great job in replacing the Queen’s Jubilee plaque at the east end of
the loop. A much more substantial frame and higher than the previous one that fell foul
of the verge cutting!
The interest in erecting a mobile telephone tower in the area came to naught as other
areas had greater populations.
Our Footpaths Officer, Tim Jones, resigned as he relocated to Alcester. Our thanks to him
for this and all the other help he has given to the parish over the years. We were very
pleased to have Ann Clayden take over the role. Her training now complete, Ann has
made a great start!
A new grit bin was installed south of the village green but almost immediately disappeared! After much chasing from our Clerk, a new one was in place for the winter.
Councillor Karen Brighton resigned during the year, our thanks for all her help and input
over the years and particularly for her work with Neighbourhood Watch while she was a
councillor.
Our Lengthsman, Carl Brassington, resigned and Jeremy Moore has taken on the task.
Our thanks to Carl and a welcome to Jeremy.
After being refused permission to build two houses at the Chalet by Wychavon the owner
appealed and was successful. Permission to build has now been granted. The new
government is making large strides to reduce barriers to building and this, along with
taxing the inheritance of family farms, may well become a great threat to rural areas and
lead to even more building in the area.
Graham Hobbs continues to do a great job in keeping the planters around the village as a
colourful welcome to residents and visitors. The wooden planter at the east of the village
has recently had some running repairs but may have to be replaced soon. Our thanks to
Graham for his continuing efforts.
After years of keeping the precept low and utilising our reserves to subsidise our budget
the council considered it was time to increase the precept to be much closer to our annual budget.
The lighting of the Christmas tree on the village green was, once again, a great success,
thanks Martyn yet again! This year the lighting was performed by The Reverend Canon
Richard Thorniley as this would be his last year before retirement and relocation in 2025.
The donations collected from the event was an amazing £276.56!
A huge shock came at the end of February 2025 with the sudden passing of Colin
Pemberton. He played such a large part in so many activities in the Village. We owe a great debt of gratitude to him for all the work he did for both the Village Hall and St. Peters
Church. Our thoughts are with his wife, Lynne. They were a great team. Vale of Evesham Community First Responders, a charity which provides emergency medical care until professional Ambulance Service
arrives, approached the Council with a funding request to help fund a ‘Grab Bag’ that could be used by volunteer Anthony Bunce who lives in the village. We thought that this would be a great opportunity for the
village and agreed to contribute a total of £500.
The May Village Hall Community Coffee Morning used part of the Wychavon VE day
funding and there was a great display of WW2 memorabilia on show. The event was well
attended and a great success.
BT have advised that they intend to remove the telephone service from the Telephone Box
on the village green due to lack of use. They will then lock the door. Other communities
have ‘adopted’ unused telephone boxes and this was available to us but there was little
interest from the Council mainly due to its Grade 1 listed status.
There have been two serious car accidents along the Alcester Road and after much
discussion and help from PC Fabian Gayle it was decided to copy a similar tactic
successfully used by Martin Hussingtree Parish, when parishioners signed a petition
asking for speed limits be reduced from 60mph to a 40mph. We are currently collecting
signatures for the speed limit on Alcester Road from Gooms Hill to Morton Spiert to be
reduced to 40mph.
It was only last year that we took part in the 50th anniversary celebrations of Wychavon
District Council and now the new Government has decreed that County and District
Councils will be dissolved and become a new Unitary Council! In the next three years
Worcestershire County Council is charged with combining all into one governing body!
During the recent county elections, the Reform Party won the most seats, (27 of 57), in
Worcestershire C.C. All the functions of Wychavon, such as planning and bin collections,
etc., will be transferred to the new Unitary Authority. We hope that our new County
Councillor, Satinder Bell of the Reform party, will keep us informed of the progress better
than our previous County Councillor!
My thanks, as always, to all the councillors for their time and effort during the year and also our District Councillor, Ben Hurdman for his regular reports. Kerry Williamson has
done a marvellous job as our Clerk and, I am very glad to say, decided to withdraw her
resignation and stick with us!
Martin Willingale
Chairman
- To receive a report on the Parish Council’s finances
The Parish Council’s 2024/25 accounts and audit paperwork would be published online shortly. A summary of the figures is as follows:
Opening balance 01/04/24: £ 9,432.22
Receipts for period 01/04/24 to 31/03/25: £ 6,090.10
Payments for period 01/04/24 to 31/03/25: £ 7,587.21
Closing balance 31/03/25: £ 7,935.11
VAT recoverable 01/04/24 to 31/03/25: £ 130.95
- To invite the public to raise any matters of interest
Pat Willingale (Village Hall Committee Secretary) thanked the Parish Councillors for their dedication to the Parish.
The meeting closed at 7:51PM.