Minutes 28 September 2023

Meeting of Abbots Morton Parish Council at 8:00PM on Thursday 28th September 2023 at Abbots Morton Village Hall

Minutes 09/2023

Present: Martin Willingale (Chair), Martyn Walton, Jacqueline Allum & Nick Humphries

In attendance: Kerry Williamson (Clerk).

Parishioners: 0

 

  1. Chairman’s welcome and announcements

Martin Willingale opened the meeting.

 

  1. Apologies for absence

Karen Brighton (Councillor), Richard Whitlow (Vice-Chair), Tim Jones (Footpath Officer), Colin Pemberton (Village Hall Committee) & Ben Hurdman (Wychavon District Councillor).

 

  1. Declarations of Personal and Prejudicial Interest
  • Register of Interests

Noted.

  • Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Nil declared.

  • Other Disclosable Interests

Nil declared.

  • Dispensations

None.

 

  1. Open Session

The meeting was adjourned for the open session.

  • District Councillors

The following information had been received:

The rural advisory panel met last week and have set out some of their priorities for the forthcoming term. 

One of the speakers at this meeting was a housing officer who has assured us that work is being done to help encourage people with local links to be allocated social housing in a preferential order. 

Secondly, we are working on rural crime and anti-social behaviour after a spate of flytipping incidents recently. It is important to use the ‘report-it’ tool on the Wychavon website which reports directly to the officer and from my own experience in Cookhill has worked. We will hope to run a social media campaign shortly to encourage people to use contractors with a registered waste carrier licence and proper insurance to try and discourage fly tipping. 

Lastly as of today the South Worcestershire Development Plan has been submitted to the government. 

  • County Councillor

No report was available.

  • Village Hall Committee

The following written report had been received:

The high spot of the year so far was the hugely successful and entertaining evening on 8th September: A Living history of Abbots Morton.  

81-year –old Doris Gisbourne and her twin brother, John Hulse, together with Marion Malin and her sister Pat Roles, recounted memories of past life in Abbots Morton to a packed village hall. In a remarkable and memorable night, we heard about local places like Knob Squintum and The Ossle; we had tales of ghosts and secret tunnels.  Thanks, too, for all the contributions and questions from a full house of residents not just from Abbots Morton but also from neighbouring parishes.

New Pilates Class

A new Pilates Class is now well established on Tuesday nights from 6.15pm 7pm. It’s run by Sally Morris from Bishampton, an experienced fitness tutor.  It’s now been running through August and two weeks in September and is booked in throughout October

Yoga

Our Monday and Friday morning yoga classes are also running successfully, bringing in valuable regular income.

Community Coffee Mornings

The first Tuesday of each month between 10am and 12 noon is now a permanent fixture in the Village Hall diary for the Community Coffee Morning.

This coming Tuesday’s Coffee Morning will be special in two ways:

  • we will host a visit from the chairman of Wychavon District Council on his Golden Anniversary tour of the district
  • we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of our current village hall..!

Bookings

The Whitlow Family hired the hall for the day for use as a changing room for wedding guests travelling from afar and for the guests to use the car park.

St Peter’s Church is holding its traditional Harvest Supper on Friday October 6th. There is a maximum of 50 people. We already have 26 people booked in.

We have a children’s party coming up this weekend (30th Sept)

In mid-October we will host a promotional dance workshop for Helena Mitchell.

Next Year we are provisionally booked out as a Polling station in May for the election of the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner. It’s on Thursday May 2nd. (Could this be the date of the General Election???)

Smart Meter

A smart meter was being installed this morning (28th Sept) as part of our programme to monitor electricity costs.

Committee Members needed

Anyone who would like to be involved in running the village hall would be warmly welcomed by the   Village Hall Management Committee.  Meetings are roughly once every six weeks. Please contact the Chair, Lynne Pemberton on 07900 246413 or any of the current committee members (Sarah Dykes, Pat and Martin Willingale and Colin Pemberton).

Newsletter

Our quarterly newsletter goes out either by email or on paper to all in the community, except for those who’ve said they don’t want one. The Autumn newsletter is currently being put together and will go out in October or November.

Colin Pemberton, Trustee and PRO

 

  • Footpaths Officer

Nothing to report.

  • Public participation

0 Parishioners in attendance, no participation.

The meeting resumed following the open session.

 

  1. To consider and adopt the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on the 27th July 2023

It was RESOLVED to adopt the minutes as a true record, and they were duly signed by the Chair.

 

  1. Planning: To consider the following planning applications to be determined by Wychavon District Council:
  • W/22/00711/FUL & W/22/00968/LB: To receive an update on Manor Farm, Abbots Morton Road, Abbots Morton, Worcester, WR7 4NA. Conversion of barn to dwelling and erection of car port, to include raised drive and dropped kerb. Application restarted due to revised information being received.

No updates available, pending decision.

  • W/23/00703/HP: Hathaway Three, Abbots Morton Road, Abbots Morton, Worcester, WR7 4NA. Rear two storey extension, side two storey extension together with front porch extension. Approved by Wychavon District Council.

Noted.

  • W/23/01514/LB (Clerk’s delegation): To note comments submitted between scheduled meetings: Tudor Cottage, Abbots Morton Road, Abbots Morton, Worcester, WR7 4NA. Removal of non-breathable black paint from interior timber frame.

Noted. Pending decision.

  

  1. Public Rights of Way and Highways
  • PROW maintenance and obstruction issues: To consider and review.

No issues to report.

  • Lengthsman Scheme: To receive an update and to consider any items for the Lengthsman’s work schedule.

Cllr Walton would like to speak to the Lengthsman about kerbside weeds, Clerk to arrange. Clerk to ask Lengthsman to strim the bank on the Green and cut hedges around the Postbox on the eastern side of the village.

  • Flooding: To consider issues relating to highway drainage on the C2010, Abbots Morton Village Road.

Cllr Willingale met with Barry Barnes (Worcestershire County Council (WCC) Highways) and Liam Gormley (Wychavon District Council). They followed the drain through the village to the ditches out to Piddle Brook to check for bottlenecks. WCC have put in an order for a regular roadside drain with a bigger pipe but date for works is unknown. Also, a broken pipe further up the system is also due to be fixed. Clerk to send an email to Barry for an update on possible dates for work to commence.

 

  1. Progress reports
    • Councillor vacancies

It was noted that there is one vacancy on the Parish Council and enquiries from parishioners were welcomed.

  • Division Boundaries for Worcestershire.

It was noted that there is no change to the boundary for Abbots Morton.

  • Community Funding Opportunities

Cllr Willingale has discussed funding opportunities with the Village Hall Committee, regarding solar panels to reduce electricity costs at the hall. Unfortunately, the Village Hall does not have sufficient funds required to match funding, so there are no relevant funding opportunities at this time.

  • Police

It was noted that there are no updates/results from the Town & Parish survey available yet.

 

  1. Parish matters for discussion/decision
  • Neighbourhood Watch

It was RESOLVED that the leaflet drop would be completed during the second week in November.

  • Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue

Councillors completed the questionnaire, Clerk to submit online.

  • 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings (6th June 2024)

No events planned.

  • Wychavon District Council Chairman visit to Village Hall

Councillors were reminded that the Chairman will visit during the Community Coffee morning on Tuesday 3rd October. The visit would coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Village Hall. Cllr Willingale proposed a £100 contribution to help fund the coffee morning, which was AGREED by all Councillors present. Clerk to inform Colin Pemberton and transfer £100 to the Village Hall Committee.

  • Clerk Annual Leave

Clerk’s request for annual leave was APPROVED.

 

  1. Finance
  • Budget expenditure: To consider and approve.

It was RESOLVED to approve the budget expenditure.

  • Bank reconciliation: To consider and approve.

It was RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation.

  • Invoices: To approve the following invoices for payment:
    • Martyn Walton (Jubilee tree) (payment made by between meetings): £44.90
    • Kerry Williamson (August and September salary and expenses): £548.04
    • Carl Brassington (Lengthsman): £320
    • Abbots Morton Village Hall booking – £27
    • Wychavon District Council (Uncontested elections costs): £50

It was RESOLVED to settle the above invoices. Clerk to set up the payments to then be authorised by Cllr Humphries.

 

  1. Correspondence
  • Worcestershire CALC: CALC Update 23-09.

The above update was noted.

  • Worcestershire CALC: Quarterly Meeting of the Wychavon Area of the Worcestershire CALC invite.

The above invite was noted. Cllr Willingale was unable to attend.

  • Worcestershire CALC: D-Day 80th Anniversary (6th June 2024) event guide.

The above guide was noted.

  • Worcestershire CALC: Worcestershire CALC AGM 2023.

The above AGM was noted.

  • Wychavon District Council: Visit from the Chairman of Wychavon District Council.

The above visit was noted and covered in agenda item 9.4.

  • Wychavon District Council: New Street Trader

The above application was noted, no further action required.

  • Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): Renewal reminder.

The above renewal was noted. Clerk to confirm the cost to renew.

  • The Pensions Regulator: Pension re-enrolment.

The above communication was noted. Clerk to action.

  • Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service: Understanding of Risk consultation

The above communication was noted, and the questionnaire was completed under agenda item 9.2.

 

  1. Councillors’ reports and items for the next agenda

The lighting of the Christmas Tree article for the ARCH messenger was discussed – Clerk to include the date, time and details in the November issue of the ARCH messenger. Friday 1st December at 6.30pm, refreshments provided. As Christmas tree costs are high this year, donations towards the cost will be greatly received.

 

  1. Date of the next meeting

The next scheduled meeting is at 8:00PM on Thursday 23rd November 2023.

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