A meeting of Dorstone Parish Council was held in the Old School Hall Dorstone on
Wednesday 14th December 2022
Present; Councillor T Usher, Chairman, Councillor T Arnott, Councillor A Phillips & Mr C Hendy Parish Council Clerk.
Also, present Councillor J Hewitt, Ward Councillor for part of meeting, Mr & Mrs Wright for item on Tree Warden
Apologies; Councillor Aubrey-Cosslett, family commitment, Councillor D Phillips, Family commitment, Councillor E Wright, unwell
Minutes,
The minutes of November 9th 2022 having been circulated, were approved
Reports:
Ward Councillor, gave an update on Peterchurch Primary School new building, she had been assured this will go ahead, the group of resident’s appeal over the planning decision by Herefordshire Council, at The Bage, had been lost in the Court of Appeal. Ward Councillor will report back to Herefordshire Council the Parish Council were not receiving the council leader reports.
Golden Valley Police. December report circulated
Planning
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 223429 – Llanafon Cottage, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AT
DESCRIPTION: Proposed 3-bay garage with first floor home office to replace an existing barn structure
Application passed to Councillor T Arnott
Consultation period had been extended to December 15th
No letters of support or objection received.
After discussion councillors resolved to support the application
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 223057 - The Old Post Office, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AN
DESCRIPTION: Proposed demolition of existing garage building and erection of new garage building.
Application with Councillor Aubrey-Cosslett
No letters of support or objection received.
After discussion councillors resolved to support the application
b) Planning Decision
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: 223359 - Dorstone Methodist Chapel, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AP
DESCRIPTION: Change of use of existing holiday let to dwellinghouse
Permission granted with conditions
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 221904 - Cella Pegler Orchard, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AW
DESCRIPTION: Proposed two storey extension with link and alterations to existing dwelling
Permission granted with conditions
Work to Yew Tree, Pandy Inn
Trees in conservation area works can proceed
Work to tree, School House
Trees in conservation area works can proceed
Rural Settlement Hierarchy-Audit, presentation circulated.
Councillor Usher had attended the meeting, feedback was given on the recent questionnaires, discussion took place on development, good services, no school; standard growth, conservation area; reduced growth, small hamlet; low cost housing for locals, open countryside; no change, no new towns.
Local Plan, call for travellers & travelling show people houses/sites.
In the new Herefordshire Local Plan, need to include provision for new homes for Travellers and Travelling Show People. Latest evidence is a need at least 35 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers, and 9 additional Travelling Show People plots. These can be new sites, extensions to existing sites or increases in the number of pitches/plots within existing sites
Agricultural planning Supplementary document
Herefordshire Council are consulting on the Agricultural Planning Supplementary Planning Document (AP SPD) between 28 November 2022 and 23 January 2023.
The SPD includes the following:
a) An outline of the issues that may arise in relation to agricultural development. It is important that we do this because it will help developers submitting proposals for agricultural developments to improve the quality of associated information that may be required to support the planning application and therefore assist the decision-making process.
b) Provides a tool to determine the phosphate loading of a proposed development to inform the determination of planning applications within the River Wye Catchment. This is an innovative approach to include inform decision making.
At this time, the SPD is produced to supplement the policies of the adopted Core Strategy 2011-2031 and it can only apply to farming developments that require planning permission.
Herefordshire Council is committed to improving the quality of the County’s rivers and this SPD is one of a number of projects and policies that is seeking to address this. Despite this being an important issue to Herefordshire, it is not possible to introduce new policy approaches in SPD but there is opportunity to do this as part of the emerging Local Plan 2021-2041 and this SDP will form a useful evidence base for future policy development.
Finance
a) Pay Clerks salary November £128.44
b) Pay HMRC £96.36
Both payments authorised
c) Budget for 2023- 2024 & set precept
Budget discussed, the cost of hiring the hall will probably increase, no separate charge for electricity, payment meter removed, no decision yet. Whilst there was a potential overspend in the budget, this would largely depend on the elections in May, the council’s finances were good, agreed to set a precept of £6500 for 2023-2024.
d) Herefordshire Association Local Councils, recommended increase in Clerk salary by £1 hour backdated to April 1st. Agreed to defer to next meeting
e) Pension regulator information, every three years an employer must put certain staff back into a pension scheme. Dorstone Parish Council Dorstone do not have to enrol staff in pension due to hours worked/salary, declaration to complete by March 31st 2023
f) Talk Parish Budget Consultation 2023-2024 on 9th January, 7-00-8-30pm, via zoom
Tree Warden Mr & Mrs Wright were in attendance to discuss the volunteer tree warden role. They were thanked for taking on the role, a handbook on the role of a tree warden had been obtained & circulated to councillors. Mr & Mrs Wright would be given training from the Herefordshire Tree Warden network. Advice in the book included;
Tree Warden Scheme gives people who feel that trees matter an opportunity to champion their local trees and woods by carrying out or encouraging practical projects and involving their neighbours whenever possible. Community involvement is a central aim of the scheme. Volunteer Tree Wardens work closely with local authority officers and conservation bodies, who are fundamental to the scheme’s success – whether by co-ordinating local networks, offering practical advice or providing training. Tree Wardens are not expected to be experts – and they do not have any special powers. As a Tree Warden they should not: advise whether or not a tree is safe undertake practical work outside their ability or without appropriate permission, enter private land without the owner’s agreement attempt to handle tree disputes.
Mr & Mrs Wright raised the possibility of planting a tree on the village green, as this could affect those living around the green any proposal would have to be consulted on.
Ponty Weston stream cleaning under the bridges in the village. This is currently with Herefordshire Council seeking to clarify if an OWC is/is not required
Highways
a) Traffic Regulation Order to review the traffic management through The Bage.
Clifford parish council agreed to support the motion to review the traffic management through The Bage, Ward Councillor has raised with Herefordshire Council the speed limit is re-assigned from 40mph to 30mph on the B4348 through the Bage.
b) Overgrown hedge Dorstone Hill, locality steward reinspected the hedge yesterday, report received; “I am at this time of the opinion that none of these are impacting in the highway.
I am not totally sure what the problem reported by the Parishioner is but from a safety point of view the vegetation causes no issues. I will continue to monitor this”.
Councillors understood the parishioner was concerned when travelling in agriculture vehicles, the clerk to speak to the locality steward.
Herefordshire Council; Information circulated
a) Partnership Information bulletin
b) Talk Community
c) New Electoral register available to Councillors & Clerk
d) Big Economic Plan Consultation,
Herefordshire Council are working with partners from across the county to develop a new Big Economic Plan (2022-2050). The aim is to generate a practical vision, focussed priorities and clear actions for the first few years.
In order to develop the plan, they want to hear from a range of stakeholders across the county. To date, stakeholder engagement has included interviews and workshops with over 100 different people from community groups, young people’s groups, businesses, arts organisations, investors, NHS and elected members. On line questionnaire to be completed by Friday 6 January 2023.
Date of next meeting; January 11th 2023.
Chairman thanked those who had attended and closed the meeting at 09-20pm
Signed ……………………………… Councillor T Usher
January 11th 2023