A Meeting of Dorstone Parish Council was held in the OLD SCHOOL Hall Dorstone on Wednesday October 11th 2023 at 7-30pm

Present; Councillor A Phillips, Chairman, Councillor D Edmison, Councillor S Goodwin, Councillor B James, Councillor J Morgan & Mr C Hendy Clerk.

Apologies were received from; Councillor D Phillips, work commitment, Ward Councillor P Price, Golden Valley Police.

No declaration of Interest from members in any item to be discussed

The minutes of September 13th 2023, which had been circulated, were agreed

Update on the vacancy for parish councillor  
Information from Herefordshire Council, no request received to hold an election, fill the vacancy by co-option. Agreed notices to be displayed of the vacancy with a cut-off date of 1st November

Reports:
Neither Ward Councillor or Golden Valley Police in attendance.

Planning 
Application
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 232644 - 1 Dore View, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AJ 
DESCRIPTION: Proposed building for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse.
Passed to Councillor S Goodwin.
No letters of support or objection received, comments on Herefordshire Council website noted.
Some neighbours visited, others not in.

Councillors resolved to support the application.

Decision
APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 231569 - Millbrook Cottage, Dorstone, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6AP
DESCRIPTION: Demolition of existing garage. Proposed 2 bay garage with storage and annexe/studio/workroom above.
Permission granted, the proposed garage had now been changed to single storey, Councillors were disappointed no amended plans had been received

Finance
a)	Receive update on change of bank signatures.
Request from NatWest had not been received by primary signatories. Clerk to raise with the bank

Pay Clerks salary September 2023 £141.28

Payment authorised


Lengthsmen invoices just received, passed to Councillor A Phillips to confirm and authorise.
Half yearly financial statement had been circulated, councillors were briefed on current financial position of council.

Ponty-Weston stream
The clerk had received no reply from the contractor used before, Councillor James had managed to contact him, unavailable until December.
Another contractor had been found, site visit carried out, few issues identified, vegetation/tree bank opposite Brooklands, post rail fence insecure bank opposite Oaklands, awaiting quote but will probably be too late for work to be carried out this year.
Councillor A Phillips to inspect Brooklands bridge with lengthsmen for remedial work on vegetation removal.

Councillors Roles & Responsibilities;
a) Honorary Surveyor; Councillor A Phillips
b) Finance; Councillor D Phillips, Councillor J Morgan
c) Footpath Officer; Councillor D Edmiston, Councillor S Goodwin
d) Representative on the Hall Committee; Councillor D Edmiston
e) Restoration of Telephone Kiosk; Councillor A Phillips, to liaise with Mr T Arnott
f) Website, new host to obtain; Councillor B James
g) Relocation of bus stop signs; Councillor A Phillips
h) Planning Applications, ensuring neighbours are aware; Councillor S Goodwin

Wilmaston Woodland Management plan
Documentation received regarding a woodland management plan for Wilmaston Woodland, this had been circulated to councillors, displayed on parish website. With the recent concerns on deer on some of the roads the clerk had queried why deer fence will not be updated until year five, this was due to the felling to be carried out in the wood. Councillors raised no comments on the proposals

B4348, traffic, damage to verges, letter & photographs from Mr Thomas had been circulated. Main concerns were the damage to the verges between Pump House & Court House, damage to neighbour’s verge wall, occasional parking of vehicles on immediate neighbour’s drive, increased volume of traffic, suggest; sign indicating concealed entrance, traffic speed, reduction to 20mph on highway, speed limit sign on western end.
Councillors discussed the letter & noted the photographs, 
Speed, some of the councillors travel this road frequently, they indicated their speed less than 15mph
Agreed clerk to raise with Locality Steward, Balfour Beatty;

Verges, damage noted, lack of reflector posts, with photographs
Signage indicating concealed entrance, Pump House Pedestrian gate
Review of the signage by Playing Field & Old Railway Crossing

requesting information on the procedure for these concerns to be investigated. 


Broadband; Government Funding to bring Full Fibre Deployment in Peterchurch Telephone exchange area.
Government have launched a scheme to support local communities who do currently have access to Ultrafast Full Fibre and there are no current plans to build. Vouchers have been made available to eligible residential and commercial premises, covered by the exchange, which can be used towards the cost of providing fibre infrastructure. Information circulated to councillors, on Dorstone website & sent out by Openreach, who will be visiting the area shortly and keen to talk to individuals and groups.
Councillors discussed the information and the benefit to the parish of Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband. Agreed to ask the Hall committee if representatives of Openreach could attend a Friday social meeting at the end of October.
 
Herefordshire Council; Information circulated
      a) Partnership Information bulletin
      b) Talk Community
      
 Date of next meeting; November 8th 2023

No further business, the chairman thanked those who had attended & closed the meeting at 09-20pm


Signed………………………Councillor A Phillips
November 8th 2023