A Remote Meeting of Dorstone Parish Council was held on Wednesday December 9th 2020 at 7-30pm
Present: Councillor T Usher, Chairman, Councillor M Hession, Councillor T Arnott, Councillor L Aubrey-Cosslett, Councillor B James, Councillor D Phillips, & Mr C Hendy Parish Council Clerk. 
 
Also present; Ward Councillor J Hewitt, two parishioners
 
Apologies; Councillor A Phillips, work commitment
 
Due to the Covid 19 crisis the Parish Council were meeting remotely. The displayed agenda indicated the link to the meeting.
 
No declaration of Interest from members on any item to be discussed made. The clerk declared an interest on his salary review.  
 
No representation from the Public. 
 
The minutes of the meeting, November 11th 2020, having been circulated was approved.
 
The clerk reported Councillor Aubrey-Cosslett had sent an email on 11th November at 19.20; she was unable to attend the meeting, on holiday. Clerk had accessed the email post meeting & forwarded to councillors.
 
Planning: 
Planning consultation 203862
Site address: Cooks Barn, Dorstone, Hereford. Herefordshire HR3 6AT
Description; Proposed erection of 3 bay timber framed carport/workshop for residential use
 
The application had recently been received & passed to Councillor B James. No letters of support or objection received. Councillor James reported he had been unable to contact immediate neighbours. Councillors discussed the application, noted there was no site plan, the clerk was requested to raise with the planning officer. Subject to the receipt of a site plan, no objections from the neighbours by December 23rd 2020 Councillors resolved to support the application.
 
Planning Consultation 204071
Site address; land at Wernagavenny, Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire. HR2 0PU
Description: The application seeks confirmation that Prior Approval under Class Q.2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development (England) (Amendment) Order 2018 is not required for the building operations reasonably necessary for the building to function as a dwelling
The site adjoins parish, Councillors agreed to make no comment
 
Neighbourhood planning meeting.

Reply had been received regarding the housing land figures for the parish; the 8 units at The Bage should have been included in the figures. The updated figures are:
 
Proportional growth: 21
Built 2011- 2020: 6
Commitments as at April 2020: 14
Residual: 1 
 
On Class Q developments – in accordance with the case law, there is limited influence that can be had on the design of the building if the proposal meets the requirements as set out in the general development order.
 
Reports, The ward councillor gave a verbal report and would send a written report after the meeting; Budget: savings of £16m = 10% of the total overall budget of the Council requested by central government, Minerals and Waste Plan, which includes an agricultural waste policy, is going before the council, consultation on The Future of Rubbish and Recycling in Herefordshire is now live. 
Grant of £1.6 m from the government’s ‘Get Building Fund’ is going to further NmiTe and the centre for automated manufacturing on the on the Enterprise Park.
Plans for affordable housing are progressing; the next stage in getting a new primary school for Peterchurchhas been reached. 
.
Police/Fire, December report circulated
 
Finance
      a) Clerks salary November £125
      b) HMRC £94.56
      c) Lengthsmen account £336
 
All payments authorised
 
Clerk Salary recommendation of National Association of Local Councils was to increase the Clerks salary by 2.75%, if approved to back date to April 1st
The clerk left the meeting whilst this was discussed; on return to the meeting informed the increase back dated to April 1st was approved. The Clerks salary would increase from £1875 to £1927
 
Parish Precept 2021-2022, Councillor Usher, Councillor Hession, Councillor D Phillips & the clerk had met and discussed the budget. They suggested the precept was £6500. Councillors discussed the precept for 2021-2022, noted cost the council had to pay for the election from reserves, need to replenish this money, increase money held in reserves, and meet the annual running cost of the Parish Council. Councillors agreed the precept should remain at £6500 for 2021-2022
 
Herefordshire Council On line budget consultation Councillor Usher and the clerk had attended with representatives from Herefordshire Council & parish councils in Golden Valley ward. Herefordshire Council were considering a council tax increase of 4.99%, maximum increase 2% with an additional 3% social care. Council could have a funding gap of 12m- £16m next year, spend on statutory is £162.03, non-statutory £8.537m 
 
Highways; 
    Update on replacing the Footpath Map. Balfour Beatty cannot provide a replacement map. Councillor Usher reported he had a copy of the displayed map, the ink quality was better; he would pass onto Councillor Arnott. 
 
Herefordshire Transport Strategy Review, decision circulated 
 
Fastershire Broadband grant, 35 people had registered, this was not quite enough to launch the project. Letters are being sent out with a closing return date of December 13th.
 
Police and Crime Commissioner
We don’t buy crime initiative is having a positive effect on crime figures in areas that are now SmartWater protected. The discounts are still in place till March 2021.
Currently police crime commissioner is supporting kit roll-outs by post so although community engagement is unable to progress due to Covid-19 – burglary protection remains our priority
What matters to You Zoom meeting to give communities the opportunity to hear about crime prevention, find out how they can help in reducing speeding where they live and to have a platform to raise general policing concerns was held on Wednesday 25th November. Information had been circulated.
Herefordshire Association Local Councils, information circulated.
 
Licensing Policy; Summary had been received & circulated, consultation date had not been extended.
 
Local Electricity Bill An invitation to a webinar had been received. The webinar, to explore the barriers facing community energy and explain the proposed solution in the Local Electricity Bill was being held via Zoom 9th December. As this clashed with the Parish Council Meeting Mr B Mclean agreed to attend & report back.
Councillor Usher had been looking how community energy could be fed into Western Power systems, both the infrastructure and transformers would need upgrading, but funds were not available.  
 
Donation/Grant 2020-2021 Clerk to seek applications from local organisations for donation/grants under the Parish Council donation policy
     
Information circulated from Herefordshire Council during Coronavirus restrictions
a)    Weekly Talk Community updates
b)    Covid Weekly Bulletins; the Ward Councillor raised with Alastair Neil & permission given to publicise the slides. 
Clerk had contacted Talkcommunity “We are in the process of making more readily available via the council’s website the information we circulate weekly and once that is done you will then be able to link to it in the newsletter.  In advance of that, please do not publish the slide(s) in the newsletter.  However, you can also add a link into the government’s interactive map Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK. 
b) Early Help Hub & Keeping Herefordshire Warm
c) Flood experience to property
 
Date of next meeting, January 13th 2021
 
No further business the chairman thanked those who had attended, wished everyone a Happy Christmas & closed the meeting

Signed……………………………….. Councillor T Usher
 
January 13th  2021