A meeting of Dorstone Parish Council was held on Wednesday March 9th 2022 at 7-30pm in the Old School Hall Dorstone Present: Councillor T Usher, Chairman, Councillor Aubrey-Cosslett, Councillor T Arnott, Councillor A Phillips, Councillor D Phillips Councillor E Wright & Mr C Hendy Parish Council Clerk. Also present PCSO P Knight for the reports Apologies received from Councillor B James, work commitment No declaration of Interest from members in any item to be discussed made . Minutes of February 9th 2022 having being circulated were approved Reports Information circulated from Ward Councillor, Climate Change Citizens Assembly Golden Valley Police, March report circulated. PCSO Knight gave an update on the speed measurement B4348 by Dore View, Police working with the fire service, Parishioners being alert for possible theft of heating oil & taking preventative measures, scheme marking of tyre casings to help identify when they are fly tipped, PCSO Knight was informed about the forthcoming Herefordshire Young Farmers Rally in the village which may be an opportunity for the rural crime unit to attend. Planning Haie Barn, no response to request for design/access statement, comments submitted as previously agreed b) Spatial Options Consultation, draft reply circulated, this was discussed. Councillors agreed their comments were; Dorstone Parish Council considered the rural options summary. Dorstone Village/settlement is in a conservation area, with limited development opportunities and facilities. These facilities are limited to a Village Hall, Playing Field, Public House, Church & Community room. There is no mains sewerage system; some areas suffer with poor broadband/mobile phone reception. Parish is also within an area of energy poverty, mains electric supply to the parish is on the maximum available. In view of the limited infrastructure and public transport options the general feeling is that future development should be focused more towards larger hub communities proposed in Option 2 and 3 of the Rural Options presentation. In the case of Dorstone these hubs are; Peterchurch, which has limited shopping facility, Post Office, Doctors, Hairdresser, Public House, two eating facilities, Fire & Police Station, Primary & Secondary School, limited accessibility by Public Transport. or Hay-On-Wye, some facilities within Herefordshire, Builders Merchants, Farmers Co-Operative Store, supermarket, with a range of other facilities which are outside Herefordshire, including Doctors, Dentists, Butchers, Post Office, shops, Estate Agents & other shops, Green Grocer, weekly market, limited accessibility by Public Transport Finance a) Pay clerks salary for March 2022 & Councils expenses 2021-2022, salary £129.61, expenses £16.50 b) Pay Village Hall, Hire of room, Due to Covid the Village Hall was closed, however the public conveniences remained open, a request was made to pay the cost of cleaning plus the annual donation of £200 towards Public Conveniences. Councillors agreed to pay the additional cost with the village hall being closed. £481.50, (Hire of Room £202-50, Public Conveniences £279) c) Pay lengthsmen£176 d) Pay HMRC £95.32 All payments authorised Highways a) Drainage grant, permission given for chairman & clerk to complete an application for drainage cleaning & stream cleaning, a draft would be circulated. b) Golden Valley Steward Consultation with Parish Council, reply agreed on questions asked c) Verge cutting 2022, The scheduled cut of the verges will be round the May Bank Holiday and the second cut towards the end of August. Specific timings may vary dependent on environment conditions and growth. Parish can request to have the second verge cut in the late summer where there was a wish to encourage greater biodiversity in the verge. By having only one cut any wildflowers in the verge are given the opportunity to flower and set seed over the summer providing food for key pollinators and also habitat for wildlife. Any verges the parishes may wish to identify will be referred to the Locality Steward for feedback in relation to safety concerns. The only verges that were identified were in Mill Lane, any requests to be made to the clerk by March 31st. d) Lengthsmen Scheme contract 2022-2023 permission given for chairman & clerk to complete, draft to circulate e) Balfour Beatty draft scheme 2022-2023 circulated and discussed. f) Flooding Road Bell to Brooklands Concern received from a parishioner that during recent heavy rains he had to go and keep the drains free along the road into Dorstone. The water run-off from the fields was the main concern; it just flows straight down the roads. possibly 50% of the drains were blocked with debris, he managed to clear them all apart from one and that was the culvert at the end of the footpath leading to Dore View.. He had spoken with Herefordshire Council and they say they can do nothing, mainly due to budgets and that it is the local parish council's responsibility. The drains had been checked/cleared recently by the lengthsmen, following the concern raised the lengthsmen had checked/cleaned the drain of debris from the field. Councillors agreed to request a meeting with Balfour Beatty, Parish Council & landowner. Parish celebration of Queens Jubilee, Councillor Aubrey-Cosslett gave a presentation, committee had been formed, schedule of the day’s activities made, offer to use the facilities of Dorstone Court accepted, evening musical entertainment. A schedule of activities, with request for the numbers attending and support on the day will be circulated to each household shortly. Sports Facilities Survey; Herefordshire Council is working collectively to better understand the current and future provision of indoor and built and playing pitch and outdoor sports facilities. Clerk to complete the survey. Greener footprint survey & pledge The councillors/clerk completed the survey Matters previously raised, a) Bridle Path fence, awaiting update from Diocesan land agent b) Hedge; Pump House Corner, Chairman has been in contact with owner, work to be carried out shortly c) Relocation of bus stop from village green to adjacent DFR car park, Clerk had contacted Herefordshire Council “With regard to the Dorstone Green bus stop, there is no budget for bus stop infrastructure improvements at present. (Infrastructure refers to bus shelters, timetable cases, flags/poles and adjustments made to meet DDA requirements). We don’t currently have funding to make improvements but can add the stop to our list for consideration. It could also be worth contacting your locality steward to discuss concerns about this bus stop”. Locality steward contacted, he does not think hard standing is required, if installed by the Parish Council it would be for them to maintain. Next Meeting a) Environmental building standards, consultation 2nd March to 13th April b) Herefordshire Trail Support No further business, Chairman thanked those who had attended & closed the meeting at 09.25pm Signed……………………………….. Councillor T Usher April 13th 2022