John Williams (Chair)

Anne Williams (Treasurer)

Veronica Mellings

Jane Stirling (Clerk)

Jon Allen

Ted Laidlar (Visitor)

Peter Marquis (Visitor)

Apologies

Sue Williams
Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 2nd May 2017 were agreed by all and signed by the Chair, John Williams.

Matters arising

• Potholes in parish roads. Peter Marquis has contacted Highways/SCC, but they claim to be responsible only for road surfaces and not for deeper layers. However, Bedstone Lane potholes have been mended by Highways.
  • Peter will contact Nigel Harting in Bucknell to get further information and report back.
• Notice board enlargement and repair:
  • Ted Laidlar will provide a quotation for the costs of notice board repair and enlargement, including replacing the door glass with polycarbonate.
• Jon reported on the progress of the ‘Defibrillator group’. The single option available is that of a defibrillator useable by anyone at any time. This would be managed through the charity the Community Heartbeat Trust (CHT), working through a ’Managed Solution’, namely that the CHT owns and manages the site funded by payments by the Parish. Association with CHT avoids VAT payments (saving approx. £300+) and enables the site to benefit from CHT theft/damage and public liability insurances, (saving approx. £130). The start-up costs for both sites (Hopton Castle and Bedstone) is likely to be:
• 2 x Lifeline AED with second set of electrodes and 7 year batteries = £1700
• 2 x ShockBox Rotaid unlocked cabinets = £900
• 2 x Rescuer safety kits and community signage packs = 100
• 1 x community awareness (training) session = £175
• Installation by CHT for 2 sites = £400
• Total upfront capital cost is £1,350 per site plus £200 per site installation costs and awareness session @ £175
• Total start-up costs = £3,275 or £1,638 per site. In addition, CHT require an annual support agreement of approx. £126 (2017) to cover running costs.

Recommendations made by the ‘Defibrillator group’ were that the Parish Meeting should:

• partner the CHT to acquire and install a defibrillator in the village telephone kiosk once decommissioning is complete;
• commit itself to leading the raising of the funds required for the initial purchase and then running costs by: applying to the SCC for a grant and seeking support for this from our County Councillor; applying for a grant to the National Lottery; encouraging further voluntary fundraising activity (e.g. in collaboration with the Bedstone Village Hall Committee); raising a precept for 2018/19;
• support the CHT in their application to BT for decommissioning the telephone kiosk and converting it to a defibrillator cabinet. (The telephone kiosk is listed and has had no outgoing calls for the past 5 years. It is scheduled for decommissioning in the next twelve months);
• communicate clearly to all residents about the availability, purpose and access to this facility;
• encouraging residents of both Parishes to participate in regular (every 2-3 years) combined awareness sessions on the use of the defibrillator and more general first aid skills.
• The Parish Meeting agreed to these suggestions and to use the Parish bank account for precept monies (£15 per household in 2017 with re-assessment each year) and other funds.
• Jon Allen to contact CHT to confirm the partnership.
• Jane Stirling to check when precept request is due and to contact Berwyn Murray (Historic Environment Technician, SCC) to report the Parish Meeting’s support of the ongoing process of decommissioning. Jane to post information on the notice board in case of individual objections.
• Jon Allen to write a letter explaining these decisions and the purpose of the defibrillator and training courses and, with help, to distribute this to all houses within the Parish.

Correspondence

• For information only: There has been an application by Mrs Alexandra Willis for a Certificate of Lawful Development to continue to use the property at Great Hagley (SY7 0QF) for residential use in breach of agricultural occupancy condition.

AOB

• An appeal has been made re the erection of ‘chicken sheds’ at Hopton Heath. The appeal consists of a slightly modified proposal, which deals with reason for initial refusal of planning (unacceptable effects on local residents, e.g. vehicle noise).The date for individual objections has passed but the final date for group/body objections is 10 November 2017.
  • Jon Allen to write a letter on behalf of the Parish Meeting. The letter will support arguments against the proposed planning made by Clungunford and other parishes.
• Jon Allen proposed a ‘dangerous tree assessment’ by an external body, to be carried out every few years. This would avoid unpleasantness in the Parish when such trees are identified.
  • Jane Stirling to call the SCC to investigate the availability of this service and its cost.
• Stream verge maintenance: Ted Laidlar proposed the formation of a volunteer group to tidy up the stream verge according to ‘Watercourse Inspection and Maintenance Guidance Notes’. John Williams reported that a SCC environmental office (Adam) recently visited Hopton Castle, but could not see a problem at the top end of the village. John has concerns that interference by a volunteer group will jeopardise his involvement with government environmental schemes.
  • John Williams will ask Adam to return to inspect the lower end of the village (starting at the phone kiosk) ad will try to get Paul Butter from the SCC to come out at the same time. Ted Laidlar is invited to participate in this meeting, which might result in permission to tidy some of the verge, omitting the 200 yards from the noticeboard downwards.
• Ted Laidlar/Peter Marquis pointed out the lack of hedge trimming on the southern roadside.
  • John Williams explained that he would arrange the hedge cutting in the next couple of months as this was his responsibility for the landowner.
• Bob Megett has reported to John Williams that the 3-phase electrics upgrade is likely to proceed in the near future and that funds to complete this project are still available.
• Anne Williams spoke for some Parishioners saying that cycle events and Parish Meeting minutes should be posted on the notice board.
  • Jon Allen to approach Pearce cycles for a list.
  • Jane Stirling to post minutes on the notice board after Chair’s approval.

Next meeting

• 7th February 2018 at Upper House Farm at 7.30 pm.

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