Parish Council 6 February 2024

BERKSWICH PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of Berkswich Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 6 February 2024

at 7.30 pm at Walton Village Hall

Present:   Cllr Alan Taylor (Chair), Cllr Caroline Pearson (Vice Chair), Cllr Sue Francis, Cllr Tim Luker, Cllr Malcolm Millichap, Cllr Ann Millichap, Cllr Bob Gilson, Cllr Beverley Hughes, and Cllr Vicky Campbell.

In attendance: Cllr Peter Edgeller from Stafford Borough Council, two members of the public and Mrs Sue Fullwood as Clerk.

Cllr Taylor welcomed everyone to the meeting.

1              Public session

a        Parking on The Rise (see also 24/16 b) below)

The first member of the public raised an issue with the parking at the bottom of The Rise.  He felt that there had been a decline in standards of parking for school drop offs, including a Select Bus stopping directly outside Walton High School and more recently a transporter delivering cars to the W R Davies garage.  The transporter was parking directly opposite the school entrance, on the footpath, and causing chaos with the traffic just when pupils were crossing the road to get into school.  He felt it was very dangerous for the pupils who were often more interested in their friends than road safety.  Cllr Taylor replied that the Council had made previous attempts to contact both the garage, the bus company and the police and that there was no easy answer as the Council itself had limited powers.  The member of the public suggested that the Select bus could drop off in the school car park, and the school could look at having a one-way system with entry along Old Croft Road and exit at The Rise.  The councillors felt that this would just move the problem rather than solve it.

b        Lighting at Dora Rose Nursing Home (see also 24/14 below)

The second member of the public raised an issue regarding the lighting at Dora Rose and said that they had never complied fully with the planning conditions.  There was special subdued lighting approved for the site when it was rebuilt. The spotlights in the visitor car park now shone straight into the houses across the road, the lights on the signs at the entrance were never approved and the site is part of Cannock Chase National Landscape (previously AONB) and there shouldn’t be any spread upwards or sidewards from the lighting, but there were coloured lights shining up into the trees.  The lights were left on until 3 or 4am.  Cllr Taylor felt that the Stafford Borough Council’s Planning Enforcement team would be the best people to contact.  The member of the public had already contacted the planning team.

24/10         Apologies – received from Cllr Michael Norris as he was unwell.  Resolved: apologies were noted.

24/11         To record Declarations of Interest regarding items on the agenda.  None.

24/12         Minutes of the Council meeting held on 2 January 2024 – Resolved: It was agreed that the minutes were accurate.

24/13         80^th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings

Cllr M Millichap had been in touch the WI Secretary and they had decided not to support a Parish Council event.  Cllr M Millichap had also contacted someone within the parish who had a collection of memorabilia and they were consulting with the Phoenix Military History group.  Cllr Pearson had asked the person who runs the Phoenix Club if they would support the Parish Council’s event, but they had they own event planned for 7 June with a singer as entertainment.  Resolved: It was felt that two events in two days would be too much and that the event proposed for 8 June would not go ahead and the room booking should be cancelled.  The Clerk should thank the member of the public for offering their gas mask, but it would no longer be necessary.  Clerk to cancel the room booking and Cllr M Millichap to inform the person with the collection of memorabilia that it would no longer be required.  Action: Clerk/Cllr M Millichap The Chairman thanked Cllr M Millichap for investigating the possibilities.

24/14         Lighting Issues at Dora Rose Nursing Home (see item 1 a above)

Resolved: Cllr Taylor to investigate planning conditions further and then the Clerk to write to Dora Rose and if necessary Stafford Borough Council’s Planning Enforcement team.  Action: Cllr Taylor/Clerk

24/15        Contractor for Hedge Cutting at Walton Coppice

The Clerk had asked 7 companies to quote for cutting 41 metres of hedgerow between the play park and 103 Bluebell Hollow to 2m in height and had received three quotes.  Resolved: it was agreed to accept the quote from Rob Keysor’s as their quote was the lowest and Council had been happy with their work previously.  Action: Clerk

24/16        Issues with the garage on The Rise/Milford Road

1. Graffiti – Cllr Luker had been contacted by residents about the graffiti on Walton Garage. One person had told Cllr Luker that potential buyers for their house had said that the graffiti made the area look run down.
2. Transporter parking – (see item 1 b above) The transporters should not be parking on the yellow lines near the school or the pavement and they were causing danger to Walton High School pupils in particular. The transporter blocked the view of vehicles turning into The Rise from Milford Road so they couldn’t see what was coming down the hill towards them.

Resolved: Clerk to write to W R Davies asking them their plans for parking the transporters and to the clean up the graffiti.  Clerk to contact the Police, Walton High School and the Select bus company to make them aware of parking concerns.  Clerk to ask PCSO to attend the next Parish Council meeting.  Action: Clerk

24/17        Best Kept Village Competition

Resolved: it was agreed that the competition would be a lot of work and that it could be considered for 2025 provided either a Council member or local resident was prepared to take ownership of the project.

24/18        Dog waste on Footpath from Bluebell Hollow to Milford Road

                A complaint had been received about dog waste being left on the footpath from Bluebell Hollow to the traffic lights on Milford Road.  The Clerk had asked Streetscene if a dog waste bin could be placed in the vicinity and they had said they would look for a suitable location.  The Clerk would ask Streetscene for a further supply of warning stickers and put them up in the area.  Action: Clerk  Cllr Taylor suggested that a map of where the bins are currently would be useful so we could add where we would like new/ replacement bins to be.  It was noted that the bins on Green Gore Lane and Cedar Way had still not been replaced.  Cllr Campbell suggested that stickers could be put on bins with a QR code on them to direct people to the Streetscene to report when they are full. Resolved: Clerk to ask Streetscene for a map if they have one, and to suggest QR labels.  Action: Clerk

24/19        Financial Matters:

1. Banking report – The Clerk had prepared a report recommending switching the current account from Virgin Money to Unity Trust. Resolved: Recommendations were unanimously agreed.  Action: Clerk

1. Bank Reconciliation and Expenditure for January 2024 – Resolved: unanimously approved.

iii      Budget Report for January 2024.  Resolved: unanimously approved.

24/20          Planning Matters

1. Response to Planning Application 23/38456/OUT Land off The Rise  Cllr Taylor had shared a proposed response objecting to the application on the grounds that: the access was too close to the junction of The Rise and Milford Road; the design was too regimented; and that run-off could increase flooding at the bottom of The Rise.  Resolved: proposed response was agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

24/21        Reports from other Meetings

1. Environment Group – Cllr Luker reported that the working group held on 4 February at Walton Coppice had gone very well and a lot had been done. The Clerk would circulate the report from Burton Conservation Volunteers.  Action: Clerk 47 people in total had attended including 25 Scouts and 10 people from BCV.  The next working party would be a planting day on 3 March 2024 and everyone was welcome.  The Clerk had prepared a list of costs which required Council approval – this was agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

The application for FiPL grant funding for Hollybush Coppice was progressing and a meeting was due to be held on 7 February to discuss it.

Cllr M Millichap raised the issue of the fencing at the Chicken Run.  Cllr Taylor had tried to speak to who he believed to be the owner of the fence, but there had been no answer at the address.  Resolved: Clerk to contact the Rights of Way team at Staffordshire County Council and ask them to have a look.  Action: Clerk

1. Village Hall Council of Management – Cllr Pearson had raised the issue of pricing and the charge for Parish Council use of the Hall had been reduced from £30 to £20 per use. The next meeting was the AGM and Cllr Pearson was happy to continue as the Parish Council representative.

24/22        Agenda Items for the Next Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 5 March 2024 at 7.30 pm in the Bromage Room, Walton Village Hall

Agenda items agreed were: defibrillator grant application.

The meeting closed at 8:38 pm.