Berkswich Parish Meeting 7 May 2024
Agenda
Local Government Act 1972
Notice of Annual Parish Meeting
For Berkswich Parish
All residents of Berkswich Parish are invited to the
Annual Parish Meeting
To be held on Tuesday 7 May 2024 at 7.00 pm
At Walton (Berkswich) Village Hall, Green Gore Lane,
Walton on the Hill
Agenda
24/1 Welcome and introduction by Chair
24/2 To receive apologies
24/3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2023
24/4 To receive the Chair’s Annual Report 2023/24
24/5 To receive the Annual Financial Statement
24/6 To discuss matters raised by parishioners
24/7 Close of meeting
Sue Fullwood
Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer 30 April 2024
Minutes
BERKSWICH PARISH
Minutes of Berkswich Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 7 May 2024
at 7.00 pm at Walton Village Hall
Present: Cllr Alan Taylor (Chair), Cllr Sue Francis, Cllr Malcolm Millichap, Cllr Ann Millichap, Cllr Tim Luker, Cllr Caroline Pearson, Cllr Beverley Hughes, Cllr Michael Norris, Stafford Borough Cllr Peter Edgeller, Mrs Sue Fullwood (Clerk) and one member of the public.
24/1 Welcome and Introduction by the Chair – Cllr Taylor welcomed everyone to the meeting.
24/2 Apologies – apologies were received from Cllr Vicky Campbell and Cllr Bob Gilson.
24/3 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 9 May 2023 – Resolved: the minutes were agreed and approved.
24/4 Chair’s Annual Report 2023/24
The Chair outlined the work completed in the Parish in the last twelve months. A second FiPL grant application had been successful and more work had been carried out at Walton Coppice. The Boundary Commission had proposed changes to County Council wards which the Parish Council had strongly objected to. The Parish Council had strongly objected to two new housing developments in the parish. The full statement is published with the meeting agenda on the website.
24/5 Annual Financial Statement
The Clerk had prepared a statement which had been published on the Council’s website alongside the meeting agenda. The Council’s finances were sound although Earmarked Reserves had been decreasing in recent years. The precept had increased by 50% for 2024/25.
24/6 Matters Raised by Parishioners
(a) Social Events
The member of the public raised that he was very aware that another local Parish Council had parish events virtually every month. He felt that there was a lack of motivation to have events to bring the community together.
Stafford Borough Councillor Peter Edgeller joined the meeting at 7.10 pm.
Cllr M Millichap responded that the Parish Council do get involved with events, an event was held for Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee and the Council had been planning to hold an event for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, but had decided against it as the Phoenix group were running an event.
The member of the public commented that other parishes regularly had articles in the Village Voice and other local publications. He said that he appreciated that it was difficult to get volunteers.
(b) Development near Wildwood
Cllr Edgeller reported that he had been to a meeting at South Staffs Council about another housing development they were trying to put at the side of Wildwood. The proposal was for a smaller development this time, but he questioned why they were going down the same route again. Cllr Taylor added that as the proposed development was adjacent to Stafford it would deal with housing need in South Staffs so the case for it was totally spurious.
24/7 Close of Meeting
The Chair thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 7.20 pm.