Agenda for February 2021 Parish Council Meeting
Date: Wednesday , 3 February 2021
Time: 7:30PM
Full Agenda pack: download here.
Platform: Zoom — register here.
Notes for Members of the Public:
a) This meeting is being held remotely in accordance with regulations made under S.78 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. There are, therefore, no paper copies of the agenda or the accompanying documents.
b) All documents (other than those which are restricted) can be accessed from the Parish Council’s website here.
c) If you wish to observe the meeting or make a statement under the Public Question Time slot, please ensure that you register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DLGbiCxIRwSKhQNwGWUXYQ
The system can accommodate a maximum of 100 attendees. Therefore, registration will be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
AGENDA
1 APOLOGIES
2 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Members to declare any (a) disclosable pecuniary interest; (b) personal interest; or (c) prejudicial interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda, the nature of that interest, and in respect of disclosable interests and prejudicial interests, to withdraw from the meeting prior to the discussion of that item.
In these circumstances, the Chairman will control the ‘presence’ of the appropriate Member and give him/her a time slot at which he/she can re-join the meeting.
Members are referred to the Code of Conduct for guidance (issued with the agenda papers for Annual Council on 8 May 2019 and adopted at that meeting).
Whilst the Clerk can advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Parish Councillor, based on the circumstances.
3 MINUTES
To approve the Minutes of the following meetings:
- 6 January 2021
- 19 January 2021 (Extra-ordinary meeting)
4 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Members of the public are able to ask questions in accordance with the Parish Council’s Standing Orders. Please use the link on the front page to register.
5 POLICE MATTERS — BEAT MANAGER’S REPORT
To receive a copy of the Beat Manager’s Report. These are forwarded to Members as and when they arrive. At the date of publication of the agenda, there have been no recent reports.
6 BOROUGH COUNCILLOR DAVID MARREN
6.1 Report
To receive Councillor David Marren’s report on Cheshire East Council matters of interest, together with an update in respect of outstanding parish matters.
6.2 Questions
Members are able to ask questions of Councillor Marren in respect of his report presented under item 6.1 above. This is limited to Councillors and is not an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions.
7 REPORT OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Committee Chairmen are invited to report on activities for their Committees and the Task Group meetings of each Committee.
7.1 Community Engagement Committee (Councillor Kevin Gibbs)
Councillor Kevin Gibbs to report on recent activities of the Committee.
7.2 Environment and Recreation Committee (Councillor M Ferguson)
Councillor Ferguson to report on Committee activities, with particular reference to the land availability assessment. The potential cost of this is significant and will be discussed as part of the budget proposals at item 9.
7.3 Village Hall Committee (Councillor V Adams)
Councillor Adams to report on Committee activities, with particular reference to (a) plans to increase the occupancy rate at the Village Hall, although it is acknowledged that the current pandemic will adversely impact this aim; and (b) budget proposals for 2021–22.
8 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
To report that the application for a grant of £3,830.00 was submitted to Locality on 28 January 2021. The breakdown of the costs is as follows, and the Parish Council is asked to authorise the expenditure to be paid by the Clerk as and when it is incurred.
There is a minor shortfall. The costs are £3,918.45, which is £88.45 short of the application figure; this is attributed to the fact that the on-line form was completed, and the quotations were uploaded later.
Brave Little Tank
A5 flyer artwork — ‘Remember to vote in the Referendum’
£120.00
Neighbourhood Plan document (Referendum version) artwork
£400.00
Parish newsletter artwork
£150.00
Banner artwork
£150.00
TOTAL NET COST
£820.00
Solopress Printing
Printing of Referendum version of Plan (300 copies)
£558.90
A5 Flyers ‘Remember to vote in the Referendum’
(3,000 copies)
£166.65
Leaflet announcing Referendum (inserts in Village Voice)
3,000 copies
£132.90
TOTAL NET COST
£858.45
Solopress will require payment before printing is carried out.
Publicity
Six Vinyl banners (this is the only item which attracts VAT)
£350.00
Artwork/layout for banners
£150.00
Social media adverts for two weeks in run-up to Referendum date
£140.00
£640.00
Website Activities
Organise and post Neighbourhood Plan related documents on new Parish Council website.
Staff time: 80 hours at £20 per hour (including on-costs)
£1,600.00
Mr W Atteridge, Chairman of the Steering Group, will speak to the item.
9 FINANCIAL MATTERS
9.1 Payments made under the revised Scheme of Delegation
To report on recent payments made by the Clerk under the revised Scheme of Delegation adopted at the July 2020 meeting of the Parish Council.
£1,440.00 Rory Mack Associates — building survey on 140 Main Road
(£1,200.00 net and £240.00 VAT)
£672.00 M H Ascroft — various electrical work at the Village Hall
(Invoice 102011 — £560.00 net and £112.00 VAT)
£660.00 Steer Tec Ltd. — payment for technical services at Remembrance Sunday
(Inv. 774700009 — £550.00 net and £110.00 VAT)
£tba Northwich Town Council — winter planting. This invoice was forwarded to
Members but was queried on the basis that it did not accord with the
the SLA. Confirmation is awaited from NTC.
9.2 Receipts and Payments — to 31 December 2020
To receive a Receipts and Payments statement for each account, to 31 December 2021. (to follow)
Owing to loss of electricity at the Clerk’s home, for a period of 14 days, the statement is not yet available, but is expected to be issued prior to the meeting.
9.3 Energy Suppliers — Village Hall
Councillor Kevin Gibbs to report in respect of energy suppliers for gas and electricity at the Village Hall.
The Parish Council will be asked to decide if a switch should be made, or if British Gas and Scottish Power should be retained as the current providers of the energy.
10 RISK ASSESSMENT
The Parish Council is required to carry out a risk assessment annually. This is a statutory requirement and this must be undertaken before 31 March 2021.
Enclosed is the current risk assessment/management schedule on which the Clerk has made some amendments. Members are asked to consider what other items need to be included to take account of Covid-19.
If necessary, a final document can be submitted for approval at the March 2021 meeting.
11 PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The Parish Council is invited to comment on the following planning applications which can be access By Clicking Here
If Members have significant observations to make on these applications, please ensure that they are issued to the Clerk by no later than Tuesday, 2 February 2021.
21/0041N NWF Fuels Ltd, Jack Mills Way, Shavington
Advertising consent for a back-lit aluminium fascia sign
Deadline date for observations: 3 February 2021
21/0324N 8 Gresty Lane, Shavington, CW2 5DD
Two-storey side and rear extension
Deadline date for observations: 17 February 2021
21/0365T 47 Broadleigh Way, Crewe, CW2 6TT
Oak T1: To remove major dead wood. To crown raise to approximately 4m above ground level. To crown reduce by reducing height by approximately 2–2.5m of branch length. To reduce lateral growth by approximately 2m of branch length. To prune lateral growth to ensure approxiamtely 3m clearance from the property. These works are proposed to maintain the tree at a reasonable size in relation to the property, to reduce encroachment, and to allow a little more light to the property.
Deadline date for observations: 17 February 2021
21/0373N Bank Farm Cottages, Newcastle Road, Hough, CW2 5JG
Extension to existing holiday cottages to provide additional bedroom unit for similar purposes.
Deadline date for observations: 24 February 2021.
11 COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS
11.1 The Network Management and Enforcement Officer at Cheshire East Council, has referred a complaint from a resident, to the Parish Council, as follows:
The resident has complained about the state of a short section of Footpath 35 which runs from the north-east corner of Parkgate down to a tarmacked path. The Officer has commented that it is muddy, but not excessively so, and she has asked if the Parish Council had the capacity to work with Cheshire East Council to try to resolve this.
She can arrange for two bulk bags of MOT 20mm-to dust scalpings and some Terram membrane which would need to be laid before the scapings were added. This can be delivered to Parkgate.
The Officer has asked if the Parish Council would be able to recruit volunteers to lay this along the path, which is approximately 22m long. These volunteers would need to be covered under the Parish Council’s insurance.
11.2 The resident at 6 Weston Lane has asked ANSA to remove the dog-waste bin which is currently on the public right of way near to her house. She has not given a reason for the request, other than that it is close to her residence.
This is a bin which the Parish Council purchased and specifically chose this location; ANSA has also confirmed that this is the appropriate place to site it.
12 STAFF APPOINTMENTS
12.1 Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer
The Parish Council is asked to approve the enclosed advertisement for the post of Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer, and to agree a closing date for applications. This can then be placed on the Cheshire Association of Local Councils website. Members may wish to suggest additional means of advertising the vacancy.
Once approved, the advertisement will be re-branded by Brave Little Tank.
12.2 Lengthsman
Following the discussion at the meeting held on 6 January 2021, the Parish Council is asked to consider advertising for a lengsthman for the village.
It would be appropriate for this to be referred to the Community Engagement Committee if the Parish Council wishes to proceed with an appointment from 1 April 2021.
13 RECREATIONAL LAND IN THE PARISH
The Parish Council is asked to consider if it wishes to pursue the identification of recreational land in the parish. Although this is an allocation in the budget for 2021–22, the Parish Council has not yet made a decision to proceed any further with this project. Members are asked to note that an allocation is not an authority to spend.
Councillor M Ferguson has prepared a land procurement plan which is enclosed.
The Parish Council is asked to consider adopting this plan which shows a start date of 3 February 2021, following which, if approved, Meller Speakman can be asked to proceed to Stage 2 of the work.
The completion date for the project is 2 March 2022.
14 OUTSTANDING ITEMS
14.1 Quotation for Work at Cameron Avenue
The Clerk has not yet issued invitations to quote for this work. Members will recall that although quotes had been received in November 2020, they were not accompanied by an arboricultural report, which at that time was a requirement. Subsequent to that, this requirement was amended to requiring a list of species and the condition of each.
The Clerk is in the process of dealing with the Invitations to quote.
14.2 Lease for Village Hall
Lynne Thornton has not yet prepared a revised hire agreement for clients of the Village Hall but has commented that in view of the frequent Governmental changes in respect of the pandemic, the existing agreement will be sufficient for the time being and does not need amendment.
14.3 Various Policies for Adoption
The Clerk has been unable to prepare these documents, owing to lack of electricity. These will be presented to the March 2021 meeting.
15 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
The Council is invited to RESOLVE that in accordance with Paragraph 1 (2) of The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items owing to the confidential nature of the business to transacted and the public interest would not be served in disclosing that information.
Note: In accordance with usual practice and to avoid separate documents being provided as enclosures, details on the following items have been withheld from publication on the public agenda.
16 140 MAIN ROAD, SHAVINGTON
To report that the surveyor from Rory Mack Associates carried out an inspection on 18 January 2021, but needs to return to finish the inspection, and this was planned for 26 or 27 January 2021.
The survey report will not be provided until the invoice has been paid. Although payment has been made via BACS, but can take a few days to reach the recipient’s account.
The Clerk expects the survey report to be available at the meeting.
17 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
2 March 2021
