Present: Cllrs Mrs Prince, Sherwood and Smith, Cllr Major

Miss E Goodwin (Parish Clerk), William Read, PCSO Leathers and PCSO Hayden

• Public Participation

Nothing to report.

2   Apologies

There were no apologies.

• William Read, Best Kept Village representative

William explained about the Community Spirit element of the Competition, and the judging procedure; the judges will give a day’s notice of their visit, and they will meet a representative from the village; judging takes place in May and June.  He explained that Wintertons will provide advertising materials, and gave some tips about presenting the village in the best light

4    Declarations of Interest

There were no Declarations of Interest.

5    Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 5^th December 2022

The Minutes were agreed as a true representation of the Meeting, and Cllr Mrs Smith signed

them.

6   Matters arising not covered on the Agenda

There were no matters arising.

7   HS2 update

The Parish Clerk had forwarded a number of emails to the Parish Councillors; she has not heard

from County Cllr Jessel regarding grants available for communities impacted by HS2.

8   Planning        Cllr Major

1. a) Applications received P/2023/00170 – erection of a single storey garden room on

the rear elevation of The Tarns, Roost Hill; there were no objections.

P/2023/00194 – cutting of trees at Hoar Cross Hall,

Maker Lane.  Cllr Major agreed to visit Hoar Cross Hall regarding the trees being cut down

and the replacement of those trees as the Hall is in a conservation area.

1. b) Applications approved P/2022/01214 – change of use of land to facilitate erection of stable block, hard standing etc on land off Newborough Road.

P/2022/01212 – erection of a part single, part two storey extension, Juliet balcony and window at Netherwood Farm, Abbots Bromley Road.

1. c) Applications refused
2. d) Other planning matters P/2022/00380        construction of a mobile home for

occasional use as grooms accommodation, storage barn and viewing gazebo at Birchwood

House, Abbots Bromley Road (no decision recorded 2^nd March 2023).

P/2022/00470       erection of a detached car port with

studio above at The Old Barn, Abbots Bromley Road (no decision recorded 2^nd March 2023).

P/2022/01150 – change of use and reinstatement of

existing outbuilding together with a glazed link extension to form annexe to maid dwelling

at 1 Park Cottage, St Michaels Drive.

EIA Development Planning Application ES/19/02/504 M –

Extraction of gypsum and anhydrite beneath land to the east of Newchurch.  No-one had

attended the meeting at British Gypsum on 1^st March.

Update on the stables on Lower Hoar Cross Road/off Becks

Lane; Borough Councillor Beech has been in contact with David Ward, ESBC Planning Enforcement

Officer, and was following the matter up on 16^th March.

9    Parish Councillors Reports

Highways – it was agreed to appoint a Councillor responsible for roads at the next Meeting.

Environment – Cllr Mrs Prince had nothing to report.

Footpaths – Cllr Mrs Sherwood had nothing to report.

10  County Councillor Jessel’s Report

No report received.

11  Borough Councillor Beech’s Report

No report received.

12  PCSO Leathers Report

The report had already been circulated.

PCSO Leathers and his colleague PCSO Dibbs introduced themselves as this was the first time they had been to a Meeting.  PCSO Leathers is keen to do a drop in session in Hoar Cross, especially for the farmers.  He encouraged people to sign up for Smart Alert.

13   Parish Clerk’s Report

The Parish Clerk reported she had attended a number of Zoom meetings regarding the election

procedure.  She is due to meet Kim Squires in May to discuss the Audit.  She has met Cllrs

Mrs Smith, Prince and Sherwood to discuss the Coronation Celebration, and has met

Cllr Mrs Smith to complete the Lottery Funding application forms and to discuss the Agenda of

this Meeting.

14   Finance

The bank reconciliation had been circulated to the Councillors.

The Parish Clerk had contacted Wendy at The Deer Park regarding the dates of the Meetings

for 2023 and had requested invoices; she had spoken to Wendy on 10^th March, but had not yet

received any invoices.

It was resolved to pay the following cheques:

Date            Chq     Payee                     Details                   Amount

20^th March    897    SPCA                     Clerks Training        £36.00 incl £6.00 VAT

Annual Sub             £100.65

20^th March    898    Miss E Goodwin        expenses/salary      £156.40

20^th March    899    HMRC                    PAYE                       £132.80

20^th March    900    Cllr Mrs Sherwood   plants                    £137.88 incl £22.97 VAT

20^th March    901     Best Kept Village     entry fee                £27.50

31^st March    SO     Miss E Goodwin        salary                     £447.85

15   Church Clock – Cllr Major

Cllr Major presented two quotes for the repair work to be done plus the annual service for the

next two years: Time Assured and Smith of Derby.  The Clerk had requested that three quotes

be obtained; following a discussion, it was agreed the Clerk would forward the Financial Regulations to Cllr Major, and that she would contact Kim Squires of Toplis Associates regarding the number of quotes; it was later confirmed by Kim that two quotes would be sufficient in this case.  All Councillors preferred the quote from Time Assured, and it was agreed that the work be done by them.

16    Local Elections – Thursday 4^th May

The Clerk gave out the nomination papers to the Councillors who took them to complete.

17    Coronation of King Charles III celebrations – Monday 8^th May

Cllr Mrs Smith announced the Parish Council had been awarded a grant of £2140 from the

Lottery.

Arrangements: the Church marquee will be erected on Friday 5^th May; borrow the chairs and

tables from Newchurch Hall; bouncy castle (free to village children and visiting children would be      asked to pay); the afternoon tea is £16.00, but Cllr Mrs Prince explained that one tea would be

enough for two people; Cllrs Mrs Smith suggested a singer; mugs for the children, costing about

£5.00 each – the Parish Clerk still has the list of the mugs given out for the Platinum Jubilee;

the event will be from 1.00pm-5.00pm, with the tea being served at 2.00pm.

The Parish Clerk explained that as there will be less than 2,000 attendees, there is no need to

contact Zurich Insurance, but we would need to carry out a risk assessment/comply with

HSE guidance for inflatables/train event organisers and staff/ensure 3^rd party suppliers have

their own Public Liability Insurance.

18   Planning Annual Parish Council Meeting/Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 15^th May

It was agreed to hold the Meetings at The Deer Park; the Parish Clerk will contact Wendy.

19   Correspondence

Email re Coronation planters; it was agreed not to purchase these.

20  Members Points of Information

There were no Members Points of Information.

21   Dates of the next Meetings

Monday 15^th May Annual Parish Council Meeting (6.30pm) and Annual Parish Meeting (7.30pm),

Monday 19^th June, Monday 18^th September, Monday 4^th December at The Deer Park.