Approved SPC Meeting minutes 10.12.24

122 Register of members in attendance.

Cllr Lesley Edgley (Chair), Cllrs Gail Nicholls, Simon Fisher, Dino D’Ambrosio, Christopher Callow, Simon Harrison, Peter Sherratt.

Clerk: Shirley O’Mara

123 Acceptance of apologies.

Cllr Kevin Ward. Cllr Mick Cox. Cllr Alan Pugh. Cllr Louise Hawes. Cllrs David Salter, Phil Whitehouse

124 Public Participation.

Members of the public are invited to address Council for a maximum of 15 minutes. None

125 Declarations of interest.

Members should consider whether they should partake in any discussion or vote on matters on the agenda unless they have a dispensation: None

126 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday Nov 12^th, 2024.

Duly approved & signed.

127 Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting:

St John the Baptist- repairs to path.

The Clerk shared with Council information that has been reviewed detailing Council responsibilities regarding the closed cemetery. It is clear that the path area in question falls within Council remit.

RESOLUTION: Unanimous decision to support the repairs to the path to the value of £1840.00 once the other two thirds funding is secured.

Church Road, Stonnall: update

Covered under Item 128.

128 To receive reports from District and County Councillors.

County Cllr Smith reported as follows:

• Church Rd, Stonnall: Work has started today on the first phase. There is a problem with the hedge as it is classed as an ancient hedge with protection but as it is a double hedge it may be possible to just remove the front.

Hopefully the road will be open by the end of this week though will need to close again for slabbing. The pedestrian path will be open to allow access to Church for Christmas.

• Fallen tree outside Trinity Methodist Church: A County Officer has visited the site and the repair work to the path added to order of works but deemed as non-urgent.

• Stonnall Neighbourhood Plan: Questionnaires have been distributed to residents and the full input of the community is sought.

• Stonnall Playing Field Flooding: Cllr Smith stressed this is not a county responsibility and cautioned the Parish Council in respect of completing works that may increase our liability for something that is not our responsibility either. He stated that the responsibility is for the two landowners who have the water flowing off their land and for the Stonnall Playing Field Committee, especially regarding keeping the culvert clear of debris.

• Cllr D’Ambrosio enquired about the traffic management plan relating to the fast-food development on Barracks Lane. Cllr Smith said he has a meeting imminently with the Cabinet Director for Highways to look at this.

129 Finance.

Current financial position & transactions for approval as of Dec 10^th, 2024.
Click on this link to access November’s  Financial transactions spreadsheet.
Click on this link to access the financial transactions spreadsheet from 1st to 10th December 2024

Nat West Current Account £904.65. Nat West Business Reserve £34,587.30. Nat West Liquidity Account Ring fenced funds for ear marked projects £112,761.03. Unity Account £20,819.52

Cllr Edgley asked if the bills recently paid to Lichfield District Council are for a full year & the Clerk confirmed they are. She also confirmed an Eon utility bill relates to Court Drive & a payment for an electric strimmer for the Lammas Land is out of their annual grant.

The Clerk has also just applied for the Nov VAT reclaim which is approx. £10,000.

• Set budget precept for 2025/26.

Receive & consider recommendations from Finance, Leal Health & Safety Committee

Meeting 19^th Nov 2024.

• RECOMMENDATION: Increase Precept by £30,000 which is a change of Band D from £49.76 to £57.54.

RESOLUTION: After a detailed forecast and considering the across-the-board cost increases expected in 2025/6, the Council voted unanimously to increase the precept by £30,000 to £212,000 per annum.

• Remuneration for Chairs of Committees: following analysis of other Council payments, the Committee makes the following recommendation.

RECOMMENDATION: £750.00 paid to the Chair of Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee & Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee per annum.

RESOLUTION: Unanimously approved. Standing orders will require amending in January Full Council.

Next meeting of Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee: Tues Jan 28^th, 2025 5.30pm

130 Planning.

Approve planning applications received in last month and update on any objections/ developments. Click ion this link to access the planning applications spreadsheet.

The Clerk reported that the objection relating to 8-16 Main Street, Shenstone is still pending.

Application 24/01045/FUL) has been refused for demolition of existing house and erection of 2 no. seven bedroom dwellings with double garages and associated works.

Cllr Salter is investigating the unauthorised removal of two trees at a property on Pinfold Hill currently undergoing renovation. There were no TPO’s on them but there was no pre permission requested & the tree removal itself caused serious and potentially dangerous disruption on the bend.

Next meeting of Neighbourhood Planning & Property Committee Tues Dec 17^th at 5.30pm

131 Neighbourhood plan reviews: update on Shenstone & Little Aston (Cllr Thompson) &

Stonnall (Cllr Whitehouse)- includes next steps.

The Clerk advised Council that there is a Zoom meeting planning next week with Chris Bowden to discuss the next stage of the Shenstone & Little Aston plans and a further Locality Grant application is being completed by Cllrs Thompson & Edgley.

Cllr D’Ambrosio said that the Stonnall Neighbourhood Plan public consultations have begun, and a public meeting is scheduled in January. Cllr Whitehouse is examining additional likely costs for the Stonnall plan following information from Chris Bowden.

132 Lichfield District Council LP43 strategic options.

A proposed submission document prepared by Cllr Thompson has been shared with Council. Cllr D’Ambrosio commented that opportunities and challenges seemed to overlap and that the maps needed clarity. Also, re option 4, constraints are that this will take years so should it not be taken as a given? Clerk to share.

133 Resignation of Cllr Ruth Graham. RESOLUTION: Unanimously accepted.

134 Flooding Stonnall Playing Field: update & next steps.

Covered under Item 128. However, Cllr Nicholls wished to state that the flooding issues are in no way the responsibility of the Playing Fields but despite this, regular efforts are made to keep the culvert clear. It is not the culvert that is the problem.

135 Thermal Camera calibration check: Consideration of request from Shenstone Environmental Group for £175 plus VAT.

RESOLUTION: Council would like to see details of actual usage before consideration and also suggested that a community grant application should be completed.

136 In accordance with the provision of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, Section 5 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations and Paragraphs 2, 3 and 7 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules, the public and press be excluded during consideration of the following item :

Update on Shenstone Playing Fields Management Committee & The Country Club.

137 Next meeting of Full Council Jan 14^th 7.15pm Stonnall Community Centre.