Herefordshire Association of Local Councils Southern Area Meeting – Sam
Minutes of a meeting held on Monday 25th July 2011
At 7.30 pm in the Council Chamber – Brockington – Hafod Road – Hereford
PRESENT NB: Italics = Clerk & Italics in brackets = multiple clerk already listed.
Abbeydore & Bacton … Dave Cook, Malcolm Walker.
Bartestree with Lugwardine … Wendy Soilleux, Mike Wilson.
Brampton Abbots & Foy … Pat Newton.
Bridstow … Richard Gething – CHAIRMAN, (Pat Newton).
Burghill … Alan Stokes, Hazel Philpotts.
Clehonger … George Walker.
Cusop … David Jones, John Wilks.
Dinedor … Peter Greenow.
Dormington & Mordiford … Nick Brewin.
Goodrich … Nigel Roper.
Fownhope … John Hardwick.
Hampton Bishop … Lynda Wilcox – SECRETARY.
Hereford City … Len Tawn.
Holmer & Shelwick … Elizabeth Stevenson.
Kentchurch – John Pring, (Malcolm Walker).
Kilpeck – Joyce Davies, Mark Parsons, (Malcolm Walker).
Little Birch … Mike Morley.
Lower Bullingham … (Peter Greenow).
Madley … Pat Corcoran
Peterchurch … Ivor Sedgley, (Malcolm Walker).
Peterstow … (Pat Newton).
Ross on Wye Town … David Ravenscroft.
Sellack … (Pat Newton).
Walford … Cheryl Carpenter.
Wellington … Jenni Gowan, Lyn Langford, David Wood.
Welsh Newton … M Church, (Malcolm Walker).
IN ATTENDANCE – HALC … Chris Bucknell.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Fownhope – Mel Preedy
Hereford City – Anna Toon
Ross on Wye Town – Denise Mason
Withington -Paul Bainbridge
2. CURRENT ISSUES
2.1 Herefordshire Council – Electronic Planning
2.1.1 Andrew Ashcroft, Head of Planning Services, had recently reported to an SLCC meeting of Parish Clerks that electronic planning would ‘go live’ by the beginning of September but paper copies would be available for a further 12 months from then.
2.1.2 Clerks would be expected to download plans on their laptops if broadband was not available at the PC’s meeting venue.
2.1.3 One member pointed out that even if plans were downloaded, unless laptop screens were of a reasonable size, it would be very difficult for members to appreciate what they were looking at, in order to make comment on planning applications.
2.1.4 If applications were printed off to enable better examination, not only would this be costly to the parish council (whereas currently it was at the cost of the planning applicant) but this would also require access to a very large printer.
2.1.5 The introduction of electronic planning was expected to achieve financial benefits for Herefordshire Council (HC) but additional costs for parish councils. Could these additional costs not be met by the applicant?
2.1.6 There was a great deal of concern about the electronic proposals and, as yet, a lot of unanswered questions.
2.1.7 It was suggested that:
a) HC’s IT Department be asked to consider the most effective method for parish councils to deal with electronic planning.
b) HC Planning Officers be invited to give practical demonstrations at one or two venues around the county, particularly in village halls without broadband.
2.2 Herefordshire Council – Localities way of working
A second evening for HALC members to discuss Localities with Herefordshire Council had been arranged for 20th September. It was understood that the concept of setting up ‘Locality Partnerships’ (which appeared to be creating a new tier of quasi government not favoured by PCs) had been abandoned in favour of networking systems.
2.3 Data Protection – councillor registration
2.3.1 Richard Gething had asked for further clarification from NALC as this was causing a great deal of concern amongst Herefordshire parish councillors.
2.4 Parish Councillor allowances
2.4.1 The level of any allowance paid by a parish council to its parish councillors must have regard to the recommendation of Herefordshire Council’s Remuneration Panel. This Panel had met recently but only to consider Herefordshire Council allowance levels. HALC had therefore asked that the Panel also consider the level (if any) of parish council allowances.
2.5 It was clarified that ‘allowances’ in this context meant a sum of money paid to each parish councillor in order to carry out his/her duty, not expenses payable as a result of travel etc
2.6 Code of Conduct/Ombudsman – the future
2.6.1 The current HALC representatives on Herefordshire Standards Committee: Richard Gething, Nicky Carless and Mary Morris would continue until the likely winding up of the Committee at the end of March 2012, in line with recommendations in the Localism Bill.
2.6.2 It was noted that NALC was supporting the retention of Standards Committees, particularly in the light of new powers for parish councils.
2.6.3 It was further noted that the current Ombudsman would not be taking on responsibility for parish councils and a new ombudsman specifically for parish councils was not under consideration.
2.6.4 Members expressed concern that the mandatory Code of Conduct was being abolished, particularly at a time when parish councils were likely to be given additional powers in the localism bill.
2.6.5 It was felt that a voluntary code with no ‘teeth’ was unlikely to deter errant parish councillors.
3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – 18.4.11.
The minutes were agreed with the following amendments:
4. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 26.7.10.
Due to an oversight, these Minutes had not been approved previously. It was agreed that they be approved with amendment:
Item 3 addition: “Draft minutes of SAM meetings to appear on the HALC website within two weeks of the meeting”.
5. REPORTS
5.1 Herefordshire Association of Local Councils (HALC)
5.1.1 The outcome of the recent Charter consultation would be taken to the HALC AGM on 22nd October.
5.2 Herefordshire Standards Committee
5.2.1 Business continued as usual.
5.3 Wye Valley AONB
5.3.1 The Secretary outlined details of a forthcoming Study Tour, to which two members of HALC were invited. It was agreed that members would contact the Secretary if they wished to participate.
5.4 NALC Matters
5.4.1 Working Groups on the future of NALC
It was agreed that Reports from the following two national Working Groups be placed on the NALC website:
a) Organisation & Structures
b) Democratic Structures
6. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE CHAIRMEN
6.1 Richard Gething was unanimously elected as Chairman.
6.2 Peter Greenow was unanimously elected as Vice Chairman (parishes).
6.3 David Ravenscroft was unanimously elected as Vice Chairman (towns).
7. ELECTION OF 5 REPRESENTATIVES TO HALC EXECUTIVE
7.1 Only four representatives had the required paperwork signed by their
respective Parish Councils and they were all elected to serve on the HALC Executive:
7.1.1 Joyce Davies – Kilpeck.
7.1.2 Richard Gething – Bridstow.
7.1.3 Peter Greenow – Dinedow.
7.1.4 John Hardwick – Fownhope.
7.2 The remaining fifth vacancy would hopefully be filled at the October meeting.
7.3 It was noted that David Ravenscroft was the nominated direct representative to HALC Executive by Ross Town Council.
7.4 It was further noted that Anna Toon was the direct representative for Hereford City.
8. MATTERS RAISED BY MEMBER PARISH COUNCILS
8.1 Parish boundaries and numbers of councillors would be discussed at the next meeting. Several parish councils had expressed a wish to have fewer parish councillors and at least one of the market towns – Ross on Wye – was interested in increasing its numbers.
8.2 It was noted that Lower Bullingham PC had experienced difficulties during the recent elections because it was the only parish council (other than market towns) to be split into wards and the ward areas required further definition.
9. NEXT MEETING – Monday 31st October 2011.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.30 pm.