Wolverley & Cookley Parish Council Meeting – 2nd November 2021

Wolverley and Cookley Parish Council

Clerk to the Council: Mrs B J Drew, 4 Mill Lane, Wolverley, 01562 850435

http://www.wolverleyandcookleyparishcouncil.org.uk

To Members of Wolverley and Cookley Parish Council

You are duly summoned to attend a meeting of Wolverley and Cookley Parish Council to be held at Cookley School 7.00pm on Tuesday 2^nd November 2021 for the purpose of transacting the following business.

AGENDA

1. To consider the acceptance of apologies for absence from Councillors and approve reasons for absence.
2. Declarations of Councillors Interests
3. Register of Interests: Councillors are reminded to complete and need to regularly update their register of interests.
4. To declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in items on the agenda and their nature.
5. To declare any Other Disclosable Interests (Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary) in items on the agenda and their nature.

Councillors who have declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Other Disclosable (Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary) Interest which falls within the Code of Conduct (para 12 (4) (b) must leave the room for the relevant items.

Failure to register or declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest may result in the commission of a criminal offence.

The meeting will now be adjourned for PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Members of the public are invited to give their views and question the Council on items on the agenda or raise issues for future consideration at the discretion of the Chairman. Members of the public may not take part in the Council Meeting itself.

The meeting now reconvened to conduct the items of business listed below.

3. To consider the adoption of the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 5^th October 2021 at 7.00pm (minutes previously circulated).

Matters for Discussion / Decision.

4. Police Report.

5. County / District Councillor Reports. Reports circulated prior to the meeting, any questions on items in the report to be e mailed directly to the Councillors.

6. Financial Matters: To agree the schedule of cheques to be signed.

7. Local Plan – Consultation on Main Modifications to the Wyre Forest District Local Plan.

8. Localism Agenda.

9. LED lighting upgrades.

10. To discuss The Queen’s Green Canopy – Tree Planting / Platinum Jubilee Events.

11. Remembrance Day Services.

12. Notice of Appeal: 21/0721/CLP – Wyre Mill Cottage, Wolverley.

13. Planning Applications for Consideration: –

PC No            WFDC No/Details

3581               21/0973/PNH: FOR INFORMATION ONLY – Single storey rear extension (Larger home Extension Notification) at Sunrise, Sheepwash Lane, Wolverley,

3582               21/0990/S73: Variation of conditions 2,3,5,12,13 and 14 along with approved plans of 21/0066/S73 to allow changes to layout, changes to floor levels, removal of 4 additional trees and realignment of footpath at former Lea Castle,

3583               21/0998/TCA: G1- Thin understory consisting of smaller Oaks, Hazel and some fruit trees at The Old Vicarage, Wolverley.

Parish Matters for Update Only – no decisions required.

14. Clerks Report. (Clerk) Decision Notices
15. Update on Lengthsman. (RD/WS)
16. New Issues / Items for Next Meeting. (All)
17. Date of Next Meeting – to confirm the date of the next meeting which is scheduled for Tuesday 7^thDecember 2021.

Mrs Beverley Drew

Clerk to Wolverley and Cookley Parish Council

27^th October 2021

WOLVERLEY & COOKLEY PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council

Held on Tuesday 5^th October 2021,7.00pm, Wolverley Church Hall, Wolverley

Present:

Mr D Jones (Chairman)

Mrs V Bordewich

Mr A Carloss

Mr D Cox

Mr R Drew

Mr J Hart

Mr M Hart
Mr C Nicholls

Mr W Southam

Mr J Wood

West Mercia Police:                                  Apologies

County Councillor:                                      Cllr. I Hardiman

District Councillors:                                   Cllrs. I Hardiman and M Hart

107. Apologies

Cllr. Mrs L Jones due to another meeting, Cllr. B McFarland due to transport issues and Cllr. C Sherrey and S Sherrey due to holiday.

108. Declarations of Councillors Interests
109. Register of Interests: The Clerk reminded Councillors that it is their responsibility to update their register of interests forms as required.
110. To declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in items on the agenda and their nature. None declared.
111. To declare any Other Disclosable Interests (Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary) in items on the agenda and their nature. None declared.

The meeting will now be adjourned for PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.

The Chairman welcomed members of the Public and invited them to speak.

Cllr D Killingworth – Chairman of Wyre Forest County Association of Local Councils introduced himself and spoke to Councillors on the importance of attending regular training sessions. CALC provide numerous sessions which can be attended via Zoom, these are circulated by your Clerk.  He also re-iterated the need for all Councillors to abide by the Code of Conduct.  The Ethics and Standards Committee now have a new Chairman and will not tolerate any inappropriate behaviour.  Cllr. R Drew (Vice Chairman) sits on this committee.

The Chairman introduced Lorraine Neal, our new Lengthsman and she was warmly welcomed by all and thanked for her work.  The Clerk thanked her for timely submission of worksheets which are now circulated to all Councillors.

The meeting now reconvened to conduct the items of business listed below.

109. To consider the adoption of the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7^th September 2021 at 7.00pm

These having previously been circulated it was resolved unanimously to receive and adopt the minutes as a true record of the meeting and these were signed as such by the Chairman.

Matters for Discussion / Decision;

110. Police Report

Report Circulated.

Clerk also advised of recent RTC on Shatterford Road by entrance to Wolverley Memorial Hall also reports of a male approaching people in Cookley asking for money.

111. To receive Councillors Reports;

District Councillor Report;

Report Circulated.

Local Issues

We have been dealing with the usual routine casework, reporting litter and fly tipping on the main A roads and along the country lanes.

We continue to receive some communication from residents regarding the potential quarry at Lea Castle.

We have been advised by WFDC that they want to pursue their localism agenda with the Parish Council, regarding the transfer of some assets/land in the Parish. However, this has all gone very quiet and we have not been updated recently.

We do not support WFDC expecting the Parish Council to take on the litter picking and bin emptying duties without any grant, given that WFDC has a statutory duty to keep land free from litter.

We have been keeping a close eye on several planning issues in the Parish, in particular, the Old Post Office in Cookley village. Lisa has been leading on this but we have all been involved. The applicants were advised the application was not acceptable and given 14 days to resubmit revised plans. These are still not acceptable and at the time of writing have not been advised of further revised plans, today being the deadline. We should have a further oral update on the status of the application at the meeting.

We have approved the further naming of roads at the former Lea Castle Hospital site with the WFDC planning policy team. We would like to thank the PC for their suggestions but feel it is sensible to keep with the common theme of trees/bushes/plants, save for the Doctor’s names.

A fly tipper was given a fixed penalty notice of £300 recently for dumping waste in Beech Tree Lane.

The depot have recently cut back the overgrowth around the alleyway near the bowling club and given it a good tidy up.

An additional street nameplate has been added at Hayes Road.

Wyre Forest Issues

In respect of the WFDC’s draft Local Plan, the Cabinet are meeting on 13th October to approve a consultation from 14th October – 26th November. This will be on the ‘main modifications’.

Look out for the consultation events and what the implications are when the details are released by WFDC.

Wyre Forest House is still closed to the public and the Green Street Hub is not open as a walk in Hub, appointments must be pre-booked save for dealing with housing and homelessness applications and ‘urgent’ issues.

Full Council has now met back face to face in the Council Chamber for the first time in over 18 months.

The Progressive Alliance have made some constitutional amendments, reducing the time for notices of motions and debate.

Cllr. M Hart also added that the Planning Application at the former Post Office, Cookley has today been refused and enforcement action will be taken.  Also Environmental Protection Officers at WFDC have been doing patrols and have caught and successfully fined two people recently for fly tipping.  The Local Plan will go before the Scrutiny Committee and then Cabinet.

County Councillor Report;

Report Circulated.

Local Issues:

Wolverley Secondary School/Highway Safety for Pupils

In response to a request by Head teacher Bryn Thomas for Highway safety improvements to be made to ensure safe egress of pupils at school finish times, I engaged the Highways Liaison Engineer who has now utilised technical resources to finalise an engineering solution outside the school. Additional highway school warning signs and safety railings are to be installed; pupils will be contained and protected by the railings which will run from the school exit gateway along the pavement down to a crossing-point to solve the present uncontrolled dispersal onto the highway by pupils.

I had no hesitation in agreeing to proceed with such important safety measures and I have been able to use some of my Councillor’s Divisional Funding to ensure the project’s completion. The school will also be investing in new safety rail improvements around its gateway which will link to the County Council’s system.

Lea Lane Landslip:

Unfortunately, the County Council are still unable to proceed with the necessary construction works to restore Lea Lane to full usage; agreement has still not been found with interested parties regarding responsibilities, permissions and costs. To enable progress, the County Council, Severn Trent Water, the Canals & Rivers Trust plus the private land owner must resolve ongoing disagreements.

Lea Castle Farm Quarry Application:

Still no date has been set for the Quarry Application to be considered by the County Council’s Planning Committee whose responsibility it is to either approve or refuse mineral extraction applications.

Recurring Rainwater, Flooding Lowe Lane Field:

In response to concerns by the tenant whose horses are kept in the field at the lower end of Lowe Lane, Paul Green Highways Engineer accompanied me to investigate the highway Gullies’ efficiency here.  Subsequently, we have arranged to meet with the tenant to discuss how the natural contour of the field’s edge has been altered by depositing of grass & vegetation waste causing interruption to the natural flow of the rainwater on its route to the drainage system.

Cllr. R Drew requested that WCC be asked to fill the Yellow County Grit Bins that were previously reported last year as empty.

112. Financial Matters.
113. Pkf Littlejohn – Section 3 – External Auditor Report & Certificate 2020/21.

The external auditor has completed the report and certificate for 20/21 and has one advisory that Unpaid Standing Orders as at the year end have been incorrectly included as items of expenditure and as reconciling items in the bank reconciliation.  The figures in Section 2, Boxes 6,7 and 8 should read £51.575, £116.557 and £116,557 respectively.  Clerk advised in consultation with Cllr. C Sherrey these figures will be corrected in the prior year comparatives when completing next years AGAR.

1. b) Pagoda Tower Baskets, Cookley – Purchase of Additional Tier. Unanimously Approved.  Southam advised Cookley in Bloom have recently won another Gold Award.  They were congratulated by all.

1. To agree the schedule of cheques to be signed. Unanimously agreed the following accounts be paid;

34    Mrs B J Drew                                                                                                    1067.71

(Salary September 2021)

35    Mr Keith Basketfield                                                                                       688.00

(6th Grass Cut – Extra)

36    Inland Revenue                                                                                                  415.80

(Tax & NI July – September 2021)

37    PKF Littlejohn                                                                                                    360.00

(External Audit Fee)

38    Mrs B J Drew                                                                                                    150.99

(Ink/Expenses)

39    Ms Lorraine Neal

(Lengthsman – September 2021)                                                                  165.00

(County Work – Reimbursed by Cllr. I Hardiman Fund)                          180.00

40    Amberol                                                                                                               603.60

(Island Quarto Planters x 4)

41     geViews                                                                                                               192.00

(Pagoda Tower Baskets – 2 Small additional tiers)

113. Consultation for Felling Licence Application 015/2478/2019 Kinver Edge – Blakeshall Common.

The above consultation had been circulated to all Councillors and was noted. It was agreed to leave the decision on the proposal to the experts.

114. To discuss The Queen’s Green Canopy – Tree Planting.

Clerk had circulated information received on the above and Cllr. R Drew gave a precis.

There was much discussion on this, and it was agreed all Councillors give thought to this and Clerk keep on the agenda for further discussion.

115. Planning Applications for Consideration: –

PC No       WFDC No/Details

3576        21/0772/HOU: Erection of single storey side and front extensions including new porch, following demolition of existing garage at 14 Westhead Road, Cookley,

Recommend Approval

3577        21/0895/OUT: Residential development for 1 x 3-bedroom single storey bungalow at garages at land at Wardle Way, Wolverley,

Recommend Approval for bungalow but request that the trees are retained and managed with advice from the Arboricultural Officer

3578        21/0889/FUL: Car Park Improvements at Vales Rock Car Park, Kingsford Lane, Wolverley,

Recommend Approval

3579        21/0909/HOU: Construction of a 20 x 40 m outdoor riding arena at Birds Barn Cottage, Sheepwash Lane, Wolverley,

Recommend Approval

3580        21/0923/HOU: Glass link from house to the existing garage.  Single storey extension to the garage to create extra living space at Sebright Cottage, Blakeshall Lane, Wolverley.

Recommend Approval

Parish Matters for Update Only – no decisions required.

116. Clerks Report. (Clerk) Overgrowth around alleyways, Wolverley Memorial Hall – WFDC have done as a one off, but Wolverley Memorial Hall Committee are discussing and will be responsible for this going forward. Remembrance Sunday 14th November 2021 – more details to follow, Planning Decision Notices, CALC Employment Kite Mark Scheme. Road Closure Notices.
117. WFDC Localism Agenda. (RD/MH) Cllr R Drew gave an update on recent meetings attended.Still no formal proposals have been received from WFDC.  Several neighbouring Councils have agreed they will not take over grass cutting/bin emptying services but they are much smaller Councils than Wolverley & Cookley.  The Executive Officer at CALC has written to Ian Miller regarding this and together with Cllr. Killingworth has a meeting to discuss.  All Parish and Town Councils have agreed to stand firm together on this.  Clerk to put on main body of next agenda.
118. Update on Lengthsman. (RD/WS) Lorraine was thanked for her work.
119. Site Meeting re Street Lighting Column, Gaymore Road, Cookley. (DC) Cllr D Cox, Clerk, Mr Talbot, Prysmian and WCC Street Lighting attended on site.It was agreed the column does need fully replacing.  Prysmian will liaise with Mr Talbot when undertaking the work which should be before Christmas.
120. Winter Basket Planting. (RD/WS) Wolverley will be planted this week, Cookley is in hand.
121. New Issues / Items for Next Meeting. (All) LED updates, Localism Agenda, Green Canopy Tree Planting, Remembrance Day.

122.. Date of Next Meeting – to confirm the date of the next meeting which is scheduled for Tuesday 2nd November 2021.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 7.50 pm.

Please find our enclosed report as follows:-

Local Issues

We have been dealing with the usual routine casework, fly tipping and litter picking on the main A roads and along the country lanes.

We have contacted Community Housing regarding the pot hole repairs needed to their car park in Austcliffe Road, Cookley, they have advised us that these works will be carried out shortly.

We have been working with Royal Mail to replace the post box that was taken out of commission from the Old Post Office wall in Cookley, we have been consulted on regarding the positioning of the replacement box and have advised them that Bridge Road would be our first choice and Austcliffe Road by the public house car park our second.  We are awaiting confirmation of the location and an installation date.

We have received an update from the Planning Officer that the Red Lion Planning Application is currently being consulted on, they are awaiting a Heritage Statement and Ecology assessment to be carried out.  They have received the report from the Conservation Officer regarding the historical content of the building and its local importance.  We will give you an update when a decision has been made.

Enforcement Issues :- 

The Old Post Office, Cookley –  The enforcement notice has now been sent to the owner and agent by the District Council’s Planning Lawyer.  They have been given six months to return the shopfront to its original design, the timeframe was decided on the basis that the wooden shopfront windows will need to be made and fitted, also the reinstatement of the brickwork below the bay window.

We have asked the local police team to inspect the site and boards for pedestrian safety, they have assured ourselves that there are no safety issues at present.  We have also taken advice from the licensing team regarding the owner possibly opening the shop whilst the enforcement notice is in action and apply for a liquor license, the planning team are a direct consultee in this process and would comment accordingly.

Wyre Forest District Issues

Wyre Forest House is still closed to the public as is the Green Street Hub save for dealing with housing and homelessness applications.

The District Council are carrying out a consultation on the main modifications to the Local Plan.  There will be a drop in session at Wyre Forest House on Wednesday 3 November from 10am-12pm and 4pm till 6pm for residents requiring further information.

Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement 2021 and Comprehensive Spending Review announcements, please see below some key points.

The £17.9m levelling up fund bid for Kidderminster has been approved in full.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund worth over £2.6 billion over the next three years. Successor to the EU Structural Funds. This will rise to £1.5 billion a year by 2024-25.

£1.6bn a year new grant funding for English councils in addition to social care funding, there is no information on what this is for or how it will be distributed. There is no guarantee how much or any of it will come to district councils.

Increase of 3% a year in core spending power – there was no separate figure given for district councils.

There is no mention of local government funding reform. There is no confirmation that business rates will be reset or would be delayed beyond 1 April 2022.

The referendum threshold for increases in council tax is expected to remain at 2% per year. In addition, local authorities with social care responsibilities are expected to be able to increase the adult social care precept by up to 1% per year. Police and crime commissioners proposed to have a £10 threshold.

NB the usual “or £5, whichever is the greater” flexibility for district councils was not announced as part of the Chancellor’s speech but hopefully will be confirmed in due course.  Also, please note that this policy proposal applies across three years, so no hint of letting councils have genuine freedom on council tax.  The County Council will have much tighter criterion for the social care precept. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities “will set out full details of the council tax referendum principles and proposed approach to allocating grant funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement”.

Wyre Forest District Issues Continued

Business Rates multiplier is frozen for 2022-23. The government has also announced a range of other measures, including a new, one year 50% Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief up to a cap of £100k per business, and support for investment in property improvements and green technology.

More than £300 million has been awarded to implement free, separate food waste collections in every local authority in England from 2025. However, this seems unlikely to cover the full costs.  There was no mention of funding for free garden waste collections.

The public sector pay freeze will not continue: ‘fair and affordable’ pay rises over the whole Spending Review period.  Local government will make its own decisions on pay and were not bound by the pay freeze in 2021.  However, the near 7% increase in the minimum wage and projected CPI of 4% over the coming year will fuel pressure on local government pay in 2022.

If you have any issues you would like us to deal with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Cllr. Marcus J Hart

Cllr. Ian D Hardiman

Cllr. Lisa J Jones

Wyre Forest Rural Ward Councillors

2nd November 2021 County Cllr Ian Hardiman’s Report to Wolverley & Cookley Parish Council.

Local issues:

. Lea Castle Farm Quarry Application:

I enquired with the County Council’s Development  Manager as to when he thinks this Application will be considered by the Planning & Regulatory Committee; he hopes that this will happen by February 2022 but certainly will not be before the end of 2021.

. Lea Lane Landslip:

As still no progress is being made towards commencing the reinstatement of this highway lane, I last week referred this for Senior Management’s attention at County Highways, reminding them that the Landslip occurred some two and a half years ago!

I am awaiting their response.

.  Site Visits and appointments with residents:

Unfortunately several issues which were to be attended jointly by myself and Paul Green, Highways Engineer had to cancelled as Paul and his family were forced to isolate owing to Covid-19 Infection.

I am hoping to restore these appointments during this coming week, as Paul has now returned to duty.

Caunsall, Kinver Lane vehicle Speeds:

Residents, concerned about ongoing vehicle speeding have asked for engineering solutions and have enquired whether village gateways could be installed by the 30mph signage at the upper end of Kinver Lane before the residential properties.

Paul Green has no objection but suggested that I refer this to the Parish Council to prompt their consideration in purchasing gateways for this location.

I shall await the Parish Council’s response on this.

WOLVERLEY AND COOKLEY PARISH COUNCIL

SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT FOR APPROVAL

AT THE MEETING 2^nd NOVEMBER 2021

Ref       Payee                                                                             Amount (£)

42             Andrea Holmes Consultancy                                                                           155.00

(www.cookleyandcaunsall.co.uk – Sept 21-Sept 22)

APPROVED UNDER DELEGATED POWERS

43             Mrs B J Drew                                                                                                    1067.71

(Salary October 2021)

44             The Poppy Appeal                                                                                             150.00

(Wreaths)

45             Mrs B J Drew                                                                                                    20.19                                                              (Ink/Stamps)

46             Ms Lorraine Neal                                                                                              180.00

(Lengthsman – October 2021)

47             Cookley In Bloom                                                                                               90.00

(Planters x 3)

48             R M Drew                                                                                                            262.55

(Wolverley Planters x 6, compost, plant food plus wetland plants for planter x 1 Highlow Bank)

49             DM Payroll Services Ltd                                                                                                   90.00

(Administration of Payroll 1^st half year)