BRERETON AND RAVENHILL PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Parish Council meeting held at the Parish Hall, Ravenhill Park, Brereton, on Tuesday,
7th November 2017.
Present
Councillors Ms IJ Brown [Vice-Chairman in the Chair], K Ansell, Mrs P Ansell, Mrs DM Easton,
R Easton, Miss C Harvey, Mrs G Harvey, TA Jones and GN Molineux.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors H Farnath, PA Fisher [Chairman], N Parton
and Mrs HJ Southwell and District Councillor D Foley.
Mr PG Davies, the Parish Clerk, was also in attendance.
1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
No declarations were given at the commencement of the meeting.
2. MINUTES
RESOLVED
That the minutes of the meeting held on 3rd October 2017, be approved and signed as a
correct record.
3. POLICE MATTERS
The Chairman welcomed PCSOs Andy Hickman and Sean Nicholls to the meeting. A copy
of the Police Report is attached.
Members raised the following additional matters:-
the need for parking issues in the vicinity of Hobb Hill School to be resolved as
quickly as possible;
concern was expressed regarding the train passenger assaulted by six men at
Rugeley Town Station;
the need for seminars, convened by the Police, to be held outside of the normal
working day so as to enable people still in employment to attend.
The PCSOs duly noted these comments and they undertook to take action where this was
appropriate.
4. TRANSFORMING THE TRENT VALLEY [TTTV] LANDSCPE PARTNERSHIP SCHEME
The TTTV Landscape Partnership Manager had noted the Parish Council’s comments
regarding access and had undertaken to keep Members updated on the project.
5. CANNOCK CHASE COUNCIL PRIORITIES
The Clerk reported that the District Council’s new Corporate Plan was due to be published
in Spring 2018, setting out the Authority’s priorities for 2018 – 2021. The Council itself was
proposing that its key aim would be ‘Promoting Prosperity and Community Wellbeing’.
Members considered that the following should be given priority:-
Increasing policing to tackle rising crime.
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Taking stronger action against environmental crime.
Improvements in education.
Ensuring priority was given to encouraging business and, as a consequence,
opportunities for apprenticeships on the Power Station site.
To support the maintenance and improvement of health facilities and, in particular,
the retention of the local hospital in Cannock.
Members also enquired as to the District Council’s stance in dealing with the important
subject of dementia and what, if any, action they had taken in this regard.
RESOLVED
1. That the Parish Council consider that the District Council’s priorities should include
the items listed above.
2. That in relation to the social deprivation index [LSOA], the Clerk seek clarification as
to whether the Ravenhill part of the parish was still within the lower quartile.
3. That the District Council be invited to indicate as to whether they were a ‘dementia
friendly’ body and what, if any, action they had taken in this regard.
6. OAK TREE FARM
The County Council had advised that the defendants were required to clear the waste from
the site within 24 weeks of when they were told by the Authority that the burning waste
piles had ceased burning and the waste material was safe to be removed. Staffordshire
Fire and Rescue would advise the County Council when the waste had stopped burning.
The Authority was, therefore, unable to anticipate when the waste would be cleared as the
fire was still burning under the soil cap.
Members remained very concerned as the site was detracting from a prominent part of the
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
RESOLVED

That the Clerk inform the County Council that the Parish Council’s original enquiry related
to the piles of rubbish that were not burning and he again seek an indication as to when this
material would be removed.
7. MINING MEMORIAL
Councillor R Easton reported on various measures which had been taken to secure the
repair and renovation of the coal truck which would form an integral part of the Mining
Memorial in Ravenhill Park. Much of the work had been done on a voluntary basis but
Members recognised that it might be necessary to purchase materials and engage some
paid labour to finalise the work.
RESOLVED
1. That a sum of £200.00 be specifically allocated to facilitate completion of
outstanding work.
2. That the Parish Council place on record its thanks to Councillor R Easton for the
considerable amount of work he had carried out in securing the total refurbishment
of the coal truck.
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8. PARISH COUNCIL’S WEBSITE
The Chairman introduced, and welcomed, Mr Nigel Ferguson, Website Manager, to the
meeting.
A discussion ensued on improvements to the website. All present concurred that the
following items would further enhance the site:-
The production of large photographic images which could be used as headers
Links to other local organisations and community bodies
News items
Photo Gallery
Photographs of current Members of the Parish Council
The Clerk and Members undertook to prepare additional material for incorporation onto the
site.
The Chairman thanked Mr Ferguson for attending the meeting.
9. WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Parish Council noted the contents of a letter from the Team Manager – Sustainability
and Waste Strategy, a copy of which had been circulated.

The letter set out, in detail, the reasons for the County Council introducing charges for nonhousehold waste, i.e. certain wastes generated from household maintenance and
improvement and garden landscaping work.
In respect of fly tipping, the County Council was working closely with District and Borough
Councils to monitor the impacts of the charging scheme. The number of fly tipping
incidents reported following the introduction of charging on 1st November 2016, had
continued to fluctuate, with fly tipping of the chargeable waste streams remaining relatively
steady.
10. SECTION 106 AGREEMENT RELATNG TO HAWKESYARD: PA 03/00627/OUT
The Clerk had circulated a letter and enclosures received from Lichfield District Council in
respect of the above.
Members noted that of the total financial contribution received by the District Council
[£802,000.00], fifty percent [£401,000.00] had been allocated “to facilitate serving the
people residing on site”. Paragraph 2[b] of the agreement stated:-
“The remaining proportion of the Social and Community Facilities Contribution shall be
applied towards the provision of social recreation education community and health within
the Parish of Brereton and Ravenhill or Armitage and Handsacre as appropriate which are
affected by and of benefit to people residing within the Development.”
In order to determine how best to allocate this remaining £401,000, the District Council was
inviting the two parish councils to submit capital schemes that they considered should
benefit from this funding. The District Council would then assess these, having regard to
the provisions of Paragraph 2.[b] and the criteria set out on the application form. This
funding could only be awarded to one of the parishes and it was the District Council’s view
that the agreement did not allow for it to be divided between the two.”
The Parish Council had received advice from a serving barrister with a civil practice who
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did not concur with the District Council’s interpretation of this key paragraph in the
Agreement
The Parish Council had been asked to complete its submission prior to the deadline of
Wednesday, 31st January 2018, at 5.00 pm.
Members considered the following capital schemes would benefit residents living on the
development. They could either be undertaken alone or jointly with Armitage and
Handsacre:-
Improvements to the canal towpath which would, amongst other things, enable
residents from both parishes to access Rugeley Town Centre on a bike, in a
wheelchair or with a pushchair.
Real time electronic information boards at bus stops on the 825 bus route through
the two parishes. There was also one 829 bus every school day each way along
this route.
Capital improvements to Parish Hall facilities – in the case of Brereton and
Ravenhill, this could involve increased car parking provision.
RESOLVED
1. That Lichfield District Council be respectfully requested to take legal advice on their
interpretation of Paragraph 2 of the agreement as a barrister with a civil practice
had advised this Parish Council that he did not concur with the explanation given in
the letter.
2. That the Clerk write to the Clerk of Armitage with Handsacre Parish Council
suggesting that representatives from both councils meet to discuss possible
projects that would benefit both areas.
3. That, in advance of preliminary discussions, this Parish Council would suggest the
projects listed above and the Clerk in his letter referred to in [2] above, make
reference to these.
4. That Mr T Walsh at Cannock Chase District Council be acquainted with the
background and, to assist the Parish Council in the bidding process, he be invited to
give an indication of the cost of providing an additional six car parking spaces on
land to the north of the Parish Hall.
11. RIGHTS OF WAY
The Parish Council noted the contents of a press release issued by the County Council
inviting comments on the future shape of the Rights of Way network in Staffordshire. The
Authority intended to identify the most used and valued paths where they would focus the
majority of their resources.
Members were invited to submit any views to the Clerk prior to him meeting with
Councillors TA Jones and R Easton in identifying the public footpaths in the parish, which
should be given priority as part of the new scheme.
12. SPEED LIMIT IN ARMITAGE ROAD
Councillor TA Jones, who had asked for this item to be included on the Agenda, referred to
previous assurances given by the County Council that when the by-pass was completed, a
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30 mph speed limit would be introduced along the built up part of Armitage Road. Since
completion of the by-pass, there had been a significant increase in residential development
along Armitage Road, both within, and immediately adjacent to the parish, making an even
stronger case for the imposition of this speed limit.
RESOLVED
That the Clerk write again to the County Council conveying the foregoing views and
requesting the early introduction of a 30 mph speed limit along the built up part of Armitage
Road.
13. PLANNING COMMITTEE
RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 3rd October 2017, be approved.
14. PARISH HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
RESOLVED
That the minutes of the Parish Hall Management Committee held on 4th October 2017, be
approved.
15. FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
RESOLVED
That the minutes of the Finance and Management Committee held on 4th October 2017, be
approved.
16. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The Parish Council had previously agreed that the next meeting would be held on
5
th December 2017, at 7.30 pm.
17. PUBLIC FORUM
No members of the public were present at this juncture in the meeting.