BRERETON AND RAVENHILL PARISH COUNCIL
DISTRICT OF CANNOCK CHASE COUNTY OF STAFFORDSHIRE
Minutes of the
FULL COUNCIL
Held at: the Parish Hall, Ravenhill Park, Brereton, Rugeley. WS15 1DU
Thursday 4th July 8.00pm – 9.30pm
WELCOME
Members Present:
D Blocksidge (DB),
S Merriman (SM),
K Theobald (KT),
J Gascoigne (JG)(V-Chair),
R Hall-Davies (RHD),
R Hall (RH),
C Davies (CD),
A Cowdell (AC),
APOLOGIES
Members Absent: apologies were received from M Blackham (MB)(Chair), C. Harris (CH), K Paul (KP), C Boulton (CB), and J Johnson (JJ) which were accepted.
In Attendance: PR Whibley (Clerk)
76. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None
77. FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE VICE CHAIR
The Council has received a kind donation from Neil Mallett and also Jason Whibley (Restore Windows) who gave his time and professional expertise for free.
The Chair has used his executive powers to authorise a repair to the meeting room floor as a precaution due to a safety issue, as well as, authorising a repair on the metal shutter in the kitchen for added security reasons. In progress.
78. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A member of the public was present but didn’t wish to speak.
79. AGREEING THE MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING (attached)
To approve and sign off the minutes of Full Council and Annual Council meetings held on Thursday 20th June 2024.
The previous minutes were agreed and signed as a true record.
80. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
12.3.1. The three councillors not present will be asked to sign the Code of Conduct at the next opportunity or at the next meeting. One member still outstanding.
11.1a.That the clerk inform any members who have not completed the envelope exercise to do so, as soon as possible. 3 members and 1 staff need to complete.
56.0.4. That the Clerk would present a draft Media Policy at next Full Council meeting. To be presented at a future meeting.
70.1. That the Clerk would upload the Working Groups Policy onto the BRPC website. Completed.
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Minutes Approved by Chair / Acting Chair : …………………………… Date: ……………………………
70.2. That the Clerk would upload the Terms of Reference for the Planning Committee onto the BRPC website. Completed.
70.3. That the Clerk would upload the Terms of Reference for the Finance, Asset & Risk Committee onto the BRPC website. Completed.
70.5. That the Clerk would upload the revised Scheme of Delegation onto the BRPC website. Completed.
71.5. That the Chair (MB) would report back to the next meeting on the outcome of the meeting concerning all missing assets. To be presented at the next meeting.
72.1. That the Exercise of Public Rights and other papers will be placed on the website and the noticeboards on Monday 24th June at the latest. Completed. The clerk thanked RH for her help with this.
It was suggested that notices could have expiry dates on them which would help to ease overcrowding on the noticeboards in future.
It was pointed out that some of the notice boards are in need of attention. Some would benefit from being made watertight. (Could the Neighbourhood WG, who oversee this aspect, take on this task)
73.1. The Internal Auditors Report: Factual change made. Completed. The clerk read out the redrafted section H.
74.1. That MB would contact Festive Lighting to discuss the issue of missing lights. To be presented at the next meeting.
CD and RHD informed the meeting that three street lights which had had string lights attached to them had been replaced. But that the three should not have had any lights placed on them. The posts and lights have not yet been located.
81. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES / WORKING GROUP MEETINGS
81.1. Finance Asset & Risk Committee:
MOTIONS for RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE CAFÉ FINANCIAL PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT
81.a. That the FAR committee recommend that the Council approve the 7 elements involved in the process needed to help ensure the successful financial operation of the café.
1. A £50 float to be maintained to open the cafe.
2. At the end of each trading session, the £50 float is retained, the surplus cash reconciled with till roll, and both bagged and given to the RFO (Via a deposit safe).
3. The surplus cash will be banked weekly and entered into Scribe via a sales invoice as Café Takings.
4. All supplies for the café will be by cheque or online payment by the RFO.
5. To set up a 30 day supplies account for this purpose.
6. Committee is to be asked to set a £500 monthly pre-authorised budget.
7. Receipts and Payments will be monitored the FAR committee monthly and reported to Full Council.
Approved.
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Minutes Approved by Chair / Acting Chair : …………………………… Date: ……………………………
81.b. That the FAR committee recommend that the Council approve the purchase of a deposit safe for the café takings. FARc choice: Dirty Pro Tools cost £101.59
Approved.
81.c. That the FAR committee recommend that the Council approve the purchase of a cash register. FARc choice: CRG XA137 cost £179.95
Motion not presented.
A cash register has been kindly donated by Brereton Million. This will be trialled and if found unsuitable motion 81.c. will be presented at a future meeting.
MOTION for RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE BRPC BANKING ARRANGEMENTS
81.d. That the FAR committee recommend that the Council deposit £80000 into the Unity Trust Bank a/c by transferring all funds from the Heritage A/c and the remainder from the PC A/c. Then to close the Heritage a/c.
Approved.
81.2. Planning Committee
1. Strategic Development Grid 9.
81.3. Parish Hall Management WG
Matters under discussion by the WG:
1. PAT testing of electrical items in the Hall.
2. Help for Heroes (MB)
3. Vandalism / CCTV
4. Car Park (Installation of a temporary stage at Brereton Social Club. Refused due to lack of parking.)
As the Parish Council’s feasibility planning for a new cark park continues this refusal will be taken into account.
5. Website volunteers
6. Helping volunteers get onto a Driving Scheme for a mini-bus
7. Cafe
8. Strategic Development Grids 4 and 5
9. Climate Action Fund Grant
CD informed the meeting that this has now been completed.
81.4. Community Engagement WG
Matters under discussion by the WG:
1. Taking responsibility for the Lantern Parade.
2. Liaison with PHM to take responsibility for elements of Strategic development 6.
3. JS to update the noticeboards.
4. Investigate the possibility of a monthly evening Drop-In session.
5. Website Links
6. Strategic Development Grids 3, 6, 7 and 8
81.5. Staffing WG
37.5.1. That a working group of SM,DB and JG agreed to work on a draft job description for the role of a Handyman and present it to a future Full Council meeting.
After discussion the meeting decided that it should be only members on the staffing WG who produce the description.
48.5.1. Strategic Development Grids 2 and 10
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Minutes Approved by Chair / Acting Chair : …………………………… Date: ……………………………
62.1. That the Staffing working group would organise the application and interview process for a new clerk. (to be actioned)
81.6. Policies, Practice & Procedures WG
48.6.2.That the clerk would produce aide memoir to help FAR and RFO to adapt the guidelines to this parish council needs. To be presented at a future FAR meeting.
48.6.3.That the clerk would produce an aide memoir to help the council to adapt their Standing Orders to this parish council needs. Completed. (see item 84)
81.7. Neighbourhood WG
The meeting asked for the agreed updated version of the Scheme of Delegation to be re-sent to all members.
81.7.1. That the clerk would send an updated Scheme of Delegation.
RH informed the meeting that she was working with (CH) on the Neighbourhood Plan.
81.8. Speed Calming WG
Recently RH has been involved with a police initiative on methods to improve traffic calming.
The meeting raised their concerns as to the non-appearance of the traffic signage promised by the County Councillor.
81.8.1. That the clerk would contact the Councillor and enquire when the new signs would be available for erection.
81.9. Heritage WG
1. Heritage WG report June 2024 (attached)
2. Ginnie Wagon’s Trail Project
3. Brereton and Ravenhill Project
81.10. Drop-In WG
81.11. Police Report
None
82. STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS
After discussion it was agreed that all working groups and committees would present their progress at the Full Council meeting on October 3rd.
82.1. That the clerk would place STARTEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS on the 03.10.24 agenda
83. RISK ASSESSMENTS 1-23. (24-54 to be presented at the next meeting)
The minor recommended updates on the financial section of the risk assessment were approved.
83.1. That the clerk would update items 1-23 of the Risk Assessment.
The meeting decided to leave 24-53 until the FAR committee had had time to complete their work and only discuss item 54 Café.
84. STANDING ORDERS (Revised)
The clerk explained the four areas of revision he has updated in the Standing Orders on behalf of the council.
Sections 7 Resolutions
Section 17 Information presented from the RFO
Section 19 The prominence of the Chair with Committees becoming Working Groups.
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Minutes Approved by Chair / Acting Chair : …………………………… Date: ……………………………
Section 21 That Data protection becomes Statutory and the support for training needed for the DPO (CD)
Approved.
84.1. That the clerk would upload the revised Standing Orders on the website.
85. DATE OF NEXT COUNCIL MEETING:
Thursday 18th July 2024 in the Parish Hall Meeting Room at 8.00pm
Meeting closed 9.23pm
PRWhibley
Clerk
A post meeting discussion ensued about the bus shelters which were in need of some attention. It was decided that individual members could ‘adopt’ a shelter and complete some much needed repairs and maintenance on their shelter. Members readily agreed and a schedule was produced.