BRERETON AND RAVENHILL PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Full Council Meeting of Brereton and Ravenhill Council held at the Parish Hall, Ravenhill Park, Brereton on Thursday 21st September 2023.
MINUTES

1. Cllrs Present: Miles Blackham (MB)(Chair), Dana Blockside (DB), Carl Boulton (CB), Alison Cowdell (AC), Caroline Davies (CD), Jay Gascoigne (JG) (Vice Chair), Rebecca Hall-Davies (RH-D), Clair Harris (CH)(Acting Clerk for this meeting), Sue Merriman (SM), Kay Paul (KP), Kevin Theobald (KT)
Cllrs Absent: Ruth Hall (RH), Jake Johnson (JJ)
In Attendance: Mr John Smith (JS)(RFO/Caretaker) Mr Lee Featherstone (LF)(Volunteer Administrator)
No public Attendance

2. Declarations of Interest in any items on the agenda
No declarations of interest noted.

3. Full Council Minutes from meeting held on Thursday 20th July 2023
Minutes approved and signed.

4. Extra Ordinary Minutes from meeting held on Thursday 27th July 2023
CH acting as clerk for this meeting, only held a draft copy of the minutes.
All councillors agreed to be signed off after reviewing minutes.
To be actioned by MB with PR Whibley (Acting.Clerk) to be resolved at the next full council meeting.

5. Matters Arising-None.

6. Correspondence Received
SM Passed information regarding Standard Bearer for Remembrance Parade, unable to make service but can make parade. To be discussed further No.18 on the agenda.

7. Finance Report
7.1 No final full audit report received. KP believes that the final report has not been looked at, a 30 day period has to pass. We have an internal audit but everyone agreed to wait for the full Mazars report to be published. KP believes that both need to be published on the council website at some point. JS agreed.
7.2 KP to liaise with Toplis & Mazars and to update at the next meeting.
7.3 Decided to use a different bank for the extra account. To be actioned by KP SM.
Set up online banking to be actioned by KP. Discussed a few banks that can be explored further to look at their best business rates. KP to action.
CB entered the meeting.
7.4. Resolved on scribe accounts – all council members present agreed to use scribe accounts, LF to action.
LF will action Scribe asap and needs to liaise with JS to copy accounts into scribe. KP to pass on contact details of a qualified clerk supplied by Kim Squires (auditor) to work temporarily with LF on the scribe accounts. Decision on RFO role in the meantime – JS happy to continue his role.
Cost of scribe £1139 (Breakdown £660 yearly subscription and £479 fees)
Scribe bookings are not really needed for our booking of the hall. At the moment we still use the old system where contact is made through to Ruby. Price listing on the website of costs of hiring the hall needs to be added. We need to confirm a phone number for contact on the website to move forward with the times. This needs to be actioned, discuss at the next meeting.

8. Finance and Management Minutes from meeting held on Tuesday 18th July 2023
Minutes approved and signed.

9. Hall Update
JS updated with Income & expenditure for Parish hall. Grand total Income for July and August = £4,631.19 Expenditure (up to 21-09-2023) = £13,724.20 is over budget.
9.1. Update on Climate Action Fund – No proposal given, CD not been able to progress with the application grant, but if we can follow it up there is another slot in december, CD to action.
9.2 Update on roof being cleaned – JS acquired a quote from Aqua Smart, of £800 to clean the roof and treat with anti growing moss. KP questioned if we have to have 3 quotes. RH-D queried the length of the guarantee of regrowth of moss. JS unable to answer. Standing orders need to be viewed. Councillors believe that they need two more quotes, KT suggested asking about the guarantee of work and MB suggests an itemised quotation. JS to find 2 more quotes.
9.3. MB used Energy Consultant from Bionic Group to find 3 quotes for out of contract energy Bill.
Selected YU Energy, a 36 month contract with renewable energy. MB asked to vote on it.
JG agreed YU Energy DB seconded it. JS asked to get all the relevant information.
Resolved on energy bill – MB to action.
To look into the Broadband package and to see if we can get a better deal and speed, MB JG to action.
Update from Linda Jellyman from The Miners, the hall bar is to be refurbed with new pipers, pumps etc. on Tuesday 26th September 2023 and at no cost to the council, the brewery is footing the bill.

10. Community Engagement Update
10.5 Heritage Committee – CH suggested KP to be treasurer for the Heritage Committee. CH thought it was the right process to have KP as treasurer because of being a bank signatory for the council.
SM questioned why a treasurer was needed for? CH was unable to answer the reasoning as she has had no experience in finance matters, except being told they needed one by the previous chair of the Heritage Committee and ex councillor Tim Jones.
DB was wondering if this was a conflict of interest with KP being treasurer and being on the finance committee for the council.
SM felt that the Heritage Committee who use Parish Councils insurance and their recently updated policies is actually part of the council and is a sub group. She felt as if the heritage committee was behaving as a community group, separate to the council. SM asked if it has its own constitution. CH RH-D have not been given any information, constitution, documentation to clarify it being a community group. CH RH-D was under the impression the committee was a sub group. The Heritage money is currently banked in a separate account under Parish Councils name. JS has said the heritage money has always been looked after by the parish council, RFO and Clerk and done nothing with it. DB clarified past information given to her, was that the council originally wanted to apply for funding for heritage concerns but couldn’t apply and hold the money so a sub group was set up and then the pot of money was for that committee group.
DB proposed that as a council we can utilise that money and put it to CH to ask the sub group about the council’s ideas, such as replacing heritage boards around the parish. And vice versa CD suggested the sub group agree ideas and come to council meetings to take action.
10.6. SM KP were confused on why a treasurer is needed. KT pointed out that ultimately the council is responsible for the money so a separate treasurer position is not needed.
Resolved by all councillors voting and agreeing to no treasurer will be needed by the Heritage committee. CH to notify heritage members.
Full approval to have the Heritage Committee, as a sub group on the new council website.

11. Hall, Management and Community Engagement Minutes from meeting held on Thursday 18th July 2023
Minutes approved and signed.
Whilst reading minutes CD SM viewed and quoted from Standing orders and it stated 3 quotes needed to answer the 9.2 on this agenda.

12. Police Update
Report from PCSO 8848 Sean Nicholls, Cannock Chase LPT, for incidents in the Brereton and Ravenhill area.
SM noted the number of incidents for Domestic. SM believes that is the area we need to look at and suggested using our website to signpost. Councillors felt we need to show support for our residents and agreed as suggested by DB that in our Drop-ins on Tuesday afternoon we advertise it as a safe place to come and talk. SM suggested asking guest groups to attend drop ins. DB felt the timing of the drop in is an ideal time, children at school etc. However they didn’t want to be seen as stereotypical and expected it to be just women. SM will ask in more depth the number of male and female ratio. DB to action on the council facebook page. JG will contact Kathy Cope for ‘Pathways’ and will arrange a date.

13. District and County Council Update
CB (District Councillor) updated about the brown bin charge will start on 1st january 2024 and will cost £38.50 per yr. To join, it is one fee for the whole year and you have to opt in. It is the same price if you opt in 3 months later, the price is a fixed amount. It can not be included in your council Tax. If you are on a small residential close with minimal garden waste you can club together for one bin. There are no concessions, everyone is chargeable.
Peter Kruskonjic (County Councillor) updated that work is scheduled for the potholes in Redbrook Lane, near Hawkins haulage company. No definite date or time scale has been issued by the county council as of yet. The posts on local social media saying it will be done soon are misleading and have not been checked with the correct authorities involved.
Armitage Road speeding update. A community speed watch (CSW) session has been conducted and recorded speeds of over 35. Will be contacting police and request a camera speed van and also small community speed watch signs installed at certain points of the road. Councillors discussed having clearer 30 road Signs installed and illuminated along the section where it looks like a country lane, however unsure of the cost implication to the parish. Need more information on SID (Speed Indicator devices) fitted for traffic control agreed they make a difference. Need to ask Peter, how to act and the cost to the parish and action at the next full council meeting. PK will attend the next meeting to update.

14. Job Description
All councillors were happy with the detailed job description and short vacancy advert that SM KP had produced for the Clerk and RFO role.
Councillors felt the role would possibly be filled quickly due to us being a new group of councillors.
DB asked if we needed to hire a temporary Clerk/RFO in the meantime – this was not discussed in detail.
JS suggested a councillor to take on to monitor the breandrav.email account. To be actioned by RH-D.
Login and passwords have all been changed and were emailed out to all councillors by CD.
JS noted an email from SPCA regarding the clerk october training course. LF sent an email to SPCA informing them of our clerks departure and asked if we can use this training for a future appointed clerk. He had no response from SPCA.
DB thanked KP SM on behalf of all councillors for the work that they had undertaken to produce the job description documents.
To be advertised on NALC, SPCA, Clerks sites actioned by KP
Council websites actioned by JG
Facebook Council page actioned by CD.
KP MB suggested displaying a maintenance screen on the current website to be actioned by LF.
Job description will edit the old website out of the advert – action by SM
To be installed on notice boards around the parish, actioned by CD
SM to send an email to Angie Oldbury, former Clerk, to make her aware of the return of all council property that she retains plus the email password and recovery number to the council account. She has 30 days to adhere to the request and that will take her up to 17th October 2023 and after that date if property and email has not been recovered, we will involve solicitors.

15. Subgroup report on
15.1. It was confirmed by all councillors that only one policy had been found since May when we were put in place. Staff members could also not produce any other policies.
The subgroup had worked over the summer to produce the following policies:
CCTC Policy – just needs certain wording and CCTV equipment used, to be actioned by SM CD
Lone Worker Policy
Data Protection Policy
Social Media Policy
Equality Policy
Anti-bullying Policy using NALCS version will be updated by SM
Risk Assessments are currently being updated by SM
15.2. SM felt the policies are of a high importance. The only one policy located, a media policy, from the past parish council documentation housed at the parish hall.
15.3. Standing Orders – adopting the 2022 NALCS version and SM proposes to use it temporarily until we learn more and get to the next AGM to have a clear understanding to produce or edit our own.
15.4 . LF noted that we use the NALCS Finance 2019 version (As suggested by the auditors) – again use it temporarily until we can produce our own.
15.5. Financial Regs, Risk Assessments and other policies – SB and LF to personalise and update.
MB seconded, all councillors agreed.
15.6. Practitioners guide – not discussed, added to next month’s agenda.
Digressed from the agenda to discuss the broadband connection and speed – MB to action
Ruby’s secret Retirement party – Provisional date of Sunday 22nd October 2023 at 2pm.
SM to liaise with her family and action to get ruby to the hall.
JS to give a list of past councillors that she associated with and would be happy to attend her party.
CH passed on the message that RH will make her a retirement cake.
KT suggested naming the meeting room to Ruby’s Suite, all agreed it is a lovely idea however councillors felt it would be too problematic with all future employees retiring.

16. Website
CH noted that the colouring and layout was very similar to the present website. MB thanked LF for his work on the website and the priority of the website is ease of navigation. KP thought we were adopting a teal colour that had been explored from past designs by CD. MB was worried the colouring looked too political.
SM suggested changing the logo, seconded by JG and to be added to next month’s agenda and proposal of looking into the changing of its name.

17. Christmas lights update
Since Angie Oldburys dismissal she has failed to give access to the parish email that the current council set up instead of using her personal email. All contacts for Christmas lights have been lost. We know that 3 electric light poles had failed to house Christmas decorations, so the Christmas light sub group had decided on spiral wrap instead of weighted decorations. The supplier has been waiting on a confirmation email, MB has re-sent the email and we are in a 3 year contract with them. However he has had no information regarding using those 3 poles from Eon. DB informed the council that Ms Oldbury told her she had reported the poles to the county council. DB decided to report it under her name too via My Staffs App.
CD has an old Eon email trail with Diane Jackson and will take action to have a clearer update on the poles.

18. Remembrance Update
SM Passed information regarding Standard Bearer for Remembrance Parade, unable to make service, however is able to do the parade and will be waiting outside the church.
KT has put in the road closures and is waiting for a confirmation and usually it will be given 3 weeks before. He has put in an application to have an extra 10 minutes before, during and after. The route is staying the same as previous parades.
KP confirmed that the Royal British Legion (RBL) agreed about school children from military backgrounds being allowed to walk in the parade and the parish council needed to notify the schools.
DB to notify the schools – St. Josephs, Redbook Hayes and Hob Hill about school children from military backgrounds only are able to walk in the parade. RBL have said if wearing medals on the right hand side, they can march behind the veterans.
SM believes the brownies and the scouts are very important to this parade and to the church service. If we now get schools to participate ahead of them. The brownies and scouts will be pushed further to the back. So the council agreed that school children from ex-military backgrounds and house captains/student councillors should be behind brownies/scouts and not near the front as RBL suggested.
Times to be confirmed, to be actioned by KT and liaise with DB to go on the letter to the schools.
KT specified that ONLY those who fall into the conditions can partake in the parade and a cut off date for the numbers that are taking part. KT is worried that 100s from each school will turn up otherwise.
DB asked if there is a church representative to liaise with, DB to action. Looking at church numbers for service as now numbers have increased.
Our responsibility is to raise the flag at the cenotaph on the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday to raise the Union Jack flag MB RH-D to action. We need to purchase good quality flags.
AC will take action obtaining a new Union Jack for the occasion.
CH to double check that the council’s public liability insurance will cover for the parade.
SM said to be responsible for first aid for such a large occasion would feel daunting. MB to ask St.Johns Ambulance in attendance for the parade to cover any first aid.
Councillors in attendance for Brereton and Ravenhill Remembrance Sunday – MB CD JG RH-D SM KP KT
CH unable to attend. Need RH to confirm if attending.
AC DB at Rugeley Parade.
CB representing District at Brereton and Ravenhill Parade.
Parish councillors would like to march at the back of the parade. MB has to march at the front and stand opposite the church and accept the parade. RBL pays for the food and only orders for 50 people.
CH asked if JS will be joining us and he will consider this year to join.
JS has said there has been 10 marshalls in the past, to aid with the road closures and he is responsible for providing their Hi-Viz and volunteering packs, which is printed from RBL site. SB suggested asking BRACE volunteers if they will volunteer as marshals. KT to action. Councillors feel we may need to double up on marshalls if there is an increase in participants in the parade.

19. Planning Update
No recent planning developments for major consideration.
CH is now on CCDC subscription list for registered and determined planning applications.

20. Planning Minutes from meetings held on Thursday 1st June and 20th July 2023
Minutes approved and signed.

21. Public session
No public attendance

Meeting Closed 9.34pm

Date of Next Meeting
Full Council will next meet on Thursday 19 October 2023 at 7.30pm