DRYBROOK PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16th January 2024 at 7.00pm at The School Room, Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook
Present:
Parish Councillors: John Print (Chairman), Richard Moore, Pam Caton, Dave Middlemiss, Michael Garland, and Pat Weaver
Also present: County Councillor Terry Hale
District Councillor Trevor Roach
April Seabrook (Locum Clerk)
2 members of the public
1. Apologies for absence
Cllr Cathy Blake, Jacky Johnston, Roy Bardo and Malcolm Jones and District Councillors Shaun Stammers and Jackie Fraser
2. Members of the public issues (15 minutes Standing Orders suspended)
None
3. County & District Councillor Reports
County Councillor Terry Hale reported that the owners of the quarry were querying who should do the work to stop the water running onto the road, and so Terry has asked the Forestry Commission if they will clear the brook as they are the owners of it.
Cllr Hale also stated that he is trying to find out who owns the field on Morse Road where the spring is located so the problem of the water running down the road can be sorted out.
He also attended the last Road Safety meeting where there was a discussion about making all the roads in the Forest of Dean have a mandatory speed limit of 40 miles an hour and for the larger towns to have a speed limit of 20 miles an hour.
District Councillor Trevor Roach reported the following:
1. Review of 2023
Looking back at 2023, and just six months after the Green Party formed our council’s minority administration, I am pleased to share with you some of the highlights of what has been achieved at the District Council
Thanks to the hard work of our cabinet, councillors and council officers and to the invaluable support of members in council, especially members from the Labour Party, we have successfully managed our way through this first challenging period.
• We’ve ensured and will continue to sustain sound and responsible control of council finances.
• We’ve laid the groundwork for reassuming direct and local control of our own council services.
• We’ve begun to make good our promises on net zero by replacing our old diesel fleet of waste vehicles with clean electric waste vehicles.
• We’ve introduced an Ethical Investment Policy and are looking at how and when to switch from investments which are currently tied up with fossil fuels to ones that support progress to net zero.
• We’re putting solar PV on the council’s commercial buildings and helping to build community energy schemes.
• We’re committed to protecting and enhancing biodiversity, working with the county council and providing support for our parishes.
• We’re working ever more closely with our business community to help build our local economy and create more well-paid jobs.
• And we’ve a new Council Plan in place which sets our sights for a cleaner, greener and fairer Forest community.
2. Forest of Dean District Council Budget 2024/25
A reminder that the District Council is inviting comments and views on the Council’s spending plans, with a consultation for the budget for the next financial year running until 19th January 2024.
Details for the draft budget can be found here: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/budget
3. Drybrook Public Car Park landscape development update
Cllrs Jackie Fraser and Trevor Roach will be meeting with Francis Palmer- Community Building Officer and Dede Liss later this week to plan for a community engagement project to develop the car park environment as a Drybrook community project. Hopefully, work can be started this spring.
Although District Councillor Jackie Fraser could not attend the meeting, she sent in the following report:
District Council
Cabinet agreed a draft Budget in December 2023, this is now out for Public consultation until the end of the week (Jan 19th ) Please take a look and respond if you can .The budget will go to Full Council in February .
From August this year waste collection and street cleansing services will be delivered by Ubico. The service will transition from Biffa to Ubico without any significant changes to front line services and all applicable staff will be offered the same role with Ubico, with the majority of staff expected to transfer. Some non-council owned vehicles need to be procured from Biffa, full council approved the purchase of non council owned vehicles from Biffa in December 2023. Council will also procure 2 new electric recycling collection vehicles. There are plans to introduce additional recycling service for plastic pots, tubs, and trays in late 2024.
Hawthorns road flooding.
The drainage officer is looking into the ownership of the land where the problem of the broken pipe is.
4. Declarations of Interests
Cllr Print declared an interest in the planning applications for Herbert Lodge, Monmouth Road, Drybrook and Longacre, Bakers Piece Road, Ruardean Woodside as he owns a holiday let and therefore, he will not comment or vote on these items.
5. Requests for Dispensations
None
6. Minutes of the Meeting held on 19th December 2023
It was resolved to accept the minutes of the meeting, which was held on 19th December, as an accurate record of the meetings, and were signed by the Chairman.
7. Planning matters
a) DF889 P0830/23/FUL – Herbert Lodge, Monmouth Road, Drybrook – Conversion of barns to holiday accommodation, erection of two holiday cabins and conversion of outbuilding to a dwelling. (Part Retrospective)
Decision: No objections
b) P1633/23/FUL – Longacre, Bakers Piece Road, Ruardean Woodside – Erection of holiday let with associated works. Demolition of existing outbuildings.
Decision: No objections
c) P1661/23/FUL – Melrose, Highview Road, Ruardean Hill, Drybrook – Provision of parallel parking bay to verge and front boundary of property.
Decision: No objections as this will alleviate parking issues on this road
P1691/23/FUL – High View, Manse Road, Drybrook – Proposed single storey side extension and loft conversion with dormers to the front elevation.
Decision: No objections
8. Road Safety Group Structure
Council agreed that Pam Caton would be the new Chairman for the Road Safety Group and the other members of the Group are Cllrs Jacky Johnston, John Print, Dave Middlemiss and Pat Weaver along with a local resident Penny Ballinger and District Councillor Trevor Roach.
9. Annual Parish Meeting
Council agreed to hold the Annual Parish Meeting on Tuesday 14th May at 6.00pm at the School Room, Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook.
10. Donation Request from the Friends of Pan Tod
Council agreed by a majority decision to donate £1,200 towards the Friends of Pan Tod’s D-Day 80 Event. This money will be donated to the Friends of Pan Tod at the beginning of the next financial year, April 2024. The Council also agreed that any monies from the donation that is not spent they would like returned to the Council and that they would like to be informed about how the money is spent. Action: Clerk
11. Biodiversity Policy
Council agreed to adopt the draft Biodiversity Policy. Action: Clerk
12. Donation Request from Drybrook Primary School
Council noted that it was mentioned in the request for a donation, that a total of £500 was required to purchase the new books, and that other sources of funding were being explored, therefore, Council agreed that they would fund any short full in reaching the £500 total.
Action: Cllr Middlemiss
13. Co-option Policy
Council agreed to adopt the draft Co-option Policy. Action: Clerk
14. Internal Audit
Council agreed to appoint GAPTC to carry out the internal audit having assured itself that the auditor is independent and competent. Action: Clerk
15. Grants Policy
Council agreed to adopt the draft Grants Policy. Action: Clerk
16. Financial Regulations
Council agreed to adopt the draft Financial Regulations. Action: Clerk
17. Councillor Action Updates
Cllr Blake couldn’t deal with the action regarding the proposed Drybrook Coffee Club and therefore Cllr Print is going to deal with the donation request.
18. Councillor Reports
Cllr Moore and Garland informed Council that they have attached a solar panel to one of the speed signs and it appears to be working well, and also reminded Council that the speed sign near Parkers still needed to be removed.
19. Clerk’s Report
The Clerk reported that:
Emailed the Forest of Dean Gymnastics Club and informed them to reapply for their donation during the next financial year, as the Council’s finances are limited at the moment.
Emailed the Precept Request form to the Forest of Dean District Council, as well as a change of bank details form, so that the Precept will now be paid into our current account instead of the savings account.
Emailed the County Council’s Area Highway Manager requesting that he chase the Parking Department, as no Enforcement Officers have been seen outside Drybrook Primary School at the beginning and end of the school day, as requested, due to the dangerous parking that takes place during these times.
Set up a Direct Debit to pay the Council’s Water Plus invoices.
20. Accounts/Finance
Payments made since last meeting.
Payee Details Method Amount Power Budget
April Seabrook Salary BACS (29/12/23) £660.50 LGA 1972 s112(3) Staff Costs
Big Box Little Box Storage (SO) (29/12/23) £130.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
EE Mobile phone DD (03/01/24) £26.40 LG(FP)A 1963 s5 Repairs/Maint/Misc
TOTAL £81.69
Payments to be agreed at meeting.
Payee Details Method Amount Power Budget
Graham Waite Annual invoice for cleaning 1 bus shelter BACS (17/01/24) £150.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
Richard Moore Annual invoice for cleaning 3 bus shelters BACS (17/01/24) £450.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
Roy Bardo Annual invoice for cleaning 1 bus shelter BACS (17/01/24) £150.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
Pat Weaver Annual invoice for cleaning 1 bus shelter BACS (17/01/24) £150.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
Lorraine Burke Annual invoice for cleaning 1 bus shelter BACS (17/01/24) £150.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
Vicky Heaps Annual invoice for cleaning 2 bus shelters BACS (17/01/24) £300.00 LG(MP)A 1953 s4/PCA 1957 s1 Bus Shelters
PATA Payroll Services BACS (17/01/24) £35.80 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
Mike Garland Reimbursement for VAS sign items BACS (17/01/24) £60.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
Steve Wilce Repairs to fencing at Brierley Recreation Ground BACS (17/01/24) £4,477.70 LGA 1892 s8 (1)(i) Repairs/Maint/Misc
HMRC NI & PAYE payments BACS (17/01/24) £174.31 LGA 1972 s112(2) Staff Costs
Lumalite 3rd installment of Christmas lighting contract BACS (17/01/24) £1,980.00 LGA 1972 s137 Christmas
N Sargent Litter picking BACS (17/01/24) £230.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
TOTAL £8,307.81
Receipts:
09/01/24 Interest £31.29
a) Council approved the petty cash figures for December 2023
b) Council received the bank reconciliation for December 2023
c) Cllr Middlemiss carried out the monthly financial checks of the Council’s accounts on 16th January 2024.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.20pm
SIGNED:
DATE: