DRYBROOK PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 21st November 2023 at 7.00pm at The School Room, Holy Trinity Church, Drybrook
Present:
Parish Councillors: John Print (Chairman), Richard Moore, Pam Caton, Jacky Johnston, Dave Middlemiss, Michael Garland, and Roy Bardo
Also present: County Councillor Terry Hale
District Councillor Jackie Fraser
April Seabrook (Locum Clerk)
2 members of the public

1. Apologies for absence
District Councillors Shaun Stammers and Trevor Roach and Cllr Cathy Blake, Pat Weaver and Malcolm Jones

2. Members of the public issues (15 minutes Standing Orders suspended)
None

3. County & District Councillor Reports
County Councillor Terry Hale informed Council that the County Council was considering giving Gloucestershire veterans free bus passes. He also stated that although Meals on Wheels no longer exists that a replacement scheme was now running from Harts Barn, Longhope.

District Councillor Jackie Fraser informed Council that the District Council was withdrawing from Publica along with the other Councils that joined this scheme. It was seen as a way to cut costs but this was done through cutting staff which affected the services the residents received.
She also stated that the waste service run by Biffa will be ending in April and will be taken over by Ubico. The District Council have bought a depot in Cinderford and that a trial has taken place of electric waste carts which went very well.
Cllr Fraser has also recently attended a Forestry England meeting where she was informed that due to the climate change different trees will now need to be planted in the Forest and that Larch and sweet Chestnut trees will need to be removed due to disease.

4. Declarations of Interests
None

5. Requests for Dispensations
None

6. Minutes of the Meeting held on 17th October 2023
It was resolved to accept the minutes of the meeting, which was held on 17th October, as an accurate record of the meetings, and were signed by the Chairman.

7. Planning matters
a) P1331/23/FUL – Beulah, Quabbs Lane Drybrook – Erection of loft extension over garage/carport.
Decision: No objections
b) P1313/23/FUL – The Cottage, Newham Bottom, Ruardean Woodside, Ruardean – Construction of a single storey detached garden room for use ancillary to the main dwelling.
Decision: No objections
c) P1346/23/FUL – Land West of Wyndover, Larksfield Road, Harrow Hill – Erection of detached dwelling (Resubmission).
Decision: No objection
d) DF13053 P1313/23/FUL – The Cottage Newham Bottom, Ruardean Woodside – Amended Description. Construction of a single storey detached garden room (Part retrospective). Regularisation for the Siting of a single-storey garden room raised decking and associated pool with associated works for uses ancillary to the main dwelling (Retrospective)
Decision: No objection

8. Reserves Policy
Council agreed to adopt the draft Reserves Policy. Action: Clerk

9. Election of Two Members onto the GAPTC Executive Committee
Council voted for Tasha Saunders and Carol Harris to join the GAPTC Executive Committee to represent the Forest of Dean. Action: Clerk

10. Update from Road Safety Group
Cllr Roy Bardo informed Council that there had not been a Road Safety Group Meeting but he had attended a meeting with County Councillor Terry Hale and the County Councillor Area Highways Manager where a discussion had taken place regarding the Parish Council purchasing an ANPR camera. These cameras recorded car number plates and any information collected can be passed onto the Police. Cllr Bardo is going to look into the prices of an ANPR camera and this will be discussed at the December Parish Council Meeting. Action: Cllr Roy Bardo

11. Risk Register
Council agreed to adopt the draft Risk Register. Action: Clerk

12. Budget for 2024/25
Council agreed the budget for 2024/25. Appendix A

13. Precept for 2024/25
Council agreed to increase the Precept by 60% to £53,789, which is less than £2 per household per month. Action: Clerk

14. Councillor Reports
Cllr Dave Middlemiss informed Council that a budget of £300 had been agreed for the printing of a Parish Newsletter, however he had found a printer who would produce 500 Newsletter at a cost of £70.

He also informed Council that it had been agreed at a recent Parish Council that he would look into storage for items belonging to the Parish council and had found a 20 foot storage container at a cost of £30 per week, which he was going to book and the Council provisionally agreed to the costs which would be confirmed at the December Meeting.

Cllr Pam Caton read out a report from Cllr Pat Weaver, who was unable to attend the meeting, firstly she wanted to the thank the Council for the soldier silhouette that was erected and also, she wanted to reported that all the drains in Morse Road were blocked, Cllr Hale informed Council that these were going to be repaired but that it would be quite a complicated task.

Cllr Pam Caton stated that Club 55 were going to make a poppy waterfall for next year’s Remembrance Day.

Cllr Richard Moore informed Council that the weeds at the end of the car park by the chemists were going fast and looked very untidy, Cllr John Print suggested putting weed suppressant down and asked Cllr Fraser if she would be able to suggest some plants that could be planted in that area, which she agreed to do.

Cllr Jackie Johnston informed Council that the work to repaired the fence around Brierley Playing Field had begun and once this task had been completed the next thing that will need doing is to have the grass cut.

Cllr John Print stated that there were 2 bus stops that were very overgrown, one behind the Church and one at Ruardean Woodside, which Cllrs Print, Middlemiss, Moore and Garland agreed to clear.

15. Clerk’s Report
The Clerk reported that:
An email has been sent to the County Council Area Highways Manager requesting additional patrols by Enforcement Officers at the beginning and end of the school day, as parents are still parking on the zig-zag lines outside the school even though they have been repainted, and so are clearly visible.

16. Accounts/Finance

Council agreed the following payments and receipts:

Payments made since last meeting.
Payee Details Method Amount Power Budget
Nick Sargent Litter Picking CHQ (19/10/23) £230.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
Nigel Baker Cleaning public toilets CHQ (19/10/23) £240.00 LGA 1972 s111 Toilets
Drybrook Events Team Donation BACS (15/11/23) £5,000 LGA 1972 s137 Donations
April Seabrook October Salary BACS (15/11/23) £625.57 LGA 1972 s112(2) Staff Costs
April Seabrook Reimbursement for postage stamps BACS (15/11/23) £20.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc

TOTAL £6,115.57

Payments to be agreed at meeting.
Payee Details Method Amount Power Budget
HMRC PAYE & NI BACS (22/11/23) £159.93 LGA 1972 s112(2) Staff Costs
GAPTC Training BACS (22/11/23) £100.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
Elan City Repairs to VAS road sign BACS (22/11/23) £286.22 LGA 1892 s8 (1)(i) Repairs/Maint/Misc
Lumalite Christmas lights BACS (22/11/23) £1,980.00 LGA 1972 s137 Christmas
N Sargent Litter collection BACS (22/11/23) £230.00 LGA 1972 s111 Repairs/Maint/Misc
Complete Landscape Gardeners Grass cutting BACS (22/11/23) £888.00 HA 1980 s96 Grass Cutting

TOTAL £3,644.15

Receipts:
09/11/23 Interest £37.79

17. SEPARATE BUSINESS
Pursuant to 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 it is resolved that, because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, the public and press leave the meeting during the consideration of:

a) Council agreed to give the Locum Parish Clerk the role on a permanent basis and her Contract was signed by herself and Cllr Print.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.40pm

SIGNED:

DATE:

APPENDIX A

BUDGET FOR 2024/25
Budget Titles Budget 2023/24 Expenditure Forecast Expenditure Budget 2024/25
Grass Cutting
7,000 –
11,800 9,000
Street Cleaning – 3,000
Playgrounds Inspec/Maint N/A – – 2,000
General Repairs 1,000 – – 1,000
Recreational Areas 8,000 – 11,800.00 15,000

Toilet Utilities

7,000 – 1,200.00 1,500
Cleaning – 2,880.00 3,000
Opening – 600.00 700
Sanitary bin collection – – 600
Cleaning Equipment – – 120
Consumables – – 120
Repairs 1,000 – – 1,453
Public Toilets 8,000 – 4,680.00 7,493

Photocopier/Printing – – – 300
Stationery – – – 250
Subscriptions 1,800 – – 1,800
Training – – – 1,000
Audit 400 – – 1,000
Insurance 2,800 1,730.32 1,730.32 2,500
Election – – – –
Postage – – – 150
Newsletter – – 350.00 1,400
Miscellaneous – – – 500
Payroll Administration – 8.60 52.00 120
General Admin 5,000 1730.32 2,080.32 9,020

Salaries
11,000 3,269.90 6,371.27 10,000
HMRC 159.73 958.38 2,000
Pension Contributions – – – 300
Expenses – – – 500
Staff Costs 11,000 3,438.23 7,381.65 12,800

Cleaning
2,000 1,000 1,000
Maintenance – 500
Bus Shelters 2,000 – 1,000 1,500
Budget Titles Budget 2023/24 Expenditure Forecast Expenditure Budget 2024/25
Events Team 5,000 5,000 5,000 –
Grants/Donations 3,000 3,000 5,500
Grants/Donations 5,000 8,000 8,000 5,500

Hire/install/ remove lights
5,643.00 2,040.00 5,000.00 5,000
Electricity 450.00 500
Lights infrastructure maintenance 6,000.00 6,000.00 –
Christmas 5,643.00 8,040.00 11,450.00 5,500

Roebucks Meadow Play Area – – – 12,500
Brierley Field – – 4,500 1,000
Salt Bins – – – 1,000
Annual Parish Meeting – – – 500
Equipment Storage – – – 3,000
Notice Board – – – 1,000
Projects – – 4,500 19,000

TOTAL 44,643.00 24,208.55 56,052.87 75,813

Income 2024/25
SLA 2,724
Bank Interest 200
Unspent 19,100
Precept 53,789
Money from Reserves
TOTAL 75,813
Reserves:
Reserves: £30,000
Projects: £19,000
2024/25
This shows a 60% increase in our Precept.
£53,789 divided by tax base