Parish Council Meeting – 3rd March 2021

1 APOLOGIES 

2 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS 

Members to declare any (a) disclosable pecuniary interest; (b) personal interest; or (c)  prejudicial interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda, the nature of that interest, and in respect of disclosable interests and prejudicial interests, to withdraw from the meeting prior to the discussion of that item. 

In these circumstances, the Chairman will control the ‘presence’ of the appropriate Member and give him/her a time slot at which he/she can re-join the meeting. 

Members are referred to the Code of Conduct for guidance (issued with the agenda papers for Annual Council on 8 May 2019 and adopted at that meeting). 

Whilst the Clerk can advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Parish Councillor, based on the circumstances. 

3 MINUTES 

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2021.  

4 PUBLC QUESTION TIME 

Members of the public are able to ask questions in accordance with the Parish Council’s Standing Orders.  Please use the link on the front page to register. 

5 POLICE MATTERS – BEAT MANAGER’S REPORT 

To receive a copy of the Beat Manager’s Report. These are forwarded to Members as and when they arrive. At the date of publication of the agenda, there have been no reports.  

6 BOROUGH COUNCILLOR DAVID MARREN  

6.1 Report  

To receive Councillor David Marren’s report on Cheshire East Council matters of interest, together with an update in respect of outstanding parish matters.  

6.2 Questions   

Members are able to ask questions of Councillor Marren in respect of his report presented under item 6.1 above.  This is limited to Councillors and is not an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions.  

7 REPORT OF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN 

Committee Chairmen are invited to report on activities for their Committees and the Task Group meetings of each Committee.  

7.1 Community Engagement Committee (Councillor Kevin Gibbs) 

Councillor Kevin Gibbs to report on Community Engagement Task Group meetings.  

7.2 Environment and Recreation Committee (Councillor M Ferguson) 

Councillor Ferguson to report on Environment and Recreation Task Group meetings. 

7.3 Village Hall Committee (Councillor V Adams) 

Councillor Adams to report on Village Hall task group meetings. 

8 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN – GRANT 

To report that Groundwork UK (the delivery arm of Locality) has reduced the level of grant awarded. 

The application was for £3,830 and this has been reduced to £1,733.27. The following is being funded: 

A5 artwork/layout £120.00 

3,000 A5 single-sided flyers £166.65 

Printing 300 A4 Neighbourhood Plans £558.00 

Artwork for Referendum version of the Neighbourhood Plan £400.00 

Artwork for Parish Newsletter £150.00 

Artwork for banners £150.00 

Printing six banners 2000 mm x 750 mm £188.62 

    Total           £1,733.27 

As reported at the February meeting, the sum of £1,600 which was allocated for the Community Manager to organise and post Neighbourhood Plan documents onto the website has been declined as the only items which can be funded must be external to the organisation. A sum of £140 for social media has been excluded as there was no quotation for the work. Other minor items have also been excluded on the basis that Groundwork UK decided they could not be delivered before 31 March 2021.  

9 FINANCIAL MATTERS  

9.1 Payments made under the revised Scheme of Delegation 

To report on recent payments made by the Clerk under the revised Scheme of Delegation adopted at the July 2020 meeting of the Parish Council. These are additional to the various direct debits made. Financial statements will be provided for the April meeting. 

9.2 Removal of Damaged Planter 

To report that the Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman, authorised a quotation of £394.00 (from Northwich Town Council) for the removal of the planter which was damaged owing to a road traffic collision. 

Although a Member suggested that the two planters in the Village Hall (donated by the Youth Club) should be put in its place, this is a matter for the Parish Council to decide. Northwich Town Council can provide a quotation for this work. 

9.3 Energy Suppliers – Village Hall 

9.4 Payment and Installation of New Bench on Newcastle Road 

The Parish Council has already authorised the purchase of an additional bench, to be located opposite to Huntersfield on Newcastle Road. The last bench to be ordered was a Lowther and this was installed by a former councillor. 

The Clerk has not yet placed the order as the following information is required:  

• Delivery address and person to assemble the bench. 
• Fixings which may be required to assemble the bench. 

The Clerk has been asked to contact the former councillor to enquire if he would be able to quote for this work for the Parish Council. In the event of his unavailability, a contractor will be required, and Members may wish to suggest a local contractor. 

9.5 Fixed Assets Audit Issues – 2019-2020 

One of the outstanding issues raised by the Internal Auditor during the audit of 2019-2020 was that the fixed assets had been incorrectly recorded. The Clerk conducted an investigation and reported the outcome to both the Internal and External Auditor as part of the audit of 2019-2020. 

The Fixed Assets Working Group (Councillors N Cooper, K Gibbs and R Hancock) met on 23 February 2021 to review the assets and the report from that meeting will be submitted to the Parish Council and can form part of the audit documents for 2020-2021. 

10 PLANNING APPLICATIONS  

10.1 Planning Applications 

The Parish Council is invited to comment on the following planning applications which can be accessed By Clicking Here 

21/0729N Langtry Barn, Shavington Hall, Weston Lane, CW2 5AT 

Drive-through car port and glazed link. 

Deadline date for comments: 17 March 2021  

20/5373N 2 Broomhall Drive, Shavington CW2 5SW 

Single-storey extension to side of dwelling 

Deadline date for comments: 3 March 2021 

21/0694N 8 Gresty Lane, Shavington CW2 5DD 

Proposed construction of new two-storey detached house 

Deadline date for comments: 17 March 2021 

10.2 Southern Planning Committee 

The Parish Council is entitled to be represented at the Southern Planning Committee meeting to be held on 3 March 2021 to speak in respect of the following planning application:  

20/5236N Forget-Me-Not Fields, adjacent to Old Puseydale, Main Road, 

Shavinnton – CW2 5DU 

11 LENGTHSMAN 

11.1 A Task Group of the Environment and Recreation Committee has considered the requirements for a lengthsman. The Group’s preferred option is that the lengthsman should be an independent contractor, rather than an employee. The following documents are enclosed: 

• Role Requirements 
• Contract Requirements.  

11.2 Interview Panel 

Subject to approval of the documents in item 11.1, the Parish Council is asked to appoint a Panel which can interview potential contractors. The Panel will have no delegated powers but can recommend to the Parish Council the appointment of a contractor. The decision will be for the Parish Council itself.  

12 POLICIES 

The Parish Council is invited to consider adopting the following two policies. These are the first two of several policies which the Council will be recommended to adopt. 

• Anti-bullying and Harassment Policy (Dignity at Work) 
• Grievance Procedure 

13 INFORMATION ITEMS 

13.1 Clerk/RFO Applications 

The applications for the post of Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer will be sent to the Appointments Committee on 13 March 2021 (day after closing date for applications). The Committee will then be asked to suggest dates for interviewing candidates. 

13.2 Community Governance Review 

To receive the Community Governance Review draft document which was considered by Cheshire East Council’s Community Governance Sub-Committee at its meeting held on 26 February 2021. The next stage will be for the Sub-Committee to make recommendations to the Constitution Committee which is due to meet on 26 March 2021. If those recommendations are accepted, there will be a 12-week consultation.  

Although this item is for information only, the Chairman would like the Parish Council to consider the following: 

• Starting an active campaign to ‘Save Gresty in Shavington-cum-Gresty’ which will require Brave Little Tank creating the graphics/messaging. 
• Publicising the proposals in the next newsletter. 
• Encourage residents to write in when the consultation starts, objecting to the proposed changes. 

14 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC 

The Council is invited to RESOLVE that in accordance with Paragraph 1 (2) of The Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items owing to the confidential nature of the business to transacted and the public interest would not be served in disclosing that information.  

Note: In accordance with usual practice the following items have been withheld from publication on the public agenda other than a brief synopsis to indicate the nature of each item. 

15 RECREATIONAL LAND IN THE PARISH 

(Reason for exclusion: Commercial sensitivity and reveals the names of individuals) 

Further to discussion at the Parish Council meeting on 3 February 2021, the Parish Council is asked to consider the proposal to identify recreational land in the parish. 

16 140 MAIN ROAD, SHAVINGTON 

(Reason for exclusion: Potential contract arrangements between the Parish Council and A N Other) 

The Parish Council is invited to consider the enclosed survey report from Rory Mack Associates and to decide what action should be taken.  

17 QUOTATION – TREE SURGERY WORK – CAMERON AVENUE 

(Reason for exclusion: Commercial sensitivity) 

The Clerk has contacted three tree surgeons to request a quotation for inspection of the trees at the cul-de-sac end of Cameron Avenue to (a) identify the species, (b) the condition of each, and (c) recommend action required. 

The Parish Council is asked to consider the quotations with a view to accepting one of them. 

It is expected that the quotations will be available for the meeting, but if not, they can be considered at the April meeting. 

18 DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 7 April 2021