Parish Council Meeting Minutes
MEETING OF CHOLMONDELEY & CHORLEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT SCHOOL FARM, CHOLMONDELEY ON 21 January 2020
| PRESENT: | Councillor A D Fennell (Chairman) Councillor C Baker Councillor A Gresty Councillor C Nickson | Councillor C Farquharson Councillor R Keyes Councillor S Langton |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Borough Councillor W S Davies | |
| APOLOGIES: | Councillors C Crossley and C Hopley |
58 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
Members were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, personal interest or non- pecuniary interest which they had in any item of business on the agenda, the nature of that interest, and in respect of disclosable interests, to leave the meeting prior to the discussion of that item.
Councillor A D Fennell declared a personal interest in Minute No. 63 on the basis that he was a friend of the applicant who had submitted the grant application.
No other declarations were made.
59 MINUTES
59.1 RESOLVED:
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2019 be approved as a correct record.
59.2 Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
60 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Members of the public were able to ask a question or make a statement, in accordance with the Parish Council’s Standing Orders. Questions or statements must relate to the business of the Parish Council, either generally, or in respect of any item on the agenda.
There were no members of the public in attendance.
61 BUDGET 2020-2021
61.1 Quotation from Selectamark
Members considered a quotation from Selectamark for the provision of ‘DNA’ kits, one each to be delivered to each household in the parish. These would provide households with the ability to security-mark their property.
The price was £1,846.00 net and £369.20, totalling £2,215.20.
The budget proposals at the previous meeting had included a sum of £1,800 for the kits. This was based on a fee of £10 for each kit and 180 dwellings in the parish. There was no provision for signage which would be required throughout the parish and the submitted quotation did not include the cost of signs.
RESOLVED: (a) That the quotation from Selectmark in the sum of £2,215.20 (gross) be accepted for the provision of property security marking for each household in the parish; and
(b) That an additional sum of £100 be allocated to provide approximately 20 signs to be distributed around the parish to indicate that this area was covered by security ‘DNA’.
61.2 Distribution of the ‘DNA’ Kits
It was suggested that the distribution of the kits be advertised in the next newsletter, Facebook, the two notice-boards, Coronation Hall and Cholmondeley Bowling Club and at the next Neighbourhood Plan public event.
It was suggested that the local Police be invited to attend the distribution; Councillor Probin undertook to raise this at the next Police Cluster meeting.
RESOLVED: That the following arrangements be made:
- Distribution to be held on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 from 2.00 pm 8.00 pm
- To be held at the Tea Rooms or other buildings on the Castle estate.
- Councillor Farquharson agreed to prepare a rota for Members to ensure that there weresufficient Members available to distribute throughout the day.
- The kits to be delivered to School Farm, Cholmondeley.
- Members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group to be notified.
61.3 Revised Budget Proposals
At its meeting on 28 November 2019, the Parish Council approved its budget for 2020-2021. Subsequent to that, the costs of the Securimark (Operation Shield) equipment had been notified as £1,800 and there was currently insufficient funding for this in the new budget.
The budget proposals indicated on the revised schedule now submitted required a precept of £5,050.00. At the November 2019 meeting, the calculations indicated a precept requirement of only £4,500.
Cheshire East Council had agreed to accept a late precept notification on 22 January 2020.
The Parish Council reviewed the schedule and –
RESOLVED: That a precept of £5,100.00 be requested from Cheshire East Council to fund the Parish Council’s budget for 2020-2021, as indicated on the appendix attached to the Minutes.
62 AUTHORISATION OF PAYMENT
RESOLVED: That the following payment be approved:
| £175.00 | Training for five parish councillors. |
63 GRANT APPLICATION – CHOLMONDELEY BOWLING CLUB
The Parish Council considered a request from Cholmondeley Bowling Club for a grant. This was the second request the Club had made, the previous application having been declined in March 2019.
This application was for a contribution towards the cost of equipment and the amount requested was £1,080. Although £1,080 was requested, the maximum which could be awarded under the Small Grants Scheme was £250.
Members considered that as the grant was intended to cover the purchase of equipment which would enable the Club to carry on its normal business, this was essentially revenue expenditure, which was not permitted under the scheme. Revenue could be described as expenditure incurred in the ordinary conduct and administration of the business because it is incurred to support operations but does not extend the life of, or improve, an asset.
RESOLVED: (a) That the grant request submitted by Cholmondeley Bowling Club be declined, on the following bases:
i. The Small Grants Scheme maximum limit was £250;
ii. The grant requested was for revenue expenditure, and this was not permitted under the scheme;
(b) That in declining the application, the Bowling Club be advised that the Parish Council wished to support the Club if it could, and made the following suggestions:
- Free advertisement in the next parish newsletter to try to increase membership from local parishioners.
- The Club itself may wish to hold an open day as a community event to attract new members and if the Club could set a date, this could be included as a news item in the next parish newsletter.
- The Bowling Club could hold a stand at the Clay Pigeon shoot which was due to be held in the next few months.
- The Club could make contact with the Tennis Club and the Cricket Club, both of which operated viably, to try to establish if their practices differed from those of the Bowling Club.,
- Perhaps seek the advice of some of the councillors who had appropriate professional expertise.
(Note: Councillor Fennell withdrew from the meeting prior to discussion of this item and returned to assume the Chair after the vote had been taken. Councillor Farquharson was elected to chair this item.)
64 BOROUGH COUNCILLOR W S DAVIES
Councillor W S Davies reported on Cheshire East Council matters of interest and some parish council-related matters.
65 PLANNING MATTERS
There were no planning matters for consultation.
66 NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP
The Parish Council received the Minutes of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group meetings held on 15 October 2019 and on 10 December 2019.
67 NEWSLETTER – FOR DISTRIBUTION IN SPRING 2020
Members suggested the following articles for inclusion in the next newsletter.
- Security marking of residents’ property.
- Clay Pigeon Shoot.
- Cholmondeley Arms’ events.
- Neighbourhood Plan update.
- Website
- Parish Councillor contact details.
- All sports clubs in the parish.
- Local businesses contact details.
- Tree planting.
68 REVIEW OF WEBSITE
Councillors Chris Baker and Chris Nickson reported on progress on updating the website, and agreed to update parish councillors every two months, in between meetings.
69 TREE-PLANTING – WOODLAND TRUST
At the meeting held on 26 November 2019, this item had been requested for inclusion on the agenda. Councillor Gresty had sent some information to Members.
The Clerk was asked to refer this to the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.
70 SHARED ITEMS
Members were invited to share information, or request items to be included on the next agenda. The only item raised was in respect of the parish boundary signs which had not yet been installed.
71 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
10 March 2020