Minutes of the Meeting of PARISH COUNCIL held at the Perton Civic Centre on Monday 10th November 2014 @ 7:00pm

Present C Evans [Chairman] R Moreton [Vice Chairman] Mrs CM Young Mrs P Allen Mrs PN Pitt Mrs AM James AA Bourke AK James NP Caine AR Law

Parish Clerk - Tony Tappenden PCSO Sian Fryer & Police Special Jorja Whittingham Wayne Coombe – Staffs County Council Hayden Baugh-Jones – South Staffs Council Members of the Public present: 7

NB: Clerks Comment - In order to avoid undue delay to our invited guests, agenda item 99/15 was followed by item 101/15a which was in turn followed by items 102/15a, b and c. Item 100/15 was then completed followed by items 101/15b and 102/15d which returned the agenda to its original running order. For clarity of reading and continuity the minutes are presented in line with the original agenda order.

94/15 APOLOGIES

Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs Mrs R Heseltine, Mrs L Turner, B Morris, D Fereday and P Adams. The Chairman announced that he had received communication from Cllr Brian Morris announcing his resignation from the Council with immediate effect due to ill health. The Chairman said he has accepted this resignation with regret and he read allowed the comments from Cllr Morris and the Members were unanimous in praise of his efforts over a significant period of time that was clearly very difficult for him personally. RESOLVED that the Clerk will write to Cllr Morris and offer the Councils sincerely good wishes for the future and invite him to attend, if able, the post December meeting for a Christmas drink and a small presentation of the PPC ‘coat of arms’.

95/15 PUBLIC OPEN SESSION

a) Mr D Glynn gave a brief overview of the local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme stating that whilst the Police are doing their best for Perton the more people that participate in the scheme the better it will be for all of us. He also added that SmartWater is still available at preferential terms compared to dealing direct with the manufacturer. Cllr Mrs P Allen said that Perton Parish Council could produce a poster for display in its notice boards and give additional publicity to the scheme through the local free ad magazines and D Glynn said this was a good idea and was happy for his phone contact details to be used and offered help and support for new coordinators that wish to set up their own groups. Mrs J Law commented about other schemes aside from SmartWater and a brief discussion followed on this point and Cllr Mrs CM Young asked, in respect to

1 SmartWater, whether it can be used to mark rings and other types of jewelry. D. Glenn responded saying that SmartWater is ideal for this purpose and application is with a small brush similar to using lip gloss and once dry is thought to last around 100 years, he recommended that for best adhesion SmartWater should be applied to grooves and crevices and such like. RESOLVED that Perton Parish Council will produce and display around local notice boards a poster inviting people to check out the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme and this item will also be included in our monthly advertisements through the free ad mags.

Mr Glynn also said he was aware of another dog attack at Perton which was perpetrated by a Bulldog and he said these animals should be controlled and muzzled. Cllr A Law said that as far as he is aware Bulldogs are not on the dangerous dogs list and therefore owners cannot be compelled to muzzle these dogs.

Cllr Mrs P Allen said thank you to Perton Parish Council for the concession hire rate utilised on Friday 7th November for the Church Concert. She said it had been better than expected and attended by 170 people and raised in the region of £800 for the Charity, and the Church At Perton are very pleased with the outcome. The Chairman agreed it was a very good and very successful night.

96/15 POLICE MATTERS

a) Police Report

The report was distributed at the start of the meeting by the Clerk. PCSO Sian Fryer provided a brief overview of the key points.

Perton Parish Council Report For September 2014 Dates of report 10th October - 10th November 2014

Crime Figure for this month Theft from Motor Vehicle 1

Burglary Dwelling and attempt 8

Criminal Damage 1

ASB 1

Other crimes – details below 1

Theft from Motor Vehicle Fishing equipment taken from van , forensics attended /house 2 house carried out and alam for van has been given to informant/NO CCTV Burglary Dwelling – Buttermere –entry through open rear window /Asian jewellery taken/ NO CCTV / various forensics recovered / smart water and crime prevention given out Gainsborough- entered through insecure rear window/ forensics recovered footprints/ jewellery taken 2 Lingfield – forced rear window entry , few possessions taken /x2 swabs taken for DNA , footprints recovered . ATTEMPT BURGLARY Anson Close – forced rear entry /NOTHING TAKEN /forensics lifted footprinrs Reynolds – tried to get in rear , no entry gained , nothing taken , alarm activated Goodrich – attempt to garage / nothing taken / NO CCTV / ALARM HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT Goodrich – gained rear entry left open / phone taken / footprints lifted by forensics/ ALARM HAS BEEN HANDED OUT Goodrich – garage left open / DYSON hoover taken but later found And handed back to owner/ ALARM HAS BEEN GIVEN OUT ALL THESE AREAS ARE BEING KEPT IN VIEW VERY CLOSELY

Criminal damage- Peron Golf club – cladding sheet removed to gain entry – finger prints recovered / chainsaw taken but has been later found and returned NO CCTV ASB- Anders Square Holloween evening – ongoing enquires at present / Dispersal was issued on evening due to ASB

Other crimes – details below Suspicious male questioned girl outside school/ enquires ongoing / working with local schools etc To make you aware there is a Twitter Account for Perton / Police covering local issues.The name of the account is @Pertonpolice so please follow us.

Cllr Mrs P Allen said that in respect to Halloween she understood that the 101 number had been very busy with reports and asked how the Police first became aware of the problems. PCSO Sian Fryer said there were only a few calls but she was in the area with two PC’s and as they approached they started to hear of issues and somebody told them that a young person was being beaten up. They did not see this themselves but they did witness lots of anti-social behavour. Cllr Mrs A James said the whole thing was horrendous and frightening and she said it was very similar to a hostile football crowd but confirmed there was no incident inside the Wrottesley Arms but there was lots going on outside and she asked if the cameras got any usable information. She added that there was a large number of Pendeford kids carrying metal bars and wearing ski masks. The PCSO said that she had not seen anything by way of CCTV but the enquiries are ongoing and one youth of about 17-18 years of age is helping with their enquiries. Cllr AA Bourke queried the CCTV pictures and asked if they had not been helpful at all and the PCSO said that she had been told there was not much useful information but she had not seen any of the footage herself. Cllr AA Bourke also remarked on the high level of burglaries shown on the report and asked why this was. The PCSO responded saying that whilst they had some information, most of this was well after the events and therefore not so useful but she said they had recovered footprints and lots of forensic evidence. Cllr Mrs P Pitt noted that in the area of Goodrich Avenue alarms had been given out and Sian said these were on hand at the time and people need to ensure that they make their sheds and garages secure particular with Christmas coming. Cllr A Law remarked that going back to the Halloween incidents residents had been very pleased at the robust approach adopted by the Police who are deserving of praise, he said this was particular so for PCSO Sian Fryer, who was in the thick of it. He said it was frustrating work getting people to ring 101 and said it is important for people to understand the value of calling in suspicious activity and the Police are happy to receive this and they then can decide on the appropriate course of action.

3 Cllrs RE Moreton, Mrs CM Young and NP Caine, said that they had recently been at the Police Accountability Forum where the 101 service had received a lot of criticism and it was advised that if in any doubt 999 should be used.

The Police session closed and the PSCO and Police ‘Special’ left the meeting at 7.25pm.

97/15 DECLARATION OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY AND OTHER INTERESTS

Cllr Mrs P Allen declared personal and prejudicial interest in cheque 104664 paid to D P Allen.

Cllr AK James declared personal and prejudicial interest in cheque 104666 paid to Down to Earth Grounds Maintenance Ltd.

98/15 MINUTES

a) MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 13th OCTOBER, 2014

The Chairman pointed out there was a minor typo on page six noting that bus route number 501 should read 510. The minutes were modified accordingly and it was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 13th October 2014 be confirmed as a true record and the Chairman of the Council duly signed them.

99/15 FINANCE

a) Draft Minutes of the Finance Meeting held on 4th November, 2014

RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the Finance Committee Meeting held on 4th November, 2014 be accepted for information together with the income statement for October, 2014.

b) Accounts for Payment

List of Payments since last reviewed at the meeting of the Council on 13th October 2014 £ 01/10/14 S TO Kalidescope Limited 48.00 01/10/14 BACS Wages Week 26 1205.73 01/10/14 104653 ThyssenKrupp Elevator UK Limited 540.00 01/10/14 104654 Nobisco Limited 194.05 07/10/14 104655 John Ellis Associates Limited 250.00 08/10/14 BACS Wages Week 27 1213.31 09/10/14 104656 OCS Group UK Limited t/a Cannon 93.60 09/10/14 104657 Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Ltd 36.05 10/10/14 104658 ESPO 256.85 10/10/14 104659 Halls SMS 25.94 10/10/14 104660 Kantara Limited 300.00 15/10/14 BACS Wages Week 28 1141.64 15/10/14 BACS CC Pension Fund 2022.91 15/10/14 BACS Inland Revenue 2419.30 16/10/14 DD British Gas - Gas 142.51 4 17/10/14 104661 North Staffs Fire Limited 190.86 17/10/14 DD BT One Bill (Broadband & Telephony) 97.46 21/10/14 104662 Drinkmaster Ltd 57.53 22/10/14 BACS Wages Week 29 1154.24 23/10/14 104663 Arts Alive - Flicks in the Sticks 300.00 25/10/14 DD British Gas - Electric 394.12 27/10/14 DD Drinkmaster Ltd 171.29 27/10/14 104664 D P Allen - the handyman 110.00 27/10/14 104664 D P Allen - the handyman 40.00 27/07/14 104665 S.A.Lockett & Son Limited 1474.56 28/10/14 DD Veolia ES (UK) Limited 140.28 29/10/14 BACS Wages Week 30 / Month 7 4437.16 30/10/14 104666 Down to Earth Grounds Maintenance Ltd 102.00 31/10/14 DD Information Commissioners Office 35.00

TOTALS 18594.39

c) Budget-to-date 2014/2015

The Clerk provided a brief explanation of the budget figures which were noted.

d) Application for Grant – Campaign to Protect Rural

RESOLVED that a grant of £100 be offered.

100/15 PLANNING COMMITTEE

a) Planning Applications received from Council and reviewed by the Parish since the last Parish Council meeting on Monday 13th October, 2014.

Application No. Proposals 14/00784/FUL Conversion of redundant agricultural buildings to provide 2 dwellings - Cranmoor Lodge Farm, Wrottesley Park Road, Perton, WV8 2HS

Perton Parish Council raised no objections to the above proposals subject to suitability.

b) Application 14/00797/FUL – Crematorium, South Perton Farm, Jenny Walkers Ln

Cllr AK James advised the Members that he had taken some measures already insofar as he had ‘called-in’ this item for a hearing so that it is not dealt with in any other way. He said that a report has been written by the owner and the agent who state that there are no people living in the vicinity and this comment totally ignores the local population that are likely to be affected. He said that the discharge of fumes could affect local homes and he said this is regardless of the technology deployed as it is more likely to depend on the weather as to what actually happens. Additionally he said that Jenny Walkers Lane is a main route linking the A449 and the A41 and a

5 number of traffic issues need to be taken into account. He said that the objective for a crematorium in South Staffordshire had been noted by the Leader of the District Council but there are lots of facilities around the area. Cllr Mrs P Allen said that additionally there are new housing proposals which will generate more traffic which will in turn exacerbate traffic flows. She said there are issues also with traffic visibility and the problem of fumes is important and we are in the most unusual situation where we have two crematorium proposals within 1-mile of each other. She said it would be good to have a legitimate use for the location offered but the communication and access issues are very unsuitable for this plan. Cllr RE Moreton said he had been discussing this topic with the planning authority earlier in the day and noted that there are three valid applications under consideration, one at the Billy Wilson site, another at the ‘Truckers Rest’ on Watling Street and a third along the A41 whilst a fourth proposal at is currently invalid and there may soon be a fifth proposal coming from Huntington. He confirmed that the Leader of the Council has suggested that we have a need but there are many ifs and buts and there is to be a meeting to review the legal issues. He said that there will be no additional consultation and it is likely that one of the plans will be approved. Cllr NP Caine asked if this is an allowable use of green belt land and Cllr Moreton said the sites would be evaluated on individual merit to which Cllr Caine said as a minimum there should be conditions attached to the Perton site including, street lighting and the provision of pedestrian footpaths . Cllr AA Bourke asked if any Councillors had been contacted on this matter because there are no members of the public at tonight’s meeting raising questions on the topic and he said that the local Facebook page showed some low level support for the project. Cllr AK James replied saying it is up to the Parish Council to highlight the impact of the project and he said the road is already closed off sometimes due to the Tough Guy competition and he said the facts had not been published in regard to this matter and the floods that occur on Pattingham Road. He also mentioned the number of breaches of Planning regulations that have already occurred in this location and he asked if people felt it was suitable to have this type of facility so close to an activity of a very different sort. Cllr A Law said that whilst this topic had been given visibility in the local press it has not been a big story locally and comments on the social networking pages showed some positives but few negatives. He said there may be some road issues but the plans published look nice but he said this is next door to an amusement park and he said the trees planted should be subject to a covenant to prevent encroachment by the Tough Guy competitions and whilst the facility will be attractive to many resident we really do need to look at both sides of the argument. Cllr AK James said that with all the facilities serving the local area do we really need a crematorium at Perton. Cllr NP Caine asked if the recent application regarding the A41 cemetery included a crematorium and Cllr Mrs P Allen said we may have problems with this application due to the existing cemetery on this site and she believed whilst some people view it as a pet cemetery she understands that some pet owners are buried with their pets. She said that she generally supports the idea of a local crematorium but has reservations about this site on traffic and other grounds. RESOLVED that Perton Parish Council will advise South Staffordshire Council Planning Office that we have major concerns regarding this application due to the existence of other on-site activities, the potential of fumes impacting local residents, the considerable impact to traffic flows and access, and also the future planning applications for local housing in the locality.

6 101/15 STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

a) Perton Youth Club: Wayne Coombe – Staffordshire County Council.

Wayne Coombe from Staffordshire County Council thanked the Parish Council for the invite to attend the meeting and said it is his role to be the County Council spokesman in South Staffordshire for issues on this topic. He said that following the recent consultation the final decision has now been taken to close the Youth provision service with effect from 31st December this year. He said that Staffordshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS) will be working to produce a ‘mapping and gapping’ exercise to determine the effect of withdrawal of the Youth provision service. He said there is an open invite to liaise with SCVYS and he said there are agreed dates when their representatives will be coming to Perton to look at the specific issues of the area. He said they will liaise with the existing people running the service and the users of the service. He said that unfortunately, one of the two days when the youth club has previously been open has already been lost due to staff issues. He said they are also engaging with the ‘Good Life’ initiative and they are in discussions with SSCVA etc. following which a prospectus will be issued which will allow interested parties to bid for funding to cover gaps in the market. He said the building currently used for the youth club will revert to school management but may be available for community use and there will be a total of £53,000 to bid for. He said there will also be an additional prospectus issued by South Staffordshire Council for additional pots of funding that will come under ‘Building Families and Communities’ and he said volunteers are welcome to come forward as quickly as possible. Cllr Mrs P Allen said this was very depressing and very worrying news. She said from the list of opportunities, motivated youths are already involved in other listed activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme but such things are not suitable for all. She said the building that is reverting back to school management is in a bad state of repair and she can only express her concerns on this matter. She said we can only ask openly about the process taking place and what is involved and she asked if there is any liaison with the Library service. Additionally, she said what about the more vulnerable kids that are easily led and she said the timing of this is very bad and asked if there was any interim provision being planned. Wayne replied saying that whilst the timescales are tight the bids against the prospectus do not have to be in by the 31st December and the funds available can be carried over to next year and other continuing services will not come out of this pot of cash. He said it is difficult to keep the services going while at the same time being fair to the members of staff who need to seek other job opportunities. In respect to the Library service he said working together is very important and they are doing this but it must be noted that the Library is also rationalizing service and we are awaiting final outcomes, he said hopefully Perton will retain its Library as is currently thought. He said that he was not particular aware of the state of the building but that he would follow up on this point. Cllr Mrs P Allen asked what will happen in the interim. Wayne replied emphatically saying that the youth service will end by the 31st December noting it will be hard to maintain this close date but there will be nothing beyond it. SCVYS will let the users know what options exist and part of the problem is to determine the best way to engage with young people. Cllr RE Moreton said that many years ago Cllr DJ Billson had a fund of £50,000 set aside for building improvements and surely not all of this money has been spent on the recent works. Wayne replied saying that this is something of a grey area and he has discussed this with Chris Fridd and whilst there is a lack of clarity there is a suggestion that £15,000 of the £50,000 fund remained unspent but since this was allocated to capital budgets it probably needs to be returned to the County. Cllr RE Moreton said it was very disturbing that a considerable chunk of this money was spent on the building which is now closing and the youths that are currently involved at the Youth club are unlikely to be involved in any of the action

7 areas listed and additionally any future provision seems depend on volunteers but asked can you actually get them? Wayne replied saying they are not looking to run the service as it was but are looking for groups that already exist to maybe expand their existing facilities. Cllr Moreton asked how much the existing youth club costs to run compared to the pot of £53,000 which is available to spend over the entire area. Wayne said he recognises this is a small amount but partnerships already exist to enable this to work. Cllr Mrs P Pitt said that since the building is reverting to school ownership does this mean that the school can make its own decision about access? Wayne replied saying that discussions are ongoing and Cllr Mrs P Allen said it will be at the discretion of the Head teacher and Governing Body to which Wayne said he will work with them to resolve issues. Cllr AA Bourke said he was very disappointed with the outcome and hopes Cllr James will take our feelings back to his colleagues, he said he had attended Locality meetings where Cllr R Marshall said no decisions had been taken but given the timescale of events it is clear that a decision to close had already been taken. He said that when budgets are allocated they are usually budgets for an entire year and yet we are closing in December, three months short of the year-end and the available budget to resolve the problems is presumably a one off. Wayne agreed, that yes it is a one off funding pot but restated that other funding sources are available elsewhere. Cllr Bourke asked if the consultation results had been publicised and Wayne said that they had, there was a good number not in favour of the proposals but there was a good level of response. Cllr A Law asked if and the Police Commissioner responded to the consultation, noting that the core users of the club are likely to end up roaming the streets and Staffordshire Police will pick up the pieces. Also he said what if we get volunteers and have no building to use. Wayne said, yes police were consulted along with other services and they will engage with the local police commander to bring ASB expertise to any decisions made. Cllr NP Caine said he can see Cllr Law’s point of view about the Youth club but what do the kids do now on the other nights when the club is closed. Cllr Law replied saying that on Perton there is a significant drug and alcohol problem with young people and those that attend the Youth club currently do get significant advice and leadership direction from their attendance. Wayne agreed that this sort of feedback is very important. Cllr Mrs P Allen said if Perton Council has a project can we get the £15,000 surplus of funds in the original allocation noting that we have money tagged for youth work and Wayne said it will be necessary to make an application to Staffs County Council to try to obtain the cash. Cllr Mrs CM Young said that with regard to Youth services can Wayne confirm that the County Council is pulling out, Wayne said yes this was true but the current exercise goes on to work out what will take its place. Cllr Mrs CM Young asked if funding would be available year-on-year for any further Youth provision. Wayne said the pot of money currently available to bid for is a one off capital pot but there will be other offers via South Staffordshire Partnership Prospectus. Cllr Mrs Young said are they expecting volunteers to not only run any future provision but also raise the funding year-on-year to keep the facility open. Cllr AA Bourke observed that Staffordshire County Council appear to be washing their hands of the matter and Cllr Mrs A James said young people are being let down and to-date have been treated very poorly. Cllr NP Caine asked if Staffordshire County Council are abdicating their legal responsibilities under the Education Act and Wayne replied that services are still aimed at a great number of people and the County Council are not just walking away but targeting services at those that need them. Cllr AK James said lots of information had been conveyed tonight and he has conveyed a good deal of information at County Hall regarding the needs of Perton. He said we don’t like it but we can’t appear to change it so we are in a position where we must give the proposals a chance and get involved with the outcome. Cllr Mrs P Allen told Wayne that he has an unenviable job having to impart such details as this. Wayne said as a closing comment that any volunteers that are prepared to work with SCVYS should come forward and pass their details to him as

8 soon as possible and he then left the meeting at 8.20pm.

b) County Councillors Report

County Council Report for Perton Parish Meeting on November 10th.2014.

Attended the Local Priorities Meeting to discuss: Rural Transport Update of Connect Services in South Staffordshire and the South Staffordshire Village Transport. Local Bus services in rural areas. Also i54 connections for the employment transport needs there. Early years/Best Start programme to combat problems with under achieving children in the County. Special needs centres will be provided in : Landywood () Lane Green (Bilbrook) . Toddlers will be catered for in a 2 hour session for Baby Bounce Groups at Libraries in , Perton and . If a need is established a time table will be set up. Highways Update. Communication improvements will enable work teams to be directed to defect repairs more easily and for jobs to be monitored and recorded. A meeting with the Highways Liaison Manager to review matters such as the Chicane improvements and progress with the installation. Wayne Coombs will be attending the Parish Meeting to outline the changes to the Youth activities and future plans for this service.

Keith James Member for the Perton Division of Staffordshire County Council.

Cllr AK James also mentioned that from Thursday 30 October the Neighbourhood Team (NHT) were due to be at Perton for six days but as far as he can tell they were not visible after the first couple of days. The Clerk confirmed that whilst he was aware that certain jobs from the list had been completed he was not aware that all the tasks had been done and he did receive an email from Simon Griffith asking if the list had been completed to which he responded saying he was not fully sure but was aware that the work on the A41 had not been touched and he suggested to Simon that he should get a listing from the NHT as to the work they had actually completed. Cllr AK James said the NHT is a situation that needs looking at.

102/15 SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

a) Dippons Lane – Cllr Mrs P Allen

Cllr Mrs P Allen said that Dippons Lane is a public highway but it is very overgrown and there is a drainage issue. Additionally, rubbish is thrown over fences and the lane is very muddy in autumn and winter and any wet day. She said that Staffordshire County Council are seeking to ‘Let’ a field in the area but will not be able to herd animals and additionally it should be wheelchair friendly. She said the surface needs to be scraped and the drainage channels cleared and overgrown shrubs need to be cut back, noting that the neglect of the area has aided encroachment which she has drawn to the attention of the Enforcement Office. She said the whole area needs a large scale tidy up and vehicle access is now restricted. Cllr AA Bourke said one of the problems is the joint ownership with nobody taking direct responsibility, he added that the part by the field is County Council owned and he has queried this with Paul Rochfort the County Council Paths Officer. Cllr AK James said that following on from the October meeting

9 he approached the lane from the Wolverhampton side where he met up with the crew manning a South Staffordshire Council van and had a conversation about fly tipping in the area. He also said that Steve Winterflood, Chief Executive at SSDC has had a letter from Keith Elder representing Wild About Perton, who has brought his attention to numerous issues around the area. Cllr James said we need to fully understand who owns what and get a definition of who does what maintenance. Hayden Baugh-Jones responded to these points stating that he is no longer in Environmental Services but he will take this matter to Shaun Alexander and Andy Cousins at SSDC. He said the fact that there is joint ownership should not matter and he will try to bring about some coordinated action which does link into the Open Space Strategy. Cllr Mrs P Allen said would he also take on board the encroachment issues as the longer this is left the more it seems to be acceptable to the householders. b) Geese Droppings – Cllr Mrs P Allen

Cllr Mrs P Allen said that after last month’s meeting issues had been brought to her attention from residents at Auden Court regarding Geese droppings. She said there is also a similar issue at Sandown School Playground and at Perton First School where the children can no longer go on their own playing fields and apart from anything else this concerns her as a School Governor. She noted that due to the rising population there will be more eggs hatching next spring and we need action now. She said that the previous actions that were taken worked at the time but since this has stopped the problem has got worse, noting that local shops are now selling duck and swan feed which can only aid the population numbers building up. She said we need an urgent control programme from South Staffs Council, asking if the eggs can be pricked. Cllr AK James said that we have been down this road several times before and that numerous residents in the area feed the geese which cause the problem stating that not only does it encourage the geese but it also aids the rat population. Cllr Mrs A James said that at the Bromford flats in Auden Court residents are continually feeding the birds from their windows and Cllr Mrs CM Young said she has seen residents doing this over a number of years. Cllr Mrs P Pitt said that residents are perhaps getting wise to the issue noting that the geese are traveling around the area looking for food. Cllr RE Moreton said the fundamental problem is that some residents object to the geese whilst others really enjoy their presence and egg pricking is the only real answer as it significantly controls the population. Cllr Mrs P Allen asked that paths are swept regularly and would the District Councillors take up these issues. Hayden Baugh- Jones said that a lot of the work that was executed around the lake has made the area unattractive to geese but he said some of them were actually getting stuck as they charged the fencing that was put around the lake island to keep them off, but he said the geese should never be fed because that just makes the problem worse. Cllr A Law said there is no easy solution to this as many people love the birds and many people hate them but he said that the Bromford Housing area and the local schools have good fresh grass that the birds seem to like and observed that if you build a lake in the middle of a housing estate you invite these type of problems. He said the only way to really solve the problem is to kill the birds and this will upset a lot of people and he said the shops are now selling special bird food as a substitute for bread which is not good for the birds, but he said that in his opinion the birds will always be around the area. Cllr Mrs P Allen said that the lack of intervention by the District Council has caused the population to increase and Hayden Baugh-Jones again agreed to take this matter back to Shaun Alexander and Andy Cousins to seek a resolution to the expanding population.

10 c) Perton Roundabouts: Hayden Baugh-Jones & Andy Cousins

Hayden Baugh-Jones apologised that he missed the last meeting and provided a brief explanation about this. He said that Andy Cousins is taking care of the two smaller roundabouts but said he understood that his involvement is required to review the two main islands along Wrottesley Park Road which are essentially the gateways into Perton Village. He asked what are the aspirations of the Parish Council, are they looking for planting schemes or some form of sculpture or structure, noting that the possibilities are only limited by the imagination. Cllr Mrs CM Young said that she believes that most people would like to see some colour at these locations which could be provided by a variety of shrubs and bulbs but she said the two inner roundabouts should be our first priority. Hayden replied saying that the two smaller roundabouts can be dealt with quickly but the larger islands are his priority as they require some significant design work. Cllr RE Moreton noted Hayden’s comments that the inner roundabouts could be dealt with quickly but said that we have been waiting for three months and we have still not received any suggestions, however, he said the District Councillors have certain allowances that can be used as quickly as the District Council can focus on this matter. He said that as far as the big islands are concerned we do want to do something but we don’t really know what. Hayden responded saying he will talk to Andy about the small islands and said he was currently tied up with design work until the earlier part of the new year but should be able to give his full attention around mid February. Cllr AK James said that our frustration grows because Andy has made several commitments but has not delivered and Cllr Mrs Allen said she had been expecting to see some design layouts tonight as Andy Cousins had committed to provide this and it needs to be sorted out now. She said that as far as the large islands are concerned there is now the issue of new house building in the area so construction traffic could have an impact to what goes on at the island but she said in the long term she would like to see some form of sculpture or landmark which draws attention to Perton’s history, possibility in respect to the airfield. Hayden noted that Perton derives its name from Pear trees and he said some variety of hard pears would be very interesting to look at suggesting that possibly a ring of Liquidambar would be very attractive and additionally that some form of arts project could possibly be funded by future developers. The Chairman suggested that it may be appropriate to leave the outer roundabout whilst the developments are ongoing and concentrate for now on improving the inner roundabouts. Cllr Moreton said that Andy Cousins has been well aware of our needs for a long time and Hayden responded saying he will take this forward and get Andy to come up with some appropriate designs for us to consider. There were no further discussions and the Chairman thanked Hayden for coming to the meeting and for his patience and Hayden left at 9.00pm. d) District Councillors Report

District Council Report for Perton Parish Council on 10th.November 2014.

Attended Community Challenge Panel meeting to raise issues concerning weed growth around Perton village and measures to tackle this ongoing problem. As a result will be attending a Johnston Road Sweeper Demonstration on 10th. November.

Received a communication concerning a planning application to build a Crematorium on land at South Perton Farm, Jenny Walkers Lane, Perton. I have checked the detailed plans at the District Council Offices and entered a request to the Council’s Regulatory Committee to call in the proposals for a hearing before that Committee to speak on behalf of residents adjacent to the site. The planned development is likely to have an impact on the access and egress along

11 Jenny Walkers Lane and there is an absence of any suggestions to open up the road along Tinacre Hill to alleviate this important route into Perton. It is also of concern that the discharge of fumes may affect the properties above the Crematorium as they stand on higher ground than this proposed building and infrastructure. I have informed a Perton resident that motor homes and caravans parked on owner’s drives are not an issue that the District Council can deal with. Advice that was conveyed to this person concerns whether there is in existence convenants that would prohibit these vehicles and trailers from residential areas and these could be found in the deeds to the properties.

Keith James District Councillor for Perton Dippons Ward of South Staffordshire District Council.

Cllr AA Bourke reported that at Dippons Lane the new fencing has recently had a gate added but now the gate has gone but he was not sure what had happened to it. He said the Christmas Fair had been the subject of numerous meetings and plans were developing well and he confirmed that the event would take place on Saturday 29th November from 12 midday until late and this year there would be lots of stalls as the event has grown considerably since last year and he advised that the committee are working hard to ensure its success. Additionally, he distributed a number of leaflets to the members which related to online voter registration noting that this will be important information with the election pending next year.

Cllr RE Moreton reported attendance at the following meetings: Two Overview and Scrutiny meetings, Police Accountability Forum on Crime and Anti- Social Behaviour, a Licensing Service Challenge, Community Funding training, Locality Forum, Licensing Committee and an Income Generation meeting involving Limited Liability Partnership.

103/15 CLERK’S REPORT – NOVEMBER 2014

Matters ongoing / resolved as at 10th November 2014

Email Distribution  15th Oct: Staffs CC - Wayne Coombe comments regarding S Staffs Youth Clubs.  15th Oct: Information regarding the synthetic lift ‘voice’ installed during refurbishment.  16th Oct: SSDC – Hayden Baugh-Jones / Andy Cousins apologies for no show on 13/10.  16th Oct: Citizens Advice Bureau – Details regarding CAB AGM.  20th Oct: Babs Coombes Area Manager Centro – Details regarding bus shelters.  20th Oct: SSDC details for the next Locality 4 & 5 Member Forum on 23rd October.  21st Oct: Newlife Foundation Santa Dash on Saturday 13th December 2014.  22nd Oct: Land at Dippons Lane, Perton - Staffs County Council request to SSDC concerning connection to the water main.  24th Oct: Advice concerning delivery and positioning of World War 1 memorial stone.  27th Oct: Reminder concerning the Rural Transport Masterclass on Friday 14th November.  28th Oct: SSDC ‘Save the Date’ info for the next Parish Summit.  28th Oct: SSDC details concerning planning application for Crematorium at South Perton Farm  6th Nov: Staffs CC information regarding Icebusters scheme.  7th Nov: SSDC Agenda and details in regard to Rural Transport Masterclass.  10th Nov: Letter from Mrs Sally Beard of Bradshaws Estate providing clarifications to Planning Applications.

12 Other Items  Sainsbury’s Estates Office has confirmed in principle that it has no objection to the installation of fingerpost signboards in Anders Square but will require the specific detail before we proceed.  Civic Centre Christmas Lights will not be erected this year due to timing of scaffold erection for the fascias, soffits and guttering.  Anders Square Lampposts have passed ultrasonic testing and certified safe for the erection of solar powered Christmas trees.  Chairman’s straw poll regarding the Kaleidoscope Plus Group: Mental Health presentation.  SPCA Gazette - Autumn 2014 distributed at meeting, also SPCA Annual Report & Accounts for 2013/14 available in Clerks office.  Order placed with chosen supplier for the refurbishment of Civic Centre toilets has been cancelled due to quality issues with work by the same supplier in Nursery toilets.  Councillor packs regarding Nancherrow Tough Guy proposal distributed to Members at meeting: Councillors to advise if they require this to be added to next agenda.

Cllr Mrs P Allen said that, with regard to the item concerning the refurbishment of the Civic Centre toilets, she fully supported the Clerk’s decision and she had inspected the work in the Nursery toilets which had been done by unsupervised contractors and some of the quality is really quite poor. The Chairman said that regarding the presentation covering Mental Health, is this something the Members would be interested in and from a positive show of hands it was RESOLVED that the Clerk will contact Kaleidoscope to arrange this presentation.

104/15 UPDATE & REVISIONS: PERTON PARISH COUNCIL STANDING ORDERS

There was a brief discussion concerning the proposed Standing Orders and the Members were generally in favour of acceptance but Cllr Mrs P Allen said that in regard to the ‘Rules of Debate at Meetings’ and in specific regard to item 1g concerning amendments she said that the Parish Council have never had issues in this area but suggested that the word ‘early’ be deleted in order not to create any undue problems. RESOLVED that the Standing Orders be accepted as presented with the exception of item 1g which will be modified by the exclusion of the word ‘early’.

105/15 PRECEPT INCLUSIONS FOR 2015/16

At 9.30pm the Chairman requested a vote by show of hands to continue the meeting and it was RESOLVED that Standing Order Number 3w (length of meeting) be suspended.

It was RESOLVED that the Precept inclusions for 2015/16 will include the current budget list plus Traffic island and roundabouts refurbishment and World War 1, 2018 commemorations.

106/15 DEFIBRILLATOR – CLLR AA BOURKE

Cllr AA Bourke said that there had been little actual progress to report since the last meeting but felt there would be more information for the next meeting and requested that this item be added to the December agenda.

107/15 BUS SHELTER PROVISION IN PERTON

The Clerk explained the current situation, noting from the handouts delivered with the agenda, that Centro are still awaiting feedback from the County Council and the bus operating company NXWM and the Clerk was also waiting for installation costs to be 13 forwarded from the County Council. In regard to the information from Staffs County Council he said he had queried the item where they request confirmation of legal transfer of bus shelters from Centro to the Parish Council and it is apparently because the County Council has a policy where they will not allow other highway authorities infrastructure onto the Staffordshire highways. The Clerk said he found it strange that Staffordshire County Council had a policy for what they will not allow but apparently do not have a policy for what they will allow. He also drew the Members attention to the comment from Staff CC that states that safety inspections prior to shelter placement will now cost us £40 per hour to assess and this has to include travelling time. Cllr Mrs P Allen said she found the attached map confusing but the Clerk explained that the map was pretty worthless as it is simply the bus operating company suggesting that two existing unused shelters could be relocated but the County Council seem to be saying that these shelters were too large to go on the inner side of the Parkway and therefore the comment is somewhat irrelevant. It was RESOLVED that there is insufficient information to allow a decision to be made and the item will be carried over to the December meeting.

108/15 ANDERS SQUARE, ‘FINGERPOST’ SIGNAGE

The Clerk explained that whilst the supplier had been prepared to give a guidance quotation in line with our stated requirements they had said that a sign of this sort with seven fingerposts would be most unpractical, look like a Christmas tree and have too much distance between the top and bottom fingerposts, their recommendation would be to have fewer fingerposts but to use double line printing for the directions. There was some discussion about this and the Members generally understood the problems and also suggested that there might be a need for two signs which would need to be in locations that were well lit and sensibly positioned. The Clerk said that whether one sign or two, Sainsbury’s whilst agreeing in principle would require specific details on location before they finally agree. RESOLVED that the Members will consider the options and review locations and details and this item will again be added to the December agenda.

109/15 THE CHURCH AT PERTON: HIGHWAY SIGNS – CLLR MRS P ALLEN

Cllr Mrs P Allen said she noticed with interest the letter from the County Council in relation to placing signs on the Highway and following a brief discussion it was RESOLVED that the Clerk will request two sets of application forms to cover the requirements of the Church and the shopping centre.

DATE & TIME OF NEXT MEETING

Monday 8th December 2014 @ 7.00 pm

The meeting closed @ 9.55pm

Chairman 8th December 2014

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