MINUTES OF THE MUCH DEWCHURCH PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 20 NOVEMBER 2019 AT THE VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT Parish Councillors: Councillor Mr A Helme (Chairman), Councillor Mr R Thomas, Councillor Mr P Williams, Councillor Mr H Scudamore and Councillor Mr A Parry.

ABSENT Councillor Mr M Etheridge-Barnes and Councillor Mr M Whitewood.

IN ATTENDANCE Mrs R Craine (Clerk), 1 parishioner and Ward Cllr. C Bolderson.

1. APOLOGIES Councillor Mr M Etheridge-Barnes and Councillor Mr M Whitewood.

2. TO APPROVE AND SIGN AS CORRECT MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 11 SEPTEMBER 2019 The minutes of the last meeting were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

3. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS & DISPENSATIONS None received.

4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME Owner of the Rhydd attended meeting to explain that there had been a delay in starting works through no fault of their own but building work has now commenced and therefore the enforcement order has been lifted.. A survey had shown that the outer wall of concern due to safety issues is solid. Carly stated that she was very approachable and if there were any further concerns about the Rhydd then please come to her direct to discuss them

5. LOCAL POLICE REPORT None.

6. REPORT FROM WARD COUNCILLOR CHRISTY BOLDERSON See attached. Flooding is a problem at the entrance to Pool Meadow.

7. REPORT FROM LOCALITY STEWARD MR J HOWELL Weekly reports emailed.

8. LENGTHSMAN/P3 SCHEME REPORT None

9. VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE REPORT Nothing new.

10. FINANCE Invoices: · Clerk’s wages - £657.50 Unanimously agreed. Receipts: Precept - £4250.00 Wayleave - £20.23 Other: Donation to Dore Community Transport - £200.00. To consider estimated budget and decide precept for 2020/21. Unanimously agreed that precept remains at current level of £8500.00 To consider gift for internal auditor. Agreed unanimously. Bank Balance: £18554.03.

11. PLANNING APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 193747 - Land to the North of the B4348, Much Dewchurch village, , DESCRIPTION: Outline application for a residential development of up to 4 dwellinghouses (all matters reserved). APPLICANT(S): Diocesan Board of Finance Comment: 1. The proposed site is on a flood plain. This field, including the area of the proposed site, is under water several times a year. The flood map in the planning application is out of date and is not a true picture of the flooding that occurs. The Parish Council requests that a flood/drainage survey is carried out and the flood map updated before any application can be considered. Unequivocal photographic evidence as to the flooding issue has been submitted by neighbouring properties. 2. The proposed site is 6-8ft below the B4348 and would therefore have to be raised. This would severely impact the flood zone 3 areas already identified immediately adjacent to site. The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 2009 (SFRA) aims to ensure that planning policies and site allocations will not increase the risk of flooding both within the site itself and the surrounding area. The nearby Welsh Water sewage pumping station already floods and this development would exacerbate the problem. 18-20th November the pumping station experienced hydraulic overload with a large amount of discharge coming up through a manhole in the field of the proposed site and ultimately covering a proportion of the field and getting into the adjacent Worm Brook. 3. The proposed site lies within the Special Area of Conservation and as such is protected by European legislation. The site is well established grassland adjacent to a water course. Any development would have a massive impact on the wildlife and vegetation located in the brook and the meadow. There would be unavoidable run off from any development into Worm Brook due to its immediate location. 4. There are three proposed accesses onto the B4348; these are in a dip onto a very busy road and with very limited visibility in both directions. The proposed access arrangements are considered to be dangerous. 5. Much Dewchurch has very limited facilities i.e. one pub and next to no public transport links. Planning has already been granted for six houses and an application for nine is in progress. Therefore Much Dewchurch is providing towards the housing shortage but to put a further 4 houses on a location that clearly floods is considered unacceptable.

Much Dewchurch Parish Council strongly opposes this application and request that it is refused. APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 193635 - 4 Copper Beeches Close, Much Dewchurch, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 8DX DESCRIPTION: Application for approval of reserved matters following outline approval 162246/O (Outline application for the erection of four dwelling houses with all matters except layout/siting and access reserved for future consideration). Comment: No objection.

APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 193013 - Bowerswood Farm, Much Dewchurch, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 8DR DESCRIPTION: New storage barn (B8) to store Applicant's tools and machinery APPLICANT(S): Mr & Mrs Rushgrove Comment: No objection.

APPLICATION NO & SITE ADDRESS: Planning Consultation - 193212 - 8 Church View, Much Dewchurch, Hereford, Herefordshire HR2 8DQ DESCRIPTION: Proposed erection of single/double storey side and rear extension, replacing existing single storey side and rear extension APPLICANT(S): Mr & Mrs Barnes Comment: No objection.

12. SPEEDWATCH UPDATE No monitoring due to adverse weather conditions..

13. UPDATE ON PLANNING AST THE RHYDD Coverered in item 4.

14. UPDATE ON NEW GATE BY SIMPLY STUNNING No update at present.

15. TO NOTE INFORMATION SHEET Noted.

16. MATTERS NOTIFIED TO CLERK FOR AGENDA OF NEXT MEETING None.

17. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 8 January 2020 commencing at 7.00 pm at the Village Hall. The meeting closed at 7.53 pm. Ward Councillor Report:

Flooding. For some of us the awful weather has dominated the past few weeks with Council officials and BBLP working hard to minimise the impact on people and properties. Within Wormside the rain has highlighted areas where drains are not working effectively and I have been working with both residents and the Locality Steward to report these so they can be logged and appropriate action taken. Any road related issues including drainage should be reported to the 24 hour, 7 day a week telephone number 01432 261800 or on the website https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200196/roads/190/report_problems_on _the_road

Temporary Winter Closure of Ross and Minor Injury Units (MIUs). The Minor Injury Units will close for the winter period from 4 November 2019. All other services at Ross and Leominster community hospitals will continue as normal. This step, which mirrors the decision to temporarily close the MIUs last year, is part of a planned strategy to help the Trust cope with the increased winter pressures and to ensure that a safe service to seriously ill patients needing urgent care at Hereford County Hospital is provided. Gritters. BBLP maintain and operate 15 frontline gritters and have reported that salt supplies and council owned salt bins have been restocked ready for winter. BBLP have also confirmed that Parish Councils can access the usual free salt that has been available in previous years. Crews will remain on stand-by until March to monitor the county’s priority network (961km of roads). Wormside roads included in this network are the A465, B4348, B4349, C1228, Haywood Lane and Knockerhill Lane. During periods of severe weather, treatment may extend to some 667km of secondary routes including school routes, key links to rural communities and regular public transport routes with daily frequencies. The Winter Service Plan and gritting routes can be found on the Herefordshire Council website. Residents can receive live 24/7 gritting updates by following @HfdsStreets on Twitter and know in advance when to extend journey times. In in the case of extreme weather, road closures are listed on the Herefordshire Council website at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/roads and school closures and transport alerts at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/schoolalerts Flytipping: In December 2018 furniture was found fly tipped between the A49 and A465 and an individual was sentenced in September 2019 after pleading guilty to failing to secure the transfer of waste with a written description of the waste. They were sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £600 plus a £20 victim surcharge. Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team will investigate fly tipping which is reported by calling 01432 261761 or online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/flytipping. Residents can also call 01432 260051 to arrange a kerbside collection of bulky items from Herefordshire Council which costs £25 per three items (fridges or freezers cost £20 per item). Climate Emergency Declaration: The Great Collaboration team has developed two consecutive workshops which provide an opportunity for councillors to talk with local experts about the implications of becoming a zero carbon community. The first of these workshops was held in Hereford 18 November 2019. The next are: , Wednesday November 28th: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-collaboration- bromyard-tickets-76423138665 and , Monday January 20th : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-great-collaboration-ledbury-tickets- 76423226929 Internal Drainage Board: The River Lugg Internal Drainage Board (RLIDB) meets 4 times per year and is responsible for water level management and watercourse maintenance in a defined geographical area which encompasses low-lying land within the catchments of the Rivers Lugg, Arrow, Frome and Worm Brook. The RLIDB’s rateable area comprises 11,171 ha. with 219 km. of scheduled watercourses, which are generally arterial watercourses with more than one riparian owner. The RLIDB is looking to co-opt a new member from the Lower Wye area to improve the representation of local RLIDB rate payers / land owners.