MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF BILLINGTON AND LANGHO PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON
Monday, September 30th 2024 at 7.15pm
AT THE COMMUNITY HALL
PRESENT
Parish Councillors. Cllrs – Brian Haworth, Martin Hincks, Katie Swingewood, Dennis Johnson, Eva McPrice, Michael Collins, John Aspden. Borough Cllrs Tony Austin and Steve Farmer.
Three members of public attended the meeting,
In attendance –R Greenwood clerk
ITEM 1 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
There were no apologies for absence.
ITEM 2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
- Register of Interests – Councillors were reminded of the need to update their register of interests.
- No members disclosed a personal or prejudicial interests in any matter to be discussed at the meeting,
ITEM 3 ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING
3.1 Minutes of the meeting held July 29th 2024 were accepted and signed as a true record.
ITEM 4 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
4.1 Two members of the Remembrance Parade Committee attended the meeting. The Parade will take place on the 10th November 2024 to commence from Billington Gardens at 2:45pm but has asked that people assemble from 2:30pm prior to the band setting off. Pie and peas will be served at BBBC prior to the parade if attendees could let the Committee know for catering numbers. The Committee can be found on Facebook.
The Committee has raised funds for the Mayor, the road closures and the band, they just need to organise the Clergy. The Parish Council thanked the Committee for their work.
There was a request for Volunteers to help support with Wreaths – this was a task undertaken by the British Legion but they are short of volunteers.
There was a request for raffle prizes for the day of the Parade, anyone wishing to donate can contact the Committee via their Facebook page.
4.2 There was an enquiry regarding the tree planting at Swindells Wood. The local school children will be asked to undertake the first planting in the next few months, thereafter volunteers will be sought.
4.3 Concerns from a Billington resident regarding the state of the roads and footpaths due to overgrowing weeds and hedges. The weeds in the road have now caused damage to the road surfaces by eroding the integrity of the surfaces. The drains are chocked with weeds which in a flood area is dangerous. The footpaths have been reduced in width from overgrowing weeds and hedges and this is causing access issues for those with prams or wheelchair users.
Areas of particular concern are the areas around bus stops, these are in disrepair and have litter issues. A request was made for the Clerk to contact both LCC and RVBC to ask for these areas to be cleaned.
Contractors have cleared the footpath down the side of Ebeneezer Chapel – cutting the hedge back 15cms but have left the detritus on the path which will cause the path to become slippy underfoot.
4.4 An observation was made that Billington “looks scruffy compared to Langho and as a shared parish could volunteers not work across the whole of both areas”. It was suggested that Langho looked so well kept due to the work of the Langho in Bloom volunteers and a request was made for Billington in Bloom to be set up.
4.5 A request for more “up to date “circulation of the Minutes was made, the Minutes go on the notice boards, on Social Media and onto the website. A request was made that the Minutes also were included on local community group pages.
4.6 A complaint has been received regarding the lack of public meetings held regarding the proposed care home planning application at Elker Meadows. The Parish Council is working closely with one of the residents – Cllr Johnson and has kept appraised of the situation and after consultation with all members of the Parish Council will be submitting unanimous and strong objections to the application.
ITEM 5 PLAYGROUNDS
5.1 The Parish Council has had the RoSPA report, it was noted that some of the play equipment on both playground’s is tired and is reaching the end of its service. The Clerk to contact play equipment organisations for brochures. The Parish Council is to hold a meeting at each playground to inspect the equipment. The Parish Council will need to apply for grant funding to support any improvements as within the precept is £2200 and there are unallocated Concurrent Functions grant of £1989. There is no ringfenced money as this was spent on the play safety surface.
5.2 Tree at Billington – One of the trees at Billington Playground is suffering from Ash Die Back and is also overhanging the neighbouring house. The tree will need to be felled and a new tree planted.
ITEM 6 ACCOUNTS
6.1 The following cheques were presented for payment.
Cheque 202585 | C Walton Lengthsman – June | £276.29 |
Cheque 202586 | C Walton Lengthsman – July | £276.29 |
Cheque 202587 | CC Walton – Lengthsman – playground cleaning | £350.00 |
Cheque 202588 | R Greenwood August Salary | £395.20 |
Cheque 202589 | Travel | £25.46 |
Cheque 202590 | PAYE | £98.80 |
Cheque 202591 | Centrewire, gate paid via the LCC grant fund | £651.60 |
Cheque 202592 | Nurture for Old Langho Church | £201.02 |
Cheque 202593 | RVBC for webhosting | £36.00 |
Cheque 202594 | C Walton for clearing bonfire site at the community centre | £30.00 |
Cheque 202595 | Stamps | £20.40 |
Cheque 202596 | R Greenwood Salary – September | £494.00 |
Cheque 202597 | Nurture Landscapes | £187.87 |
Cheque 202598 | PKF Littlejohn | £252.00 |
Cheque 202599 | Ink for printer – HP | £73.00 |
6.2 To approve income of £1989.00 from RVBC Concurrent Functions Grant.
6.3 The service charge for the maintenance at Old Langho Church has been increased for the second time this year. The Clerk is to ask for local tenders to undertake this work.
6.4 The Clerk is to undertake training via LALC in line with new PKF Littlejohn best practice guidelines. In addition the Clerk has requested CILCA training and has written to LALC to request. The Parish Council has agreed to look at partially funding this. Proposed BH and Seconded DJ
6.5 The Clerk is to have training on WordPress for the Parish Council website, and requested the funding for this. Proposed SF and seconded JA.
ITEM 7 PLANNING
7.1 The following planning applications were considered: –
3/2024/0679 | Dewhurst Farm | Objections submitted | |
3/2024/0511 | St Marys Drive | No objections | |
3/2024/0739 | Land off Elker lane. Objections submitted. | ||
3/2024/0749 | Higher Hodgefield No Objections. |
ITEM 8 HIGHWAY
8.1 Old Sols Bridge. The repairs have been carried out and the bridge now opened.
8.2 The Clerk to write to LCC as all the drains on Northcote Road are blocked and the road is awash, this will be dangerous when the road freezes.
8.3 The clerk to write regarding the blocked drain opposite Atkinson’s – this is causing flooding across the road.
8.4 Report of unsafe stiles on footpath number 5 past the Black Bull, one is missing the footplate and the second is dangerously high on one side.
ITEM 9 OFFICERS REPORT
9.1 The Parish Council Liaison Meeting was held with an informative talk by Mike Hill about planning. Cllr McPrice has asked to attend the next LALC session.
9.2 Homewise, posters have been received from Homewise, this is a support service for small repairs in the homes of older people. The posters will be uploaded to the Facebook page.
ITEM 10 CORRESPONDENCE.
10.1 All correspondence has been forwarded by email.
ITEM 11 DATES OF NEXT MEETING. All at 7.15pm.
28th October 2024
25th November 2024
27th January 2025
24th February 2025
31st March 2025
28th April 2025
26th May 2025
30th June 2025
28th July 2025
29th September 2025
27th October 2025
24th November 2025