ALVELEY AND ROMSLEY PARISH COUNCIL
COUNCIL MEETING 7th January 2025
MINUTES OF MEETING
Present: Councillors Christine Brown, Ian Braithwaite, James Taylor, Colin Taylor, Richard Narburgh
Attending: Steve Kerry Parish Clerk, and James Cumisky.
2024.25.104	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
	Apologies were noted from Councillors Isley Jakeman, Sam Potter and Russ Dowson. 	It was also noted that Kieran Chambers had resigned from the Council.
2024/25.105	ELECTION OF CHAIR FOR THE MEETING
	As Councillor Jakeman had sent apologies, it was proposed by Cllr Colin Taylor, 	seconded by Cllr Narburgh and unanimously
	RESOLVED That Councillor Christine Brown take the Chair for this meeting.
2024/25.107	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
	Mr Cumiskey advised the Council that he has an interest in one of the planning 	applications being considered through a commercial connection.
2024/25.108	APPLICATION FOR CO-OPTION TO THE COUNCIL
	The Chair welcomed Mr Cumiskey to the meeting, noting that he had attended 	Council meetings before and asked him to introduce himself. Mr Cumiskey  said that 	he has lived in the parish for three years, before that he was in Wolverley. He has 	always been interested in local affairs and sees involvement with the Council as part 	of living in the village. He simply wanted to be useful in the work the Council was 	doing. Councillor Braithwaite added that he known Mr Cumiskey for a long time and 	thought he would be an asset to the Council.
	It was proposed by Cllr Brown, seconded by Cllr James Taylor and unanimously
	RESOLVED That James Cumiskey be co-opted as a parish councillor for Alveley and 	Romsley Parish Council.
	Mr Cumiskey made and signed his declarartion of acceptance of office and was 	welcomed to the Council.
2024/25.109	OPEN FORUM
	It was noted that a leaflet is being circulated in Alveley concering the proposals for 	redevelopment of the Village Hall. There are numerous inaccuriaices in this leaflet 	which represents a very one-sided view of the matter and several people have 	expressed great annoyance at its contents. The Parish Council is not directly involved 	and no decision is required to justify creating this as an urgent item for the agenda, 	so it will be discussed at the next meeting.
2024/25.110	MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
	It was proposed by Councillor Brown, seconded by Councillor Colin Taylor and 	unanimously
	RESOLVED That the minutes of the meeting of 3rd December 2024 be accepted as 	a true record and signed accordingly by the Chair of this meeting.
2024/25.111	FINANCIAL MATTERS
	The Clerk introduced the draft budget, which reflected the points made in the 	informal discussions that have already taken place. The tax base has risen, so that by 	maintaining the council tax for the parish at the current level we will be able to set a 	precept at the higher level as shown. Based on spending this year, the likely 	projections for next year, and the comfortable levels of reserves the Clerk was 	recommending no increase in council tax for this year.
	Councillor Narburgh pointed out that the budget for employer's national insurance 	was overstated. The 15% had been applied to all the Clerk's earnings; in fact it did 	not apply to the first £9,000. This figure should be reduced to £814 and the resulting 	surplus applied to the discretionary grants budget.
	Councillor Brown queried whether we should set an earmarked reserve for 	environmental works, to cover areas where Shropshire Council are likely to make 	severe cuts next year. The Clerk agreed that this had been disucssed but no specific 	figure could be identified at this stage. It was agreed that as soon as the costs for 	likely works are known this would be taken from the general reserve and used to 	create an earmarked reserve. As long as the overall budget level and precept 	remained unaltered, this decision could be taken during the financial year. 
	It was proposed by Councillor Brown, seconded by Councillor Narburgh and 	unanimously 
	RESOLVED That the budget as proposed be accepted with the following 	amendments -
	That the figure for employer's national insurance contributions be reduced to 	£814.
	That the figure for discretionary grants be increased to £3,865
	That the figure for general reseve to be amended by creating an earmarked 	reserve for environmental works when the implications of changes at Shropshire 	Council can be accurately assessed.
	That the precept be set at £56,129 with no change to parish council tax levels.
	That the 0% increase be highlighted.

2024/25.112	PLANNING MATTERS
	148 Broad Oak - no comments
	Nether Hollies Farm - no comments
	Spring Cottage - Councillor Cumiskey identified this as the item where had an 	interest as he had done some work relevant to the application. He left the meeting 	at this point. Members considered this was a low impact proposal and the height of 	the walls and gate columns was acceptable. No comments.
	Councillor Cumiskey rejoined the meeting.
	Cadent - proposals for a road closure to support the installation of a domestic gas 	supply. Members considered the scale of the works, and the consequent disrupton 	to the bus service in Alveley, was disproportionate and less disruptive working 	methods should be used to avoid cutting parts of the village off from the bus service. 	The Clerk would communicate with Cadent and this would be given further 	consideration that the February meeting, noting that comments were required 	before mid-February.

2024/25.113	UPDATES AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS 
	It was noted that a local contractor was expected to ring the Clerk shortly about 	coating the Hampton Loade bus shelter.
	It was reported that there has been progress on getting an extension of insurance to 	keep National Cycle Route 45 open for another two months. We are awaiting a 	quote for the survey of the path, especially the raised platform stage, before 	committing resources to this.
	It was noted that Councillor James Taylor wishes to resign from the Lighting 	Committee. It was proposed by Councillor Brown, second by Councillor Narburgh 	and unanimously 
	RESOLVED That Councillor Braithwaite be elected to the Lighting Committee for 	the remainder of the municipal year.
	It was confirmed that both Play Area and Lighting Comittees would meet on 15th 	January, the Pavilion has been booked, and that Mr Keith Stanton, a former 	Councillor with extensive knowledge of the lighting project, would be invited to the 	latter meeting.
2024/25.114	SHROPSHIRE COUNCILLOR'S REPORT
	Councillor Colin Taylor reported that he has very little to report to this meeting. He 	is attempting to assist residents in Broad Lane regarding the bridleway which 	Shropshire are denying they have a responsibility for. 
	There is an online budget consultation at the moment for citizens to repsond to. 	Town and Parish Councils will be asked in due course what they can agree to take 	on. It was noted that this process is coming after most parishes will have set their 	precepts and is not therefore likely to be very productive. 
	The pre-booking of local tip sites had led to a dramatic reduction in usage and fears 	of a rise in fly tipping as a result, or more recyclable material entering the 	general waste stream. Figures on fly tipping will be avaialble for the next cabinet 	meeting. 
	A decision from the Department of Transport on which road schemes would be 	funded centrally was expected soon; it will show a reduction from previous 	expectations. If the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road is not to be funded 	Shropshire will have incurred a susbtantial deficit and this may put the Council in 	danger of a statutory notice from the Responsible Financial Officer that all but 	essential spending must cease immediately. The resulting budget implications for 	2025-2026 will be extremely serious in that case.
2024/25.115	ROMSLEY MATTERS
	There is an ongoing problem with flooding on the parish boundaries. The Clerk will 	ask Severn Trent to ensure that when their pipe works are finished they take care to 	restore gradients which previously took water away from lanes and the A442.
	
2024/25.116	DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS 
	Council Meeting 4th February 2025 at 7.30 pm 
	Agenda to include National Cycle Route 45, Cooks Cross car park, Hampton Loade 	bus shelter, street bins update, CCLA update, Shropshire devolution of services, 	leaflet concerning the village hall and response from Cadent re street works.
	Play Area Committee 15th January 2025 at 7 pm
	Lighting Comimttee 15th January 2025 at 8 pm or the conclusion of the Play Area 	Committee.
	All meetings in the Pavilion, Daddlebrook Road

Signed .................................................

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