Annual Parish Meeting 17th April 2019

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 18^th April 2018 had been distributed to Council Members on Wednesday 16^th May 2018.  Copies of these minutes were provided for members of the public in the meeting hall.   There were no corrections. The Minutes were signed by the Chairman.

None

I would like to commence by thanking the parish councillors for their dedication and support over the last year. All councillors serve the community on an entirely voluntary basis discharging the Parish Councils responsibility to the community. I would like to thank Will Godwin, who resigned in January, for all his hard work especially with the new play area project. My thanks also go to the Parish Clerk, Mrs Donna Bowles, who over the last year, continues with the challenges of the very varied role and who organises and guides us in all aspects of the running of the Parish Council. The Parish Council held ten Ordinary Meetings and one Budget Preparation Meeting with the Annual Parish Meeting being combined with the April Ordinary Meeting. Councillors attended various working groups and represented the council on local outside bodies.

The Parish Council was involved in several projects during the year, the most high profile being the completion and official opening of the new playground equipment on the parish playing field. This was the largest single contract awarded by this council. The council have adopted the traditional red telephone box outside the Salford Priors Primary School and following its refurbishment it is hoped that residents will operate a book exchange scheme. Remembrance Sunday 2018 was especially poignant as it also marked the end of the 1st World War in 1918 “when the guns fell silent”. To mark this occasion the Remembrance Day service was held at the Salford Priors Memorial Hall followed by the dedication and opening of the new Memorial Garden and Memorial to the Fallen of our parish. This was a jointly funded project between the Parish Council and the Memorial Hall Committee. The Nations Tribute event followed on the parish playing field with a marquee containing a World War 1 enactment group and other displays relating to the war. The evening ended with the lighting of a beacon, one of 1000’s across the country, and a firework display. Most residents and visitors agreed that this day was a community event at its very best and our thanks go out to all those who made this occasion such a success. The annual Christmas Tree switch-On event goes from strength to strength and our thanks go to all the local residents who help to make this event so successful.

Councillors have attended working groups on certain projects that investigate and make recommendations to the Parish Council:

·       Street lighting- all street light concrete columns have been replaced with new steel columns and we have a program of replacing all lights to LED as funding becomes available.  This should reduce the running costs of the street lighting in the future.

·       Speeding vehicles in the parish continues to be a problem, particularly in School Road/Evesham Road/Station Road, and we have volunteers in the Community Speed Awareness Group that carry out speed checks on the problem roads. However, the group is in desperate need of additional volunteers to keep the group running.  If you think you can help please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council.

·       Following the successful adoption of the Salford Priors Neighbourhood Plan there is a group who are currently working with neighbouring parishes to provide safe cycle ways both within the parish and across parish boundaries. The Cross Parishes Cycle and Pathways Group has been set up and is currently looking at the feasibility of creating a cycle way from Evesham to Alcester. This group meets on a regular basis and is, at present, seeking funding to carry out a feasibility study on the proposal.

·       Finally the Minerals Plan Working Group has been closed following the good news that Site 7 : Lower Farm, Salford Priors has been removed from the Warwickshire Minerals Plan. Thanks should go to County Councillor Mike Brain and District Councillor Mark Cargill for their support, also to the Parish Council, SPAGE and all the residents who actively supported and sponsored the objection to Site 7.

Various planning applications were considered during the last 12 months that included extensions and improvements to existing homes, conversion of existing agricultural buildings into new dwellings, removal of trees, erection of signs and change of use.

A full application has been approved for 68 dwellings off School Road with new village green, new roads, footways, community car park, highway improvements to School Road and landscaping.

Effective communication within the parish is important. Our aim is to reach all residents in the parish and to achieve this we use various methods of communication – the Parish Council website, e-news, Facebook, Parish Council noticeboards and Parish Council Newsletters. The Parish Council has just commissioned a questionnaire that seeks to improve and enhance the Council’s communication with the residents of Salford Priors and ensure that the council tax you pay is used in the best interests of the community. This questionnaire should be coming through your door very shortly.

The Parish Council is proud to support local community groups and to this end has provided help by way of grant funding to: The Royal British Legion, Memorial Garden, 1st Salford Priors Guides, Rainbows & Brownies.

The Parish Council has set the 2019/2020 precept at £65,000. The precept pays for the following services:

amenity mowing

verge mowing

planters

flower displays

playing field inspections

maintenance and improvements

the extension of the churchyard of St Matthews

general maintenance works

street lighting

and the following facilities: allotments, TOP’s building and the Parish Office.

It has been an honour and a privilege to have served as Chairman of Salford Priors Parish Council during the past year and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe that our efforts have a continued positive impact in providing local services to parishioners and know that the Parish Council will continue doing so in the future.

Queries were raised regarding the following:

·       Refurbishment of the telephone kiosk – what is the position regarding this? The Chairman stated that the Parish Council were keen to find out what the public interest levels are before investing in the refurbishment.  Residents are keen that this should be reserved as an item of heritage.  It is felt by all residents present that the it should be preserved as a heritage item.  Mrs Dhugga, Headteacher of Salford Priors Primary School are keen to help any working group.  A decision to be made regarding this in the follow on meeting.

·       The hedging being removed on School Rd prior to CALA development starting – resident was advised that representatives from CALA Homes were present to take questions during the Open Forum Section of the follow on Ordinary Parish Council meeting.  The Chairman reiterated that planning conditions had been set to remove the hedge prior to commencement for highways works and to enable off road parking for contractors made available.  Members stated that they too were disappointed it had been removed at such an early stage.

·       Speed Awareness Issue – a resident is disappointed that this group is not active.  Surveys have been commissioned by the Parish Council and the results were that the Police do not deem it enough of a problem.  A resident who belongs to the Speed Awareness Group requested more support from the community.  The Chairman stated that the Parish Council set up the Speed Awareness Group, advertise regularly asking for members of the group and ask for regular speed checks from the Police.  It was also stated that the community need to get behind the group to get it up and running on a regular basis.  County Councillor Mike Brain advised that this is high on the agenda of every parish council meeting he attends.  He also advised the speed awareness group being out on a regular basis would help slow down motorists, which is the overall aim.  County Councillor Mike Brain stated he is happy to work with the Parish Council and residents regarding this issue.  He also suggested some villages place mannequins in strategic places (eg by a school) in order to slow traffic down.  Clerk requested that he look into this and see if it is possible in Warwickshire.

·       A resident has in her possession a copy of a Salford Priors Village record 1976 and is offering it to the Parish Council for residents to look at.  She also has a scrap book that goes back to 1955.  Members accepted this with thanks – to be stored in the Parish Office in a fireproof cabinet.

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending the Annual Parish Meeting and, there being no other business, closed the meeting at 19:50 hrs