Present

Councillor Mrs E Overstall (Dulas) in the chair

Councillor J Middle     

Councillor Revd L Rickards

Councillor Mrs J Addis

Councillor W Preece (Dulas)   

Councillor Mrs M Williams (Rowlstone)

Councillor G Sprackling

Councillor Mrs M Tovey

Councillor P Sheen (Rowlstone)

Councillor R Weaver

Councillor W Lloyd

The Clerk

In attendance:

1 member of the public.

1

Apologies for Absence

Councillors P Jinman, D Harries

Councillor Berris Williams (Pontrilas Ward Councillor) also sent his apologies

2

Declaration of Interest

Councillor Mrs E Overstall declared an interest in item 12.1

3

Minutes

The minutes of the ordinary meeting of the council held on Tuesday 7th June 2005 were approved without amendment.

4

Matters for report (Not covered by separate agenda items)

4.1

Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan

The Clerk pointed out the letters received announcing the closure of the Public Inquiry.

The Clerk read out a letter from Mrs Pamela Mailes which highlighted her concern over the item in the draft of the UDP identifying the land known as Island Field as “protected as important space” . The concern was that as a trustee she was not informed in advance of this designation being made. It was pointed out that EHGPC was not involved in any decisions made within the UDP and that Mrs Mailes should address her concerns to Herefordshire Council.

Resolved

That the Clerk should write to Mrs Mailes and explain the situation.

ACTION CLERK

Councillor Mrs E Overstall read out a letter received from Mr Mark Ponting, updating the situation with regard to the objections raised at the public Inquiry on 24th June 2005 to the positioning of the flood plain in Ewyas Harold. The Inspector is now due to report on all issues in Herefordshire in spring 2006 and the County Plan cannot move forward until this report has been made.

Resolved

That this is noted and that the Clerk sends a letter of thanks to Mark Ponting

ACTION CLERK

4.2

Memorial Hall

4.3

Parish Plan

Following the publication of the final draft, the final £2,000 of the grant award has now been made. Councillors were reminded that feedback was still required on the draft and that these would be considered at the next Parish Plan meeting on Wednesday July 6th.

The letter received from Mr + Mrs Scarrott re the Parish Plan references to EH Common was discussed. Councillor Mrs E Overstall reported that she had raised the issue 7.1d regarding the status of the Common with the Lord of the Manor and he had agreed that the statement was correct, therefore no amendments would be made. The other points in the letter were noted and would also be discussed at the next Parish Plan meeting.

Copies of Councillor P Jinman’s email comments re this letter were given to all Councillors. In the email he states that he has referred the Lord of the Manor to the website and thus the content of the draft plan. Councillor Jinman stated “It is my personal hope that the involvement of the E H Common Society in the Community Common’s Project will go some way to realising some of the aspirations of the Parish Plan whilst maintaining the rights and responsibilities of the owner of the Common and of those who have registered common rights”.

Resolved

That the Clerk should write to Mr + Mrs Scarrott to inform them of the Council’s response.

ACTION CLERK

4.4

Llancillo Signs

Still waiting for feedback from Councillor Berris Williams.

Resolved

That this is noted

4.5

Rowlestone Village Centre

Report is in progress.

Resolved

That this is noted.

4.6

Clerk’s Contract

The Clerk reported that Inland Revenue had now sent the necessary paperwork to register the post of Clerk as an employee of EHGPC.

The Clerk was then asked to leave the meeting while the Council discussed the contract drawn up by the sub-committee.

Resolved

That the Council approve the new contract.

Proposed: Councillor Revd L Rickards

Seconded: Councillor R Weaver

Carried unanimously

4.7

Charges for Users of Recreation Ground Facilities

Councillor Revd L Rickards reported that he had had discussions with the Football Club, who would like to make a brief presentation at a future Council Meeting, but was still to discuss the matter with the Cricket Club.

Resolved

That this is noted and that the item should be moved to the supplementary list.

4.8

Access to Ewyas Harold Common

Resolved

That this is noted and that the Clerk should respond to the letter from Viv Brandenbury and Carol Jenkins.

ACTION CLERK

5

Recreation Ground

6

Local Security Matters

This was attended by two members of the local police who reported that:

• The Wednesday sessions at Horsecroft were now set up.
• Extra patrols would be made around the Recreation Ground as time permitted.
• It was important that residents report all incidents
• Use mobile numbers unless instant response required
• For instant response use 08457 444 888 or 999

There were no other issues raised under this section.

7

Correspondence

8

Lengthsman Scheme

8.1

Lengthsman work undertaken in May/June

Resolved

That this is noted

8.2

Monthly Roadsweep

The Clerk reported that following the site meeting with Councillor Middle a contract of cleaning had now been supplied by Herefordshire Jarvis Services. The contract was circulated for Councillors approval.

Resolved

That the Clerk should ascertain the actual dates of the proposed sweeps and clarify whether sufficient funds were available to pay for a monthly sweep.

ACTION CLERK

8.3

Hedge Trimming

It was noted that work undertaken some 18 months ago by the Lengthsman work on the north side of the C12211 had never been charged because of a failure to identify the owner of this land. It was decided that, although it might now be possible to identify the owner, it would be inappropriate to raise an invoice as the work was originally carried out without giving the owner the option of undertaking the work.

Resolved

That this is noted

8.4

Priorsfield

It was noted that the area of land within Priorsfield previously cleared by the Lengthsman was now becoming overgrown again. In the short term it requires tidying up and then clearing and reseeding with grass in the Autumn.

Resolved

That the Clerk would place an order with the Lengthsman

ACTION CLERK

9

Financial Report

91

Payments for approval

9.2

Balances as at 28h June 2005

9.3

Lengthsman Scheme

9.4

Payments received

Resolved

That the financial statement is accepted and payments should be made.  

Carried unanimously

10

Planning

10.1

Application number DCSW2005/1784/F

Resolved

That EHGPC have no objections to this application

(plans viewed prior to meeting)

10.2

Application number DCSW2005/1426/F

Notification of Planning Permission

Resolved

That this noted

10.3

Application number DCSW2005/2003/F

Resolved

That EHGPC have no objections to this application

Proposed: Councillor Mrs M Tovey

Seconded: Councillor J Middle

11

Road Maintenance and Related Matters

12

Footpaths

12.1

Parish Footpaths Officer (PFO)

The Clerk read out the monthly report (see Appendix 2). It was agreed that a contractor needed to be appointed to carry out the work identified under the Parish Paths Scheme.

Resolved

That the Clerk should contact Brian Ball to see if he would be prepared to undertake this work.

ACTION CLERK

13

Parish Newsletter

Copies of the draft summer edition were given to Councillors for their comments.

• It was agreed that the Community Commons Project questionnaire should be given greater prominence. 
• The quality of the photo printing was again noted, but it was agreed that it was unlikely that this could be addressed without grants being made available for the production of the Newsletter.

Resolved

That the draft be passed for publication

Proposed: Councillor Mrs M Tovey

Seconded: Councillor J Middle

14

Parish Website

There were no issues raised under this section

15

Matters for Further Discussion

The Meeting closed at 9.45pm

Chairman

Date

Appendix 1

Ewyas Harold Common Society

Meeting held at the Temple Bar on Friday 17th June 2005

Purpose of the meeting:

1

To receive the report of the sub-committee on the Community Commons Project and to decide whether to enter the scheme.

2

To consider a proposal that the Common should enter into the DEFRA Entry Level Stewardship Scheme.

Present:

26 people were present, some non-commoners including the Lord of the Manor John Rogers and the Community Commons Project Manager, Rhys Millar.

Chairman Peter Jinman opened proceedings.

1

Community Commons Project: After a lengthy discussion in which members were able to question Rhys Millar about various aspects of the scheme, the proposition was put to the meeting that the Society enter the Scheme. There was only one no vote; motion carried. Since it was to be funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Herefordshire Nature Trust, English Nature and Herefordshire Council, a wide cross-section of the interested public should be drawn into the consultation which is the first part of the scheme.                  The consultation would involve the circulation of a questionnaire, using a format employed for other Common schemes, and any aspects particular to Ewyas Harold Common would then emerge. The commoners’ Working Group including those who volunteered at the meeting, would advise on the draft questionnaire before it was sent out. It was agreed that this questionnaire be circulated as widely as possible, and that after the questionnaire had been circulated and responses received, the Working Group membership would be extended to non-commoners as part of involving the local community in the project.

2

DEFRA Entry Level Stewardship Scheme: Barbara Lloyd then described in detail the first phase DEFRA Entry Level Stewardship Scheme as described in the Community Commons Project Newsletter “Common Heritage” which had been distributed at the meeting. Every registered common holder would have to sign an agreement before the application for the Entry Level Stewardship scheme was made. Points would be awarded from a list of criteria relevant to our common, ie. identifying areas of permanent untreated grassland, and preserving certain trees in the grassland. These points would accumulate until the desired level was reached.

3

Public Access: Towards the end of the meeting, John Rogers the Lord of the Manor, circulated a map showing the location for a public car park on an area of land close to the Neville Arms. He will be applying to the Secretary of State for the Environment (ie DEFRA) under Section 194, for permission to enclose a section of the common land for that purpose. Planning permission may also be required from Herefordshire Council.

4

Annual General Meeting: Chairman Peter Jinman had earlier referred to the desirability of electing  vice-Chairman.   It was agreed that a suitable date for an Annual General Meeting and election of officers would be in October, when the results of the Community Commons Project questionnaire would be available.

The Chairman then thanked Rhys Millar and the Lord of the Manor John Rogers for their co–operation in furthering the scheme.

Graham Sprackling, Secretary

Appendix 2

Parish Footpath Officer’s Report                July 2005

Defects being dealt with by Jonathan Roger:

DU 1

  Ceanothus overgrown and blocking access to the stile in the garden at Upper Cefn Barn.

EH 14

There is a short section of this path that passes to the south of the cattle shed at Great Walkmill farm and connects DU8 to the bridleway EH19. The path is blocked by a large pile of manure that spreads from the cowshed down the slope for 30 metres or more.

EH 19

  Where the bridleway enters the common it has been agreed that the existing gate will be replaced by a wooden self-closing bridal gate.

EH 4

Stile by river, cross step is very narrow.

EH 13

  Cross step required on uphill side of the stile.

EH 10

  Stile loose in the ground and cross step uprights have rolled away. New cross step required.

EH 14

The steel reinforcing the bridge and one of the supports holding the hand-rail are rusting and may need repair. Awaiting inspection.

EH 1

Nettles around the stile.

Defects to be put right by EWGPC

Jonathan Roger will arrange for the equipment to be delivered to our contractor when he is ready to start work.

EH 16

Where the path enters the playing field at the southern end a double ended signpost is needed.

EH 37A

A waymark post is needed in front of Springfield.

DU 8

Where this path crosses the footbridge at Little Walkmill farm a waymark post is needed

DU 8

There is no stile to cross the fence in the first field.

There is a problem with nettles at various stiles, notably where EH 5A leaves the road beyond Elm bridge and where EH18 crosses the Dulas road.

Annual strim programme

This is work that is currently done by Hereford Council but the GPC will take responsibility for it from 2006. The work is usually done in June.

LY 1

Undergrowth cleared for 50m by Upper House farm.

EH 11

A total of 75m undergrowth and 74m overgrowth cleared from the field gate and around stile.

EH 8

A total of 30m of undergrowth and 5m overgrowth cleared.

EH 9

50m undergrowth between stile and wicket gate and 20m overgrowth on up-hill side of wicket gate cleared.

Peter Overstall

PFO Ewyas Harold GPC