Minutes

Minutes of the Rock Parish Council Meeting, held at Far Forest Sports Pavilion, on Monday 28^th March 2022 commencing at 7.00pm.

Present:

Councillors Richard Williams (Chairman); Pat Pain; Christopher Price ; Christine Sankey; Sandra Woodhouse; Andrew Croot; Sally Watkins ; Nick Stones; David Nott; Douglas Godwin (From 19.06pm).

In attendance:

Mr S Clee Clerk; Mr & Mrs Clive Skidmore; Ms Margaret Griffiths; CSO Jenny Bray; Mr Rudge; Mr Rutter.

Apologies:

Councillor’s Emily Seldon, Sue Morris & Colin Thornton, County Councillor Dan Morehead.

2167 Confirmation of the Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting held on 28^th February 2022 as previously circulated, were approved and signed by the Chairman.

2168 Declaration of Interest for a) The Meeting and b) Any Changes to be notified to the Registers of Interests and Gifts & Hospitality.

2169 Public Participation:

PCSO Jenny Bray reported on recent burglaries within the parish. She also stated our three priorities needed to be decided and it was agreed speeding along Callow Hill and reported Drug Dealing in Church Lane would be the current priorities.

Mr Rutter spoke about planning application No 22/0153/FUL and raised his objections to the application. He hoped the Parish Council would not support this application on tonight’s agenda for consideration. Ms Margaret Griffiths spoke about the lack of any public site notice being placed on a planning application at Bliss Gate.

2170 Planning Applications:

067 22/0158/FUL Erection of single storey building to be used as an annexe for family member @Lyndhurst Lodge, Callow Hill.

RESOLVED to support this application and recommend PD Rights are withdrawn, and that the annexe is to remain ancillary to the existing house for the use of family members only, and not sold separately or used for rental purposes.

068 22/0153/FUL Erection of 1.no 4 bedroom house and 1no. 3 bedroom bungalow with improved access, following demolition of agricultural building@ Old Bliss Farm Barns, Old Bliss Farm, Gorst Hill, Rock.

RESOLVED to recommend refusal of this application. This is outside the settlement boundary, is on agricultural land and over development of the site. The housing needs for Rock Parish, established by WFDCs Housing Needs survey, have been more than satisfied, The Application lacks detail and Highways objects to this development.

069 22/0210/HOU Proposed alterations and extensions to provide family accommodation @Clongar, Callow Hill, Rock.

RESOLVED to support this application.

070 22/0213/S73 Amendments to condition 2 of 19/0798/FUL to reconfigure parking and layout@ Land To The Rear of The Royal Forester, Bliss Gate Road, Callow Hill.

RESOLVED to support this application provided the tepee is not permitted to be installed on the main car park. The Parish council welcomes the provision of additional car parking places which will reduce the necessity for parking in Bliss Gate Road when the restaurant is very busy. However, it should be pointed out that the tepee, which is erected in the car park, brings extra customers but occupies a number of the car parking spaces and thereby reduces the available parking. This has not been mentioned or shown in the application.

071 22/0216/HOU Single Storey Side Extension@Claddah Croft, Bliss Gate Road, Callow Hill, Rock.

RESOLVED to refuse this application. This building was originally constructed as a Live/Work Unit. This is no evidence to suggest that this dwelling is being used in this way. Furthermore the application fails to state whether the extension is to the Live or to the Work element of the original application.

072 22/0229/HOU Single storey rear extension at OAK TREE BUNGALOW, KINLET ROAD, ROCK, DY14 9UE.

RESOLVED to support this application.

2171 County & District Councillors Report:

In the absence of our 3 Councillors there was no reports.

2172 Correspondence:

The Clerk highlighted the Planning Inspector’s Final Report on the emerging Local Plan. The Bill White Nursery site has been included into the Plan even though it falls outside the settlement boundary for Far Forest. The Clerk stated WCC had for the first time increased the Lengthsman annual fund since its inception. The Election that we never had was referred to CALC and Christopher Wayman had stated “the legislation for Parish Council elections differs from those for District and other Principle Authorities. There is no obligation to issue polling cards. The Parish Council can ask for them to be issued if they would like them. I understand that they did not ask for them in this case.” CALC also understand that WFDC have a policy in place for issuing polling cards without the Parish Council requesting them, which doesn’t appear to be in line with the legislation.

CALC stated they don’t understand why polling cards were issued in this case, the District Council appears to have jumped the gun a bit as s14 (1) of The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (legislation.gov.uk) states that “If the number of persons remaining validly nominated for the electoral area after any withdrawals under these Rules exceeds the number of councillors to be elected, a poll must be taken in accordance with Part 3 of these Rules.”

Therefore PART 3, which contains the issuing of polling cards, shouldn’t have commenced until after the confirmation of the number of people standing for election.

CALC believes, this demonstrates that Rock Parish Council shouldn’t be charged for the incorrect issuing of the Polling Cards.

2173 Finances:

• Income & Expenditure spreadsheets previously circulated were approved.
• Invoices amounting to £10,669.42 were approved

2174 Date of the next Meeting:

There being no other business the meeting ended at 20.10pm. The next meeting will be held on Monday 25^th April 2022 commencing with the Annual Parish Meeting.

Signed Chairman: 25th April 2022