Minutes of Meeting May 2022

MINUTES OF THE MEETING THURSDAY, 12 MAY 2022 AT RANTON VILLAGE HALL

PRESENT:

Cllr. M. Russell

Cllr. J. Forrester

Cllr Batchelor (Chair)

Cllr B Jeeves

Gayle Whelan (parish clerk)

22/30 Apologies

Cllr Winnington.

22/31 Declarations of interest in the following agenda:

22/32 Previous minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, April 21 st 2022 were accepted as a true

record.

Updates of actions:

Action: BT were contacted by Cllr Russell to have a guided site visit with councillors regarding

flooding and the potential that the BT work is responsible. Cllr Russell has made contact but has

had no response. BT were seen digging at the site the following day. Cllr will make a direct

approach with customer services Open Reach in an attempt to arrange a meeting.

PC: mowing - areas of the village have not been mown, the rest of the village has not. Direct

contact with Mick Bailey will be made, asking when a full cut will be done and how often during the

village.

Action ongoing: Councillors are still looking into the possibility of online banking. This will be

continued to be explored over forthcoming months by Cllr Russell.

22/33 Questions from the public:

Cllr Jeeves: Funding of school mowing meeting. A link meeting will be held to discuss mowing and

closer links and relationships with All Saints Ranton school. Cllr Russell suggested arranging a

meeting with Cllr Batchelor in June. There had been a parish council representative on the board of

governors in the past and this will be looked into during the meeting.

Children of the parish have asked that a Ukraine flag flies to show support. There is the potential for

it to be placed on the flagpole below the union jack.

Action: The parish clerk will look into potential appropriateness of parish council flying a political

flag on flagpole.

22/34 Finance matters:

Accounts to date:

The latest statement date for 30 April 2022 showed:

Reserve account balance £978.00

Current account balance £10,088.36 (Two cheques have not yet been cleared at the statement print

time)

Cheques were signed for payment to:

 Stafford Borough Council - Outstanding mowing for 2021-2022. Cheque was signed for

mowing £2,687.06.

The parish clerk noted that there is the potential for two mowing payments to go out in one calendar

month as invoices and payments are issued retrospectively towards the end of the contract year.

Action: understand liable to pay for two years in one and accrue accordingly on the budget sheet.

Reserve account:

The reserve account will be discussed once online banking is available.

AGAR: Agreed income for 2021/2022 was £4,691 and outgoing £6,260, with a deficit of £1569.

Reports:

Village Hall Committee: Repairs are ongoing in the Village Hall. A stay has been ordered to

support the roof. Birds are nested in the corner so work will be delayed. The old door will be

refurbished and put back. The village is not organising any public Jubilee celebrations as there has

been no interest in help to organise. A village cricket match will be held in July and a quiz in

September and Christmas Fair on December 10. A tradesperson is being sought to rebuild a barn

vent for the roof.

Mowing: ongoing

Highways: Hextall Lane closure and stocking Lane has been retarmacked. Councillors are

continuing to apply pressure regarding drains. Potholes in surrounding areas are quite poor.

Footpaths: No updates. Seighford walks are in better condition.

Gulleys and weeding: Gulley cleaning was last carried out in 2020.

22/35 Planning updates

Abbey changing offices into homes. Check documentation.

22/36 Chairman's questions/items for information/next agenda

A policy on placing advertisements and other non-parish documents on the noticeboard was

discussed. Cllr Forrester proposed no adverts. The motion was seconded by Cllr Batchelor. It was

felt that alternative noticeboards at the church or in village hall window were available if approach

was made to the committee.

Cllr Forrester discussed the gifting of a parish council banner for the noticeboard.

The next parish council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 7.30pm.

Signed.................................................. Date...........................

Gayle Whelan, Ranton Parish Council Clerk. rantonparishcouncil@gmail.com