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Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Tuesday 24th January 2012, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), C James, J James, J Moulder.

In attendance: Liam Cowden, Senior Policy Officer, Shropshire Council.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs C Perkins, Shropshire Cllr D Evans. Shropshire Cllr J Gibson unable to attend.

2. Public Discussion: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meetings 6^th December 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: Item 10 - a footway light is still on in Hopesay. Apparently WPD has completed its part of the job, but the E-on team that should switch the light off has yet to finish. Meanwhile, Shropshire Council has adjusted the inventory. E-on has also omitted to provide a quote for the removal of 4 lights and columns. Clerk to contact E-on. Item 5 - the Police have completed their speed checks in Aston on Clun. Initial results are that an average speed of 28 - 29mph was recorded by the Kangaroo, an average speed of 31 - 33 mph was recorded by the Malthouse, and an average speed of 36 - 37mph was recorded coming into/exiting Aston at the Craven Arms end. Although detailed statistics will follow, this is where efforts to curtail speed should be concentrated. The Chairman is arranging a further meeting with Traffic Engineer Glyn Shaw. Item 5 - No response has been received from the National Trust with regards to staging a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Beacon on Hopesay Hill. Council agreed to drop the idea as time was now too short and resources too few to safely organise this.

6. Matters raised by parishioners: Some parishioners have expressed an interest in some sort of Jubilee event. Council will be delighted to support parishioners plans for an event and hopes that enough volunteers to organise an event will come forward.

7. Planning:

New applications 12/00158/OHL, land adjacent to Crowsmoor Farm, erection of 11,000v overhead wooden pole. Council had no objection.

Granted: 11/05002/FUL 10 Redwood Drive Aston on Clun, erection of a conservatory.

Refused: 11/03920/FUL Gwynfa, Clun Road, Craven Arms, erection of 2 storey dwelling and garage on site of existing dwelling.

Liam Cowden, Senior Policy Officer, Shropshire Council, then spoke on changes in planning in the local area for the future. He discussed affordable housing, starter homes for local people, and how landowners could make a social contribution and assist such development by not asking the maximum market price for their land, and explained the advantages in 'clustering' with other parishes. The purpose of a cluster is to identify settlements and locations where chosen forms of development are desirable. The absence of clustering means that 'countryside' designation is applied, which is more limiting. Council discussed what clustering could mean for Hopesay. Mr Cowden produced a marked up plan showing sites in Aston on Clun that were under assessment by Shropshire Council, these had been offered to Shropshire Council as possible development sites. The Chairman pointed out that the parish plan and the Parish Council's responses to SAMDev and Place Plan consultations did not support such large scale developments but identified the parish wishes for small scale developments and that future needs would be covered in the current Parish Plan review. It was also pointed out that one of the proposed locations was a site of archaeological interest. Mr Cowden agreed to take these points in to consideration.

8. Correspondence:

A letter asking for permission to use Aston Green for overspill parking during the National Theatre performances had been received from the Chairman of Aston on Clun Village Hall Committee. Clerk to reply giving permission to park on the designated area only, and asking that the Village Hall liaise with Cllr John James over this.

Notice of an Information and Advice event (about job opportunites for young people) being held in Bishops Castle on 7^th February had been received by email.

The Annual Town and Parish Emergency Planning Briefing is to be held on 28^th March at Shirehall, however no councillor was able to attend.

Some information about post 16 education transport assistance from Shropshire Council and a couple of planning guides will be inserted into the next circulation file.

9. Finance:

The Treasurer presented the Finance Report for January which included budget estimates for 2011/12 revised to 31^st December, and the 2012/13 budget estimates. He reported that Council's precept requirement has been sent to Shropshire Council. There is an overall reduction of 13.58% in the parish precept from April.

Books and bank reconciliation were laid before Council and after inspection were signed by the Chairman.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£77.00p	Society of Local Council Clerks,	SLCC	16/01/2012
	Joining fee + annual subscription
£40.00p	Donation to CAB	CA Shropshire	none

The Treasurer reported that the E-on invoice of 5^th October for the second half of their maintenance contract of £160.08 had now been paid.

Council unanimously approved the Finance Report.

10. Review of Risks: The Treasurer had produced a Review of Risks, Controls, Reserves, Audit, and Banking 2012 report. However it was decided to postpone discussion of this until the March meeting partly because it was getting late, and to give councillors further time to study it.

11. Aston Green: After a short discussion Council agreed to bring in a suitably qualified person to deal with the rabbits damaging Aston Green.

12. Review of Parish Plan: The Chairman reported that consultation would be primarily via local organisations such as the W.I. and P.C.C and that the draft review would be published on the parish website. The next Annual Parish Meeting should be a forum for discussion of the parish plan review and consultation. Meanwhile Council approved that the Chairman will submit the application for the Parish Plan Review grant and the Consultation Plan.

13.Feedback on meetings attended: Cllr D Clarke attended the Energy Saving Advice Day at the Craven Arms Community Centre, reporting that several options were publicised including the Shropshire Oil Consortium.

14. Co-option of councillors: Vacancies advertised on parish website. Discussion postponed until the next meeting.

15. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be on 6^th March, followed by 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting).

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Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Tuesday 6^th December 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), C James, J James.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs C Perkins, J Moulder; Shropshire Cllrs D Evans and J Gibson.

2. Public Discussion: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meetings 25^th October and 24^th November 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: Item 8 - re speed control in Aston; Glyn Shaw from Shropshire Council and PC Barry Morgan will be attending the next Coffee Morning in Aston before which they will meet at the Arbor Tree with a few residents at 9.30am to discuss the situation. The police have been carrying out a speed check in Aston. Item 5 - The Chairman has made a further enquiry to the National Trust about the possibility of a Queen's Diamond Jubilee beacon on Hopesay Hill, having had no reply to his initial enquiry.

6. Matters raised by parishioners: A resident has expressed appreciation for the grit bins, and has asked if a further grit bin is possible on the downward slope of School Bank going towards Hopesay. Council decided not to request any further grit bins as the parish had already been allocated one extra (the resident has been informed).

7. Planning:

New applications 11/03920/FUL Gwynfa, Clun Road, Craven Arms, erection of 2 storey dwelling and garage on site of existing dwelling; 11/05129/TCA St Mary's Church Hopesay, pollarding of a yew tree; 11/05002/FUL 10 Redwood Drive Aston on Clun, erection of a conservatory to rear. Council agreed to support all 3 applications.

Granted: 11/03299/FUL Pen y Llan Longmeadow End, erection of extension and vehicular access.

8. Correspondence:

The MP Philip Dunne had written to publicise the new non-emergency number 101. An email with full details had also been received from ALC, and information about the number will be posted on the web site. Mr Dunne had also enquired whether Council had any plans for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Clerk to inform him of Council's enquiry to the National Trust about a Beacon.

The Chairman had received a letter from Cllr Butler with a questionnaire about communication issues with Shropshire Council. The questionnaire gave optional responses reflecting Shropshire Council's own perception of parish and town councils needs; and the Chairman went through the questionnaire with councillors to obtain Council's response. Chairman will submit completed questionnaire by due date.

The Chairman had been studying a detailed document from Shropshire Council headed 'Delivering Local Priorities through Partnership', relating to the CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) apparently suggesting that this payment will be distributed through 'clusters' rather than individual towns and parishes. Council expressed the view that it should first be consulted on whether it wished to be part of any cluster for these purposes. The Chairman will send a reply based on views expressed.

9. Finance:

The Treasurer presented the Finance Report for December together with his figures and recommendations for next year's precept. A detailed discussion took place; the desirability of keeping the precept below £5000 versus the increased costs the Parish Council would face next year was debated. Finally Council decided to raise the amount originally suggested for ICT support costs by £200 in view of Shropshire Council's decision to cut support (thus effectively transferring the cost of this to the parish).

It was agreed to set the precept for 2012/2013 at £5150.

The Treasurer agreed to produce a report on risks and controls for consideration in January 2012.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£73.64	Electricity supply Sept - Dec 2011	Shropshire Council	9/11/2011
£18.00	Room hire Sept - Dec 2011	AoC Village Hall	21/11/2011
£579.99	Clerk's salary & expenses Oct - Dec	M Gwilliam	6/12/2011

Council agreed to continue to withhold payment of the E-on invoice of 5^th October for the second half of their maintenance contract of £160.08 until Eon had dealt with the faulty light in Hopesay and switched it off as requested. Clerk to inform Eon of this.

Council unanimously approved the Finance Report.

Council agreed to pay for the clerk to join the Society of Local Council Clerks at an annual subscription of £72, deciding that the Council would benefit from the advice and support which would be available and the annual subscription was significantly less than that of ALC.

10. Footway Lighting: The footway light in Hopesay is still burning apparently due to a fault that requires specialist attention. Council is withholding payment of an invoice (see item 9); and agreed to ask Shropshire Council to amend their records to show the disconnection of 10 lights, and to reduce the unmetered supply charge.

11. Aston Green: Nothing to report.

12. Review of Parish Plan: The draft review was discussed, and it has yet to be decided exactly how Council will consult the parish on the review of the plan. The review is not yet complete and is taking longer than first expected. It may not be completed and be ready for presentation at the Annual Parish Meeting. Chairman would complete and submit the grant application.

13.Feedback on meetings attended: Cllr D Clarke attended the Flood Forum at which only a few people were present. Cllr D Evans had briefed the new occupants of Brook Cottage, Hopesay about the dangers of flooding around their house, and the culvert has been cleared. Cllr D Clarke attended the LJC and met the new Police Inspector there, and Aston on Clun Village Hall was given a £500 grant towards the setting up of the new coffee mornings.

14. Co-option of councillors: Councillors look forward to welcoming interested residents to the next meeting.

15. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be on 24^th January 2012. Subsequent meetings are proposed for 6^th March, 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting)

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Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Tuesday 25^th October 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), C Perkins (Vice-Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J James.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr C James, Shropshire Cllrs D Evans and J Gibson.

2. Public Discussion: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 20^th September 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: Item 6 - work appears to have been carried out to repair the water leak in the Hopesay Road, Aston on Clun. Item 8 - The Chairman had spoken to Mr S Armstrong of the National Trust about the possibility of a Queen's Diamond Jubilee beacon on Hopesay Hill and is waiting for a decision from National Trust.

6. Matters raised by parishioners: 1.) Highways have agreed to remove any weeds and debris cleared from the stream in Mill Street and placed on the roadside bank by residents.

7. Planning: No new applications or decisions.

8. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

Replies to HPC's letter about speed control in Aston on Clun from G Shaw Senior Traffic Engineer and by email from R Thomas Police Inspector had been received and Council welcomed the response. A site meeting is to be arranged.

Regarding the imminent restriction on cardboard in household composting waste, it was hoped that alternative measures for collecting cardboard would be introduced.

Notice of action required to deal with a hazardous branch of a tree at Broome had been received from Environment, Shropshire Council, and HPC is obtaining quotations to deal with it.

A letter about changes to parish council IT support had been received from Shropshire Cllr G Butler ('Portfolio Holder Flourishing Shropshire Communities'). Council approved a response to be sent, and will discuss Shropshire Council's IT support further at the next meeting.

The registration deadline for Hopesay Parish Council to participate in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Beacons official scheme is 30^th April 2012.

Council although sympathetic decided it was unable to make donations to Shropshire Playing Fields Association or West Shropshire Talking Newspaper for the Blind.

9. Finance:

The Treasurer presented the Finance Report for October. Books and bank reconciliation to 30^th September were laid before Council for inspection and initialling. Spending to date against Budget 2011 was noted. A further nil return had been accepted online by the HMRC website with regard to the clerk's PAYE, although no response to the Treasurer's letter giving requested information had been received.

The following invoice was approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£80.61	Hedge cutting Aston Green	WS Cadwallader	17/10/11

Approval for payment of an E-on invoice of £160.08 for the second half of the maintenance contract was withheld pending a satisfactory outcome to item 10 below.

Council unanimously approved the Finance Report.

10. Footway Lighting: There is still a footway light in Hopesay burning despite repeated requests to E-on to disconnect it. Information given to them was extremely clear and Council expressed exasperation at this failure to follow instructions.

11. Aston Green: Cllr J James reported that mowing had been less onerous this year due to the drought.

12. Review of Parish Plan: A draft review was presented to Council by the Chairman, with a request that councillors study it and respond within two weeks where possible. The Chairman recommended that a review and update of the Parish Plan be presented at the next Annual Parish Meeting.

13.Feedback on meetings attended: Cllr D Evans reported that at a recent Church Benefice meeting he learned that Hopesay will be included in the new Clun Valley benefice comprising Bettwys y Crwyn, Clun, Newcastle on Clun, Clunton, Clunbury, and Hopesay. It is thought that it will take up to a year to find a new incumbent, who will be based in Clun.

14. Co-option of councillors:

Cllr J James said that he hopes to bring a resident who has expressed an interest in serving on the Council to the next Parish Council meeting. Councillors look forward to welcoming the resident to the meeting.

15. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be on 6^th December. Subsequent meetings are proposed for 24^th January 2012, 6^th March, 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting).

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Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall

on Tuesday 20^th September 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), C Perkins (Vice-Chairman, present from item 7 on), D Evans (Treasurer), C James, J Moulder; and two members of the public.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr J James, Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

2. Public Discussion: A resident raised the issue of speeding in Aston village, which had previously been discussed in the April Annual Parish meeting. The Chairman reported that the existing 30 mph limit had reduced speeding. The issue has been raised at the LJC which has resulted in the police looking out for incidents of speeding. It was generally felt that physical obstructions like speed bumps were inappropriate and illuminating signs too expensive. During discussion it was stated that Aston did not have clear lead up signs to its speed limit, unlike Lydbury North and Clunton. It was agreed to contact Highways again because this continues to be a local concern.

3. Declarations of Interest: Cllr D Evans declared a personal interest in one of the letters under correspondence (item 8) as owner of adjoining property.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 19^th July 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: Item 5 - Grit bins had not only been sited and filled, one extra bin had been positioned at the top of school bank. It was agreed to send a letter of thanks to Highways for this. Item 6 - concerning the fallen branch across the Green Lane, the Chairman confirmed that Shropshire Council will not be taking any action and so the P3 group would be asked if they could deal with it. Item 8 - concerning evidence required for the Modification Order, Cllr Evans stated that he had submitted evidence to SC as a private individual. The clerk reported the receipt of two evidence statements which would be posted to the Countryside Access Team at Shropshire Council.

6. Matters raised by parishioners: 1.) A resident presented HPC with information about the Clun Valley AED (automated external defibrillator) Scheme and was invited to speak to the meeting about the scheme's aim to place AEDs at prominent places throughout local communities and train residents in CPR and the use of AEDs. Apparently the AED in Bucknell was used within 24 hours of its arrival to save a person's life. Each unit costs around £1200 and set up costs raise the overall price per unit to £2000. HPC was invited to consider making a donation to the start up costs of £350 in line with other parishes. HPC expressed thanks and appreciation to the resident and other volunteers involved in running the scheme and agreed to consider the request for a donation. 2.) A resident asked the parish council to thank the youth workers who recently cleared the roads and verges of debris and weeds in Hopesay, and another resident asks that Highways be thanked for their prompt and efficient filling in of potholes in the Fish road. 3.) Finally concern having been again expressed about continuing water leaks despite notification of these to Severn Trent, a letter would be sent to the Water Authority.

7. Planning: New applications - 11/03059/FUL, Outrack, Park Lane, erection of domestic outbuilding, since granted. 11/03299/FUL, Pen-y-Lan, Longmeadow End, single storey extension + vehicular access. Council had no objection to either of these applications.

8. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

A resident in Hopesay had written describing a near accident experienced in Aston while attempting to turn to Hopesay off the westbound lane of the B4368. The resident asked the parish council to consider siting a mirror that would assist motorists to see oncoming vehicles. This is a Highways matter and unfortunately Highways had already vetoed a mirror at a meeting following the parish plan, saying that "drivers ought to have their eyes on the road, not a mirror". Clerk to reply.

Shropshire Council had provided two copies of their Adopted Core Strategy 2006 - 2026. Cllr Evans would look at this and then pass one copy to Planning Councillor C James. The clerk to keep the other copy on file.

A letter from Mr S Flavell informing Council of his intention to apply for outline planning permission at the Fish had been received. He offered to show the plans to Council prior to application, and is also going to consult with neighbours. Clerk to reply.

Cllr Evans had provided a copy of his evidence statement (see 5, above) for Council.

It was reported that various old ordnance survey (1884, 1903), enclosure (1858), tithe (1840) and poor (1854) maps had been handed in to Council; and some of these maps were beautiful documents in themselves, some on parchment, some with copperplate writing, and should go on show at some point in the future for the parish to see them. What they depict will be of much interest to parishioners and historians.

The Chairman had been given some preliminary notes about the feasibility of starting a community shop now that the village shop has closed, produced by a group of residents with an interest in the matter. During discussion it was suggested that a household survey and a public meeting would determine support, but that the venture would succeed only if there was solid community commitment. It was also agreed to send a letter of thanks to the owner of the village shop for her service and commitment to the community over many years.

Due to suggestions made nationally for a series of beacons to be lit in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Chairman volunteered to find out if the National Trust would consider allowing a beacon on Hopesay Hill.

9. Finance:

The Treasurer stated that there had been a clean audit report and tabled a copy. HMRC had recently asked for further details about the PAYE arrangements for the Clerk's salary and the Treasurer has replied.

The request for a donation towards the costs of an AED for Aston on Clun was discussed. Councillors felt strongly that this was a most worthy cause. Although there was no provision in the budget, a payment could be made as free resource from Contingency Reserve. Recognising the value and direct benefit to parish residents, Council resolved to make a one-off donation of £350 to CVAEDS.

Payments have been made under FR 6.4 to the Community Council of Shropshire (Localism Conference fee £15), Mazars (External Audit fee £144), and Shropshire Council (2^nd quarter electricity supply £73.64).

The following invoice was approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£571.20	Clerk's salary July/August/Sept	M Gwilliam	20/09/11

Council unanimously approved all payments and the Finance Report.

10. Footway Lighting: E-on will be switching off the lights later this week The maintenance contract expires next February. The Chairman suggested that E-on be approached about a reduction as there won't be much maintenance from now on.

11. Aston Green: No report.

12. Parish Plan: A modest grant might be available to assist a review. It was suggested that a report could be produced and a survey could be conducted to find out how parishioners feel about progress and to identify new concerns.

13.Feedback on meetings attended: The LJC now includes a community round up session, giving each parish a chance to raise issues and concerns. Hope was expressed that at last the LJC was showing signs of listening instead of expecting to be listened to.

There has been an ALC meeting but Hopesay was not invited, no longer being a member. The view was generally expressed that the ALC's primary function appears to be as a disseminator of information for Shropshire Council.

The previously created Shropshire Charter has been abandoned by Shropshire Council, and it is hoped that a new Charter will be drawn up after real consultation and real involvement from parish and town councils.

14. Co-option of councillors:

There has been little progress in finding more councillors. The fear was expressed that the parish could end up without a parish council if no one is prepared to come forward.

15. Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be on 25^th October, followed by 6^th December, 24^th January 2012, 6^th March, 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting).

16. Clerk's Salary: Consideration had been delayed to the end of the meeting, without public present, in accordance with Standing Order 38. The Clerk's salary, which had not been increased last year in line with the freeze on local government salaries nationally, was due for review and adjustment from 15 October. Treasurer proposed an increase of 4%, in line with current CPI inflation. The additional cost of this in 2011/12 is within budget provision. Council unanimously approved a 4% increase.

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Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Tuesday 19^th July 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), C Perkins (Vice-Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J James, J Moulder.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr C James, Shropshire Cllr D Evans.

2. Public Discussion: No public present

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 18^th May 2011: The minutes were approved with one minor amendment (item 13, 'HMRC PAYE employee' corrected to 'employer') and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: Item 12 - Cllr D Evans had agreed to attend the Flood Forum but had not realised it took place in the afternoon and was subsequently unable to attend. Item 17 - grit bins had still not been put in place. Cllr Gibson had been told that they had been delivered but Cllr Clarke explained this meant delivered to the yard only. Cllr Clarke volunteered to pursue this with the Depot.

6. Matters raised by parishioners: 1) Concerns had been received from parishioners about parked cars partially obstructing the highway at the Arbor Tree corner in Aston on Clun. The Police are aware and are monitoring the situation. 2) It was reported that the branch of a tree is obstructing the Green Lane from the Fish Lane to Wart Hill at about head height. Cllr Clarke would check whether the SC team had finished their work, if so the P3 group would deal with this.

7. Planning: No new applications. One application granted - 11/01259/FUL, Jasmine Cottage Broome, erection of extension.

8. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

An invoice for renewal of ALC membership was established to have been sent in error, and has been destroyed. Cllr Clarke had visited a parishioner who had written about riparian owners' responsibilities for the stream in Mill Street. The concerns and comments were discussed, it was noted that further copies of the Flood leaflet were being obtained for distribution, and it was agreed that the clerk would reply to the parishioner thanking her for her efforts in keeping the stream clear of debris and excess vegetation over the years. The Countryside Access Team had acknowledged receipt of the modification order but has asked for evidence to be submitted. Cllrs Perkins and Evans will collate the evidence. South Shropshire AONB has asked Council to join 'Friends of AONB' for an annual subscription of £50. Clerk to reply saying that Council was unable to join at present as this had not been budgeted for, but would reconsider at the end of the financial year for next year.

9. Finance:

The Treasurer presented the July Finance Report, books and bank reconciliation which the Chairman examined and signed. Spending to 30 June was in line with budget except for overspending on the Arbor Tree that was more than offset by saving on insurance. It was stated that Hopesay Parish Council is registered with HMRC online as a PAYE employer but to date the expected information pack had not arrived, despite the hours spent by the Chairman trying to obtain this.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£25.50p	Room hire April - September	AOC VH	2/5 & 10/6/11
£40.00p	Petrol for mower	J James

Council unanimously approved all payments and the Finance Report.

Council then debated whether to register with Parish Online for access to mapping services, but exploration of the service during a free trial produced luke-warm results and so the decision was deferred indefinitely.

10. Footway Lighting: No response has yet been received from E-on, however Hopesay Parish Council unanimously decided to switch off all footway lights except the Arbor Tree light as soon as possible.

11. Aston Green: Cllr J James reported that the Fun Day raised £529. Council approved a proposal to purchase new plastic bunting posts, and thanked Cllr J James and his volunteers for all their hard work in making the Fun Day a success.

12. Arbor Day: The current Arbor Tree group is intending to dissolve, and it was reported that Clunbury School may take over the organising and running of the Arbor Day procession and pageant with the help of local volunteers and community groups. Councillors expressed the hope that the procession and pageant could continue as it is unique, and an annual focus for the community. The clerk will write to the Arbor Tree group thanking them for their work over the years.

13.Feedback on meetings attended: Cllr Perkins attended the Youth Event in Craven Arms on 11^th July. Young people took an active part in presenting topics, but there were mixed feelings about the usefulness of the day as a whole. Shropshire Youth Service has changed radically as a consequence of the cuts; and although the intention is for it to be more targeted, it is also a much smaller service. Cllr Clarke attended the Localism event at Shirehall on 29^th June, and circulated notes. It is feared that although the idea of putting people in charge of their local affairs is much talked about, nothing much will actually change.

14. Co-option of councillors:

It is hoped to approach parishioners before the September meeting with a view to co-opting.

Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting will be on 20^th September, followed by 25^th October, 6^th December, 24^th January 2012, 6^th March, 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting).

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Annual Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 18^th May 2011, 7.30pm

Present:Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J James.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs C Perkins (Vice-Chairman), C James, J Moulder.

2. Public Discussion: No public present

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Election of Chairman: Cllr David Clarke was re-elected as Chairman (proposed by Cllr D Evans and seconded by Cllr J James).

5. Chairman's Declaration of Office: Cllr David Clarke signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

6. Election of Vice-Chairman: Cllr C Perkins was re-elected as Vice-Chairman (proposed by Cllr D Clarke, seconded by Cllr D Evans).

7. To appoint Representatives to outside bodies: Cllr J James remains the representative to the Village Hall Committee, and Cllr D Clarke remains the representative to the LJC and Flood Forum.

8. To appoint Committees: the continuation of the Aston Green and Planning Committees was confirmed.

9. Minutes of the Meeting 13^th April 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

10. Matters Arising: Footway Lighting - following the parish consultation, it was decided that Highways Dept, E-on, and any other relevant dept of Shropshire Council be consulted on the possible step to turn off all lights except the light at the Arbor Tree to see if they had any comments. Cllrs Evans and Clarke undertook this.

Taddymoor Lane - all adjoining landowners had been served with form A2 notice of application for definitive map modification order. Cllr Clarke had visited and delivered said notices to 4 landowners, two of whom informed him of their intention to object. The clerk as proper officer signed the application for the definitive map modification order (form A1) and the certificate of service of notice (form A2) and copies will be taken before posting to the Countryside Access Team, Shropshire Council.

11. Planning: One application had been received - 11/01259/FUL, erection of 2 storey extension to rear of Jasmine Cottage, Broome. This had been previously circulated and 'no objection' had been returned to Shropshire Council by the published deadline in accordance with instructions.

12. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

Flood Forum on 30^th June - Cllr D Evans will attend in place of Cllr D Clarke.

Shropshire Council is prompting Hopesay Parish Council to fill the casual vacancies by co-option. Councillors are actively looking for residents who might serve.

SAMDev - Shropshire Council's Site Allocations and Management of Development Plan - Shropshire Council has asked for Hopesay Parish Council to confirm its views. Cllr Clarke agreed to reply with Council's response.

Cllr Clarke had also replied to the emailed invitation to participate in drawing up a new Shropshire Charter, but there had been no response.

13. Finance: The Treasurer presented the Books and Bank Reconciliation to 31^st March 2011 which had been previously scrutinised by the Vice-Chairman, and the Chairman signed them. The unaudited statement of account has been published. The Treasurer presented the budget outturn for 2010/11, and then presented this year's budget to Council. The internal audit report for last year was also presented. Hopesay Parish Council had a clean internal audit report on all counts and there were no remedial steps to take. Council then approved Section 1 of the Annual Return. Council agreed to answer "yes" to questions 1 - 8 of the Annual Governance Statement. Council agreed to give notice of the public's right to inspect Hopesay Parish Council's accounting records. HMRC/PAYE registration - Council had been informed by HMRC that it had to register as a PAYE employer, which has been dealt with online. The expected Information Pack has not yet been received.Insurance - The Treasurer has obtained a revised quote of £493.39 from Came & Co.The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£493.39	Insurance premium	Came & Co	13/05/11
£73.64	Lighting electricity Apr - June	Shrop Council	09/05/11
£104.40	Arbor Tree flagpoles	Davies of Bucknell	18/05/11
£547.44	Clerk's salary & expenses Apr - June	M Gwilliam	To be submitted

Council unanimously approved all payments and the Treasurer's Report.

14. Review of Standing Orders:Council approved the amended annex A (Information Policy) to Standing Orders, as previously agreed. Council decided not to purchase NALC Revised Standing Orders. Following a brief discussion about the rolling review of Standing Orders, it was agreed to ask the Vice-Chairman to organise a training session and review of Standing Orders, not necessarily as part of a Council meeting.

15. Aston Green: Cllr J James reported that he had attended to the mower and that there were enough volunteers for the mowing rota. The sports equipment requires moving into the shed after Arbor Day. Cllr J James undertook to arrange for further details of the Fun Day to be published on the website when they become available.

16. Arbor Day: The flags will be hung this weekend.

17.Feedback on meetings attended:llr Clarke had met Chris Fisher of Highways Dept who had thought that the salt bins were installed. This not being the case, he will chase them up.　Date of Next MeetingThe next meeting will be on Tuesday 19^th July, followed by 20^th September, 25^th October, 6^th December, 24^th January 2012, 6^th March, 17^th April (Annual Parish Meeting), and 22^nd May (Annual Parish Council meeting).

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 13^th April 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. C Perkins (Vice- Chairman), C James, J James, J Moulder; and 5 members of the public.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs D Clarke, D Evans.

In the absence of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman Cllr C Perkins took the Chair.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 16^th March 2011: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as accurate.

5. Matters Arising: None raised.

2. Public Session and 11. Taddymoor Lane: Residents present expressed pleasure that the issue of Taddymoor Lane was being taken up by the parish council. The route was believed to be still obstructed by concrete which some residents felt was a desecration of an ancient lane. There followed a discussion on the use of Taddymoor Lane as a right of way over past and recent years, and due to the interest in this issue the Chairman agreed to bring forward this item from 11 on the agenda. A resident hoped that the parish council would approach the local farmer said to have blocked the lane to try and avoid it becoming a legal matter, and Council unanimously agreed to send a councillor or councillors to talk to the landowner concerned about removing the obstruction, offering volunteer help if needed. The meeting felt that although the Lane was not on the Definitive map, it was or should be a Right of Way, and Council unanimously voted to apply for restricted by-way status as a designated Right of Way. Unfortunately funding for the 'Lost Ways' project has now vanished, and it was recognised that in the present economic climate, resolving the issue could take some time.

6. Planning: There were no new applications.

One application had been granted by Shropshire Council:

11/00476/FUL, Middle Carwood, extension to dwelling & detached garage.

7. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

Notice of the UK Referendum on 5^th of May had been received and published.

Information that repairs to Clun Bridge necessitating closure of the bridge for about 3 weeks had been received, work due to start May 9^th.

9. Finance: The Chairman presented an April Finance Report in the absence of the Treasurer. The Chairman had previously carried out the required checks for the governance statement. Council unanimously agreed that the accounts, books, and supporting paperwork be forwarded for Internal Audit now. Council approved all the Treasurer's recommendations, including insurance with the addition of re-insuring 6 concrete lights.

The following invoice was approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£20.99	Jan Feb March electric	Npower	9/4/11

Council unanimously approved all payments and the April Finance Report.

9. Aston Green: Grass cutting has started for the season. The Green is being used for Rounders, by Wistanstow Rounders Team, for weekly practice, and by Aston on Clun Rounders Team whose first match is on Wednesday 20^th April. Cllr J James confirmed that he would be going over the Health & Safety aspects of operating the machinery with this years volunteers. The Chairman thanked Cllr James for his continuing hard work and commitment.

10. Arbor Day: Cllr Perkins will check with Cllr Clarke about flag poles for the Arbor Tree and whether the seat still needs repair.

11. Taddymoor Lane: this item was taken at the start of the meeting due to public interest.

12. Meetings attended: None.

Date of Next Meeting: The next meeting is the Hopesay Parish Council Annual Meeting on 18^th May 2011. It was agreed not to hold a parish council meeting in June.

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.

_________________________________________________________________________

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 16^th March 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), C Perkins (Vice- Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer) C James, J James.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllrs J Gibson and D Evans from item 8.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr J Moulder.

2. Public Session: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 26^th January 2011: The minutes were approved with one amendment (Item 8 "retaining wall" changed to "retaining structure"), and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

5. Matters Arising: Item 6: the new grit bin was still outstanding and Cllr Clarke will chase this up with Shropshire Council. Item 8: Cllr Evans confirmed that the speed limit referred to was for Hopesay village. Council decided to reply to Shropshire Council agreeing that this should now be dropped as there was no realistic chance of any speed limit for Hopesay now due to budget cuts. Council also agreed to thank Shropshire Council for installing the speed limit in Broome village.

6. Matters raised by Parishioners: The hedge in Aston on Clun raised under this item at the last meeting has been cut back. A parishioner has asked if the Parish Council is going to deal with obstructions to Taddymoor Lane which runs between Hopesay and Round Oak, now that the restricted byway issue at the Fish has been resolved. A discussion followed and Council decided to submit an application claiming Taddymoor Lane as a Right of Way on historical grounds. Council voted unanimously that Vice Chairman Christine Perkins should represent Council in this matter and deal with the submission paperwork. The matter to be put on the agenda for the next meeting.
A query had also been raised over the situation regarding the Engine and Tender public house in Broome. Cllr Clarke informed the meeting that it had apparently been de-licensed, but that a change of use planning application would be required before it could be approved as residential use. Any such application would have to show that the property had been actively marketed as a licensed premises for a 12 month period.

7. Planning: There were two new applications:

11/00476/FUL, Middle Carwood, Round Oak, erection of extension and garage.

Council had supported this with a note to Planning that contrary to the information given in the application, the property could be seen from public footpaths.

11/00911/OUT, land adjacent to Rose Cottages, Aston on Clun, renewal of extant outline permission for affordable dwellings.

Council voted to support with the proviso that this was for affordable dwellings only and would otherwise wish to preserve the open countryside aspect and would not be in favour of any free market or commercial development.

Two applications had been granted by Shropshire Council:

11/00118/TCA Old Farm House Hopesay, removal of a cypress/juniper tree

11/00190/TPO Redwood Drive, thinning and removal of crown of Wellingtonia.

8. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

A letter from Shropshire Cllr M Taylor-Smith for Shropshire Council dated 11^th February to all town and parish councils stating that councils that did not sign up to the 'Charter' would no longer receive ICT support after 1^st April 2011 had provoked outrage, and Council thanked Chairman David Clarke for his prompt and robust response objecting to the content and also the tone of this letter. A subsequent letter addressed to Hopesay Parish Council had then been received from Shropshire Cllr Keith Barrow (Leader of the Council) which was entitled 'Future ways of working together for our local communities'. This had a more conciliatory tone and talked about 'revisiting the Charter' with the aim of developing a new "lighter touch" version, and referred to 'greater collaboration'. Shropshire Cllr Barrow stated that the letter "signalled Shropshire Council's commitment to enter into a new, stronger relationship with Parish and Town Councils". Hopesay Parish Council discussed and agreed a response to this second letter welcoming the change of tone and outlining basic issues. The response to be sent by the Chairman, with copies to the two Shropshire Councillors.

An email offering some free training at Shirehall prompted Shropshire Cllr D Evans to advise councillors to take up any offer of training related to planning if they possibly could, as many changes to procedure were being made.

The Chairman had received an information pack from West Mercia Police on Neighbourhood Watch which the meeting felt could be discussed at the Annual Parish Meeting.

A letter from Cllr John Grimes had been received tendering his resignation as parish councillor with immediate effect due to pressure of work and family commitments. It was accepted with regret by councillors who stated that his contributions had been appreciated and that he would be missed. Clerk to write in response, and to notify Shropshire Council of the vacancy. The Clerk will also advertise the vacancy in accordance with regulations. A discussion followed on the scarcity of residents prepared to become a parish councillor. Council in fact has 3 vacancies (2 long standing), and would welcome any resident and in particular (to rectify any imbalance of representation) volunteers from the farming community, the young people of the parish, residents of Aston and Broome, and residents newly settled in the parish.

9. Finance: The Treasurer presented the March Finance Report. Council approved suggested allocations under the 2010 budget. The Treasurer explained that Hopesay parish charge for precept would increase by 2.1% per household (although council had held precept unchanged) since Shropshire Council had reduced the council tax base because there were more vacant properties. Cllrs Perkins and J James will carry out the annual pre-audit check. Council considers that its arrangements for control of risk are satisfactory and that the internal audit 2010 was fully effective.

Council agreed to renew the E-on annual maintenance contract - the Clerk to sign and return.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description		To whom payable	Invoice date
£504.00p	Clerk's salary & Expenses Jan - Mar 11		M Gwilliam	15/03/11
£5.49p	Treasurer's expenses Oct 10 - Feb 11		D Evans	28/02/11
£107.37p	Lighting electricity Oct - Dec 10		Npower	15/02/11
£73.64p	Lighting electricity Jan - Mar 11	Shropshire Council		16/02/11
£12.00p	Room hire Jan - Mar 11	AOC village hall		03/03/11
£50.00p	Photocopying (Web & lights survey)	D Clarke

Council unanimously approved all payments and the March Finance Report.

10. Aston Green: Grass cutting will be starting again soon and safety briefings will be required for new and returning volunteers alike. Cllr J James is compiling a list of volunteers for this season.

11. Footway Lighting: Parish consultation questionnaires received so far have been passed to the Treasurer for analysis.

12. Hopesay Parish Website: Councillors photographs will be posted on the Hopesay Parish Council website in due course.

13. Arbor Day: It is understood that the traditional procession will take place as usual followed by a ceilidh in the evening.

14. Feedback on meetings attended: The Chairman reported that the Bus Strategy meeting on 15^th February announced increased fares to services and the community car scheme, with removal of some concessions, but that the cuts had not been as severe as he had feared. He had also attended a Tourism Strategy meeting on 3^rd February where fears were expressed that tourism would be affected by the lack of public transport, and the LJC at which the main topic appeared to be road safety on the B4368 Corvedale Road. Road safety in other areas, some with worse accident records, was not addressed. It was felt that there was no opportunity to raise local concerns over the closure of public conveniences and support of parish councils. Because of the infrequency of the LJC meetings, it is difficult to get topical issues addressed as they should be, due to the advance notice required by the agenda planning meetings. Shropshire Cllrs Gibson and Evans should be asked by email to place local concerns on the agenda in future, and more use should be made of funding available through the LJC.

Shropshire Cllr J Gibson reported on the cuts to local train services and asked that people should write to the First Minister of the Welsh Assembly to lodge their protest.

Date of Next Meeting: A Parish Council meeting will follow the Annual Parish meeting to be chaired by Vice Chairman C Perkins at 7.30pm on 13^th April 2011. Items for the agenda of the Annual Parish meeting include the results of lighting survey, a box of useful items in the event of a power cut supplied by E-on, Neighbourhood Watch, and a possible discussion on how the Parish might celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June 2012. Items for the agenda of the parish council meeting following on include vacancies for councillors on Hopesay Parish Council, and progress on Taddymoor Lane.

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 26^th January 2011, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer) C James, J Moulder, J Grimes, J James.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr C Perkins, Shropshire Cllr D Evans.

2. Public Session: No public present. Cllr Gibson informed the meeting that town and parish councils will be encouraged to take on further duties where possible by Shropshire Council in the continuing cut backs. This includes the maintenance and operating of public conveniences, and although Hopesay Parish Council has none councillors felt strongly that Shropshire Council should not be closing any public conveniences through lack of funds. Cllr Gibson stressed that the ongoing cuts taking place at Shropshire Council are severe and many staff are losing their jobs.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 15^th December 2010: The minutes were approved after amendment (Cllr J James had given his apologies for absence and this had not been recorded) and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

5. Matters Arising: Since the last council meeting, the appeal over the Restricted Byway had been dismissed by the Crown Court with costs awarded against the appellant. Subsequently, Shropshire Council has cleared the lane of obstructions and placed a sign at the top end to indicate the Byway.

6. Matters raised by Parishioners: Residents in Hopesay have requested a supply of winter grit to be sited near the sharp bend into the village, the site of several vehicle collisions during the severe weather. Cllr Gibson thought that a grit bin would be available for this. Councillors agreed to also place a grit bin at the top of School Bank, by re-siting one existing bin. A complaint had been received about an overgrown boundary hedge in Aston on Clun on the Hopesay road, and it was agreed that a councillor would see the resident concerned to discuss cutting back the hedge.

7. Planning: There were two new applications:

11/00118/TCA, Old Farm House, Hopesay; felling of cypress/juniper tree

11/00190/TPO, 1 Redwood Drive Aston on Clun; removal of deadwood and thinning crown of Wellingtonia tree

Council did not object to either application.

Two applications had been granted by Shropshire Council:

10/04842/LBC installation of multifuel stove and flue at Malthouse, Aston on Clun

10/05277/TCA felling of red oak at Old Rectory, Hopesay

Hopesay Parish Council agreed not to respond to Shropshire Council's planning consultations for reasons previously stated. Some councillors expressed concern at proposed levies on new builds as they may discourage development.

8. Correspondence: Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

The leaning retaining wall up at Round Oak has been removed by the adjoining landowner at SC's request and been replaced by a new retaining structure.

Information about the Houseman Hundred walk through Hopesay Parish due to occur at the end of May has been passed to the Walking Group.

There was confusion over a letter from Shropshire Council saying that a new village speed limit for Hopesay planned for this year would not be implemented due to budget constraints, as to whether this referred to the previously approved Broome speed limit. Clerk to obtain clarification.

Clungunford Parish Council has written about the hedge at Longmeadow End again, and councillors agreed that the hedge still obscured the view of oncoming traffic. Clerk to contact Highways in support of Clungunford.

9. Finance: The Treasurer presented the January Finance Report. The books and bank reconciliation were laid before Council and the Chairman signed them. The Treasurer reported that Shropshire Council had reduced the 'taxbase' for the parish effectively increasing charges for all Hopesay residents. Treasurer will ask SC why.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£61.37p	Lighting repair	E-on	22/12/10
£40.00p	Donation to Citizens' Advice Bureaux	CAB
£12.00p	Purchase official copy of Register entry	Land Registry

Council also approved purchase of new flagpoles for the Arbor tree and spending to print website posters and flyers. The Treasurer recommended that Council de-register as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioner's Office instead of remaining on the list and paying the annual fee of £35.00p. Clerk to return forms.

Council unanimously approved the January Finance Report.

10. Aston Green: The date of the 2011 Fun Day was moved to 10^th July so as not to clash with other local events.

11. Footway Lighting: The draft parish consultation questionnaire will be circulated to councillors for approval shortly.

12. Hopesay Parish Website: Councillors are very grateful that Mrs J Cole has volunteered to update and maintain the website. Councillors unanimously expressed their appreciation, and commented that the website is improved beyond recognition. The clerk will write thanking Mrs Cole. The draft minutes are currently shown on the website. It was agreed that a disclaimer should be added, and enquiries will be made to ascertain whether other local councils publish draft minutes on websites and if so, how they differentiate between draft and approved minutes.

13. ALC: After discussion it was agreed that continued membership of ALC would not benefit Council. The Chairman will write to ALC expressing Hopesay Parish Council's reasons for non-renewal.

14. Feedback on meetings attended: The Chairman reported that LJC meetings will be reduced to 3 per year, which may adversely affect the usefulness of the LJC. The Chairman questioned whether parish concerns could be referred upwards via the LJC or whether information and concerns only flowed one way.

Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 16^th March 2011. Future dates to be agreed at the next meeting.

The meeting closed at 10.00pm.

________________________________________________________________________________Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 15^th December 2010, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), C Perkins (Vice Chair), J Moulder, J Grimes.

In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr C James.

2. Public Session: No public present. Cllr Gibson was invited to speak and announced that grant funding for Local Joint Committees has been cut by 50% and that support staff will not be available for more than 3 meetings each year due to funding and staffing cuts.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 27^th October 2010: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

5. Matters Arising:

Repairs to the Mill Street stream bank had been completed satisfactorily. Highways to be thanked.

Questions were raised about progress to an item from Matters raised by Parishioners in September, concerning the retaining bank at the Round Oak junction with Fish Road. Highways had acknowledged receipt of the query but no further reply has been received. Cllr Gibson offered to follow this up.

The Arbor Tree seat has been surveyed. The oak has shrunk leaving the screws proud, and will be repaired.

6. Matters raised by Parishioners:

Recent snow and ice caused difficulties for many parishioners. The Hopesay road became more dangerous after snow ploughing, until it was gritted some days later. Cllr Gibson informed the meeting that all available Shropshire Council extra grit bins have now been allocated, and new supplies are at least 8 weeks away even if ordered immediately. It was suggested that Hopesay Parish Council would look into the possibility of purchasing some grit bins direct from a supplier. It was agreed that overall, Highways had done an excellent job in the recent severe weather and the Clerk would write to thank them.

7. Planning:

There were two new applications.

10/04842/LBC, installation of a multifuel stove and flue, The Malthouse Aston on Clun: Council had replied with no objection as agreed.

10/05277/TCA, removal of red oak tree, The Old Rectory Hopesay: Council felt that the application was not detailed enough and taking into account the Tree Warden's letter, voted to object due to insufficient information/reason for felling.

8. Correspondence:

Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

Regarding the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June 2012, it was suggested that the possibility of holding a parish event to coincide with this could be a topic at the Annual Parish meeting in 2011.

Re Shropshire Council's Draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), a hard copy of this will be requested.

Information from Flicks in the Sticks promoter about a satellite dish for Aston on Clun village hall was given to the meeting. Council agreed to submit any necessary planning application which will be drawn up by the Village Hall Committee, and Cllr D Evans was asked to inform the Committee.

Information from ALC had been received by email about their Jan - March training programme. All events take place in Shrewsbury. The Chairman will take this up with ALC, and Council will consider whether to renew the annual subscription to ALC at the January meeting.

9. Finance: The December Finance Report included invoices for payment, a separate Precept Report, an account of expenditure since 2008 with estimated expenditure for 2011 with a draft budget for 2011, and a review of Risks, Controls, Internal Audit, and Banking.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£527.42	Clerk's salary & expenses Oct - Dec 10	M Gwilliam	15/12/10
£36.00	Meeting room hire Apr - Dec 2010	AOC Village Hall	22/11/10

The Treasurer presented the Budget Estimates and Precept 2011 report, which had been drafted on the basis that the precept would not be increased but that Council would want to spend some funds on lighting repair/renewal. After discussion Council approved the proposed 2011 Precept of £5,850 (proposed Cllr Clarke, seconded Cllr Moulder).

Cllr Perkins reported on Risks and Controls, saying that further work was needed before the next meeting, but recommended that councillors should reacquaint themselves regularly with the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, and that Aston Green volunteers should have annual training on equipment and risk assessment briefing. Council decided to introduce a short review of 2 or 3 Standing Orders and Financial Regulations after every council meeting on a rotational basis.

Council unanimously accepted the December Finance Report.

10. Aston Green: Nothing to report.

11. Footway Lighting:

Council is waiting for responses to the Clerk's emails of 30^th November as recommended by Jason Hughes at Shropshire Council. If no response is received by the New Year, the Clerk will follow up.

The parish consultation questionnaire will be refined and presented to the January meeting for action.

12. Shropshire Charter:

The Charter had been circulated and in common with many other P and T councils, it was apparent that Hopesay did not feel able to commit to the Charter in its present form. Council therefore agreed not to sign up for the present.

13. Shropshire Council - volume of communications:

The amount and size of the various consultative documents, emails etc was discussed and the Chairman offered to raise the matter at the next ALC meeting.

14. Feedback on meetings attended:

Fuel Poverty Forum: Cllr Clarke had attended this and distributed some leaflets about possible help for affected households. Cllr Gibson added that funds had been earmarked for alleviation of fuel poverty, but that it was up to local councillors to try to identify affected households, and make a tactful approach to hand out relevant information on available help.

Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 26^th January 2011.

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.

_________________________________________________________________________

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 27^th October 2010, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), C Perkins (Vice Chair), J James
In Attendance: Shropshire Cllr J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllrs J Grimes, C James, J Moulder; Shropshire Cllr D Evans.

2. Public Session: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 15^th September 2010: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

5. Matters Arising:

Items 5: Restricted Byway - The appellant reported sick for the appeal hearing on 4^th October. The next date set is 1^st November in the Crown Court, when attendance will be required.

The access to the Oaker Bridleway is open again (after installation of gates by the landowner) and should be marked however the final section to Clun Road has again been ploughed and sown. The School Bank and Hopesay bridleways to Oaker Wood now need to be cleared.

The Arbor Tree seat has yet to be surveyed.
Item 6: Repairs to the Mill Street stream bank are still in progress. During recent heavy rain there was no problem with the floodwater flow under the bridge and there was no flow onto the Clun Road.
Item 8: Flood Leaflets - the Chairman has some extra copies and will distribute.
Item 9: Council has not received a reply from Shropshire Council to its letter of 28^th September regarding the collective electricity supply. Clerk to follow up.

6. Matters raised by Parishioners:

Complaints from parishioners about the commercial advertising on village notice boards taking up space meant for parish and community notices have been received. Council endorsed the right of parishioners to 'police' and remove such notices from parish and community notice boards.

7. Planning:

There were no new applications.

Granted: 10/03575/TCA, felling of an ash tree, Caudibrook House, Hopesay.

Training for councillors in using the Shropshire Council planning portal is being arranged, and it is hoped to offer this, probably at Aston Broadplace, in the near future.

8. Correspondence:

Correspondence as listed on the appendix was considered. The following in particular:

Chairman David Clarke will attend the Power of Well Being training at Bishops Castle.

A Shropshire Council Street Cleaning survey form will be dealt with by the Chairman.

A Shropshire Council Winter Services Review letter will be circulated for interest.

A Shropshire Council email suggesting a move from paper based to electronic based planning consultations will be replied to, explaining why HPC is not in a situation to receive and respond electronically without hard copy support.

9. Finance: The Treasurer presented the October report. The books and bank reconciliation were inspected by councillors and the Chairman initialled them. The budget, revised to 30^th September, is largely in line with estimates. The Treasurer reminded Council that Precept 2011 should be agreed at the December meeting.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£64.62	Aston Green hedge cutting	W Cadwallader	30/09/10
£107.37	Electricity supply July - Sept 2010	Npower	07/10/10
£8.74	Treasurer's expenses Mar - Sept 10	D Evans	18/10/10
£537.60	Clerk's salary & expenses Jul - Sept 10	M Gwilliam	23/10/10
£76.84	Aston Green, fuel & nets	J James

Council unanimously accepted the October Finance Report.

10. Aston Green: The mower needs servicing and requires some new parts.

11. Footway Lighting:

The Treasurer summarised the lighting situation for Council. The cost of maintaining and running 11 lights has doubled during the last 3 years to approximately £900 per annum with about a 50% split between energy and maintenance (Council hopes to save about £100 pa on energy by switching to the Shropshire Council group energy supply contract). E-on recommendations for repair/renewal would cost approx £6,810; or, if leased over 25 years rather than paid outright, would end up with an overall cost of £28,706. Most of our lighting is 40 years old. Lighting was addressed in the Parish Plan, with an approximate 50% split between those residents who wanted it removed and those who wished it to remain.

There followed a discussion and the view was that if Council could not afford to repair/renew outright, the repairs/renewals should not be undertaken because the leasing terms were out of the question. Various ideas were put forward, but it was felt that the parish should be consulted before any final decision was taken because of the significant cost to the parish. It was suggested that Council looks at replacing the two worst columns next year. Shropshire Cllr Gibson kindly offered to raise Hopesay Parish Council's situation with Environmental Maintenance to find out if they could help or had any suggestions.

12. Feedback on meetings attended:

Cllr Clarke attended the LJC meeting at Onibury and the SSAPTC meeting at Ludlow and reported that the talks on village hall management and the 'Kick Start' home improvement initiative were useful and informative. Cllr Clarke will go to the ALC annual general meeting. He noted that the ALC annual subscription was due to increase significantly, and that although councillors had benefited from some good training sessions 3 years ago, since then SALC/ALC has not proved of much use to Council.

Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 15^th December 2010.

The meeting closed at 9.15pm.

_________________________________________________________________________

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Wednesday 15^th September 2010, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J Grimes, C James, J James, J Moulder.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr C Perkins (expected to arrive later); Shropshire Councillor D Evans.

2. Public Session: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Minutes of the Meeting 20^th July 2010: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

5. Matters Arising:

Item 7: Restricted Byway - Council unanimously agreed to press Shropshire Council to remove the obstruction once the appeal has been heard.

Item 9: Oaker Bridleway - those councillors who were walkers agreed to check this to see whether the bridleway was now open again, and inform SC.

Item 11: 'Dog bins' - it was reported that Council had been misinformed, and although Shropshire Council empties dog bins free of charge, supply of these would in fact cost £400 each. Therefore the installation has not gone ahead. However Shropshire Council will provide some public signs advising dog owners to deposit bagged dog mess in the all purpose rubbish bins.

6. Matters raised by Parishioners:

Repairs to the Mill street stream bank had commenced on 14^th September.

Council was informed that a retaining structure and part of the bank at the top of Fish Lane near the junction with the Round Oak road was leaning into the public highway and may be unsafe. The clerk to contact the Highways Department to report the situation and ask that the bank be made stable.

It was reported that the seat around the Arbor Tree was in need of repair. Cllr Grimes undertook to assess the situation and report back to Council.

7. Planning:

There were 3 new applications:

10/02632/FUL, erection of a pergola, Rectory Cottage, Hopesay. The Clerk had returned no objection after consulting the Planning Committee.

10/03010/FUL, conversion of existing garage, erection of new garage, The Fish, Hopesay. The Clerk had returned no objection, but with concerns regarding any separate re-sale, after consulting the Planning Committee.

10/03575/TCA, felling of an ash tree, Caudibrook House, Hopesay. The Clerk had returned objection after consulting the Planning Committee.

Granted:

10/01925/FUL, rebuilding of conservatory, Hesterhaven, Hopesay.

10/02628/FUL, erection of summer house, Uplands, Aston on Clun.

10/02632/FUL, erection of pergola, Rectory Cottage, Hopesay.

10/03010/FUL, conversion of garage etc as above, The Fish Hopesay.

8. Correspondence: Emails from Shropshire Council (SC) and ALC, on various administrative matters had been circulated to members for information.

The following correspondence was considered:

Copies of the draft Shropshire Parking Strategy consultation - to be circulated for possible response

Surface Water Management Interim Guidance draft consultation - passed to the Chairman.

Flood Guidance Leaflets - passed to Broome councillors for distribution to specific home owners, farmers, and land owners. Further copies are on the way for Aston and Hopesay distribution.

Proposed changes to Broome speed limit - SC is introducing a statutory 30mph speed limit in Broome village (the 30mph advisory limit on the B4367 will remain).

Shropshire Charter - to be circulated in order to decide whether to sign up.

Clungunford Parish Council - request to Council to bring pressure to bear in getting a Longmeadow End hedge cut to improve the sight line at the junction. Clerk to contact Highways Department to request hedge is cut back.

9. Finance: The Treasurer presented his September report. The external auditors gave a clean audit report and the annual return together with notice of elector's rights to view was published on the Arbor notice board in accordance with regulations. There is still a question over whether further action is needed to prevent sale of the land annexed to Aston Green. Treasurer was to obtain a copy of Land Registry restrictions, if any.

It was decided that Cllr Moulder will assist Cllr Perkins to carry out the review of the internal audit, risks & banking and that this should be completed by the meeting on 15^th December. It was also agreed that the Treasurer would seek to register the claim to the Arbor Tree site by the end of the financial year.

Payments made under delegated authority FR 6.4 were:

£149.28 Eon lighting maintenance contract (first half year)

£141.00 Mazars external audit fee.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£246.75p	Materials for shed base	J Payne BS	31/08/10
£26.50p	Reimbursement for mower petrol etc	J James	04/08/10 & 11/09/10

Treasurer was also authorised to pay clerk's salary and expenses when due.

In addition, the Treasurer explained that switching to a Shropshire Council collective electricity supply contract would save the Parish Council approximately £100 per annum. The current contract with Npower expires on 6^th October and so Council agreed not to renew the Npower contract but change to the collective electricity supply contract with Shropshire Council.

Council unanimously accepted the September Finance Report.

10. Aston Green: The shed has been erected and is secure, and hedge trimming has been completed for the winter. Work is needed on the perimeter path.

11. Feedback on meetings attended:

Mobile Library Services consultation: Cllr Evans had attended the south Shropshire meeting at Craven Arms on 14 September, where he was the only parish council representative present. He had put the case for retention of the mobile service and had answered related questions from the perspective of a rural parish. Asked by Shropshire Council representatives to explain the poor attendance, he had suggested that the volume of consultations might be overwhelming parish councils. After a briefing on its purpose, Council agreed a written response to SC's Survey.

Local Joint Committee agenda planning meeting: Cllr Clarke attended.

Shropshire Council Education meeting: Cllr Moulder had attended, with Clunbury being the only south Shropshire school represented, and commented that all the paperwork and notes were issued during the meeting instead of being sent earlier so there had been no chance to familiarise herself with their contents.

18. Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 27^th October 2010.

The meeting closed at 9.10pm.

_________________________________________________________________________

Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Tuesday 20^th July 2010, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J Grimes, C James,
J James, C Perkins.

In Attendance: Shropshire Councillor J Gibson.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr J Moulder (attending Shropshire Council (SC) Education meeting), and M Gwilliam (Clerk).

2. Public Session: Cllr Gibson said that things were probably going to become difficult for several areas of SC's service delivery and cooperation with parish councils would be increasingly important to mitigate the effects for residents. Under recent government directives SC was required to reduce expenditure by £10 million in the current year and by £30 million next year.

3. Declarations of Interest: Cllrs Evans and Perkins declared personal interests in Hopesay Parish Trust under Item 9 as trustees of the charity.

4. Register of Members' Interests. Completed forms were received from members for the Clerk to copy and forward to SC to compile a new register.

5. Chairman's Declaration of Acceptance of Office: This was signed and received.

6. Minutes of the Meeting 24^th May 2010: After adding 'consultation with' before 'Planning Committee' in Item 8, the minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.
It was agreed that as soon as draft minutes were available (and checked) they would be published on notice boards, clearly marked as 'draft'.

7. Matters Arising:

Item 10: Land Registration. The Village Hall Committee had applied to register their new Charity Commission vesting order, so avoiding the need to re-register their lease each time a trustee changed.

Item 10: Site Allocation and Management of Development (SAMDEV). Council's response had been acknowledged.

Item 13: Restricted Byway Hearing. The defendant had not attended the hearing on 7 June when a trial date of 12 July at Telford Magistrates Court had been set. An application by the defendant on 12 July to postpone the trial had been refused. The defendant had been found guilty on 2 counts of obstructing a public highway, ordered to remove the obstructions within 52 days and to pay £600 towards SC's costs. The defendant had a right of appeal within 21 days.

Item 13: Broome Speed Limit. SC had acknowledged council's representation. No final decision had yet been notified, but it was clear from a call to SC today that a 40mph statutory limit would be put on the B4367, unless SC could quickly be persuaded to leave the present advisory 30mph limit in place. Noting that leaving things as they were would also be cheaper, it was agreed that the Chairman should press for this compromise. A statutory 30mph limit would apply for the rest of Broome.

Item 13: Clunbury Litterpick. A preliminary inspection showed the Clun road verges in a satisfactory condition with no action required at present. We remained willing to cooperate with Clunbury PC if necessary.
8. Planning: There had been 2 new applications:

10/01925/FUL, erection of a replacement conservatory at Hesterhaven, Hopesay. The Clerk had e-mailed council support after consulting the Planning Committee.

10/02628/FUL, erection of detached conservatory at Uplands, School Bank, Aston on Clun. Council voted to support. Action: Cllr C James to notify SC.

Granted: 10/01756/FUL, single story extension at Stoneleigh, Broome.

A query was raised about whether the woodsman's hut built in Bank's Wood, Hopesay complied with the planning permission granted. Cllr Grimes said that, depending upon height to apex, the structure might not have been subject to building regulations. It was agreed to check.

9. Correspondence: Copies of letters and e-mails from SALC, ALC, NALC and Shropshire Council (SC) on various administrative matters had been circulated to members for information only.
The following correspondence was considered for action:

SC Drainage & Flood leaflet. Chase supply and distribute to vulnerable properties.

SC on Broome speed limit; decision pending (see Matters Arising above). Noted.

SC Guidance on personal & prejudicial SAMDEV interests. Noted.

SC Response to our April letter on footpaths. Copy to P3 Group. Actions agreed:
(1) Check on access to the Oaker Bridleway (previously obstructed) and report to SC. (2) In consultation with P3, respond on the Palace Barn footpath issue.
(3) Seek SC decision on way marking the Basford and Brookside UCR's.

SC Consultation on childcare provision. Posters displayed, Parish Plan information provided, council had no other information to supplement SC's household survey.

SC Request for feedback on winter service provision. Reply highlighting that although Aston and Broome residents could get out with care, most parish lanes were unsafe or impassable even for 4WD without chains during the big freeze. Snowploughing had not helped because of ice below. Gritting of School and Hesterworth banks (about 100m in total) would have made a big difference for Hopesay, as would signage of pre-positioned grit (hidden beneath snow). Disruption of school bus, refuse collection & mobile library was inevitable. Shropshire Link bus performed exceptionally well.

Parish Trust request for trustee nomination. Reply nominating Cllr Evans.

SC Shropshire Economy consultation. Only three members had seen this consultation document in circulation. It was an interesting, but complicated and technical position paper on matters for which council had no responsibility and no response would be made unless those yet to see it felt any input from us was likely to benefit residents (in which case there was time to consider a draft response in September).

SC Invitation to an all-day consultation on Local Transport Strategy at Shrewsbury on 9 September. The Chairman would go, if, having seen promised further details, he considered it useful for HPC to be represented.

10. Finance: Books and bank reconciliation to 30 June were laid before council. Treasurer presented his report and Budget 2010 revised to 30 June. Spending to date was in line with estimates.

Accounts 2009 were available for public inspection until 28 July as part of Audit 2010 and the required statutory notice had been given. The external auditor (Mazars) had raised a telephone query about council's 'YES' answer in our Governance Statement related to 'review of effectiveness of internal audit', but seemed satisfied with Treasurer's response and had declined his offer to send a copy of the related report considered by council in September 09. We could expect the result of External Audit 2010 (and a fee invoice) in August.

Fun Day proceeds of £481.12 had been banked for the Green Amenity Fund and two payments had been authorised under FR 6.4:
£17 63 to B&J Davies, Bucknell Ltd for Arbor flagpoles
£66.63 to EON for lighting repairs.

The following invoices were approved for payment:

Amount	Description	To whom payable	Invoice date
£537.60	Clerk's salary and expenses Apr- Jun	M Gwilliam	14/06/10
£106.19	Lighting electricity supply Apr-Jun	Npower	10/07/10
£268.37	Reimburse Aston Green expenditure for: petrol £40, mower purchase £220, mower spares £8.37	J James	05/07/10
£367.99	Reimburse for tractor shed purchase	J James	28/04/10
£10.55	White liner for Aston Green	WFS Border	09/07/10

11. Aston Green: Cllr J James reported that the new shed site had been cleared. The base now has to be laid and Cllr Clarke undertook to organise this. Grass cutting had gone well except for the failure of the rotary mower that had to be replaced and minor problems with the triple cylinder machine. Other maintenance work was needed to weed kill and clean the perimeter path (Cllr Evans undertook to weed kill in the next 2 weeks, a small paths working party would be needed in August/September). The steel goal posts were on order.

The 4 July Fun & Sports Day had gone very well (especially for children) and thanks were due to the many residents who had helped. Because the emphasis had been on fun rather than fundraising, the £481 net takings were less than last year. Children from schools in nearby parishes might be invited to come next year. The Green Amenity Fund stood at £1,633. The Chairman would write to thank Kevin and Jim for running the sports and Rosie Evans for donating her PA system.

The 'pick it up' arrangement for dog fouling on the Green was working well, except for disposal in village hall bins. In hot weather the black bin smell was unpleasant, but having to remove filled plastic bags from the green bin was worse. The Chairman had obtained SC agreement to supply 2 dog bins and to add these to their collection service. Subject to consultation with the Village Hall Committee, one would be placed near the VH car park entrance (where it could also serve Broome, Craven Arms & Clun Roads) or near the entrance arch on the Green (where it would be less accessible); the other at Broome Corner. Action: Chairman to agree with VHC and arrange with SC.

12. Feedback on meetings attended:

Shropshire Schools Forum. Cllrs Clarke & Evans had attended a crowded meeting at Craven Arms on 15 June. The main topic was consultation to refine SC's draft vision for education in the county, before consultation with parents. There had been little that we could offer given SC's well-reasoned and sensitive approach (in contrast to that adopted for SCC's school closure proposals of 2008). The real test would be how the final 'vision' was developed into future schools provision, within budget constraints.

Flood Forum. Cllr Clarke had attended the later part of a meeting on 13 July. The main point of parish interest was obtaining a promise from SC Highways to undertake overdue repairs to the bank of the Millstream soon.

18. Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday 15 September 2010.

After consideration of members' other commitments and preferences, the following timetable was agreed: Wednesdays 27 October, 15 December, 26 January, 16 March, Annual Parish (with short PC before or after) 13 April, Annual PC 18 May.

The meeting closed at 9.20pm.

_________________________________________________________________________

Annual Meeting at Aston on Clun Village Hall on Monday 24^th May 2010, 7.30pm

Present: Cllrs. D Clarke (Chairman), D Evans (Treasurer), J James, C James.

In Attendance: Shropshire Councillors J Gibson and D Evans.

1. Apologies for absence: Cllr J Moulder, and Cllr C Perkins (received after the meeting).

2. Public Session: No public present.

3. Declarations of Interest: None received.

4. Election of Chairman:

Cllr Clarke asked the meeting if anyone present would like to take over the chairmanship, and (there being no other nominees) said that although he was prepared to serve as Chairman for a further year he did not want to remain in the position much longer than that. Cllr Evans proposed and Cllr J James seconded Cllr Clarke's re-election as Chairman. All in favour.

5. Chairman's Declaration of Office:

This would be received at the next meeting.

6. Election of Vice Chairman:

Cllr Evans proposed and Cllr Clarke seconded that Cllr Perkins be re-elected as Vice Chairman. All in favour.

7. To appoint representatives to outside bodies:

The following councillors were unanimously re-elected:

SSAPTC - After a brief discussion on SSAPTC's role in SALC during which some doubt was expressed as to the use of SSAPTC to parish councils - Cllrs C James and D Clarke. Aston Green - Cllrs J James and J Grimes. Village Hall - Cllr J James. LJC - After discussion during which doubts were expressed on the benefit (apart from grants) of the LJC to parish councils, Cllr D Clarke was elected as nominal representative. Parish Trust - it was explained to the meeting that the Parish Council does not have 'representatives' on this body but nominates two trustees, who may be but need not be parish councillors but do have to be adult residents of the parish. Currently Cllr Evans and Mrs A Weller are both trustees and Cllr Evans' term of office ends in August, so a nomination would be considered in July. Cllr Perkins is a co-opted trustee being a resident of the parish.

8. To appoint committees:

Council unanimously voted for the continuation of the Aston Green Committee, and also unanimously voted for the continuation of the clerk's delegated powers to inform Shropshire Council of planning application decisions reached by consultation with the Planning Committee.

9. Minutes of the Meeting 27^th April 2010: The minutes were approved and the Chairman signed them as an accurate record of the meeting.

10. Matters arising: Item 5: Land Registration. The Treasurer reported that the Village Hall committee has applied to the Charity Commission to renew the 1990 vesting order to reflect the lease changes of January 2003. No action has yet been taken on the Arbor Tree site. Item 6: Footway Light. The Chairman reported that Lamp no 7 has been repaired and is now extremely bright. Item 9: Insurance. The policy has been renewed and the new schedule checked. All is in order. Item 11: Site Allocation and Management of Development (SAMDEV). A response is needed by 25^th June and the Chairman proposed that the return form provided by Shropshire Council is completed using the Parish Plan guidelines. Council delegated the completion of the return form to the Chairman who will circulate the completed form to councillors before submission. There was a discussion on some aspects of Shropshire Council's consultation documents, in particular Council felt that there should be more leniency re applications to convert redundant farm buildings. Altering or relaxing development boundaries in the parish should be a matter of consultation with residents.

11. Matters raised by parishioners: None.

12. Planning: New application: 10/01756/FUL, erection of a single storey extension at Stoneleigh, Broome, has been received. Council voted to support this application. Granted: 10/00782/FUL erection of detached garage and conservatory, 1 Craven Arms Road, Aston on Clun.

13. Correspondence:

Craven Arms & Rural LJC minutes of a previous meeting, info on youth issues, and agenda for the May meeting had been received, and will be circulated.

E-on had returned a signed copy of the annual maintenance contract.

A DVD presentation of the Shropshire Council Site Allocation & Management had been received, and passed to the Chairman.

A letter from Shropshire Council had been received informing Council of the date of the Restricted Byway hearing at Telford Magistrates Court. Cllr Gibson reported that the defendant did not appear but submitted a not guilty plea by post. The pre-trial hearing had been scheduled for 7^th June at 10.00am, and the defendant would be expected to attend.

A letter from Shropshire Council on the proposed Broome speed limit had been received, but unfortunately due to a recommendation from West Mercia Police Shropshire Council now propose to make the speed limit 40mph instead of the previously agreed 30mph. In discussion concerns were expressed over the apparent overruling of the wishes of the parish. Council decided not to accept the proposal and agreed to send a reply to this effect.

Emails received and circulated included a draft code of practice on the use of agricultural poultry manure.

An email had been received from Clunbury Parish Council suggesting joint action to clear the Little Brampton road of litter. Council discussed the proposal and agreed to contact Clunbury to arrange joint action, possibly involving Shropshire Council's litter picking high visibility overjackets and collection vehicle.

14. Finance: The Treasurer reported that the Annual Return 2010 has been sent for external audit following a clean internal audit report (copy tabled for Council). Notice of the public's right to inspect the accounts will be given from 16^th June.

The Treasurer then informed the meeting that the internal auditor has questioned the Asset Register nominal value of the extra land at Aston Green in the absence of evidence that Council could not sell it. There followed a discussion on the advisability of introducing measures to formally prohibit Council from selling this land, to be further investigated.

The Treasurer also reported that there had been a minor incident with the mower on Aston Green, which resulted in a volunteer's new spectacles being destroyed. The Treasurer suggested and Council agreed to make an ex gratia payment to the volunteer of £45 towards the cost of replacement, as claiming on Council's insurance was not a viable option.

15. Aston Green: Cllr J James reported that the shed had arrived. The base now has to be laid. Cllr J James has received a quote of £220 per pair of steel goal posts and Council unanimously agreed to purchase a pair.

16. Arbor Day:

The grass will be cut before Arbor Day and the sports equipment will be made available.

17. Feedback on meetings attended: Craven Arms and Bishops Castle LDF SAMDEV road shows had both been attended and it was reported that they were very specific to their area.

18. Date of Next Meeting: proposed Tuesday 20^th July 2010.

The meeting closed at 9.30pm.