Linton(South) Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
On Monday 12 May 2025
At Gorsley Village Hall
Present: Cllr A Newton (Chair); Cllr M Bertenshaw (Vice-Chair); Cllr E Clark; Cllr C Cresswell; Cllr J Gough; Cllr J Hoyle; Cllr R Williams
In attendance: Three members of the public; Parish Clerk Rich Hunt (remotely)
1) Election of Chair for 2025/26: Cllr Newton was proposed by Cllr Bertenshaw and seconded by Cllr Gough. All in favour.
2) Election of Vice-Chair for 2025/2026: Cllr Bertenshaw was proposed by Cllr Hoyle and seconded by Cllr Williams. All in favour.
3) Chair’s Allowance: Cllr Newton waived this allowance.
4) Apologies for absence: Cllr S Jurkiewicz.
5) Declarations of Interest: None.
6) Co-option of members: None. With the resignation of Cllr Parkes, there is one vacancy, which is eligible for co-option.
7) Appointments: Cllr Cresswell and his wife have taken over as Public Footpath Officers (PFO) for the Linton area, replacing Cllr Newton and Mrs Charlotte Newton, who have stood down. Cllr Gough remains the PFO for Gorsley.
8) Minutes & Financial Reports of the PC meeting on 14 April 2025: It was RESOLVED to agree and sign the minutes as a true and accurate record, together with the financial reports.
9) Clerk’s report: HALC are conducting the internal audit for the PC which forms the initial part of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return process. The PC will be asked to approve the submission to the external auditors at the June PC meeting. The first Herefordshire Council (HCC) precept payment for 2025-26 has been received. Zurich Insurance have matched last year’s premium for the PC’s annual insurance, £300. This remains the best offer available, and the PC approved renewal. A VAT Repayment Claim of £2,484.17 for 2024-25 has been submitted to HMRC.
10) Public submissions:
a) Ward Councillor and PCSO were not in attendance.
b) Parish Matters: Cllr Clark will ask HCC why temporary traffic lights were installed in Ivy House Lane in Gorsley for no apparent reason.
11) Planning
a) Current Applications:
(i) 250872 – Plot 2, Whipstocks Lane, Gorsley: Application for variation of conditions previously permitted. It was RESOLVED unanimously to return no objection and no comments to this application.
(ii) 251213 – Baldwins Wood, Sargents Lane, Kilcot: change of use of an agricultural building and its respective curtilage to a single, larger dwelling. It was RESOLVED by a majority (four in favour and three abstentions) to return no objection and no comments to this application.
b) Decided applications: The schedule of recently decided applications was noted.
12) Climate Change Working Group: The Green Energy/Eco Festival will be held in Gorsley Baptist Church Hall on 18 October.
13) Locality Steward and highways matters:
a) Weekly reports were noted. b) Bromsash speeding issues. The latest Speed Indicator Device (SID) for Bromsash North (north facing) shows more than 7% of incoming vehicles and nearly 17% of outgoing vehicles exceeding 35mph. Maximum recorded speeds were 62mph incoming and 74mph outgoing. The SID remains in the same position facing north to be less conspicuous from a property currently for sale at Eccleswall. Resurfacing of the B4224 through Bromsash will be carried out during June. This was meant to have been completed in 2022 but was postponed because of a lack of funds. At that time, it was agreed that BBLP would reinstate the 30mph gateway markings and paint solid verge lines through the village instead of a central line. HCC have been reminded of this prior to commencing the work.
c) Curbing speed of traffic through Gorsley on B4221. April’s SID report shows a maximum incoming speed of 87mph and an outgoing speed of 116mph. The number of incoming vehicles was 84,511 and outgoing 110,668, with 91% of incoming and 72% of outgoing vehicles travelling at 40mph or below. The number travelling over 80mph reduced to 14 with only 4 exceeding 100mph. The SID requires remedial attention, but is now facing west, which may result in a reduction of outgoing vehicle speed. West Mercia Police will lay cables in early June to assess the accuracy of the SID measurements. HCC have explained the logic involved in their plan to remove the centre line on the road as part of measures to reduce traffic speed. Studies show that this improves driver awareness and compliance with speed limits. The Clerk will obtain quotes for a set of gates to be installed at either end of the village, following HCC advice that these also induce a reduction in driver speed. Cllr Clark will consult HCC on the optimum locations for the gates.
d) Bromsash House/Fording Lane flooding. The Roads Lengthsman has not yet repaired the drainage works.
e) Shutton Crossroads: Cllr Bertenshaw met an HCC Traffic Management representative at the site to agree the signs that are required to improve driver awareness of the junction and access to the M50. The Clerk will obtain quotes for the signs that have been approved by HCC.
14) Public Rights of Way: LTR18 (Cockatoos Lane to Woodend Lane) remains passable, and property owners are responsible for maintaining their hedges adjacent to the footpath.
15) Lengthsman:
a) Grass Lengthsman – the latest round of strimming in the parish was conducted recently.
b) Roads Lengthsman – the HCC-approved replacement of stiles with gates on footpath LTR28 will be completed by the end of June.
c) Lengthsman Funding Scheme 2025/26. HCC have approved the same level as last year – £4,572, which includes matched funding. They have reimbursed all the funds approved in 2024/25.
16) Allotments: The contractor has cleared and treated vacant plot 5b. Cllr Williams will consider options for maintaining plot 26, which has recently become vacant.
17) Financial Matters:
a) Cllr Hoyle signed the Receipts & Payments report and reconciled bank statement for 30 April 2025. There was a bank balance of £28,562.90 with a cash balance after outstanding payments and unpresented receipts of £25,874.15.
b) It was RESOLVED to pay: Richard Hunt, Clerk fee & expenses £482.49; HALC, annual subscription £1,076.27; Terry Griffiths Contracts, installation of SID base and pole £540.00; Zurich Insurance, annual premium £300.00; GP Property, allotments maintenance £185.00; Microsoft, annual subscription renewal £104.99; AGP Garden Service, parish strimming £188.50.
18) Chairman’s & Councillors’ Submissions: None.
19) Date of next meeting: Monday 10 June 2024 in Linton Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 8:23pm.