Linton (South) Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
On Monday 8 June 2026
At Linton Village Hall
Present: Cllr M Bertenshaw (Chair); Cllr E Clark; Cllr J Gough; Cllr J Hoyle; Cllr S Jurkiewicz.
In attendance: No members of the public; Parish Clerk Rich Hunt (remotely).
1) Apologies for absence: Cllrs A Newton, C Cresswell, R Williams.
2) Declarations of Interest: None.
3) Co-option of members: None. There are two vacancies on the PC.
4) Minutes of the Annual Parish Council meeting on 13 April 2026. It was RESOLVED that the Chair sign the minutes as a true and accurate record.
5) Clerk’s report: HALC are seeking legal advice on whether the Lengthsman’s Agreement with Herefordshire Council (HCC) makes parish councils principal authorities, with implications for risk management and professional indemnity. For insurance purposes appropriate risk management and mitigation may need to be in place before works are undertaken. HALC are concerned that HCC, under financial pressure, will slowly migrate to parishes minor drainage and public rights of way tasks and the risks that go with them, but without adequate funding. From 29 June 2026 a legal revision mandates that local authorities must not publish an elected or co-opted member’s home address in their register of interests unless the member has requested otherwise. This includes local councils’ websites. The exact address details are still declared to the Monitoring Officer and remain available internally to authorities. The PC will consider Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) revision at the July meeting on the Chair’s return. The Clerk will continue to pursue an update from the Upton Bishop Daffodil Bus coordinator on a bus stop at Linton.
6) Public submissions:
a) The Ward Councillor has issued a recent report. Neither he nor the PCSO were in attendance.
b) Parish Matters: None.
7) Planning
a) Current Applications:
(i) 253540 – Land adjacent 2 Field View, Gorsley: Change of use of agricultural land to residential curtilage to facilitate siting of a replacement sewage treatment micro station. It was RESOLVED unanimously to return no objection or comments to this application.
(ii) 261178 – 1 Linton Wood Meadow, Gorsley: Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 242198 (proposed two storey side extension and porch) – external alterations to approval. It was RESOLVED unanimously to return no objection or comments to this application. (iii) 261247 – Land at Lambs Cross, Sargents Lane, Gorsley: Siting of 2 cabins for holiday let purposes. It was RESOLVED unanimously to return no objection or comments to this application.
(iv) 261484 – Land adjacent Homestead Farm, Cothars Pitch, Gorsley: Variation of condition 11 of planning permission 213307 to allow a general B8 use for three years. It was RESOLVED unanimously to object to this application on NDP policies BGL1 (Environment) and BGL9 (Development, Highways) and because the application is vague and open to interpretation.
(v) 261501 – Woodcote, Bromsash: Erection of single-storey enclosed porch to front elevation. It was RESOLVED unanimously to return no objection and comments to this application.
The PC also noted several objections from parishioners to 261501 – Land adjacent to Orchard House, Bromsash, but the deadline for further comments has expired and the PC has already raised its own objection to this application.
b) Decided applications: The schedule of recently decided applications was noted.
8) Locality Steward and highways matters:
a) Weekly reports were noted. The Clerk will continue to report the need for pothole repairs on Linton Ridge and Line to the new Locality Steward for Ross Rural.
b) Bromsash speeding issues. The PC confirmed the order of village gateways in advance of B4224 resurfacing completion.
c) Curbing speed of traffic through Gorsley on B4221. The latest Speed Indicator Device (SID) report showed that average speed outgoing was 34mph and incoming 37mph, down slightly. This may be a result of the introduction of speed-calming gateways to the village. Maximum speed outgoing was 81mph and incoming 87mph. The number of vehicles travelling through Gorsley was incoming 117,746 and outgoing 118,323. Eighty-six percentage of incoming vehicles travelled at the 40mph limit or lower, with 91% of outgoing vehicles at the limit or below.
d) Shutton Crossroads: Nothing to report.
e) The PC noted the new HCC Public Realm Service, which began on 1 June 2026, and under which the county council resumes control of roads and highways, greenspaces and verges, street lighting, footpaths, and other services.
9) Public Rights of Way: There has been no interest in the Linton PFO vacancy. The Lengthsman has not yet begun the HCC-approved replacement of stiles with gates. The Clerk will request a date for when this work will begin and if necessary, look at other options.
10) Lengthsman:
a) Grass Lengthsman. A parish strimming round was conducted in late May. No issues to report.
b) Roads Lengthsman. The Clerk will continue to request a Lengthsman quote for renovating road signs in the parish.
c) Lengthsman Funding Scheme 2026/27. The PC’s Drainage Grant application is under review; both the Lengthsman’s Grant and the PROW Grant have been approved.
11) Allotments: The Clerk has advertised an upcoming plot vacancy.
12) Financial Matters:
a) Cllr Hoyle signed the Receipts & Payments report and reconciled bank statement for 31 May 2026. There was a bank balance of £30,482.94 with a cash balance after outstanding payments and unpresented receipts of £27,345.39.
b) It was RESOLVED to pay: Richard Hunt, Clerk fee & expenses (includes £104.99 for refund of annual Microsoft 365 subscription payment) £557.15; JACS Gateways Ltd, Bromsash village gateways and welcome signs £2,516.40; GP Property, allotments maintenance £99.00; Eyelid Productions, website support £100.00; Bernard Townson, internal AGAR audit £225.00; AGP Garden Services, parish strimming £208.00. Cllrs Hoyle and other councillors present signed the invoices.
c) The Chair signed the 2025/26 Annual Governance and Accountability Return Governance and Accounting Statements following approval by the PC.
13) Chairman’s & Councillors’ Submissions: Linton Festival was not granted charitable status by the Charities Commission, despite the organisers not paying any staff and donating all the profits which have exceeded £150,000 to date.
14) Date of next meeting: Monday 13 July 2026 in Gorsley Village Hall.
The meeting closed at 8:11pm.