Agenda – Almeley Parish Council – 17 September 2025
ALMELEY PARISH COUNCIL
To members of the Council:
You are summoned to a meeting of Almeley Parish Council to be held on Wednesday 17th September 2025 at 7 p.m. at Almeley Village Hall, Almeley, Herefordshire, to consider the business set out below.
Dr David Thame
Clerk to the Council
11th September 2025
AGENDA
2025/37. To Receive Apologies for Absence
2025/38. To Receive any Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations
2025/39. Minutes
To approve the Minutes of the the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 18th June2025 (copies previously circulated).
Almeley Parish Council – Minutes – 18 June 2025 – DRAFT
2025/40. Public Session
To receive report from Herefordshire Ward Councillor, Castle Ward, from the local police, and representations from the public on matters of parish concern.
2025/41. Planning Consultation – 252456 – The Ginger Bread House, Little Upcott, Almeley, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6PR
To consider a response to the planning consultation.
2025/42. Planning Consultation – 240419 – Camp Cottage, Camp Lane, Woonton, Hereford, Herefordshire HR3 6QN
To consider a response to the planning consultation.
2025/43. Lengthsman
To consider the work of the lengthsmen (DC Gardening Services and GWG Tree & Garden Services) and to agree future tasks, including a bid to the Local Drainage Fund. A schedule of works from DC Gardening Services is attached: the Clerk will report orally on other work.
Almeley Parish Council – Schedule of Works (April 2025-March 2026)
2025/44. Footpaths
To consider public rights of way, gates, stiles, bridges and access.
2025/45. Finance
To consider the Clerk’s Financial Report and cash book (report attached).
Financial Report – 17 September 2025
Almeley Parish Council – Cash Book 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 – 11 September 2025
To review banking arrangements and signatories.
To appoint a Councillor to complete the verification of accounts to 30th September 2025.
To appoint members to a Finance Working Group.
To consider tasking the Finance Working Group with preparing, in conjunction with the Clerk, a draft budget for consideration at the meeting on 19th November 2025; to consider a risk assessment and to consider the internal and external auditors’ reports.
To consider the following invoices to be paid, and to indicate approval two Councillors to initial
and date:
PV20 Almeley Village Hall (Makers markets,
July, August, September) £150.00
PV33 DC Gardening Services (July) £696.00
PV34 Autela Payroll Services £105.60
PV35 GWG Tree & Garden Care
(Lengthsman, Bell Orchard) £55.20
PV36 Almeley Village Hall
(room hire, 17th September 2025) £24.00
PV39 DC Gardening Services (August) £870.00
PV40 GWG Tree & Garden Care
(Lengthsman, drainage investigations) £124.20
PV41 Administrative expenses June-September £45.95
PV42 Clerk’s travel June-September £41.40
To confirm payment of the following invoices settled under Financial Regulations or existing delegated powers:
PV26 Clerk’s salary (Tax month 3) £453.94
PV27 HMRC (Tax month 3) £136.18
PV28 Herefordshire Council (License for
village hall solar panels) £750.00
PV29 Eyelid Productions (website) £100.00
PV31 Clerk’s salary (Tax month 4) £846.94
PV37 Clerk’s salary (Tax month 5) £567.54
2025/46. External Auditors Report
To consider the External Auditors report, if it has been received, and to consider payment of the External Auditors’ invoice.
2025/47. Training
To consider agreeing a programme of whole-council training.
2025/48. Solar Panels
The consider resolving, for the avoidance of doubt, that the solar panels installed on the Village Hall roof as the result of funding in 2024-25 was expenditure permitted by section 133 of the Local Government Act 1972, and that the panels are the property of the Trustees of the Village Hall.
Section 133 reads: “A parish or community council may acquire or provide and furnish buildings to be used for public meetings and assemblies or contribute towards the expenses incurred by any other parish or community council or any other person in acquiring or providing and furnishing such a building.”
2025/49. Community Plan
In view of the foregoing, to consider the Community Plan, particularly whether to fund further Makers Markets.
2025/50. Commons Management
To consider the management of common land.
2025/51. Speed Indicator Device
To consider locations for and management of speed indicator devices.
2025/52. Information Technology Policy
To consider the draft policy proposed by the Herefordshire Association of Local Councils. Audit regulations require clear IT policy in the coming financial year (copy attached)
Almeley PC – Information Technology Policy – DRAFT
2025/53 Grievance and Discipline Policies
To consider the draft grievance and discipline policies prepared by ACAS and the National Association of Local Councils (copies attached)
Almeley PC – Disciplinary-Policy –
2025/54. Risk Management Policy
To consider a review of the Risk Management Policy (copy attached)