Parish Council Draft Minutes July 2026

Draft MINUTES

Parish Council meeting on 6th July 2026 at 7:30 p.m. (Belstone Village Hall)

Councillors present: M Ash (Chair), P Cooper (VC), T Weaver, D Hosegood and J Stevens
Also present: – Jon Pike (Parish Clerk)

Apologies for absence 262720
Councillors Grubb & Booth

Disclosure of Interests 262721
None

Approval of last Minutes 18/5/26 Link and 29/6/26 Link 262722
Approved by the Council and signed by the Chair as a correct record

Public Participation 262723
None

Borough & County Reports if any 262724
None

Chairman’s announcements 262725
DNPA have given us a notice of intention to commence preparation for a new Local Plan. Such process will last for 30 months from October 2026. No action required for now other than to note the timeframe.

The Chair has also been contacted regarding the works currently being undertaken at Tenacity Cottage, Tongue End. It is possible that planning permission would be required for such works and as no notification has been received to date, the Parish Clerk is to contact the DNPA planning team for their advice.

Clerk’s announcements & correspondence 262726
Publication of a Councillors residential address is no longer a default position with an opt-in approach to now be adopted. Whilst all addresses have already been automatically removed from the Register of Interests, it was decided by those Councillors present to keep their addresses available to all via our Village website

Advice received that our Local Highways officer and key contact has moved onto another area with effect from 1/7/26. We thank him for his help and support to date and look forward to welcoming our new contact.

Planning Matters 262727
A. Applications – none
B. Decisions – Town Living 0041/25

We are advised that members voted to approve this application on 3/7 and await formal notification.

Highways 262728 – general update
We have received advice of a planned closure of Skaigh Lane between Skaigh Lodge to Ladywell between 16/9/26 and 29/9/26 due to scaffolding requirements. An alternative signed route for vehicles will be made available at the time.

Parking 262729 – general update

Concerns were raised that recent marketing material for a property for sale in the village mentioned that residential parking was available as a “key feature” of that individual property. It was agreed that this could be interpreted that the parking area in question (to the right-hand side of the main car park) was in some way attached or associated with the individual property, a position which is against the specific wishes of the landowner (and the PC) who recently gave permission for that area to be designated as general residents parking for all villagers. The property owners have been contacted to politely request that such wording is removed.

Finance 262730
o Balances (as at 22/6/26) – current £620.74 / savings £9,347.35 (paying 0.5% gross)
o Income – Interest £7.26
o Paid – DALC £115.32 / P Cooper £35.62 / Internal auditor £25 / Insurance £208.71/ Zoho £103.68 / Bank charges £8.50
o To be paid – Clerks wages Q1 £604.98

All positions noted and payments duly authorised

Village partners (Commoners / Village Hall) – updates if any 262731

The Parish Council wishes to thank the organisers of the Village Fair for the professional handling of all traffic and parking throughout this highly successful event.

Documentation review 262732
o Financial Regulations / Assets Register
Both updated documents were reviewed and agreed to be adopted.

Assets 262733 – Woodward seat / Damaged George V seat
A quote has now been obtained at £144 to replace the wooden slats on the George V seat that were damaged by a fallen limb in the relatively recent storms. We are grateful to the owners who took it upon themselves to repaint the undamaged metal end supports, but given the cost of actual repair now known, decision taken to approach the owners of the fallen limb with a view of payment / contribution towards the cost of actual repair which will need to include new bolts / screws and potential labour costs.

It was noted that our Noticeboard is coming the end of its life. Quotes to be obtained for a suitable robust replacement

Any items for next meeting 7th Sept 2026 262734
Councillor Grubb has been approached by a resident about designating Skaigh Lane as a “quiet lane”. To be raised under Highways at the next meeting.

The meeting finished at 8:15 pm The next meeting will be 7/9/26 at 7:30 pm