Minutes for Cropthorne Parish Council annual meeting held on Tuesday 6th May 2025
Present: Cllr W Clive, Cllr Hall, Cllr Styan, Chairman Cllr B Annis, Cllr Smythe, Cllr J. King.
District Cllr A. Crump, Clerk : Richard Timney
The first item of business was the election of Chair of the Council (B Annis) and Vice Chair (S. Smythe) who signed the acceptance of role documents before the full agenda commenced.
- APOLOGIES: County Cllr Emma Kearsey
- DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: CllrSmythe on planning item (d) and Cllrs Hall and Cllr King on Village Hall matters.
- APPROVAL OF MINUTES from meeting Mon 10th March 2025
Proposed Cllr Hall, Seconded Cllr Clive. Approved
4. PLANNING:
- 25/00444 Additional 182 caravans – Little Comberton. To submit comments on the proposal in line with Great Comberton PC comments and concerns about the capacity of local sewer services, traffic on the B40484 and the scale of the development.
- W/25/00825/FUL Clives Of Cropthorne, The Heath, Main Road, Cropthorne, WR10 3NE – improvement to access to the main road. Resolved tosupport the proposal.
- W/25/00775/PIP Land At (Os 0029 4524), Church Leys, Cropthorne, PIP for 4 dwellings. Resolved to object on the grounds of location, traffic, distance from services and the closing of the gap between villages of Cropthorne and Charlton.
- W/25/00889/GPDQ Corehill Farm, Blacksmiths Lane, WR10 3LX, change of use from agricultural to residential use. To ask that construction traffic be considerately managed.
5. HIGHWAY MATTERS (TO INCLUDE FLOODING)
a) Double-blind bend in Neigh Lane – resident proposal to lower a bund to improve visibility. Cllrs noted that the new VAS site on Main Street may slow cars on this bend and that they will raise the possibility of on road marking to slow traffic when the County Council highways department next visit. However, Cllrs did not think that making the corner easier to drive would help with reducing speed.
b) Request for potential for signage to Orchard Blossom at the bottom of Blacksmiths Lane. Illustrated proposal to be sought for further consideration.
c) Cllr Styanreported that her water testing had identified a potential leak of sewage into land drains near the Elmley Brook. She has reported the matter to the Environment Agency. Cllr Styan further reported that a drain had blocked twice in 8 months near the New Inn and she had reported this to Severn Trent for action.
6. PROGRESS REPORTS / UPDATES
a) Clerk’s report – no additional items to report.
b) Lengthsman – end of financial year spend completed and budget used up.
2023/43
7. FINANCE
a) Income and expenditure 10th March 2025 to 6th May 2025
Expenditure
| Date | To Whom | For what | Amount |
| 18/3/2025 | Lloyds | Savings charge | 4.25 |
| 24/3/2025 | HMRC | PAYE | 168.60 |
| 24/3/2025 | RT | Clerk annual expenses | 192.00 |
| 24/3/2025 | PATA | Payroll service | 6.30 |
| 24/3/2025 | SB services | LM | 176.40 |
| 28/3/2025 | RT | Clerk salary plus backpay | 518.44 |
| 15/4/2025 | Lloyds | Savings charge | 4.25 |
| 28/4/2025 | RT | Clerk pay plus over pay | 518.44 |
| 28/4/2025 | SB services | LM | 176.40 |
| 28/4/2025 | Coppice creations | VH benches | 1340.00 |
| 02/5/2025 | Cropthorne First School | VE Day donation | 250.00 |
Income
| Date | From | For what | Amount |
| 17/3/2025 | WDC | VE day donation | 250.00 |
| 9/3/2025 | Lloyds | Interest | 4.23 |
| 18/3/2025 | WCC | LM Feb | 176.40 |
| 20/3/2025 | WDC | S106 bench money | 1216.67 |
| 28/4/2025 | WDC | Precept ½ payment | 4991.00 |
| 28/4/2025 | RT | Backpay over pay | 191.24 |
Bank balances on 6 May 2025
Instant access savings £ 5,146.88
Treasurers Account £ 21,017.03
Total £ 26,163.91 Approved
b) Insurance cover for 2025 – 26 with CLEAR Council insurance at £451.17 Approved
c) Membership payment for CALC and NALC support at £515.60 Approved
d) Asset register for 2025 – 26 – with addition of 1 more notice board. Approved
e) PC financial risk assessment and to secure extra cllr access to accounts. Approved
f) Draft annual accounts 2024/25 Approved
g) Payment of clerk’s salary by standing order at rate set out at NALC scale point 13 and net of appropriate tax. Approved
h) Donation to South Worcestershire CAB. £100 Approved
i)) To approve Duffy Regan as internal auditors for accounts 2024/25 Approved
j) £250 VE Day Celebrations grant to Cropthorne First School. Noted
8. VILLAGE HALL – Cllr Hall reported that the hall is in good shape, that the Sheppey is due for significant maintenance works and that the play areas have passed their annual safety inspections. 2 new benches are expected to be installed in the next month thanks to funding from Section 106 monies from the Parish Council.
9. ITEMS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION / AGENDAS
a) Ask the police to attend to talk through local car thefts and parking at junctions in the village.
b) New bins funding and design from Cllr Crump.
10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Monday 9th June 2025 – reduced agenda for financial approvals.
Monday 7th July 2025 – normal Parish Council meeting.
Meeting closed at 20.43.