Withington Group Parish Council
Meeting Held on Wednesday 14th January 2026
At 7.30pm in Withington Village Hall
M I N U T E S
Present: In the Chair: Paul Andrews (PA); Howard Mansell (HM);Tom Nellist (TN), Kevin Powders (KP); Barclay Rogers (BR); Ingrid Heatly (IH) Hillary Holden (HH); Simon Dent (SD); Sue Rudd (SR); Bob Rudd (BR); Ralph Barber (RB); Steve Scotcher (SS); Judith Howe (JH);
Also: Sophie Glover (Clerk), 4 members of public (2 left after item 1), PC Stefan Hawes.
The Meeting opened at 7.30pm
- Public open session: 10 minutes was allowed from 7.30pm for members of the public to raise any issues that they would like the Parish Council to consider.
A member of the public from Westhide spoke about the planning permission the WGPC will discuss later. He felt that many of the questions raised by the PC had not been addressed. Primary concern was the dispersal of sewage – suggested dispersal is invalid as it wont work. He proposed that an independent party should be engaged to look at a better way forward. Ecological assessment should be carried out, no habitat assessment has been done as yet. Infrastructure issues are also key, with there being no water in the village over the Christmas break on two occasions.
A second parishioner raised the heritage issue which has not been addressed. Also, the right of access for the farmer to use the farm track has not been looked at.
A parishioner from St Peters Church in Withington spoke about an email that she had submitted for help towards the cost of cutting the grass in the Church yard. The Church commissioners will not contribute to the costs of this. She was asked if volunteers had been approached – the answer was not yet and that the church do not have a shed to store the mower.
- To accept Apologies for absence – Jonathan Beech (JB); Vicki Brown (VB):
- To receive Declaration of Interests. JH and SS declared an interest in churchyard maintenance. BR has put a quote in for fencing at Withington Field
- i.Acceptance of minutes of the:-
Nov 2025 WGPC meeting minutes.
Proposed: JH Seconded: KP
They were duly accepted as a true record of the meeting.
ii.Action Points from previous meetings – if not on the agenda.
- Co-option of new Councillor
- Discussion on highways team meeting and finishing off existing jobs – they have not responded to our messages.
- Discussion on the idea of holding a fete in Withington – to be moved to a future meeting.
- Open discussion/public forum
5.1 Report from Ward Councillor – Cllr Ivan Powell including responses to his action points:- he was not in attendance and had not supplied a report.
Sonas House – update not supplied.
Parking at Springfields – No update supplied.
Items raised for the ward councillors attention: Traffic calming at the school: Very slow progress and is there any S106 money left to go towards these works?
20mph zones are not enforceable, the need for these are noted.
PCC grants for another SID are currently shut, but IP said that he has another route to chase for financial support in this area – any progress on this?
Traffic restrictions at Radway Bridge: this is still under consultation with Herefordshire Council. Putting the height restrictions on the bridge in both metric and imperial has been a request for over a year.
Footpath at Preston Wynne to access the church – still being obstructed by land owner.
5.2 Report from local police – update regularly through Neighbourhood Matters emails and report has been circulated electronically this month. PC Stefan Hawes was in attendance. There have been no burglaries in the parishes over the last month. There have been a few road collisions and some sheep/horses on the road. Several reports of dogs being dangerously out of control have been visited. He was fully behind the PC’s Community Speedwatch idea, and he will suggest that the trainer for that will come to the next PC meeting.
He was asked about poaching in the parishes, and there has been one incident of this over the last weeks.
The officer was informed that there have been fires set in the coppice on a couple of occasions that the litter picker has taken apart.
Officer was asked if some one is putting down rat poison, are they legally meant to inform neighbours – answer is no, but it would be neighbourly to do so.
Officer was asked if cars parked on the pavement was an actual offence – the answer appears to be, not yet, unless they are blocking a driveway or the highway, but rules are potentially changing.
He said that the police do still have traffic monitoring on the A4103.He will copy the clerk into the data collected once he has it.
5.3 Balfour Beatty – Information sheets come out weekly and cllrs can comment on them. The meeting was informed that Balfour Beatty were being replaced by M people in April. Current BB staff should be retained .
6 Planning: To consider comments on applications to be determined by Herefordshire Council as listed below or on the Herefordshire Council Planning website prior to the meeting:-
6.1 Planning Applications:
243165 – Land and farm buildings at Townsend Farm, Westhide.
JH commented that the newly submitted application has addressed some of the issues that the PC raised. But not all.
PC’s comment: We can not comment until we receive a new response to Hydro Geo’s letter. Westhide Cllrs were very disappointed that the ward cllr was not in attendance at tonights meeting for his assistance in this matter.
Clerk to talk with Westhide Councillors to get their final comments for submission in objection to this application.
6.2 Planning decisions made
None at this time
- Financial:
a.Balances
Parish Account @ 31.12.25: £38,027.24
WF Acct @ 02.01.26: £ 1,965.17
CCLA savings account 31.12.25: £ 15,981.72 Total: £ 55,974.13
b.To approve payments
Cheques to be paid
Parish Acct:- To be paid Totals
Clerks Salary Jan £ 876.66
Clerks Expenses Jan £ 59.49 £936.15
HMRC PAYE Jan £ 85.99
Bank Charges Dec £ 4.25
T Griffiths Invoice TGC3633 Bins Acct £ 112.66
WVH meeting room (Oct) £ 10.00
WVH meeting room (Jan) £ 20.00 £ 30.00 £1,169.05
Internal Transfer: Movement from CCLA to WF acct to contribute to WF pitch improvements – to be done when Wessington Juniors are ready to do the work to the pitch. £416.38
Withington Field Acct:- To be paid Totals
J Smith litter picker expenses
Pd by standing order Dec £108.00
Pd by standing order Jan £108.00
Bank fees (Pd by S/o) Jan £4.25
Hereford Council bins Jan to March £ 197.60
Peake Electrical services (Muga timer) £ 106.76
Barclay Rogers – Hedge cutting on Withies Rd £ 195.00
Terry Griffiths inv 3632 H&S inspection £ 48.00
Be Secure – CCTV upgrade (to be paid when £2,028.00
Work done)
£2,579.61
Total cheques: £3,748.66
It was moved that all cheques should be paid.
Proposed: HH Seconded: TN All cllrs were in favour of making the payments.
IH PA will sign off payments tomorrow.
c.Receipts:
Interest on savings acct £ 107.26
National Lottery Grant £ 20,000
Wessington Juniors (Sept & Oct) £ 83.32
Wessington Juniors – Muga electricity £ 97.60 £20,288.18
d.Application for Financial Aid: Church grass cutting – to be discussed.
e. Discussion and resolution on the setting of the precept for 2026 -27
The finance group had looked at projects that the WGPC wanted to undertake next year, having analysed the figures they:
Proposed budget for 2026-27 Precept for last year was £38,000 proposal is for an increase of 10% taking it to £41,800
NDP had had a 0 cost in the finances put forward, but the thought is that the PC will need to start to address this in the coming financial year. It was moved to add £2,500 to the budget line for this.
The school ramp – pc fully supports the school, offer help with National lottery grant application, but at this time no funds available to put to this project. Advised that they should get at least outline planning before applying for grants.
Accessible for all play items. £20k from the lottery, £4k from PA and an application in for another grant.
Church grass cutting for all 3 churches in the Parishes all of whom have asked for assistance. Proposed: £400 for Westhide £300 for Preston Wynne and £1,200 for Withington
Proposed: SD Seconded: BR
Having gone through the items above, the chair moved that the precept should be increased by 10%
Proposed: Chair Seconded: HM
All cllrs were in favour
Action: Clerk to submit precept request to Herefordshire Council.
- Withington Fields – update on the football field and the copse.
Action: clerk was authorised to get signs done for the copse and to engage the tree surgeon to write a report.
- Working Parties a) on A4103/A465
The Chair and Vikki are this working group, they had nothing further to report.
b) School access working group – Update regarding the ramp for assisted school access, additional SID, speedwatch etc. Nothing further has happened here. There was an issue with the tendering process so the work has not progressed at all.
Action: Clerk to tell HM who to write to about this
c) traffic calming in Withington – speed and vehicle movement request for Withies Rd,
White lines still have not been finished, it is another area that we have not been getting any responses from.
d) Withington Field working group –. To include discussion / update on the play area improvements with items that are accessible to all children. Also, update on the S106 input to the toilets and changing rooms. This group is to meet in the coming weeks to identify which items to buy and to move forward with this project.
e) NDP: update on current status of the WGPC NDP. We still await the updated housing figures for Herefordshire.
Action: Clerk to ask local plan team what the figures are.
- Lengthsman Scheme – notification of jobs for the lengthsman..
- Foot paths officers reports and identification of work to be done
PW: No problem
WH: No problems
W’ton: Stiles are bought and paid for, and are now available. Lengthman to liaise with KP
- Items raised from last meeting:
Work on Withies Rd and finishing white lines.
- Comments on any correspondence received or emails circulated: Working party looking at positive stories for the WGPC. HM wanted to be involved.
Path off veldo Lane – pass to locality steward.
- SID: update and feed back from the last couple of months.
KP told the meeting that we have been collecting data since 2024. Todays report covers the last couple of months. Average speeds going east was 39.5 and west is 35.5mph.
Request for lengthsman to turn the camera every 2 months regularly so we have consistent figures. Matt to inform us when this has been done each time.
- Feedback on training or meetings attended. NA
- Items for Face book site and/or social media for WGPC. Poaching warning, please call the police if seen. Community speedwatch (PA, VB and perhaps some parents from the school). Prepare an item for Withington news, on what the precept does for the parishes.
- Receive items for the next agenda – (no discussion) Parish Charter. Flood plan.
18 . Agree time, date and venue of next meeting. 11th March 2026 at Withington Village Hall at 7.30pm
The meeting closed at 9.30 pm
Signed: _________________________ Date: _________________
Dates for 2026 meetings: