The Chairman, Cllr Philip Davis welcomed everyone present to the meeting.
2. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 24th April 2017 were a true and accurate record.
3. PRESENTATION – CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
The Chairman was delighted to announce that Mr and Mrs O’Leary and Ann Sadler were joint Citizens of the Year in recognition of their many voluntary contributions to the community. They were presented with a PPC ‘Coat of Arms’ plaque and a small cash award
4. CHAIRMANS ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18
This is my second year as Chairman and I am pleased to report the highlights of the past year.
The total expenditure for the year ending 31st March 2018 was £260,994.08
Income & Expenditure 2017/2018
The Parish Precept remained the same as 2016/17 at £190,000, this equated to a 0.80% (45p) annual decrease for a ‘Band D’ property. The Parish Council also generated £79,000 of additional income mainly through Civic Centre bookings.
Some of the expenditure incurred during the last 12 months is as follows:
£2,352 Subway Graffiti
£1,856 Defibrillator installation
£1,785 Refurbishment of hall floor in civic centre
£4,244 Perton Pavilion refurbishment for youth club
£900 Building revaluation
£363 Speed gun purchase
£210 Flowering bulbs for planting on the island
£760 Internal & External Audit
£9,800 Civic Centre Gas and Electricity
£13,397 Civic Centre Rates
The following grants were made to local community groups:
£500 Friends of Perton Middle School
£4,000 Perton Playing Fields Association
£500 Perton Day Care Centre
£700 Perton indoor Carpet Bowls
£400 Perton War Hammer
£456 Perton Library Code club
£120 Wild About Perton
The Civic Centre
Over the last twelve months Perton Civic Centre has been busy with a range of regular activities including Nursery provision, fitness classes, Karate, slimming clubs, Village events and a Pantomime Production. A number of private functions were also held at the centre. Various charities and local non profit groups receive ‘Concessionary’ room hire rates which are subsidised by the Parish Council.
Ongoing building maintenance continues to be both reactive and proactive with breakdowns and repairs, and the constant need for refurbishment always on the agenda. The building was re-valued for insurance purposes during 2017 and the new value is reflected in the Insurance Policy at an annual cost of £4,836.
Playground , multi-use Games Area & Outdoor Gym
Our children’s playground and the Multi-Use Games Area were again very well utilised over the last twelve months. Considerable amounts of maintenance were required to the safety surface during the year but generally these facilities are popular and widely used. The ongoing issue in all three areas is the constant littering despite a very large number of litter bins being in-place, and occasionally some petty vandalism.
A consultation for the installation of a Skate park was undertaken by the Parish Council which is in the process of researching alternative designs and costs before exploring for funding opportunities.
Community Speed Watch
Community Speed watch has not been as active this year as there are currently only 4 volunteers trained in the use of the equipment. New volunteers are always welcome as speeding issues are a particular concern in the village.
Communication
The Notice Boards, Parish website and Facebook page remain the main source of information for parishioners. Our new look website now supports mobile devices. Free monthly updates are also given to the local advertising magazines which are delivered free to all homes in the village.
The notice boards at Trescott and Kingswood have both been refurbished.
Entertainment
We have screened six ‘films in the last year at a total cost of £1500 and attendance remains steady with approximately 80 per film. Films screened over the last twelve months include ‘Lion, ‘Victoria and Abdul’ and most recently ‘Wonder’
Perton Parish Council Management Committee also organised two events; a screening of Despicable Me 3 and a Robbie Williams Tribute evening held in November. Unfortunately these were not as well supported as hoped but those that attended really enjoyed the occasion.
Young People’s Activities
We again supported the ‘Sussed’ activities programme operated by South Staffordshire Council at a total cost of £960.00. The various sports and dance sessions were delivered at Perton for local children for a nominal charge of £2 per session.
A ring fenced grant of £13,000 was received from Staffordshire County Council to help form a new volunteer led youth club. Due to several issues beyond our control the youth club was unable to open as quickly as was hoped.
Future Housing
The South Staffordshire Site Allocations Document has been submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. If approved the District Council will adopt the document and the site near to Perton Golf Club will become the preferred option. A public consultation event hosted by Land Fund was held at Perton Civic Centre on 28th March to allow residents the opportunity to view the proposals for the new development before any planning applications are submitted.
Christmas Decorations
The Parish Council again approved the installation of ten ‘solar-powered’ Christmas trees around Anders Square. These trees are provided on a 3 year fixed price rental contract at an annual cost of £1,900 which included delivery, installation, takedown and collection. A Christmas tree was also installed and lit on the roof of the Civic Centre which was kindly sponsored by Virgin.
The Parish Council also provided support to the independent ‘Christmas Lights’ committee who organise the Christmas Fair and are continually looking to improve the festive lighting around the village centre.
Spring & Summer Planting
The Parish Council provided eight multi-tier planters containing an array of mixed coloured flowers to brighten up Anders Square for 3 months during the summer. The total annual cost is £2,960 which includes full maintenance and watering.
In conclusion I would like to thank all my fellow Councillors and the Civic Centre staff for their continued support and involvement during the past year.
I would also like to give a special thank you to the many volunteers who give up their time making Perton a better place to live for us all, whether it is weeding the traffic islands, planting spring bulbs or litter picking.
5. RESIDENTS QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARISING FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
Members of the public present raised no questions.
6. DATE OF NEXT ANNUAL PARISH MEETING – MONDAY 29TH APRIL 2019
The Information was noted.
7. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS
The Chairman invited all present to join him in the Airmans lounge for light refreshments.
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