BRETBY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE ORDINARY PARISH MEETING HELD TUESDAY 8th JULY AT 7:15 pm
AT ST WYSTANS CHURCH, BRETBY
Present: Cllr Toone (Chairman), Cllr Falder, Cllr Meyrick, Cllr Ballington, Cllr Corner
In Attendance: Mrs J Storer – Clerk, Cllr Benfield (from 7:24pm to 8:39pm), Cllr Lowe (to 8:39pm), 9 members of the public, Carolyn Renwick – Community Engagement Officer for Connect Fibre.
Carolyn Renwick informed the meeting, Connect Fibre has been awarded the Government contract to deliver full fibre to rural areas in parts of South Derbyshire and NE Staffordshire. Connect Fibre will install the infrastructure using Open Reach infrastructure. Work will start in the next few weeks to put full fibre from the cabinet to premises, with ambition for the works to be completed by the autumn.
Connect Fibre is told by Government as to the eligible properties to receive the upgrade and all eligible properties will receive a letter this week informing when work will commence.
Questions were raised and answered about specific locations.
Connect Fibre will make some contributions towards community engagement and the parish council was urged to consider projects for which funding can be sought.
25/1166 Apologies
Apologies were noted from Cllr Haines (personal). As a quorum was established, the Chair commenced the meeting.
25/1167 Variation of Order of Business
There was no alteration to the variation of the order of business.
25/1168 Declaration of Interests:
Cllrs considered their obligations relating to declaration of interests, no declarations were received.
25/1169 Public Speaking
- Members of the Public and Council to comment on any matter
Mrs Gordan reported nothing has happened about the build up of soil along the footway at Ashby Road East – Cllr Lowe agreed to take the matter forward.
She also raised the continuing appalling state of road signage along the A511, all the signage is damaged between the Stanhope and The Chesterfield – Cllr Benfield agreed to take the matter forward.
Mrs Norton reported she has received confirmation of the SNT grant for the speed watch equipment. Mrs Norton confirmed there are 10 volunteers to participate in the scheme along Bretby Lane and training will take place soon.
It was agreed, for the purposes of continuity, that the grant will come to the parish council and for the parish council to purchase the equipment.
Residents at Blue Cedars, Ashby Road East attended the meeting to voice concerns about what they consider to be breaches of planning conditions and lack of enforcement of planning rules at 2 Ashby Road East. They expressed frustrations about the service received from SDDC and provided specific examples of alleged breaches, plus numerous examples of the lack of engagement by SDDC. The Chair explained the parish council has also made complaints to SDDC and received unsatisfactory responses. It was agreed whilst the parish council has no power relating to planning matters, representations will be made to SDDC both about the lack of enforcement and the general lack of interest/engagement/ communication by SDDC.
A resident reported lorries are reversing out of Bretby Nurseries onto Knights Lane; this appears to be happening following the alterations at the site resulting in a lack of turning space within the nurseries site itself. Lorries are also reported to wait on Mount Road until the nurseries open. Representations are to be made to the nurseries. Cllr Benfield will also raise this with the Highways Dept.
The solar farm planning appeal has been lodged, but the details are not yet on the Planning Inspectorate website – the Planning Inspector is to make a decision about the type of appeal before any information is posted on the Inspectorate’s website.
There is no update on the Knights Lodges leisure centre planning appeal – Cllr Lowe will follow this up.
- County Council and District Council members to raise any relevant matter
Cllr Benfield reported on the temporary closure of public footpaths 14, 16 and 74 between 21st and 25th July for telecoms work
A full County Council meeting will take place tomorrow to discuss proposals for the Local Government reorganisation
The new SDDC Chair is Cllr Angela Archer.
SDDC has secured £120,000 of funding from Rural England Prosperity Fund.
Further concerns were raised about the National Grid’s proposals for the upgrade of pylons; both Cllr Benfield and Cllr Lowe expressed the view, the pylons are likely to be installed as part of the Chesterfield/Willington pylon upgrade.
8:39pm Cllrs Benfield and Lowes and all members of the public left the meeting.
c) Parish Council Members declaring an interest other than Disclosable Pecuniary Interest wishing to make representation
None were raised.
25/1170 To approve the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on 6th May 2025
These were circulated, read, approved and signed as a correct record by Cllr Toone.
25/1171 To approve the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held on 6th May 2025
These were circulated, read, approved and signed as a correct record by Cllr Toone.
25/1172 To approve the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish held on 6th May 2025
These were circulated, read, approved and signed as a correct record by Cllr Toone.
25/1173 To determine which items if any, should be taken with the public excluded.
No items were deemed necessary to be taken with the public excluded other than that listed on the agenda.
25/1174 To receive the Chairman’s Announcements
The Chairman’s comments had been discussed earlier in the meeting.
25/1175 To receive the Report of the Clerk
This had previously been circulated, and no matters were raised.
25/1176 Governance
a) Risk Register update
There are no recommended changes to the risk register.
b) General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
No changes are recommended and there are no reports of any breaches.
c) Parish Council elections, vacancies and co-options
There are two vacancies on the parish council and no expressions of interest have been received. An appeal was made in the parish magazine but no responses have been received.
25/1177 Drainage, flooding and highway issues
No further matters were reported.
1. DALC – Various circulars and information
2. Samantha Niblett MP – seeking to hold quarterly meetings with parish council.
3. SDDC – Parklife event 2025
4. SDDC – information about the transfer of gully cleansing back to DCC
5. Samantha Niblett MP – information about funding for NDPs
6. South Derbyshire Local Area Energy Plan Stakeholder Introductory
All Cllrs have been circulated with the information prior to the meeting.
25/1179 Finance
- Accounts passed for payment
| BACS | Staffing – June | £163.98 |
| BACS | HMRC – Staffing NI and PAYE (June) | £44.00 |
| BACS | DCC – Pension contribution (June) | £57.89 |
| Charges | Service charges | £4.25 |
| BACS | Staffing – July | £163.98 |
| BACS | HMRC – Staffing NI and PAYE (July) | £44.00 |
| BACS | DCC – Pension contribution (July) | £57.89 |
For approval
| Mrs J Storer | Expenses | £16.90 |
Money Received
| Deposit interest | May 2025 | £2.11 |
| Deposit interest | June 2025 | £2.06 |
| SDDC | Second half of precept for 25/26 | £2807.00** |
| SDDC | Second half of precept for 25/26 – difference | £268.00 |
** – this is an error and underpayment by SDDC of £268.00. This amount is for 24/25. The Clerk has raised this with SDDC.
Balance at bank @ 30.06.25
Deposit account £3089.98
Current account £5956.81
b) Requests for funding via S137
No requests for funding have been received.
(c) To receive the actual to budget report for the period ending 30th June 2025
RESOLVED to accept the actual to budget report for the period ending 30.06.25. No matters were raised.
(d) Change of bank accounts from Lloyds to Unity Trust
The Clerk has all the details from members and will complete the new bank mandate.
(e) To receive the report from the external auditor
Nothing has been received from the external auditor.
25/1180 To consider Planning Applications
DMPA/2025/0505: The variation of conditions no. 2 (approved plans), 3 (approved materials) and 5 (window serving the south east elevation) of permission ref. DMPA/2022/0683 for the erection of a detached dwelling at 2 Ashby Road East, Bretby, Burton On Trent, DE15 0PT (29/5/25)
RESOLVED No comments as deadline passed
DMPA/2025/0560: Change of Use of Dwelling (Use Class C3) to Children’s Care Home (Use Class C2) at 3 Stanhope Glade, Bretby, Burton On Trent, DE15 0QT (10/6/25)
RESOLVED No comments as deadline passed
DMOT/2025/0589:The pruning of three Hornbeam trees and the felling of a Sycamore, Lawson’s Cypress, Cypress and a Sawara Cypress tree at St Wystan’s Church, The Green, Bretby, Burton On Trent, DE15 0RA (14/06/25)
RESOLVED No comments as deadline passed.
25/1181 Consultations
SDDC – The ‘One Derbyshire, Two Councils’ consultation – deadline Sunday 10 August 2025. – Cllrs are to make their own observations
SDDC – Draft Green Spaces Strategy – This arrived on the day of the meeting, Cllrs are to consider the strategy and to make representations.
25/1182 Items for information only
(a) To receive reports from Meetings attended
10th June 2025 – online meeting with Samantha Nibblett MP – Cllrs Meyrick and Corner and the Clerk attended the meeting. There were varying opinions about the value of the meeting, but it was considered beneficial to attend the next meeting.
(b) Notification of Forthcoming meeting
Local Authority Energy Plan – 31st July 2025
(c) Training Sessions – All Cllrs have been provided with the training information via the DALC circulars.
Cllrs are still to complete the training relating to prevention of harassment.
25/1183 Date of next meeting
The next Ordinary parish council meeting will be held on MONDAY 8th September 2025 at 7.30pm at St Wystan’s Church, Bretby.
There being no further business, the Chairman thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8:54 pm.