COUNCILLORS ARE SUMMONED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL TO BE HELD AT ASHPERTON VILLAGE HALL ON THURSDAY 28TH MAY 2026 AT 7.30PM
Agenda
1. To Elect the Chairman of the Parish Council and to Sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office
2. To Elect the Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council and to Sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office
3. To Accept any Apologies for Absence and Note the Reason
4. To Record any Declarations of Interest and Consider any Requests for Dispensations
5. Councillor Vacancies – To Note Councillor Vacancy and Consider any Nominations for Co-option
6. To Consider Approval of Minutes of Parish Council meeting held 26th March 2026
7. To Receive a Brief Report from Three Crosses Ward Councillor Jonathan Lester
8. Public Participation Session for Local Residents to raise matters relevant to the Parish Council (Please note: Decisions cannot be made on items not on the agenda) This item to be limited at the discretion of the chairman
9. To Review and Adopt the following Policies for Ashperton Parish Council
i. Standing Orders ii. Code of Conduct iii Financial Regulations iv. Donations/Grants Policy v. Assets Register vi. Risk Assessment Schedule vii. Risk Management Policy viii. Scheme of Delegation to Parish Clerk ix. Co-option Policy x. Complaints Policy xi. Training & Development Policy xii. IT Policy xiii. Media Policy xiv. Social Media Policy xv. Communications Policy xvi. Equal Opportunities Policy xvii Bullying & Harassment Policy xviii Health & Safety Policy xix Unacceptable Behaviour Policy xx. Freedom of Information Requests xxi. Discipline & Grievance Policy xxii. Policy for Planning Applications received between meetings xxiii. GDPR Data Protection Policy xxiv. GDPR Privacy Policy xxv. GDPR Privacy Notices xxvi. GDPR Data Subject Access Policy xxvii. GDPR Consent Form
10. Appointments:
a) To Appoint HALC Eastern Area Representative
b) To Appoint GDPR Data Protection Officer (DPO)
c) To Appoint Website Manager
d) To Appoint Internal Auditor
e) To Appoint PROW Officer
f) To Appoint Mowing Contractor
g) To Appoint Ashperton Social Group Correspondent
h) To Appoint two members to Ashperton Consolidated Charities
11. Finance:
a) To Consider and Confirm Compliance with the Requirements under Assertion 10 – Audit 2025-26
i. To Confirm the PC holds an IT Policy
ii. To Confirm the PC has and uses a Generic Email Account Hosted on an Authority Owned Domain
iii. To Confirm that the PC meets legal requirements for its .gov website
iv. To Confirm that the PC has an Accessibility Statement on the Website and to Confirm this has been reviewed
v. To Confirm that the Website includes published documentation as specified in the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities and the Freedom of Information Act 2000
vi. To Confirm that the PC has a Data Protection Policy which is reviewed annually and adheres to the principles therein
b) To Receive 2025/26 End of Year Accounts
c) To Consider Internal Auditors Report
d) To Approve the Annual Governance Statement for the External Auditor
e) To Approve the Annual Accounting Statements for the External Auditor
f) To Consider Completing the Certificate of Exemption for External Audit of End of Year Accounts
g) To Note Finance Report and Bank Balances
h) To Consider Payments of Outstanding Accounts
000611: Autela Payroll Services – Payroll Dec 2025/March 2026 – £105.60
000612: J Chester, clerk salary March-April as agreed plus expenses
000613: SLCC – Annual Membership – £68.01
D/Debit: Lloyds Bank Monthly Fee – £5.75
HMRC – PAYE 1/4ly – £138.67
12. Planning: NB: no paper copies of applications are available to view at the meeting unless specified
a) To Consider Planning Applications referred for comment: (to be viewed online prior to the meeting)
b) To Note Details of Decision Notices Received from Hereford Council: as per planning record
c) To Consider Letter of Complaint regarding Herefordshire Council actions on Ashperton NDP
13. Highways/Footpaths:
a) To Note any new Highway and Footpath Defects
14. Governance
15. Information Section / Correspondence / Discussion:
a) To Review Information and Outstanding Actions
16. Reports:
a) To receive any reports from meetings attended
17. Training: To note any forthcoming training dates
18. To Raise Items for next scheduled Parish Council Meeting (no discussion)
19. To Decide Dates and Time and Place of Ordinary Meetings for the ensuing year
2026 – Thursday 30th July, Thursday 24th September, Thursday 26th November
2027 – Thursday 28th January, Thursday 25th March, Thursday 27th May
Signed: JLChester (Clerk to the Parish Council) Dated: 19th May 2026
The press and public are cordially invited to attend the meeting
Information Sheet
DATES OF SCHEDULED MEETINGS – (all held at Ashperton Village Hall at 7.30pm unless advised otherwise)
2026 – Thursday 30th July, Thursday 24th September, Thursday 26th November
2027 – Thursday 28th January, Thursday 25th March, Thursday 27th May
PARISH CLERK UPDATE
End of Year Accounts Prepared and Internal Audit carried out
Work on Assertion 10 Requirements Completed
Road defects reported to Locality Steward / Herefordshire Council via website
Website updated
Policies reviewed and updated where necessary
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
Balfour Beatty – Locality briefings *
Balfour Beatty – Herefordshire Road Closure Notices *
Herefordshire Rural Hub – newsletters *
Herefordshire Council – Talk Community updates *
Herefordshire Council – Leaders Newsletter *
HALC – Information Corner & Training Diary *
West Mercia Police – Newsletter *
* Circulated to Cllrs.
OUTSTANDING ACTIONS – These are the consolidated actions outstanding after the last meeting:-
Meeting Minute Action Status Comments
Sept 2021 10c All ongoing Carry out weekly checks on defibrillator status (Pads expiry date
03/2027
May 2024 14b NB ongoing Download and analyse SID data and circulate monthly report
Sept 2025 10a clerk ongoing Investigate proper repair of milestone
Sept 2025 10a clerk ongoing Arrange roads and pavements to be swept and road drains cleared
after autumn leave drop
Sept 2025 10b NB ongoing Arrange to use PC laptop to download SID data
Jan 2026 AD ongoing Fix Woodsend Noticeboard not closing
Jan 2026 8b clerk ongoing Contact landowner about stiles, gates and gateposts needing fixing.AP29
gatepost, Gates between the Croft and cricket pitch and stile by Tunnel Cottage
PLANNING RECORD
P222728/N Whitwick Manor Lower Eggleton Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 2UE The erection of and the construction of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant with associated facilities, including feedstock storage clamps; tanks; lagoons and wetland filtration system; and connection to the national gas grid, together with the installation of photovoltaic panels on buildings, a grain store and dryer and the construction of anew vehicular access to the A417. PC Comment: The Parish Council object on traffic impact on the village grounds HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION REFUSED 5.12.25
P250412/F The Old Bake House, Ashperton HR8 2SA Proposed residential development of 4 new dwellings and associated works. PC Comment: Cllr Hammond tabled a suggested draft of an objection taking into account all of the relevant points raised at the public meeting on Thursday 8 May 2025. There followed detailed discussion on the draft, taking each objection in turn. Councillors Stevens and Brooking raised a number of queries and proposals for minor amendments. The Councillors present unanimously approved that the draft be amended as agreed and submitted to Herefordshire Council as the official response to the consultation. See appendix 1 attached to May 16th minutes for full details
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION
191013 Planning re-consultation – Land to the North of Ashperton Village Hall. Application for approval of reserved matters following Outline 152041 (Proposed residential development of 10 dwellings (amendment to original application)) for the approval of Appearance, Landscaping and Scale.
Cllr Hammond explained that Herefordshire Council had accepted that the reserved matters application as originally submitted could not be determined as it was at variance with the Planning Practice Guidance. However, the guidance does provide for the applicant to propose additional or amended drawings which can be accepted at the Council’s discretion. The applicant had proposed amended drawings ‘to deal with procedural problems’ and the Council had accepted them, deciding that additional consultation was required.
Cllr Hammond then explained why he was convinced that, notwithstanding the revised details, the reserved matters application cannot be determined. He tabled a draft response to the case officer explaining why, point by point, the revised application conflicted with the requirements of Planning Practice Guidance and cannot be determined. Councillors present unanimously agreed that the response should be sent to the case officer. It was also noted that Councillor Hammond will send the same information to Ward Councillor Lester in his own name.
PC Comment: Cllr Hammond then tabled a draft response on the appearance and scale proposals, also repeating why the appearance is not a reserved matter nor is drainage. The draft response merely repeated concerns and objections previously raised by the Parish Council and others. It was agreed by councillors present that the response should be submitted to Herefordshire Council. See appendix 2 of May 16th Minutes for details
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION: Refused 3.9.25
191013 Land to the North of Ashperton Village Hall – APPEAL – Application for approval of reserved matters following outline 152041 (Proposed residential development of 10 dwellings (amendment to the original application) for the approval of Appearance, Landscaping and scale.
P C Comment: A draft letter was discussed and approved subject to a few minor amendments. The clerk will send this to the planning inspector.
APPEAL DECISION
253489/P253517/BGP Barn at The Moorend Ashperton Herefordshire , Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 3, 4 & BNG of planning permission 242723 – BGP in application 253517,
P C Comment: ADVICE ONLY The Parish Council not asked for comments
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION
Land adjacent The Ryders Church Lane Ashperton Herefordshire , Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 & 15 attached to planning permission 200614.
P C Comment: ADVICE ONLY The Parish Council not asked for comments
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION GRANTED 23.2.26
253136 Hopton Arms Inn (Former) Ashperton, HR8 2SE – Change of Use and Conversion to 3 apartments (Use Class C3)
PC Comment: Ashperton Parish Council objects to the proposal to convert the Hopton Public House into three residential units. Firstly, the application appears confused as to the existing lawful use of the premises. The agent suggests that the upper storey benefits from planning permission as a residential apartment. The Parish Council believes that the building comprises a single planning unit with sui generis use as a public house, the upper floor having been used as manager’s accommodation. The Parish Council therefore believes that the application should properly be described as as change of use from use as a public house to use as three residential apartments AND planning permission for associated drainage and enabling works. Planning application 183941/F for change of use to two semi detached houses was refused by notice dated 28 March 2019 for the following reason: “There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that this community facility is not a viable business and could not continue to meet community needs, given that the Hopton Arms Public House, an Asset of Community Value, has not been appropriately marketed in terms of either solely as a public house or alternative community uses. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy SC1 of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy, Policy PIX11 of the emerging Pixley and District Neighbourhood Development Plan and the relevant aims and objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.” Although the designation as an asset of community value may have expired, little else has changed since. The premises were sold following the refusal of the above application and the new owners informed members of the Parish Council that they intended to refurbish and reopen the public house with holiday accommodation above. However there appears to be little evidence of any refurbishment or maintenance. The summary of the Officer’s Report for the previous application reads:- “Whilst attempts have been made to market the site, this has not been undertaken appropriately. Namely, a marketing exercise which proposes to solely market the Hopton Arms Public House only, as a viable community facility for the local population or promote alternative uses, in accordance with SC1 of the CS, has not been undertaken. Furthermore, diversification proposals where it can be shown to enable or increase the viability of existing and proposed services and facility, as acknowledged by the emerging Pixley and District NDP has not been pursued. As such, the application is recommended for refusal.” No new evidence as to lack of viability has been submitted and furthermore no evidence of marketing the public house has been submitted with the application nor has there been any attempt to investigate diversification. Indeed the Parish Council has not been able to find any for sale listing on a specialist agency. There is no evidence to support the application and proposed change of use is therefore contrary to Core Strategy and Pixley and District Neighbourhood Development Plan policies and should be refused accordingly.
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION REFUSED 12.5.26
253415 1 Holly View, Ashperton, HR8 2SA – Ground Floor rear extension and first floor extension over existing ground floor
PC Comment: The Parish Council support this application
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION GRANTED 23.2.26
260274 – Land adj The Ditch, 44 Ashperton Road, HR8
Variation of Condition 2 of planning permission 182827 (proposed new build cottage style dwelling) extension to dwelling
P C Comment: The Parish Council have no objections to this application
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION
P260227/U The Farm, Upper Poppinger, Woodend, Ledbury, HR8 2RR (ADVICE ONLY)
Application for a Lawful Development Certificate for the construction of the existing building (which is the subject of this application) was substantially completed ad the building first occupied as a dwelling in December 2019. The dwelling has been continuously occupied as such since then.
P C Comment: No comment as advice only
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION REFUSED 22.4.26
Ashperton Village Hall Committee Meeting
1. To Further Discuss suggested Village Hall Improvements
b) New floor in foyer
c) Replaster Toilets and Foyer
d) New Curtains for hall
e) Renovate or replace noticeboard on Hall
1. To Receive Update on Repairs
a) Door threshold, woodfiller and varnishing
2. To Discuss Village Green Flagpole
3. To Discuss Village Hall Security Cabinet
4. To Receive Report from Social Group Co-Ordinator
5. To Agree to Pay Outstanding Invoices
Direct Debit EDF –
Actions
AH to count floor tiles and work out the area they will cover