COUNCILLORS ARE SUMMONED TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL
TO BE HELD AT ASHPERTON VILLAGE HALL ON THURSDAY 29th JANUARY 2026 AT 7.30PM
AGENDA
1. To Accept any Apologies for Absence and Note the Reason
2. To Record any Declarations of Interest and Consider any Requests for Dispensations
3. To Consider Approval of Minutes of Parish Council meeting held 27th November 2025
4. To Receive a Brief Report from Three Crosses Ward Councillor, Mr Jonathan Lester
5. 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)
i) 253136 Hopton Arms Inn (Former) Ashperton, HR8 2SE – Change of Use and Conversion to 3 apartments (Use Class C3)
ii) 253415 1 Holly View, Ashperton, HR8 2SA – Ground Floor rear extension and first floor extension
over existing ground floor
b) To Note Details of Decision Notices Received from Hereford Council: as per planning records
c) To Discuss Ashperton Parish Neighbourhood Development Plan
6. 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
7. Finance:
a) To Note Finance Report and Bank Balances
b) To Consider Payments of Outstanding Accounts
000604: Autela Payroll – £105.60
000605: J Chester – clerk salary Dec/Jan – as agreed plus expenses £21.14 Adobe
D/Debit: Lloyds Bank – monthly charges – £11.00
D/Debit – HMRC – 1/4ly PAYE – £183.74
8. Highways/Footpaths:
a) To Discuss Church Lane road surface
b) To Note any new Highway and Footpath Defects
c) To Receive latest Speed Indicator Device Results
9. Information Section / Correspondence / Discussion:
a) To Review Information and Outstanding Actions
10. Reports: To Receive any reports from meetings attended
11. Training: To Note any forthcoming training dates
12. To Raise Items for Next Scheduled Parish Council Meeting (no discussion)
13. To Confirm Date of Next Scheduled Meeting as Thursday 26th March 2026 at 7.30pm
Signed: JLChester (Clerk to the Parish Council) Dated 21st January 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 26th March, Thursday 28th May
PARISH CLERK UPDATE
New laptop purchased
Road defects reported to Locality Steward / Herefordshire Council via website
Website updated
Policies reviewed and updated where necessary
2026/2027 Budget Finalised & Precept £11500 requested
Village Hall painting arranged
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
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
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
250113 Church Lane Cottage Ashperrton HR8 2RZ Proposed replacement of all the existing modern timber casement windows with heritage powder coated, steel look, aluminium windows
P C Comment: The Parish Council have no objections
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION Withdrawn 9.9.25
250870 – Upper Poppinger Woodend HR8 2RR Application for lawful development certificate for existing use or development for a dwelling. Construction was completed and the house occupied in December 2019.
PC Comment: The parish council believe that Herefordshire Council would need much more evidence of continuous occupation as a separate dwelling; who was living in the other dwellings and what are they etc. before being able to comment and make decision on this application
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION Refused 6.8.25
251856 – Spring Grove Farm, Ashperton, HR8 2RS Proposed erection of a flat roof dormer
P C Comment: The Parish Council have no objections
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION: Refused 18.8.25
P242698/U – Nine Oaks Ashperton HR8 2RU Application for a Lawful Development Certificate for the siting of one caravan for primary domestic use and once for ancillary use.
P C Comment: The Parish Council support this application
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL DECISION Granted 20.8.25
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
P253477/XA2 – PP – Approval of details reserved by condition 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
Ashperton Village Hall Committee Meeting
1. To Discuss further Village Hall Improvements
2. To Receive Update on Repairs
a) Door threshold
b) Repainting
c) Replacing of tables and chairs
3. To Discuss Village Green Flagpole
4. To Discuss Village Hall Security
5. To Receive Report from Social Group Co-Ordinator
6. To Agree to Pay Outstanding Invoices
Direct Debit EDF – Nov £44.78 Dec £37.37
000629: Mrs J Chester – VH supplies – £114.07
000630:Flogas – Tank Rental – £39.38
Actions
Charity Commission page to be updated clerk – complete
Hall booking form to be updated and sent to clerk AH
Website to be updated clerk
Contact regular hirers clerk – complete