FLYFORD FLAVELL, GRAFTON FLYFORD & NORTH PIDDLE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting held at The Flyford’s Hall on Tuesday 21st October 2025

Present David Waide (Chairman) Sadie Densham Andrew Short Alison Crickmore Richard Croxton

Co-opted members

Tracie Bluck					Tim Doughty

	Linda Robinson - District and County Councillor
	

Mark Broughton-Taylor attended as clerk

1. Apologies

None

2. Declaration of Interest:

   None

3. Planning Application W/25/01891/FUL

Land At (Os 9830 5490), Radford Road, Flyford Flavell

Erection of 14no. dwellings including 4no. affordable homes, together with a new access and new orchard, tree and hedge planting.

The chair took a poll of members of the public and members of the council to ascertain the feeling of the meeting concerning the planning application. There was unanimous support to object to the application.

The clerk summarised proposed grounds for objections based on previous similar applications. The chairman then opened the meeting for comments from members of the public.

There were specific concerns about traffic and pedestrian access to the development and members of the public voiced their support for the objections proposed by the clerk.

Members of the council then considered the proposed objection. It suggested that an addition should be made concerning the walk way over the culvert to ensure that the culvert was not blocked, and would continue to support drainage of the existing swale in times of very heavy rain.

Proposed that the objection document as presented to the council should be submitted to Wychavon District Council.

Proposed David Waide Secnded Andrew Short All in favour.

4. Public Participation

   There were 18 members of the public attending the meeting.

It was noted that the car rallies at Toast had now finished for the season but it is expected that they will commence again in April 2026. The council was asked what it had done to ensure road safety, indiscriminate parking and nuisance to neighbours. The clerk reported that the local police had been notified and had promised to patrol the area at the times the rallies were taking place and similarly Worcestershire Regulatory Services had agreed to attend at operating times.

Linda Robinson reported that she was keeping an eye on matters at Toast and would act accordingly should it be necessary.

The council was asked about the gate to the rear of the school field in Church Lane as this was not considered to be secure. Linda Robinson reported that the matter had been discussed at the last governors meeting and that safety at the school was under review.

5. Vacancies

Mrs Tracie Bluck was nominated for co-option to serve as councillor for Grafton Flyford. Mrs Bluck briefly introduced herself as a long term resident of Grafton Flyford and felt that she would like to serve the community by joining the parish council.

Mr Timothy Doughty was nominated for co-option to serve as councillor for Flyford Flavell. Again, Mr Doughty is a long term resident of Flyford Flavell and has taken an interest in local affairs for many years.

A secret ballot was taken and both candidates were elected to serve for the duration of the present council.

6. Approval of Minutes of Meetings held on 8th and 30th July 2025.

   The minutes of both meetings were approved.

   Proposed: Sadie Densham 2nd: David Waide All in favour

7. Matters Arising

   There were no matters arising

8. Local Police and Neighbourhood Watch

There was no report from the local police officer.

Cllr Linda Robinson informed the meeting that the Local PSO would now not be working after 8.00pm.

Sadie Densham reported on behalf of Jane Hand who was unable to attend the meeting concerning Neighbourhood Watch.

All the requested Smartwater kits have now been distributed in all three parish areas and no more can be ordered.

Smartwater signs were erected in Grafton Flyford and North Piddle in June. There were a lack of places to display the signs in Grafton Flyford.

9. Report from District and County Councillor

   Flyford’s County and District Cllr. Report. 21st October

Worcestershire on-demand bus network updates. Following on from the success of our existing Malvern Hills and North Worcestershire Expansion zones, WoD launched a new pilot zone in Wychavon this August. The new zone is our largest yet and brings the flexible WoD transport service to a whole new part of the county. Designed to offer a convenient alternative to traditional transport the service connects passengers to their destinations without fixed routes or timetables. To ensure smooth and efficient operations across this large geographical area, journeys are capped at 15 kilometres (approx. 9 miles) as the crow flies. We also utilise smaller vehicles to more effectively navigate narrow roads in rural areas.

Since its launch in the Bromsgrove area in July 2021 WoD has completed over 104,000 trips with the Malvern service launched in June 2023 seeing nearly 18,000 trips.

Buses in the Wychavon zone will be operated by Via who also supply the bookings and vehicles.

Passengers can book journeys via the Worcestershire on Demand app, which allows users to select their pick up and drop off points, guiding them to nearby virtual bus stops.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to use this service into Worcester city or the hospital as that is covered by a different operator. It is possible though to connect your journey through from Parkway station. Operators have told me that they are hoping this issue may be resolved later next year.

Please see useful further info below. Possible counter offer by our regular bus services that may be of interest

Latest Public transport offer:

Bus fares which are capped at just £1 per trip will be on offer on services across Worcestershire throughout October.

Getting around the county has been made easier and cheaper, thanks to Worcestershire County Council working with local bus operators.

The special promotion is aimed at helping residents and visitors save cash, support local services and enjoy more sustainable travel.

The offer applies to all local bus services in the county on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October 2025, no matter the distance travelled.

The council said: “Whether you’re heading into town, meeting friends, shopping, or exploring the countryside, leave the car behind and enjoy stress-free travel for no more than £1.”

Visit: worcestershire.gov.uk/bustravel for more on bus travel in Worcestershire and the service operators.

Winter flu vaccine is well underway for the elderly & vulnerable.

Public health professionals in Worcestershire are urging expectant mothers and children aged two to 16 to get their flu vaccines.

This is part of the autumn rollout aimed at protecting vulnerable people this winter season.

In Worcestershire, vaccination uptake is usually above average.

According to NHS figures, in 2024, 71 per cent of primary school-aged children received the flu vaccine, well above the national average of 54.6 per cent.

The flu jab is also important for pregnant women as it protects both them and their unborn child . Expectant mothers and all children aged two to 16 years are eligible for the flu vaccine, with this expanding to those aged six months to 18 years in clinical risk groups.

Matt Fung, public health lead for health protection at Worcestershire County Council, said: "The flu vaccine remains our best defence against flu, which can lead to a serious illness.

DEADLINE APPPROACHES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL APPLICATIONS ACROSS WORCESTERSHIRE.

Applications for High School places must be submitted by midnight 31st October 2025 for children due to start High School in September ‘26

Have your say in Wychavon’s Residents’ Survey 2025 Wychavon is inviting residents to take part in the annual Residents’ Survey, which will launch officially on Sunday, 12 October, to share their views on life in the district and local council services.

This is an opportunity to tell Wychavon what matters most to you — from local services and community priorities to the things that make Wychavon a great place to live. The feedback received helps shape the decisions that the council makes and the services it provides.

Completing the survey takes just 10 minutes, and every response counts. As a thank you, entrants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of four £100 vouchers to spend at a local business of their choice.

The results from the survey will help the council understand local priorities and make informed decisions about where to focus its time and resources.

The survey is open until Sunday, 9 November and can be completed online at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/25Media/ Residents can see how the 2024 Residents’ Survey helped shape Wychavon’s services on their website: https://www.wychavon.gov.uk/contact-us/you-said-we-did

10. Flyford Green and Pond

    Alison Crickmore reported that the family of Mrs Mary Diamond who had recently died would like to make a contribution to a memorial for her in the village. The social group thought that a bench on the green would not be appropriate but suggested that a contribution to the Boules Court would be more fitting. It was agreed that this might be a very acceptable idea and Alison Crickmore was asked to discuss further details with the family and social group.

    The Land in Trust documents for The Green have now been received and distributed to councillors’ for approval. The matter to be discussed in November when there will be more time.

    New forms for the Land Registry have been prepared by the solicitor but the clerk was not happy with the way they had been filled out. He had sent back some suggested amendments to the solicitor but had not yet heard back.

    The clerk had a meeting with an arboriculturist (Neil McLean) at the Flyford Pond in September and a report on any necessary works to the trees and an ecological management plan are expected soon.

11. Planning Matters

    To Report Comment

    i/. Mr J Fallows W/25/02081/HP Bramble Lodge Bishampton Road Flyford Flavell

    Two storey side and rear extension
    
    Comment – No objection
    

    To report approval

    i/. Stars Pubs and Bars W/25/01404/ADV Boot Inn Flyford Flavell

    Erection of signs
    

    To agree comment

    i/. Mr Charles Rowley W/25/01330/LB The Old Cottage Grafton Flyford

    Repair and replace thatch
    

    Comment – No objection

    Appeal – W/24/01103/OUT

Land at (OS 9463 5414) Naunton Road, Naunton Beachamp, Upton Snodsbury.

It was agreed that the clerk will compose a comment to support the objection by Upton Snodsbury Parish Council to this appeal. The comment has to be made by 5th November.

12 Highways and Footpaths Worcester County Council is still not able to deliver the footpath officer training due to staff shortages. The clerk suggested that the parish council might be able to take on the footpath management itself. Councillors asked the clerk to investigate whether this was possible and report back as soon as possible. It was reported that the footpath bridge near Pincox Farm has now been repaired. Linda Robinson reported that The Highways Liaison officer will only visit parishes to attend to new issues due to staff shortages. Councillors made further calls for reduced speeds in Flyford Flavell. The chairman and clerk will endeavour to move this forward. The chairman reported that had issued his notes from the April Highways meeting to councillors shortly before the meeting. The clerk and chair agreed to review for actions to be added to the action log. An initial meeting of the parking sub-group has met and discussed the issues and possible solutions to the parking problems in Flyford. Further discussions are required. Linda Robinson is to be the liaison between the parish council and the school. It was noted again that the 30mph sign on the Radford road was in the wrong place and should be moved further down the road so that the 30mph zone was longer. The clerk to take this back to Highways. Subsidence to Bishampton Road, adjacent to Lower Church Farm was reported to the meeting. The clerk informed the meeting that he had already logged this on the Highways website. Further to The County Councillor’s report above it was noted that the ‘On Demand Bus’ does not go to the hospital or Worcester. 13. Treasurer’s Report The clerk reported that the accounts had been signed off by the external auditor without any extra information being required. The clerk reported that CCLA has been taken over by a larger investment company called Jupiter Investments. This should not make any difference to our investment that is in a Commercial property Fund. However, it is noted that CCLA Funds have generally underperformed against the benchmark over the last couple of years. Balances: Deposit Acc. £9,886.56 Current Acc. £2,310.35

14. Flyfords Hall The clerk reported that the Flyfords Hall was still proving to be a popular venue although it needed some more daytime bookings. The coffee morning on the second Thursday of the month was very popular but there is no desire to run it more frequently. The committee has recently had an enquiry to run a ‘Working From Home’ club which would provide some interaction and facilities for those feeling isolated and under resourced while homeworking. The hall AGM will take place on 4th December followed by ‘Jingle and Mingle” and all councillors and their partners are invited to attend. Chris Bonehill has been invited to turn on the Christmas Tree lights this year. Tracie Bluck suggested that more publicity could be created on Instagram or the like and promised to look into this. Carols at the Hall will take place on 18th December.

15. Civility and Respect
    

Councillors were not sure if this was necessary as there is a Code of Conduct which councillors have to sign. It was agreed to bring this back for debate at the next meeting. 16. Remembrance Sunday Richard Croxton offered to present the wreath on behalf of the parish council at the Remembrance Service on 9th November. 17. Noticeboards The clerk reported that a notice giving notice of the intention to remove the noticeboards in North Piddle, Grafton Flyford and North Piddle had been displayed for the last six weeks. He had had three emails concerning the Grafton Flyford notice board but nothing about the others. One message was in favour of removing the board in Grafton while two were quite adamantly against its removal. It was agreed that the notice boards in North Piddle and Libbery were to be removed and the one in Grafton will be repaired. The lock will be removed and a clasp fitted so that anyone can post a notice. A disclaimer will be fixed to the board so that the parish council was not responsible for anything that was displayed.

18. AOB Alison Crickmore asked if any progress had been made about adding a task manager to the councillor’s portal. This has not yet been explored. Tim Doughty asked for the council’s vigilance concerning the garden that is being created at Hill Top farm in case this was a prelude to a further planning application. It was noted that the outline planning permission at this property had now expired. It was agreed that a litter pick will be held over the weekend 31st October – 2nd November.
19. Date of Next Meeting 25th November 2025 Signed: Date: