STILLINGFLEET PARISH COUNCIL

Parish Council Minutes

Venue: Stillingfleet Village Hall

Date: 5 October 2017

Time: 7.30pm

Present: Councillor Paul Elmhirst in the Chair

Councillors J Atkinson, L Collingridge, J Cook, R Daniel, T Harrison, S Lewis and D Swinglehurst.

Officers Present: Hannah Breheney, Clerk to the Council.

Press: 0

Public: 3 – Paul Holt, Ross Powell and Councillor Richard Musgrave.

Councillor Elmhirst announced that the Clerk had handed her four month notice in.

1. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Councillor Musgrave, North Yorkshire County Councillor for the Escrick Division which includes Stillingfleet introduced himself to the Council.

He provided an update on the planning application NY/2016/0251/FUL – land at Former Stillingfleet Mine Site, Escrick Road, Stillingfleet and informed the Council that this application was going to be considered at the North Yorkshire County Council Planning Committee on the 24 October 2017. He also confirmed that the Clay Pit, Escrick Ref: PL/ES/ABW1683/01/SR was at present an environment impact assessment this usually proceeds a planning application.

It was raised by another member of the public that they had read in the Parish magazine that Escrick Parish Council had been invited by Plasmor, the applicants on the Clay Pit, to attend a presentation on the Clay Pit Site and had Stillingfleet Parish Council also been invited. Councillor Elmhirst confirmed that Stillingfleet Parish Council had not but he had contacted Plasmor to let them know that the Council would like a meeting with them.

Councillor Musgrave also provided an update on bus service arrangements following the collapse of Utopia. North Yorkshire County Council had replaced the bus service within a week and had found a commercial partner unfortunately it did not include route 42. He said that after considerable lobbying from a number people, North Yorkshire County Council had agreed to provide a subsidy to re-instate route 42 and at present it was going through the formal procurement process.

A member of the public raised the issue of traffic lights being put at the end of Skipwith Road and the A19. Councillor Musgrave clarified that he had contacted Highways to ask if this was something they would consider and nothing had formally happened yet.

A question was raised from a member of the public about the children in the village. He understood that there were 40 plus children in the village but what were the age ranges. Councillor Lewis confirmed that their ages ranged from toddlers to 15 and 16 years olds and that there were more than 30 children at the play area presentation and their ages ranged from 18 months old to a 17 year old.

It was also questioned if there would be input on the play area questionnaire from people who were against the it. Councillor Elmhirst confirmed that there would be space on the form for everyone to express their views.

Councillor Musgrave left the meeting at 7.50pm

2. APOLOGIES

No apologies were received.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Swinglehurst declared an interest in the parish field.

4. MINUTES

The Council considered the minutes of the Council meeting held on the 3 August 2017.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the council meeting held on the 3 August 2017 for signing by the Chairman.

5. MATTER ARISING

Bus Service – this had been covered by Councillor Musgrave, however, Councillor Lewis asked if the information he had given the Council could be put in the Parish magazine.

RESOLVED:

To put the information supplied by Councillor Musgrave on the bus service in the next Parish magazine.

Defibrillator – Councillor Lewis confirmed that the Village Hall Committee had received the application for the Community Engagement Forum, however, she had put a hold on this as she had received confirmation that the bonfire money of £1300.00 could be used to purchase a defibrillator. She had looked into the cost of a defibrillators and the bonfire money wouldn’t quite cover the cost. It was then discussed on how to cover the shortfall.

RESOLVED:

An appliction should be made to the Community Engagement Forum from the Village Hall Committee for the shortfall on the defibrillator. Councillor Elmhirst would help the Village Hall Committee, if required.

Co-option of a New Councillor – There had been three applicants for the vacant position on the Council – Ross Powell, Michelle Dixon and Sean Duggan. Councillor Elmhirst outlined that the Council could decide on who to co-opt with a show of hands or alternatively with a voting slip but this would not be anonymous it would have the name of the voting Councillor on it. Councillor Elmhirst proposed the use of a voting slip and this was agreed upon.

RESULT:

Michelle Dixon received 6 votes from Councillors Atkinson, Collingridge, Daniel, Elmhirst, Harrison and Swinglehurst.

Sean Duggan received 0 votes.

Ross Powell received 2 votes from Councillors Cook and Lewis.

RESOLVED:

To co-opt Michelle Dixon to the Council.

6. PLAY AREA

Councillor Elmhirst confirmed that the Play Area Presentation on the 20 September 2017 had gone well and that there were strong opinions on both sides. The questionnaire on the play ground was nearly finished and will go out with the Parish Magazine at the end of the month. The next step will be to consider the results. The Council needs to understand how the whole village feels.

Councillor Lewis explained that the Play Group Sub-Committee were working hard and have met four or five times recently as they want to understand everyone’s position. She also explained that Play Stillingfleet intends to keep meeting and fund raising to show the strength of feeling in the village. They were also going to try and set the Mother and Toddler Group up again.

Ross Powell left the meeting at 8.30pm

7. POLICE MATTERS

Councillor Harrison stated that there were no police matters to report.

8. PLANNING MATTERS

Ref: NY/2016/0251/FUL – the land at the Former Stillingfleet Mine Site, Escrick Road, Stillingfleet – this had been covered by Councillor Musgrave.

RESOLVED:

Councillor Swinglehurst to register to speak at the Planning Meeting in October on behalf of the Council.

Ref: PL/ES/ABW/1683/01/SR – Clay Pit, Escrick this was covered in the public participation section.

Ref: 2017/0949/HPA – Erection of an Oak Framed Garden Room, The Cottage, Moreby, Stillingfleet and Ref: 2017/1004/FUL – Proposed Erection of Agricultural Building, Manor Farm, The Gale, Stillingfleet – these applications are being considered by all Councillors ready for comments to be submitted to Selby District Council

9. TRANSPARENCY FUND AND WEBSITE

The Clerk confirmed that the recent application to the transparency fund had been successful.

RESOLVED:

Councillor Cook to look into a maintenance contract for the website with Red Kite.

10. VILLAGE GREEN

Councillor Elmhirst confirmed that the Green has now been cut and mostly baled. Councillor Daniel said that the Council needed to consider what they did with the cutting of the Green next year and all Councillors supported this. Councillor Atkinson suggested that when the tender went out for the cutting of the Green next year that an end date for the cutting should be included.

11. FINANCIAL MATTERS

Councillor Elmhirst explained that the Council had to set the 2018/19 budget at the next meeting in December 2017. So the Council looked at a proposed budget so it could be prepared for the next meeting.

RESOLVED:
Councillors Elmhirst and Cook to meet and prepare the actual 2018/19 budget.

There was a concern raised over the fact that the money the Council gave to the grass cutting of the Church was actually coming out of the Council’s budget and not the charity field money. Councillor Lewis raised that if this was the case then at the Play Area consultation evening the impression was given that the Council may have to raise their precept to cover the play area’s cost and the outlook was actually more positive.

RESOLVED:

Councillor Daniel to look into this matter.

The Clerk submitted her wage slip for payment.

RESOLVED:

To pay Mrs H Breheney, Clerk to the Council, for June and July 2017 – £121.88.

Invoice received from HMRC for the Clerk’s tax, paid by the Clerk as it had to be received by HMRC before the 22 September and therefore before the Parish Meeting.

RESOLVED:

To refund the Clerk for the HMRC payment of £20.60.

Invoice received from Purely Payroll for administering the Council’s payroll.

RESOLVED:

To pay the Purely Payroll invoice for £12.05.

Invoice received from the Yorkshire Local Councils Association for the Play Area Seminar attended by Councillor Elmhirst.

RESOLVED:

To pay the Yorkshire Local Councils Association invoice for £40.00.

Invoice received from PKF Littlejohn LLP for the 2016/17 audit.

RESOLVED:

To pay the PKF Littlejohn LLP invoice for £120.00.

12. CHARITY MATTERS

In the past the Council had made a donation to the pensioners Christmas lunch. Councillor Lewis asked how many pensioners actually attended the lunch, Councillor Elmhirst confirmed about fifty. Councillor Cook proposed that the Council continue to make a donation of £350.00.

RESOLVED:

To make a donation of £350.00 from the charity field account to the Pensioners Christmas Lunch.

Councillor Elmhirst confirmed that he had served notice on the tenancy field as the two year period would end on the 30 September 2018. He confirmed that the tenancy would be advertised in January 2018, Cundalls would advise on the rent and this would allow everything to be in place for the 1 October 2018.

13. CORRESPONDENCE

Countryside Voice – Summer 2017 – Now being circulated to all Councillors.

Clerk and Councils Direct – Now being circulated to all Councillors.

Community First Yorkshire – Now being circulated to all Councillors.

14. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Bridge Lights – Councillor Harrison confirmed that he had had to replace the bulbs in the bridge light at a cost of £13.00.

RESOLVED:

To pay Councillor Harrison back the £13.00 he had paid.

Councillor Harrison also raised that he had recently attended a flooding meeting and that the emergency flooding plan needed to be updated.

RESOLVED:

To put this on the December 2017 agenda.

Councillor Cook raised the issue of solar panel lights. He confirmed that he had spoken to Highways about this matter and they could not justify the cost, they also pointed out that there may be a problem using poles belonging to the Electricity Board and the light given off was not sufficient for highways.

Councillor Cook had done some research and found out that LED bulbs were cheaper and that North Yorkshire County Council were rolling out a programme to introduce LED bulbs.

RESOLVED:

The Clerk to write to North Yorkshire County Council to find out where they are rolling out this programme and what the financial benefits will be.

The Clerk gave out the “Don’t be a Wast – Dog Sticker” being promoted by Selby District Council.

The future meeting dates of 7 December 2017, 1 February 2018, 5 April 2018, 24 May 2018 and 2 August 2018 were discussed.

RESOLVED:

To agree the above dates.

15. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

Thursday 7 December at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Meeting closed at 9.20pm