MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 1 AUGUST 2019
19036 Welcome / Attendance / Apologies
The Chair welcomed councillors and the clerk as follows:
Councillors: Paul Elmhirst (Chair), John Cook (Vice-chair), Terry Harrison, Lesley Collingridge, Richard Daniel, Sally Lewis.
Clerk: Ruth Swales
Public: Neil Reader (Selby DC Councillor), Richard Musgrave (NY County Councillor)
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr James Atkinson.
All present signed the Attendance sheet.
19037 Public Participation:
19037.1 Update re the proposed changes to re-cycling practices: Cllr Reader advised that the consultation undertaken by Selby District Council into the options for recycling bins/boxes had been concluded and that it appeared the transition to a 2 bin system as opposed to the current boxes was the favoured option.
19037.2 Village Institute (VI) queries: On behalf of the VI committee David Swinglehurst sought confirmation that Cllr Harrison was now the Council’s representative on the VI committee. It was brought to the attention of Council that the VI noticeboard was in need of repair. Cllr Daniel offered to investigate.
19038 Declarations of Interests:
There were no declarations of interest in any agenda items.
- Co-option to fill the two Councillor vacancies:
Council noted that 3 applications and eligibility certifications had been received from David Swinglehurst (DS), Ross Powell (RP) and Juan Brooks (JB). All 3 candidates received a proposer and seconder. With only existing Parish Councillors and the Clerk present Council followed its adopted co-option procedure and conducted a secret ballot to select candidates for the 2 vacancies.
The co-option results were as follows:
Vacancy 1: DS 5 votes, RP 1 vote – Council RESOLVED to co-opt DS
Vacancy 2: JB 4 votes, RP 2 votes – Council RESOLVED to co-opt JB.
Council RESOLVED to obtain Declarations of Acceptance of Office and completion of the register of Interests from both successful candidates.
19040 Councillors’ contact details and preferences
Councillors reviewed and signed their consent to the circulation of their contact details and preferences to other Council members.
19041 Minutes:
a). Council RESOLVED to accept the Minutes of the Parish Council meetings held on 16 May 2019 and 20 June 2019 and the Chairman signed as a true record.
19042 Matters Arising from the last meeting:
Council received information on the following ongoing issues and decided on further action where necessary:
19042.1 Playground update:
Cllr Elmhirst advised that there have been no developments regarding the land directly behind the Village Institute which has been identified as a potential site for a children’s playground. He is to continue his investigations into the ownership of this land.
19042.2 Village Hall ownership update:
Cllr Elmhirst advised that he has been in contact with David Preston with a view to gaining an introduction to the family’s solicitors to further his attempts to clarify the ownership of the land upon which the Village Institute is built and intends to continue his enquiries at the registry archive in Hull.
19042.3 Village Green update:
On behalf of the Village Green Committee Cllr Elmhirst advised that:
– Natural England had requested photographs of the grips and ditches the Council is seeking to re-grade to establish whether the proposed work could be classed as general maintenance which would not require a derogation. Cllr Elmhirst to submit appropriate photographs after the haymaking and after significant rainfall.
– Should the re-grading of the grips and ditches proceed Council agreed to accept the quotation from Anthony Atkinson for undertaking this work.
– the recent hay-making of The Green had been completed and that he intended to query with David Atkinson why the bank outside Harmony House had not been strimmed.
– Council RESOLVED to investigate which contractor had undertaken the weed wiping of The Green in previous years and to make enquiries re whether this procedure was required this year and if so when was the most appropriate time for the work to be undertaken.
– overhanging trees on The Green flagged up for attention on the recent risk assessment had now been removed. It was noted that a resident had reported a potentially dangerous dead limb hanging from an Ash tree adjacent to Rose Cottage in the north east corner of The Green. Cllr Daniel agreed to investigate.
– consideration had been given to the suggested improvement of the gulley designed to handle runoff rain water from the Manor Cottages development but that after recent heavy rains it was evident that this would only provide a short term partial solution to the greater problem of drainage on the road alongside The Green. Council RESOLVED that rather than insisting the Manor Cottages developer completed the gulley improvement that he donate equivalent funds which could be used by the Council to address the wider problem.
– the Village Green Committee is to investigate the ownership of the damaged pipes and drains which are the source of the leaking drain causing the problem on The Green near the Chapel car park.
– the ROSPA trained Councillor who had undertaken a site risk assessment of erecting the rope swing on The Green had expressed concern re the proximity to the road and the difficulty in determining the strength of the tree to support the rope swing. Council decided it would not pursue an expensive full survey and would write again to its insurers to ascertain what reasonable steps the Council should take minimse its liability for any accident arising from an unauthorised swing being re-erected.
– an article explaining the rules relating to The Green had been circulated with the latest edition of the Parish Magazine.
19042.4 Street Lighting update:
Council were advised that:
– Cllr Elmhirst would chase up NYCC re their offer to undertake a site survey of the Council’s street lighting inventory
– the replacement of the light at l Laburnum Grove was expected to be installed by 23 August.
– the fault reported re the street light between Rowan House and Kenilworth House, The Green would be investigated.
– the defective light adjacent to Fearndale, The Green, YO19 6SG had been remedied.
19043 Police Matters: There were no relevant police matters to be raised.
19044 Planning Matters:
19044.1 Stillingfleet Mine Site
Cllr Musgrave advised that the latest consultation by NYCC was as a result of Harworth Development’s (the applicant) response to NYCC’s new position that the land should not be classified as a brown field site. Stillingfleet’s Planning Committee have re-submitted its comments that (amongst other objctions) the intended planning status of the land is relevant to the merits of the application and that Selby DC’s local plan does not support the development of the site. Council RESOLVED to write to Cllr Reader and Martin Grainger (Selby DC Planning) urging them to emphasise the site should not be considered as previously developed land and substantiate their position that its development is contrary to Selby’s local plan.
19044.2 Escrick Clay Pit Site:
Council noted that agreement had been reached between Plasmor and Sustrans re the building of a bridge over the bike track to avoid lorries needing to use the Escrick Road should the development of the Escrick Clay Pit site go ahead.
19044.3 Plantation House site:
Cllr Elmhirst advised that the Planning Committee had lodged its support for a proposed tree preservation order to be applied to the Plantation House development. Should there be no valid objections to the proposed TPO it will come into effect in 6 weeks.
19044.4 Update re recent Planning decisions:
- Council noted the granting of planning permission re the proposed erection of a single storey rear extension at Grove House, The Green, Stillingfleet, YO19 6SG (ref: 2019/0330/HPA).
- Council noted the granting of planning permission re the proposed garage conversion and glazed canopy to the rear of Rose Cottage, York Road, Stillingfleet (ref 2019/0398/HPA).
19044.5 Update re recent Planning applications received:
- In relation to the resubmission of the application for a proposed erection of an agricultural worker’s dwelling on land at Stillingfleet House, Stewart Lane, Stillingfleet (ref: 2017/1324/FUL), Council noted that the Planning Committee had not submitted any objections to the application on the basis that Selby DC planning officers were satisfied that there was an essential need for a rural worker and that appropriate conditions would be attached to the consent.
- Council noted the discharge of conditions in relation to the conversion of existing barns into 3 dwelling houses at Woodlands Farm Barns, Moreby, Stillingfleet (ref 2019/0683/DOC).
- Council noted a section 73 application for extensions and alterations to lilac Villa and Lilac Cottage to enlarge the existing ground floor accommodation, provide additional first floor bathrooms and bedrooms and erect a new garage and stable block without complying with condition 4 of the planning approval 2010/1171/HPA granted on 5 January 2011.
19045 Matters raised by Councillors
19045.1 Cllr Cook reported that the PCC had identified that the Church clock was in need of regilding. Recognising that the Church clock is of benefit to all residents of the village, Cllr Cook agreed to present a proposal for a grant from the ByeLaw Field Charity to the next meeting of the Council in October.
19046 Financial Matters:
19046.1 Asset Register: To address one of the observations in the 2018/19 Internal Audit report, Council re-considered and approved the Council’s Asset Register and RESOLVED to publish on the website.
19046.2 Council received a report from the Clerk/RFO re recent receipts and closing balances,
Recent receipts:
| Northern Powergrid re Wayleaves | £247.24 |
Closing balances and bank reconciliation as at 30 June 2019:
Council approved the bank account reconciliations as:
Parish Council current account £6,030.30
Parish Council NS& I account £5,054.38
In accordance with the Financial Regulations Cllrs Daniel and Collingridge signed the bank reconciliation as at 30 June 2019.
19046.3 Council RESOLVED to make the following payments:
| Ruth Swales re replacement printer & replacement cover | £28.49 |
| HMRC re Clerk’s tax for May & June | £46.80 |
| SM Smowton re laptop/printer installation/support | £60.00 |
| Solutions for payroll | £12.05 |
| S Atkinson & Son re Green cutting and baling | £1,680.00 |
| P Elmhirst re printing expenses | £12.00 |
| Ruth Swales re general admin expenses | £13.08 |
| To note payment of Clerk’s salary for May & June | |
- Date of future Meeting:
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 3 October 2019 at 7.30pm.
|
Signed as an accurate record of the meeting held on 1 August 2019 |
PAUL ELMHIRST CHAIRMAN |
3 October 2019 |
|
|