STILLINGFLEET PARISH COUNCIL – MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 3 OCTOBER 2019
19048 Welcome / Attendance / Apologies
The Chair welcomed councillors and the clerk as follows:
Councillors: Paul Elmhirst (Chair), Terry Harrison, Richard Daniel, Sally Lewis, James Atkinson, David Swinglehurst and Juan Brooks
Clerk: Ruth Swales
Public: Neil Reader (Selby DC Councillor),
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllr John Cook and Cllr Lesley Collingridge.
All present signed the Attendance sheet.
19049 Public Participation: There was no public participation.
19050 Declarations of Interests:
Cllr Atkinson declared a family interest in the agenda item 19052.2
19051 Minutes:
Council RESOLVED to accept the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 1 August 2019 and the Chairman signed the minutes as a true record.
19052 Matters Arising from the last meeting:
Council received information on the following ongoing issues and discussed further action where necessary:
19052.1 Village Hall ownership update:
Cllr Elmhirst advised that his enquiries are on-going into the ownership of the land upon which the Village Hall stands and that by further investigation at the Beverley land registry archive he hopes to established to whom the land was gifted by the Preston family.
19052.2 Playground update:
- Cllr Elmhirst advised that he had been in contact with the owner of land behind the village hall which has potential as a play area. Further discussions with the owner are anticipated.
- Cllr Lewis provided an update on behalf of Play Stillingfleet advising that Ross Powell has met with Angela Crossland, Head of Community, Partnerships and Customers at Selby District Council and Chris Haley-Norris of Selby District Association of Voluntary Services (AVS), both of whom are very supportive of the Stillingfleet playground project and are keen to support however they can.
- Council were also advised that Ross Powell has painted the Council’s picnic table erected on The Green.
19052.3 Village Green update:
Cllr Elmhirst provided an update from the Village Green Committee as follows
– When the weather and grass conditions are appropriate Cllr Elmhirst will take photographs to send to Natural England to see whether or not a derogation would be required to permit the re-grading of the grips and ditches to aid drainage issues.
– A meeting of the Village Green Committee will be convened to consider whether the Council wishes to take up the anticipated offer from the Rural Payments Agency to provide a one year extension to the current ES Higher level Stewardship agreement which is due to expire on 31 December 2019.
– Cllr Daniel confirmed he is intending to investigate the removal of a broken branch on a tree identified for attention via the 2019 Risk Assessment.
– The developer of the Manor Cottages has offered to give Council £300 to release him from his obligation to undertake a gulley installation to reduce surface water run-off issues. Upon receipt the funds will be put towards addressing the wider problem of surface water accumulation on the roads abutting the Green.
– Council discussed the intention to commission a preliminary excavation to identify the cause of the apparent foul drainage leak on The Green close to Heron’s flight and in order to ascertain the ownership of the defective or blocked drains. Council approved a budget of up to £700 for this investigation. Council RESOLVED that Cllr Elmhirst would write to the residents of properties thought to be connected to pipes in the vicinity of the drainage problem to advise them of Council’s intentions. Once the defective pipes have been identified the owner/owners will be expected to take responsibility for repairing or clearing the defect and compensating Council for the cost of the exploratory investigation.
– Council decided to reconsider the need for weed wiping of the Green in the spring of 2020.
– In response to Council’s request the Council’s insurance underwriters have advised that they cannot advise the Council what would amount to ‘reasonable steps’ to stop individuals setting up a rope swing on trees on The Green, but reaffirmed that the Council would be responsible for any that were and if an accident happened it could be found liable. Council decided not to take any further action.
19052.4 Street Lighting update:
Council received an update from Cllr Elmhirst as follows:
– The site survey undertaken by NYCC of the Council’s street lighting inventory has been received which includes an estimate for upgrading those assets to LED. Council RESOLVED to ask Cllr Cook to produce a payback calculation in order to formulate a plan for the conversion to LED which it is estimated could lead to a 75% reduction in energy costs. A proposal is to be presented to the next Council meeting in December to aid budgeting for 2020/21.
– Council RESOLVED to share the street lighting inventory with NYCC and ask them to review the Council’s current electricity billing.
– The replacement of the light at l Laburnum Grove has been completed.
– Cllr Elmhirst will check whether the fault reported re the street light between Rowan House and Kenilworth House, The Green has now been rectified.
- Police Matters: Cllr Harrison advised Council that the only relevant police matters to report were the apparent increase in thefts of farm equipment which have been reported in the vicinity.
- Planning Matters:
19054.1 Stillingfleet Mine Site
- Council noted that Selby DC Planning felt that their objections already submitted to NYCC re the change of use of part of the former coal mine site were adequate and that there was no need for them to strengthen their position.
- Council noted that the revised planning application was now to be considered by NYCC Planning Committee on 12 November 2019.
19054.2 Escrick Clay Pit
Council noted that a planning application accompanied by an environmental statement has now been submitted to NYCC planning re a proposed new quarry to extract approximately 6 million tonnes of clay by 2053 and restoration of the site to agriculture and nature conservation with the importation of up to 2.67 million tonnes of inert materials together with the construction of new internal site access haul road, site compound, car park, site office, wheel washing facility, security fencing and gates and the construction of a temporary bridge crossing over the National Route 65 of the National Cycle Network AT land adjacent to and to the west and north of the current Escrick Quarry to the south west of Escrick, North Yorkshire, YO19 6ED.
An extension to 30 October 2019 has been secured for the Planning Committee to consider and respond to the application.
19054.3 Updates re recent Planning decisions:
- Council noted the granting of planning permission re the proposed installation of a dropped kerb at Holly Dene York Road Moreby (ref: 2019/0519/HPA)
- Council noted the granting of planning permission re the proposed erection of an agricultural workers dwelling at Stillingfleet House, Stewart Lane Stillingfleet York (ref: 2019/1324/FUL).
- Council noted the withdrawal of the planning application re the proposed erection of a duo pitched garden room extension at Spennythorne House, York Road, Stillingfleet (ref: 2019/0454/HPA)
19054.3 Update re recent Planning applications received:
- Council noted that Stillingfleet Parish Council had no observations to make in respect of the application re a proposed construction of a new rear single story extension with a flat roof and parapet, the introduction of a new personnel door to the rear elevation of the garage and the formation of 2 new window openings to the rear gable at ground floor level at Croft View, Dales Court Stillingfleet (ref: 2019/0802/HPA).
19054.4 Selby District Council’s Greenspace Audit:
Council noted that the Planning Committee had submitted a response to Selby DC’s Greenspace Audit formally identifying The Green, the Churchyard and the cemetery as public greenspace and specifying the on-going need to identify accessible informal greenspace on which to develop a children’s playground.
19054.5 Consultation re proposed relaxation of 5G planning permission
Council RESOLVED to ask Cllr Cook to respond on behalf of the Council to the consultation on the proposed reforms to permitted development rights to support the deployment of 5G and extended mobile coverage.
19054.6 Consultation under the Public Payphone removal programme
Council considered the options under this programme and RESOLVED to agree to the removal of the BT telephone box adjacent to the cemetery.
19055 Matters raised by Councillors
19055.1 Inadequacy of Superfast Braodband
Council were advised that Cllr Cook had made enquiries into complaints lodged on the Council’s website by residents of Fourways (YO19 6SD), Manor Farm, Maple Villa and Mill House (YO19 6SE) and Stillingfleet Grange (YO19 6HT) re the inadequacy of their broadband provision. Cllr Cook has advised the relevant residents to raise the matter with Nigel Adams MP and revert with his response so that Council can consider whether there is any further support the Council can offer on a case by case basis to hasten an improvement in their broadband services.
19056 Charity Fund:
19056.1 As Trustee of the ByeLaw Field Charity Council noted the closing balance on the ByeLaw Field Charity Fund as at 30 September 2019 which stood at £8,098.07.
19056.2 The Charity Fund Trustee considered the proposal submitted on behalf of the PCC and APPROVED a grant of £1,020 towards the re-gilding the church clock.
19056.3 The Charity Fund Trustee considered a proposal tabled by Cllr Daniel on behalf of the PCC and APPROVED a grant of £1,040 towards the upkeep of the churchyard and cemetery.
19056.4 The Charity Fund Trustee considered a request submitted by Grace Atkinson and APPROVED a grant of £350 towards the Pensioners Christmas lunch.
19057 Financial Matters
19057.1 Council received a report from the Clerk/RFO re recent receipts and closing balances,
Recent receipts:
| Rural Payments Agency | £590.48 |
Closing balances as at 30 September 2019:
Parish Council current account £4,780.72
Parish Council NS& I account £5,054.38
19057.2 Council RESOLVED to make the following payments:
| Ruth Swales reimbursement for renewal of SSL by Red Kite | £36.00 |
| Ruth Swales reimbursement for Selby DC re re-location of waste bin | £72.98 |
| HMRC re Clerk’s tax for July & August | £30.40 |
| Solutions for payroll | £12.05 |
| Ruth Swales reimbursement re annual support package from Steve Smowton | £60.00 |
| To note payment of Clerk’s salary for July & August | |
19057.3 Budgeting:
Council reviewed the predicted outturn for year ending 31 March 2020 against the 2019/20 budget and considered the explanation of any projected material variances (i.e. greater than £100 or 15% above/below budget. A surplus of £1,148 is currently forecasted although consideration has to be given to funding weed wiping in the spring of 2020 and any agreed LED replacement of street lights within this financial year.
19057.4 Bus service subsidy / contingency:
Council noted that the 42S bus service ended in £415.07 deficit for year ending April 2019 but that that deficit is to be covered by a contribution from NYCC. Council also noted that funding has been secured to subsidise the bus service for the next 2 years until year ending April 2021.
Council considered Cawood PC’s suggestion that the collective Councils of villages on the 42 bus route raise a contingency reserve of £1,000 for subsidising the service beyond April 2021. As Stillingfleet’s estimated contribution towards this reserve would be £74 Council RESOLVED to build this reserve into the Charity Funds’ budget from 2021.
19057.5 Half yearly internal control check:
Council requested that Cllr Daniel and Cllr Collingridge undertake the half yearly internal control check of the Council’s accounting and governance and report back to the next meeting.
19057.6 Consultation on the Audit procedures
Council RESOLVED that the Clerk should consider whether any views should be submitted in response to the policy consultation into the Independent Review of Local Government Audit requirements.
- Date of future Meeting:
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 5 December 2019 at 7.30pm.
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Signed as an accurate record of the meeting held on 3 October 2019 |
PAUL ELMHIRST CHAIRMAN |
5 December 2019 |