Venue: Stillingfleet Village Hall
Date: 12 April 2018
Commencing: 7.30pm
Present: Councillor Paul Elmhirst in the Chair (PE)
Councillors : Lesley Collingridge (LC), John Cook (JC), Richard Daniel (RD), Michelle Dixon (MD), Terry Harrison (TH), Sally Lewis (SL), David Swinglehurst (DS)
Officers present: Ruth Swales (RS), Clerk/RFO to the Council
Press: Nil
Public: Joanne Sears, Nicola Raper, Annette Strickland, Ross Powell, Richard Musgrave (Selby Council Councillor)
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The matters raised by attendees from the public, namely:
– the planning application for the development of the Stillingfleet Mine site
– the citing of the children’s play area
– the village defibrillator
were all discussed and are covered under specific headings below.
APOLOGIES
No apologies for absence were received.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
It was noted that Councillor Swinglehurst declared an interest in the tendering for the tenancy of the Charity Field.
MINUTES
A correction to the minutes from the 1 February 2018 meeting (ref 721) relating to the invoice received from Fred Jackson was approved. The invoice in question related to the internal audit as opposed to the external audit.
The amended minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2018 were approved and signed as a true and correct record.
MATTERS ARISING
Play Sub-Committee
Councillor Lewis advised that Play Stillingfleet was now a constituted body in its own right and had met a number of times to further its objectives – the main priority being to identify and secure an appropriate site for a village Play Area. Council was advised that extensive discussions had taken place with various landowners in the village, including considering the potential exchange of the Council’s Charity Field for a suitable alternative piece of land but to date no positive outcome had been forthcoming. Sam Smith’s Brewery had been approached regarding their willingness to allow usage of the land to the rear of the Cross Keys public house but were not prepared to tie up this land for that proposed purpose. Council considered that the land directly behind the Village Institute might be a potential site and
RESOLVED:
To write to the Landowner to seek permission to develop this site as a children’s playground.
At the previous meeting Council had resolved to look into the type and cost of a bench which could be erected on the southern edge of the Green where the grass would be kept shorter to encourage children to play and families to picnic. To progress this it was
RESOLVED:
Councillor Lewis to get three quotes for the purchase of a suitable bench and Councillor Collingridge to get quotations for installation – these quotations to be taken to the Play Sub-Committee for consideration and to reach a decision within an approved budget of £500 plus the available CIL receipts (see 13.6 below), i.e. a total budget of £612.
Defibrillator
Play Stillingfleet were pleased to advise that funding for the defibrillator had been secured and that they had agreed to be responsible for organising its installation and organising the training in how to use the facility. They intended to then hand over responsibilities for the on-going maintenance and financing of the equipment to the Parish Council.
A concern was expressed regarding whether a member of the public would be comfortable using the equipment. An Emergency Services professional in attendance explained that the Emergency Services needed someone on site to be able to use the facility until they arrived on the scene, that the person administering the aid could not harm the patient in any way; that they would be guided by the 999 call handler and that the equipment had very simple instructions on use. The professional recommendation was that the equipment is stored in an unlocked cabinet.
The Village Institute Committee had confirmed their agreement to the siting of the equipment on their building and shared two possible locations. Council favoured the more visible location on the wall by the main entrance behind the bus stop. The Village Institute had already voiced their request that a formal agreement be drafted to outline responsibilities for on-going maintenance and funding of the equipment and any insurance needs.
RESOLVED:
To ascertain whether the Council’s existing Public Liability insurance would cover the defibrillator and if not obtain a quote for any additional premium.
RESOLVED:
Councillor Elmhirst and the Play Sub-committee to draft an agreement between the Parish Council and the Village Institute (VI) regarding the on-going maintenance and financing of the running costs proposing that the VI invoiced the Council annually.
VILLAGE GREEN
Councillor Elmhirst advised that notice had been posted in the Parish magazine inviting comments about the proposed application to Selby DC for a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to address dog fouling on the Green. Only one response had been received which had been favourable provided it did not prohibit owners from exercising their dogs off the lead. Councillor Elmhirst shared with the Council what a PSPO would entail.
RESOLVED:
Councillor Elmhirst to write to Selby DC to enquire whether they would be willing to impose the PSPO and if so what conditions would apply and what responsibilities would fall upon the Council.
Councillor Elmhirst advised that he had approached Sweetings contractors regarding the cleaning out of shallow ditches and Sweetings had indicated it would be a two day job with a small digger. Council considered how this work might be funded.
RESOLVED:
The Green Sub-Committee to approach Natural England to enquire whether they could provide any funding and whether derogation would be required to enable the work to proceed, proposing this be scheduled for October 2018.
Council was advised that the application for the Natural England Environmental Stewardship grant for 2018 had been prepared for submission.
RESOLVED:
To submit the Environmental Stewardship application as soon as possible.
It was noted that in order to progress the proposed cutting of an area of the Green to encourage children’s play (see 5.1 above) a request for changes to the Council’s Rural Payment Map (an RLE1) would have to be submitted to Natural England to ask to exclude this area of the Green from the Stewardship scheme.
RESOLVED:
To submit the RLE1 to Natural England for this land exclusion as soon as the Council’s 2018 Stewardship application was acknowledged.
The cutting and baling of the Green was discussed. It was noted that last year’s late cutting of the Green through bad weather together with the usage of heavy machinery for baling had caused rutting of the Green impeding surface drainage. It was also noted that in recent years the quality of the bales had been insufficient to generate any funds. As a result Council
RESOLVED:
To submit an application for a derogation to Natural England to allow cutting of the Green to start 2 weeks early from 1 July.
RESOLVED:
To approach Natural England to ascertain whether they had any suggestions regarding alternatives to baling the grass.
RESOLVED:
To not expend any money on weed wiping in 2018.
RESOLVED:
To invite tenders for the cutting, baling and removal of bales from the Green from 1 July.
LIGHTING
Councillor Harrison advised that a new LED lamp replacement had been installed on the north side of the Green on the corner with Church Hill.
BUS SERVICE
Details of the new Arriva bus timetables for the 42S Saturday evening and Sunday services had been circulated ahead of the meeting. The new services are to be subsidised by the five parishes that will benefit namely Naburn, Stillingfleet, Kelfield, Cawood and Wistow. Council agreed that the negotiations undertaken by John Cattanach have delivered a positive result for the village and
RESOLVED:
To pay Stillingfleet’s share of the 42S annual bus subsidy when due.
POLICE MATTERS
No police matters were raised which required Council’s attention.
PLANNING MATTERS
- Ref: PL/ES/ABW/1683/01/SR – It was confirmed that Julian Slater (of Plasmor) had agreed to give Councillors a guided tour of their operation at Hemingbrough quarry on 3 May to increase understanding of their proposed development of the Clay Pit at Escrick. John Cook confirmed his intention to attend on behalf of the Council and will report back to Council.
- Ref: NY/2016/0251/FUL – Councillor Musgrave (Selby DC) advised that the planning hearing which had been scheduled for 17 April 2018 in relation to the development of the Stillingfleet Mine site had been postponed and would now take place on 15 May 2018. Councillor Elmhirst is scheduled to attend to present the Council’s objections and will report back to Council.
- Ref: 2018/0152/FUL – the planning papers in relation to the proposed demolition of the existing garage and erection of 2 dwellings at Stillingfleet Service Station York Road Stillingfleet York YO19 6SJ are being circulated around Councillors.
RESOLVED:
Councillor Elmhirst to submit the Council’s comments when the circulation was complete
- Ref: 2018/0055/FUL – Council was advised that objections to the proposed demolition of the existing dwelling and erection of 2 new detached dwellings and garages at Plantation House York Road Stillingfleet York YO19 6SJ had been submitted on the grounds of concern over the drainage proposals and other issues.
- Ref: 2017/0840/FUL – Council noted that the application re the proposed siting of a log cabin to provide tourist accommodation on land, Stickle Barn, Stewart Lane, Stillingfleet had been refused
CHARITY MATTERS
Councillor Swinglehurst left the room to enable Council to receive an update regarding tenders for the tenancy on the Charity Field. Councillor Elmhirst advised that only one tender had been received and that was from David Swinglehurst who had offered £1,590 per annum. This represented a 3.7% increase on rents received in 2017/18.
RESOLVED:
To grant the two year tenancy to David Swinglehurst for £1,589.90 p.a. and to ask Cundall’s to draw up the Farm Business Tenancy Agreement for completion.
In accordance with resolution made on 1 February 2018 (ref 720) paperwork was completed to change the signatories on the NS&I Charity Account ahead of the account being closed and replaced with a Yorkshire Bank current account.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Council noted that the annual risk assessment had been completed and circulated ahead of the meeting. Councillor Elmhirst advised that the fallen willow tree and small branches on the south east sector of the Green was to be removed and disposed of by John Bowness at no cost.
RESOLVED:
To commission Branches Out to remove the lower branches of the leaning willow trees in the south west sector of the Green at a cost of £80
TRANSPARENCY AND WEBSITE
The Clerk advised that she had completed the training in website management and had updated the website with financial documents for the year ending March 2017, with the Budget for 2018-2019 and the new Clerk email address as the primary point of contact.
The Clerk advised that in accordance with the resolution dated 7 December 2017 Red Kite Services had been commissioned to complete the annual website maintenance and that as part of the package they would produce a Privacy Policy for Council’s consideration and adoption.
Councillor Cook enquired whether the Parish Council’s laptop was now being fully utilised for Council business and correspondence. The Clerk advised that all Council documents composed since her appointment were now stored on the laptop but that the absence of Microsoft ‘Word’ and ‘Excel’ on the laptop made uploading of information onto the website a complex operation.
RESOLVED:
Clerk to investigate quotations for installing Microsoft Office 365 and present recommendations back to Council
FINANCIAL MATTERS
On reviewing the record of payments it had been noted that the invoice received for the 2017 Remembrance Wreath was for £20 whereas Wreath. At the meeting on 7 December 2017 (ref 715) a payment of £18 had been approved although at that stage no invoice had been received.
Council retrospectively approved the payment of £20 for the 2017 Remembrance Wreath.
A bank reconciliation as at 31 March 2018 was presented to Council. Council noted the requirement to re-direct the 2017 rental income from the Charity field and 2017 expenditure relating to the churchyard cutting, pensioners lunch and remembrance wreath from the Parish Council account to the Charity account when the new Yorkshire Bank current account had been opened for the Charity.
The Clerk reminded Council of the requirement to appoint two councillors to undertake an internal control check of the 2017/18 accounting records ahead of the annual internal audit.
RESOLVED:
Councillor Daniel and Councillor Dixon to undertake the annual internal control check required by 27 April 2018
In relation to the new Annual Internal Audit Reporting requirements it was
RESOLVED:
To approve and appoint Helen Guest (Clerk/RFO Escrick) as the Council’s new independent and competent Internal Auditor for the 2017-18 internal audit.
Council was advised that there are major changes to the external audit requirements for smaller authorities for the 2017/18 reporting season – the main change being that eligible smaller authorities are able to exempt themselves from an external review.
Council were advised that although there is no change at all to the requirement for all smaller authorities to complete and approve an Annual Return (now known as the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR)), and to provide for public rights; exempt authorities which meet a number of specified criteria only need submit an exemption certificate to PKF Littlejohn.
The Clerk advised that the exemption criteria are that the Council must have:
- Total gross income and total gross expenditure below £25k;
- no public interest report, statutory recommendation, advisory notice, judicial review or application to court re an unlawful item of account issued by its external auditor in the prior year;
- been in existence since before 1/4/14.
The Council considered the exemption criteria and
RESOLVED:
To complete and submit a Certificate of Exemption as part of the 2017-18 AGAR process.
The wage slip for the outgoing Clerk for January and February 2018 was submitted.
RESOLVED:
To pay Mrs H Breheney, outgoing Clerk to the Council, for January and February 2018 – £170.88
Invoice received from HMRC for the Clerk’s tax due for January and February 2018
RESOLVED:
To pay HMRC invoice for £31.00
Invoice received from Solutions for payroll for payroll services for January and February 2018.
RESOLVED:
To pay Solutions for Payroll invoice for £12.05
Invoice received from YLCA for membership between 1/4/18 – 31/3/19.
RESOLVED:
To pay YLCA invoice for £130.00
Invoice received from Red Kite Services for website management training for the new Clerk.
RESOLVED:
To pay Sam Lyth (of Red Kite Services) invoice for £75.00
The Council’s CIL statement dated March 2018 was considered which advised that the Council had £112.50 CIL receipts which can be used to fund Physical, Social or Green Infrastructure. The Council
RESOLVED:
To add the available funds to the budget approved for the purchase and installation of the bench alongside the children’s play area in the southern edge of the Green (See 5.1 above).
DPA COMPLIANCE
With the imminent requirement to ensure compliance with new General Data Protection Regulations Council
RESOLVED:
To pay £45 for the Clerk to attend a YLCA training event in relation to roles and responsibilities to ensure compliance with the new GDPR requirements coming into force in May 2015.
CORRESPONDENCE
The Correspondence log was considered with Council concluding no items required further Council’s attention
EMPLOYMENT MATTERS
Proposed disciplinary and grievance policies drafted in accordance with NALC LTN22 had been circulated to Councillors ahead of the meeting. Council
RESOLVED:
To adopt the disciplinary and grievance policies with immediate effect.
A written statement of particulars of employment for the new Clerk was considered by Council and Council
RESOLVED:
To sign and issue the employment contract to Ruth Swales as Clerk with terms effective from 1 March 2018
NEXT MEETING
It was confirmed that the next meeting will be the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council and it will take place on Thursday 31 May 2018. This meeting will be preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting commencing at 7.00 pm.
Ruth Swales (Clerk/RFO)
Email : clerk@stillingfleetparishcouncil.org