Parish Council Minutes 24th January 2006

Littlethorpe Parish Council





Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 24th January 2006

in the Village Hall at 7.30pm.





Present:

Mrs. W. Orme (Chair)

Mr. J Wardle

Mr. C. Laker

Mr. D. O Connell

Mrs. J. Jowitt

County Cllr. H. Garnett

District Cllr. I. Galloway

Mr. W Lupton (Clerk)



1) Apologies

None received



2) Declaration of interest

Cllr. Laker declared that he might have a personal interest in item 23 as his wife used to work for the agent involved in a possible site proposal in Littlethorpe Lane.



3) Adoption of minutes Tuesday 11th October 2005

The minutes having been circulated were approved as a correct record. Cllr O Connell made comment on the use of public question time v participation in item 25 but it was agreed that this would stand.



4) Chairmans Progress Report

The Chair reported on the ongoing question of the proposed development in Mankin Lane and the recent meeting held in Ripon by the planning officer and the resultant site meeting on 31st January. She also informed the meeting that the Parish Plan was now in the hands of a Steering Committee and that funds had been granted and would soon be in place. She confirmed that the Parish Plan is totally independent from the Parish Council apart from the accounts, which are held under the umbrella of the Parish Council. Much work has been done on possible option for increasing public involvement in meeting. There would be no public question time at this meeting.



5) County Councillors Report

Cllr. Garnett reported that the NYCC web site now included facilities to complain about potholes and planning applications. Cllr. Garnett affirmed she would be attending a presentation of the Arup report on 9th February but stressed that this was only a presentation and no decisions would, or could, be taken at the meeting as it was a procedural matter. This meeting was to be closed to the public but she expected the full report to be published on the North Yorkshire County Council web site in the near future although a date had not been set and would be available in libraries 2 days after 9th February. Cllr. Laker regretted that this meeting was closed to Parish Councils but open to un-elected people . Cllr. Wardle stressed concern over the effect planning blight was having on house prices. Cllr. Orme thanked Cllr. Garnett for her help over the Mankin Lane hearing. It seemed that the change of view by Highways was due to a reassessment of the site square footage which generates a traffic flow.

Cllr. Jowitt thanked Cllr. Garnett for her help in raising funds for the Village Hall boundary fence.

6) District Councillors Report

Cllr. Galloway brought to the attention of the meeting a recent newspaper article concerning the proposed railway re-instatement.

He confirmed that the Highways had withdrawn their objection to Mankin Lane. It was proposed by Cllr. Wardle and seconded by Cllr. Laker that Harrogate be informed that the Parish Council would have no objections to a proposal to change the planning to residential use and asked Cllr. Galloway to pass this information onto Truss Lofts agent.

He informed the meeting that the Economic Development officer may well object to a change of use even though there is to be no extra employment as a result of the standing planning application.

Cllr. Galloway informed the meeting that he would be unable to stand on any Planning Committee discussing Mankin Lane as he had written confirming his objection to the proposed plan.



7) Treasurers Report

a) Accounts to date

Presented and approved (see below)

The Clerk was asked to find out details of the standing order shown as Sfc



b) Progress of auditing procedure

Clerk informed the meeting that Mazars had approved the 2004/05 accounts and that they had been paid.



c) Financial Regulations to be proposed by Cllr. Laker

Cllr. Laker produced the new Financial Regulations to be adopted by the Council. These were proposed by Cllr. Wardle and seconded by Cllr. Jowitt and were accepted.



d) Expenditure on village hall, cleaning and grass cutting

Cllr. Laker questioned the contribution by the Council to the Village Hall Committee for cleaning and grass cutting and whether it would be better to reimburse in a different way. It was agreed to continue as present. It was confirmed by the clerk that this work for the village hall was accounted for with invoices. A contribution from H.B.C. of £64.00 for grass cutting was expected for this year and the clerk was requested to look into the lack of contribution for the previous financial year.



e) Bank account interest rate

It was agreed that the Parish Council should make enquiries as to the current interest rate received on the Parish bank account and look at alternatives.



f) Clerks honorarium.

The Clerk confirmed that this was now paid by D.D. directly to him.



g) Village Hall deeds

As the deeds on file at the bank is a copy rather than original it was agreed that the Clerk write to Hutchinson and Buchanan in an attempt to trace the original. Cllr. Orme asked the floor if anyone had any further information on the lost original but no-one was able to help.



e) Cost of external training courses/meetings - payment authority.

It was proposed by Cllr. O. Connell and seconded by Cllr. Laker that Councillors could agree a sum of up to £60.00 be agreed prior to a Parish Meeting for costs incurred in training courses















8) Parish Clerk

a) Issuing of draft minutes

Agreed to issue final minutes a maximum four weeks after first draft following approval from all Councillors



b) Yorkshire Local Clerks Association

The information as to costs and benefits requested at the last meeting were not made available. Cllr. Laker requested that the Clerk report at the next meeting.



c) 1978-1988 Minute Book is now deposited at Bank



9) Planning Applications received for consultation:



Henry Boot - site development

Ashbrooke - two and single storey extensions - now withdrawn

Summer Farm - vehicle shelter - approved

Holly House - extension above garage - rejected

Mankin Lane - joinery workshop - site visit 31st January followed by decision.





10) Planning Permission Decisions

a) Henry Boot - refused



11) Appeals

a) Hollin Hall - granted



12) Parish Plan

The Chair informed the meeting that funding has been granted to finance the Parish Plan and that the Council would be required to open a second bank account for the Parish Plan. She reminded the meeting that the Parish Council has no direct involvement with the Parish Plan apart from providing one or two members of the committee. She also reminded the meeting that the Council is expected to fund the Plan with a figure of 5% of the grant (estimated @ £137.50).

The Chairman of the Parish Plan (Richard Sutcliffe) committee was introduced to the meeting by the Chair and invited to speak. He confirmed that there where 8 people on the steering committee and 5 on a working group, including Cllr. Orme (Steering Committee) and Cllr. O Connell (Working Group) and that the process was completely open. Cllr. O Connell indicated that he had placed his name (as a parishioner) on the original list in November 2005 but he had not been contacted since and felt the process had not been open. He made it clear that both Cllr. Orme and Cllr. O Connell were on the steering group. It was proposed by Cllr. O Connell and seconded by Cllr. Jowitt that the Parish Plan committee should now write formally to invite the two Councillors to join the steering group. Sylvia Brierly has been appointed Treasurer of the steering group. A public meeting was also being arranged on February 4th at the village hall to allow residents a chance to air their views.



13) Local Government Initiatives

No further discussion at present



14) Memberships

a) C.P.R.E

It was proposed by Cllr. Jowitt and seconded by Cllr. O Connell that the Parish Council should re-new its membership of the CPRE at a cost of £26.00



15) Local Authority Resolution - Support for Sustainable Communities







16) Roads and Footpaths

Cllr Laker has spoken to Mr Nicholson following the blocking of the footpath. The path was reopened and Mr Nicholson gave an assurance that this would not take place again.

Speeding through village - Cllr Laker expressed villagers concerns over speeding in the village and that he was in touch with the police over this matter. The Clerk pointed out that the police had recently been seen using speed cameras in the village. Cllr Galloway mentioned Safety in Villages Scheme with funding available of £5000 per year to get off street parking.

Quarry Moor road crossing, response from NYCC - Clerk to write for further update.

Drainage work - Littlethorpe Lane - road closure for eight weeks

Application to make canal towpath a public right of way - public urged to fill in questionnaire which were made available by the Chair.



17) Quarry Moor

Cllr. Wardle informed the meeting that a meeting was taking place that night. There are problems with Ripon City over the running costs of Quarry Moor that need to be resolved.

It was suggested and approved that the Quarry Moor building be used for the next Parish Council meeting on March 28th. Clerk to arrange.



18) Amendments to Standing Orders.

As agreed at the last meeting Cllr. O Connell had prepared a document (circulated prior to the meeting) outlining some options aimed at increasing public participation during meetings. If adopted, these may have required some amendment to Standing Orders. Following input from Cllr. Galloway it was deemed that some of these options were inappropriate. It was finally agreed that the existing Standing Orders could remain in place. All meeting Agendas will have a period for public debate. This time will be limited. The public participation will take place at the end of the meeting after formal business has been wound up. This would not be minuted, but notes would be taken, and items discussed would be, if necessary, put onto the agenda for the next Parish meeting. If minor alterations were found necessary in the future these would be addressed. The existing Standing Orders allow for this to occur. This open element is to be separate from the reading of formal correspondence received prior to meetings.



19) Local Development Framework

No response from Harrogate Council



20) Community Emergency Plan

It was thought that the village should have a list available of those in need of assistance in the case of a local emergency. It was agreed that Cllr Laker would contact HBC to see what was involved and then report back



21) Parish Council Contact Leaflet

Two quotations of £250 and £150 had been received but this seems excessively high. Further work should be done on the leaflet and further quotations sought although it was considered that they could be produced in house.



22) Parish Web site

Cllr. Jowitt informed the meeting that a parish website was now up and running at www.littlethorpe.ik.com. It was agreed that a bottle (or two) of wine should be given to Richard Field for his help over the development of the site. Proposed by Cllr. Orme and seconded by Cllr. O Connell. To be arranged by Cllr. O Connell.



23) Affordable Housing

It was agreed that Cllr Laker would contact HBC to see about arranging for an affordable housing needs survey to be carried out.







24) Village Hall update

Cllr. Jowitt updated on village hall activities. The storeroom is to be re-plastered but there are concerns as to the state of the roof. It is hoped that the hall will be used this autumn for film shows. The Village Hall Committee has requested that two signs be provided in the village to direct the public to the hall. The clerk was requested to write to H.B.C. to ask for information and funding.



25) Railway update

Arup reporting on 9th February 2006



26) Roundabout

Nothing to report



27) Format of Public Question Time

See item 18.

It was agreed that the existing Standing Order accommodated a public question time adequately



28) Pinfold

Refund of grant.

As H.B.C. has requested a refund of the £250.00 grant made towards the Pinfold restoration it was thought that work could still be done on the Pinfold at a reduced cost. It was suggested that the Clerk write to the Probation Service to see if help in the form of manual labour could be provided. In the short term it was agreed that the grant should be held until a final decision is made. It was also suggested that the public response to the Parish Plan might wish to encourage the rebuilding of the Pinfold.



29) Correspondence (taken after item 7)

The Chair read letters from:

Iris Alderson re Mankin Lane Development

Sally Richardson - state of roads in village. Clerk to write to NYCC.

Richard Tite - Minerals after use Strategy

J Wardle - Standards Board

Liz Tite - make up of Parish Plan steering group and Parish Council representatives.



It was agreed that in future Correspondence will be read at the beginning of all meetings and itemized on the agenda after the Treasurers Report.



30) Chairmans Summing-up.

The Chair reaffirmed her support for Public Participation after meetings.

Residents were encouraged to be at the Mankin Lane site meeting on 31st January and, if possible, attend the planning meeting in Harrogate.



31) Future Diary

Dates of next meetings:



March 28th 2006 - (Quarry Moor)

May 23rd 2006 (incl. AGM /APM)

July 18th 2006

October 10th 2006



To start at 7.30 pm.





Meeting closed at 9.50pm Back to top