Wednesday 20 March 2019

Held at 7.30pm in Helperby Village Hall

Present: Cllr Chris Owens (Chairman), Cllr Mavis Hartley, Cllr Janice Attwood, Cllr Andy Topps, Cllr Matthias van Leijen, Cllr Caroline Patmore (Hambleton District Council), Roger Clements (Clerk) plus one member of the public.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. All Cllrs were present.
2. Declarations of Interest not already declared under the Council’s Code of Conduct or members Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
   1. No declarations were made.
3. Public Forum
   1. No topics were raised.
4. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 6 February 2019.
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and were signed accordingly by the Chairman.
5. Clerk’s report
   1. Issued cheques had all been presented with the exception of that to NY Web Solutions; the proposed visit to the Allerton Park incinerator will be arranged for the new Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council (B&HPC) Cllrs and a brief had been prepared and passed to St Peter’s School, advising on the procedure required to divert a public footpath.
6. Finance
   1. Financial Report and Bank Reconciliation – the Financial Working Group reported the reconciliation to be in order. With one invoice still outstanding it was expected that funds totalling £6,000+ would be transferred to the B&HPC account in due course.
   2. Clerk’s holiday pay and expenses – A cheque for £74.05 was issued.
   3. Clerk’s advance of pay – as there will be no salary Standing Order in place for the months of April and May a cheque was issued in lieu.
   4. Accounts approved for payment:
      1. £78.98 to NY Web Solutions
      2. The subscription to CPRE was confirmed cancelled.
   5. Transfer of council funds to the account of Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council – the text of a draft letter to HSBC transferring the balance of council funds to B&HPC was read. Cllr Attwood proposed that the letter be sent. It was resolved to do so authorising the immediately transfer of £2,000 to the B&HPC account with the balance of the council’s funds following upon closure of the council’s accounts on 30 April 2019.
7. Highways and Transport
   1. Village Cobbles – The village cobbles are an historic feature of the village and form a part of its unique appearance. Chairman reported that Nigel Denison, with the support of Helperby PC, was managing a project with the aim of refurbishing the village cobbles. A feasibility project was underway to identify ownership of the cobbles, produce a specification for future cobbles repairs and to make plans for a pilot scheme to reinstate the cobbles at the curtilage to the village war memorial. Most cobbles are on areas of land termed Manorial Waste which are in the ownership of the Church Commissioners; a proposal to purchase these areas by the parish council is under consideration. A successful bid for some initial funding had already been made to Hambleton District Council’s Making a Difference fund – this money may be used to pay the legal fees associated with any transfer of ownership of the Manorial Waste. He added that the village Affordable Housing Group was about to register as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) with the Community Lands Trust. The aims of the CBS include the promotion of projects to enhance the village environment like the play area and the cobbles.
8. Planning Matters
   1. Planning Application 18/00762/OUT proposed outline application for 8 dwellings to the east of Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council.
   2. Planning Application 18/01787/FUL proposed retrospective change of use of accommodation at St Peter’s School, Brafferton – approved by Hambleton District Council
9. Business Matters
   1. Hambleton District Council news – Cllr Patmore provided background information on some ongoing planning applications.
   2. Dissolution of Brafferton Parish Council – Chairman confirmed this to be the final meeting of Brafferton Parish Council prior to its dissolution on 31 March 2019. He thanked all Cllrs for their assistance and support during his time as Chairman in particular he noted the extraordinary commitment of Cllr Hartley as she completed 45 years of service to the community as a Brafferton Parish Council councillor. He looked forward to the creation of the Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council on 1 April and hoped this new council would offer the village the ability to meet its new challenges with increased efficiency. Cllr Hartley, with the support of all Cllrs, asked that the minutes record the appreciation of the full council for the effective work done by the Clerk.
   3. Brafferton an Helperby Parish Council elections – the elections take place on 2 May 2019. Nominations should be submitted by hand to Hambleton District Council during the period 20 March to 3 April 2019.
   4. Joint Committee report on preparations for creation of Brafferton and Helperby Parish Council – Clerk briefed the council on progress (see separate minutes of the Joint Committee meeting of 21 March 2019).
10. Correspondence
    1. Letter from Newtons Solicitors with further information concerning a dispute over access along the track from Bridge Street to the St Peter’s lychgate. The letter focused on an Openreach junction box cover, located on the track, which forms part of the dispute; it drew attention to a discrepancy between the opinion of a ‘former engineer’ and the Openreach document Identifying our equipment as to the type of this cover and its loadbearing strength. The council had relied on the Openreach document for the advice it offered to the parties concerned; as the Openreach website continues to display this document the council had nothing further to add.