Wednesday 15 March 2023

Held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Peter Mitchell, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers, Cllr Deirdre Brown, Cllr Matt Boyle, Cllr Mark Darwin, Roger Clements (Clerk) plus Cllr Alyson Baker (North Yorkshire County Council) and Cllr Pippa James (Hambleton District Council).

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. All councillors 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. Chairman’s report:
   1. Chairman advised that Ben Carter had resigned due to work commitments; the Council thanked Ben for his service to the parish council.
   2. Chairman also thanked Cllr Pippa James, our final HDC Ward Councillor, for her unstinting support to the parish council and wished her well for the future.
   3. The Canadian flag had been flown from the new flagpole to mark the anniversary of the loss of Halifax NA612. Subsequently, flags would fly from the flagpole in accordance with a council flag flying policy currently in preparation.
   4. He noted that the approach from Bridge Street to the St Peter’s lych gate is currently in a poor state as building works continue along its eastern edge. The topic to be agenda items at the next Council meeting and Lands & Maintenance committee meeting.
   5. He thanked the Clerk for successfully processing the council’s newly acquired government domain name and new email address, namely clerk@braffertonhelperby-pc.gov.uk
   6. He warned Cllrs that the budget for FY 2023/24 would need careful managing.
4. Hambleton District Council (HDC) & North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) News
   1. Cllr James reported that NYCC had turned down a petition by some residents to introduce a priority traffic system at the double bend at Brafferton Manor (for the issue to be raised again specific evidence of incidents/accidents would need to produced); furthermore the proposed chicane near the Old Parsonage was not approved as it could prove hazardous for traffic exiting St Peter’s Close. The parish council’s two bids for grants from the Community Infrastructure Levy fund remained under consideration.
   2. Cllr Baker explained the rationale behind the increases in North Yorkshire Council (NYC) taxation where Social Care was a high and increasing element. NYC expected to dip into reserves in FY 2023/24 before savings begin to emerge in subsequent years. Opportunities for grants existed from the Localities Budget but bids would need to be submitted promptly. She outlined changes to local constituency boundaries and confirmed that the parish council would become part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency. She will be holding a surgery for electors in the Galtres Centre, Easingwold on 14 April between 10 and 12am.
5. Public Forum
   1. Cllr Jackson-Vickers commented on reports from some residents that a survey, to ascertain whether there was anthrax present on the proposed site of 4 dwellings east of the Boroughbridge Road, appeared to have taken place. Cllr James was unable to cast any light on the subject but advised that the planning application (see 12.2 below) was to be assessed by the HDC planning committee on 20 Mar 23.
6. The minutes of the meeting of the Council on 15 Feb 23 were accepted as a true record and signed accordingly by the Chairman.
7. Clerk’s report – so far there was no progress to report on either improving flow through the drain along Main Street in front of the Old Brewery or whether there would be additional street lighting along the Boroughbridge Road once the 28 dwelling development was completed.
8. Financial matters
   1. Clerk’s financial report – the HDC Making a Difference Fund grant of £7,560 had been received and the Council’s bank balance currently stood at £8,964.94. However, the unbudgeted cost of tree felling beside the Raskelf Road of about £4k (to take place in May 23) would bring council reserves down to the lower end of the recommended range. Chairman advised councillors that some adjustments to expenditure plans in FY 2023/24 would be required.
   2. Payment Card Purchases (PCP) were noted and payment of accounts received were approved:
      1. A Scarborough hedge flailing £490.20
      2. Clerk flag refund £112.13
      3. Hampshire Flag Co flag £64.73 (PCP)
      4. HP Printer warranty £16.80 (PCP)
9. Matters for Consideration
   1. Councillor vacancy – the process to fill the councillor vacancy is underway. HDC electoral services have advised electors how to put forward candidates for election. If none are forthcoming by 23 March then the parish council will begin its own process to co-opt a new councillor.
   2. Plans to mark the Coronation of HM King Charles III – Cllr Boyle confirmed plans were about to be announced on Facebook and through the village magazine:
      1. Sunday 7 May: bring-your-own picnic from 2pm on the sports field to include family games, a Boot Camp session, stalls, a touch rugby game and music. A wet weather plan at the village hall was under consideration. Although a budget of £1,000 was approved on 18 Jan 23 towards this event, the Chairman hoped to reduce this expenditure by seeking some local sponsorship. Current estimated costs were £500 for mugs, £80 for music, £35 for flyer printing plus some small costs for minor items.
      2. Monday 8 May is the national ‘Big Help Out Day’ with participation under consideration.
      3. The Council will be giving commemorative mugs to village children, some for distribution to children at St Peter’s school and others at the 7 May picnic.
   3. Siting of a traffic mirror at north end of Back Lane. NYCC had been approached and had responded with its policy on the subject which for urban areas is as follows: ‘NYCC applies stringent criteria to any application for a traffic mirror on the public highway; it does not approve requests for traffic mirrors in urban areas’. The subject is therefore closed and the parish council will not take it further.
   4. Update on the NYCC/NYC Climate Change Strategy and Local Energy Scheme – Cllr Jackson-Vickers outlined the areas where individuals could make a difference and encouraged residents to complete the Let’s Talk survey on the NYCC website. Chairman proposed that the Council should identify areas where it could contribute and would review the topic quarterly – agreed.
10. Information on the following ongoing issues and decision on further action where necessary
    1. Cobbles project – Chairman reported the completion of the first significant re-laying of cobbles. The area of the war memorial curtilage and approaches to the village hall were re-cobbled at the end of February, using money ringfenced by the parish council in addition to a grant from the HDC Making a Difference Fund. Additional funding will be a crucial element of further refurbishing of cobbled areas and the Council will attempt to seek out opportunities.
    2. Neighbourhood plan – on hold at present.
11. To consider the following Planning Matters
    1. None received.
12. To receive the following Planning Decisions/information
    1. Planning Application 22/02422/REM, construction of 4 dwellings adjacent to telephone exchange, Back Lane, Helperby – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council
    2. Planning Application 22/02294/OUT, outline application for the construction of 4 dwellings with all matters reserved except access on OS Field 7346, Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council
    3. Planning Application 22/01858/FUL, proposed construction of 2 x dwellings at St Peter’s Close, Brafferton – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council
13. Further Matters for Consideration
    1. None tabled.
14. New Correspondence
    1. NYCC had responded to a request for information on the maintenance regime for Back Lane. An excerpt follows: ‘Back Lane is an unclassified, category 4b Local Access Road. This is described as a road serving limited numbers of properties carrying only access traffic, and subject to a minimum annual inspection frequency. The next category in the network hierarchy is 4a. This is described as a link road between the main and secondary distributor network. An example of this would be Main Street and Raskelf Road, Helperby. I am satisfied that Back Lane sits in the correct classification of road. The inspection frequency is twelve monthly.’
15. Matters for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
    1. St Peter’s lych gate approach track.
    2. New councillor co-option if required.
    3. Events to mark the Coronation of HM King Charles III (7-8 May 23).
    4. Condition of footpath between Back Lane and Balk Avenue (site meeting to be arranged).
16. The date of the next Council meeting was confirmed as 19 Apr 23.