Minutes Council meeting 18 March 2020

Wednesday 18 March 2020

Held at 7.30pm in Helperby Village Hall

Present: Cllr Chris Owens (Chairman), Cllr Andy Topps, Cllr Matt Boyle, Cllr Nigel Denison, Cllr Mark Darwin, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers, Roger Clements (Clerk) plus 4 members of the public.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. Cllr Mitchell had sent his apologies.
2. Declarations of Interest not already declared under the Council’s Code of Conduct or members Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
   1. None were declared.
3. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 19 February 2020
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and were signed accordingly by the Chairman.
4. Public Forum
   1. Mrs Jakeman raised the topic of the new village magazine and requested the Council to part sponsor the printing costs which were £38 per issue of 400 copies (to be delivered free to each household). It was to be an agenda item at the next meeting and councillors indicated that they were minded to approve the sponsoring.
   2. Chairman introduced the topic of the national coronavirus crisis. This meeting was only able to go ahead as Social Distancing was in force. It was anticipated that government restriction would tighten further and the Council may not meet in open session for several months. The Chairman had decided that although not on the original agenda (but notified as widely as possible on Facebook and the Main Street notice board) the Council should make some crucial decisions on the topic. A discussion took place concerning those villagers who had already adopted self-isolation, with others anticipated to follow, and what help healthy villagers could provide. The various suggested ideas coalesced into a scheme with which councillors were happy. The Chairman proposed and it was agreed unanimously that a plan be announced by flyer to all households – Clerk to prepare the flyer which would enable those who needed help and those who would volunteer to provide it to make themselves known to the Council.
   3. Chairman explained how council business could be maintained throughout the period when meetings were not possible. Chairman proposed that the Council empowers the clerk/RFO to do anything expedient and necessary to ensure the continuous business of the council, and to deal with mandatory undertakings in order to prevent the authority from incurring liability during the period that the delegation is applicable; during this period the clerk will consult with the chairman and/or vice-chairman in the decision making but the council acknowledges that it is the clerk who is the decision maker. Councillors agreed unanimously.
5. Clerk’s report – the Fountain drain had been unblocked and now functioned normally. A device allowing drainage but blocking debris was required and some repair had been found necessary to the wooden pump boxing; both were in hand. A bid for the Woodland Trust ‘copse’ pack of 30 saplings would be made once planting locations had been identified by the Lands & Maintenance committee with the intention of doing the planting in November.
6. Finance
   1. Financial Report (Clerk) – with sundry rents coming in, the predicted financial outturn for FY2019/20 remained above £7,000 with a VAT recovery of £2,326 in April/May expected to provide an addition to the FY 2020/21 income.
   2. The following invoices were all approved for payment:
      1. B White £90.00 Litter Picking
      2. Cllr Boyle £115.00 Cllr training
      3. A Scarborough £99.00 Hedge flailing
      4. D Moorey tbc Fountain basin drain (not yet presented)
7. Information from the Lands and Maintenance Committee and decide further action where necessary
   1. A cobbles condition survey had been completed to identify re-laying priorities. The Church Commissioners are aware that the Council had placed the agreed monies with its solicitors and further action is awaited. Allotment plot registration with the Land Registry is expected to take a year to action and may be complete by year end. The new desktop computer functions well and use of the software allowing the photogrammetry survey to proceed is in use to gain user experience.
8. Information on the following ongoing issues and decide further action where necessary
   1. Plans for VE Day 75^th anniversary celebrations 8 May 2020 – wreathes and crosses were ordered for the outdoor service but the event was under threat from coronavirus restrictions (Afternote: events cancelled with the possible exception of a short outdoor service). Council thanked Cllrs Boyle, Jackson-Vickers and Mitchell for their work in preparing what had promised to be a major village event.
   2. Update on progress by NYCC to complete works in Main Street – no update had been received.
   3. Village Litter Pick arrangements for 28 March 2020 – the Great British Spring Clean had been postponed until 11-27 September; it was agreed to postpone the village Litter Pick to a date within the September window.
   4. Modifying street lamps on Main Street – Cllr Boyle will canvas councillors on a scheme to rationalise the mixed types of street lamps currently in use; NYCC will be approached in due course with proposals which will include a request to introduce plates in some lamps to cut glare into some house windows.
   5. Traffic speed survey – Cllr Topps will continue with covert surveys in preparation for a potential week-long survey at 2 sites.
   6. Village bus service – At a meeting with NYCC on 4 March it appears that the CC had softened its opposition to a Transport Needs Survey if local councils played a role in distributing and recovering the survey. Jointly with Myton and Tholthorpe the Council had submitted a proposal for a Demand Responsive Transport service in the knowledge that some government funding had been made available for this. No response has yet been received from NYCC.
9. Planning matters
   1. Planning Application 20/00335/LBC, proposed listed building consent for change of use of walled garden into events location with altered access at Helperby Hall, Helperby – the Council supported the application but had concerns that the associated drawing seemed ambiguous Afternote: Clerk consulted the original 2016 application and it became clear that the York Road entrance edged in red is indeed the revised access.
   2. Planning Application 20/00334/MRC, proposed modification of condition relating to application 16/02159/FUL for change of use of walled garden into events location at Helperby Hall, Helperby- the Council supported the application.
10. Planning decisions/information
    1. Planning Application 19/01653/LBC, roof mounted extractor vent at The Golden Lion, Main Street, Helperby – the application has been withdrawn.
    2. Planning Application 20/00113/FUL, proposed extension to 6 Brafferton Hall Gardens, Brafferton – approved by Hambleton District Council
    3. Planning Application 20/00132/CAT, proposed work to tree at Brafferton Hall West, Brafferton – approved by Hambleton District Council
11. Matters for consideration
    1. Litter picking arrangements from 1 April 2020 – it was agreed that current litter picking arrangements be put on hold while awaiting clarification of the effects of the coronavirus restrictions on working conditions.
    2. Council was minded to purchase 2 x saplings and tree guards for planting in Main Street. The Lands & Maintenance committee was asked to make recommendation for selection of trees and guards at up to £400 per set for planting in the autumn.
12. To consider new Correspondence received and decide action where necessary

Letter ref use of Main Street by pedestrians – the letter’s suggestions had been overtaken by events; the Council had already written to Area 2, Highways, NYCC making detailed suggestions as to road markings when the recently resurfaced village roads are surface dressed later this year.

1. The Clerk was asked to make Coronavirus a standard agenda item for all meetings until the national crisis has run its course.
2. No next meeting date was agreed.