Wednesday 21 July 2021

Held at 7.30pm in Helperby Village Hall

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Peter Mitchell (Vice Chairman), Cllr Jean Featherstone, Cllr Mark Darwin, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers, Roger Clements (Clerk) and one member of the public.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. Apologies were received from Cllrs Boyle and Brown.
2. Declarations of Interest not already declared under the Council’s Code of Conduct or members Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
   1. None were made.
3. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 16 Jun 21
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and were signed accordingly by the Chairman.
4. Public Forum
   1. A parishioner announced that he wished to make a complaint. The complaint had a number of elements but it became clear that it concerned Council administration. The complainant was advised by the Chairman that the correct procedure was in the first instance to write to the Council setting out the nature of the complaint. The Council’s Complaints Procedure may be found on the council website at https://www.braffertonhelperbypc.org.uk/
   2. Cllr Mitchell (a HVH trustee) advised the Council that the trustees were developing a 5-year plan for improvements at the Village Hall. Current elements included improved sound proofing, a projection facility in the Waud Room and a Village Hall website.
5. Clerk reported that:
   1. A new National defibrillator monitoring service named The Circuit came into use on 10 July 21. The village defibrillator is registered and the new service appears very efficient.
   2. The bridleway finger post at the western end of Bridge Street has been knocked down and the post broken. A report has gone to NYCC footpaths.
   3. HVH trustees had asked the Council to investigate the possibility of locating a space in the village for use as a car park. A reply had been sent reporting that at present no such space could be identified. Cllrs confirmed that they would continue to seek such a space.
6. Financial matters
7. Financial Report – Clerk reported that no invoices had been received since the last meeting and currently the council’s account balance stood at £15,807.64.
8. Accounts for payment – no invoices were submitted for payment.
9. To receive information on the following ongoing issues and decide further action where necessary
   1. Balsam Bash – including work just complete, balsam had been ‘bashed’ around Swale Green and along the southern verge of Rag Hill Lane. It was noted that areas of balsam grew in the woodland between Rag Hill Lane and the sports field but this was not Council land.
   2. Traffic speed data 17-23 June. The data was gathered daily for 7 days at 3 locations (near the junction of Tofts Lane and Main Street, in front of the Old Brewery on Main Street and on Raskelf Road east of Balk Avenue). The raw results covered 21 pages of densely packed numerical data which had been summarised for cllrs onto a single sheet for each location. This was a first look at the figures for cllrs; full conclusions and decision(s) will be an agenda item at the August meeting. The following observations were made:
      1. Traffic speed on Main Street was lower than anecdotal evidence had suggested with a low proportion of vehicles exceeding the limit (implying that pedestrians were mostly influenced by the close passage of traffic – including HGVs and large agricultural vehicles – while they used the footways beside the carriageway.
      2. Traffic entering and leaving the village on the York and Raskelf roads contained in the order of 10% and 25% of speeding traffic respectively (the majority of this traffic travelling at speeds in the 30s but some at speeds above 45 mph).
      3. Raskelf Road suffered the highest incidence of speeding traffic with each day containing at least a single vehicle travelling above 50 mph.
      4. Points for consideration at the next meeting: could the police be asked to conduct radar monitoring of traffic speed on Raskelf Road at the village edge; possible use of a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) on the Raskelf Road; erection of village ‘gates’ by the village name millstones to remind motorists that they are entering the village and ask neighbouring villages with a VAS what their experience had been of the effect of the sign.
      5. The Clerk was asked to post the data summaries on the Council website.
   3. Neighbourhood Plan update – the Hambleton District Council consultation on the proposed designated area for the Plan had about a week to run. Thereafter the Council expected to know whether it could continue with its Neighbourhood Plan detailed preparation.
10. To consider the following Planning matters
    1. No new planning applications had been received.
11. To receive the following Planning decisions/information
    1. Planning Application 21/01475/MRC, change of use of building and land at The Post House, Main Street, Helperby and construction of pool house and siting of entrance gates – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    2. Planning Application 21/01445/MRC, variation of conditions attached to planning consent 13/02134/FUL at 8 Bridge Street, Brafferton – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    3. Planning Application 21/01429/FUL, proposed stone repairs and replacement of existing windows at the main school building at St Peters Brafferton Primary School, Brafferton – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    4. Planning Application 21/01416/FUL, proposed installation of a substation at Brafferton Poultry Farm, Raskelf Road, Brafferton – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    5. Planning Application 21/01287/FUL. Proposed replacement of wooden windows with UPVC windows at Vine Cottage, Main Street, Helperby – granted by Hambleton District Council
    6. Planning Application 21/00373/LBC, proposed alterations to listed building at Lodge Farm, Main Street, Helperby – granted by Hambleton District Council
    7. Planning Application 21/00824/OUT, proposed 33 dwelling development to the south & west of Balk Avenue, Helperby – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council
    8. Application 21/00477/GENENQ for a tree preservation order to the east of Balk Avenue, Helperby – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    9. Planning Application 21/00654/FUL, proposed detached garage and conversion of existing garage to games room at 6 Brafferton Hall Gardens, Brafferton- granted by Hambleton District Council
    10. Planning Application 21/00824/OUT, proposed replacement of garden store with garden annex to main building at the Old Bakery, Main Street, Helperby – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    11. Planning Application 21/00966/REM, reserved matters pursuant to outline permission 16/01142 for construction of 28 dwellings at OS Field 0046, Brafferton – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
12. Matters for consideration
    1. No new topics were considered.
13. Correspondence received and decide action where necessary
    1. No new correspondence received.
14. To notify the Clerk of matters for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
    1. Traffic Speed data (see item 9.2).
    2. Maintenance plan for verges, hedges and trees.
15. To confirm the date of the next meeting as Wednesday 18 August 2021.