Minutes Lands & Maintenance committee meeting 1 Feb 23

Wednesday 1 February 2023

Held in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Peter Mitchell, Steve Laux (co-opted member), Blake Edwards (co-opted member) and Roger Clements (Clerk)

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. None were received.
2. Declarations of Interest not already declared under the Council’s Code of Conduct or members Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
   1. Steve Laux declared an interest in item 11.
3. Chairman’s report
   1. The Chairman welcomed Blake as a new co-opted member of the committee.
   2. The Council’s 2 x bids for CIL money from Hambleton District Council (HDC) to support the cobbles re-laying at the war memorial and to make safe the dilapidated building on allotment plot RR11 remained unresolved.
   3. Repairs and improved access for equestrians had been agreed by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) at the Swingbridge.
4. Public Forum – the Clerk reminded members that a date remained to be set for a working party to clear vegetation and debris from the surgery frontage cobbles.
5. Maintenance planning for 2023
   1. Members reviewed the Clerk’s Maintenance Plan 2022 and agreed all should continue in 2023 with two alterations: urban grass cutting would return to 6 full cuts of all areas, during the growing season, and Main Street leaf clearance should be re-assessed as leaf fall approached.
   2. The Jobs List for works to trees was also noted including Raskelf Road tree felling in May 23. Other tasks will be undertaken on a self-help basis except tree surgery of mature trees in Main Street and within the Brafferton Pinfold, both of which will require decisions by the Council.
   3. A plan was required to improve the condition of the track from Bridge Street to St Peter’s Church lych gate; an edged and hardened surface was probably required – Steve and Blake to devise and cost options for further discussion.
6. Clearance of debris and the making safe of dilapidated building on allotment RR11 – progress depended on receipt of CIL money grant from HDC (see 3.1) and no work could be done until money was made available – further discussion needed at the next meeting.
7. Brightness, style, post colour and condition of village streetlamps
   1. Brightness and number of streetlamps were each controlled by NYCC policy. However, the ‘traditional’ style of lamp in Main Street is an important element of the village identity and members wished them to be retained in the best condition. These lamp posts should all be black but 2 are currently made of galvanised steel; advice will be sought for the correct paint to be used for possible ‘self-help’ re-painting.
   2. It was noted that there were no streetlamps north of Brafferton Manor on the Boroughbridge Road and none appeared to be proposed along the frontage of the planned 28-dwelling development. Clerk to identify who had responsibility for street lighting along this stretch of road.
8. Condition of drainage outside of the Old Brewery
   1. Drainage was observed to be poor in this area due to leaf debris and mud accumulating in the gully. The situation was made worse by suspected tree roots entering the drainage system. The Council could improve the situation by earlier leaf clearance but the situation could only be resolved through intervention by NYCC Highways – Clerk to approach Area 2.
9. Update/issue of the document on ‘how to look after your cobbles’ – Chairman had begun to revise the initial draft. The document needed to: be as brief as possible; to engage householders in care of cobbles in front of their properties; contain advice on tools and method for clearance; advise on disposal of cleared debris and consider what help might be available for those who would need assistance in keeping their frontages clear of weeds and debris. Chairman to send a revised document to members for comment.
10. Condition of Back Lane – it was agreed that the surface of Back Lane was poor in many areas and it was thought to be of low priority for maintenance by NYCC Highways. With increasing numbers of properties built or planned along the road the situation could only become worse unless its priority for maintenance was increased. To be an agenda item at the next full Council meeting and for the attention of our NYCC Divisional Councillor.
11. Back Lane allotment fencing – fencing at all Council allotments was currently managed by self-help and there was no evidence that any other policy had previously been in use. Steve to draft a costed plan for allotment boundary fencing for discussion at the next meeting.
12. Cobbles Project
    1. Progress report on cobbles re-laying around curtilage to War Memorial – the contractor was due to start work imminently on a limited area of the cobbles. Additional work on this and other cobbled areas was dependent on further grants coming available (see 3.2).
13. Agenda items for the next meeting:
    1. Lych gate track improvement.
    2. Allotment fencing.
    3. Back Lane maintenance (Full Council agenda).
14. Meeting dates in 2023/24 were confirmed to be 5 Apr 23, 5 July 23, 4 Oct 23 and 31 Jan 24.