Wednesday 6 April 22

Held in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Mark Darwin, Steve Laux (co-opted member), and Roger Clements (Clerk)

1. To receive Apologies for Absence
   1. Apologies were received from Cllr Peter Mitchell.
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 – it was suggested that a more permanent flagpole be considered where the Ukrainian flag was currently flying in the Christmas Tree socket in Main Street. Members liked the idea and saw an opportunity to fly a variety of flags at different occasions through the year; the topic to be an agenda item for the Council. Cost of a ‘proper’ flagpole to be obtained and Clerk to research rules affecting the flying of flags by a local council.
4. Mains power connection from a Main Street lamp – Hambleton District Council advised that the lamp post was not suitable to house the necessary equipment and recommended that Northern Power Grid should be approached for a quotation, although this was thought likely to be too expensive an option for a few weeks of lighting the Christmas tree. Northern Power to be asked for a guide price and Steve Laux to produce a procedure guide for other persons to set up the lights in the future.
5. Clearance of debris and the making safe of dilapidated building on allotment RR11. It was agreed that, in the short term, the dilapidated but possibly historical building on the plot should be fenced and marked as unsafe. In the longer term it may be practical to stabilise the building by replacing the poor condition tiled roof with a temporary metal roof at a cost thought to be circa £2,000. The Council should consider a site meeting to identify possible future use of the building and its potential value as its existence establishes planning permission for a dwelling on the site. There was little appetite for demolition until other options had been considered – a business plan should be considered. The small copse at the eastern end of the plot will also require assessment as to retention or tree surgery.
6. Cobbles Project
   1. Cobble re-laying specification – Chairman and Steve Laux to review cobbles re-laying technique, gathered by re-laying experience to date, to confirm the specification for laying technique, materials and method of finish required of contactors when re-laying areas in the future.
   2. Contract for cobble re-laying around the War Memorial curtilage – the grant of £7,560 from Hambleton District Council Making a Difference fund is to be spent by 31 March 23. Chairman will invite three local contractors and Leeds Building School to provide quotations for re-laying the cobbles using the agreed specification (6.1 above) at the curtilage to the War Memorial.
7. Agenda items for the next meeting.
   1. Need to recruit up to two new committee members.
8. Date of next Meeting confirmed as 6 July 2022