Minutes Lands & Maintenance committee meeting 7 July 21

Wednesday 7 July 21

Held in Helperby Village Hall at 7.30 pm

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Peter Mitchell, Cllr Mark Darwin, and Roger Clements (Clerk) plus 2 members of the public.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. Apologies were received from co-opted members Steve Laux and John Featherstone.
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. Public Forum – Chairman reported a meeting with the new Helperby Estate agent where topics of mutual interest were discussed: the Neighbourhood Plan; how the possible children’s play area might involve the Council; Balsam Bashing; registration of various plots of land with the Land Registry and the Council’s response to the proposed housing development around Balk Avenue.
4. Registration of parish footpaths according to the Right-to-Roam legislation – the Council intends confirming that each footpath marked on the NYCC rights of way mapping is correctly identified and in regular use. Currently, stiles on the path between St Peter’s school and Austin’s Hill entrance are in a poor condition: Clerk to liaise with the school before contacting NYCC. Council to also take note of permissive footpaths in the local area.
5. ‘Balsam Bashing’ took place around Swale Green and Pasture Lane on 26 June with further action planned on date(s) tbc.
6. Neighbourhood Plan progress – Hambleton District Council has initiated its consultation process which will run until 28 July; further action will depend on the outcome of this consultation.
7. Cobbles Project
   1. Photogrammetry progress – the project had stalled during the covid crisis and was currently being re-assessed. The priority was to complete portions of Main Street and additional volunteers are required. The software license was soon to come up for review.
   2. Maintenance requirements and costs for cobbles including the draft Care Plan. The main area for work was that of the War Manorial curtilage and the frontage of Kirkholme. Fund raising would be necessary for work on such a scale plus training of more volunteers. Plans for this will be presented to the committee when ready. The Care Plan was to be was to be re-drafted in the light of experience from works carried out to date.
8. To receive agenda items for the next meeting.
   1. No new items were proposed.
9. Date of next Meeting 6 October 2021