Minutes of Council meeting 18 December 19

Wednesday 18 December 2019

Held at 7.30pm in Helperby Village Hall

Present: Cllr Chris Owens (Chairman), Cllr Andy Topps, Cllr Peter Mitchell, Cllr Nigel Denison,

Cllr Mark Darwin, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers, Cllr Peter Sowray (NYCC), Roger Clements (Clerk) and five members of the public.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. All Cllrs were present.
2. Declarations of Interest not already declared under the Council’s Code of Conduct or members Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
   1. Cllrs Owens and Mitchell declared an interest in Item 7.3.4.
3. Public Forum
   1. No topics were raised.
4. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 20 November 2019
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and were signed accordingly by the Chairman.
5. Co-option of a new councillor onto the Council
   1. Three candidates for co-option had provided statements and each was invited to address the Council. The Council then withdrew into Closed Session before returning to announce its decision. All applicants were thanked for their interest in supporting the community which was much appreciated by the Council. Mr Matt Boyle was invited to be co-opted onto the Council. He accepted, signed the Declaration of Acceptance, and took his seat on the Council.
6. Clerk’s report
   1. Hambleton District Council (HDC) had displayed notices in the village on the intended works to trees in Main Street. It was hoped that this would lead to the work starting in February. The tree surgeon had been asked to assess the tree on the river footpath to Swale Green, which had a partially fallen bough, with a view to making it safe.
   2. Clerk thanked Cllr Denison for setting up a rota of householders to carry out the Daily Check of the defibrillator. The Council appreciated the commitment of all involved.
   3. Using revised figures provided by HDC it was now calculated that the precept for FY 2020/21 would generate a cost to Band D properties of £38.79.
7. Financial matters
   1. Financial Report – the payments at 7.3 were all as budgeted with the exception of the hall hire charge (additional council meetings and shop working group) which was £88 over budget.
   2. Bank reconciliation – the Financial Working Group confirmed the bank reconciliation to be in order.
   3. Accounts for payment – all were approved for payment. Clerk to check whether the salt bins could be replenished on a self-help basis.
      1. LMC June 1987 Settlement £10 Rent for Back Lane allotments
      2. NYCC £180 Replenish salt bins
      3. B White £90 Litter picking
      4. Helperby Village Hall £317 Hall hire (Cllrs Owens & Mitchell abstained)
8. Information from the Lands and Maintenance Committee and further action where necessary
   1. Cobbles Project and associated purchase of a computer – Cllr Denison presented a quote from RedFez Ltd in the sum of £1280 for an appropriate computer which can handle the demands of the cobbles photogrammetry survey. The cost had been budgeted for; Cllr Owens proposed that the quote be accepted and it was so resolved. Money from NYCC was in place to provide a spur drain from Main Street to the village hall drive. When this work is complete the Council will use a working party to re-lay the cobbles to a specification provide by Historic England (the drain to be in place by 6 February and the Main Street gutter is to be made good by NYCC’s contractor). An update on progress and future plans will be placed on the Council website.
   2. Land registration – the process was underway to register all the Raskelf Road allotments bar those whose ownership was in dispute. The likely cost of registration was £890 for Fraser Hart’s fees plus some small additional costs for mapping. The registration process will, in time, include all parcels of land which the council believes it can demonstrate should be in formal Council ownership, including the Pinfold, land outside the St Peter’s lych gate and a portion of Swale Green (all of which are in the old Brafferton parish).
   3. Maintenance issues – the street lamp outside the surgery is drawing complaints from nearby residents regarding its brightness and the spread of its beam. Cllrs opined that it may be possible to request an internal lamp screen which would direct the light downwards: Cllr Boyle undertook to research the possibilities. Himalayan Balsam is classed as a problem weed because of the damage it causes to native plants. The Council will investigate setting a Balsam Bashing Day in the spring in conjunction, if possible, with adjoining parishes and the Canal and River Trust.
9. Information on the following ongoing issues and further action where necessary
   1. Plans for VE Day 75^th anniversary celebrations 8 May 2020 – it was agreed that the Council would go ahead with an event to mark the anniversary probably comprising a party at the village hall, a service to mark the anniversary and other associated elements tbd. A Working Group was formed comprising Cllrs Mitchell and Boyle to draft the plan for presentation at the next meeting
   2. Village Litter Pick contract – possible new contract to be agreed by March 20. Clerk to invite Mrs White to continue with existing arrangements until 31 March 20. Council to select a date in April/May for a village litter pick day – Clerk to liaise with Hambleton District Council on details.
10. To consider the following Planning matters
    1. Planning Application 19/02328/FUL, proposed change of use from shop & café to domestic at The White House, Main Street, Helperby – the Council had no objection to the proposal.
11. Planning decisions/information
    1. Street Naming on land of new development northeast of Old Star Cottage, Back Lane, Helperby – Hambleton District Council had approved the name Craven Court.
    2. Planning Application 19/01653/LBC, roof mounted extract vent at The Golden Lion, Main Street, Helperby – awaiting decision by Hambleton District Council
12. Matters for consideration
    1. Adoption of a Disciplinary and Grievance procedure – Clerk outlined the background to arrangements which the National Association of Local Councils strongly recommend that councils should adopt (as a result of a High Court decision known as The Ledbury Decision). A document will be prepared for Cllrs to approve at the January meeting.
    2. Condition of cobbled area in front of the surgery – some work has already been started; a working party will be considered in the Spring.
    3. Subscription to the Rural Services Network newsletter – Cllrs considered the subject matter covered and asked the Clerk to arrange a subscription to the newsletter.
    4. Traffic speed survey – Cllr Topps confirmed to Cllrs that the police exclude another speed survey for a year as there is currently no statistical evidence that speeding is an issue for the village. Anecdotal evidence disputes this. Informal and covert use of the speed gun will be used to ascertain whether there is a real issue to confront (no recording of vehicle details will take place only whether vehicles do, in fact, speed through the village). If evidence of speeding is found then the council will consider paying for a week-long NYCC speed survey at a cost of £110 plus VAT per recording unit. Only with such evidence is there a chance that traffic calming measures could be campaigned for.
13. New Correspondence received and decide action where necessary
    1. None received.
14. Matters for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
    1. None proposed.
15. Date of the next meeting Wednesday 15 January 2020