Minutes remote Council meeting 15 April 20

Wednesday 15 April 2020

Held by Video Conferencing at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Chris Owens (Chairman), Cllr Andy Topps, Cllr Peter Mitchell, Cllr Matt Boyle, Cllr Nigel Denison, Cllr Mark Darwin, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers, Cllr Peter Sowray (NYCC) and Roger Clements (Clerk). The meeting was conducted remotely using Zoom software.

1. Apologies for Absence
   1. All councillors were present.
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. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 18 March 2020
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and the Chairman signed them after the meeting.
4. Public Forum
   1. No members of the public had joined the remote meeting.
5. Clerk reported that:
   1. Now the Council had begun to meet remotely, using the Zoom conferencing software, the Clerk’s delegated powers (see minute 4.3 dated 18 March 20) cease from this point.
   2. Although a potential location in St Peter’s church had been identified the process to allow the PCC to add the bier to the church inventory was lengthy and may take several months; in the meantime, the bier renovation would begin.
   3. The process for the end of year audit was delayed and the new time-table was yet to be declared.
6. Financial matters
   1. Financial Report. Clerk reported the end of year outturn to be £7,363.01. Arrangements for local and external audits were delayed pending advice from the government’s auditors.
   2. Sponsorship of the new village newsletter. Cllrs liked the arrival of the first issue of a new village newsletter which had been delivered free throughout the village. Clerk to ascertain whether there were plans to produce issues during the current restrictions (Afternote: there are no plans to produce newsletters until the covid-19 restrictions are lifted)
   3. The following accounts were approved/ratified for payment:
      • 1. Currys PC World £49.99
        2. D Moorey £135.60
        3. HVH room hire £56.75
        4. Choice stationary £55.00
7. To ratify decisions made between meetings
   1. A grant of £800 to St Peter’s PCC for churchyard maintenance was ratified. Cllrs were prepared to consider a further grant if this could be used to cut additional grass areas (it was understood that ‘re-wilding’ plans might prevent this). The state of the flower border outside the lych gate was much admired.
   2. A monthly subscription of £14.39 for Zoom software was ratified for video conferencing.
   3. The Council had successfully applied for a grant of £500 from NYCC Locality Budget to offset additional costs associated with the covid-19 restrictions.
8. To receive information from the Lands and Maintenance Committee and decide further action where necessary
   1. Tree planting on Main Street and other locations. The L&M committee will make recommendations for tree types and planting locations ready for planting in the autumn.
   2. Transfer of ownership of the Helperby cobbles to the Council. Heads of Terms were agreed with the Church Commissioners for all land plots proposed except those where ownership was disputed. Those for transfer being Helperby cobbles, Swale Green footpath, the Docks, the Hornby, the Fountain plot and Drury Lane.
9. To receive information on the following ongoing issues and decide further action where necessary
   1. Actions resulting from the covid-19 crisis – volunteer helpers were doing shopping for some residents and also collecting prescriptions for delivery within the village and out to Thornton Bridge and Alne. Additionally, buyers of Spilmans fruit and veg boxes are able to ask for delivery to their door by volunteers. Where necessary the volunteers now have NYCC identity badges.
   2. VE Day 75^th anniversary – although the major plans prepared for the anniversary are postponed, a small service is planned for 3pm on Friday 8 May comprising a short address by the Revd Coyne, a reading of names, wreath laying and a bugler from Easingwold band. The service will be posted on Facebook.
   3. Update on progress by NYCC to complete spur drainage works in Main Street – NYCC placed the works order in March and expects the work to be completed by June. This will allow the Village Hall trustees to move forward with their plans to carry out resurfacing of the hall driveway.
   4. Village Litter Picking – it was agreed that litter picking should not be reinstated until covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
   5. Plans for traffic speed surveys – Cllr Topps reported that traffic flow was currently abnormally low making checks unrepresentative. It was agreed to restart the covert checks once the covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
   6. Village bus service (see 13.1).
10. To consider the following Planning matters
    1. Planning Application 20/00643/REM, proposed reserved matters pursuant to outline permission 16/01142/OUT for 28 dwellings on Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton, specifically seeking to discharge conditions 5, 8, 9, and 10 of the original planning permission 16/01142/OUT – Cllrs noted that the house designs were influenced by those found in St Peter’s Close rather than Main Street but regretted that the opportunity seemed to be missed to incorporate modern eco design features. The Council was content with the proposals for handling foul and surface water drainage from the site but had some concerns relating to proposals regarding lighting, the footpath along the Boroughbridge Road and site access. It is understood that the road is not to be offered for adoption by NYCC and that only low-level lighting will be provided within the development. The Council hopes the lighting design would minimise light pollution; furthermore, the lighting at the entrance of the site should be such that it provides illumination for safe crossing of the road near a dangerous bend. It is considered essential that the footpath along the Boroughbridge Road should be 2m wide and run continuously from the Old Parsonage to, ideally, the Brafferton Manor entrance. Finally, although no firm plan is yet agreed for site access, the Council prefers a suggested site access off the existing Brafferton Manor Farmers’ fishing lake access.
    2. Planning Application 20/00671/FUL, proposed SUDS pond relating to planning permission 16/01142/OUT at OS Field 0046, Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton – the Council supports this application.
11. To receive the following Planning decisions/information
    1. Planning Application 20/00335/LBC, proposed listed building consent for change of use of walled garden into events location at Helperby Hall, Helperby – a decision was awaited from Hambleton District Council.
    2. Planning Application 20/00334/MRC, proposed modification relating to application 16/02159/FUL for change of use of walled garden into events location at Helperby Hall, Helperby – a decision was awaited from Hambleton District Council.
12. Matters for consideration
13. Correspondence received with action where necessary
    1. Draft submission to the Rural Commission on North Yorkshire’s Public Transport by Mr B Connor. Council was content for the draft to be sent unaltered to the Rural Commission on its behalf.
14. Matters for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
    1. None were advised.
15. Confirmation of the date of the next meeting as Wednesday 20 May 2020