Minutes remote Council meeting 18 Nov 20

Wednesday 18 November 2020

Held remotely at 7.30pm

Present: Cllr Nigel Denison (Chairman), Cllr Chris Owens (Vice Chairman), Cllr Peter Mitchell, Cllr Matt Boyle, Cllr Mark Darwin, Cllr Pam Jackson-Vickers and Roger Clements (Clerk) plus Cllr Peter Sowray (NYCC) and 2 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. No declarations were made.
3. Minutes of the last meeting, held on 21 October 20
   1. The minutes were agreed to be a true record and were to be signed accordingly by the Chairman.
4. Public Forum:
   1. Chairman expressed the Council’s thanks to the Laux, Costello and Featherstone families for their contribution to the village in plantings at each of the village entrance signs. He also thanked John Featherstone for agreeing to be co-opted onto the Lands & Maintenance committee.
   2. Attention was draw to the newly started Facebook page The Village Page, Helperby & Brafferton a private group open to local people to share opinions and news.
   3. Speeding through the village remained an issue. Chairman summarised the Council’s position: it intends running a speed data gathering scheme once traffic returns to pre-covid levels. The figures produced will then be assessed with a view to the installation of Vehicle Activated Signs and a further approach to NYCC for additional traffic calming measures.
   4. The Council has been asked to consider erecting an illuminated Christmas tree on Main Street. The practicalities will be assessed and, if the idea thought viable, an extraordinary meeting will be called 26/27 Nov to enable a decision to be made.
   5. It was suggested that it was probably time for the St Peters School HelperBees banner to be taken down/refreshed at the Brafferton Pinfold hedge.
5. Clerk’s reported two items – gravel had been laid to improve the surface of the eastern end of the Swingbridge path and bulb planting was underway at the village entrance signs.
6. Financial Matters
   1. Clerks’ Financial report – the Bank Reconciliation was seen to be in order. Clerk suggested and it was agreed that future bank reconciliations would be carried out on receipt of each quarterly bank statement.
   2. Councillors nominated to authorise bank payments – Cllrs Denison and Jackson-Vickers were added to the list.
   3. Expenditure from NYCC Locality Budget grant – Cllr Denison proposed that grants of £39.76 for the flyer and up to £300 for the first issue of the new village magazine be approved – resolved. Council thanked NYCC, through Cllr Sowray, for making this possible by its Locality Budget grant.
   4. Budget and precept for FY 2021/22 – Cllrs took questions on the draft budget which had been previously circulated. Cllr Denison proposed that the budget be approved and a precept order for FY 2021/22 of £13,800 be sent to Hambleton District Council (HDC) – resolved.
   5. Grant request – Chairman proposed that £100 be granted to St Peter’s School PTA towards resources for the outdoor ‘Forest School’ – resolved.
   6. The following accounts were approved for payment:
      1. YLCA Budgeting webinar (Clerk) £30.00
      2. NYCC Bin replenishment £180.00
      3. Barnes Associates Tree survey £564.00
      4. Clerk Zoom (month 8) refund £14.39
7. Matters for Consideration
   1. Amendments to Council Financial Orders 4.3 and 6.2 – Cllr Denison proposed that the amendments be accepted – resolved.
   2. Recruitment of a co-opted councillor – Hambleton District Council had received no request for an election to fill the councillor vacancy. The Clerk was instructed to initiate the Council’s procedure to seek a candidate to be co-opted to the Council.
8. To receive information from the Lands and Maintenance Committee and decide further action where necessary
   1. Update on Cobbles project – Hambleton DC had requested details of the re-laying specifications used by this Council.
   2. Update on Lands Registration project – nothing further to report.
9. To receive information on the following ongoing issues and decide further action where necessary
   1. Actions resulting from the coronavirus crisis – support to the community continued.
   2. Applications to place the Golden Lion and the ‘Butcher’s shop’ on the Register of Community Assets – Land Registry documents had yet to arrive.
   3. Actions resulting from a tree survey by Barnes Associates – Clerk reported that each of the minor recommendations had been completed with one dead elder tree (T5 in the report) felled and 2 willows (T3 & T4) cut back to clear a footpath. Cllr Darwin proposed that the recommended major works to a large willow (G6) be put out to contract – resolved.
   4. Vehicle speed data within the village – Chairman confirmed that a week of traffic speed data recording would be undertaken as soon as traffic flow returned to normal pre-covid levels.
   5. Re-activation of a village Neighbourhood Watch – Cllr Boyle reported that he had registered the village as a Neighbourhood Watch scheme which would provide access to information from Police and Fire Service etc. Social Media and other means will be used to invite villagers to register.
10. To consider the following Planning Matters
    1. Planning Application 20/02428/OUT, proposed 5 dwelling development off Raskelf Road, Brafferton – the Council considered the proposed development to be well thought out and of pleasing appearance but it had some concerns: over its proximity to an area that had been subject to surface water flooding; to its access from a stretch of road where traffic speeds were often above the 30 mph limit and its potential adverse effect on the village sewage system which is believed to be close to capacity (with planning approval already in place for an extra 28 dwellings beside the Boroughbridge Road).
    2. Planning Application 20/02258/CAT, proposed work to trees at Laurel Farm, Brafferton – the Council had no objections to the proposal.
11. To receive the following Planning Decisions/information
    1. Planning Application 20/00671/FUL, proposed SUDS pond relating to planning permission 16/01142/OUT at OS Field 0046, Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
    2. Planning Application 20/02155/FUL, proposed rear extension and other works to 1 Dunroyal, Helperby – awaiting decision from Hambleton District Council
12. Matters for Consideration
13. Correspondence received and decide action where necessary
    1. None received.
14. Matters for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
    1. None added.
15. The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Wednesday 16 December 2020