Chair: Cllr Mr Robert Smith

Clerk: Mrs H Guest, 40 Linden Way, Thorpe Willoughby, YO8 9ND

Email:

MINUTES OF GATEFORTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL

Held on Wednesday 13th May 2015 at 7:45pm in Chapel Haddlesey Community Church Hall

Part 1

Acceptance of Office forms handed to Clerk prior to meeting.

15025: Statutory annual meeting business:

a) Election of chairman of the parish council.

i) Cllr Robert Smith was elected as chairman for the year.

ii) Cllr Smith signed acceptance of office; clerk witnessed signature.

iii) Clerk countersigned chairman’s acceptance of office.

b) Election of vice-chairman of the parish council

i) Cllr Diane Osborne was elected as vice-chairman for the year.

ii) Cllr Osborne signed acceptance of office; clerk witnessed signature.

iii) Clerk countersigned vice-chairman’s acceptance of office.

15026: Welcome: Chair welcomed councillors, clerk and visitors to the meeting.

15027 No electors present.

15028: Apologies

  1. No apologies received.
  2. Present: Cllrs Smith, Osborne, Shaw, Parkin, Cawthorne and Longbottom.
  3. All present signed the attendance book.

15029: Chair reminded members to make any declarations of pecuniary interest in any agenda items.

  1. Cllr Parkin declared an interest in the Manor Farm planning application.

15030:

  1. It was resolved to accept the minutes of the last meeting
  2. Chairman signed minutes as accepted.

15031: Council Policies: The following were resolved:

  1. To accept draft policies on a. the Procedure for Recording Meetings and b. the Complaints Procedure.
  2. To accept SDC model Code of Conduct in place of the current NALC version.
  3. No procedures need revision at this time.
  4. Chairman signed policies accepted.

15032: It was resolved that there was no requirement for committees at this time.

15033: Council resolved not to appoint any representatives to outside bodies.

15034: Reports received from:

  1. County Councillor – None.
  2. District Councillor – None.
  3. Officers
  4. Police

1. Ringmaster Newsletter: posted on notice board.

Other representatives: none.

15035: Planning

Planning Applications:

Cllr Parkin left the meeting at this point.

  1. 2015/0269/FUL – Proposed change of use of range of traditional farm buildings to create 5 residential units at Manor Farm, Gateforth. Extension for responses applied for by Clerk until Friday 15th May 2015. It was noted that a copy of the Commons Register has been received from NYCC in relation to the village green and that the Clerk has obtained an extension for Parish Council comments until Friday 15th May. Whilst the Council liked the general design of the proposed barn conversion, it was resolved to object to the application on the grounds that the northern aspect of the barn would be unacceptably changed in appearance and doorways from 4 of the properties would open directly onto Village Green land.

Cllr Parkin rejoined the meeting.

Planning Decisions:

i.Knottingley Power Station Development Consent Order: Approved by the Secretary of State on 10th March - noted.

Consultations: None

Other: None.

15036: RFO reported on closing balances and recent payments

a) Current Account: balance as at 19.04.15 £6,601.54

b) Skipton BS Savings Account - £44,815.80

Payments made under Clerks delegated powers since last meeting:

i. Npower Ltd (VAT £1.26) £26.63

ii. MJ Backhouse (moles) £31.92

iii. YLCA (annual membership) £111.00

c) Payments to be made:

i. Charles Shaw (grass/verge cuts) (VAT £36) £216.00

ii. MJ Backhouse (moles) £32.88

iii. CH Guest (salary/allowances – Mar/Apr/May) £336.50

d) Receipts:

First instalment of precept £2,150.00

e) Capital Expenditure:

Capital expenditure on additional electricity supply for Christmas lights to be discussed at next meeting.

f) Audit and Finance Report from Clerk: Council received report on financial matters and resolved to complete Governance statement on external audit form at a later extraordinary meeting (to be arranged).

g) Available monies for Parish from Section 106 funding: Following enquiries by the Clerk, SDC has undertaken a comprehensive review of the position in respect of monies collected through S.106 agreements and has confirmed that Gateforth Parish Council has no available funds.

h) Payroll charges: 2015/16 charges are fixed through 2016/17 and depend upon whether the Clerk, as the single employee, would like to be enrolled onto a pension scheme.

i) Annual Insurance: Came & Company have quoted £159 annual cost, having obtained 3 x quotes and selected Aviva as the best option. It was resolved to accept this quote.

It was resolved to accept report and payments made/to be made.

15037: Elections briefing and submission of nomination papers. It was noted that the Clerk attended an elections briefing on 16th March and subsequently submitted nomination papers from all councillors to SDC. All were accepted and existing Councillors were confirmed as eligible. Clerk handed nomination confirmation letters to Councillors.

15038: Parish Council Vacancy. It was noted that the Parish Council has one vacancy. It was resolved to carry the vacancy for the present time.

15039: Parish Council Website: The following were noted:

  1. Clerk reported on research carried out for website provision – currently, Vision ICT would seem to be the best at a cost of £400 (+VAT) for the initial set-up and £125 (+VAT) per annum thereafter.
  2. Money was given to NALC to assist funding with Parish Council websites, but no information has been forthcoming as to whether Gateforth PC would qualify for assistance, how much would we be entitled to or, crucially, whether the money will be paid retrospectively if the Council were to pay for a website before any funding was confirmed. The Clerk is awaiting a response regarding this and will confirm as soon as known. It was resolved that the website set up be postponed until this is clarified.
  3. Legislation states that the website must be in place and populated no later than 1st July 2015.
  4. Delegation to Clerk for website set up and population once funding query resolved.

15040: Dog fouling. It was noted that at the end of February a letter has been delivered to residences around the village green and along Hillam Road regarding the incidence of dog fouling. Councillors reported that this has not resolved the problem. It was resolved that the Clerk report this to SDC.

15041: Christmas lights. Cllr Osborne has sourced a company in Harrogate who supply commercial outdoor lights for the village green Christmas tree. A local contractor is to be approached for a quote. This item deferred to next meeting.

15042: Speeding vehicles through Gateforth village. Complaints have been received regarding the speed at which some vehicles are driving through the village. It was resolved that no action be taken at the present time.

15043: Correspondence received since last meeting.

a) Selby District Council:

1. Various news items previously circulated.

b) Selby AVS:

1. Numerous events advertised and put onto notice board.

2. Involved magazine onto notice board.

c) YLCA:

YLCA – To discuss and resolve any action on the following:

a) White Rose Update

  • The following were noted:
  1. The local council award scheme was.
  2. Money available soon ref Digital Transparency fund.

b) New password and access to YLCA website

c) The website should be populated to comply with the transparency code.

d) Village Hall licensing fees to continue to be set nationally

e) Service Provision statement

d) NYCC:

1. Changes to Highways grass cutting service – NYCC are to cease cutting the grass verges through the village in 2016/17. They have offered a deferred payment of £298.20 if the PC wishes to take this responsibility on themselves, but we would need to increase the precept by this amount in 2016/17 to repay this money to NYCC. In addition, the PC would need a greater raise to allow for the cost of future grass cutting. Clerk has advised NYCC that the Gateforth precept already makes allowance for grass cutting and so the payment would not be required. Noted.

15044: Action taken since last meeting: none other than that previously reported upon.

15045: Items received since agenda preparation - None.

15045:

  1. Minor items

Cllr Parkin requested that planning matters be moved to the end of future meetings – noted.

  1. Items for the next agenda
  1. Investigations into the latest request that Gateforth residents be permitted to use the cemetery at Hambleton have not altered the current position. Cllr Smith to draft a response for further enquiries.
  2. Play equipment for Village Green.

15046: To receive any further comments from members of the public – None.

15047: To confirm dates of 2015 and 2016 meetings: 19th August, 18th November, 17th February 2016.

9.30pm - Closure of meeting.

Signed: …………………………………………………………………. Chairman, Gateforth Parish Council. Date: 3rd June 2015

Cllr R Smith

1