Parish Clerk: Tracey Dawson

Bewerley Parish Council

Website:

The Laurels, Street Lane, Bewerley Harrogate HG3 5HW

Tel: 07719 181078

Email :

MINUTES OF BEWERLEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY 18th Sept17

(Present: / Cllr. D. Fletcher (Chair)
Cllr. D. Marshall
Cllr. S. Langley
Cllr. S. Beer
T Dawson (Clerk)
No parishioners were in attendance / Cllr. G. Spooner (Vice-Chair)
Cllr. M Dawson
Cllr. R. Newson-Smith
North Yorkshire County Cllr. S. Lumley
Harrogate Borough Cllr T Watson
No apologies for absence were received
No Declarations of Interest received.
3 / No public statements were received.
4. / Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 14th August were confirmed.
5. / Clerk’s report to Bewerley Parish Council meeting 18th September 2017.

Draft Asset Register has been recommended by Finance Committee on 5th September for approval at the full council meeting. Some minor updates are still to be included following receipt of information from PBTC clerk.
Depreciation policy is now included in the revised Asset Register.
Greenhow Play Area multi play equipment. As advised by email, confirmation has been received from YLCA that there is no legal requirement for Wicksteed to honour the warranty on the play equipment. It is recommended that the next step should be to assess whether replacement equipment is required by the community as the cost is likely to be more than £10,000. This would take the form of a consultation exercise with Greenhow parishioners and possibly include local schools and youth groups. The consultation should also request that if replacement equipment is required, volunteers step forward to form a funding committee, which would be separate to the council.
Health and Safety issues at Toft Gate Lime Kiln. Following a site visit and discussions with Cllr Spooner, it was decided not to contact the HBC Health and Safety Officer as it is clear what work is required to make the structure safe for visitors. Cllr Spooner will update the Council further at item 8a.
New dog fouling signs and the no overnight parking sign with post have been received and are ready to be installed.
Site identified on NYCC map link for re-siting bins in the Recreation Ground.
PBTC clerk has been informed of the Battle’s Over tribute in 2018 and BPC’s intention to invite RAF Menwith Hill and the Army Foundation College to the community event. This item will be on the agenda for the Joint Liaison Committee meeting on 19th Sept.
Iain Mann of UNLP has amended the draft of the information board for Toft Gate Car Park having taken BPC’s comments into consideration. Hopefully he will be able to proceed with the installation shortly.
White Rose update was emailed out to all councillors for information regarding the forthcoming implementation of the General Data Protection Regulations.

6 / NYCC
Cllr Lumley advised that August had been a quiet month; the Harrogate Area Committee had met with Community Partners and the issues at Kex Gill were discussed. The timescale has been reduced from 7 years to 3 and the public consultation is now live. He advised that it is fortunate up to now the land has slipped down to the road because if the land slipped from under the road it would be extremely serious. The proposed new route is across a Site of Special Scientific Interest and this will therefore be a major consideration. Cllr Lumley has been appointed to the Steering Group and the next meeting will take place in October to look at the consultation responses. He addedthat a geographical survey shows the land at Kex Gill is completely unstable.
HBC

Cllr Watson reported that main issue at the Parish Consultation Meeting was the Draft Local Plan. £580,000+ Local Community Housing Fund is available for new housing and some parishes are interested in selling or donating land to secure affordable housing for local people.
The final stage of the Local Plan Consultation will hopefully be available in Jan-March 2018.
Dacre Braithwaite and Summerbridge School have successfully applied for a small grant of £907 from the William Hardcastle Trust to update their IT equipment.
The damaged sign has now been replaced in the Showground car park.

7 / The following planning application notifications were considered
a)DCPARISH 6.59.300.B.RG3 17/03240/RG3 Installation of Interpretation panel, Brigg House Farm, Brigg House Pateley Bridge, HG3 5HL. Grid Ref: E415231 N466252. No objections were raised.
b)DCPARISH 6.59.32.F.DVCON 17/03454/DVCON Variation of Conditions 5 (material samples), 6 (Package Treatment Plant), 7 (Detailed Sections), 12 (Pond Details) of Permission 15/03345/FUL to allow alterations to wording of conditions. Nanny Knowles Wood North of Track Bewerley. Grid Ref: E414590 N 465366. No objections were raised.
8 / The Council received the following updates and reports on Council Business and correspondence:
a)Caretaker tasks, including update on additional tasks and grass-cutting.
Cllr Spooner reported that one more task remains for the caretaker: a tree growing at the side of the ginnel between Park View Stores and Dales Market Corner is to be removed along with saplings and overhang on the path running parallel to Cow Pasture Lane.
Repairs and safety measures mentioned at the August meeting will now be undertaken by volunteers to reduce costs.
Cllr Newson-Smith advised that the grass had been cut on 18th August and 10th Sept and a further cut was due in October. The contractor, GC Groundcare, said he had received complaints and didn’t think two cuts a month were sufficient.
b)Future grass cutting contract
Following discussion at the Finance Committee meeting about reducing costs in 2018, the Council debated the possibility of bringing the grass cutting in-house in the future.
RESOLVED: to be examined further as part of budget planning for 2018.
On a related point, Cllr Beer said that following the very complimentary comments in the Judge’s report, Bewerley parishioners may be interested in entering the Yorkshire in Bloom competition in 2018.
RESOLVED: Clerk to research entry for Yorkshire in Bloom 2018.
c)Risk Assessment
Cllr Dawson recommended draft Risk Assessment be amended to cover cyber security. The Council approved the incorporation of the amended Risk Assessment into the Policies and Procedures of the Council.
RESOLVED: Clerk to include cyber security in Risk Assessment
d)Dog fouling bins
The Clerk advised that suitable points for the re-location of two bins for use by dog-owners had been identified on maps of the recreation ground. Cllr Beer suggested that greenery around the existing dog toilet be cut back to make it more visible.
RESOLVED: Clerk to ascertain whether the PBTC caretaker would empty the bins if they are moved.
RESOLVED: Cllr Watson to consult HBC Parks department.
e)Wayleaves
Cllr Dawson reported that he had been in touch with HBC and Land Registry. HBC Legal Dept. are currently checking their records to establish what progress had previously been made.
RESOLVED: if no progress has been made, Cllr Dawson will contact the relevant houseowners.
Ongoing issues with grazing on Greenhow village green will be reviewed once Cllr Dawson has attended the Village Greens and Common Land seminar provided by YLCA in October.
f)Village road signs
As minuted in the Council meeting of 19 June 2017,it had been resolved that Village signs should ideally be positioned at Rash Dyke and Turner Bridge and Cllr Lumley was to liaise with Highways Department regarding positioning.
RESOLVED: Cllrs Lumley, Watson and Beer to meet to discuss this and for the item to be included on the agenda for the October meeting.
g)Removal of redundant Wind Turbine at Nidderdale High School (NYCC)
Cllr Beer explained to Cllr Lumley that the issue of the redundant turbine had been raised in the last meeting. Cllr Lumley said that the idea of having a turbine on the site had been a good one, it had never worked properly and had proved difficult to maintain.
RESOLVED: Clerk to consult Headteacher of Nidderdale High School (copy to NYCC) about potential removal of the turbine.
h)War memorial conservation
Cllr Dawson advised that both war memorials are on the Imperial War Museum’s website but no owner is logged. He has been in contact with West Yorkshire Archives (WYA) for further information. Clerk advised she had been told by Ms J Simpson that the war memorials belong to and should be maintained by the Council, although there is no legal requirement to do so.
RESOLVED: Further research into the original Greenhow Grant is to be undertaken when a response has been received from WYA. To be included on October agenda
i)Toft Gate Lime Kiln lease
Following discussion at the Finance Committee meeting about reducing future costs, the Council debated the renewal of the lease in 2020.
RESOLVED: Clerk to calculate total cost of work undertaken by caretaker at Toft Gate Lime Kiln in 2017
RESOLVED: Clerk to research the history of the purchase of the lease in 2000.
j)Re-siting of litter bin at Greenhow Hill.
Following discussion at the Finance Committee meeting about reducing litter at the view point opposite the quarry entrance, the Council agreed to re-site the bin at the lychgate
RESOLVED: Caretaker to move the bin.
k)Joint Liaison Committee agenda
Clerk presented the agenda for the Joint Liaison Committee meeting and asked the Council if they had any further items to be included.
RESOLVED: Cllr Spooner to raise site of replacement City of Hull plaque and need for trees at Sparrow Park to be pruned/removed
9 / Finance
9.1 The Council approved the following accounts for payment.
9.1.1 J Todd & Son Replica plaque for Recreation Ground £ 60.00
9.1.2 YLCA invoice 368-1718 Village Greens & Common Land training £ 115.00
9.1.3 Admin expenses £ 28.70
9.1.4 William Smith Group Inv 430417 for dog and no parking signs £ 219.30
9.2The Council noted the following
9.2.1 Clerk’s salary (1- 31/9/17)
9.2.2 HMRC
9.3 The Council received a bank reconciliation to 31st August 2017
10 / 10.1 The Council considered the following new correspondence received:
10.1.1 Email from UNLP regarding revised Toft Gate Lime Kiln Information Board going into production
10.1.2 Decision on planning application 17/02675/FUL Dales Market Corner was noted
10.1.3 Invitation from British Legion to Chair of Bewerley Parish Council to attend Remembrance Day parade 11th November 2017.
RESOLVED: Cllr Fletcher to attend
10.1.4 Cllr Langley provided feedback from the Parish Consultation meeting: she stressed that funding from the Transparency Grant would cease at the end of 2017 and it was therefore essential that Bewerley Parish Council submitted its application as soon as possible. Clerk confirmed that this would be done before the end of September.
The responses of Harrogate Borough Council to questions raised by all the parishes and the Green Waste Update can be viewed at
10.2 Information exchange
Cllr Spooner advised that the AONB may be able to support the Council in dealing with invasive plant species within the parish following the response from HBC.
11 / Items for inclusion on the agenda for the next meeting
Bins on the recreation ground
12 / Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Monday 16th October 2017 at 7 p.m. at The Caretakers Bungalow.
The meeting concluded at 9.15 p.m.