Newton on Ouse Parish Council
MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY 24th AUGUST 2011 AT 7.30pm IN THE PARISH HALL
Present: Councillors Wendy Appleby (Chair); Glenda Turnbull; Andrew Windrum; Tim Key and Karen Morris (Clerk).
In Attendance: County Councillor Caroline Patmore, John Knighton, Bill Cooper, Vernon and Jane Stiff and Reg Parr.
1. Apologies. Apologies from Councillor Gary Craig and District Councillor Chris Rooke.
2. Declare any Interests in Items on the Agenda. Councillor Turnbull declared an interest in Item 7 (Planning Application: 11/00466/FUL (5 The Poplars).
3. Minutes of Meeting held on 22 Jun. Accepted and signed as a true record (apart from the change of date of the next meeting – draft minutes had said 4th August when the meeting was changed to 24th.
4. Chairman’s/Clerk’s Report
4.1 Update from Highways. Email from Highways had said that the highway officers seen around The Green were taking photographs of highway issues in Newton on Ouse. The white lining work around The Green has been put together with other lining works for the area. The narrow channel requested along Moor Lane to stop the pavement flooding had also been requested.
5. Co-option. Councillor John Roughton has resigned from the Council, due to personal reasons – Clerk will display a Notice of Vacancy on the noticeboards and advertise on website. If by 16th September, a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer by 10 electors, an election would be held to fill the vacancy (otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option).
6. Financial Matters
6.1 Community Account as at 10 Aug 11 - £4933.98. Business Account £8259.93
6.2 Payments to be made are: Clerk’s Wages 20 Jun – 15 Aug (£293.12 to Clerk;
£73.28 to HMRC); £20 village hall hire (22 Jun and 24 Aug); £20 to incDot for the Summer Newsletters; £228 to incDot for 2 x car parking signs; £61 for SLCC Membership; 2 x £99.60 for grasscutting of the village (28 Jun and 28 Jul); £32.36 for website hosting; £11.99 for domain name renewal of website; £771.60 to J C Trees for work carried out (Clerk to pay on completion of work in Back Lane).
7. Planning Applications. The following planning applications had been observed by the Council and observations returned to Planning at Hambleton District Council: 11/01403 (Cherry Tree Lodge); 11/00466/FUL (5 The Poplars); 11/01594/FUL (5 Beechfield). Mr and Mrs Stiff (who were present at the meeting) wanted to know why observations on their planning application (5 The Poplars) had been sent to Planning on 24 July 2011 when their planning application had in fact been approved in May 2011. They were not happy with the observations returned. Clerk explained that she had emailed Planning as she had not received a planning application from somebody else in the village – they had sent her the missing planning application along with the one for 5 The Poplars which had also never been received – the planning application that the council made observations on for 5 The Poplars had a return by date of 25 July 2011 – the council were never aware that it had already been approved. The Clerk is to investigate as to why the planning application was sent out when it had already been approved and to make a formal complaint to Planning. Clerk will also ask Councillor Chris Rooke to look into this as he is on the planning committee. Cllr Windrum suggested that in future councillors should review all comments before observations are submitted to the planning authority – this was AGREED.
8. Hambleton DC’s Planning Decisions. None Received to date.
9. Land for Sale at end of Back Lane. It appeared that the proposed collective purchase would not go ahead as there are too few interested; however the word about the collective purchase had not been passed to the whole village. This item to be put on the Agenda for October’s meeting – in the meantime, Clerk to get details from the Agent selling the land and also to ask the Agent to inform prospective purchasers that any attempt to build on or develop the land for profit will be strenuously opposed by the Parish Council on behalf of the village.
10. Update on Trees. Work on trees on Main Road and Back Lane had been carried out and the work was agreed to be very good. However, one tree (to the right of the war memorial) has been missed out – Cllr Appleby will check with J C Trees about this. Clerk had spoken with BT who said the trees in Tollerton Road were not their responsibility. Clerk had contacted Highways who had agreed to inspect the trees there. The next work to be carried out is the removal of 2 trees along Cherry Tree Avenue (one is diseased and the other is dead) – planning is required for the removal of these trees – Clerk to deal with this.
11. Pumping Station, adjacent The Sanctuary. The proposals by Yorkshire Water had been received and were discussed. Clerk to reply with the following requests: No objection to the type of fencing erected (as long as it is good fencing) and that proper care and maintenance is taken of it at regular intervals. To put a lot more vigorous pyracantha on all other sides and these are to be well maintained and managed to a height suitable to the green GRP kiosk. Also, to stress that the Parish Council would expect to receive notice of any future works to be carried out.
12. Footpath Report. Cllr Key had produced a report on the footpaths in the village after a request from the Parish Council asking the ramblers/walking club to walk along all of them. The principle issues reported by Cllr Key for walkers in Newton on Ouse are: the poor state of stretches of the riverside footpath; one stile has barbed wire running across it and some signs are missing or need replacing. Clerk to send a full report to Peter Penny (Public Rights of Way Officer) – Cllr Patmore requested to be copied in on this email. Clerk to also ask Liz Page (Beningbrough Hall) about signage of the new footpath in the village.
13. Parish Hall Update. The Parish Hall has a new secretary (Mike Southwell) and has also obtained a Premises Licence. There had been a special meeting 3 Aug 11 led by Gary Craig to discuss the new constitution – a sub-committee had been formed. Parish Hall Chair thanked Gary Craig for all his hard work on their behalf. Heating, maintenance and repair works had been discussed as well as possible tenants in the Old School. Gary Craig had resigned as the other representative from the Parish Council on the Parish Hall Committee.
14. Neighbourhood Watch. John Roughton, who had been running the set up of the NW Scheme, had emailed Clerk to say that Cllr Craig has all the documentation and signage. A new co-ordinator would now be needed – he would be happy to meet with anyone who wants to take on the role and do a proper handover. Clerk to ask John Roughton for more details (what is involved exactly and how much work/time any new co-ordinator would need to take on). This item to go on the agenda of the next meeting.
15. Sills Lane – Bus. Reg Parr from Sills Lane had received a letter from Highways asking him, by law, to trim overhanging vegetation (he was not the only resident to receive a letter). On the letter, there was a hand-written comment ‘Request for double-decker bus to use Sills Lane for wedding in September’. Clerk had emailed Highways asking them what had instigated the inspection of Sills Lane and had been told that the inspector was looking at the overgrown vegetation because of the request regarding the double bus. Clerk to contact Highways again pointing out the safety issues of a double decker bus using Sills Lane (pedestrians and cyclists).
16. Speeding (email from resident). Clerk had received an email from a resident of Brickyard Cottages raising concerns about the speed of traffic around her house. She had emailed the Police and Highways asking if they could alter the speed limit – they had replied saying that they could not. Clerk to contact resident and advise her to request the police to carry out a speed survey. Also, to ask her to keep a log of any accidents at the end of the road for the Parish Council but also to report any accident to the police. Clerk said that the speeding through the village had become more evident than ever since the speed limit signs in the village had been moved further out of the village because of George Crescent – cars had a clear run out of the village. The Parish Council AGREED to once again request a speed survey and pursue this matter.
17. Dog Bin/Litter Bin on Tollerton Road. Clerk had received an email from Dave Granger (Waste Management and Street Scene Supervisor) saying that the bins along Tollerton Road could not be emptied as cars were parked in front of them. Clerk to ask for the bins to be moved to a different position.
18. Village SOS Competition. Cllr Key to send details of this competition to Mike Southwell (secretary Parish Hall Committee) and Clerk to display details on noticeboard. The deadline for entry is 6 Oct 11.
19. Sustainable Community Strategy for North Yorks. Consultation will close on 23 Sep 11. The 3 priorities for 2011/14 are Protecting and Supporting Vulnerable People; Supporting economic growth and employment and Improving Accessibility for all our Communities. Clerk to reply to consultation strongly agreeing with all 3 priorities and also to point out that bus services should be included in the strategy.
20. Newton Park . Clerk had received an enquiry into whether planning permission had been obtained/needed for a polytunnel and works on a piece of land behind Newton Park. Clerk to get more details and check with Planning.
21. Complaints Procedure. It was AGREED to adopt the Complaints Procedure produced by the Clerk.
22. County Councillor Patmore’s Report. Cllr Patmore thanked the Council for sending her a copy of the Newsletter. It was looking optimistic that Easingwold Library would be OK and that County Council would deal with books and look after the building. The mobile library service is ending (has ended in Newton on Ouse). There is a volunteer service to get books delivered (telephone NYCC). Clerk to get full details and advertise. A discussion took place on prescription deliveries and it Clerk requested to write to Tollerton Surgery to see if they would be willing to put on a free delivery service (other villages are already doing this) as they are a rural pharmacy.
23. District Councillor Rooke’s Report. None available.
24. Note any Incoming Correspondence. Bill Cooper’s extracts of Parish Council Minutes from 1894 to 1970; Minerals Core Strategy Issues Consultation and Waste Scoping Consultation; Library Email.
25. Date of Next Meetings. Thursday 20th Oct 11. (Clerk to book hall).
26. Any Other Business (no decisions to be made at this meeting). Clerk had received an email from Highways requesting either Clerk or Chair to attend a meeting on 5 Sep 11 at Thirsk Area Office to discuss works to A19/A19 Corridor (essential winter damage repairs). Chair had agreed to attend. Bill Cooper brought up the subject of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 – this item would be put on the agenda for October’s meeting.
Meeting closed at 9.40pm
Page 1 of 3 - Newton PC Minutes of Meeting Held on 24 August 2011