SKIPWITH PARISH COUNCIL: MINUTES
Minutes of the Skipwith Parish Council meeting held on Monday 11th January 2010 at 7.30 in the Village Hall Skipwith.
Present: Councillor Noel McCool (Chair), Councillor Geoff Eastwood, Councillor Trevor Britain, Councillor Charlie Dean, Councillor Mike Ward, Councillor Sue Kotek and Selby District Councillor Bill Inness
74. Apologies Councillor Louise Grudgings
Declarations of interest Councillor Charlie Dean item 82 website fee
Councillor Mike Ward item 82 North Duffield School
75. Public session No members of the public present
76.Reports SD Councillor Bill Inness said the arrangements for collecting waste during the recent period had been interrupted by the weather. SDC collectors had worked through the recent weekend to catch up.
Community Engagement Forums (CEF) are to be established to replace JAGs. Rolling process for these and Councillor Bill Inness has been asked to chair a new CEF. CEFs are designed to give local people the opportunity to meet councillors, council officers and representatives of other partner agencies (e.g. the police, Highways North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue). They aim to provide a focus for local discussion and to provide an opportunity for all sections of the community to air issues of local concern.
The CEF will have a budget of 20K
77. Minutes of the meeting 2nd November 2009 The minutes of the meeting were accepted as an accurate record. Proposer Councillor Mike Ward and seconder Councillor Sue Kotek
78. Matters arising
a. Street lights. The clerk reported that the street lights were all repaired shortly before Christmas. Chair reported that during some work at Town End Pond an electric cable had been severed and an emergency call out was necessary. There will be a charge from YEDL for this. Concern was expressed that the cable was very near to the surface.
b. Lights at St Helen’s. LAW Electricals had investigated the problem and indicated that they could reconfigure the distribution board in the church to prevent the lights tripping. It was agreed that the firm should proceed with this. Proposer Councillor Geoff Eastwood and seconder Councillor Mike Ward. The long term issue of the floodlights was discussed as further work is needed and members agreed to read the report submitted by LAW electrical and discuss the matter further.
c. Village Photographic Record. No further developments
d.. Adoption of telephone kiosk. The clerk had contacted BT by email as the online application form was problematic. PC has received no response as yet.
e Reinvestment with Progressive Building Society. During the Christmas period, the Halifax BS were unable to offer a further investment for the PC. The chair contacted a number of building societies and the Progressive BS agreed to invest the sum of money for one year at a very attractive rate of 3.6%. PC members were balloted and agreed that this should go ahead.
f. Bonfire Night. Councillor Sue Kotek submitted the accounts for the bonfire. Donations of £318.74 were received on the evening. After deductions for food etc, £210.83 was paid to the PC to help cover the cost of the fireworks.
The Bonfire account with Halifax is to be closed and the money moved into the PC’s account
Town End Pond. Date still to be set for a clean up of the pond area and PC to advertise this.
Cold calling was discussed and PC agreed that the clerk should let residents know through ‘Round Up’ that there are stickers and posters that residents could have to deter cold callers.
Rumble strips and village. Clerk has still not heard from NYCC though matter had been referred to the Harrogate Area Office. / Clerk to contact LAW re work on distribution board
Signatures to be gathered and money to be paid to PC
Clerk to include info in Round Up
Clerk to contact Highways again
79. Correspondence
a. Request for volunteers ( deadline missed) for circulation
b. Thank you letter Citizens Advice Bureau for circulation
c. Result of ballot Standards Committee SDC for circulation
d. Selby Dial - donation request. Donation declined / Clerk to write
e. News 'Performance matters' for circulation
f. Fire and Rescue Authority accounts for circulation
g. Selby District AVS for circulation
h. Badapple Theatre Company
i. SDC - naming of new streets for circulation
j. Rural Action Yorkshire for circulation
k. Selby Area Committee for circulation
l. VDS - notice of adoption for circulation
m. White Rose Update for circulation
n. Water Supply email from Escrick Estate. The PC had received an email from the Estate that there was a water supply by the allotments on Common Road that the Estate could transfer to the PC. PC members were concerned about taking on further financial commitments though felt that the allotment fee could be increased to cover the cost. Clerk was asked to contact allotment holders to gather their views.
o. NYCC - grit bins Skipwith Clerk had contacted NYCC to ask for grit bins to be refilled. NYCC had claimed that the bins were not their responsibility. Clerk to pursue this matter as PC are certain that the bins do belong to NYCC and have been filled on a previous occasion.
p. The Archaeological Journal - article on St Helen's Church for circulation
80. Ducks PC had received an email from resident concerned that the number of ducks on the pond had decreased. PC discussed the matter and agreed that though they had no objection to residents replacing the ducks, the PC did not wish to assume responsibility for them.
Clerk was instructed to respond to the resident who had raised the issue. / Clerk to contact resident
81. Planning – no new applications received
Letter of refusal for Birchwood Farm application received from SDC
82. Finance
Following payments were agreed:
St Helen's £57.50 for electricity
John Wright Electricals Ltd payment of £1703.98 for Christmas Lights
Skipwith Hall Committee, payment for meetings of PC £60.00
Parish Clerk salary + expenses £360.83
LAW Electrical Church Light repairs £265.26
LAW Electrical Street light repairs £380.76
YEDL cheque for £22.98
Proposer Councillor Geoff Eastwood, seconder Councillor Trevor Britain
North Duffield School request for £112.50
Proposer Councillor Sue Kotek, seconder Councillor Trevor Britain
Website fee £138.00
Proposer Councillor Trevor Britain, seconder Councillor Geoff Eastwood
Corporation Tax penalty notice ( HMRC error) had been received
Insurance Claim PB Curran York still outstanding and clerk has contacted firm
Transfer of £3000.00 to cover cheques
Proposer Councillor Geoff Eastwood and seconder Councillor Trevor Britain / Clerk to issue cheques
Clerk to contact HMRC
83. . Representatives reports
Councillor Sue Kotek reported that there had been a JAG meeting early November and that poaching was the biggest problem identified by the police. The poaching is organised groups from West Yorkshire.
North Duffield and Skipwith Playing Field Association meeting was due to take place on the 12th January. Floodlights for the playing field was the major item on the agenda. It was likely that planning permission would be needed for the lights.
84. Agenda items for next meeting – none
85. Date of next meeting Monday 15th March 2010 at 19.30
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