2007 December

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 6 December 2007

Present: Parish Councillors B. Butler, T. Martin, B. Fisher (Chairman), E. Bolton.

District Councillor C. Bayliss

Residents: M. Hammond, J. Grange, M. Kettlewell, D. Baker.

Apologies for absence:
Parish Councillors U. Cansfield, C. Florance and M. Mitton.

Declarations of interest in items on the agenda:

There were none to declare.

Minutes of the meeting held on 8.11.07:

The minutes were signed as a correct record by the Chairman. Proposed by B. Butler and seconded by T. Martin.

Matters arising from the minutes:

Community First Responders – ten residents had expressed an interest in finding out more about the initiative. The West Yorkshire Ambulance Service will make a presentation at a meeting to be held in the Village Hall on THURSDAY JANUARY 17 AT 7 PM. A letter to be sent to all interested parties and a poster will be displayed on the notice board.
Obstructions to footpaths and roads in Follifoot – The Clerk had made contact with various parties as requested. It was noted that the hedge at 2 Manor Cottages had been trimmed and that no vehicles had parked on the road and pavement at 6 Park Side for some time.
Hillside – the Clerk had spoken to a Harrogate Council officer and had been informed that the tree works were programmed for the end of the financial year. NYCC planned to repair the road and footpath in the same time scale.
Unauthorised access to the cricket field – a response received from the landowner indicating that the Estate were aware of problems but would be unable to restrict access because of the right of way over the land enjoyed by a third party.

Chairman’s communications:

Letter from Captain Nicholson (retired) enclosing a copy letter to the Member of Parliament complaining about Harrogate Council’s enforcement proceedings in respect of Mr. Horner.
Yorkshire Water – the Chairman informed the meeting that some work had commenced at the top of Main Street. He secured the agreement of the Parish Council to highlight the problems experienced with sewer capacity in the village with the organisation.

Plompton: parking arrangements at the Square:

Parish Councillor E. Bolton and D. Baker, both residents of the Square wished to apprise the Parish Council that the parking arrangements, in place for 25 years with the agreement of the then landowner were subject to alteration by the present owner of the land, her son Mr. Alton. He was installing parking bays and proposed to make a charge to the residents for their use.

Following a lengthy discussion, it was agreed that the Parish Council would write to the managing agents Lister Haigh to express their support for the residents of the Square.

Other matters concerning Plompton:

The Clerk was asked to request that NYCC Highways leave some rock salt at the entrance to the village.

Rural Safety Scheme bid 2006-2007:

There had been delays in NYCC starting the approved schemes. Councillors were shown a plan and asked for their views on the revised location of the 30 mph sign on Spofforth Lane. It was suggested that it would be safer for the signs to be sited further away from the village name plate. This would be communicated to the officer concerned. The next step was consultation with the Traffic Police.

The poor condition of the ‘No Entry’ signs at the top of Main Street had been reported to NYCC Highways. These would be inspected and replaced as necessary.

Post Office closure plan:

The consultation for Post Office closure in this parliamentary constituency has begun. The Follifoot Post Office is not included in the closure plan. The Parish Council decided to make no further representations at this stage.

Finance:

Balance at the bank – a total of £9454.99 in the accounts. A grant of £74 received from Harrogate Council for bulbs.
Request for authorisation of expenditure – Clerk’s quarterly salary with adjustment for new hourly rates backdated to 1.4.07, £ 837.08. Proposed by B. Butler and seconded by B. Fisher. Quotation from AWJoinery for £135.75 to refurbish the bench donated to the village by Mrs. P. Hubbard was accepted. A quotation for a small plaque to affix to the bench would be obtained by T. Martin for the next meeting. Top ‘bus shelter – netting could be purchased to protect the fabric of the building from nesting birds at a cost of £40 including VAT. The Parish Council accepted the quotations, proposed by B. Butler and seconded by B. Fisher.
Budget 2008-2009 – The Parish Council resolved to approve the budget and an increase in the precept request by £300 to £5300. Proposed by T. Martin and seconded by E. Bolton.

Clerk’s report and correspondence:

Commuted sums – the Clerk informed the Parish Council that monies from the development of Follifoot Hall had been allocated to the cricket club in the sum of £823 by Harrogate Borough Council. There was also £391 available to improve Pannal Road verges. It was hoped that the money could be used by the Parish Council to plant bulbs at the entry into the village from the by pass. The Clerk would seek the agreement of the officer concerned to the proposal

Questionnaires – delegated by the Parish Council on the Harrogate Council Budget 2008-2009 and licensing of taxis to B. Fisher and B. Butler respectively.

The offer of a presentation on re cycling by Harrogate Council would be accepted and residents invited.

An advice note on public participation in Parish Council meetings would be circulated and discussed at the next meeting with a view to consideration of whether to change the present arrangement.

Papers received since the last meeting were circulated to councillors.

Planning:

No applications had been received since the last meeting. Notice of an appeal against the refusal of an application to build an agricultural workers dwelling at Holly Bush Pasture, Thistle Hill had been received. The councillors considered their response to the consultation on the original application and concluded that they had no reason to change their objection to the proposal.
Outcome of previous applications – Rudding House Hotel for extension of bedrooms and spa – withdrawn. Unit 6 Follifoot Ridge Business Park for link between main building and storage building – approved. Land north east of Beagle Cottage, Follifoot – for change of use of land to allow siting of a holiday chalet – refused.

Dates of meetings in 2008:

The dates were approved.

Date of next meeting: Thursday 17 January 2008 at 8 pm