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Council
Minutes
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FOLLIFOOT WITH PLOMPTON PARISH COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2010 Present : Parish Councillors B. Butler (Chairman), U. Cansfield, E. Bolton, T. Martin, N. Pettitt and one resident. Apologies for absence : Parish Councillors B. Fisher and C. Florance, P. C. M. Ayre.
• 20.5.10 - N. Pettitt was in attendance at this meeting and with this addition the Chairman signed the minutes as a correct record. Proposed by T. Martin and seconded by N. Pettitt. • 7.6.10 - The Chairman signed the minutes as a correct record. Proposed by U. Cansfield and seconded by E. Bolton.
• 20.5.10 items 4 and 12c) - Actions taken by NYCC Highways - the pothole reported on Spofforth Lane had been filled and the retaining wall had been inspected, no evidence of movement had been detected. This was last inspected in October 2008 at the request of the Parish Council. NYCC would continue to monitor the area as would B. Butler. • 20.5.10 item 6 - Meeting with the Dog Warden Service - this had been arranged for the Parish Council meeting on October 7. There would be a 10-15 minute talk and an environmental protection officer would be in attendance. Dog fouling was still a concern at the top of Main Street where the children passed on their walk to school and on the local public footpaths. It was possible to report owners who did not clean up after their dogs to Harrogate Council and prosecution could be a consideration. • 20 . 5.10 14d) - Commuted sums - enquiry made of Harrogate Council regarding use of outstanding monies allocated to the Village Green, no reply received as yet. Agreement reached that the Saxon Cross may benefit from some minor maintenance. Action - Clerk to take advice from the conservation officer on the use of appropriate materials as this is a Listed Building .
• Yorkshire Water and Main Street sewage odours - email from Yorkshire Water to inform that odour monitors had been installed on 18.6.10 and would be in place for at least three weeks. No smells had been detected outside East View Cottage since 20.5.10, but parts of Pellentine Road had been affected briefly in the week commencing 14.6.10. T. Martin agreed to liaise with Yorkshire Water over the next few weeks in the absence of the Vice-Chairman and Chairman. Action - T. Martin to report back to Parish Council on 22.7.10. • Resignation of Clerk - duties to terminate following completion of work arising from the September meeting. Councillors to think of possible replacements, but a formal process would be followed. T. Martin proposed a vote of thanks. Actions - clerk to frame an advert to be distributed to the councillors, noticeboards, shop, parish magazine, website and YLCA's. N. Pettitt suggested the possibility of using the school email to circulate the vacancy. Councillors to receive a copy of the job description. Closing date for applications agreed as 27.8.10 with interviews on 2.9.10 prior to the Parish council meeting. • Street light junction of Main Street / The Paddocks - this had been reported by the clerk and a repair is to be arranged.
• Caravan by Wingate Farm - E. Bolton stated that she had reported this to Harrogate Council several times as rubbish and rubble was accumulating next to the caravan. It was unclear whether any enforcement action would be taken against the travellers. The clerk had received an email from P. C. Ayre indicating that he and an officer from the Council had visited the site and found locally addressed correspondence. Harrogate Council was to decide on any further action. The travellers have now left the site. • Conservation area appraisal - this had been conducted with residents on 10.6.10. There was a suggestion that the area might be extended. Harrogate Council would produce a report in due course.
• A signed copy of the contract had been received from B. T., together with a letter to inform that arrangements would be made for the removal of the telephony. This was circulated to the councillors. • N. Pettitt reported that he had discussed the need for an agreement with the landowner with a local lawyer. Action - the Parish Council agreed that it could be explored further. At this stage, there was no indication of the likely costs to the Parish Council.
• Rudding Lane/Pannal Road - patching and re-surfacing to the roads were currently underway. • Guilder's Bridge, Plompton Road – the pathways were again overgrown with weeds. Action - clerk to request that they be cleared followed by an application of weed killer.
• Balance at the bank : A total of £8,666.63 was in the accounts. Bank interest of £1.03 had been paid. • Request for authorisation of expenditure : £47.33 to Harrogate Council for grasscutting; £15.50 to B. Butler for garden supplies; £646.17 clerk's salary for the quarter ended 30.6.10; £11.52 for stamps. Expenditure proposed by T. Martin and seconded by U. Cansfield. N. Pettitt raised the matter of the phasing out of cheques. This had been discussed at a recent YLCA's area meeting as it was regarded as potentially problematic for many small councils. YLCA's were presently considering alternatives and members would be kept informed. • Annual Return 2009-2010 : approval of statement of accounts. The Parish Council resolved to approve the statement of accounts. • Annual Return 2009-2010 : approval of annual governance statement . The Parish Council resolved to approve the annual governance statement.
• Community resilience scheme - a letter had been received from Harrogate Council offering further assistance to parishes wishing to establish an emergency plan. This is an issue that has been under consideration by the Parish Council for some years. The clerk proposed that the councillors consider the letter with a view to deciding whether or not to complete the task. Action: this to be decided at the September meeting. • Training for parish councillors - this was an offer to join with Knaresborough Town Council in training on the Code of Conduct. Councillors did not wish to participate. • Rural Action Yorkshire - an invitation to subscribe to the organisation. Councillors confirmed an earlier decision to discontinue membership. • Papers received since the last meeting were circulated.
• Applications - none had been received. • Outcome of previous applications : Approved - Scalibar Farm, Plompton for two 15 metre wind turbines; ‘Alveston', Main Street, Follifoot for a front porch; Dower House and Dower Cottage, a Listed Building application for single storey front and side extensions. • Report of YLCA's Harrogate branch meeting on 21.6.10 : N. Pettitt gave a report on questions put to the head of planning for Harrogate Council. Notes were circulated for the information of councillors. Matters discussed were as follows: The community infrastructure levy which came into being on 1.4.10.It is a tax on new developments and the council has discretion about how the money may be spent e.g. on roads or policing. It runs concurrently with S. 106 agreements and may impact adversely on the commuted sums scheme. Retrospective planning applications were allowable if the works were reasonable in the view of the local authority. Prosecutions were rare but it was stated that if the Parish Council were concerned about such developments, it could write in confidence to the planning authority. Site visits can be requested but the landowner has the right to refuse. If a site visit is made no debate or discussion may take place. Amended plans were not routinely referred to parish councils.
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