Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 7 December 2006

Present : Parish Councillors B. Fisher (Chairman), U. Cansfield, C. Florance, M. Mitton, B. Butler, T. Martin.

1. Apologies for absence : Parish Councillor E. Bolton, District Councillor C. Bayliss
2. Declarations of interest in items on the agenda

There were none to declare.
Minutes of the previous meeting held on 2.11.06.

Correction – item 12 - Date of next meeting should have read 7.12.06. Minutes approved as a correct record. Proposed: T. Martin. Seconded: U. Cansfield.

1. Matters arising from the minutes

• Thefts from cars – P.C. Ayre reported that these had been recorded but were logged under Pannal village crimes.
• Speed monitoring, Pannal Road. NYCC will order a traffic survey.
• Street lighting – C. Bayliss has spoken to the Lighting Engineer. The light will be fitted but no indication of timing was given. It is evident that the top ‘bus shelter is being used as a urinal and it is hoped that the installation of the street light in this location may deter this unacceptable practice.
• Item 8 – Parish assets – Top ‘bus shelter - Conservation Officer stated that the Council would not be able to assist with a grant. Bottom ‘bus shelter - an application made to the planning authority to fell the cypress next to the shelter.

1. Chairman’s communications
   Emergency Plan for Follifoot and Plompton. The Chairman informed councillors that the first meeting of the working group had been held. It was quite productive with key personnel identified and tasks allocated. Another meeting was planned in January.

1. Matters concerning Plompton
   The repair to the Parish notice board has been completed and the councillors commented on the excellent quality of the work. Payment is referred to in item 9 c). There were no other matters raised for discussion.

1. Parish Assets
   The Stocks, Main Street are in need of refurbishment. Quotations to be sought from local contractors and enquiries made re. eligibility for a conservation grant.

Kitty Corner – T. Martin brought the nature board to the meeting. This had been vandalised and ripped from its plinth. After some discussion, the councillors resolved that the board should be repaired and re fixed. T. Martin to contact Harrogate Sign and Display for a quotation. Clerk would report the crime to P. C. Ayre. In addition, fly tipping of green waste had taken place. Clerk to inform Harrogate Council.

1. Open Spaces and Village Halls in the Parish
   Maps of the parish indicating areas of land and facilities accessible to the public were reviewed. Amendments and additions proposed. Clerk to return these to Harrogate Council.

1. Finance :

• Budget 2007-2008 Councillors resolved to approve the budget. Proposed: B. Butler. Seconded: C. Florance. The precept request was £ 5000, the same amount as the previous two years.
• Balance at the bank Total in the accounts was £ 9480.39. This included a payment of £ 75 by HSBC to compensate for time spent and inconvenience when the telephone banking and mandating arrangements were cancelled recently. The Parish Council resolved not to pursue their complaint further, but would monitor the performance of the banking provision.
• Request for authorisation of expenditure To AWJoinery £ 870 for repairs to ‘bus shelters and Plompton Parish notice board. High quality of work noted, also thanks to be made to Mr. and Mrs. Hinchcliffe for the loan of a generator to facilitate the works. To Parish Clerk for salary £ 616.87 and £ 8.28 for stamps. Proposed: U. Cansfield. Seconded: B. Butler.

1. Clerk’s report and correspondence
   Report from P. C. Ayre concerning crimes reported since early November. Three crimes were recorded, one theft from a car on Main Street, a burglary from farm buildings at Plompton and a drugs offence detected on the by-pass from a routine stop/check of a vehicle.

Papers received since the last meeting were circulated.

1. Support for rural Post Offices

The Parish Council approved a letter to be signed by the Chairman. This would be sent to the government minister responsible.

1. Planning :

• Application 06/05452/FUL – Summerfield, Tofts Lane, Follifoot - for a single storey side extension. This is a retrospective application to which the Parish Council had no objections. There was concern about the poor quality of the architectural drawings. This had already been discussed with the planning officer and would be raised formally with the planning authority.
• Applications received since the agenda was compiled – Plompton Hall Farm appeal against refusal of application to erect detached dwelling on site of agricultural building to be demolished. Following discussion, the Parish Council resolved to support the position of the planning authority. Clerk to write to Planning Inspectorate.
• Outcome of previous applications – Alveston, Main Street, Follifoot for porch and dormer windows – permission granted.

1. Dates of meetings for 2007

Decision deferred to next meeting.

1. Date of next meeting: 11 January 2007