Minutes of meeting held on 1 August 2022 at Pickhill School. Ref: 325

1.     PRESENT: Mr Ron Barker (Chairman), Mrs Norma Grubb (Parish Clerk) Mr Graham Clarke, Mr James Wadsworth.              David Grubb (Minutes).          

Residents –  Mrs Anita Harvey

APOLOGIES: Mr Minty Scaife,  Cllr David Webster

2.     OPEN SESSION:   nothing raised.

3.     MINUTES OF PREVIOUS  MEETING (23 May 2022 – Minute Ref 324): Agreed. Signed by Chairman.

4.     MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES: 

Item 5(2) Planning Update: Mr Clarke had spoken to the owner of Westgarth at Sinderby who confirmed ongoing difficulties in getting planning permission for the agricultural workers dwelling over the past year.

Item 7: Playground: Mrs Grubb had been seeking an alternative ROSPA inspection supplier in view of past contact issues. Next inspection due in September, so may now be too late for this year. 

5.     ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR: Mr Clarke, proposed by Mr Barker & seconded by Mr Wadsworth. Elected.

6.     PLANNING MATTERS: 

(1)  Planning application : Land east of Maythorn Cottage, Sinderby: reserved matters re outline consent granted in 2019 – for two new dwellings.  Mr Wadsworth declared an interest and withdrew from discussion. Original plans now amended to reduce size of the dwellings from houses to dormer bungalows, more in keeping with nearby properties.     Agreed: No objection from Parish Council.

(2) Updates since last meeting: Woodside Cottage, Pickhill and Westgarth, Sinderby, both ongoing.

The Manor, Sinderby – their 2019 application for agricultural workers dwelling, to which the Parish Council had no objection, has just been refused by Planning. 

(3) New property addresses:  Naming notification received from Hambleton District Council (HDC) for: 

           (a)    Middling Cottage, Sinderby (formerly part of the Old Post Office) 

           (b)    new street name - Rocking Horse Drive, Pickhill (new development). 

7.     FINANCE:   

(1)   Update since last meeting – payments in and out covered. Account stands at just over £8,000.

(2)   Public liability Insurance has been renewed with Zurich at £396.71.

(3)   Pickhill Church – have requested help with grasscutting expense.   Agreed: contribution of £250.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

8.     CORRESPONDENCE

(1)  Defibrillators:

(a)  Sinderby: emails from Mrs Hopkins & Mr Reeves re Sinderby unit, which Parish Council had ‘adopted’. Mr Reeves checks it routinely and battery change is due, going by date (though still showed as serviceable). Parish Clerk had ordered a new battery at £199.20 inc VAT - delivery awaited. Meanwhile Mr Reeves had been contacted by the manufacturers for a software update and had supplied a temporary replacement. The manufacturers were told not to replace the battery by both the Parish Clerk and Mr Reeves, as it was already on order elsewhere. 

(b)  Pickhill: battery had been replaced in December 2021. On a recent routine check, the pads required renewal (date expired) and were replaced at £64.80 inc VAT. Mr Grubb has offered to continue with the routine checks on the Pickhill unit in the future. 

(c)  Costs: were authorised by Councillors outside a meeting, as necessity. Now formally agreed.                                                                               

(d)  Database: Whilst the Sinderby unit is registered on the national defibrillator database (www.thecircuit.uk), the Pickhill one apparently was not, so has now been added. 

(e)  Procedure: Mr Clarke verified that use of the units by the public was only via a 999 call to Ambulance, when the nearest cabinet location and lock code would be provided, with ongoing telephone guidance for its use, pending arrival of paramedics. He asked that we confirm with Ambulance Control that they still have the correct details, codes etc. (Confirmed with their Defib Co-ordinator on 4 August.) 

(2)  Road Closure Notice received for 2 & 3 August – Pickhill/Sinderby road for maintenance. Has been posted on the parish website and notice boards.

9.     COUNCILLORS REPORTS: 

(1)   Mr Barker reported on a site meeting at Pickhill Village Green on 18 July with the Facilities Manager of HDC, arranged by the Clerk and attended by Mr Barker & Mr Clarke.  It was agreed by all that the footpath across the playground frontage had deteriorated and HDC will arrange repairs – re-pinning and resurfacing. Also discussed, as previously agreed by the Parish Council, we are entering into a formal agreement with HDC for the Parish Council to be responsible for grasscutting of Sinderby Village Green (Public Open Space). Back-payments for 2021 and 2022 have been made for those costs by HDC. We will get future payments leading on to the new single Council.

Following a discussion on village green status, Mr Barker proposed the Parish Council registers an interest with HDC in formally adopting both Pickhill Village Green & Sinderby Village Green (Public Open Space). Seconded by Mrs Grubb.                  Agreed (unanimous). Clerk to write to HDC.

(Note:  HDC have subsequently advised this is not possible for Pickhill VG, but we may register our interest for Sinderby VG (POS) and this was done by letter on 2 August 2022.)

10.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

(1)   Pickhill playground maintenance:

(a)   Mr Barker noted that the hedge bordering the school grounds had been trimmed  both sides, but the hedge bordering the houses had not been touched; he wondered why the distinction?  Mr Clarke believed that whilst the County Council trimmed the hedge bordering the school, there had been an informal agreement locally for the other hedge to be trimmed back by a village resident.                                                               

Agreed: Mr Clarke to follow this up.                                                                                               

(b)  Mr Barker said he hoped to have time this summer to do some maintenance work on the play area.  He was thanked by all present.           Agreed: Reasonable expenditure for materials.

(c)   Mrs Grubb referred to the overhanging tree canopy around the play structures and across the entrance.                           

Agreed: Local contractor to be engaged to trim play area trees.

(d)  Mrs Grubb pointed out the primary attraction in there seemed to be the multi-coloured roundabout and suggested the need for more colour; she asked if the fence palings could be painted in rainbow colours. She will also obtain quotes for more colourful picnic benches made from re-cycled materials. Mr Clarke suggested we may also be able to upgrade the existing picnic benches cheaply by using weatherproof (used) ply of the type supplied locally by John Charlton at a fraction of the cost of new. This could be painted to also brighten up the area.     For further discussion.

(2)   Project funding: Mrs Grubb said Hambleton District Council had suggested it would be good practice if we have some costed small projects “on the shelf” and ready to go, should funding become available at short notice. Suggestions welcomed. 

Signed:     R Barker                                                   Dated:   10 October 2022