Minutes of meeting held on 1 November 2022 at Pickhill School. Ref: 328
1. PRESENT: Mr Ron Barker (Chair), Mr Graham Clarke (Vice Chair), Mrs Norma Grubb (Cllr & Parish Clerk), Mr Jim Wadsworth. David Grubb (Minutes), Cllr David Webster (HDC & NYCC)
Residents: Mrs A Harvey, Mrs K Mickle, Mr N Burgess, Mr J Clarke.
APOLOGIES: none
2. OPEN SESSION: nothing raised by those present. A resident had emailed three issues:
1. Hedges overgrown at water pumping station nr village green, obstructing drivers sight line. Mr Clarke responded - he had not been aware of an issue there but would ensure it is cut back.
2. Children unattended on roads and on bikes without lights at dusk. Discussed and to be monitored.
3. Parking in Pickhill: some improvement at village green end but not at other end (towards Cow Corner). The resident did not feel that notices on the board were enough. Mr Clarke advised of an incident recently when a car driving on Street Lane near the pub had collided with a parked vehicle, but no suggestion of insufficient space to get through. To monitor the parking situation.
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING (10 Oct 2022- Minute Ref 327): Agreed by all. Signed by Chair.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
(1) Grasscutting pile on Church Hill. Mr Clarke had removed this pile and will monitor.
(2) Parking on village green. Mr Barker and Mr Clarke to deal by way of friendly advice.
(3) Parking through Pickhill: Parish Clerk has placed item on notice board and on parish website.
(4) Dog fouling in Pickhill: as previous item
5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS:
(1) Greenacres, Pickhill: agricultural shed. Agreed: No objections.
(2) & (3) Henry’s Workshops, Pickhill: retrospectives for 7m totem display sign, plus same sign described as non illuminated advertisement. Mr Clarke declared an interest and withdrew. Agreed: No objections.
(3) Updates re existing applications: none since last meeting.
6. FINANCE:
(1) Clerk’s update: Precept payment of £1806 received. Rospa invoice paid. VAT re-claim payment awaited. Mrs Cunningham has written to thank us for the donation towards Church grounds maintenance.
(2) Precept arrangements for 2023/2024: Decision required on Parish precept for next financial year, the first under the new single authority. In recent years we had applied a 7.5% increase (only pence per month per house). Cllr Webster advised that the new Council wanted to standardise council tax throughout the county, so would be applying a £45 increase (for Band D) in years one and two on Hambleton area homes, because they were amongst the lowest rates in the County. Whilst inflation was this year over 10%, the Parish Council would stick with the past model. Agreed: Parish precept to increase by 7.5%.
7. ONGOING ISSUES/PROJECTS:
(1) Playground. ROSPA report advised rear set of swings be taken out of service due to signs of main frame rot. Mr Barker reported he had renewed the affected timber; swings now back in service. He has removed a section of the climbing wall, again due to rot, but the remaining sections are serviceable. On the multi-play he replaced some half rounds on the walkway. Whilst not a safety issue, he would be replacing the timber roof on the right hand tower. He had replaced the roof of the left tower last year. Mr Barker was thanked for all his work.
Mr Clarke has asked Image Playgrounds to quote for additional rubber matting.
The Clerk reported that Play Safety Ltd have now answered our query regarding the zip line end stop, which needs to be 2m from end frame. Councillors satisfied it was already compliant.
(2) Picnic Tables – for three multi-coloured recycled plastic tables for Pickhill playground, best quote is £1,707.66 inc VAT, (from YPO). After last meeting, the Clerk had applied to Cllr Webster for funding from the NYCC “Locality Fund”. Cllr Webster advised the meeting he is able to offer a £1,000 grant, if the Parish Council make up the balance: agreed unanimously. Cllr Webster was thanked for facilitating this. Agreed: Order to be placed and old tables to be re-sited onto village green.
(3) Parish Council website – update of content approved at the previous meeting. Mr Grubb and Mr Reade (webmaster) have arranged to meet to implement the changes.
8. CORRESPONDENCE
(1) Letter from HDC Licensing - consultation on taxi/private hire changes. Cllr Webster advised that the new authority is to standardise procedure, conditions & fares across the County. Noted.
(2) Letter from HDC Facilities Manager, confirms that their engineer is arranging the agreed repairs required on footpath across the front of the playground. Noted.
9. COUNCILLORS REPORTS
(1) Cllr Webster: He is in a working group for the new Council’s Planning Department. Looking to establish three to six area planning offices around the County. He personally favoured at least six, to ensure that planning issues remain “local”.
(2) Mr Wadsworth: is there a need for a “Warm Hub” at Sinderby Village Hall as some other villages do; would Pickhill residents be interested, and is any funding available? Cllr Webster not aware of any. Further enquiries to be made by Mr Wadsworth. .
(3) Mr Barker: proposed an earlier start for meetings in winter months. It was felt that 7pm was better, but revert to 7.30pm during British Summer Time. Cllr Webster said a lot of Parish Councils hold their meetings on a Monday, so he was pleased this one was a Tuesday (only because of Halloween). After discussion..... Agreed: Tuesdays at 7pm be trialled.
(4) Mrs Grubb: (Parish Clerk hat on): banking proving more difficult with the absence of a Yorkshire Bank (now Virgin Money), nearest is Darlington. Is on-line banking, viable; safeguards/signatory implications; or changing banks?. Agreed: Research and report back.
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
None.
Signed: R Barker Dated: 7 March 2023