Minutes of Meeting held on 2 December 2019, at Pickhill School.
1. PRESENT: Mr Graham Clarke (Chairman), Mr Ron Barker (Vice Chairman), Mrs Norma Grubb (Parish Clerk), Mr
Minty Scaife, David Grubb (Minutes).
Residents: Mr Roger Walker, Mrs Ann Harvey, Mr Howard Broadwith . 2. APOLOGIES: Cllr David Webster. Mr James Wadsworth.
Mr Clarke explained that Mr Wadsworth, who had agreed to be the Parish Councillor for Sinderby following Mr Brook’s resignation, had now returned home from recuperation and his registration forms/declaration would be submitted shortly, so that he could take up his place, hopefully by the next meeting.
3. OPEN MEETING: Mr Broadwith outlined his continuing concern regarding the state of Lowfields Lane. Mud, deep potholes and the deteriorating road surface, added to by contractor wagons regularly blocking the way. This road is the only access to Scarborough House and Middle Park Farm.
The Parish Clerk said that following the last meeting when this subject was raised, several letters had been received from residents making the same points. She had drafted a letter from the Parish Council to County Council Highways and would be forwarding the residents letters with that, seeking urgent attention to the dangerous state of this road. Mr Broadwith said he would also write to the Parish Clerk so his letter could also be included.
It was noted that the work on the water supply to Lowfields Lane was still ongoing.
The 30mph zone was also discussed again. This ends mid way along the row of new houses and it would make sense to extend this to the village outskirts, beyond Avermal and Greenacres. It was recognised that the speed restriction is linked to the street lighting area.
The state of Street Lane leaving the village at the top of the hill was again highlighted but it was felt by the majority that the dangerous state of Lowfields Lane had priority, but this would also be pursued.
4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (21 October 2019)
Copies distributed and agreed. Mrs Harvey’s presence at the last meeting had been missed from the attendance list.
5. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
(i) Parking signs at school: The new signs (Parking – school use only) and posts had been delivered and would be installed as soon as the water authority contractors had finished on the car park. Mr Barker and Mr Clarke agreed to install the signs, they hoped before the next meeting. An invoice for £- was now for payment.
(ii) Condition of Street Lane and Lowfields Lane: – as discussed in open meeting.
(iii) Parish Council website: Three quotes now received. Two, from website firms used by some local Parish Councils, were well over £1,000, with similar ongoing annual costs. However a Pickhill resident, Mr Reade, an IT specialist, has offered to set up the website, at cost. He will also assist with maintenance and advice. Set up and then annual renewals, would be around £350 per annum. Mr Reade’s offer was gratefully accepted. Discussion re website name, info pages, data/document storage and email addresses. Providing a website is now a requirement, not an option, for public access to minutes, annual accounts etc. Agreed. Review progress at next meeting
(iv) Affordable Housing (Pickhill): Nothing further heard from the Council
(v) Zip Wire – Rospa report: Mr Clarke had spoken to Image again and Mrs Grubb has also written to them two weeks ago, supplying to them the relevant extracts of the latest ROSPA report on the issues they had identified. No reply received as yet. Mr Clarke will chase again. Review at next meeting
(vi) Mud etc on Swainby Lane: currently dormant for the winter, to be kept on the agenda for review again in the Spring. The need for a ‘paper trail’ was discussed. For next Agenda
6. PLANNING
(i) Planning application – Mr S Fall, for Pasture House Farm, off Street Lane, Pickhill. Construction of timber framed
pig fattening building. Planning Ref: -/FUL. No objections from Parish Council (ii) The application for two new dwellings on land east of Maythorn Cottage in Sinderby now granted by Planning.
(iii) The application for alterations at Roman Castle Barn going to the next full planning committee on 12 December. (iv) Notice received of postal address for the new dwelling to south side of Lowfields Lane is “Stannum Barn”.
(v) The Parish Clerk had attended a training course on use of the Hambleton Council “Planning Portal”. There are useful search facilities available to assist her role. Future notification of planning applications to the Parish Clerk will be by email instead of post. These will be emailed on to Parish Councillors. Any printed documents/plans required for meetings would be printed off by the Clerk. Our decisions/observations are already notified to Planning by email.
7. FINANCE
(i) Setting Parish Precept for year -: Re-visited following discussion at last meeting. After a review of the income/outgoings and future needs, agreed to ask for only a 5% increase. Mr Clarke pointed out that neither the previous Parish Clerk, or the current holder, make any charge for the enormous amount of work they undertake (indeed this is barred due to also holding Parish Councillor role). If this changed in the future there would be substantial additional salary costs passed on to residents via the precept. Parish Clerk to submit return
(ii) VAT return -: The VAT 126 (re-claim of VAT paid) had now been completed online for the year 1 August 2018 to 31 July 2019 and we had re-claimed £1,-. Now await reply from HMRC.
(iii) Donation to Parish Council: Mrs Angela Cunningham has made a cheque donation of £- to the Parish Council with a request that it be used to benefit the children of Pickhill, either directly to the school or the village playground. Letter of thanks to be sent. For discussion at next meeting For next agenda
8. CORRESPONDENCE
(i) Changes to Bank business account terms and operating procedure circulated.
(ii) Cllr Webster had forwarded details of a grant available – “Making a Difference”. Last year Mr Clarke had referred Sinderby Village Hall management to this grant as they were recovering from the fire damage. Councillors will review the terms of reference as to whether we can apply. Closes in Mid January. For next agenda
9. COUNCILLORS REPORTS
(i) RAF LEEMING: Mr Barker mentioned the current exercises involving Typhoon jets, with late evening low flying over the villages (right on cue as he spoke). In the past he had been the nominated Parish liaison with Leeming and was always notified of such exercises, but had not been contacted recently. Agreed he would re-establish contact.
(ii) GRASS CUTTING: Mr Clarke referred to recent issues. The County Council are responsible for certain small roadside areas such as around road signs; for practical purposes these are done by the Parish Council contractor and then re-invoiced to recover that element from the County Council. Invoice for this has been raised and sent to County Council. Also, he said we have assisted the Church at Pickhill in recent years with their grasscutting liabilities, by a donation. Agreed we could review how we make this payment, if we can assist in future. For next agenda
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
GOAL POSTS ON VILLAGE GREENS: Some repairs required for Pickhill sets and John Fletcher (Walking Football) has offered to help. Mr Clarke holds some spare parts and will make these available. For next agenda
CIL (COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY): Current position will be reviewed by Parish Clerk. For next agenda
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1. OPEN SESSION : nil 2. PRESENT: Parish Councillors: Mr Ron Barker (Chair), Mr Graham Clarke (Vice Chair), Mrs Norma Grubb (also Parish Clerk), Mr Minty Scaife, Mr Jim Wadsworth. Others: D Grubb (Minutes). NYC: Cllr David Webster. Residents: Mr R Walker APOLOGIES: None 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING (7 Jan 2025 - Ref 339): Agreed. Signed by Chair . 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES : 1. Speed reduction signage on entering Pickhill: still awaiting response from Highways. 5. PLANNING: 1. Church House, Pickhill (Grade II Listed) : retrospective application re various works discovered during ongoing renovation. Agreed – no objections. 2. Church House, Pickhill (Grade II Listed): change of use of land to domestic; create new vehicle access track and parking; alter existing yard access to pedestrian only. Agreed – no objections. 3. 1-2 The Cottages, Pickhill: retrospective application to convert existing garage to a granny annexe including small extension to create porch. Agreed – no objections. 4. Any updates on earlier applications - none 6. FINANCE: 1. Update since last meeting: Parish Clerk confirmed last statement from bank at end of November. Invoice received for parish council website renewal & domain name at £159.45. Renewal agreed. 2. Grasscutting contract for Sinderby: Following last meeting Mrs Grubb had signed and returned the Pickhill contract and had requested a copy of the plan for Sinderby showing the verges to be cut . Still awaiting a response. Cllr Webster offered to chase that with the member of staff. For next Agenda. 7. PROJECTS: Pickhill Village Green improvements. (i) Seats: Parish Clerk confirmed a grant application was submitted for three bench seats at £900 +VAT. (best of two quotes obtained). Cllr Webster said he had recommended a grant of £500 towards this, for which he was thanked. Design is to match the one existing fixed blue bench seat. Will be heavy but free standing; discussed need to try out positioning. If they get moved by the public we can consider securing them down later. It was proposed that the order be placed with Mr Charlton. Agreed. (Mr Clarke to order) (ii) Signage: Second quote, obtained by Mr Scaife from Swift Signs (£312 + VAT each) beats that from Fox’s. After discussion it was proposed two signs be ordered from Swift. Agreed. (Mr Scaife to order) 8. CORRESPONDENCE: (circulated to councillors in advance of meeting) (1) Speed campaign/road safety in NY villages – update from campaign co-ordinator – this is a campaign to have fixed enforcement cameras in villages, which is resisted by the Mayors office/Police & Crime Commisioner as the policy is to use mobile camera units across North Yorkshire. Noted. (2) Message from All Saints Church. Email received thanking Parish Council for the donation towards Church’s grass-cutting bill. Noted. 9. COUNCILLORS REPORTS: Mr Barker: reports that trees on the Street Lane verge opposite the “Station” wall have again been damaged during hedge trimming. He had spoken to the owner of the hedge who confirms the contractor had reported this back to him. Mr Barker noted that these trees were planted by the Parish Council some 20 years ago, yet it is only in the last 2 winters that this has occurred. The Parish Council had to replace one of the trees last winter and others needed “first aid”. Councillors to go and inspect the damage / layout: to discuss further at next meeting. For next Agenda. Cllr Webster: · NY Council meeting the following day to discuss the deficit. · It is likely that Locality Grants budget will be halved next year (to be applied for in second half of 2025 – applications will close 31 Jan 2026. · Each household will be getting one extra recycling bin. · There is a move to even out each Councillors area (based on number of residents) and it is likely that our Parish Council will not be in his area (Bedale division) by the next NYC elections in 2027. · National target of 1.5 million extra homes during this Government means North Yorkshire having to substantially increase its target on the local plan. Mrs Grubb: on that last point, she had downloaded the Local Plan map of the County showing sites suggested by landowners as possibly available for building/development. There was just one within our Parish Council area (copy viewed). Cllr Webster issued a note of caution in that these sites were unfiltered – ie., had not yet been evaluated. 10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: none. Signed: R Barker Dated: 15.4.2025 New Paragraph
1. OPEN SESSION : nil 2. PRESENT: Parish Councillors: Mr Ron Barker (Chair), Mr Graham Clarke (Vice Chair), Mrs Norma Grubb (also Parish Clerk), Mr Minty Scaife, Mr Jim Wadsworth. Others: D Grubb (Minutes). NYC: Cllr David Webster. APOLOGIES: None 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS (12 Nov 2024 - Ref 337 and 3 Dec 2024 - Ref 338): Both Agreed. Signed by Chair . 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES : 1. Speed reduction on entering Pickhill: reinstatement of SLOW signs on road at 30mph entry points: Highways have been asked to reinstate them. Awaiting their response. 2. Vehicle damage to Pickhill Village Green: see Item 7(2). 5. PLANNING: 1. Application re land west of Sinderby Lane, Sinderby – change of use of farm buildings to dwelling house and associated building works – discussed. Agreed – no objections. 2. Previous applications: (1) Chancefield, Pickhill – conversion of agricultural buildings into six dwellings - has been refused by the planning department. (2) Church House, Pickhill – staircase/loft hatch, etc – was granted. 6. FINANCE: 1. Update since last meeting: The Parish Clerk outlined position of current account. A cheque for the Church grounds donation (£300) was signed. The proposed precept forms (2025/26) were submitted in November (£4,620). 2. Grasscutting contracts: Quotes for 2025 growing season received.... Pickhill: The NYC contractors will charge £1665.83, whilst Highways will pay £112.34 for cutting their visibility splays. After discussion, this was accepted. Sinderby: NYC originally quoted over £800, but when Mrs Grubb queried the amount it transpired this included the “village green”, as they believed we owned it. They have now accepted that NYC do own it and have re-quoted £416 for just the roadside verges. Highways will pay us £52 for the splays. Councillors queried the £416 as there seems to be little which was not splays. Mrs Grubb to request plans showing the verges to be cut within that quote For next Agenda. 7. PROJECTS: 1. Pickhill Playground improvements : due to winter conditions no further work had been undertaken. 2. Vehicle damage to Pickhill Village Green: Mr Barker had obtained a quote from Fox’s for two signs mounted on posts, at £334 each, plus VAT, and showed images of the wording options. Mr Scaife would obtain a second quote to same specification. For next Agenda. 8. CORRESPONDENCE: (circulated to councillors in advance of meeting) None 9. COUNCILLORS REPORTS: Cllr Webster : will be attending NYC budget meeting the day after, so little to report. Locality Grants available on a 50/50 basis; closing date is 31 January. Discussion regarding seating benches to improve amenities on Pickhill Village Green, which only has one bench currently. Quotes to be obtained. Mr Scaife: recalls earlier suggestion for a flower bed on the verge by Pickhill sign at top of hill – ongoing. Mrs Grubb: a resident at Holme on Swale had asked if our Parish Council could represent their village as their Parish Meeting had ceased to exist. Mrs Grubb had advised her that it was not within our remit and referred her to NY Council. Cllr Webster confirmed that was the position and advised there were other villages in the area in a similar position, such as Ainderby Quernhow and Howe. 10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: none. Signed: R. Barker Dated: 4.2.2025 New Paragraph