2008 March

FOLLIFOOT WITH PLOMPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday March 20, 2008

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

Residents: M. Kettlewell and J. Grange

Cricket Club representatives for agenda item 3: A. Townsend, D. Batchelor and A. Dewsnip

Village Hall representative for agenda item 3: J. Woodman

Apologies for absence: District Councillor C. Bayliss and P.C. M. Ayre.
Declarations of interest in items on the agenda:

Item 3 – B. Butler, C. Florance and T. Martin – members of the Village Hall management committee

Item 13 b) – B. Butler – a neighbour of the persons applying for planning consent.

Public Participation session:

Follifoot Cricket Club representatives attended to explain the plans for extending the present club room facilities to incorporate changing rooms and a veranda. The plans were available for comment by the councillors but had not yet been submitted for planning consent. The club has grown and now has five junior teams, with a percentage of young people eligible by age living in Follifoot now involved. A welfare officer has been appointed to build links with the village. Extensive consultations have been held with the landowner with a view to securing his agreement to proceed with the extension. Cricket Club representatives think that the refurbished pavilion would be a suitable meeting venue for smaller groups. The Chairman asked that the plans include arrangements for people with disabilities to use and access the Club. There was a question posed that this proposal could mean that the Village Hall would be in competition with the club as a venue for events. The Cricket Club will be making applications to various bodies to provide funding for the proposals and requested a letter of support from the Parish Council. This would add strength to their applications.
Village Hall – J. Woodman reported that planning consent had been granted for the extension. Cracks in the gas heaters’ heat exchangers meant that they must be replaced. The cost for the extension and heaters was in the region of £ 19,000. Applications were being made to funding bodies, fundraising activities planned and use of reserves. The Village Hall use was increasing with the school, Women’s Institute, Parish Council and Bowls Club hiring the Hall regularly and other groups making use of the facilities. The management committee were aware that the Parish Council supported their improvement plans in principle and were now requesting some financial assistance.

The Chairman thanked both groups for attending and stated that their requests would be discussed by the councillors later in the meeting.

Minutes of the meeting held on 21.2.08:

The minutes were signed by the Chairman as a correct record. This was proposed by T. Martin and seconded by B. Butler.

Matters arising from the minutes:

‘Bus stop, bottom of Main Street – letter received from the NYCC officer responsible stating that arrangements were now in hand to reinstate the ‘bus stop.
Litter picking – Harrogate Council had cleaned up the badly littered verges on Pannal Road. This was a great improvement and thanks had been extended to the officer responsble.
Litter Pick 13.4.08 – a poster had been made by D. Watkin and Mr. and Mrs. M. Mackaness had offered to clear litter on Spofforth Lane around this time.

Chairman’s communications:

SOCA (Save Our Conservation Areas) – letter from S. Bradburn informing the Chairman that a group had been established with the aim of opposing the Harrogate Council Local Development Framework preferred option for affordable housing at land east of Manor Fold, Follifoot.
Sycamore House – contact from Mr. Shann seeking support from the Parish Council in his efforts to remedy the erosion of the verge in front of his property caused by parked vehicles. Letter also received from NYCC Highways, to be discussed under agenda item 8 f)
Yorkshire Water – a camera survey of Main Street had shown no problems with the flow of effluent. The Chairman had met with S. Mackaness, Rudding House who had commissioned a report which indicated the effluent was septic. A dosing system to mask odours had been recommended with an alternative of venting. The question of flow when rainfall is heavy has not been addressed. It was suggested that many of the existing problems might be eliminated if the Rudding House complex had its own sewage treatment plant. The Chairman will continue to liaise with Yorkshire Water.

Matters concerning Plompton:

E. Bolton reported a broken stile on the footpath from Plompton Square to the A 661. The Clerk was asked to report this to NYCC.

Highways:

Rural Safety Scheme, Spofforth Lane – this is progressing to the advertisement of a speed restriction order, providing there are no objections, the works can then be programmed.
Litter on bypass – Clerk to request Harrogate Council arrange for its removal.
Hillside – repairs to the road were planned for completion by the end of the financial year. Works have not started as yet. Clerk asked to write to seek an explanation.
Litter on Main Street – the Chairman commented on the poor state of the street, largely debris resulting from recent high winds and rainfall. It was difficult to clear because of parked cars and he wondered if there should be a working party set up to deal with it. Councillors thought this idea should be deferred but suggested more frequent litter picks around the village would improve its appearance.
T – junction, Rudding Lane/Pannal Road – NYCC will replace the missing chevrons early in the next financial year.
Sycamore House – letter from NYCC Highways asking for the views of the Parish Council regarding Mr. Shann’s complaints. The councillors stated they were sympathetic to his position and asked the Clerk to write to NYCC suggesting an allowance be made in a future budget to fix kerbing around the verge to prevent erosion. The Parish Council at present do not think that bollards or double yellow lines would enhance the appearance of the street.

Finance:

Balance at the bank – a total of £ 8621.88 was in the accounts, including interest of £ 66.32
Request for authorisation of expenditure – hire of the Village Hall for 2007-08, £ 156; AWJoinery for refurbishment of a bench, £ 135.75; Clerk’s salary for the final quarter, £ 698.36. This expenditure was proposed by B. Butler and seconded by C. Florance.
Financial Regulations – these were approved with minor amendments. It was noted that the Internal Auditor had also reviewed the regulations.
Request for financial assistance to fund the Village Hall improvements – the Clerk informed the meeting that the sum of £ 7,600 would be carried over into the next financial year when the Parish Council would receive £ 5,300 precept from Harrogate Council. The requirement to set aside monies for contingencies together with an appropriate level of donation was debated. B. Butler proposed that up to £ 4,000 be offered specifically for replacement gas heaters. This was seconded by U. Cansfield and resolved by the Parish Council with one objection that related to the amount of the donation. Clerk to write to the Management Committee Chairman.

Annual Parish Meeting:

This is to be held on Thursday 17 April. An officer from Harrogate Council will make a presentation on recycling. No other agenda items were suggested. A poster to advertise the meeting has been made by D. Watkin of Manor Fold and will be distributed with the next Parish Magazine. The Clerk was asked to write to thank Mr. Watkin on behalf of the Parish Council.

Parish Council Elections 2008:

Nomination forms were available at the meeting. A poster to raise awareness of the need for parish councillors would be delivered with the Parish Magazine.

Clerk’s report and correspondence:

Mrs. E. Watson had requested that the Parish Council support her family’s wish to plant a rowan tree on the Plompton Road verge in memory of Mrs. P. Hubbard. The councillors were in agreement with the request.
Follifoot Cricket Club – the Parish Council resolved to write a letter of support to the Chairman which could be used when making funding applications.
Papers received since the last meeting were circulated amongst the councillors.

Planning:

Application 6.100.946.F.RENEW – the Lido Caravan Park, Knaresborough for renewal of unimplemented consent to convert redundant agricultural buildings into 4 holiday lets, demolition of toilet block to make 8 parking spaces. The Parish Council had no objections to the application.
Application 6.121.196.FUL – Fence End, 4 Hillside, Follifoot for formation of parking area including 1.8.m retaining wall and removal of 1 Leylandii. There was some discrepancy regarding the height of the retaining wall and the planning officer would be informed. The Parish Council had no objection to the application but had some comments on its potential effect on the immediate area.
No further applications had been received.
Outcome of previous applications: Moorland House, Pannal Road for porch and conservatory – approved; Manor Cottages, Main Street for a detached garage – approved and for conversion of 2 dwellings into 1 – withdrawn; Village Hall for rear extension – approved; 16 Hillside to fell 1 spruce – Tree Preservation Order made.

Date of next meeting: Thursday 17 April 2008 for the Annual Parish Meeting starting at 7.30 pm to be followed by the Parish Council meeting.