2009 October

FOLLIFOOT WITH PLOMPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 15 October, 2009

Present : Parish Councillors B. Butler (Chairman), E. Bolton, U. Cansfield, S. Milligan and T. Martin, District Councillor C. Bayliss and two residents.

Apologies for absence : Parish Councillor B. Fisher and P. C. M. Ayre
Declarations of interest in items on the agenda : There were none.
Public participation session : The two residents had nothing they wished to discuss. The Chairman invited District Councillor Bayliss to speak about the development of a community emergency plan for Follifoot and Plompton. Harrogate Council held it was important that every parish should have one in place. The Parish Council had begun work on this in 2006, but the work had not been completed. It was resolved to have this as an agenda item at the November meeting when the might be taken forward.
Minutes of the meeting held on 3.9.09 : having been proposed by T. Martin and seconded by S. Milligan, the Chairman signed the minutes as a correct record.
Matters arising from the minutes :

• Item 5b) Litter pick on 4.10.09. The Chairman reported that 10-12 volunteers had assisted and he extended his thanks to all, especially Mr. and Mrs. Cave for the use of their car and trailer for transporting the rubbish. He stated that it was a worthwhile activity which should be continued in both spring and autumn.

• Item 6d) Sewage odours, Main Street . B. Fisher had contacted Yorkshire Water to complain about this and as a result the sewer was checked and flushed out on 4.9.09. No faults were detected. S. Mackaness of Rudding Park had been informed of the odours. He subsequently contacted the Chairman to state that he had not received any communication from Yorkshire Water and apart from a dosing system breakdown some two weeks previously, it had otherwise been in working order. S. Mackaness expressed his willingness to meet with Yorkshire Water and representatives of the Parish Council. B. Fisher would be asked to arrange a meeting. As the odours were persisting, it was queried whether Environmental Health could be involved. C. Bayliss agreed to contact the department to find out.

• Item 9 c) Highways . NYCC had responded to matters raised as follows: Guilders Bridge – a quotation for weed clearing awaited, as is the replacement gully cover near Follifoot Grange. Arrangements are to be made for an officer to visit the Pannal Road entrance from the A 658 to determine if it would be possible to make it easier to locate in the dark, as well as assessing the possible location of ‘pedestrian crossing’ signs where the public footpath crosses the A 658.

Chairman’s communications : Various village assets in need of maintenance were drawn to the attention of the meeting including repairs to the top and bottom ‘bus shelters, the seat near Rudding Gates and the parish noticeboard. The Parish Council resolved that a local contractor be asked to quote for the works.
Plompton : The Chairman agreed to collect a bag of daffodil bulbs from Harrogate Council nurseries. E. Bolton would arrange for them to be planted.
Highways : There were two matters to report.

• Gullies on Main Street, Hillside and Pannal Road entrance to A 658 appeared to be blocked. A request to be made for cleaning.

• Plompton Road, Follifoot – a large bough had broken from a tree on the grass verge near to Church Farm and come to rest on telephone wires. The matter had been reported to NYCC by a resident and the bough had been taken off the wires. It was now in a safe position. A request to be made for the wood to be taken away and the wires checked by BT.

Pedestrian access between Rudding Dower and Follifoot : A letter from a resident of Rudding Dower had been previously circulated for consideration. The request was to approach NYCC with a view to asking for a footpath around Rudding Lane and also to address concerns about traffic speed on this road. The councillors, though sympathetic to the resident, resolved to take no further action. A letter to be sent to the resident.
Finance :

• Balance at the bank : £ 9227.15 in the accounts.

• Quarterly reconciliation of accounts . S. Milligan checked invoices against bank statements and found the finances to be order.

• Request for authorisation of expenditure . £44.99 to Harrogate Council for grass cutting, £138 to Mazars PLC for external audit and £771.55 for the clerk’s salary for the second quarter. Expenditure proposed by T. Martin and seconded by U. Cansfield. A quotation of £225.76 + VAT received from Harrogate Council for removal of ivy and weed killing at the Pound. It was resolved not to accept the quotation but to convene a working party to do the work and to reimburse any expenditure incurred.

• Clerk’s terms and conditions of employment . A pay award of 1% had been negotiated between the national employers and employee’s organisations, together with a minor change to the annual leave entitlement. The clerk’s request to reduce her working hours was also agreed by the Parish Council.

• External auditors report 2008-2009 . The auditor had signed off the accounts but noted a small rounding error of £1. The accounts would be displayed when the noticeboard has been refurbished.

• 2010-2011 budget and precept request . This required approval by the Parish Council at the December meeting. A small working group comprising B. Fisher, B. Butler, S. Milligan and the clerk would meet prior to this to draft the budget.

Clerk’s report and correspondence :

• Harrogate Council budget 2010-2011. Questionnaire to be circulated with a view to completion by the Parish Council at the next meeting.

• Crime report from P. C. Ayre. Two crimes reported since the last meeting, one attempted burglary at Park House and the second interference with padlocks and gates on the Haggs Road, possibly by poachers.

• Information received since the last meeting was circulated to councillors.

Planning :

• Application 09/03966/FOREST – Rudding Park Estate, Follifoot for felling 0.20.ha broad leaf trees. The local planning authority had registered no objection to the application. The Parish Council was unable to form a view as there was insufficient information.

• Outcome of previous applications : Approved – Loxley Barns, Plompton for a revised scheme for conversion to housing and Follifoot Riding Centre for a link extension and storage units.

• Applications where Parish Council consultation not required – for information : Treeworks at Parkside House for felling 1 cypress and coppice 1 elm; 3 Spring Bank, Main Street for pruning 1 sycamore; Village End for felling 2 holly trees. Application for a certificate of lawfulness for a single storey rear extension and garage at Village End, Follifoot.

• The Post Office, Follifoot : U. Cansfield proposed that a letter of thanks be sent to Anne and Andy Dewsnip for keeping the shop and post office open for business during the extensive building works to the property.

Date of next meeting : Thursday 12 November, 2009 at 8pm.