Minutes of Ribble Banks Parish Council Meeting

Held at Clark's Old School, Wigglesworth, on Tuesday 4th of July 2006 at 1930

4/7/1 Welcome by the Chair:
David Clarke (DJC), chairperson welcomed the following councillors and members of the public:
Councillors: B. Houghton, I.Wright, R.A.K.Crabtree, F.D.Higginson
Ms A Dinsdale and Mrs C. Howorth, Messers G. Campbell, J. Garnett, E. Gudgeon, D. Lawless, and R.W. Stone (RWS) (Clerk)

4/7/2 Apologies for Absence:
Craven District Councillor Mr D. Heather.
Mrs S. Birkin and Mrs R. Crabtree.
Mr M. Dean, and Mr R. Wales

4/7/3 Minutes of the Last Meeting:
The minutes of the meeting held on the June 8th 2006 and the notes of the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council held on May the 10th had been published and circulated to councillors, with copies made available to the public at this meeting. The minutes were agreed to be accurate record of both meetings and were accepted unanimously by the meeting.

Councillor Crabtree requested that the agenda for future Parish Council Meetings (together with a copy of the previous meetings minutes) be posted on village notice boards a minimum of seven days prior to meetings. As the Parish Council does not currently have a website of its own, David Clarke will ask Mike Dean (Chair of the Wigglesworth Parish Meeting to provide a link to the minutes of Parish Council meetings on the Wigglesworth Village website (http://www.wigglesworthvillage.co.uk/). These suggestions were agreed by the meeting.

4/7/4 Matters Arising:
There were no matters arising which were not covered by items on the agenda.

4/7/5 Appointment of Deputy Chairperson:
The option to appoint a deputy chairperson was discussed. As meeting dates have been agreed with councillors for the year ahead and meetings are now being held at two-month intervals, it was agreed that it would not be necessary to appoint a deputy chairperson at this time. If unforeseen circumstances arise and either the Chairperson or the Clerk cannot be present at planned meetings, the meeting will be cancelled and rearranged within 14 days. The Chairperson and Clerk will remain the only two signatories for cheques.

4/7/6 Clerk's Report (including current correspondence):
A list of correspondence received since the last meeting was circulated. Items requiring immediate attention of the council were highlighted.

/1 Testing to establish the safety of memorial stones (agenda item). Councillor Higginson requested a copy of this communication for Halton West. Action: RWS

/2 Invitation to attend a training day on planning processes from Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Training Partnerships. No members of the council were available to attend on the date indicated.

/3 Dales Woodland funding: information had been posted in each village. No request for further information had been received; the deadline for applications has now passed.

/4 Craven District Council questionnaire relating to a review of garages owned or used by parish councils. The council were unable to make any meaningful recommendation since they do not control any such assets and have insufficient knowledge to comment on surrounding towns and villages. Action: RWS to return the questionnaire with the above comment.

/5 Craven District Council, consultation on the Local Development Framework for areas outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Consultation papers and response forms have also been sent to the chair of each parish meeting. Craven District Council were holding a briefing meeting about this consultation in Skipton at the same time as this meeting, making it difficult for a councillor to attend. Given the importance of this framework in terms of future development and planning within the parish, it was agreed to call a meeting between Ribble Banks Parish councillors and the chairs of the parish meetings to coordinate a reply. The closing date for the consultation is the 31st of July 2006. Action: RWS and DJC.

/6 Local council risk systems software (DMH solutions Ltd). The council did not consider it necessary to investigate this software.

/7 Invitation to attend the Settle Chamber of Trade meeting 13th of July 2006. No members of the council were available to attend.

4/7/7 Finance:
/1 Councillors and members of the public present were given copies of the auditor’s finalised accounts for the year ending the 31st of March 2006. The accounts and the Statement of Assurance were accepted by the meeting. The timetable and documentation for the external audit of the accounts (by Mazars) was explained by RWS.

/2 NOTE: In the past, Clerks to Ribble Banks Parish Council have undertaken their responsibilities on a voluntary basis. During 2005 the Parish Council agreed that this situation should not continue and that the clerk should be appropriately recompensed at current agreed rates. The annual precept was increased to take account of expected increases in costs.
RWS tabled a detailed record of time, mileage and sundries (with receipts) incurred by him when undertaking council business between the 1st of April 2005 and the 23rd of June 2006. RWS, declined payment for the time spent on council business and requested payment only in respect of expenses incurred (£431). The council approved the payment of these expenses and RWS agreed to submit a statement of expenses at every meeting. The itemisation of the time spent on council business will provide a useful guide for setting the precept for 2007 when it is envisaged that the clerk will be paid for time spent on council business. The parish council will formally discuss the question of remuneration for the Parish Council Clerk prior to the next annual general meeting.

/3 RWS will seek advice from the internal auditor (Mr Gerard) on the depreciation of council assets (held by the parishes).

/4 Councillor Crabtree queried whether the accounts should have appeared on the village notice boards in advance of the annual general meeting and identified that accounts would not normally be approved at meetings other than the annual general meeting. RWS explained he had displayed information to the effect that the accounts were available at his address for any parishioner to view on request. The Chair confirmed that this was consistent with the external auditors stated procedures. Given the dates, that the internal and external audit are conducted is largely dictated by the external auditors (Mazars) and completed by September of each year, it may be useful for the council to agree a change in the date of the annual general meeting. This proposal will be considered at the next meeting.

4/7/8 Reports from Parish Councillors:
/1 Halton West -
Councillor Higginson reported that the road through the village had been tar sprayed and coated with chippings on two occasions since June 2006. Unfortunately, no attempt had been made to fill deep holes in the road edges. The construction traffic associated with the laying of the gas pipeline was already impacting adversely on the new road surface.

/2 Rathmell -
Councillor Crabtree reported on a meeting with Sarah Close (Craven Rural Housing Enabler) to discuss land on Hesley Lane which had been put forward as potential sites for affordable housing within the village. Suitability of and access to this land was discussed in principle. The discussion identified that the landowners had now withdrawn the sites from the affordable housing scheme and had registered the land as available to be included within the proposed Craven District Council Local Development Framework. Craven District Council will publish final list of all the sites within Craven being considered for future housing development in the autumn. It is understood that any significant housing development will have to include a proportion of affordable housing. The Parish Council agreed that it would be important to participate fully in the Local Development Framework consultation and to closely monitor any proposed housing developments within the parish.

/3 Wigglesworth -
Councillor Houghton reported that a copy of the written request to consider a proposed diversion of footpath number 05-43/27 at Dam head, Tosside, Wigglesworth had not been received. RWS to contact the Craven District Council officer responsible as a matter of urgency.

4/7/9 Highways Report:
/1 The letter sent by the Clerk of the Rathmell Parish Meeting to North Yorkshire County Council Highways Department and their subsequent reply were discussed. The letter clearly identified a number of concerns regarding the current state of roads and their repair. The reply from the Highways Department acknowledged the concerns, but provided no clear indication that any specific action would result.

/2 The Parish Council takes these concerns very seriously, and as a result, proposed that RWS will prepare a list of roads considered to be deteriorating and requiring urgent repair to prevent accident or injury to members of the public. The list will be sent by RWS to the NYCC Highways, Area Manager (Mr Isherwood). This list will be reviewed at each Parish Council Meeting, and further contact made with the Highways Department, when necessary.

/3 RWS has contacted the NYCC highways department regarding the continuing safety hazard, represented by overgrown hedges at the entrance to Cappleside farm on the road between Rathmell and Wigglesworth. Reported that this work has been passed to contractors for action. RWS to follow up with the designated officer.

/4 RWS will also contact NYCC highways department, reminding them that their promise to erect warning signs to indicate the presence of horses and riders in the village of Rathmell.

4/7/10 Planning Applications:
/1 The existing situation in respect of response to planning applications within the parish was discussed. It was agreed that the Parish Council were required to review and respond to all planning applications (within the parish) submitted to Craven District Council. To discharge its responsibility effectively, the Parish Council requested the Chair of each Parish Meeting to consider all planning applications with direct impact on each village or the parish and provide a written report on the views of residents of the parish to the Parish Council in advance of each council meeting. The views of residents will normally be established at special Parish Meetings called to discuss planning applications. This decision does not preclude Parish Meetings responding directly to Craven District Council in respect of individual planning applications.

/2 Planning Application 59/2006/6455. Application for Lawful Use Certificate: storage yard for building materials.
Councillor Crabtree withdrew from the meeting at this point on the agenda on the basis that he is resident adjacent to this land and had a personal interest in responding to the application.

Before inviting members of the public to express their views on the application. DJC identified that this application was for a Lawful Use Certificate and that the primary concern of the council planning officers in this matter was the period of time during which this land had been used as a storage yard for building materials. Members of the public were then invited to express their views on the application. The following concerns were expressed:

- that a previous application relating to the use of this land had been denied, and that the circumstances cited for the lawful use certificate had not changed
- since the initial application (59/2005/5847) was denied, there had been an increase in the amount of materials transported to and stored on the land
- that the narrow access lane to the land concerned was not suited to the additional use associated with increased storage of building materials at this site
- a previous planning application by a member of the public resident on this lane had been denied on the grounds of inadequate vehicular access.
- the four Rathmell residents present at the meeting indicated that the increased storage of building materials on the land represented an ‘eyesore’
- general concern regarding the long-term use of this land were expressed. It was noted that the applicant was not a resident of the village of Rathmell.

Following the expression of these concerns, DJC reminded those present that the primary issue in this case was a period of time during which the land had been used as a storage yard for building materials. Those present at the meeting had considered the witness statements submitted by the applicant indicating that significant amounts of material had been stored on the land for more than 10 years. Those present disputed this claim, indicating that only small amounts of material had been stored intermittently in one corner of the field since the land came into the ownership of the applicant in 1996.

Councillors commented as follows:

Councillor Wright provided useful background to the transfer of ownership of land to the applicant and a general comment on the use of land since 1996.

Councillor Higginson, summarised his understanding of the council's options on the basis of the information presented in writing, in photographic evidence and parishioners comments made at the meeting. There is significant doubt that building materials have been stored in the field for a period of more than 10 years and therefore there would appear to be sufficient grounds to deny the application. Councillor Higginson proposed and Councillor Houghton, seconded the proposal that RWS write a letter to Craven district Council on behalf of the Ribble Banks Parish Council, stating that:

It is the opinion of this council that on the balance of evidence, based on pictorial and written material and the word of local residents, there is significant doubt that evidence exists to demonstrate that substantial quantities of building materials have been stored in this croft for a period of more than 10 years.

The application did not receive the support of Ribble Banks Parish Council.

Councillor Crabtree rejoined meeting following this discussion.

4/7/11 Safety of the war memorials:
Considering the proximity of the war memorials in Rathmell and Halton West to public access areas it was agreed that safety testing should be undertaken. Action: RWS to write to contractors to establish the cost of safety testing.

4/7/12 Attendance at External Meetings:
RWS provided a list of local meetings at which the council may wish to be represented. Following discussion , the following was agreed:
- Parish Clerk's Forum -     RWS to attend.
- Craven Area Committee -     RWS to attend.
- LDEP meetings -     Roger Wales (Clerk to Wigglesworth Parish Meeting) attends these meetings. The meetings are currently under review. A report will be presented at the September Parish Council meeting.
- Craven District Council Big Lottery Play Initiative Steering Group -     RWS to attend.

4/7/13 Hartley Trust Nomination request:
A further request had been received from the chairperson of the Hartley Trust to nominate a resident within the Parish (Mrs Moon) to serve as a governor of the Trust. Based on an examination of the information supplied regarding the rules of this trust, Councillors were unable to determine whether it was within the gift of Ribble Banks Parish Council to make a nomination. The supporting information supplied by the Trust suggested that Halton West Parish meeting could make the nomination. Councillors Houghton and Wright were prepared to provide a character reference in support of Mrs Moon’s nomination. Councillor Higginson (Halton West) agreed to discuss the matter of the nomination with the chair of Halton West Parish meeting and report back to the council.

4/7/14 Membership of Yorkshire Local Councils Associations:
The potential benefits of joining the organisation were discussed. The cost of membership would be £164 for the current year. The consensus was that the organisation was likely to provide valuable information, advice and support for the Council. Councillor Higginson proposed that membership of the association should be taken up for one year, and then reviewed. Councillor Crabtree seconded the proposal. Action: RWS to complete the application forms.

4/7/15 Any Other Business:
/1 RWS to write to Brian Newhouse (retiring chairman) thanking him for his service to the council over the last number of years.

/2 Councillor Crabtree noted that as the gas pipeline work would result in considerable disruption to local communities, there would be merit in identifying some small-scale local projects, which the contractors would be invited to contribute to. This issue will be discussed in more detail at the next meeting.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 2140.

4/7/16 Confirmation of Dates of Future Meetings:
All meetings will commence at 1930 hrs
Tuesday 26th of September 2006     Venue: Rathmell Reading Room.
Tuesday 28th of November 2006     Venue: Clark's Old School, Wigglesworth
Tuesday 13th of January 2007     Venue: Rathmell Reading Room.
Tuesday 27th of March 2007     Venue: Clark's Old School, Wigglesworth
Tuesday 22nd of May 2007     Venue: Rathmell Reading Room (Annual General Meeting)