Minutes of Ribble Banks Parish Council Meeting

Held at Rathmell Reading Room, on Tuesday 26th September 2006 at 1930

NB: These minutes are in draft form and are subject to confirmation at the November 2006 Parish Council Meeting

26/9/1 Welcome by the Chair:
David Clarke (DJC), chairperson welcomed the following councillors and members of the public:
Councillors: I.Wright, F.D.Higginson
Mrs C Howorth; Mrs P Birkinshaw.
Messrs: B Newhouse; D.Lawless; G.Parker & R.W. Stone (Clerk)

26/9/2 Apologies for Absence:
Councillors, B. Houghton & R.A.K.Crabtree
Councillor D Heather
Mr M.Dean, Rev P.Yorkstone, Mrs R. Crabtree

26/9/3 Minutes of the Last Meeting:
The minutes of two meetings were considered:

The meeting on the 4th of July 2006, at Clark's Old School and the meeting on the 24th July 2006 also at Clark's Old School. The minutes of both meetings had been published and circulated to councillors; copies were made available to the public at this meeting. The minutes were agreed to be an accurate record of the meetings. Proposed by Councillor Higginson and seconded by Councillor Wright, the minutes were signed by the Chair and Clerk.

26/9/4 Matters Arising:
It was agreed that a copy of the meeting minutes, clearly marked ‘draft’ will be displayed on each village notice board normally within two weeks of each meeting. A copy of the draft minutes will also be posted on the Wigglesworth website (Action: R.W.S.).

26/9/5 Clerk's report (including correspondence):
/1 Settle Area Swimming Pool Committee (letter reference number (211/06), with an invitation to nominate a member of the Council to the Swimming Pool Committee. Councillors agreed the invitation should be taken up and David Clarke agreed to his name being put forward (Action: R.W.S.).

/2 Waste and Mineral Statement (letter reference number 241/06). Reported that this letter was informing councillors that North Yorkshire County Council had formally adopted its Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) on 19 July 2006. This following on from the publication of the Planning Inspector's building report in May 2006. The SCI now forms part of the North Yorkshire County Council Minerals and Waste Development framework. A range of related documents are available on the County Council's web site (http://www.north yorks.gov.uk). Paper copies are available in Council libraries.

/3 Play Initiative Working Group. The aims of the group were explained and the Clerk agreed to attend future meetings (Action: R.W.S.).

/4 Yorkshire Local Councils Association had written to welcome Ribble Banks Parish Council into the association and inviting all councillors to make use of the association's website for information and advice. Details of the website will be sent to councillors directly. (Action: R.W.S.).

/5 Insurance liability. Checks had confirmed that the Parish Council carried no insurance. The legal representative of the Yorkshire Local Councils Association had advised that that it was mandatory for the Parish Council to have cover for Public Liability, Employers Liability, Personal Accident (including assault), and a Fidelity Guarantee. Further advice on the legal obligations of the Parish Council in this regard will be sought from Craven District Council officers in advance of the November meeting. It was agreed that three quotations should be sought for insurance cover in time for the next meeting. In the meantime councillors would consider assets which will need insurance cover, including the war memorial, gates and fences, street furniture, mowers and tools and also indemnity for council officers. These issues will be considered at the next meeting together with the effect of the inclusion of an insurance premium would have on the precept and council tax for residents of Ribble Banks (Action: R.W.S.).

/6 Precept early thinking: (letter reference number 244/06). Craven District Council had written to explain their policy that Parish Councils would be expected to include in their precept an amount to support financial requests from local community groups directly. Requests from community groups for financial support from Craven District Council Community Grants panel will be examined for evidence of support from Parish Councils.

/7 StART meeting-Riverside development (Settle). The broad objectives of this group were identified. This initiative is still in its early stages. The next meeting of this group will receive a presentation by development consultants, when the objectives of StART will be further developed. (R.W.S. will attend future meetings).

/8 Clerk's expenses since 23rd of June 2006. Expenses of £97 had been incurred; a record of these expenses was presented and agreed for payment by councillors.

26/9/6 Finance:
/1 Reserves: it was explained that both the internal and external auditors queried the need to build up reserves in the savings account when the Council had provided no indication of a need for this money. The Clerk had explained to the auditors that it was considered a prudent strategy since the Parish Council expected to have to pay the salary of the Parish Council Clerk, commencing in the next financial year and the reserves would contribute to this. This explanation was accepted by both auditors, but the matter requires attention by the Parish Council when agreeing the precept for 2007/2008.

The accounts of the Parish Council had been agreed by the internal and external auditors, although written confirmation is still awaited from the external auditors MAZARS.

The fee for the internal auditor was approved.

/2 Date for the Treasurer's report/audit/annual general meeting of the Parish Council

In order for the annual accounts to be available at the annual general meeting consideration needs to be given to the date of the annual general meeting, which is currently held in May of each year. The Parish Council and Clerk will check with Craven District Council to determine whether it is a formal requirement to have the annual general meeting in May to coincide with local council elections. (Action: R.W.S.)

/3 Taxi voucher scheme: the scheme has now ended. The balance of £136.00 remaining from the grant has to be returned to North Yorkshire County Council. (Action: R.W.S.)

26/9/7 Reports from Councillors:
/1 Halton West -
Councillor Higginson reported back from the mid-Craven and Ribblesdale Forum meeting. It had been agreed in February 2006 to introduce parking charges at some car parks that are currently free. Car parks in Bentham, Embsay, Hellifield and Gargrave are being considered as pay and display car parks for the year 2007/2008. Currently pay and display car parks operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is envisaged that the current scheme of Residents Parking Permits will be continued and available for use in the car parks under review.

Councillor Higginson also reported that he had discussed the nomination of a Parish resident to the board of the Hartley Trust (Long Preston), with Mr C. Yorke, Chair of the Parish Meeting in Halton West. Mr Yorke recommended that the Parish Council should support the nomination of Mrs Helen Moon. (Action: RWS)

/2 Rathmell -
With the knowledge that he would be unable to attend the Parish Council Meeting, Councillor Crabtree, submitted a list of items for the attention of councillors.

The items requiring discussion at this meeting were as follows:
i) Planning application (number??) Field House (Rathmell). No objections were raised to this application by councillors or members of the public present at this meeting. It was acknowledged that the application may need to be discussed by Rathmell Parish Meeting. The Parish Council will delay reply to Craven District Council until the 1st of November 2006 to allow for further discussion within Rathmell. Councillor Crabtree will be requested to liaise directly with the Parish Council Chairman and Clerk, if any further comments or objections are raised.

ii) The Parish Council’s procedure for consideration of planning applications was confirmed.
- RWS to write to Craven District Council planning department requesting copies of all planning applications be sent to the clerk of Ribble Banks Parish Council in addition to those sent to the Chairs of Parish Meetings.
- all planning applications will be considered by councillors in advance of Parish Council meetings in order that site visits (if necessary), and informed discussion can take place at each meeting.
- Parish Meetings should continue to consider planning applications which have direct relevance to particular villages.
- Chairs of Parish meetings are requested to provide a written report on any planning application, which requires action or comment from the full Parish Council.

iii) The poor condition of roads within the Rathmell area was acknowledged. The Clerk will write again to North Yorkshire Highways Department outlining the council's concerns.

iv) Concern was expressed at the lack of attention to the roadside hedges adjacent to Cappleside Farm and Brocklands woodland burial ground. The condition of the hedges was considered to represent a safety hazard. The Clerk and Chairman will write again to the highways department requesting urgent action, a copy of the letter will be sent to the Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council. (Action: RWS)

v) The Council was asked to consider in principle, a grant to improve the heating and internal environment at the Rathmell Reading Room. It was agreed that the Parish meeting should obtain estimates of the likely costs for refurbishment and present these for formal consideration at the full Parish Council meeting in November 2006.

/3 Wigglesworth -
Councillor Clarke informed the meeting that a bid had been submitted to the Big Lottery Fund (community buildings programme) for approximately £240,000 in order to redevelop and refurbish Clark's Old School. The purpose of the redevelopment will be to support community initiatives within the Parish, including:
- Preschool part-time child-care facilities (linked in with North Yorkshire County Council's strategy for childcare within the district)
- A learning centre with access to broadband enabled computers, which could link to daytime and evening programmes offered by Craven College
- A refurbished community building with safe car parking to support a number of community events, including religious services, social and youth groups and education classes, Parish and Parish Council meetings.
Additional funding will also be sought from charitable sources.
The Trustees of the Old School hope to be able to report in more detail on the progress of this funding bid at the November 2006 Parish Council meeting.

26/9/8 Highways:
/1 Tosside traffic management: this issue was considered by the Craven District Council Community Forum meeting held at Tosside at the end of September. It was agreed in principle that red traffic calming strips should be painted on the roads entering and exiting the village. This decision was supported by North Yorkshire County Council highways department representatives, but there would need to be further dialogue with Lancashire County Council, in order to ensure that the roads within Lancashire adopted the same traffic calming measures. No timescale was given for the completion of the works.

/2 Response to letter: North Yorkshire County Council highways department reported that for Rathmell, moving the 30 mph sign (to increase the area of the village covered by this limit) required a traffic regulation order (TRO), and that this matter is on the Traffic Management Priorities Reserve B list for attention at the September 2006 meeting of the Craven Area Committee. If the proposal is agreed at that meeting then consultation and advertising of the proposed change will commence. The requested ‘warning horses’ sign at the south of the village has been erected. Repeater 30mph signs can be fitted after the TRO is issued (letter reference number 231/06)

/3 Cappleside/Brocklands Roadside hedges: this matter was dealt with in item 26/9/7/2 above.

/4 Ongoing road matters (rolling report): the Clerk provided each councillor with a diagrammatic layout of the road network in the Ribble Banks Parish Council area. Councillors representing each village were asked to mark the spots needing attention in their area and append a short description of the concerns regarding the road. Reports should be returned to the clerk of the Parish Council by the 24 October 2006. A letter detailing current concerns will then be sent to the Highways Department. (Action: RWS and councillors).

26/9/9 Planning Matters:
/1 Planning Applications:

Application reference number 253/06 for timber mobile home for temporary accommodation for the duration of the conversion of New Laithe Barn. The Parish Council will write to the planning department seeking assurances that the timber mobile home will be temporary and that planning approval be conditional on the building being removed as soon as the conversion work is completed. (Action: RWS).

The proposed extension and internal renovation to Field House, Back Lane, Rathmell was dealt with under item 26/9/7/2 above.

/2 Allocations: compendium of sites for development (Craven District Council)
Councillors and members of the public present inspected the maps showing the land which has been indicated to Craven District Council is available for possible inclusion in an agreed list of sites for development. The Chair pointed out that formal consultation on the compendium of sites for development is planned to commence at the end of October or early November and at this point in time, no action was required by the Parish Council. This did not preclude individual parishioners making any objections or supporting such proposals directly to Craven District Council. The Clerk will post a copy of letter number 227/06 on village notice boards indicating that the advisory maps would be available for consultation from the Clerk. (Action: RWS).

26/9/10 Other Matters:
/1 War Memorials: the Clerk explained he had obtained a verbal quotation from Mr Glaister of Wells, Wells and Rawson, architects of Skipton for £110.00 plus VAT to report on the condition of the war memorial and any work needed to make it safe. Other firms had been contacted but were not prepared to provide a report or estimates. Councillor Higginson suggested Mr Glaister be asked to include the Halton West War Memorial in his report. Councillors agreed that providing the cost of report did not exceed £150.00 plus VAT that this report should be requested with immediate effect. (Action: RWS).

/2 Tosside footpath (Dam Head): the footpath diversion has been finalised and an enforcement notice (NYCC) is now in place. (Letter reference number 246/06).

/3 Future of the LDEP meetings: It is understood that whilst LDEP members have expressed some concern about the role and function of the meetings, that the meetings will continue for the immediate future. Mr. Wales, Secretary to the Wigglesworth Parish Meeting, and who attends the LDEP meetings will be asked to report back on this issue at the November 2006 Parish Council meeting. (Action: RWS).

/4 Local Development Framework responses: this issue was the prime reason for the meeting held at Clark's Old School on the 24th of July 2006. The Chair confirmed that the responses agreed at the Parish Council meeting had been forwarded to Craven District Council, in advance of the deadline set. A further consultation document is expected in late October or early November 2006.
/5 Hartley Trust Nomination: see item 26/9/7/1 above.

/6 Circulation of information between meetings: The clerk is to prepare a folder with a defined circulation route, together dates for return of information. Items for information and attention by councillors will then be circulated every two or three weeks rather than waiting for the next parish council meeting.

26/9/11 Any other business:
/1 Parish Council expenditure: Councillor Houghton had undertaken some analysis of the Clerk’s costs associated with photocopying, postage and transportation. Councillor Houghton suggests that the Parish Councils costs related to these regular and recurring items could possibly be reduced if the Council were to purchase a combined telephone/fax/photocopier. Estimates of the cost of purchase of such equipment will be sought and the issue will be discussed in detail at the November 2006 meeting.

/2 Speeding and road safety: Letter reference number 260/06 from the Safer Craven Community Partnerships. This letter and advised councils of the availability of a mobile speed matrix sign, which could be used to detect and combat excessive speed on local roads. A copy of this letter will be sent to the Chairs of each Parish Meeting for their comments and consideration. The Parish Council, anticipated that this initiative would be enthusiastically supported as speeding is a continuing concern for residents of the Parish. The Parish Council will be pleased to coordinate requests for the use of this equipment. (Action: RWS).

26/9/12
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 2155 hours.

26/9/13 The date and time of the next meeting of the Parish Council
This was confirmed as Tuesday 28th November 2006 at Clark’s Old School (1930)

Correction: The date of the January 2007 meeting should read Tuesday 16 January 2007 (rather than the 13th as originally stated).