A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council
was held on Monday, 21 June 2021 at 7.30pm
in Biggin Village Hall.
The meeting took place under social distancing and hygiene legislation due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic
Present: P Tapping, J Coles, D Currington, S McCurrach, S Griffiths and the clerk, S Hampson. There was one member of the public in attendance for part of the proceedings.
Part 1 non-confidential information
21.6.1 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mr M Heathcote.
21.6.2 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest of councillors
There was no need, by any member present, to declare an interest in any of the agenda items.
21.6.3 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting had been displayed on the noticeboard and forwarded to the members and the parish council’s website, in advance of the meeting.
Resolved: To accept the minutes as a true record of proceedings noting that in fact, the 20’s Plenty Campaign referred to in the previous minutes, does not necessitate having speed humps on all access roads.
21.6.4 Matters arising and pre-meeting
The clerk had been contacted about fly-tipping in the vicinity of Ruby Wood, Heathcote. She had contacted the local authorities regarding this.
Mrs Coles had had the opportunity to speak to a family member regarding an existing memorial seat. She had advised the family member of the parish council’s seat policy regarding replacement plastic seating rather than metal seating. The family member was advised of the need to contact the parish council prior to purchasing any replacement seat. The seat had received attention to make it safer.
Mr Griffiths informed members that an unknown person has swapped the spare defibrillator pads for ones which are out of date. This was of concern to members.
Resolved: the clerk to order another new set of pads but these ones will be stored with Mr Griffiths until required and not left within the cabinet in view of the recent theft.
21.6.5 Public Speaking Procedures Document
The member present was made aware of the procedure for public speaking during the meeting.
21.6.6 Public speaking
There was only one member of the public in attendance who expressed concerns over the recently received planning application for a new caravan site on agricultural land. He considered it unnecessary with no economic benefit to the parish. Another resident had contacted the clerk and forwarded comments against the same application. (See planning). It was reported that there was a number of objections to this proposal on the Peak District National Park Authority’s (PDNPA’s) website.
A resident’s hedge was discussed as it is causing members of the public to have to walk on the highway on Main Street as the growth of the hedge has significantly encroached on to the pavement.
Resolved: the clerk to contact the resident concerned to request that the hedge be cut back prior to having to contact Highways about it.
Mr Griffiths advised that he had been informed of poor visibility issues at the exit of Porridge Lane.
Resolved: Residents of Porridge Lane to discuss the benefits of a mirror to aid vision.
The mowing contractor is making an excellent job; some of the grass around the former telephone kiosk and Biggin Village sign needs to be strimmed. Derbyshire County Council (DCC) however, has made a less than satisfactory job of cutting the verge opposite the village hall.
Resolved: the clerk to contact DCC regarding the poor quality of the mowing opposite the village hall.
Mr Tapping advised that some of the lettering had now been put in place on to the recently refurbished noticeboard adjacent to the village hall.
21.6.7 Planning applications, planning sub-committee
A number of planning applications had been received and were considered as follows:
Application Number – NP/DDD/0521/0513
Change of use of land to campsite for touring caravans, tents and motorhomes
Resolved: Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council members objected to this application for a number of reasons:
The yard has never been known locally as ‘Homestead’; continuing to use this term is confusing as there are already three properties called Homestead in the village.
The application refers to a surfaced entrance. This is just soil over the previous grass path area which is fenced to make a trackway to the field. It has not been habitually used for access to the field. Vision and access require further consideration.
The application refers to the land having limited agricultural value and is stated to be ‘somewhat underused’. The land is suitable for stock grazing with water on site; therefore, providing considerable agricultural value at present. As confirmed by a resident, it has been grazed continuously and intensively for many years.
In reference to policy RT3, quoted as stating ‘….in areas where there are few existing sites’: there are at least FIVE camping sites in the village of Biggin and at least three within a two mile radius. There appears to be no adequate wash area or permanent sanitation, other than unsightly portaloos, proposed for the possibility of up to thirty pitches. Thirty pitches will, undoubtedly, present a noise issue, particularly from tents, which have no sound proofing. This will impact upon local residents.
Also quoted is ‘provided that they are well screened’: this site has no screening whatsoever; it is a field in between others, separated only by low dry stone walls.
It is also disputed that the site is well contained in visual terms: it can be seen in its entirety, as a separate entity, from the Tissington trail and will be visible from many viewpoints for many miles.
It does not ‘adjoin a building’, it adjoins a yard which is being used as a building materials store, which is at the back of the, as yet unstarted, barns proposed to be holiday lets. The site is much closer to the private Highfield House.
The economic benefits are dubious. The site is approximately a mile from the Waterloo Public House, which has its own campsite and would, therefore, be in competition. There are very limited facilities at Newhaven, a mile in the other direction along the main A515 road. All other facilities are more than 2 miles away and would require many car miles to access, an environmental cost.
Concerns have been raised regarding the increasing number of holiday makers/ visitors which, with the inclusion of this proposal, could potentially out-weigh the number of residents in the village with no significant infrastructure for large numbers of visitors which would, therefore, provide little support to the economy of the immediate area. Poor parking, litter and dog fouling are already on the increase within the parish, an additional thirty caravan/camping pitches would, potentially, increase these problems even further.
Application Number – NP/DDD/0321/0340
Conversion and change of use to 2 holiday lots and extension at the former Barlow’s yard has not been considered as withdrawn.
Application Number – NP/DDD/0421/0408
Extensions and alterations to dwelling, extending into outbuilding and erection of detached garage block at Harrier’s Cottage.
Resolved: Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council members objected to this application for a number of reasons.
There is presently a tree where the proposed garage is to be located. There has never been a garage in the location proposed for the planned garage. The size of garage is approximately 15 metres square and up to 5.6 m high up to the gable. This would be the size of a house.
No objections had been received from the planning sub-committee for the change of windows at Shortner Croft.
Plans had been granted for Biggin Grange for the change of use of a former agricultural building to storage and distribution.
It was reported that works had been started on Sycamore House on Main Street. Other activities included men strimming all day.
It was also reported that proposals at Sycamore Farm on Back Lane had been successful approved on appeal; however, official communication regarding had not been received.
The member of the public left the meeting at 8.10 pm.
21.6.8 Phone box
Due to the pandemic, there had been no changes to the phone box. A number of changes had been discussed and were revisited such as repainting it or having it ‘wrapped’; involving the school children; a project for the Queen’s jubilee and photographic display; map of the village inside.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to approach local sign writers regarding the phone box.
Resolved: to place the item on future agendas.
21.6.9 Cemetery and church
Following the last parish council, the clerk had sought further information and clarification from DALC regarding donating to the church. It was confirmed that this is not an option open to the parish council. Emptying the bins in the church grounds has been an issue.
21.6.10 War memorial
Due to the pandemic, refurbishing the lettering on the War Memorial had not been progressed; however, a quote for this work had been approved at a previous meeting.
Resolved: To prepare a cheque for the original amount quoted and instruct the restorations to be carried out to the lettering as soon as convenient to the contractor.
21.6.11 Dog fouling
This persistent disgusting problem is impacting on the works of the mowing contractor and children on the playing fields. The culprits are large dogs. Dogs are either roaming unattended or irresponsible owners are failing to ‘pick up’ after their dogs have fouled parish areas. See item 21.6.13. Substantial fines can be imposed for irresponsible owners allowing their animals to foul.
21.6.12 Works on Main Street
A number of works have been started at some Main Street properties without completion.
21.6.13 Articles for News and Views
Dog fouling.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to prepare an article for submission in the September publication.
21.6.14 Items of account, salaries, grounds person, HMRC, Section 137, mowing contract
| Cq 1260 | B Coles | Mowing contract (May) | £411.43 VAT £68.57 |
| Cq 1261 | S Hampson | June Clerk’s Salary | £191.42 |
| Cq 1262 | S Hampton | June Internet Provision | £17.00 |
| Cq 1263 | HMRC | Quarter 2 income tax | £143.60 |
| Cq 1264 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £6.75 |
| Cq 1265 | Webicious | Website provision | £118.15 VAT £19.69 |
| Cq 1266 | Percivals | War Memorial Lettering | £260.00 |
| DD | DDDC | Wheeled bin provision | |
| Income: | Memorial Application | £513.40 |
21.6.15 Correspondence, electronic communication, Biggin Community Facebook
DCC Community News, DCC Covid caution, Rural Bulletin 18th May, Derbyshire Victim Service, National Park Plan Management Review survey, DALC June newsletter, domestic abuse survey, DCC News 25th May, Rural Bulleting 25th May, Live and Local, councillor attendance at meetings 6 months rule, strimmer, Rural Bulletin 8th June, 20/21 Annual impact from Citizens Advice, consultation of draft revised planning services statement of community involvement, DCC News 11th June, Rural Bulletin 15th June, local list consultations June 21, Queen’s Platinum jubilee beacons. Mr Tapping advised he had put the parish council meeting date on to Biggin Community’s Facebook page.
A street light on the corner of Main Street and Drury Lane near the church corner was not working.
Resolved: Mr Tapping to check the street lamp number to enable the clerk to report it.
Members discussed obtaining litter picking equipment and bags to enable involvement with school children to facilitate a litter pick in the village.
Resolved: The clerk to contact Derbyshire Dales District Council regarding a supply of appropriate equipment and bags to facilitate an environmental litter pick.
21.6.16 Items for the next agenda
Phone box, War Memorial, dog fouling, litter picking. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
21.6.17 Date of the next meeting
Monday, 19th July 2021
Resolved: to revert back to meeting on the 1st Monday of each month, except August and January commencing with the first Monday in September 2021.
Part 2 Confidential information
There were no confidential items to be discussed
The meeting was declared closed at 9.10 pm
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk
21st June 2021
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting