A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council was held on
Monday 6th March 2017 at Biggin Village Hall
Present: Mr D Prince, Mrs S McCurrach, Mrs J Coles, Mrs J Bonsall, Mrs J Griffith , the clerk,
Mrs S Hampson and 3 members of the public
Part 1 non-confidential information
17.3.1 Apologies
Apologies – Mrs J Brindley and County Councillor, S Spencer
17.3.2 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest of councillors
There was no need, by any member present, to complete an entry in the register.
17.3.3 Minutes of the previous ordinary meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting had been displayed on the noticeboard, on the parish council’s website and forwarded to members in advance of the meeting.
Resolved: to approve the minutes as a true record of proceedings (Prop JB Sec JG)
17.3.4 Matters arising from pre-meeting
No matters brought to the attention of the meeting.
17.3.5 Public speaking procedures document
Members of the public in attendance accessed the above document.
17.3.6 Public speaking
One member of the public attended to report the persistent area of water settling at the bottom of Liffs Road. The clerk advised that she had already reported this as a safety issue. Another member of the public drew attention to two flats becoming vacant in Percival Close Flats and raised a previously reported issue of the allocation process of such flats ie whether young people will be considered for such vacancies. It was reported that the accommodation may no longer be under the jurisdiction of Dales Housing. It was also reported that some of the plants belonging to tenants at the flats may be being moved around without permission of the owners.
Resolved: The clerk to write to Dales Housing to confirm responsibility for the management of Percival Close flats and to ascertain if the age restriction clause on the flats has/has not been lifted to allow young people to apply for forthcoming tenancies.
Resolved: The clerk to also contact the Rural Housing Enabler at Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC).
17.3.7 PCSO updates
The clerk reported that the PCSO recently appointed to cover Hartington Nether Quarter Parish has now left the Derbyshire Area. She has therefore been corresponding with the sergeant at Ashbourne Police Station regarding policing issues and a new PCSO has been appointed to Hartington Town Quarter which may be the same officer covering the Nether Quarter parish.
17.3.8 County Councillor and District Councillor
Apologies had been received from County Councillor Spencer’s secretary for the meeting as Councillor Spencer was attending a conference on 6th March.
17.3.9 Highway issues
There was no response to the clerk’s communication with Derbyshire County Council (DCC) regarding standing water at Wash Mere Corner. The clerk had also reported standing water at the bottom of Liffs Road. There was also no response to the missing chevron signs and damaged 30mph signs referred to in the previous minutes. The clerk had been advised that DCC presently lacks funds to cut back vegetation.
17.3.10 Planning applications, planning sub-committee, enforcement
There were no new planning applications.
A formal planning decision notices had been received confirming approval of the 5 pitch caravan site at Chapel Farm, Heathcote.
17.3.11 Update on previous complaint and Judicial Review
Following the resolutions made during the public section of the previous parish council meeting, the clerk had sent a letter by recorded delivery to a complainant. The complainant had responded reiterating some of the same points. He subsequently threatened to proceed with a Judicial Review. A communication from the Director of Conservation and Planning at Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) was subsequently sent to the complainant. Following receipt of this communication, the complainant had forwarded yet another email to PDNPA suggesting that he would no longer follow planning regulations.
Members considered that additional references made within this final communication suggested that he would not be proceeding with a Judicial Review.
Resolved: The clerk was not instructed to contact the Monitoring Officer at DDDC regarding the possible Judicial Review procedure.
17.3.12 Heathcote Mere, information plinth and grant
The grant from the Community Leadership Fund awarded by Councillor Spencer had been received by the clerk in the sum of £500. Members of the parish council had met with the Peak Park Ranger on site to discuss the plinth. The ranger had subsequently forwarded background information to the clerk regarding the site and information for the plinth. The clerk had also contacted the Records Office at Matlock for any information on the mere and its original purpose/use. The response had not revealed much about the site but details were received regarding how to access material at the Records Office and the cost of £25 per hour to instruct the staff at the Records Officer to search archive material on the parish council’s behalf. The clerk had forwarded a request to a local quarry for a piece of natural limestone with a flat side to attach an information board but a response had not been received in time for the meeting.
From the site meeting, the ranger had suggested that erecting an information plinth could become part of a larger project at the site if the parish council wished to pursue this. Suggestions included using grass mesh parking blocks to allow 3-4 cars to park at the bottom end of the mere. Placing blocks or stones around the perimeter was also discuss to reduce the impact of vehicles parking on the grass or damaging the edge of the mere. Members viewed the information forwarded by the ranger and considered some of it for inclusion in the information panel. The ranger’s information was given to Mrs McCurrach to aid discussions with other interested parties.
Resolved: The clerk to contact other local quarries regarding the supply of stone if the first quarry is unable to fulfil the request to supply the natural stone with flat face.
Resolved: Interested parties to be approached by members of the parish council regarding information for the panel, including the primary school.
Resolved: The clerk to approach a parish councillor in the neighbouring panel who was involved in the production of information for their panel to obtain her advice and suggestions.
17.3.13 Items of account, salaries, HMRC and parish council equipment
The clerk had liaised with the internal auditor regarding the purchase of new parish council equipment such as a laptop and scanner/printer using the grant which the clerk had successfully achieved a short time ago through the Transparency Fund process. The clerk had sought clarification regarding reimbursement if she paid for the items using her own bank card. This was approved by the internal auditor. The clerk had also opened a business account with the equipment provider to ensure the invoice would in the name of the parish council and VAT recoverable.
Resolved: To approve the clerk to make the purchases and be reimbursed before the end of the financial year if appropriate equipment found.
| Cq 952 | S Hampson | March Internet Provision | £10.00 |
| Cq 953 | S Hampson | March Home Allowance | £18.00 |
| Cq 954 | S Hampson | Reimb of expenses | £14.25 |
| Cq 955 | S Hampson | March Clerk’s Salary | £177.71 |
| Cq 956 | G Tilson | March Net Salary | £96.67 |
| Cq 957 | HMRC | Quarter 4 income tax | £205.60 |
| Cq 958 | Shelter Maintenance | Bus shelter cleaning | £20.40 VAT £3.40 |
| Cq 959 | S Hampson | Reimb for purchase of new PC equipment if purchased before year end. | £ |
| Cq 960 | Shaw & Sons | New burial book | £117.88 VAT £19.65 |
| Cq 961 | Hearing Help UK | Hearing loop for Biggin Village Hall | £485* |
17.3.14 Street lighting
As detailed above, DCC has no funds available to cut vegetation back from around the street lights on Main Street, Biggin.
17.3.15 Hearing loop
The invoice had been received for the installation of the hearing loop at Biggin Village Hall which the parish council had agreed to pay for; however, the invoice was addressed to Biggin Village Hall. The clerk had challenged this and requested a new invoice addressed to the parish council. Mrs Griffiths provided an update on the training but unfortunately, there appears to be an issue with the loop connecting to the equipment used by the Bingo group.
Resolved: Mrs Griffiths to liaise with relevant people to check the equipment further and to subsequently advise the clerk if the Hearing Loop company needs to be contacted regarding a possible fault, prior to paying the invoice.*
17.3.16 Defibrillator – replacement items and training
Replacement defibrillator pads had been ordered and invoice received; however, the clerk had complained about the postage charge not referred to in the original quote and this had been waived on this occasion.
Resolved: Mrs Griffiths to arrange for the new pads to be checked and installed. The redundant pads will be kept for future training purposes.
Resolved: To discuss possible training session(s) at the next meeting.
17.3.17 Correspondence and electronic communication
Included: DALC Circulars, DALC increase in subscription from April 2017. DCC increased recycling charges at the recycling centres, DDDC Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) comments prior to
7th April. DCC had responded to communication from the clerk regarding a series of new advertising signs for Carriages Restaurant around the A515 at Newhaven. DCC informed the clerk that DCC has no policy regarding signs but their inspector considers there to be no visibility issue or danger to highway users.
Resolved: to instruct DDDC to instigate a PSPO on the football pitch and the children’s playground area on Drury Lane, Biggin
17.3.18 Items for the next agenda
Heathcote Mere, Defibrillator and training, PSPO, Hearing Loop, Judicial Review. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
17.3.19 Forthcoming meeting dates
These were discussed.
Resolved: to place the meeting dates on the parish council’s website although the dates may be subject to change.
17.3.20 Date of next meeting
10th April 2017
The meeting was declared closed at 9.10 pm.
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk
8th March 2017
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting