A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council
was held on Monday, 06 December 2021 at 7.30pm
in Biggin Village Hall.

Present:  P Tapping, J Coles, M Heathcote, 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

21.12.1 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mrs Currington.

21.12.2 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 true record of proceedings.  Mr Tapping duly signed the minutes.

21.12.3 Matters arising and pre-meeting
The advisory/warning sign against fly tipping had arrived and was viewed by all members present at the meeting.

Resolved:  To erect the sign, on a pole, at the entrance to the location of most fly tipping near Heathcote.  Mr Heathcote to assist with this matter.

It was reported that a street light had not been working for approximately 18 months at the corner near the church.

Resolved:  the clerk to report the matter to the street lighting department at Derbyshire County Council (DCC).

21.12.4 Public Speaking Procedures Document
The member of the public in attendance was aware of the procedural document.

21.12.5 Public speaking
The member of the public thanked the parish council for formally arranging the road closure for the Remembrance Day proceedings.  She provided an update on tree surgery works in the church yard scheduled before the end of the year. Such work had not been undertaken since the 1980s which may result in some of the work bordering on being dangerous and necessitating the works to be done in gradual stages.

She further reported that the main access path connecting the church yard to the entrance to the parish council cemetery is beginning to fail and will require attention in the next few years and requested a contribution from the parish council.  Ordinarily, the parish council cannot assist with funding the church for its projects.  Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) the burial authority has been approached.  She also advised on path issues from the side gate adjacent to the church.

Resolved:  The clerk to investigate the possibility of being allowed to contribute towards the main path maintenance as it facilitates access to the parish council cemetery.

She further advised that the community has been knitting flowers for a church project.  These will be sewn onto a tower in the Spring.  The lady asked if the parish council could fund the cost of hiring the village hall for a session to enable this project to be completed more easily.

21.12.6 Planning applications, planning sub-committee
Planning permission had been granted for a new dwelling at Heathcote and a detached garage at Birdsgrove, Biggin.

There were two new applications to consider at the meeting:  High Peak Harriers, alterations and conversion of dwelling including retention of front porches plus Removal of S73 condition on Main Street Garage.

Resolved:  to support the removal of the condition at the Man Street garage.  Mr Griffiths did not comment due to a family connection.

Resolved:  By majority, to object to the application at High Peak Harriers.  Some members felt that the property had been developed without formal permission and windows placed where there had previously not been any.  The traditional form of the property would not be retained.  However, it was commented that the property was being maintained as the size of a family home.

21.12.7 Phone box
Images had been forwarded from the designer and were viewed by the members present at the meeting.  Members discussed obtaining red and silver paint from a discount shop.  The clerk advised that there is a local supplier who can supply the authentic phone box red paint.  Members discussed whether to remove the word ‘Telephone’ from the box.

Resolved:  To hopefully obtain suitable photographs from a local resident between now and the February meeting.

Resolved:  Mr Tapping to speak to the person owning land next to the telephone box.

21.12.8 Wild flower planters
Following some previous difference of opinions on the placement of planters on village grass verges, it was reported that alternative options were now being considered; the matter is not completely straightforward.  Long term maintenance and personnel to carry out such maintenance remains an important factor to consider.

Resolved:  Mr Tapping investigate possible wild flower sites within the village.

21.12.9 Stile and bench
Bench – A response from Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) had been received as follows:

If the wall is realigned to provide a recess for a bench, then it will be sited on PDNPA land and will require permission from PDNPA probably in the form of a licence.  It would be preferable for the wall to be rebuilt in its existing location but incorporating a timber slab on top that will act as a bench. PDNPA could ask the Trails Rangers to undertake this task if that is an acceptable solution to the parish council.

Resolved:  The parish council members agreed with the latter option.

Stile – Mrs Coles reported that assistance had been offered to alter the stile from a building contractor working for the owner of the field where the stile is located.  He has offered to take down a small section of the wall between the stile and the corner sufficient to provide a gap for people to walk through.  This task can be undertaken in 2022.  Mr Tapping suggested that volunteers could have been utilised to rebuild the stile.  It was also reported that stiles backing on to Biggin Hall are also challenging.

21.12.10 Grit boxes
A grit refill had been requested for the bin at Greenhead Cresent.  Existing litter will have to be removed from it.  Further grit will be required at Heathcote.  Documentation had been completed in connection with the snow warden scheme.

21.12.11 Budget and precept 2022-23
The clerk and responsible finance officer had prepared the up to date accounts; a budget and estimated year end forecast.  As in previous years, the budget expenditure substantially exceeds the amount of precept.  Burial income is always unpredictable and maybe nil.  The parish council’s reserve funds had been eroded during the previous financial year.  DDDC’s tax bases had not been released in time for the meeting but an increase of £1,000 does not substantially increase the effect on band D properties.  The precept figure will be reviewed again for the financial year 2023-24.

Resolved: To increase the precept to £6,000 for the financial year 2022-23 and to continue to claim £500 by way of reimbursable expenditure to offset some of the mowing costs.

21.12.12 Articles for News and Views
Articles to be received by 15^th January 2022.

21.12.13 Items of account, salaries and HMRC, mowing contract, reimbursement from Remembrance Day, Christmas tree

A request had been received to increase the parish council’s contribution to the production of the News and Views publication to £250 from £150.  It was reported that the printing and publication costs have significantly increased from the previous year.  The cost of production is shared between other neighbouring parishes.  News and Views is considered a valuable communication tool appreciated by many parishioners.

Resolved:  to increase the donation to £250 for the production of 650 copies of the News and Views publication with effect from 1 April 2022.

21.12.14 Highways, street lighting, flytipping
Mrs Coles had reported flytipping of asbestos on Cardlemere Lane to the police and rural crime team.  The clerk had also reported the incident to DCC (reference F87036).  Other items had been reported to DCC – surface of tarmac on Dampy’s Pinch (ref F870961); surface water collection on Drury Lane (F866034/408260).

Resolved:  as previously mentioned, the clerk to report a street light fault on the church corner.

21.12.15 Correspondence, electronic communication, Biggin Community Facebook
The following items were reported to members in advance of the meeting:  DCC news, Snow Warden scheme, DDDC Bins update, Rural Bulletins, objects in the highway will now require a £100 licence per application; Derbyshire Minerals local plan to 2038; refuse bins updates; 20s plenty; mobile library routes; DCC Adult Education communications; Threshold Sports McMillan event 23^rd and 24^th July 2022.

21.12.16 Items for the next agenda
Phone box, website, Queen’s jubilee, grit bins, stile and bench, church path.  Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.

21.12.17 Date of the next meeting
Monday, Monday, 7^th February 2021 (Please note that the parish council does not meet in January)

Part 2 Confidential information

21.12.18 Parish Council Mowing Equipment
The deadline for submission of bids for the disposal of the parish council’s mowing equipment had been reached at the time of the parish council meeting.  Some bids had now been forthcoming following an issue with the parish council’s website provider linking to the clerk’s email address.

Members discussed the 3 bids which had been received.

Resolved: To contact the first bidder (received from the website) to advise of their successful bid.  This was in fact the highest bid.

Resolved:  to place the matter on the next agenda after receipt of communication from the successful bidder.

(Details of the values of the bids will be disclosed in the next minutes, after receipt of communication from the successful bidder).

The meeting was declared closed at 9.30 pm

Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk
10 December 2021

©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting