The Annual meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council
was held on Monday, 10 October 2022 at 7.30pm
in Biggin Village Hall.
Present: P Tapping, J Coles, S Griffiths, M Heathcote, D Currington and the clerk, S Hampson. There were no members of the public in attendance.
Part 1 non-confidential information
22.10.1 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mrs McCurrach.
22.10.2 Minutes of the previous ordinary 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. The date of the scheduled meeting had to be moved due to the clerk’s illness.
Resolved: To accept the minutes as a true record of proceedings. Mr Tapping duly signed the minutes as a true copy of proceedings (Prop JC, sec SG).
22.10.3 Matters arising and pre-meeting
A request had been received from the parochial church council regarding placing poppies on the verges from Biggin to Hartington. The members thought the ideas was a pleasant idea but felt some additional information was needed to include what they poppies will be made of eg plastic metal; how far from the edge of the highway would they placed eg at least 450 mm from the edge; would farmers’ stock be protected?
Resolved: Mr Tapping to conduct further enquiries with the person making the request to discuss the concerns raised.
22.10.4 Public Speaking Procedures Document
The document was available in the meeting.
22.10.5 Public speaking
There were no members of the public in attendance.
22.10.6 Heathcote Mere
As previously reported, Heathcote Mere had completely dried up. Four contractors had been approached; two declined to submit a quote; one did not submit a quote by the deadline leaving only one contractor who could hire machinery and clear the mere before predicted rainfall. Machinery hire was expensive. Labour costs had been slightly less than quoted. The work was successfully carried out before the heavy rainfall came and approximately 400 tonnes of material were excavated and removed from the site. This task was very labour-intensive but a very positive outcome was achieved. Being able to remove the material before the rainfall resulted in far more depth being achieved for water to refill with natural rainfall. It was very much appreciated that Mr Heathcote had allowed waste material to be deposited on his land which had saved huge ‘tipping’ charges. Members of the parish council had attended the site during the clearance procedure which took a number of days, to ensure matters were proceeding as planned. All members were extremely pleased with the outcome and that the perimeter of the mere had not been damaged by acting before the rainfall.
The clerk had submitted two grant application forms to Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) and Derbyshire County Council (DCC). At the time of the meeting, one application for £500 had been successful from DCC’s Councillor S Spencer. This was very much appreciated. The outcome of the second submission had not been received in time for the meeting.
Resolved: The clerk to complete another grant submission to Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA).
22.10.7 Planning applications, planning sub-committee and appeals
A new application had been received for the conversion of a former stable block to staff accommodation for Biggin Hall and the erection of a number of solar panels. Mr Tapping had been to view the proposal. Members discussed PDNPA’s policy related to solar panels and visual impact together with a connection to solar panels for the benefit of the community. Some members believed that the PDNPA may have to change its opinions on renewable energy.
Resolved: To support aspects of the proposal for the stable block to staff accommodation as it will improve appearance and support a local business, jobs for local people and local economy (if the conversion remains for staff accommodation). However, the portion related to the installation of solar panels will have a visual impact being in close proximity to the Tissington Trail.
A further new application was for the Old Chapel at Heathcote. A corrupted design and access statement had originally been received for this. The clerk had had to request a corrected version to enable members to consider this proposal.
Resolved: to support this application.
Planning decision notices had been granted for Croft Cottage and Aspindle House.
Mr Tapping reported that an application at High Peak Harriers had been brought before Planning Committee but in fact, this was a different proposal to that commented on by the parish council. Mr Tapping had raised this important difference. In addition, Mr Tapping also raised that building works at Sycamore House had not adhered to the plans that had been granted such as location and size of doors etc. It was thought that a retrospective planning application may now be forthcoming.
22.10.8 Phone box
Mr Tapping had shared some alternative uses of local, redundant phone boxes with members, in advance of the meeting. These alternatives can be found not too far away from Biggin. He had purchased some red paint to repaint the top and a resident is kindly repainting the gold crowns. Mr Tapping further reported that the Perspex he was going to source will in fact be too small in size. Mrs Coles advised that she could obtain some Perspex but would need to obtain a price. Members discussed the title for the former telephone box, its background colour and writing colour.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to contact the designer of the telephone box wrapping to request a price to produce two titles of PARISH HISTORY in the same font, with a white background and black writing.
Resolved: Mr Tapping to provide Mrs Coles with the dimensions required for the Perspex.
22.10.9 Website
Accessibility to the website is considered good. The clerk will change the contact email address in the near future.
22.10.10 War Memorial trees
Mr Tapping had inspected the trees and reported that at the moment, they appear quite healthy.
Resolved: Mr Tapping to view the trees again prior to Remembrance Day.
22.10.11 Parish Council bank account
Members agreed a date and time to meet to make changes to the signatories, to include those of Mrs Currington and Mr Heathcote.
22.10.12 Covid Memorial Plaque
Mr Tapping had forwarded images of the existing plaque attached to the Garden of Remembrance wall. The clerk had contacted another company and a funeral director to for suggestions of suitable suppliers of plaques. It was thought that the size of 8” x 4” suggested by the first supplier may in fact be too small. Members did not wish the size of the plaque to appear insignificant.
Resolved: Mr Tapping to measure the existing plaque and forward details of the size to the clerk to enable her to recontact the companies.
Resolved: The clerk to now request costs, from two companies, of bronze plaques with raised lettering, once the size has been received.
Resolved: To place the plaque on the opposite end of the wall.
22.10.13 Remembrance Day
The clerk had submitted a request for a road closure from 2.30-3.00 pm at the War Memorial on Remembrance Day. An acknowledgement had been received. The clerk had arranged for a wreath through the British Legion.
Resolved: To reimburse Mrs McCurrach for refreshment items purchased and Mrs Currington to assist on the day.
22.10.14 Items of account, salaries and HMRC, mowing contract
| Cq 1393 | S Hampson | October Internet Provision | £17.00 |
| Cq 1394 | S Hampson | October Clerk’s Salary | £194.52 |
| Cq 1395 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £7.75 |
| Cq 1396 | B Coles | Mowing Contract* | £411.43(VAT £68.57) |
| Cq 1397 | HMRC | Deferred | |
| Cq 1398 | Shelter Maintenance | Bus Shelters Cleaning | £23.76(VAT £3.96) |
| Cq 1399 | S Wager | Machinery Hire and Heathcote Mere Excavation and clearance | £3,900.00 (VAT £650.00) |
*Mrs Coles reported that contractor had advised that sometimes others have mown areas in advance of the team’s arrival, including DCC and sometimes the standard is not how he would like it to be.
22.10.15 Continued review of some policies
All policies had been forwarded to the website in advance of the meeting.
22.10.16 Articles for News and Views
Members discussed the next submission.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to submit articles on Heathcote Mere’s clearance; Remembrance Day, Covid memorial plaque, the phone box (also inviting contributions and ideas for the phone box).
22.10.17 Highways, street lighting, fly tipping
Street light faults had again been reported by the clerk. DCC claimed that input by Western Power had been required with one lamp. The area near the church corner remains dark.
Resolved: The clerk to make yet further contact regarding the matter with British Summer time ending soon.
The clerk has reported Dampy’s Pinch a number of times with DCC’s response being there are no actionable defects at this location. Members would like to know what actually constitutes an actionable defect. Back Lane is an adopted road which is turning into a farm track. Potholes are developing at Dale Head. The no flytipping sign purchased for Heathcote was discussed.
Resolved: The clerk to report the above highway issues again and to seek what DCC classify as their criteria for repair.
Resolved: Mr Heathcote hoped the no flytipping sign would be erected before the next meeting.
22.10.18 Correspondence, electronic communication, Biggin Community Facebook
Mr Tapping will attend the next Parish and Town Council liaison forum and was supplied with some material to put forward. He reported that knit and natter afternoons would commence each Thursday from the end of October in the village hall and this would be advertised on the facebook page.
Mrs Coles had raised the issue of CPR and AED (defibrillator) training as due to covid, many people in the community had not been retrained. Members thought this would be a good idea.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to find out training costs and permitted numbers and report at the next meeting.
22.10.19 Items for the next agenda
Phone box, covid memorial plaque, bank account, Remembrance Day, CPR training, Christmas tree. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
22.10.20 Date of the next meeting
Monday, 7th November 2022
Part 2 Confidential information
22.10.21 The clerk
The clerk had submitted a statement regarding a review of her salary which had not been reviewed for many years. As a clerk to other neighbouring parishes, the salary was considerably less. By also acting as the cemetery superintendent for the parish council, this enabled considerable burial income being allowed to be retained by the parish council which has kept precepts quite static for a long period of time.
Resolved: To place the clerk’s salary up to point 28, with immediate effect and to increase the cemetery management fee to £500 per year.
The meeting was declared closed at 9.25 pm
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk
11th October 2022
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting