A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council was held on Monday, 11 January 2016 at 7.30 pm at Biggin Village Hall.
Present: J Brindley, D Prince, J Coles, J Griffiths, J Bonsall, S McCurrach and the clerk, Mrs Hampson. There were no members of the public in attendance.
16.1.1 Apologies
There were no apologies.
16.1.2 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest of councillors
There was no need by any of the members present to complete an entry in the register.
16.1.3 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting had been forwarded to all members in advance of the meeting.
Resolved: The minutes were accepted as a true record of proceedings (Prop JG Sec DP)
The date of the next meeting contained in the minutes referred to a meeting in December. This was unable to take place due to the clerk being involved in a serious road traffic accident. The clerk thanked the members for their kind gestures and for facilitating parish council business.
16.1.4 Matters arising from pre-meeting
Matters were covered by the agenda.
16.1.5 Public speaking procedures document
It was not necessary to make the public speaking document available.
16.1.6 Public speaking
There were no members of the public in attendance.
16.1.7 PCSO update
Details of the new PCSO had not yet been received. Mr Prince advised that there had been details of a new PCSO in the local paper.
Resolved: The clerk to contact the local police sergeant for details of the new PCSO.
16.1.8 County and District Councillor updates
Neither the County nor District Councillor attended the meeting.
16.1.9 Highway issues
Derbyshire County Council (DCC)’s Traffic and Safety team has undergone a recent reshuffle. The recent request to attend to the footpath from Cardlemere Lane and Newhaven has been dealt with by the DCC’s Maintenance team and a works order has been issued to ‘side out’ the footway. DCC also support the parish council’s request to replace the existing kerbs at the end of the footway with dropped kerbs in order to assist people with mobility problems although concern has been expressed that there is no corresponding footway on the opposite side.
Members again raised the issue of the camber of the village pavements which DCC has previously dismissed as being satisfactory. Members and residents still believe the pavements to be totally unsatisfactory especially for parents with prams and disabled people.
Resolved: The clerk to contact DCC yet again regarding the pavements, highlighting the issues with the camber of the village pavements for people using disability scooters or wheelchairs.
Water collection remains an issue at the bottom of Liffs Road and at High Cross (Hartington Town Quarter parish), however, previous extensive maintenance work carried out at Dale End continues to prevent water collecting at this location.
Resolved: The clerk to report the continuous water collection issues at the bottom of Liffs Road and at High Cross, Hartington.
16.1.10 Planning applications and planning sub-committee
Resolved: There were no objections and members supported the proposals for a dependent relative unit at Dale Head Farm.
Members also considered an application for land at Main Street for an opening for a sheep crossing. Members considered this carefully.
Resolved: Three members of the parish council had no objections to this proposal, however, one of these councillors believed there was no reference on the map of an existing opening further down which would result in two gateways in a short stretch if this new gate was permitted. This member further stated that there should not be two gateways within close proximity to each other.
Three members of the parish council object to the proposal. Comments from the three councillors objecting to the proposal included:
it is not necessary based upon the fact that an opening exists only a few yards down Main Street, Biggin, opposite Harrier’s Cottage.
Another councillor objected as granting this application would make the field access more hazardous; too close to the existing inadequate width of the thoroughfare where pedestrians, prams, mobility vehicle users already struggle to pass ‘Stone Edge Cottage’ without leaving the footpath safely. This appears to be superfluous to requirements when access already exists further down Main Street, opposite Homestead Cottages (which although visible on the plan does not appear on the map of the proposed area). This councillor also considered that reconstruction of the existing gate to be a better option.
Some members considered that there could be an impact on disabled people using the footpath. The plan is completely flawed and factually incorrect. Members questioned where the farm is relating to crossing sheep. Members are also concerned that the second gateway has already been created without consultation or formal planning permission granted.
16.1.11 New website
The website is now live and running smoothly.
16.1.12 Cemetery issues
The contractor appointed to clear debris from the cemetery had spoken to Mrs Griffiths to advise that he had not yet had time to carry out the task. The memorial seat has been removed for preservation.
The clerk had received new dog fouling notices.
Resolved: To place a dog fouling notice in the cemetery.
The monumental mason had not attended to the unapproved memorial in the cemetery following the site meeting in November, however, the weather has been poor since the meeting.
16.1.13 Noticeboard
The new noticeboard is now in place; however, it was reported that there is a slight issue with water seeping into one corner. Mrs Coles advised that she had been in touch with the joiner and this will be attended to.
Resolved: To prepare the cheque to pay the cost of the new noticeboard, in the sum of £350 but to forward this after the repair has been carried out.
16.1.14 Damaged village seat
Mrs Brindley reported that the village seat had been removed for repair; however, it was extensively wet and need to dry out to effect the repairs. The bottom of one of the seat legs is rotten but this can be repaired with oak and metal fixings. The seat has never been properly preserved so prior to its return, the seat will be treated with an appropriate preservative.
16.1.15 Public telephone box at Newhaven
Personnel at BT had advised the clerk that they were not sure why engineers had previously advised they were unable to access the phone box and that this isn’t the case. They apologised that the parish council had been given incorrect information. BT don’t feel there’s a clear need for a public telephone service at this location. Usage from all BT phone boxes is declining and will continue to do so. This is especially the case in areas where there is a signal for mobile telephones. It makes no sense to BT to invest money in services which will receive little or no use. BT prefers to concentrate their resources on maintaining public telephones where there’s still a clear need for them. Repairing the structure of the box in Newhaven would be expensive and their systems indicate there is full mobile coverage in this area. Their preference would be to remove the box and the telephone service subject to the necessary consultation with the Peak District National Park Authority. BT will of course carry out the repairs if the service is to remain.
Members disputed the mobile phone signal strength at Newhaven but acknowledged that the telephone box is in a very poor state of repair. Members also discussed the number of young people waiting for buses at this location. Members also gave consideration to the installation of a bus shelter at this location if the telephone box is removed.
Resolved: The clerk to request statistics on the usage of the telephone box at Newhaven from BT.
Resolved: The clerk to contact DCC to find out about the use of the lay-by at Newhaven by young people and for which transport service, eg University of Derby, school transport.
15.1.16 Hearing Loop
Mrs Griffiths reported that since the personnel had visited her there had been no further contact. Members discussed the need for a hearing loop to be installed at the village hall to ensure full participation in events, parish council meetings etc by all people attending.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to find the contact numbers to enable further contact to be made to take the matter forward.
16.1.17 Items of account, salaries, HMRC, defibrillator electricity costs; Remembrance Day costs
| Cq 854 | Biggin Primary School | Photocopying charges | £4.50 | |
| Cq 855 | S Hampson | December net salary | £174.24 | |
| Cq 856 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £15.44 | |
| Cq 857 | G Tilson | December net salary | £96.63 | |
| Cq 858 | S Hampson | January net salary | £174.24 | |
| Cq 859 | G Tilson | January net salary | £96.63 | |
| Cq 860 | HMRC | Quarter 3 income tax | £203.20 | |
| Cq 861 | Shelter Maintenance | Bus shelter cleaning service | £20.04 | VAT £3.34 |
| Cq 862 | J Griffiths | Annual elec. Supply for defibrillator | £137.00 | |
| Cqs 854-862 | were prepared under the parish council’s financial regulations during the need to cancel the December meeting. | |||
| Cq 863 | R Penfold | New noticeboard | £350.00 | |
| Cq 864 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £13.42 | |
| Cq 865 | J Griffiths | Reimb. for Rememberance Day etc | £22.40 | |
16.1.18 Precept and budget forecast for 2016-17
The clerk had prepared accounts to date and a budget forecast for the following financial year. Members gave very careful consideration to the estimated year end balances of the accounts, items of expenditure and requirements for the following year. The clerk advised that VAT will continue to be reclaimed each year together with a claim for reimbursable expenditure from Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) in relation to mowing costs of the parish council cemetery. The clerk also advised that there will be no grants for Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council in 2016-17.
Resolved: The precept for 2016-17 to be £4,000. This represents a 20% reduction for this financial period.
Resolved: The clerk to contact Biggin Village Hall secretary to volunteer an increase in hire payment of the meeting room to £10 per meeting.
Resolved: During 2016 only, the parish council to donate an additional £500 to Biggin Community Project ’97 towards mowing costs.
Resolved: Employee pension costs to be considered when further information is received.
16.1.20 Correspondence and communication
A resident had reported to members of the parish council that there had been not been any progress at the former POW camp. Serious deterioration of this area continues to take place.
Mrs Coles reported that the commemorative plaque, placed in the wall at High Peak Harriers, is perfectly level; it is the contour of the road which gives the illusion of the plaque not being straight.
The MP had forwarded a response to the clerk’s letter regarding the allocation of rental properties. Within the MP’s response was a detailed response from Dales Housing. This was a reiteration of their previous response received in 2015.
Further correspondence included: child exploitation posters from DCC, DALC circulars, DDDC Area Forums. The Pension Regulator had forwarded details of the pension staging date of June 2016 in connection with the parish council’s requirements to provide a pension for its employees. The clerk had emailed DALC for further clarification but this was not available in time for the meeting.
It was reported that lorries have been seen travelling up Cardlemere Lane. Members considered this to be inappropriate and the lane to be unsuitable for these vehicles.
Resolved: The clerk to report the matter to DCC.
A Heathcote resident had forwarded electronic communication raising concerns about the access lane to his property. The resident alleges this is an ongoing issue. He raised further concerns about a property in a neighbouring parish. These matters have been raised to the local authority on numerous occasions.
Resolved: The comments were noted and referenced in the minutes with no further action by the parish council at present.
16.11.21 Items for the next agenda
New bank mandate, public telephone box, village seat, cemetery, noticeboard, hearing loop, former POW camp, village pavements, Cardlemere Lane.
Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
16.1.19 Date of next meeting
Resolved: The date of the next meeting – 1 February 2016
Part 2 –Confidential Information
There was no confidential information to discuss.
The meeting was declared closed at 9.30 pm
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk to the parish council
12th January 2016
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting.