A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council
was held on Monday, 6th July 2020 at 7.30pm
in Biggin Village Hall
The meeting took place under social distancing and hygiene legislation due to the Coronavirus pandemic which had devastated the country since March 2020.
Present: J Coles, S McCurrach, M Heathcote, S Griffiths, P Tapping and the clerk, S Hampson. There were no members of the public in attendance.
Part 1 non-confidential information
20.7.1 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from D Currington
20.7.2 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest of councillors
There was no need by any member present to complete an entry in the record.
20.7.3 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. The parish council had been unable to meet since March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Resolved: To accept the minutes as a true record of proceedings (Prop: SG, Sec: JC)
20.7.4 Matters arising from pre-meeting
Mr Heathcote and Mr Tapping had attended to the water butt in the churchyard. The church warden had contacted the clerk regarding a missing wheeled bin from the churchyard. The clerk had advised her to make contact with Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC). A new bin had been delivered.
Resolved: Mr Tapping to purchase a part for the water butt, obtain a receipt and be reimbursed.
There had been some electrical issues in the village and excavation of the road had taken place near the bridge.
Mr Tapping reported that, in view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Speedwatch programme had been cancelled due to social distancing measures. Mr Tapping had advised the PCSO that he would be interested in assisting with this programme once it activates again. Some members thought there may have been an improvement during the lockdown period in speeding on Main Street; however, this is not the case on Drury Lane and vehicles are also congregating on the village hall car park.
Mr Griffiths enquired again about the tree adjacent to the new build properties on Drury Lane which had been the subject to recent tree surgery work. The tree surgeon had advised that this tree was safe. Mr Griffiths wanted assurance against wind damage.
Resolved: the clerk to contact Derbyshire County Council (DCC), Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) and Zurich Insurance once responses have been received.
Pest control had taken place at Heathcote Mere with moles removed.
The calendar on the parish council’s website is not up to date.
Mr Tapping had kindly checked the stocks of grit in the parish council’s grit bins. All had adequate stock for the time of year. The grit bins in Percival Close do not belong to the parish council.
20.7.5 Public speaking procedures document
There were no members of the public in attendance.
20.7.6 Public speaking
As above
20.7.7 Approval of the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2020 and internal audit
The accounts had been prepared by the clerk and had been successfully internally audited. There were no accounting issues to bring before the parish council. The figures mean that the parish council can follow an exemption from a full audit with the external auditors. As part of the audit, an internet accountability statement is a new requirement from 2020. The clerk had prepared the document and had also contacted the website provider for additional input.
Resolved: to approve accounts and the internet accountability statement.
20.7.8 Cemetery trees and mowing
During the lockdown period, DDDC had not been collecting the green waste bins. As a consequence, the mowing contractor had been bagging and removing the clippings. The contractor wanted to know if the industrial green bin in the cemetery could now be used for depositing the clippings from the cemetery. The free tree saplings which had been planted in the cemetery had received comments from the grave digger suggesting the root growth could impact on future digging which may lead to a loss of revenue from the affected burial spaces. The replacement millennium tree had been accidently strimmed off. In addition, mowing and strimming around the saplings now takes longer and uses more strimmer line. Mr Tapping suggested protection for the saplings with the use of gutter type down pipes. Mr Griffiths requested that the mowing at Dampy’s Pinch be taken back a little further to improve visibility. All the members of the parish council present at the meeting were pleased with the parish mowing and acknowledged that it is difficult to mow and strim on occasions due to parked cars.
Resolved: to inform the mowing contractor that cemetery grass clippings can be deposited in the wheeled bin in the cemetery which the parish council pays for. For the rest of the summer season, the contractor can also use the wheeled bin at the village hall to deposit clippings from near the village hall as no bookings are being taken during the period of the Coronavirus.
Resolved: The mowing contractor to cut back a little further at Dampy’s Pinch.
Resolved: to make a one off payment of £120 to the mowing contractor to cover the additional time and material costs as the cemetery trees were not in place when tenders were submitted and awarded.
Resolved: to contact DDDC to request a payment holiday for the green bin as the bin was not emptied for a period of time during the lockdown period.
Resolved: to regularly review the size of the saplings and any impact these may have on burial spaces and the Garden of Remembrance wall.
20.7.9 BT Phone Box and Insurance
Prior to the lockdown, the clerk had completed necessary adoption papers and forwarded the council’s payment of £1.00 to acquire the phone box. BT would not provide any paint. The phone has been removed and the box decommissioned for use as a telephone kiosk. A number of ideas were discussed for its future purpose. The clerk discussed costs for insurance purposes. Mr Tapping had contacted someone in another parish where telephone boxes have been decommissioned but primarily used for defibrillators.
Resolved: the clerk to contact the insurance company to inform them of its purchase for £1.00 but to include on public liability insurance. The phone box to be included on the asset register.
20.7.10 Shed and noticeboard maintenance
A joiner reported the requirements to attend to the shed and the noticeboard. He had provided the figures to the chairman.
Shed – new felt and bitumen adhesive £80 plus £90 labour
Noticeboard – materials £35 plus £90 labour (This may be a little less)
Resolved: the chairman to instruct the joiner to complete the above renovations and to quote for renovations and preservation of the village seats.
20.7.11 Heathcote Mere plinth and interpretation panel
The plinth stone will shortly be inverted using machinery. Members discussed the persistent problem of visitors ignoring the ‘Do not park on the grass’ signs clearly displayed at Heathcote Mere. This creates mowing problems and ruts in the ground. Members discussed alternative methods of preventing this problem occurring as, despite numerous verbal communications, the problem persists. DCC Highways had previously advised that a distance of 450 mm from the perimeter must be maintained for the plinth stone.
Resolved: Mr Coles and Mr Heathcote to place stones around the perimeter of Heathcote Mere at an appropriate distance to deter motorists from parking on the grass.
20.7.12 Parish Council sponsored window and church clock
The donation to the church clock had been forwarded prior to the end of the last financial year. The sponsored window in the church is apparently to commemorate a person. A church warden will attend a future parish council meeting to explain the scheme further.
20.7.13 Highway issues and signs
The clerk had requested an update on the village signs but these had not been attended to by the time of the meeting. The clerk had contacted DCC about the camber of the pavement following the recent resurfacing. DCC claimed not to have received this in time and is now in the process of attending to a stretch opposite the village hall. Reported weeds coming up through the pavement have also been attended to. A traffic camera has been placed near the school. All but one of the village street lamps has been converted to LED.
20.7.14 Items of account, salaries, HMRC
| Cq 1182 | S Hampson | April clerk’s salary | £182.37 |
| Cq 1183 | S Hampson | Annual premises allowance | £216.00 |
| Cq 1184 | S Hampson | April internet allowance | £10.00 |
| Cq 1185 | B Coles | Mowing contract 1 | £411.43(VAT £68.57) |
| Cq 1186 | DALC | Subscription | £169.06 |
| Cq 1187 | B Coles | Mowing contract 2 | £411.43(VAT £68.57) |
| Cq 1188 | Biggin Community Project 97 | Insurance donation | £500.00 |
| Cq 1189 | Zurich Municipal | Annual insurance premium | £282.99 |
| Cq 1190 | S Hampson | May internet allowance | £10.00 |
| Cq 1191 | S Hampson | Expenses (ink cart., paper,) | £44.74 |
| Cq 1192 | S Hampson | May clerk’s salary | £182.77 |
| Cq 1193 | HMRC | Quarter 1 income tax | £136.80 |
| Cq 1194 | B Wood | Internal audit fee | £25.00 |
| Cq 1195 | Hartington Community Proj | News and Views contrib. | £150.00 |
| Cq 1196 | S Hampson | June internet allowance | £10.00 |
| Cq 1197 | S Hampson | June clerk’s salary | £182.57 |
| Cq 1198 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £7.09 |
| Cq 1199 | Shelter Maintenance | Invoice not yet received | £ |
| Cq 1200 | B Coles | Mowing contract 3 | £411.43(VAT £68.57) |
| Cq 1201 | Poppy Appeal | VE day wreath | £18.50 |
| Cq 1202 | S P Pest Control | Mole removal Heathcote | £50.00 |
| Cq 1203 | Webicious | Annual website fee | £118.15 |
| Cq 1204 | S Hampson | July clerk’s salary | £182.57 |
| Cq 1205 | S Hampson | July internet allowance | £10.00 |
| Cq 1206 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £4.71 |
| Cq 1207 | B Coles | Additional mowing time | £120.00 |
20.7.15 Planning applications, planning sub-committee and appeals
Planning applications had been considered by the planning sub-committee during the lockdown period for Biggin Grange, Greenhead Crescent, Ivy House and Biggin Hall and comments submitted to PDNPA. Proposals at Biggin Grange had been refused.
20.7.16 Correspondence and electronic communication
Electronic communications had been forwarded to members in advance of the meeting. Mr Tapping had attended a number of on line meetings with PDNPA since the last meeting.
20.7.17 Items for the next agenda
Heathcote Mere interpretation panel and plinth and perimeter stones, , village signs, , shed, noticeboard and village seats maintenance, Parish Council sponsored church window, BT phone box plans, cemetery trees and advice on village tree. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
20.7.18 Date of the next meeting
Monday, 7th September 2020.
Part 2 Confidential information
There was no confidential information to discuss.
The meeting was declared closed at 9.15 pm
Mrs S Hampson
Clerk
8th July 2020
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting