The Annual meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council
was held on Monday, 17 May 2021 at 7.30pm
in Biggin Village Hall.
The meeting adhered to social distancing and hygiene legislation due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic
Present: J Coles, S McCurrach, P Tapping, S Griffiths, M Heathcote and the clerk, S Hampson. There were two members of the public in attendance for part of the meeting.
Part 1 non-confidential information
21.5.1 Election of chairman, vice chairman and councillors’ acceptance of office forms
All members present completed the declaration of acceptance of office forms and signed these before the proper officer of the council, Mrs Hampson.
The members present discussed the role of chairman and vice chairman for the forthcoming year as the previous year’s vice chairman had advised that she did not wish to become chairman for the year 2021-2022.
Resolved: Mr P Tapping to become chairman for the year 2021-22
Resolved: Mrs J Coles to become vice chairman for the year 2021-22
21.5 2 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mrs Currington.
21.5.3 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.
Resolved: To accept the minutes as a true record of proceedings (Prop: PT, Sec: MH)
21.5.4 Matters arising and pre-meeting
News and Views has been used to raise awareness of issues such as dog fouling and litter within the parish. Members also discussed a number of negative comments posted on the community face book page regarding some of the village developments and land. Some of the comments were considered inappropriate. The clerk urged councillors to be cautious and not to respond on the face book page, even as individuals, as members of the parish may not distinguish between members’ roles as individuals or as councillors. It was reported that a number of sheep had recently escaped into the village which may have caused some irritation. Mrs Coles advised that the gaps in the walls are being attended to.
21.5.5 Update of members’ Register of Interest forms
The clerk had forwarded word processed versions to members in advance of the meeting for checking/updating. Members signed their own documents and these were retained by the clerk.
21.5.6 Public speak procedures document
This was available to the members of the public in attendance
21.5.7 Public speaking
There were no items received from members of the public in advance of the meeting. The two members of the public in attendance raised some issues related to the church such as the clock, waste bins in the church yard and a lack of funding to the church. Prior to the meeting, members had been made aware that the waste bins in the church area had not been emptied on more than one occasion and the clerk had reported this issue to Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC). Members were also informed that the parochial church council (PCC) had reduced the number of waste bins on offer in the church yard. This may impact on the volume of waste subsequently being deposited in the waste bins paid for by the parish council.
The parish council had previously resolved to meet the annual cost of the service to the church clock as this is a feature which benefits the village as a whole.
Resolved: to place the request to consider funding for church projects on the next agenda.
The clerk and responsible finance officer advised members; however, that the parish council should not ordinarily fund projects to organisations who can secure their own source of funding such as schools and the church. The members of the public stated that the church cannot receive funding for the for a number of issues.
21.5.8 New cemetery fees
The clerk had received the new cemetery and memorial fees from DDDC. She had prepared these for the parish council’s use.
Resolved: to adopt the new cemetery and memorial fees with immediate effect.
21.5.9 Review of existing policies and seating policy
The existing policies were reviewed and redated for future review in 12 months’ time. Members discussed the seating policy which included considering the merits of artificial wood type seats for future replacement; the condition of the existing wooden seats; requests for future memorial seating and the replacement of existing seats/benches. Members also discussed the safety of a memorial seat in the cemetery. The clerk had completed a grant application with DDDC towards an artificial wooden seat but unfortunately, it was not successful.
Resolved: to continue to review policies annually
Resolved: to accept the seating policy
Resolved: Mrs Coles to approach a family member responsible for the placement of a seat which cannot be repaired, with a view to its removal.
Resolved: to regularly monitor the condition and safety of the existing wooden seats and replace as necessary
Resolved: to approach the District Councillor again for future grant aid monies towards a replacement seat.
21.5.10 Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021 and annual internal/external audit process
The clerk and responsible finance officer (RFO) had prepared the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2021. These had been internally audited and forwarded to members in advance of the meeting. From the internal audit, there were no matters to bring before the council.
Resolved: to unanimously accept the accounts prepared by the clerk and RFO.
21.5.11 Section 2 accounting statement 2020-2021
The clerk and responsible finance officer had prepared a certificate of exemption for the external audit as both the income and expenditure figures for the year were under £25,000.
Resolved: to unanimously accept the external audit section 2.
21.5.12 Consideration of accounting statements by members
Resolved: to unanimously accept the accounting statements.
21.5.13 Resolution to approve the accounting statements
Resolved: The chairman duly signed the external audit accounting statements along with the clerk and RFO.
21.5.14 Clerk’s internet and premises allowance
These were discussed by members.
Resolved: to increase the clerk’s premises/working from home allowance as per HMRC guidelines and to increase the internet allowance to £17 per month to enable the clerk to purchase an unlimited, higher speed internet package to facilitate the clerk’s role with the parish council.
21.5.15 20’s plenty campaign
Mr Tapping reported that he had undertaken an online meeting in connection with this campaign which was seeking support for the campaign. He reported that the parish could only adopt the ‘20’s plenty scheme’ if speed humps were installed throughout the parish, rather than at particular areas such as the vicinity of the primary school. Members did not think that speed humps were an acceptable consideration in all areas.
Resolved: not to accept the 20’s plenty policy in the parish.
21.5.16 Noticeboard
Mr Tapping and two residents had undertaken a refurbishment of the wooden noticeboard. The other members were very grateful for all the work undertaken by Mr Tapping and the other residents and the upgraded appearance of the noticeboard. Lettering will be added.
Resolved: to forward a communication of thanks to the two residents for their hard work.
21.5.17 Items of account, salaries, grounds person, HMRC, Section 137, maintenance
| Cq 1245 | S Hampson | April Salary | £191.62 |
| Cq 1246 | Shelter Maintenance | Bus shelters cleaning | £21.43 (VAT £3.51) |
| Cq 1247 | DALC | Subscription | £174.14 |
| Cq 1248 | Peak Park Parishes | Forum Subscription | £12.00 |
| Cq 1249 | S Hampson | April Internet Provision | £10.00 |
| Cq 1250 | S Hampson | Premises Allowance | £312.00 |
| Cq 1251 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £12.80 |
| Cq 1252 | Biggin Community Project | ’97 Section 137 insurance | £500.00 |
| Cq 1253 | Zurich Municipal | Insurance | £287.88 |
| Cq 1254 | B Coles | Mowing | £411.43 (VAT £68.57) |
| Cq 1255 | S Hampson | May Salary | £191.62 |
| Cq 1256 | S Hampson | May Internet Provision | £17.00 |
| Cq 1257 | S Hampson | Reimb. of expenses | £9.25 |
| Cq 1258 | Defib Store | Defibrillator Pads | £54.00 |
| Cq 1259 | B Wood | Internal Audit Fee | £44.70 |
21.5.18 Planning applications, planning sub-committee
A number of planning applications had been received and were considered as follows:
Members considered applications from High Peak Harriers and Summerfield. Permission should have been sought prior to commencing work at High Peak Harriers. Members are concerned by the number of proposals at this location which remain incomplete.
Resolved: to support the application to replace an existing conservatory replacing with a side extension at Summerfield.
Resolved: Members had objected to the garage application at the site but did not oppose the other application for holiday cottages.
21.5.19 Correspondence, electronic communication, Speedwatch
All correspondence had been forwarded to members in advance of the meeting. Mr Tapping had been involved in a recent community Speedwatch session in the village and reported the outcome. A delivery vehicle had exceeded the speed limit and a communication had been sent to the company. Mrs Coles reported that the mowing contractor had been challenged by someone at Heathcote Mere regarding the effect of mowing on the bee population.
21.5.20 Items for the next agenda
Cemetery seat, church requests, War Memorial, dog fouling, works on Main Street, Community facebook, memorial stone policy, News and Views items, phone box
Part 2 Confidential information
There were no confidential items to discuss at this meeting
21.3.21 Date of the next meeting
Monday, 14th June 2021. (Changed to 21st June subsequent to the meeting)
The meeting was declared closed at 9.10 pm
Mrs S Hampson, Clerk
8th June 2021
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting