HARTINGTON NETHER QUARTER PARISH COUNCIL
A meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council was held on Monday, 2 February 2015 at
7.30 pm at Biggin Village Hall.
Present: J Coles, S McCurrach, J Brindley, D Prince and the clerk, Mrs Hampson
15.2.1 Apologies
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mr G Wilton and Mrs J Griffiths.
15.2.2 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest of councillors
There was no need by any person present to complete an entry in the register.
15.2.3 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting had been forwarded to all members in advance of the meeting and had been displayed on the noticeboard.
Resolved: The minutes were accepted as a true record of proceedings (Prop JC Sec JB)
15.2.4 Matters arising from pre-meeting
The clerk provided a telephone number to enable contact to be made with the elections team at Derbyshire Dales district Council (DDDC). An electronic link had also been forwarded to members with electronic means in advance of the meeting. The clerk advised that she was not allowed to down load the necessary documentation on behalf of members of the parish council or other resident ; individual applicants have to do this independently. The clerk reminded members of the need to adhere to deadlines.
15.2.5 Public speaking procedures document
There were no members of the public in attendance.
15.2.6 Public speaking
See above.
15.2.7 PCSO update
The clerk had contacted the PCSO for updates from the previous meeting, however, the PCSO is presently absent from work awaiting an operation.
15.2.8 County and District Councillor updates
Both the County and District Councillors were not in attendance.
15.2.9 Update on mowing contract
The grounds person had signed and returned the new contract of employment. The chairman added her signature to the document. The clerk advised members of a circular from the Derbyshire Association of Local Councils (DALC) regarding pensions. Mrs Brindley reported that the grounds person was adamant that Heathcote Mere had not been rolled and, therefore, it could not been mown completely. Members had been advised that the perimeter of the mere had been rolled.
Resolved: Clerk to inform the grounds person that he will be paid 12 equal payments throughout the course of the contract.
Resolved: Clerk to obtain further information on pension contributions for the ground person from both DALC and DDDC.
Resolved: To wait until nearer the beginning of the new mowing season to see if the area around the mere needs to be rolled again.
15.2.10 Highway issues
The chairman had received a report that the condition of the road on Back Lane was atrocious, particularly at the junction with the A515. The condition of the road is prevent residents from receiving visitors. It was further reported that there were numerous pot holes on the A515. Mr Prince advised that the grit bin at Greenhead Crescent had been turned and that the lid had been left open and the bin was half full of water.
Resolved: Clerk to report Back Lane to Derbyshire County Council (DCC), Highways department.
15.2.11 Voles in the parish council cemetery and cemetery regulations
The mole contractor previously employed by the parish council had inspected the parish council cemetery and in his professional opinion, voles are present in the cemetery. Voles are a protected species and cannot be touched. It was reported that the voles are potentially undermining the memorial headstones and may make them unsafe.
Resolved: Clerk to contact DDDC regarding the voles and the potential to make headstones unsafe.
A request had been received to erect a memorial headstone to incorporate a photograph. The clerk had liaised with both Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) and the monumental mason instructed to erect the memorial. DDDC permit photographs not exceeding 10 cm (4 inches in height); church yards do not usually permit photographs. Members discussed the application and updating the parish council regulation to include/exclude photographs of the above size on memorials in the parish council cemetery.
Resolved: To approve the memorial application
Resolved: To update the parish council’s memorial regulations to permit the incorporation of black and white photographs on memorial headstones with the cemetery at the above dimensions.
Resolved: Clerk to enquire if the incorporation of a photograph required an additional premium.
15.2.12 Defibrillator, cabinet, electricity supply and outcome of defibrillator launch
Mrs Coles advised that an engineer had visited the defibrillator and had fixed the problem and left additional fuses with Mrs Griffiths.
Resolved: Item to appear on the next agenda to discuss publicising the names of previously trained persons and possible future training for people to use the defibrillator.
15.2.13 Heathcote Mere seat
Mr Wilton was not in attendance to provide an update on the seat. Further incidence of moles near the mere was reported.
Resolved: Clerk to contact the contractor previously used to remove moles from the vicinity of Heathcote Mere seats to attend to a further mole issue at Heathcote.
15.2.14 Litter bins
A reply had been received to the clerk’s enquiry regarding the removal of waste bins in the village. DDDC’s response was that additional bins needed to be removed in Biggin. DDDC is now happy that the remaining bins in the village now work for the service required and will mean it less likely for any further bins to be removed if a further review takes place in the future as part of DDDC’s ongoing service considerations.
15.2.15 Planning applications and planning sub-committee
There were no objections to applications at Four Winds and Carriages, Newhaven.
Resolved: Clerk to advise PDNPA accordingly.
Plans at Hartington Creamery, Pikehall had been granted for the change of use and extension to units to expand the existing cheese factory, however, plans for the wind turbine at Hartington Creamery had been refused.
15.2.16 Items of account, salaries (including national pay award for clerks) and HMRC
The national pay award for parish council clerks had been received with effect from 1 January 2015 including a pro rata payment of £100 equating to £12.16.
Resolved: To implement the clerk’s pay award from 1 January 2015 and to include the pro rate payment.
Cq 810 S Hampson February net salary including the above award
Cq 811 S Hampson Reimbursement of 2 months’ expenses
The clerk had completed a reimbursable expenditure claim of £500 from DDDC in relation to mowing. This had been credited to the accounts.
15.2.17 Correspondence and communication
Included: DALC circulars, DDDC Area forums.
An email had also been received from a Heathcote resident concerning activity at a property in another parish (Leanlow Farm) which was referred to in the December minutes. The clerk had contacted PDNPA for further information. PDNPA cannot prohibit the bringing of plant and machinery on to the land at Leanlow Farm providing it is to be used for an operation necessary for agriculture; differentiating between what machinery is required for genuine agricultural operations and what is stored is extremely difficult. In order to demonstrate a breach of planning control, there must be a demonstrable change of use of the land and at the present time there is simply not enough evidence on which to base any enforcement action. Some ground works at the property could be considered to be permitted development but PDNPA has requested that all excavations and ground works cease since it would appear that the works have been carried out to facilitate another development which may require permission. There was nothing further to add in this communication from PDNPA regarding activities at Heathcote by the same person referred to at Leanlow Farm.
The same Heathcote resident had also forwarded further emails suggesting that information from private letters to the parish council was being provided to another resident from Heathcote and to the gentleman operating from Leanlow Farm. Members considered this accusation to be both insulting and untrue outside of parish council meetings. During parish council meetings communications received by the parish council are discussed during correspondence and communication and would not be treated as private information and would be heard by any member of the public in attendance at the meetings.
Resolved: Members considered the matter between the Heathcote resident and the person operating at Leanlow Farm to involve ongoing personal issues and also to be extensively about a property in another parish, therefore, no action to be taken by Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council.
Mrs McCurrach provided an update on the playground committee (Biggin Community Project ’97). A donation has now been received from a gentleman who owns property in the village. The committee members are pursuing the achievement of charitable status and also being declared tax exempt on bank accounts. Fund raising continues but now only £12,000 is still required for the planned developments. The clerk offered some further suggestions which Mrs McCurrach would return to the committee.
15.2.18 Items for the next agenda
Defibrillator, voles in the cemetery, parish council pension requirements. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
15.2.19 Date of next meeting
Resolved: The date of the next meeting – 2 March 2015
The meeting was declared closed at 9.15 pm
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk to the parish council
5 February 2015
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting.