HARTINGTON NETHER QUARTER PARISH COUNCIL
The Annual Meeting of Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council was held on Friday, 8 May 2015 at
7.00 pm at Biggin Village Hall.
Present: J Coles, D Prince, J Griffiths, J Brindley and S McCurrach(part of meeting) and the clerk,
Mrs Hampson. PCSO K Wakefield and PC J Bointon were also in attendance.
15.5.1 Declaration of acceptance of office of members; election of chairman and vice chairman
All members of the parish council completed the declaration of acceptance of office forms before the proper officer of the parish council, Mrs Hampson.
Election of Chairman: Mrs J Brindley Prop (SM) Sec (JC)
Election of Vice Chairman: Mr D Prince Prop (SM) Sec (JC)
15.5.2 Members’ interest forms and code of conduct
Members completed interest forms for submission to Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC).
15.5.3 Apologies
All members of the parish council were in attendance.
15.5.4 Declaration of personal/prejudicial interest
Mrs McCurrach and Mr Prince declared an interest in agenda item 15.5.9 (Cemetery) and completed an entry in the register to make representations but chose to remain in the meeting during the agenda item.
15.5.5 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 with the exception of the omission of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2015 which were unanimously approved and signed in the April meeting.
15.5.6 Matters arising from pre-meeting
There were no items to raise.
15.5.7 Public speaking procedures document
There were no members of the public in attendance.
15.5.8 Public speaking
There were no members of the public in attendance other than the police officer and the PCSO. The police officer and the PCSO attended to offer their services and provided updates during the agenda item 15.5.11.
15.5.9 Cemetery rules and regulations andnew fees; conditions of the cemetery
The clerk had received new cemetery fees and regulations from Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC). Members acknowledged that Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council had resolved to follow many years ago the rules, regulations and fees from DDDC. The clerk had prepared the new fees for the forthcoming year.
Resolved: To approve the new fees and guidelines for 2015/16 with immediate effect.
No response had been received by the clerk or members of parish council following the recent insert in the News and Views.
The clerk and members of the parish council had independently visited the parish council cemetery to view some of the additional items placed there by family members of the deceased such as plant pots/tubs etc. The majority of which appear to be of a temporary nature and could be placed on the plinth of existing headstones. Members discussed, at length, the need to ensure the grounds person can mow the lawned area as quickly and easily as possible to keep mowing costs to a minimum to prevent increases in the parish precept. Members also discussed the need for burial mounds to be flattened, after an appropriate settlement period has elapsed, to also facilitiate easy mowing of the lawned area. The removal of redundant wreaths and dead flowers was also referred to.
Resolved: Mrs Brindley to remove old wreaths and dead flowers to the waste bins provided by the parish council.
Mrs McCurrach had declared an interest in this agenda item as her late mother was interred in the cemetery and additional small pot had been placed on the grave by a relative.
Mr Prince had declared an interest in the agenda item in regard to a second memorial placed on the grave of his late son in addition to the long term memorial. The clerk read the rule from DDDC that the only long term memorial which should be placed in the cemetery is a single headstone. Members discussed the second inscribed memorial in detail due its design nature and height. Members discussed in general terms whether a second memorial of any form should be permitted in the cemetery in view of DDDC’s rule regarding second memorials. Memorials attract two fees – the permission to erect the memorial and also an approval fee for the design. Both of these fees will also be doubled for non-residents. DDDC’s fees did not make particular reference to the erection of a memorial in the form of a book which Mr Prince wished to erect as an additional inscribed memorial on the grave of his late son but Mr Prince was advised of the two double fees which would be applied in his case.
Members stated that if such an additional memorial was permitted for Mr Prince then it would also have to be permitted for every grave in the cemetery which could result in a potential for approximately 200 additional memorials in the cemetery. This would make mowing in the cemetery very difficult and would result in significant increases in mowing costs. In view of this, consideration was given to second smaller memorials being permitted if the second memorial could sit on the the base plinth of the main headstone and, therefore, not impacting on the mowing undertaken by the grounds person.
Resolved: To permit second smaller memorials in the cemetery but only if such a memorial can sit on the base plinth of the main headstone and if the memorial design has been approved and fees paid.
Resolved: The material from which any second memorial is made must also comply with the same rules regarding materials which main headstones are made from.
Resolved: Mr Prince to ensure that the mound on the grave of his late son will be flattened in the very near future to ensure ease of mowing.
Resolved: Mr Prince to approach the mason used to erect the main headstone to ascertain if the second ‘book’ memorial could be modified to fit on the base plinth of the main headstone. In the meantime, the memorial would remain unapproved and fees not yet paid until further advice has been received on such a modification.
Members also discussed the overall height of the main headstone on the grave of Mr Prince’s son which exceeds the approved height submitted by the monumental mason. Mr Prince was advised that any modification should be made by an approved mason due to the required safety fixings.
Resolved: Mr Prince to approach the mason who had placed the original memorial regarding the height.
Members also discussed the need for a noticeboard in the cemetery to advise/inform people visiting the cemetery of rules and regulations which apply. The clerk had sent for brochures and costs but only one company had responded in time for the meeting.
Resolved: Brochure and costs to be circulated to members outside of the meeting to enable a more informed decision to be considered at the next meeting.
15.5.10 Voles in the cemetery
DDDC had advised that only water voles are a protected species. The voles in the cemetery are not water voles and therefore, the clerk had contacted the independent pest control officer previously used to control moles in the cemetery to take action in the cemetery. An update had not been receive in time for the meeting but Mrs McCurrach reported that she had seen a dead vole in the vicinity of her late mother’s grave.
15.5.11 PCSO update
The PCSO and a police officer were in attendance. It was acknowledged that there had been a significant increase in police presence in the village. With reference to the previous gun shot heard in the village and reported to the police, the officers advised that without registration details of the car involved the enquiry could not be pursued. The police officer advised that the police had been working with Dales Housing regarding a police matter in Biggin. The members were also advised that the police had been informed that Derbyshire County Council (DCC) had served notice on a Heathcote resident to remove fences which he had erected on the grass verges on the approach to his property and also to remove notices which he had erected implying that there were nails on the grass verge which could suggest vehicle tyres would be damaged. Members enquired about CCTV cameras which had been erected on the resident’s property and a lack of notices informing members of the public of their presence. The police advised that there are no rules governing CCTV on private premises. The police referred to new legislation uner the Harassment Act. The clerk referred to an incident of lead being removed from Bradley church. The police enquired if Biggin church was covered by Church Watch.
Resolved: Mrs Brindley to advise her husband, in his connection to the parochial church council, of the recent issue with Bradley Church.
15.5.12 County and District Councillor updates
Neither the County nor District Councillor attended the meeting. The clerk advised that District Councillor, Sir Richard Fitzherbert had been reelected, unopposed.
15.5.13 Highway issues
The pot hole near the grid between Dale End and Heathcote had been mended but the clerk had received an enquiry to confirm if the manhole concerned was a BT manhole. This could not be established at the meeting but is very likely. Back Lane still requires attention despite the clerk’s reports.
Resolved: Clerk to report the condition of Back Lane again to DCC.
15.5.14 Defibrillator and publication of trained personnel
The clerk had contacted DCC with regard to the possible use of a bus shelter and its electricity supply to place a second defibrillator but a reply had not been received in time for the meeting.
Resolved: Mrs Coles to laminate names of trained personnel and to place on the noticeboard.
15.5.12 Heathcote Mere
A response had not been received from Countryside Maintenance Team (CMT) regarding the availability of a roller for use on the outer perimeter of the verge around the mere. The grounds person had recently mown the area and the members were very impressed with this area and also with the additional area now being cut near the village hall.
Resolved: Clerk to write to the grounds person to thank him for the hard work undertaken and how impressed the members are with the appearance of the areas mown.
15.5.13 Website
As reported at the previous meeting, in view of the new Transparency Code for Parish Councils, it will be a requirement to publish parish council material electronically in the very near future. The parish council will, therefore, need to operate its own website shortly. Mrs Coles provided some information on the website company used by the local surgery which seemed to be quite straight forward. The clerk reported costs of another website company used by some other parish councils. Mrs Coles also reported that Biggin Charities Commission had not taken forward the matter of setting up a village website.
Resolved: The parish council website to be placed on the next agenda for consideration of a final decision regarding the provider.
15.5.17 New pension regulations
The clerk had submitted information regarding pension costs from NEST to the grounds person but had not received a response from him in time for the meeting. A staging date of 1st June had been received from the Pension Regulator but no additional information had been received. Both NEST and DALC suggested that the grounds person would not be eligible to receive a pension from the parish council due to the salary received.
Resolved: The clerk to contact the grounds person further and to place the item on the next agenda.
15.5.18 Council vacancy
Five of the previous council members had completed nomination papers and had been re-elected, unopposed. One council vacancy for Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council has therefore occured. The elections have undoubtedly placed a huge work load on DDDC and the clerk has not received information regarding this vacancy. The clerk had been contacted by a resident for electoral roll numbers to complete a nomination form and Mrs Griffiths had been advised by the same resident that the nomination form had subsequently become damaged. Nomination papers had only been received by the five members present. Mrs McCurrach and the clerk reported some obstructive behaviour from DDDC during the election period.
Resolved: The clerk to calculate notice periods and complete a notice advertising the vacancy. The clerk to contact DDDC regarding the vacancy.
15.5.19 Planning applications and planning sub-committee
A new planning application had been received for a proposal at Martindale.
Resolved: Members supported the application. Clerk to advise PDNPA accordingly.
15.5.20 Items of account, salaries (including national pay award for clerks), pension requirements and donation to playground committee
Cq 821 S Hampson Reimbursement of expenses
Cq 822 S Hampson May net salary
Cq 823 G Tilson Maynet salary
Cq 824 Biggin Community Project ’97 Donation for playground insurance
Cq 825 Broker Network Insurance premium for 2015/16*
Resolved*: To renew insurance with Came and Company (Broker Network) for one year in view of the neglible difference between the annual premium and a commitment for a three year tie to Came and Company (£330.15) and to review the situation further in 12 months’ time.
Mrs Brindley and Mrs McCurrach had to leave the meeting due to family commitments.
15.5.21 Correspondence and communication
Correspondence included: the Dales Area Ballot for members for PDNPA.
Resolved: None of the members wish to complete nomination papers for the above ballot.
Other communications were covered by agenda items. Members also discussed the lack of the sponsored band concert from DDDC. The clerk advised that the average cost for a band to perform would be between £150 and £200. The estimate was supported by reference to the last concert sponsored by DDDC.
15.5.22 Items for the next agenda
Defibrillator(s), the cemetery and voles in the cemetery, possible new noticeboard for the cemetery, parish council website, pension regulator, council vacancy. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
15.5.20 Date of next meeting
Resolved: The date of the next meeting – 1 June 2015
Part 2 –Confidential Information
There was no confidential information to bring before the council during this meeting.
The meeting was declared closed at 8.50 pm and followed immediately by the Parish Annual Meeting.
Mrs S Hampson,
Clerk to the parish council
13 May 2015
©Hartington Nether Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting.