Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting of Stutton cum Hazlewood held on Thursday 9th May 2019 at 19:00 in the Stutton Village Hall.
Chairman: Cllr Mr D Birchall
Clerk: Mrs G Kitchen. 6 Wood Lane, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, YO8 9PT
Telephone: 01757 703664. Email Clerkstuttonpc@gmail.com
Members of the Parish Council present:
Cllr D Birchall, Cllr P Spurrier,
Clerk – G.Kitchen;
Apologies: Cllr Heard, Cllr Wrigglesworth
Members of the public – 1 present
APM 1901 Welcome
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
APM 1902
The minutes of the Annual Parish meeting on 10th May 2018 were approved and signed by the Chairman.
APM 1903 – Chairman’s report
The Chairman circulated his report. There were no comments. No issues were raised.
2019 Report
Administrative matters
- At the Parish Council meeting on 10 May 2018 Cllr Birchall was elected as Chairman for the coming year and Cllr Spurrier was elected as Vice-Chairman.
- During the year Stewart Wrigglesworth was co-opted on to the Council to fill a vacancy.
- Most recently elections have been held to form parish councils for the four year period 2019 – 2023. Cllr Birchall, Cllr Spurrier, Cllr Heard and Cllr Wrigglesworth offered themselves for re-election and have been returned unopposed. Cllr Kent has decided not to stand again, and we will miss his contribution to the work of the Council. The resulting vacancy may be filled by co-option.
- Elections have also been held for our district councillors, who regularly attend our meetings. Cllr Mackay and Cllr Sweeting have been re-elected but Cllr Metcalfe did not stand again. Our thanks our due to him for his extensive contribution to the work of the Council over many years. The new member is Cllr Andrew Lee.
- The Council has redrafted its Standing Orders and incorporated GDPR (data-protection) requirements. This was a major undertaking in which Cllr Kent took the lead.
Funding
- The Parish Council resolved to collect a precept of £9000 (in two instalments) in 2019/20 requiring an increase of 4 pence per week in Council Tax for a Band D property.
- The Council has also been notified that it now has access to £491.25 of CIL Funding (the Community Infrastructure Levy now applied to planning applications).
Activities and achievements
- The Parish Council commented upon 13 planning applications. One in particular, for the reopening and landscaping of Old London Road Quarry which would lead to up to 50 return HGV movements daily along the Old London Road bridleway for six years, caused many objections from residents and from the Council. That application, originally submitted last year, is still pending in the North Yorkshire Country Council planning system.
- Planning applications must take into account the requirements of the Village Design Statement, which is being emphasised and will be reviewed in 2019/20.
- Concern has been expressed about a continuing lack of affordable housing in the parish. To start a possible initiative the Rural Housing Enabler has been asked to arrange a survey to establish the current extent of the local need.
- Proper lighting has been ensured in the footpath underpass beneath the A64 and the gullies have been cleared to prevent flooding.
- The Council has ensured the safety of the various benches around the parish, most recently replacing the woodwork of the one at the corner of Mill Lane and Weedling Gate.
- The Parish Council takes responsibility for cutting grass verges near the village, a significant item of annual expenditure.
- The Council is also responsible for ensuring that the grit bins are kept full during the winter months.
- The Parish Council is continuing to support the work of the Village Hall Committee and has provided funds for an additional storage facility, contributed towards the costs of community events, and agreed to fund the installation of a telephone line and a new notice board.
- The Council has also supported the work of the Stutton Social Committee by contributing towards the summer fete and the firework display.
- Exciting rare wild flowers are growing on local verges near Jackdaw Crag Quarry and a management plan is in place. An information board has been erected at the site and action has been taken to prevent the cutting of these verges at critical times. Thanks are due to Pauline Hogg for her commitment to this project over several years.
- The Parish Council is concerned about speeding in the village and other parts of the Parish and is pursuing the ’20’s Plenty’ speed reduction initiative.
- There is concern about speeding on Garnett Lane but as yet it has not proved possible to get any action from the Highways Authority concerning their suggestion of introducing a 40 mph speed limit.
- Representations have again been made to North Yorkshire about the infrequency of buses through Stutton village. Whilst there has been a marginal improvement there remains the frustration of the Tadcaster-Sherburn 493 service being routed along the A162 rather than through the village.
- Dog fouling continues to be an issue and the Council has installed five new bins.
- Ownership of the red phone box has been transferred to the Council and we are grateful to the local volunteers who have transformed its appearance. Villagers have been invited to suggest uses for the box and in the first instance instance a notice board is to be installed.
- Pads have been replaced in the defibrillator outside the Village Hall to ensure its continuing efficiency.
- Correspondence has been sent by the Parish Council to Samual Smith’s Brewery expressing concern about the extended closure of the Hare and Hounds, a focal point for the Parish, and the chaining-off of the car park.
- The Parish Council Website is being kept up to date and provides a useful information point for residents about Parish Council and other Parish services.
APM 1904 – Matters of interest from the public
There were no additional matters raised
Close: The meeting closed at 19.29