Minutes of the Meeting of Stutton cum Hazlewood Parish Council held on 11th July 2019 at 19:30 in the Stutton Village Hall.
Clerk: Mrs G Kitchen.
Email: clerkstuttonpc@gmail.com Tel: 07796 544404
Meetings are open to the press and public except for any item labelled as Part 2 under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.
Press and public may not speak when the council is in session.
Present: Cllr D Birchall (Chairman), Cllr C Heard, Cllr S Wrigglesworth, Cllr K Grayson, Cllr A Lee, Ms Ruth Hardingham (SDC), Mr M Grainger (Head of planning SDC), Cllr D Mackay, Cllr R Sweeting
Clerk/RFO: Mrs G Kitchen
1 Member of the Public.
Agenda items
190701. Welcome
Chairman welcomed councillors and visitors to the meeting; reminded visitors when comments may be made and that the public must not interrupt whilst the meeting is in progress.
190702. Declarations of interest
To receive and record any declarations of personal, prejudicial and disclosable pecuniary interests. Councillors with any prejudicial interests must leave the room for the relevant item(s) – none declared.
190703. Public Forum
To receive comments on agenda items and matters of community interest from electors present. For information only; clerk to note comments; no discussion between councillors and electors – no comments made.
190704. Apologies
To receive councillors’ apologies and reasons for absence; to resolve whether or not to accept the reasons – Apologies from Cllr Spurrier and the council resolved to accept these apologies.
190705. Minutes of previous meeting
Councillors to discuss and resolve whether or not to accept the 9 May minutes as an accurate record of the meeting. Chairman to sign the minutes if accepted – resolved and accepted.
190706. To receive reports from:
- Chairman – activities since the previous meeting . All points were raised in separate minuted items
- NY County Councillor – Reported that Brant Lane has been accepted as a bridle way. Footpath under the underpass has been reported and will be cleaned in the next few weeks.
- SD Councillor – Missing street sign for Fanny Lane has been reported.
- Any other representatives – Police, CEF etc. none present.
- Progress reports – to give updates on on-going projects – see action points below.
190707. RFO’s Report on current balances and payments
a) Current balances (to be dealt with at the meeting) as at 24/05/19 –
Current account £9479.95
Investment account £10019.41 (£5.00 interest paid)
CIL £491.25
b) Payments made since last meeting
None.
c) Payments made at this meeting:
- G. Kitchen July Salary £193.37 cheque no.000916
- C Phillipson (internal audit fee) £85.20 cheque no.000915.
d) Internal Audit update from clerk. The clerk reported that the internal audit had been carried out and signed off. The Chairman signed the audit documents.
e) Any other invoices received since agenda preparation
None.
f) Council resolved to accept report and payments; chairman initialed bank sheets & invoices.
190708. Planning
Applications received: Council to discuss and resolve comments on any applications received.
None.
Decisions – 2019/0342/HPA Placement of wrought iron gates and erection of sandstone wall to a lower height than current hedge at 17 Weedling Gate – Granted.
Discussion of planning issues with head of planning. Standing orders were suspended at this point for the remainder of item 190708 to allow a full discussion.
Mr Grainger and Ms Hardingham explained their roles. They welcomed the invitation to the meeting and assured the council that any issues raised would be taken seriously.
The Chairman began the discussion by explaining several issues and illustrating these with examples.
Administration – the council meet monthly and often planning applications are received after the monthly meeting, with problems meeting the deadline for observations. The Chairman queried why the applications couldn’t be sent electronically. Also pointed out that occasionally the planning applications received are not for the appropriate parish. Cllr Sweeting pointed out that if the planning department noted when the parish council meetings took place, then the timing of the applications could be improved.
Extensions – discussion as to the incident when an extension was requested but then appeared to be ignored. the case in question being 10 Woodlands Avenue.
Village Design Statement – the Chairman requested clarification of the status. Mr Grainger confirmed that it forms a material issue when considering an application. The Chairman cited the application for a temporary building which the council considered to be not in keeping with the village design statement. The Chairman also discussed the case of the application for a new wall by a resident; the council had strongly objected to the original application and a revised application was received one day and approved the following day. Concerns were raised by the council that this recent decision may well set a precedent regarding the construction of walls in that area of the village.
Concerns were raised that many decisions are not made at committee level with a feeling that some are simply rubber-stamped. Mr Grainger assured the council that decisions are considered fully and not lightly. The decisions/comments from Highways are not always considered to be valid.
Consistency of decisions – a MOP had applied to construct a building in 2016, this was supported by the Parish Council but was refused by SDC on the basis of sustainability. This was followed by an application for a different property which was granted. The council were concerned regarding the consistency of decision making.
Enforcement – In September 2018 builders were allowed to progress before planning permission was granted. Mr Grainger mentioned the 300 backlog of cases. Also regarding the Owl House and the TPO, a driveway was constructed when a condition of planning approval was that no impermeable surface should have been laid within 10 metres of the tree. An enforcement officer visited but could not see where the problem was. The feeling was that the officer had examined the wrong tree. Cllr Sweeting pointed out that if planning officers weren’t sure then parish and district councillors were available to provide local knowledge.
Comments from the MOP that the correct plans and paperwork are not always submitted i.e. in one case a property had already been extended but this was not reflected in the planning application. Mr Grainger confirmed that the correct paperwork should be submitted by the applicant. The MOP also raised concerns regarding non-response to a query regarding a soakaway. Mr Grainger had thought that responses had been sent but would investigate further. Cllr Sweeting recommended that MOPs use district and county councillors as a source of information and expertise on the local area.
Highways – Cllr Sweeting raised concerns regarding parking in the village.
Action clerk to send copies of minutes to Mr Grainger and Ms Hardingham. Resolved to await responses from the planning office to the points raised.
190709. Update on action points from last meeting
Clerk:
- wildflowers -a MOP of the public had reported the protected verges as being cut. This has been dealt with by the Police and the perpetrator warned of the potential repercussions.
- underpass – ongoing.
- asset register – revised version agreed.
- review of policies and procedures – the council resolved to agree the financial regulations, the code of conduct and the complaints procedure for a further year.
- risk assessment – Bank statements are checked regularly. Budget to be discussed every six months. PAYE is administered via Autela Payroll. Action Cllr Birchall to post to the website.
- Christmas tree – awaiting a response from Millford Plants.
- budget – resolved to agree and accept the revised budget.
- litter bins – awaiting price.
- grit bins – awaiting confirmation from Highways.
- mail collections – awaiting response from Royal Mail.
Councillors:
- telephone box – no further action reported.
- Parish notice board – awaiting action on telephone box.
- bus services – The Chairman has still not received a response from Mary Welch. Cllr Mackay reported on the recent changes. There is a possiblity of a trial period which would need advertising locally. Action Cllr Mackay.
- Brant Lane; signage – see Cllr Mackay’s report under item 190706.
190710. Correspondence received.
email of 18 June re. Public Sector Bodies (Websites and mobile applications) (no2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 Action is needed by October 2020. Cllr Heard has looked at the checklist. Action clerk to contact YLCA to request advice on this matter.
Review of use of Village Hall as a polling station – concerns raised regarding disabled access. Cllr Wrigglesworth is responding and Cllr Lee offered his support.
190711. Affordable Housing
Awaiting further action.
190712. Action taken since the last meeting under the clerk’s delegated powers
See action points listed above.
190713. Village Hall
Report: From Cllr Heard re village Hall matters New tables and chairs are on order. A donation of £1000 has been made from the Social Committee following the village fete. Charity status is ongoing. Awaiting authorisation to install a disabled ramp.
190714. Councillors’ Forum
a}To take any urgent points of community interest and/or concern from councillors. A MOP had reported to the meeting concerns regarding overgrown hedges on Mill Lane. This is in Grimston Parish. Action clerk to write to Grimston Parish Council.
b) Items for the next agenda
To take any points from councillors for inclusion on the next agenda.
A report was relieved from Cllr Spurrier regarding the village fete.
190715. Further comments from the public
To receive any further comments on the meeting from electors present. None made.
190716. Date, time and place of next meeting
Council to agree date, time and place of next meeting – 5/9/19.
190717. Closure of Part 1 of the council meeting at 21.13.
Part 2
Members of the public and press are excluded from this part of the meeting.
No part 2 items.
Signed. Gill Kitchen clerk to Stutton cum Hazlewood Parish Council 17/07/2019