Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Stutton cum Hazlewood Parish Council held on Thursday 6 May 2021 immediately following the Annual Parish Meeting at 1930 by Zoom video-conference.
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 P Spurrier (Vice-Chairman) Cllr C Heard, Cllr E Catt. Cllr E Collins,
No members of the public were present.
Clerk Mrs G Kitchen.
Agenda items
210501. Welcome
Chairman welcomed councillors to the meeting.
210502. Elections and Co-option
- Election of Chairman for the year 2020/21. Cllr Birchall was elected as Chairman following nomination by Cllr Spurrier and seconding by Cllr Catt. Cllr Birchall signed the declaration of office.
- Election of Vice-Chairman for the year 2020/21. Cllr Spurrier was elected as Vice-Chairman following nomination by Cllr Heard and seconding by Cllr Catt.
210503. Apologies
To receive councillors’ apologies and reasons for absence; to resolve whether or not to accept the reasons. No apologies received.
210504. Declarations of interest
To receive and record any declarations of personal, prejudicial and disclosable pecuniary interests. Councillors with any prejudicial interests must leave the meeting for the relevant item(s). None declared.
210505. Minutes of previous meeting
- Councillors to discuss and resolve whether or not to accept the 8 April minutes as an accurate record of the meeting.
- Council resolved to accept the minutes as a true record and Clerk to sign on behalf of Chairman.
210506. 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 members of the public were present.
210507. Administrative Matters
- To reconfirm the empowerment of the Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer after consultation with the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman to do anything expedient and necessary to ensure the continuous business of the Council, and to deal with mandatory undertakings in order to prevent the authority from incurring liability. Council resolved to empower the Clerk as outlined.
- Review of Standing Orders. Council reviewed and adopted the Standing Orders.
- Review of Financial Regulations. Council reviewed and adopted the Financial Regulations.
- Review of the Asset Register. Council resolved to accept the circulated document.
- Confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover. Confirmed with Zurich Insurance with cover due to be renewed in November.
- Review of subscriptions to other bodies. The council currently subscribes to the Yorkshire Local Councils Associations; the latest payment to YLCA was £410.
- Adoption of budget for 2021/22. This was circulated previously; Council resolved to accept and confirm the budget.
- Adoption of a new Code of Conduct. Council adopted the 2020 Model Code of Conduct prepared by the Local Government Association.
- Review of the Risk Assessment. Council reviewed, amended and adopted the Assessment.
- Review of the Grievance Policy. Council reviewed and adopted the Policy.
- Review of the Disciplinary Policy. Council reviewed and adopted the Policy.
- Calendar of meetings for the year 2021/22. Normal meetings will be held on Thursdays 8 July, 2 September, 14 October, 11 November, 9 December, 13 January, 10 February, 10 March, 14 April, 12 May.
210508. RFO’s Report on current balances and payments
a) Current balances (to be dealt with at the meeting) as at 27 April 2021:
Current account £ 10430.61
Investment account £ 10038.20
CIL balance £325.60
b) Payments made since last meeting
G Kitchen April salary £204.25 cheque no. 000989
c) Payments to be made at this meeting
None.
d) Any other invoices received since agenda preparation
None.
e) Council to resolve whether or not to accept report and payments; RFO to initial bank sheets & invoices on behalf of the Chairman.
210509. RFO’s Report on the Governance and Accounting Statements 2020/21
a) To consider and resolve approval of the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21. Deferred to the next meeting as awaiting completion of the internal audit.
b) To consider and resolve approval of the Accounting Statements 2020/21. Deferred to the next meeting as awaiting completion of the internal audit.
c) To discuss and resolve application for exemption from external audit. As a parish council with an income and expenditure under £25,000 Council resolved to apply for exemption and for the Chairman to sign the application.
210510. To receive reports from:
- County and District Councillors.
- Any other representatives – Police, CEF etc.
None present.
210511. Planning
Applications received: Council to discuss and resolve comments on any applications received.
2021/0386/HPA – Demolish existing conservatory and replace with single storey extension (amendments to previously approved planning application 2019/0505/HPA) at Wingate Hill Farm, Wingate Hill, Stutton,. Tadcaster, LS24 9NF.
Resolved that no objections be raised provided that the materials used are in keeping with the surroundings.
Applications considered electronically since the last meeting:
2020/1340/HPA – Reconsultation re Demolition of conservatory and replacement single storey rear and 2 storey side extension with repositioning of garage with new front wall and gate detail at Cherry Tree Cottage, Church Lane, Stutton, Tadcaster, NLS24 9BH. Resolved that:
- This is a major development of the property and we would ask that full consideration be given to minimising any environmental impact. E.g, eco-friendly insulation, solar panels etc.
- The reduction of the garden area could have consequences by water run-off across Church Lane and proper drainage mitigation should be incorporated.
- The specification of materials to be used in the construction is vague, and the materials used must comply with the Village Design Statement. In particular the existing random stone should be used for the construction rather than the regular blocks suggested by the drawings, whilst the design and colour of the proposed gates should be specified and approved in advance.
Decisions:
None.
210512. Matters ongoing since the last meeting
- Underpass – awaiting an invoice from NPower and confirmation of the revised MPAN for the supply.
- Speed limits – Clerk to contact Darren Griffiths at Highways Northallerton concerning details of his offer to install speed monitoring equipment (minute 210106). Provisionally the intention would be to monitor speeds in September in the stretch of Weedling Gate between the speed limit signs and the Church Crescent junction and also along Garnet Lane by the Garnet Terrace cottages.
- Road Markings – concern was expressed at the hazards created by the continuing parking of vehicles in the passing places on Mill Lane. Clerk to contact Highways to ask for urgent action to correct the road marking of one passing place as a lay-by and also to request the installation of no-waiting signs on the south side of both passing places.
- Memorial Stone – awaiting advice from Mindful Memorials as to the most appropriate size for a plaque to cover the faded wording. Clerk to pursue.
- Website (accessibility regulations) – Cllr Heard authorised to add to the website a statement re accessibility he has been preparing. Cllr Heard is also investigating possible suppliers for an upgraded website.
- Telephone box – the shelving installed by Cllr Spurrier and Chris Cully is being much appreciated and villagers are making use of the library. It was suggested that a sheet of perspex behind the shelves might prevent damp affecting the books and that a notice board to the right of the shelving would be useful. Cllr Spurrier to pursue these suggestions.
- Parish notice board – Cllr Spurrier offered to pursue an upgrade of the old notice board in the Village Hall grounds.
- Rural housing – Cllr Heard has received an approach from SDC’s Rural Housing Enabler and will take this forward.
- Clerk’s IT equipment – awaiting quotations.
210513. Correspondence received
- MOP – re graffiti on the Moor Lane information board. The graffiti had been quickly cleaned off and appreciation was expressed of the actions of the unknown person concerned.
- YLCA – future of remote meetings. The recent facility to hold remote meetings has been very useful and has worked well, and the option to hold some meetings that way in the future would be appreciated. It can enable members of the public to attend more easily, although this has not attracted their attendance in Stutton. Clerk to convey these views to YLCA.
- YLCA – availability of rural broadband. Noted. The Council is not aware of any really serious availability problems in Stutton cum Hazlewood.
210514. Village Hall
Report from Cllr Heard re Village Hall matters. Polling was taking place in the Hall at the time of this meeting. The kitchen has been completed and wifi problems resolved. The Committee is to meet soon and it is hoped to arrange the annual meeting and that the Hall may reopen on 21st June. Cllr Heard to advise of new requirements in the light of coronavirus.
210515. Councillors’ Forum
a}To take any urgent points of community interest and/or concern from Councillors. No decisions may be taken at this meeting on any items raised here. Clerk to make notes for future reference.
b) Items for the next agenda. To take any points from Councillors for inclusion on the next agenda.
- The Annual Parish Meeting referred to the Parish Council a report that potatoes were being planted in the field to the south of Fanny Lane. In the past the run-off following heavy rain had resulted in serious flooding in the village. Clerk to contact the farmer (Mr Sykes) to check on precautions to ensure the problem did not recur.
- A MOP has reported a blocked culvert near the new bungalows on Weedling Gate causing flooding of the field to the north of Weedling Gate. Cllr Spurrier to investigate.
- A MOP has reported caravans being occupied on Green Lane near Green Hedges. Cllr Spurrier to investigate.
- A MOP has reported the installation of a new septic tank at Green Hedges on Green Lane. Clerk to check with SDC whether this has the necessary planning consent.
210516. Further comments from the public
To receive any further comments on the meeting from electors present. None present.
210517. Date, time and place of next meeting
Council to agree date, time and place of next meeting. Thursday 8 July at 1930 in the Village Hall.
210518. Closure of Part 1 of the Council meeting
The meeting closed at 2107.
Part 2
Members of the public and press are excluded from this part of the meeting.
No Part 2 items.