KIRBY HILL & DISTRICT PARISH COUNCIL

(Incorporating: Kirby Hill, Milby,Thornton Bridge, Humberton and Ellenthorpe)

A meeting of the above Parish Council was held on 10 March 2009 in the Coronation Hall, Milby, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, due notice having been given. The meeting opened at 7.00 pm.

Present: Cllrs. Smailes(Chairman), Helliwell, Merson (from 7.30pm), Parr, Widdows, Wilkinson, DCllr Brown, PC Marie Scott and Martin Rae (Clerk)

1 Apologies: NYCCllr Watson,Cllrs Lister, McKenzie & Renfrew

2 Code of Conduct: Cllr Wilkinson expressed an interest in items 7b, 7c and 8b

3 Minutes of the Meeting held 12 January 2009 had been distributed and were

accepted as a true record, with one amandment to apologies for absence, and duly

signed.

District Councillor’s Report

DCllr Nick Brown was invited at this point by the Chairman to report as he would have to leave the meeting early.

Regarding agenda item 7b DCllr Brown reported on the current situation regarding the MSA application following his attendance at RAMS meeting the previous evening. He spoke of how fortunate the community was to have someone of Gareth Owens experience and stamina to fight this battle yet again. The council was very much in agreement on this point. He confirmed that he would be speaking at the planning committee meeting on 17 March, probably before Gareth Owens, but that he would not be going into the detailed arguments. He would concentrate on saying how there were sound planning grounds for refusal. He also urged as many as possible to attend the site visit on the morning of 17 March, which he hoped wold be a good humoured occasion aimed at influencing, not antagonising, the councillors on the Planning Committee.

The Parish Council unamimously agreed that Gareth Owens should speak on its behalf as well as that of the whole community when putting the RAMS case at the planning meeting, instead of the PC also having a representative speak.

Regarding item 5b. DCllr Brown stressed the importance of somebody from the Parish Council attending HBC’s Commuted Sums training session in Ripon on 30 April.

Regarding item 6a DCllr Brown reported on his attendance at the 2 March Tier 2 CAP meeting and the importance of the police Community Engagement Strategy and for local councils to support it. The clerk confirmed to Nick that the council normally had a representative at the CAP meetings.

On more general points DCllr Brown alerted councillors to the fact that HBC finances were extremely tight and would only get worse, with expenditure being heavily controlled. He also mentioned that he was fighting hard for the use of ‘Plain English’ in the Council Chamber to counter the stream of acronyms and jargon which seemed intended to baffle. The parish council fully supported his stance on this.

4 Finance

a. Balance stood at £2,870

b. VAT refund £109.77 received (covering period Dec 2006 – Dec 2008)

c. HBC Maintenance Grant £315 received (covering grass cutting 2008)

d. Rent of room to pay £8 – Bradley Studio

e. Beyond The Pews sponsorship – Cllr Helliwell proposed and Cllr Parr seconded that donation be given to sponsor one issue (£25). Agreed.

5 Correspondence

a. HBC Dept Community Services – Trees/Woodland Policy Questionnaire. It was agreed that the Clerk and Chairman should complete this [in fact they completed this after the meeting, helped by Cllr Widdows]

b. HBC Dept Resources – Commuted Sums Training 30 April. Cllrs Parr and Merson agreed to attend this. The Clerk would submit their applications. The Clerk would probably also apply. ACTION CLERK

c. HBC Dept Resources – Proposed change to electoral cycles. Cllrs had bo objection to the proposal that the cycle changes to every 4 years from 2011

d. HBC Dept Development Services – Notice of publication of LDF Core Strategy DPD. – This was available on HBC website and as hard copy for purchase at £15 or on view in BB public Library. It would inform planning decisions with immediate effect. The Site Allocations DPD had yet to be published.

e. NYCC Local Transport Plan - Notice of publication of Progress Delivery Report on the NYCC website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/ChttpHandler.ashx?id=3995&p=0

f. Old Sleningford Farm – Fruit Juicing project. Initially to cover area 5 mile radius of Ripon and 5 mile radius of West Tanfield but planned later to expand wider. Clerk to reply on behalf of council requesting further information at that time (ie when the project might be extending to cover areas around Kirby Hill) ACTION CLERK

6 Clerk’s and Councillors’ Reports/Meetings

a. Police Liaison. The Chairman welcomed PC Marie Scott to the meeting. Cllr Wilkinson had been unable to attend the meeting on 2 March. (See also DCllr Brown’s report above). He reported however on the excellent efforts by police to catch poachers and told PC Scott that this was much appreciated.

PC Scott asked councillors to consider what the policing priorities should be in the area. She said that the Farmwatch scheme was going well. On being asked about youth problems she indicated that these were currently very few and that youngsters in the area were generally a nice bunch at present.

PC Scott explained that she had recently joined the Broroughbridge Safer Neighbourhood Team from Knaresborough’s team and gave out cards with contact details:

telephone 0845 60 60 24 7(but always 999 in emergency)

Email saferboroughbridge@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

b. Joint Parish Council. The Clerk reported on the last meeting 5 March, which had been dominated by discussion of the Boroughbridge Leisure Centre problems following HBC’s decision to pull out of the management from 1 April

Next JPC meeting 18 June. Cllrs Smailes and Helliwell would be the KHPC representatives.

7 Ongoing Matters/Updates

a. Milby Lane Waste Site proposals. No further application yet received.

b. Kirby Hill MSA proposals SEE ABOVE – District Councillor’s Report

The clerk passed on thanks from Gareth Owens and the RAMS

c. Layby B6265 The clerk reported no further progress from NYCC regarding closure but said that he was dealing with HBC Cleansing Dept over getting some of the filth and rubbish generated by the overnight lorry parking removed. The member of the recently constituted Litter Picking Group who was allocated this stretch has found the excessive littering and its dubious nature too much to cope with. HBC claimed to have had a blitz on the layby but there is no evidence of this, apart from the removal of some fly tipping at the north end. The clerk agreed to send correspondence with HBC on this issue to Nick Brown. ACTION CLERK

d. NYCC £500 grant – Originally intended as a contribution to the Thornton Bridge signs this had not in the end been needed. NYCCllr John Watson had contacted the Clerk suggesting the parish council found another project for the money, so that the audit trails could be clarified. Cllr Merson proposed and Cllr Helliwell seconded that a new parish noticeboard be purchased for the Grantham Arms location. Agreed. Clerk to inform John Watson and obtain quotes. ACTION CLERK

e. Village Green The Chairman and Clerk had been to look at damage to the green in front of the former schoolmaster’s house. This was assusmed to be caused by the residents driving over the edge, ‘cutting the corner’ as they drove into their drive.

Cllr Merson proposed and Cllr Widdows seconded that the Clerk should write to the owners of the old schoolmaster’s house to let them know about the PC’s concern. The council agreed. ACTION CLERK

f. Village Green bench The chairman reported that he had made no further progress on the repair but that he was looking into the purchase of some keroin hardwood.

g. A168/B6265 Roundabout Cllr Merson proposed that the council write to NYCC Highways to request removal of the low post and rail fence. This was seconded by Cllr Wilkinson and agreed by the council. ACTION CLERK

8 PLANNING

a. 6.47.61.A.FUL 08/04144/FUL

Godbold - 5 Manor Drive Kirby Hill

Erection of 1 detached dwelling with new vehicle access.

GRANTED (separate Highways licence needed for access road)

c. 6.47.52.B.OUTMAJ 08/05860/OUTMAJ

Heather Ive Associates Outline Application for the erection of a Motorway

Services Area (MSA)

SEE ABOVE (District Councillor’s report and 7b)

The meeting ended at 8.25pm

NEXT MEETINGS:

“ 12 May 7.00pm* Bradley Studio Coronatio Hall

“ 14 July 7.00pm “

“ 15 Sept 7.00pm “

“ 10 Nov 7.00pm “

* including AGM and Annual Parish Meeting

SIGNED……………………………………………………DATE…………………………