The Council Chamber, King Street

1/2016-2017

PATELEY BRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL

The Council Chamber, King Street

Pateley Bridge, HG3 5LE

Tel: 07751 571 374 Email:

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 17 MAY 2016.

Present:

Cllr S Lumley (Chairman)
Cllr M Holt (Deputy Chairman)
Cllr D Brackley
Cllr T Brown
Cllr J Critchley
Clerk: Mrs Sarah Adamson / Cllr S Hesselden
Cllr H Jefferson
Cllr J Leggett
Cllr C Skaife
Cllr I Skaife
In attendance: three Parishioners

1Election of Mayor and Chairman for the forthcoming Civic Year: Cllr Lumley had previously been nominated as Mayor and Chairman for the forthcoming year, and this was now proposed, seconded and agreed unanimously.

2Mayor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office: Cllr Lumley read out the Declaration of Acceptance of Office (attached to these Minutes), which he signed and dated, witnessed by the Clerk.

3Election of Deputy Mayor: Cllr Holt had previously been nominated as Deputy Mayor and had accepted the nomination. This was now proposed, seconded and agreed by all and he took the Chain of Office. The retiring Deputy Mayor, Cllr Hesselden resumed his seat in the body of the council.

The Mayor thanked the retiring Deputy Mayor, Cllr Hesselden, for all his support during the last Civic Year, and thanked Cllr Holt for agreeing to act as his Deputy during the year ahead. He congratulated all the councillors on their success in the election and welcomed the two new councillors; he had been very pleased that enough candidates had put themselves forward so that an election could take place, ensuring a democratically elected council. He also wished to express his thanks for their contributions during the previous four years, to Jonathan Wardman who had stepped down from the Council at the election and to Norma Scott who had stood unsuccessfully.

Cllr Leggett congratulated the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and said that they would make a formidable team.

4Declarations of Councillors 2016/17 and Register of Interests: the Declarations of Acceptance of Office were completed, for safekeeping by the Clerk. In the absence of Cllr Hawkesworth, it was resolved that he could sign his Declaration at the next meeting. The Registration of Financial and Other Interests forms were completed for onward transmission to the Monitoring Officer at HBC, to be published on the website by the 8 June 2016.

5To accept Apologies and reason for absence: Cllr C Hawkesworth

6Parishioners’ Representations: one of the Parishioners present brought to the attention of the Council the intention of the Ambulance Service to reduce the provision in Pateley Bridge; from Sunday to Thursday the Service would operate between the hours of 7.30 am and 5.30 pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays between the hours of 7.30 am and 1.30 am the following morning. The Clerk was asked to contact the Ambulance Service and ask for clarification.

7Councillors’ Declarations of Interest and Consideration of Dispensations: CllrJefferson declared an interest in Item 14(a)(ii) and Cllr Hesselden in Item 14(a)(v). There were no requests for Dispensations.

8Appointment of Council representatives and membership of sub-committees: the Chair went through the lists and consulted councillors on their preferences and suitability. A new committee to manage the Christmas Lights was formed: the Clerk to contact the Business Association to ask them for a nomination for their representative.

9To agree the dates of Committees/ Working Group meetings for the coming year: as usual, all council meetings would take place on the first and third Tuesdays of the month; the Mayor’s Ball would be held on Saturday 11 February 2017. The Clerk read through the suggested dates for committee meetings and said she would circulate the list, however the meeting of the Emergency Planning Committee would depend on CllrHawkesworth’s availability and whether he wished to continue as the Chair of this Committee, and on the representatives from Bewerley Parish Council who were still to be confirmed. A meeting of the new Christmas Lights Committee would be arranged as soon as a representative from the Business Association was confirmed.

10To confirm Standing Orders and Financial Regulations issued in November 2014: there were no changes to the SOs and the Financial Regulations, although it was suggested and agreed that SO No. 5 should be appended to the Financial Regulations. To lie on the table for formal adoption at the meeting on the 21 June 2016. The Clerk to email all Standing Orders to councillors in the meantime so that they had electronic copies.

11To confirm current Risk Assessment: the Clerk had updated the Risk Assessment, and it was proposed, seconded and agreed by all that that this should be accepted.

12Minutes of the Meeting held on the 03 May 2016: it was proposed, seconded and agreed by all that these were a true record of the proceedings, with one amendment: Cllr Holt had carried out the Play Area Inspections (Item 12 (a)), and the Minutes were signed by the Chair.

13Matters Arising

(a)Min 6(a)Meeting with Senior Engineer (Land Drainage) about situation on Old Church Lane: the Officer had not turned up to the meeting with the Clerk and CllrI Skaife arranged on the date suggested by him due to not having checked his emails and his childcare arrangements.

14Planning Matters

(a)Applications to Harrogate Borough Council

(i)DCPARISH 6.49.710.FUL 16/00546/FUL. Conversion of 2 dwellings to form one dwelling, extension to front porch, conversion of attic to form additional living accommodation, and removal of outbuilding porch and external steps, at 2 & 3 Blazefield Terrace, Blazefield, Harrogate HG3 5DW for Ms F Robson. No objections.

(ii)DCPARISH 6.49..571.C.FUL 16/01156/FUL. Erection of single storey rear extension at the Willow Restaurant, Park Road, Pateley Bridge HG3 5JS, for Mrs M Ninness. No objections.

(iii)DCPARISH 6.49.265.E.FUL 16/01843/FUL. Formation of replacement ramp, alterations to paving and installation of new railings and replacement lighting, at St Cuthbert’s Church, Pateley Bridge HG3 5LQ. No objections.

(iv)DCPARISH 6.49.498.B.FUL 16/01946/FUL. Alterations to existing roof including the erection of 1 dormer window, at Daleview, Blazefield Bank, Blazefield, Harrogate HG3 5DN, for Mr Wagstaff. No objections.

(v)DCPARISH 6.49.475.I.FUL 16/01305/FUL. Erection of machinery shed with associated landscaping at Springhill Farm, Fellbeck HG3 5EX for the DTMS Group. Although this had only just been received, the deadline for response fell before the next council meeting, and the Clerk was asked to request an extension to this, so that councillors could visit the site.

(b)Decisions by Harrogate Borough Council: none.

(c)Enforcement matters: none.

(d)Appeals: none.

15Financial Matters

(a)Accounts for Payment: the following were all approved for payment:

(i)Upper Nidderdale P C: annual contribution to Wath Play Area: £75

(ii)Ben Crosby Tree & Landscaping Services: felling and removal of dead tree in the Millennium Green: £125

(iii)Cllr I Skaife: expenses related to Civic Service refreshments: £160 [this amount was subsequently amended to £116.99].

(iv)Cllr Stanley Lumley: annual mayoral allowance for expenses: £350

(b)To agree signatories on the Bank Mandate for the coming term of the new Council. It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the three signatories on the Bank Mandate should remain i.e. the Clerk, Cllr Ian Skaife and Cllr Jefferson, for the term of the Council.

16Correspondence

(a)To receive an email from the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company enclosing the Sunday Nidderdale Rambler timetable and information about the new Saturday Dales Highwayman timetable following donations including from Ripley Parish Council and the Pateley Bridge Mayor’s Fund: noted including their request to publicise the service.

17Reports from Committees: none.

18Council Business

(a)To agree topics for June/July Newsletter: these were discussed and several agreed for drafting by the Clerk in time for the deadline of 20May.

(b)To agree HBC draft letter to local businesses about use of the recycling centre: following the dumping of 13 coal bags full of wine and cider bottles on the 8 May HBC had drafted a letter to send to businesses in the town. The distribution of this was discussed and it was agreed that it was the responsibility of HBC to send their letter to local businesses via their database, and the Clerk was asked to contact them; she was also asked to send a copy of the letter to Bewerley Parish Council as a courtesy.

(c)To discuss registration of the Common Land and Village Green at the Land Registry and to appoint a solicitor to do so: following outline advice from three solicitors, the Clerk said she would prefer to consult Berwins in Harrogate and it was agreed that she could do so in respect of the Blue Plan Common Land and the Glasshouses Village Green. The Glasshouses Play Area already had a title deed registered at the Land Registry.

(d)To review the lease of the council-owned garage in Glasshouses: to be discussed by the Finance Working Group and then return to the Agenda.

(e)Civic Service – update from the Clerk: the Clerk reported that arrangements were all made and costs within the reduced budget.

19Exchange of Information

(a)Cllr Holt asked that the purchase of the defibrillator for Glasshouses should return to the Agenda at the next meeting.

(b)Cllr Jefferson said she had something to bring to the Council which she would like to discuss in committee. It was therefore proposed, seconded and agreed by all that it would be discussed in committee at the end of the meeting.

(c)Cllr C Skaife said that she would like to see an updated spreadsheet for Commuted Sums – the Clerk to follow up.

(d)Cllr Leggett asked for keys to be cut for the new councillors and explained to them how they could access meeting papers.

(e)Cllr Leggett said that he and Cllr Holt would be attending the next meeting of the YLCA Harrogate branch meeting and as the Leader of HBC would also be there to answer questions, he suggested two topics to submit, which were both agreed: Cllr Cooper’s views on why only eight of the 79 parishes in the Borough had received sufficient nominations to warrant an election; and why, when North Yorkshire were responsible for maintaining street lighting, it was necessary to report some faults directly to NYCC and others to HBC?

(f)Cllr Lumley highlighted the HBC Small Grants Scheme which was again awarding grants of up to £3,000; the Clerk to circulate and publicise. It was suggested that St Cuthbert’s might be eligible.

20Parishioners’ Representations: a Parishioner asked three questions relating to the evening’s discussions:

(a)As discussed in Item 8, what was the Safer Neighbourhoods Committee and why didn’t it have any teeth, as had been opined? Cllr Holt explained that it was a national organisation with local branches, comprising representatives from the Police, the Fire Service, Youth Services, Neighbourhood Watch, and parish councils; it was an information sharing meeting, but was not well attended, possibly because Nidderdale was a relatively low-crime area, hence the lack of engagement. It was in fact a public meeting, open to all residents. The next meeting would be on Wednesday 1st June.

(b)Item 14 (c) – the Parishioner asked about Planning Enforcement and it was explained that was a means of planning control if permission had not been sought or complied with; the local council was part of the monitoring of development, reporting to HBC who were the planning authority for the Borough.

(c)The Parishioner had picked up that there was a problem with the neighbouring parish of Bewerley and wondered why this was. The Chair, who lives in Bewerley, explained that although the town spanned both parishes either side of the river, the Bewerley parish boundary was very ancient and that residents had great pride in their own council and their independence.

21Dates of next meetings

(a)The next meeting will be on Tues 07 June 2016

(b)The following meeting will be on Tues 21 June 2016.

The meeting closed at 8.55 pm and when the Parishioners had departed, the Council went into committee to discuss a confidential matter.