Minutes of a Meeting of Great Ayton Parish Council
held on Tuesday 3rd February 2009 at 7.00 pm
Present
Councillors N Waters, Chairman J Fletcher, Mrs J Imeson, Mrs F Greenwell, D Conroy, G Readman and R Kirk. Inspector J Richardson, PC G Jones, Mr H Atkinson, and 16 members of the public also attended.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 6th January 2009 were approved and signed.
Police Business
The sixteen members of the public from Central Way, Guisborough Road and Langbaurgh Close had attended to hear Inspector Richardson explain what was being done by the police to deal with the problem of antisocial youth behaviour near their homes. Insp Richardson said that the problem could not be solved by moving the youths from one location to another. 4youth had a project to engage them in activities. A positive outcome would require the backing of all agencies. In the previous 6 months 157 arrests had been made which included 39 from Great Ayton. There had been 5 arrests of local youths in the past week for public order behaviour. Examples of punishments included 168 fixed penalties and the removal from the road of 2 cars with no road fund licence. The good news was that crime in Great Ayton had fallen further than in any other area in Hambleton. There had been a 34% reduction in all categories.
Councillor Waters thanked everyone for attending.
Cemetery and Play Area
Play area hedge/paved area – it was suggested that Yatton House hedge be layed to match that of the play area. This was agreed. Councillor Mrs Greenwell said that the cut was cleaned by the street cleaners weekly. Mr Atkinson said that they had been once and never been back. Councillor Mrs Greenwell would raise the matter with HDC again. Repairs to equipment – minute continued. It was agreed that the gate be left unlocked as the youths got in anyway. The blacksmith would be asked to put a spring on the gate to make it self-closing
Cemetery – Mr Atkinson said that the doors on his shed had been replaced. There had been a large number of funerals. The new mower had been ordered and would be delivered in time for the growing season.
Councillor Fletcher said that there was work to be done in the Riverside and he would like Mr Atkinson and Mr Suggitt to spend half a day tidying up. This was agreed.
River
Nothing to report
Matters arising from the minutes
Village Hall - Councillor Kirk reported that the floor in the toilets was unsafe and required urgent repair. An estimate had been sought. Councillor Mrs Imeson asked who had received the rental for the jumble sale which had been held in the hall. She was advised that Drama received rental payments. It was agreed that management of the hall would need to be reviewed once all the alterations and repairs had been carried out. Felling of the sycamore saplings growing out of the bank at the rear of the hall was approved.
Highways matters - railings Waterfall Terrace – Probation Service confirmed that the work was on the schedule for the spring
Library seats – Mr Barker would undertake the construction of new seats. Minute concluded
Floodwater storage scheme - Councillors had read the report from the Environment Agency. They thought that that even a 10mm reduction in water level at Hollygarth could be significant for the households involved. A meeting with the Environment Agency would be requested
Trees High Green – minute continued
Link to Parish Council website – Mr M Newton – further email had been received from Mr Newton. The Council said that although it thought Mr Newton’s website was very good, it was still of the opinion that the linking of the Parish Council website to what was a commercial tool for Mr Newton’s photo sales site was inappropriate. Minute concluded
Building opposite Hall Fields gate, Newton Road – HDC had responded that they had inspected the building but were unable to serve Section 215 Notice (Untidy Site) in this instance. They would continue to monitor the site. Councillors felt this was an inadequate response. Councillor Fletcher would photograph the building and HDC would be asked to revisit the matter.
Accounts
Stephen Johnson (reducing conifer hedge, cemetery) 1897.50 The Royal Oak (annual parish dinner) 377.97 M L Holden (reimburse gifts for xmas helpers £45.68, insurance
for Cem. Supt’smobile phone £19.99)65.67 Northumbrian Water (allotment supply (direct debit)) 127.94 Hambleton District Council (salaries Oct, Nov, Dec 2008) 7742.87 Farmway Ltd (rat poison) 41.86 Bilsdale Landscapes (hedgelaying work, work to tree) 842.40 D I Holden (reimburse phone bill) 46.73 The Royal Oak (underpayment of annual parish dinner bill) 25.90 Richard Collins (grave digging) 80.00 Jack Sheds (replacement doors for cemetery shed) 138.00 Receipts S Tanfield (grave reservation) 60.00 A Whittaker (grave reservation) 60.00 Yatton House (annual rent) 500.00 J Simpson (allotment rent 71 and 72) 44.00 D Bailey (garage rent) 10.00 J Imeson ( reimhurse annual parish dinner) 23.78 N Waters “ “ “ “ 47.56 M L Holden “ “ “ “ 47.56
Correspondence
Residents of Guisborough Road – re antisocial behaviour – see Police Business above
Esk Valley Railway – request for permission to attend PC meeting and speak about rail service. An invitation would be issued
Request for speed matrix for Stokesley Road. HDC would be asked to provide the speed matrix equipment for Stokesley Road and Guisborough Road
Rural Services Network – does Parish Council wish to remain a member; weekly digest. The Parish Council would continue as a member as no expense was incurred
Great Ayton Methodist Church Council – request for disabled parking bay. The request was refused, as on previous occasions, as it would require the loss of two parking spaces to provide one disabled bay. The Church would be advised to use a sandwich board to reserve parking when there were services at the Church
John Proud HDC re mess on High Green left by hunt on Boxing Day; waste bins Low Green. The Parish Council was unaware of any mess left by the hunt, other than horse dung which had already been washed into the ground. The Parish Council had ordered the repair of the beehive bins and was not minded to purchase new plastic bins. Enquiries would be made as to whether the repairs had been completed
Mrs L Adamski – re traffic dangers Guisborough Road. The matters raised in Mrs Adamski’s letter had all been dealt with on previous occasions. She would be advised that the speed matrix equipment had been requested for Guisborough Road
NYCC – invitation to training sessions re food waste. Received
SSAFA – request for details of newsletters or parish magazines. SSAFA would be advised to contact the editor of The Stream
HDC – Hambleton LDF: Proposed Submission Allocations Development Plan Document – invitation to make formal representations
Mr A Stokeld – re gritting Dikes Lane. The Clerk had contacted NYCC and been told that Dikes Lane was not on the priority list. Mr Stokeld and Mr Stevenson had been informed
Mr S Stevenson “ “ “
Leven Court Management Committee – letter re beech hedge. The Management Committee would deal with the hedge as a matter of goodwill. They said that the issue of responsibility for the hedge was unresolved and that the agreement to deal with the hedge did not amount to an acceptance that the hedge formed part of Leven Court’s boundary.
E McDonnell HDC – re bonfires at cemetery and allotments. The Cemetery Superintendent had only 4 bonfires a year and was careful to light them when the weather conditions were suitable. He did not burn any noxious materials. The allotment tenants would be reminded of their tenancy conditions.
The following items of information were received:-
NYCC – The County Committee for Hambleton agenda 19.1.09; NY Pension Fund – Drop in sessions, advice for employers on future contribution rates
Amanda Madden – NYRHE newsletter
Clerks and Councils Direct – magazine
NYCC Minerals and Waste Development Framework Minerals and Waste Core Strategies – update on current position
NYCC – SureStart – guide for activities for families with children under five
Wicksteed – play equipment brochure
NYMNPA – Planning Committee agenda 22.1.09; National Park Meetings for Farmers and Managers – poster; Planning Parish Training Event 4.3.09
Company Solutions (UK) Ltd – Middlesbrough Fundraising Courses
Rural Services Community – weekly digest
Planning applications
Application for Listed Building consent for the installation of 2 roof lights – 5 High Green. Application withdrawn
Construction of a detached domestic garage – 54 Linden Grove. No representations
Construction of single storey extension to rear of property – 41 Skottowe Crescent. No representations
Application for consent to fell 4 trees subject to DPO 1998/1 – The Friends School. No representations
Plans withdrawn
Application for Listed Building consent for the installation of 2 roof lights – 5 High Green
Plans approved
Proposed works to trees – 69A High Street
Plans refused
Application to vary condition number 7of planning consent 2/03/058/0975 – 1 and 2 The Barn, Langbaurgh Farm
Appeal dismissed
Consent to carry out works to protected trees – The Religious Society of Friends Burial Ground, Station Road
New hearing appeal
Temporary siting of a caravan to be used as an agricultural worker’s dwelling - Bank Flow Farm
Parish Council computer – upgrade to be considered
The Clerk expressed her intention to resign from her post after the September 2009 meeting. Ian Holden had prepared a proposal for upgrading the Parish Council computer so that data could be transferred to it in time for a new clerk to take over. The existing computer was no longer fit for purpose and had been fully depreciated. This was approved. The Clerk would prepare a job description and a model contract for the Council’s consideration.
Date for Annual Parish Meeting
It was decided that the meeting would be held on Wednesday 25th March 2009 at 7.00 pm in the village hall
Councillors Reports
Councillor Fletcher had received reports from a number of village traders saying that trade had been affected because of the closure of the B1292. Councillor Fletcher had enquired of NYCC whether the work was on schedule. He had been advised that it was, and was due for completion on 10th March 2009. Despite the letter in the press, neither he nor the Parish Council had received any complaint about traffic using Yarm Lane as an alternative route.
Councillor Readman had received complaints regarding a blue car being parked amongst the “no waiting” cones on Yarm Lane. He was advised that the police were aware. The driver held a disabled badge and as such was permitted to park there.
Councillor Waters said that there was a possibility of an Australian over 60s national cricket team coming to England. It was hoped that a fixture could be arranged at Great Ayton, with a link to the Captain Cook theme.
Councillor Kirk had received complaints regarding the difficulty of getting a wheelchair down Romany Road because of cars parked on the pavement. Councillors recognised the problem but were also aware that the road was very narrow posing difficulty for drivers. The Methodists would put polite notices on the cars asking the drivers to try and park with more consideration.
The date of the next meeting would be Tuesday 3rd March 2009