Minutes of a Meeting of Great Ayton Parish Council
held on Tuesday 31st March 2009 at 7.00 pm
Present
Councillors Mrs F Greenwell, Vice Chairman, R Kirk, J Fletcher, Mrs J Imeson, D Conroy and G Readman. Mr H Atkinson, and Mrs A Thirkill and Mrs S Boyce from Esk Valley Railway Development Company also attended.
Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N Waters
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 3rd March 2009 were approved and signed.
Esk Valley Railway
Mrs Thirkill explained that the EVRDC hoped to improve the service for rail users, in particular to provide an early morning train from Whitby along the Esk Valley to Middlesbrough for commuters. They were also pressing for a later evening return train to Whitby. Ideally they would like to see a halt at James Cook University Hospital. The Parish Council said that it would support the EVRDC in its aims. The railway had been well used in the past but the station was quite a way out of the village. An improved car park at the station might encourage commuters to use the train.
Police Business
There were no police officers in attendance. Councillors had nothing to report
Cemetery, play area
Mr Atkinson had nothing to report on the cemetery., except to say that the new mower was excellent.
Play area hedge/paved area – Yatton House would discuss contributing to the cost of laying the hedge at the next meeting of the Board of Trustees; repairs to equipment – minute continued. Councillor Fletcher would remind the blacksmith regarding the provision of a spring for the gate as there had been incidents of dog fouling in the play area; dog waste bin – HDC would be reminded that they had promised to replace the dog waste bin which had been removed.
Mr Atkinson said that there had been no evidence of youths drinking in the play area. He believed the lower hedge discouraged them.
Dog fouling on Low Green was again a problem. The dog warden would be asked to attend. Notices would be put up on Low Green to remind dog owners of their responsibilities and possible consequences of not cleaning up after their dogs. There had been 3 prosecutions since the new dog warden had been in appointed.
Councillor Fletcher said that Messrs Atkinson and Suggitt had done an excellent tidying up job in the Riverside. He said that some of the village seats could do with a coat of paint, particularly the one at the bottom of Wheatlands. Mr Atkinson would attend to it. It was agreed that a length of dilapidated hedge be removed from Waterfall Park.
Allotments –Richard Collins would be asked to attend to the drain problem. Mr Greenwell would be asked to replace a broken tap. Mr Atkinson agreed to take on the job of Allotment Letting Manager following the resignation of Mr Bradshaw.
River
No report
Matters arising from the minutes
Village Hall – minute continued
Highways matters - railings Waterfall Terrace etc - minute continued.
Floodwater storage scheme – minute continued; a response from NWL re flooding in Roseberry Crescent indicated that the flooding was caused by incapacity in the public sewerage system. NWL would be asked what they intended to do about the water cascading off the field at the rear of Roseberry Crescent. Minute continued
Trees High Green – minute continued
Building opposite Hall Fields gate, Newton Road - minute continued
Speed matrix – request added to list. Parish Council would be informed when the equipment would be deployed. Minute continued
Beehive bins - minute continued
Accounts
Sam Turner & Sons Ltd (motor mower) 7472.04 W Eves & Co Ltd (petrol (direct debit)) 43.78 Farmway Ltd (rock salt) 59.89 Thompson’s Hardware (rock salt, keys, locks) 97.22 D I Holden (reimburse number plate for mower, accounts package) 89.64 P Suggitt (work at cemetery, stone bridge, Riverside) 540.00 Hambleton District Council (cemetery rates) 88.98 Teesside Insurance (additional premium for new mower) 7.85 M A Fletcher (plants and compost; keys for village hall) 29.96 Hambleton District Council (wheeled bin hire and collection) 349.60 D I Holden (reimburse phone bill) 31.28 H Atkinson (reimburse phone card) 10.00 Richard Collins (grave digging £160, work in play area £70) 230.00 Northumbrian Water (cemetery supply (direct debit)) 7.64 Phillip V Rotheram (work in play area £531.40, screws for cemetery
£25.52 repairs to beehive bins £191.24)748.16 Receipts Cemetery receipts 1425.00 Allotment deposits and rent 146.00
Correspondence
Religious Society of Friends – request for information re possible funding for works to tree. Would be advised to contact County Committee for Hambleton
YLCA – invitation to join. Declined
Mrs Blott – request for support for 30 mph limit in Station Road, and widening of footpath. Councillor Fletcher would speak to the Highways engineer regarding the speed limit. The Parish Council would ask Highways to restore the footpath to its proper width to accommodate wheelchairs and buggies
NYCC – re proposed stopping up of footway between The Hawthorns and Linden Grove. The Parish Council had been instrumental in proposing the closure. It supported NYCC in its effort to stop up the path
NYMNPA – Northern Area Parish Forum – request for agenda items for meeting 19.5.09
The following items of information were received:-
Jacobs UK Ltd – re road closures at Tree Bridge for surfacing works
NYMNPA – timetable and notice for Moorsbus network; North York Moors LDF Core Strategy and Development Policies Document – Adoption; agenda for meeting 16 .3.09; agenda for meeting 19.3.09
HDC – Stokesley Area Forum – meeting 23.3.09
Glasdon – brochure
CPRE – Fieldwork newsletter; Overview newsletter; House and Gardens handbook; Countryside Voice magazine
NYCC – County Committee for Hambleton agenda for meeting 23.3.09
External Environment – product review
Hambleton Strategic Partnership – free event Developing Rural Youth Activities – 24.3.09
Miss M Grainger – re rearrangement of WEA meetings
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council – re meeting for Odin’s Glow 18.3.09
Strreetscape – product information
HDC – re gifts and hospitality
HDC – re request for temporary road closure 26th April 2009 for St George’s Day Parade
Rural Services Community – weekly rural focus digest x 3
NYCC – NYPFOG meeting 3.4.09; news re pension fund
National Training Resources Ltd – European and UK funding events
Mike Newton – re new websites
Spinal Injuries Association – request for inclusion in Parish newsletter; poster
NYCC – Putting People First newsletter
Ian McWilliam – re road closure for St George’s Day Parade
Amanda Madden – Rural Housing Enabler – April newsletter
Commission for Rural Communities – Rural Advocate wants to hear voices of region’s uplands communities
HDC – re road closure for St George’s Day Parade
Camilla Govan – re market town awards
Local Government Employers – circular 227 annual update
NYCC Pension Fund – 2009 Employer Discretion Policy; 2009 Discretionary Compensation
NYCC – County Committee for Hambleton – agenda for meeting 6 .4.09
Planning applications
Application for advertisement consent to display 2 illuminated signs as amended – 117 High Street. Comment already sent to HDC after consultation with Councillors N Waters and J Fletcher
New shopfront and new refrigeration plant to rear of building – 117 High Street. Application for conservation area consent withdrawn
New shopfront and new refrigeration plant to rear of building – 117 High Street – No representations
Revised application for the construction of a dormer bungalow – 10 Roseberry Crescent. Councillor Mrs Greenwell declared a personal interest. No representations
Application for Listed Building Consent for the fitting of 2 handrails – 1 Richardson Hall. No representations
Application to carry out works to a tree the subject of TPO – Friends Meeting House. The Council would re-emphasise earlier comments that this tree, in this location, was very precious
Second floor extension to existing dwelling – 11 Cliffe Terrace. No representations
Single storey extension - 80 Roseberry Crescent. No representations
Plans approved
Installation of 2 roof lights and dormer extension 71 High Street
Application for listed building consent for alterations to existing attached garage, garden room and garden wall – Ayton Hall, Low Green
Proposed works to several trees – High Green
Construction of a detached domestic garage – 54 Linden Grove
Plans withdrawn
Conservation area consent for demolition for new shopfront and new refrigeration plant to rear of building – 117 High Street
Site visit Monday 31st March 2009 at 9.30 am
Construction of a dwelling and detached domestic garage at Ayton House East
New hearing appeal
Temporary siting of a caravan to be used as an agricultural worker’s dwelling – Bank Flow Farm
Cemetery fees
An increase of 2% was proposed. A revised scale of fees would be discussed at the next meeting.
Archiving of cemetery books, receipt and payment books, and minute books
The Clerk had been advised that some of the very old cemetery record books should be kept at the County Records Office. Enquiries would be made as to whether copies could be made. Mr Atkinson would be asked how often he was asked for permission to inspect the cemetery books. A secure storage container would be obtained for those books which were required to stay on site.
Allotments - resignation of Alan Bradshaw from position of Allotment Letting Manager
Mr Bradshaw had resigned from the position of Allotment Letting Manager because of the pressure of work. Mr Atkinson had agreed to take on the job.
Matters arising from Annual Public Meeting
There were no matters arising. The Parish Council was disappointed with the very poor turnout. It was suggested that more publicity might encourage more electors to attend.
Councillors Reports
Councillor Mrs Imeson had received a copy of a letter sent by Mr R Lappin, the previous press correspondent for Great Ayton, to the Darlington and Stockton Times. He had expressed dismay that Great Ayton was left out of the proper Hambleton edition and asked that this be rectified. Councillor Mrs Imeson said that she had raised this matter with the editor many times in the past. The Parish Council would write expressing its support for Mr Lappin’s request and point out that Great Ayton was in Hambleton District and did not care what happened in Stockton.
Councillor Kirk had received a letter from someone in Middlesbrough expressing concern that the public toilets in Great Ayton were to be closed. The Parish Council did not intend to make any representations until such time as Hambleton had made known its plans for the toilets.
Councillor Fletcher said that the roundabout at Tree Bridge had been completed and suggested that Highways be thanked. It was agreed that a letter be sent thanking Highways for at last providing safe access for residents, and asking if Highways could plant the roundabout with flowers. A time capsule was to be buried on the roundabout. Councillor Fletcher requested permission to purchase a Great Ayton Millennium Book to be put in it. This was agreed.
The date of the next meeting would be Tuesday 28th April 2009