MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 27.9.06

PRESENT: Cllrs J Archer (Chair), V Elrington, R Pink, E Hutchinson, J Outhwaite, Dist Cllr J Gill, Cty Cllr Michael Heseltine, Moira Scott (Clerk)

1. Apologies
There were no apologies for absence.

2. Minutes of Last Meeting
The Minutes of the last Meeting were agreed and signed by Cllr Archer.

3. Matters Arising
3.1 The clerk had not yet received a copy of the letter from Revd Hawarth regarding the cost of consecrating the new burial ground.
3.2 Cllr Stansfield had spoken to RDC regarding the compost bins for the allotments and was hopeful that they would be received soon.
3.3 Beverley Booth from Planning at RDC had been asked about hedging height restrictions at 5 High Row, She said that in the first instance any issues regarding hedging should be put in writing by the complainant to the person whose hedging it was. If the issue could not be satisfactorily resolved, the complainant could then write to RDC for assistance.
3.4 A retrospective planning application had been received from Balfour Beatty regarding the works unit at the top of Moor Road. Objections had been put in writing to Beverley Booth.
3.5 The Planning Department at RDC had looked at the new access at 50 Moor Road and confirmed that this would need planning permission. They would be writing to the owners regarding this.
3.6 Cllr Archer has spoken to Everards Nurseries about the soil heap in the church and they will look at it to see what can be done. Cllr Archer said it was important the same thing didn’t happen with the new burial ground when it was used.
3.7 Clerk had spoken to the dog warden regarding the “no dog fouling signs”. RDC are now reluctant to replace the signs on lampposts etc and will only erect signs in public areas such as the village green, play areas etc. He did leave some stick-on signs, but said it was up to the individual to put them up however they could.
3.8 The play area in Glebe Court now has a new gate. The litter bin was now unlocked and Mr Bottle has agreed to put a bin liner in the bin each time. Parish Council to provide bin liners.
3.9 The manhole near the chapel has still not been repaired.
3.10 Clerk had received an e-mail from P Tweddle at RDC saying that he would arrange for the hedge on the corner of Moor Road/St James Close to be cut back asap.
3.11 Macplant had now cut the grass verge opposite Whartons Farm.
3.12 The spoil heaps at Harelands have now been removed.

4. Planning
4.1 An appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment had been made by the Methodist Circuit regarding planning to convert the chapel into housing. Parish Council will be informed in due course of the outcome.
4.2 Planning has been granted for the erection of a single storey rear extension at Low Merrybent.
4.3 Planning has been granted for the replacement windows to the kitchen and bathroom at 46 High Row.
4.4 Planning has been refused for the erection of an extension and vehicular access at 5 High Row
4.5 Planning has been granted for the addition of a utility room and garage/stable at the Caravan, Moor Road.
4.6 Planning has been granted for the replacement of a single storey extension at Meadow View.
4.7 Planning has been granted for the erection of an extension for a swimming pool at Langdale Hall.
4.8 Planning has been granted for the erection of stables/feedstores and horse walker on land to the north of East Lane.
4.9 Balfour Beatty have put in a retrospective planning application for the works unit at the top of Moor Road.

5. Chapel Site
The Methodist circuit has appealed to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

6. Finance
The c/a stands at £4,705.82, No 1 a/c at £735.69 and No 2 a/c at £1,329.12.
In the last financial year a grant was received for a burial seat. Cllr Pink to look at designs and prices.

7. Play Areas
Clerk had written to G Hudson enclosing a copy of Cllr Hutchinson’s original plan of the area of football field that the PC wanted to lease from RDC. G Hudson replied by asking the PC to mark the measurement on a further plan. Cllrs Pink and Stansfield said that at a meeting on 7 April, G Hudson had in fact taken measurements and marked the area out on the grass. Clerk to write to him asking him to use those measurements.


8. New Refuse Scheme
Several Councillors had been to see the roadshow van when it was parked in Melsonby. The information packs and wheelie bins should be arriving soon. Recyclable rubbish will be collected one week and non recyclable the next week. Any elderly or infirm residents can contact RDC and get assistance with putting their rubbish out. Anybody who has to bring their rubbish through their houses will be allocated purple rubbish bags to put out on the correct week. The consensus was that there will be some teething problems and there were concerns about the Christmas period. Cllr Stansfield said that RDC would make separate arrangements for this period.

9. Clerk’s Report
9.1 Clerk had received information that the scheduled District and Parish Council Election will be held on 3 May 2007. Further information will follow. The cost will be around £800, RDC will pay half. The Parish Council should bear this in mind when setting next year’s precept.
9.2 Cllr Stansfield had noticed that the listed wall in East Road had been nudged by a wide load that came through the village recently. This had loosened the coping stone. Clerk to contact Highways about repairing the wall.
9.3 Peter Penny from Public Footpaths at NYCC has been in contact about re routing the public footpath in the vicinity of the Church and graveyard. He is interested in meeting with the PC to discuss this further. Clerk to arrange appointment.
9.4 The closure of Moor Road from 23 October for approximately two weeks was discussed. Clerk to circulate the notice that was sent by Cllr Gill.
9.5 An e-mail had been received from the Minerals Officer and NYCC regarding the proposed borrow pit. He has assured the PC that the land will be properly restored and maintained when the works have been completed.
9.6 The Produce show had been held in the canteen, but no hire forms had been completed. Clerk asked if the PC would be willing to pay for the hire of the canteen as NYCC insisted that the correct paperwork was completed for any groups hiring school facilities anywhere in North Yorkshire. The Councillors agreed.
9.7 Clerk had received a letter from the Chairman of the Council’s Standards Committee asking Parish Councils to include declarations of interest on agendas. This will be included in the next agenda.


9.8 Correspondence was circulated as follows:
Letter about the North Yorkshire Times. This is a new publication. Any “what’s on” items can be sent to them for inclusion in this publication.
Letter from Cllr Michael Heseltine regarding a small grant that can be obtained for local projects. Clerk to obtain an application form and see if cleaning up of the beck can be applied for.
Letter about a workshop on Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to take place on 26 October.
Letter from NYCC about North Yorkshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework.

10 Any Other Business
10.1 Cllr Elrington mentioned that the sign for St James Close had disappeared. Clerk to ask RDC for replacement. Cllr Stansfield said there were no street signs for East or West Road.
10.2 Cllr Pink expressed concerns that when the shop is sold, it may be sold as housing so there will be no Post Office and nowhere for the villagers to buy provisions.
10.3 Cllr Hutchinson has concerns about the van parking on the footpath outside 50 Moor Road, causing an obstruction to the path and also blocking drivers views up and down Moor Road.
10.4 Cllr Stansfield said that First Responders have started their new training and she was hopeful of getting new members.
She informed the meeting that a burglar alarm had been going off for about 36 hours recently on Church Row. She had been impressed with the Environmental Unit’s handling of this situation. They had tried to contact the owners and when they had been unsuccessful had come out to disable the alarm. She would like a letter of thanks to be sent to RDC.
Cllr Stansfield had spoken with Mary Welsh who had informed her that a bus timetable would be put up near the bus shelter soon.
She informed the meeting that the Second Homes Discount had funded a learning centre at Gilling West and a physical exercise room at the Doctors surgery in Aldbrough. Both of these facilities could be used by residents of Melsonby.
She also asked if anyone knew of any new arrivals to the village to let her know so that she could issue them with a welcome pack.
10.5 Cllr Outhwaite commended Cllr Stansfield on her presentation for the forthcoming enquiry into the A1 upgrade. All of the councillors agreed that she had worked hard on her presentation and thanked her.
10.6 It was agreed that the Clerk would contact a landscape gardener and ask him for a quote for tidying up various trees etc that were encroaching onto footpaths and roads around the village.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.15pm.