2021 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

SCOTTON PARISH COUNCIL

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD AT SCOTTON VILLAGE HALL NORTHORPE ROAD DN21 3RB THURSDAY 7th OCTOBER 2021 AT 6PM

Present: Councillors R. Walker (Chairman), S. Walker, P. Kulleseid, R. Littlewood and A. Ramsay

In attendance: Leticia Cooper (Clerk & RFO), and one member of the public.

The chairman opened the meeting with the public forum at 18:00. The parishioner raised concerns about speeding on Scotter Road.

Cllr. A. Ramsay arrived at 18:05.

• 71/10/21 Chairman’s welcoming remarks
  The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
• 72/10/21 To receive apologies and ratify reason for absence
  Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs. J & A Robinson
• 73/10/21 Disclosure of interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and consider any requests for dispensation
  There were none.
• 74/10/21 To receive and approve as Minutes the notes of the meeting on 2nd September 2021
  It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to accept the notes as a correct record and signed as Minutes.
• 75/10/21 Clerk’s Report
  Councillors were reminded to complete and return the ‘Acceptance of the Code of Conduct’ receipt form.
• 76/10/21 Finance matters
  a) It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to approve accounts for October 2021.

b) Balances against budget expenditure up to 21st September 2021 were noted. All invoices and the monthly reconciliation were available for scrutiny. The financial record and bank statement were duly signed.

• 77/10/21 Speed Indicator Sign (SID)
  a) The quote for the purchase and installation of the SID was received and discussed. It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to accept the quote for £2,608.00.
  b) Cllr. J. Robinson had negotiated a reduction of the original price of the SID from £2,995.00 to £2,608.00 resulting in a saving of £387.00 .  It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to allocate £2,348.00 from the precept carried over from 2020-21, in addition to the CIF grant of £260.00 to cover cost of purchase. There would be no need to draw on reserves.
• 78/10/21 Preliminary Budget Discussion
  A preliminary budget report was circulated prior to the meeting. The following were noted:- going forward organisations awarded grants should be required to report how funds had been spent for improved accountability.
  The clerk reported that the usual hours of four per week were generally exceeded.
  Councillors were asked to consider the issues discussed for next month’s meeting.
• 79/10/21 Village Maintenance
  a) Following discussion it was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to stop cutting the grassy bank in front of houses 17-23 on Westgate. This area of land owned by ACIS Housing had not been included in their maintenance schedule. Following a request from the Council ACIS had agreed to add it to their maintenance schedule going forward. Clerk will advise contractor to remove this section of village from cutting schedule.
  b) The discussion to send the grass cutting contract out to tender was deferred until next month to allow absent Councillors to take part in the decision.
  c) Worn and missing street signs had been reported to WLDC. The clerk noted it could be up to 6 weeks before work commenced.
  d) The chairman read a brief report from Cllr. J. Robinson with an update on the presence of Himalayan Balsam. Thanks were extended to Phil Marris and Andy Ramsay for clearing the plant from the river bank and on the roadside near their fields. Cllr. A. Ramsay indicated he would flail it again this year and Cllr. R. Littlewood would check for its presence on his property. It was noted that it had spread further upstream but could not be tackled without assistance from neighbouring landowners and parishes. Clerk to contact Northorpe and Scotter Parish Council’s to enquire if its presence was affecting their waterways.
• 80/10/21 To discuss the pond at Westfield housing development and approve action to address concerns
  Correspondence received from the company managing the pond at the estate was discussed. Following discussion, it was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to allow Cllr. R. Walker to send a general letter to all residents of the estate asking if they had concerns about current signage and access to the pond. Residents would be asked to contact the Council with any concerns and invited to attend the next meeting of the Council to raise them.
• 81/10/21 Update on Eastgate Development
  LCC had not yet responded to correspondence. Deferred to the next meeting.
• 82/10/21 Allotment
  a) Northorpe Parish Council had offered to trees to the parish. It was agreed to obtain further details of what species were available and the number on offer. Cllr. R. Walker to contact Northorpe PC for further information.
  b) Cllr. R. Walker opened the discussion on the proposal to create an orchard and or community garden. The following were considered; design and development, ongoing maintenance and monitoring and review of work. A design would be drawn up and submitted to the Council for further consideration. Cllr. R. Walker and Cllr. A. Ramsay would look over the design with thoughts towards siting of trees and/or benches and further maintenance of site following any proposed work. This would be reported back to the Council for discussion.
  There had been continued interest from residents wishing to purchase a tree for the proposed orchard. The quote obtained from ‘Apples and orchards’ for the purchase of native fruit trees was discussed. Residents could be offered the opportunity to purchase a tree for £20.50 (to include tree guard and stake) and request the Council to plant it on their behalf or be given the opportunity to plant it with support and guidance from the Council. It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to offer interested residents the opportunity to purchase a fruit tree for £20.50.
  c) Allotment rents had not been reviewed for a considerable period and would need to be professionally valued. Clerk to approach Estate agents with a view to arranging a valuation. The rent for 2021-22 would remain unchanged. Allotment holders would be given until the end of October to settle invoices.
  d) There were no other allotment matters raised.
• 83/10/21 Widen my path – Scotter Road
  There had been no response from County Cllr. C. Perraton-Williams. Deferred until the next meeting.
• 84/10/21 Re-organisation of Parish Information
  The clerk had picked up and securely stored the spare filing cabinet. It had been confirmed that the Eau Valley Singers were using the other filing cabinet at the village hall. The secretary would check what prior agreement had been made with the Council prior to July 2019.
• 85/10/21 Planning
  a) Application awaiting decision
  - 143606 – 44 Westgate Scotton DN21 3QY
  Application to add a first floor, two storey front extension and part single / part two storey rear extension, including balcony to rear.
  Comments sent to WLDC 27.09.21.
  b) Application received for comment
  - 143721 – Old Rectory Eastgate Scotton DN21 3QP
  Application for a two storey extension and new front boundary fence, gates and entrance arrangements.
  Following discussion it was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to send the following comments to WLDC:-
• There does not appear to be a report considering runoff surface water and how it would be adequately channelled either via soakaways or to the existing drainage system.
• The hedging and fencing should be in keeping with the characteristics of the village. It is not clear what type of fencing would be used and it would be helpful to see a visual of the proposals to ensure they are in keeping with sections 18 and 19 of the village’s Neighbourhood Plan. More specifically, policy 11 – Important Character Features section 18.1 and 18.2 seek to retain Scotton’s ‘informal nature’ to ‘help it to maintain a rural look and feel’.
• 86/10/21 Training
  Cllr. S. Walker would be attending the Councillor’s training day on 20th October 2021. Places were still available, and all Councillors were encouraged to attend. LALC also offer half day training over Zoom. Any interested Cllrs should contact the Clerk to book a place.

• 87/10/21 To approve Cllr. S. Walker’s request to represent the Parish Council at Village Hall meetings
  It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to allow Cllr. S. Walker to represent the Parish Council at Village Hall meetings.
• 88/10/21 To approve Council meeting dates 2022
  These were approved.
• 89/10/21 Banking
  a) Cllr. A. Robinson and the clerk had been added to the banking mandate.
  b) It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to allow the clerk access to  internet banking on the Council’s bank accounts.
• 90/10/21  Parish Councillor’s reports
  Cllr. Kulleseid mentioned there was a government scheme awarding funding for recreational sports in rural areas and suggested the Village Hall might be interested in this. Cllr. S. Walker would enquire at the next meeting of the Village Hall committee if they were aware of it.
  Cllr. R. Walker raised the suggestion that the Council could purchase a bench to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year. To be placed on the agenda for November’s meeting.
• 91/10/21 Date of the next meeting
  4th November 2021
• 92/10/21 Closed session
  It was voted upon and unanimously RESOLVED to move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 for the following items on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
  - The complaint had been investigated and discussed in private session to protect the complainant’s privacy.  The complainant had been invited to the meeting but did not attend. The complaint had been partially resolved with remaining concerns fully considered. Clerk to write to the complainant with the Council’s decision.

The meeting ended at 19:05.