Snape with Thorp Parish Council

Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 13 January 2022 at 6.30 pm in Snape Institute

Present: Councillors John Duck, Colin Hodges, Richard Poole, Liz Watson, District Cllr David Webster, PCSO Enbom (for item 5 only), Mr K Turner of Lightwater Quarries and Mr N Downshire (for item 6 only)

1. Apologies for absence – Cllr S Pringle

2. Declarations of Interest – There were no declarations of interest. 

3. Minutes of the meeting held on 23 November, copies of which had already been circulated, were accepted as a true record and were signed by the Chairman.

4. Matters arising
   1. Kerbing – The works had been completed before Christmas.  The invoice had been received and was approved for payment.  The Clerk would submit the necessary documents to NYCC and HDC in relation to the grants they had each provided.  It was noted that two donations towards costs had been offered and would be followed up.
   2. Speed Activation Equipment – an application to the HDC Making a Difference Fund had been submitted and a response was expected by the end of March.
   3. Playing Field Development Committee – the clerk advised that the Committee was now established with Cllrs Duck and Poole being the two PC representatives and the 5 other members being Kath Greaves, David Smith, David Milner, John Knopp and Simon Old.  The first meeting was to be on 20 January and would be managed in the same way as a PC meeting.  The Draft Terms of Reference, a copy of which had been circulated with the agenda, were approved. The meeting discussed the principles to be applied to the development including keeping an open space with low impact on PC costs, low maintenance requirements, low impact on grasscutting, and to confirm that this remains a playing field and is not an orchard or arboretum.
   4. Contingency plan – the Clerk had prepared a document based on an example on the YLCA website.  However, the Council indicated that a simpler approach was needed.  The Clerk would prepare a document for the next meeting.
   5. Fence in the Avenue – it was RESOLVED to seek tenders for the replacement of the fence in the avenue based on a fence of wooden rails and also a fence of wood and wire as at present.  Attention would be drawn to the need to take care around the new trees when working on a new fence.  The Clerk would draw up appropriate tender documentation.
5. Police report – PCSO Enbom presented the latest police report for the Ward and a report on the Police’s drinking and driving Christmas campaign.
6. Planning Changes at Gebdykes Quarry – Mr Turner explained the proposed plans to use hard materials to re-fill part of the quarry so that it could be returned to agricultural use within 19 years.  There was discussion of the proposals and Cllr Duck thanked Mr Turner and Mr Downshire for attending the meeting
7. Financial Matters
   1. Receipts and payments since the last meeting were noted and approved (a finance report and reconciliation had been circulated with the agenda:

Receipts Barclays Bank (interest earned) – £0.07

Payments Sarah Lowe (salary) £177.60, Sarah Lowe (expenses for Nov’s newsletter) - £39.05; Royal British Legion - £25.00; YLCA – training course fee £60.00

Bank accounts as at 4 January 2022

Current account – £12,152.08

Deposit account – £2647.38

Deposit account re Institute - £22,761.65 (£2.18 interest paid in December)

Hours of work undertaken by the Clerk since the last meeting: it was noted that the Clerk had worked 30 hours in November and December.

7. 2. Financial Regulations – The Clerk presented a paper and draft Financial Regulations, which had been circulated with the agenda.  The Clerk had worked with Cllr Hodges to draw up the final draft.  The Council discussed a number of points in the document and further amendments were agreed.  A final version would be prepared for the next meeting.  Consideration would also be given to purchasing for the Clerk a laptop with an improved specification   Cllr Hodges agreed to work with the Clerk in assessing the requirement.  It was agreed that he would undertake the quarterly check of bank reconciliations.
8. Highway Matters – The Clerk had recently raised a number of items with NYCC Highways department and awaited a response.
9. Response to the kerbing from a parishioner – Two emails from a parishioner had been previously circulated and were considered.  This was a request for the erection of posts, planting of a tree and bulbs.  It was RESOLVED that the parishioner could plant bulbs but due to the possibility of setting a precedent the tree planting would not be allowed.  In addition, it was not felt appropriate to put more posts up around the village.
10. Planning applications –
    1. It was noted that the following applications had been approved:
       1. Ref 21/02440/FUL - Snape Institute – redevelopment of entrance
       2. Ref 21/02491/CAT - Stonehaven – Works to Ash tree
       3. Ref 21/02161/FUL and Ref 21/02162/LBC - Lilac Cottage – Installation of new window and extraction fan
    2. It was noted that a result was still awaited on planning application 21/02658/FUL - Proposed Extension - The Cart House, Snape Castle Mews
    3. Prices Paving and Tile Ltd – There had been no further paperwork added to the planning portal except for a document attributed to Highways but which was an email containing the Environment Agency’s response which had already been posted elsewhere on the portal.  This error had been drawn to the attention of HDC Planning Department and the Clerk had noticed this had now been corrected.  In discussion, Cllr Webster agreed to seek responses to questions raised on the Planning department by the Parish Council.  He confirmed that there would definitely be a site visit by the Planning Committee before any decision was made. 

The Affordable Housing Enabler for HDC had been in touch to clarify if the Council would like an affordable housing survey to be undertaken as the last was done many years ago.  This information could be of benefit in respect of the Price’s Planning site and the level of affordable housing.  It was RESOLVED to ask for a survey to be done and for a covering letter encouraging people to participate to be signed by the Chairman.   

11. Bridleway in the Parish – Cllr Watson drew the Council’s attention to correspondence sent to a resident regarding an application to NYCC to reinstate a bridleway up the side of the pub and across to Exelby.
12. The Clerk mentioned an email she had received regarding overhanging branches; it was agreed to add this matter to the next newsletter.
13. The Clerk had been approached about arranging training on the use of the defibrillator; she had approached YAS who would provide this training free of charge.  It was RESOLVED to organise this as a Council event for an evening and to invite the Institute Committee to provide refreshments for donations to the development there.

The meeting closed at 8.30pm