Snape with Thorp Parish Council

Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 26 March 2024 in Snape Institute

Present: Councillors John Duck, Liz Watson, Colin Hodges, Richard Poole, Sara Pringle, a representative of the NY Police for item 5, Cllr David Webster for items 7 onwards.

1. Apologies for absence – There were no apologies
2. Declarations of Interest – There were no declarations of interest.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 13 December, copies of which had already been circulated, were accepted as a true record and were signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters arising
   1. Safety at Carthorpe corner – NYC Highways had recently installed a “slippery road” sign but as this was not cycling specific it was not entirely helpful.  A further accident with two cyclists had occurred.  This would be reported to NYC with a request for a cycling specific sign.  The Council would continue to record and report cycling accidents at the junction.
   2. Replacement lap top – The Clerk advised that the replacement lap top had been purchased.
5. Policing matters – a representative of the NYC Police attended and presented Snape specific reports for January and February, which had been previously circulated.  The Community Messaging service was referred to and a police presence was invited by the Council to the forthcoming Annual Open Parish Meeting. 

Cllr Hodges presented the information from the Motor Vehicle Activated System (MVAS) which had recently been passed to Well.  2 months’ worth of data had been analysed and it showed that in January around 300 journeys per day passed the equipment in one direction and 235 of those journeys in January had been in excess of the speed limit of 30mph.  The Police representative advised that the Council may wish to use the Community Speed Watch and she offered to send information to the Clerk.

6. Financial matters
   1. Receipts and payments: - following receipts and payments were noted and approved:

Receipts:  Northern Electric (Wayleave) - £3.45; Interest £9.28; £10.00

Payments: S Lowe (salary) £72.00, £156.80, £114.90, £36.50, £22.40; S Lowe (expenses) £5.20, £8.25, £17.00; HMRC £85.80; Methodist Church (room hire) £20.00; Mashamshire Community Office (printing) £18.00, £36.00; Donations – GNAA - £75.00; YAA - £75.00; Royal British Legion - £30.00; Citizens Advice - £75.00; Snape Over 60s - £50.00; Wild Flower Lawns and Meadows - £229.20; YLCA (training) - £33.40; North Riding Computers - £578.99; Farm & Land Services - £609.00, £996.00; WJPS - £229.20

Bank accounts as at 23 March 2024 The following were noted:

Current account – £3768.78

Deposit account – £10685.17

Deposit account re Institute - £85499.14

Hours worked by the Clerk – It was noted that the Clerk had worked a total of 29 hours and 30 minutes since the last meeting

1. 2. Expected year end position – The Clerk advised that the position reported at this meeting was unlikely to change before the year end.

7. Playing Field
   1. General report – Cllr Hodges advised that the maintenance check had transferred to Mrs Lowe and the intention was to individually undertake the checks for a shorter period before passing the responsibility on to others on the rota. 

Mrs Lowe had found the Zipwire seat difficult to move along the wire and had enquired if there was an issue.  The recommended mechanical check of the device had not yet been conducted.  It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should write to Streetscape, who installed the equipment, for further advice. 

The new Goal posts would be installed once the weather improved and site became drier.  One of the Beech Close residents had indicated that it would be possible to use his home’s electricity for the cement mixer.

1. 2. Further development – Cllr Hodges advised that neither the school teacher nor parents could be present at tonight’s meeting.  They were proposing 3 pieces of equipment and an outdoor classroom aimed at children between 3 to 5 years old and for school use.  They were prepared to undertake funding events to raise funds but grants were also likely to be needed.  It was RESOLVED that these plans would be approved.  It was further RESOLVED that the tendering processes would be run by the Council and any grant funding should be applied for with the Clerk’s involvement and all monies raised, whether via grants or general fundraising, should be held by the Council.  The Clerk would write to the School teacher and lead parent.  The decision of the Council would be notified to parishioners via the forthcoming newsletter and the Chairman would advise the residents on Beech Close before the circulation of the newsletter.

8. Tree survey

A tree survey and report, undertaken by BHA Trees Ltd, Arboricultural Consultants, which had been previously circulated, was discussed.  The survey, undertaken in February, had covered the old trees and the Council was pleased to note the limited works required (7 trees out of 56 requiring some action).  It was unclear if the new trees had also been surveyed.  Trees on the main green had been surveyed and some works were deemed necessary to 4 trees.  All the works recommended in both areas were category 2 ie requiring action within 12 months to fulfil duty of care obligations. It was RESOLVED to write to Farm and Land Services Ltd, who had organised the survey, to clarify about the inclusion of the other trees in the avenue and on the village greens. 

9. Highways matters – Cllr Duck raised three items which still required Highways attention:
   1. Flooding – 3 Councillors had removed around 3 tons of gravel from the beck base upstream of the Marina Bridge.  Underneath the bridge now required jetting by Highways. 
   2. Watery Lane – the drains between the top of the Avenue and Kings Kell still required attention to clear them out.
   3. Ings Lane Bridge – this still remained unrepaired and the condition had recently deteriorated.

The Clerk would raise the above matters with Highways. Cllr Hodges would recheck whether the road sign at the top of the Avenue had been reinstated.  It was noted that patching works in the village may be planned as potholes on the roadsides had been highlighted by yellow paint.

10.  Planning applications – no new applications had been received but it was noted that the following had been approved since the last meeting:

• ZB24/00100/CAT  Application for works to tree (to crown thin Magnolia tree by 5% and crown reduce/shape by 10-15%) in a conservation area  Beck House 1 Meadow Lane Snape  
• ZB23/02383/TPO - Application for works to trees subject to a tree preservation order. 3 Silver Birches - to reduce canopy by 10% to prevent damage to trees.  Cedar Garth Meadow Lane Snape

11. Meeting dates – it was agreed to hold the Annual meeting of the PC on 23 April (subsequently changed to 21 May) and the Open Parish Meeting on 30 April.  The Clerk would take appropriate action to communicate the date of the Open Parish Meeting to residents.
12. Bio-diversity seminar – Cllr Pringle reported on a Bio-diversity seminar she had attended. There was a new duty expected of Councils on bio-diversity which she described. Bio-diversity should be a regular item on the agenda of future meetings.  Consideration should be given to bio-diversity in decision making in a number of areas including planning, activities by the Council etc.  In discussion, it was agreed that the Council had already done things in the parish on bio-diversity eg leaving some areas of grass uncut and supporting the request for wild flower planting in the avenue.
13. Plantings – it was noted that the Conservation and Climate group had installed the pre-seeded turf in the Avenue and had put up notices as agreed.  The daffodils planted in the autumn had been very showy but would benefit from further planting in the gaps.  The Clerk was asked to contact the contractor to ask him to leave these areas uncut in the same way as in the Avenue until the leaves died back and to also ensure cuts were made at a higher level to avoid damage to the bulbs themselves.  In discussion of grass cutting it was agreed to include the verge outside Roma in the village cut and to request a cut before the Open Gardens event on 22 and 23 June.     
14. Grass verge from the bridge by the Monument to the playing field entrance – Cllr Duck asked Councillors to view this area which would be discussed at a future meeting.
15. Bedale Villages and Community Forum – Cllrs Watson and Duck had attended the meeting.  It had been encouraging to note how the Forum was helping the villages with funding of projects.  At the meeting the Snape Institute has been awarded £2k towards the double glazing/solar panels project which was welcomed.  It was noted that the Forum had been encouraged by the level of other funding already secured before the application had been made to the Forum.
16. Request from a resident for tree planting in the playing field – a resident had submitted a written request to the Clerk within the timescale for it to be considered at this meeting; the request had been circulated to the Councillors in advance of the meeting.  It was noted that the original transfer of the playing field from Hambleton DC had been on the proviso that it would remain a children’s playing field and this meant there needed to be space left and also ease of grass cutting had to be maintained. On this basis some limited tree planting was a possibility.  It was RESOLVED to write to the resident thanking them for their correspondence and that the Council had approved the request for additional equipment and noted its duty under bio-diversity at the same meeting and would be considering limited tree planting and inviting the resident to be involved with the Council in these plans if they wished to be.
17. Newsletter – a number of items for inclusion were identified but Councillors would contact the Clerk with anything further as soon as possible.

The meeting closed at 8.30 pm.