Snape with Thorp Parish Council

Minutes of Annual Meeting held on Wednesday 11 May 2016 in the Snape Village Institute.

Present: Councillors John Duck, Steven Smith, Jenny Rydzewski, Terry Warwick, PCSO Ian Macdonald, District Councillor David Webster, and 6 members of the public

1. Election of Chairman – John Duck was elected Chair
2. Apologies: Councillor Richard Poole
3. Declaration of Interest – There were no declarations of interest
4. Minutes of the meetings held on 23 March and 13 April, copies of which had been circulated with the agenda, were accepted as a correct record.
5. Policing report – PCSO Macdonald presented the latest policing report, copies of which were available at the meeting. An increase in burglaries was noted and residents were asked to ensure all external sheds were kept locked. In response to a query at the last meeting, PCSO Macdonald provided a pro forma for the Council to report speeding concerns and to request that the speed data logger was used in Snape.
6. Avenue
   1. Works to be undertaken from an H&S point of view – Cllr Duck advised that a quote for £12k had been received to undertake the works recommended by Tony Whitehead as required for H&S reasons. This was an equivalent amount as that to remove 25 trees. He noted that the funds available to the PC were around ½ of this amount and would require other spending to be delayed. Previously, the Council had sought funding from grants and/or loans. It was noted that the HDC internet site indicated a decision was still awaited on the TPO application to fell 6 trees and undertake work on others. Cllr Webster advised that this application was not on the agenda of the planning committee to be held in 2 weeks’ time and that the next meeting would be in 6 weeks’ time.

1. 2. Works on the smaller trees – Cllr Duck advised that works to raise the crowns of the new trees was needed as the current position was causing a H&S risk to the grass cutter. It was RESOLVED to proceed with this work if not part of the TPO.

7. Financial Matters
   1. Receipts and payments – the following were noted

• Receipts – YLCA (funding for PC & scanner) - £811.67; Snape Avenue Fund - £124.79; Precept - £2650; NYCC grant for avenue works - £1000

• Payments – HMRC - £99.20; S Lowe – salary £40.80, 64.80; S Lowe – expenses £24.00, £35.35; A Whitehead Associates (aerial survey) - £480; YLCA (subscription) - £124; Farm and Land Services (2 x grass cuts) - £331.20; Bluestone Solutions Ltd (purchase of PC, scanner/printer, mouse, Microsoft Office and set up costs) - £696.80

As at 5 May 2016 the bank balances stood at:

Current account - £6221.86

Deposit account - £2632.79

Institute Committee account - £21,153.26

A summary, a copy of which had been circulated with the agenda, outlined the payments and receipts reconciled with the bank accounts.

The Clerk advised that the YLCA had recently circulated information advising that further central funding was available to support the Transparency Code; she would access the funding for maintaining the internet site.

1. 2. Hours of work by the Clerk – it was noted that the Clerk had undertaken 13 hours 30 minutes work in April.
   3. Insurance Cover – The Clerk advised that the renewal notice for the insurance had been received; this had risen slightly by around £8 from last year. Advice had been sought on a number of aspects of the insurance and had been circulated to the Parish Councillors. It was RESOLVED to renew the insurance cover.
   4. Annual Governance Statement – the Clerk had circulated documentation with the agenda associated with the Annual Audit. The Annual Governance statement was considered and it was RESOLVED that the Chairman should sign this statement as being a true record of the Council’s governance activities.
   5. Accounting Processes and statements – the Clerk introduced the other documents prepared to submit as the annual audit requirements. It was RESOLVED that these were acceptable to submit; a comment made by the internal auditor in relation to weekly H&S checks on the playing field equipment was noted.
   6. Financial Allocation to the Playing Field Committee – it was RESOLVED to allocate £100 to the Playing Field.
   7. Pension for the Parish Council – Councillor Warwick advised that having contacted the Pensions Office and in view of the Clerk declining a pension, there was no need for the PC to establish a pension scheme.

8. Playing Field Committee –
   1. Membership – it was RESOLVED to nominate intact the previous membership of the Committee.
   2. Cllr Smith as Chair of the Committee advised on the current situation, funding and limited progress on the application for external grant funding. He advised that it was hoped to encourage greater membership; Yoredale News and the Internet site could be used for this. Plans remained as 2 years ago, ie to improve the surface and put new equipment onto the site. H&S checks were discussed and that a competent person (ie not a qualified person) could undertake these weekly checks. A further meeting was to be held before the end of May.

9. Transparency and Openness

The Clerk presented a brief paper outlining that the PC met the requirements of the Code. One remaining piece of information to add to the site was the value and acreage of the playing field; the latter should be available from the Asset Transfer documentation.

10. Asset Register

The Clerk referred to a document already circulated which included the original cost and also the depreciated value of each of the PC’s assets. This was agreed by the Council.

11. Risk Assessment

A document had been circulated with the agenda; with some changes this was approved.

12. Financial Resolutions

The Clerk had reviewed the previously agreed financial resolutions and suggested that these remain as at present; one observation was that two PCllrs only signed cheques. It was RESOLVED that a third signatory should be set up; this would be Jenny Rydzewski, as previously agreed. Cllr Duck advised that he and the second signatory signed any invoice received when signing the cheque to confirm the invoice had been seen and was correct.

13. Annual Open Meeting

The draft minutes of the above meeting had been circulated with the agenda. Cllr Duck reminded that a parishioner had raised again the possibility of having posts on the road side to avoid damage to the verges. He had estimated that the price would be around £100 to purchase timber posts. He had also sought Highways advice and it would be acceptable to place such posts within ½m of the road. There was discussion about whether wood or metal posts should be used and if these should be painted white to be seen in the dark. In addition, a question about the liability should someone have an accident was raised. Cllr Smith agreed to contact Highways on this point and Cllr Duck would check out the cost of metal posts.

The parishioners present suggested that posts should be erected on the green opposite the entranced to Carrick’s to protect the verge.

The contractor had sprayed the beck and, as a consequence, a request had been received for further information on the chemical used as the sprayed weed had been placed on compost heaps. In addition the requestor had also asked for forewarning of imminent spraying. Whilst it was possible to check on the chemicals used it was not thought feasible to give warning that spraying would occur on a particular day as weather conditions would dictate when the spraying occurred.

14. Marina Bridge

This bridge had been damaged and Cllr Duck would contact Highways to ask for repairs to be carried out.

15. Grass cutting

One of the residents present commented on the improvement in the grass cutting this year.

Cllr Duck advised that he had recently received an invoice from the previous grass cutter for additional works of around £700. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should write to clarify when these works had been undertaken.

16. State of footpath outside the Institute

A parishioner present asked if improvements to the footpath between the Institute and village green could be improved as the tree roots had made the surface very uneven causing a H&S risk to anyone with poor eyesight. The Clerk would contact Highways on this matter.

The meeting closed at 8:50 pm