SNAPE WITH THORP PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Open Parish Meeting held on Wednesday 23 April 2025 in the Schoolroom, Snape Methodist Church

Present: Cllrs John Duck, Richard Poole, Liz Watson, Sara Pringle and Colin Hodges, County Councillor David Webster, David Scurrah, the new Parish Clerk and 6 members of the public

1. Apologies for absence – None received
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2024 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman
3. Parish Council main activities/update for the year

The Chairman led a review of the year’s activities and reported on the following points:

• Precept and finances
  • The precept had increased to £9117 from £8895 in 2024/25.  The Council had taken the decision to hold the precept as close as possible to last year’s level. 
  • Grasscutting and maintenance had cost £3228 in 2024/5.  This cost represented 36% of the precept; after the grasscutting the other main regular payment in year was the salary costs for the Clerk.  Due to Sarah’s impending retirement an additional cost this year had been for an advert to be placed in the D&S Times costing £250.  Cllr Duck gave thanks to Mrs Lowe for her long service and work on behalf of the Council over the last 27 years.  He introduced David Scurrah who had recently been appointed.
  • In year some works had been carried out on the old trees in the Avenue and a small number of trees on village greens.  These works had cost £2094 which represented 25% of the precept.  The Council had been building up a fund by putting into reserves £500 pa so had been able to pay for the works from these reserves.
  • Insurance increased very slightly from £405 to £415 but this was the last year in a three-year deal and like other insurances a higher premium was expected going forward  
  • Further bulb planting this year had cost £200.  The daffodils looked beautiful on the side of the beck.
  • The Council continued to publish a Newsletter after each of its meetings to ensure everyone is fully updated on discussions, new projects etc.  The question was posed as to whether this was still useful to people.  Those present indicated it was.  It was now costing around £60/70 each occasion to print and send this out by post to a number of the outlying properties.
  • The website continues to be used to publish information re the Council and village groups.  However, the Council has, in principle, decided to explore moving to a gov.uk domain so alternative arrangements are being explored for the village groups on the current website to move to a new website for the Institute.
  • An unexpected cost during the year was on the defibrillator cabinet and pads.  The Cabinet had been malfunctioning in cold weather.  In total, with electrical installation costs, £650 had been spent on the replacement cabinet.
  • All payments made exceeding £100 were itemised on a statement on the PC’s website. 
• Regular income normally comprised the precept, bank interest, an annual wayleave of £3.45. However this year an additional one off payment of £323 by Quickline, for the disturbance to the village green to install broadband to Beech Close, had been received.   The Council was able to  recover VAT payments and a payment of £354 had been received from NYCC for urban grass cutting and the Council hopes this will again occur in 2025/26. 
• NY Council update – Cllr Webster provided an update as follows:

Over the past year much time and effort had been put into the production of the Council budget. Although residents were being asked to pay 4.99% more in Council tax, this is less than some other Councils who were in a worse position than North Yorkshire. Unitarization had saved the Council £60 million already and there wss still room for more savings. Cost increases were largely due to soaring SEND and adult social care budgets which the Council is obliged to provide.

The new refuse recycling programme, copying what has been happening in the old Selby District, was being rolled out where recycling materials such as paper and cardboard would be collected every other fortnight, and glass and tins collected on the other intervening fortnight. Ordinary household waste would be collected as before.

It had long been felt that people with second homes had starved the housing market of a supply of houses, so to discourage this practice a Council Tax premium on such houses was being levied which would double the Council Tax due, and the income to the Council would be used to deliver more affordable housing.

Home to School transport had been costing the Council in excess of £50 million per annum and the Council had, in the past, provided the service in excess of its statutory duty by transporting children to any school in their catchment area. This was costing the Council an excessive amount, so children would now be offered transport to their nearest school. There was an appeals procedure available and a review of the change would take place after the new arrangements had been operating for a little while.

It was now one year since the election of the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire when David Skaith was elected. Not only was he responsible for the driving of Economic Welfare but also for running the Police and Fire Service. His budget is £18 million per annum from Central Government, along with other funding streams. So far he has declared his intention to improve bus and train services over the 3,000 square miles of York and North Yorkshire.

This North Yorkshire Council was set to run until 2027, when new divisional boundaries will come into force. As far as Bedale division was concerned it seemed that many of the villages to the south of the current Division will be lost and Bedale will join Aiskew and Leeming Bar, but this had yet to be confirmed.

Cllr Webster concluded by indicating that he tried to attend as many Parish and Town Council meetings as Ihe was able, but he was only at the other end of the phone if he could help in any way.

Cllr Duck thanked Cllr Webster for his update.  There was a brief discussion of the possible changes to the divisions which would see Snape move into the Thirsk division which seemed strange given the strong links with Bedale.

• Highways issues –
  • The Parish Council continues to seek for winter gritting routes in the village to be changed to give better coverage and specifically in the area of the School.
  • The Council continues to raise issues with the Highway Team – eg when drains need flushing, signage, flooding at Marina Bridge etc
  • It was noted that works had been undertaken at the Salmon Lane corner to avoid cyclists slipping on the surface and coming off their bikes.
• Planning issues
  • The Council has been consulted and made comment on all planning applications affecting the parish.
  • Cllr Duck stated that not all residents might appreciate the views taken by the Council.  However, the Council had an important role of being unbiased and upholding planning rules.
• Playing Field –  Councillor Hodges provided an up date as follows:
  • It had been a good year re the playing field.  The annual RoSPA report had identified the equipment was safe except for a small number of issues which had now been addressed.
  • Following a request from Parents and the School the Council had undertaken a tendering process to purchase and install 3 pieces of equipment aimed at children under 5.  The Company selected was HAGS Ltd. 
  • The Council had been successful in gaining external funding for the playing field project as follows:

1. National Lottery - £15k
2. NYC Locality Budget - £2k
3. Bedale and Villages Forum - £1k
4. Nevilles Trust - £500
5. Funding supported by School staff and parents – raffle and a non-uniform day - £600

In addition, the Council had allocated £2k to these funds.

The project was now fully funded and would commence soon

• • New goal posts had recently been installed. 
  • In view of the Council’s bio-diversity duty the Council had agreed to leave some sections of the southern area of the playing field unmown with pathways mown across the section to improve wildlife and to give interest for children.
  • Cllr Duck thanked those residents who had given of their time and also thanks to two residents who had provided water and electricity for the works already undertaken.
  • A resident enquired what would be next for the playing field and had thought been given to installing adult exercise equipment.  He remarked that adults were the only group of residents not catered for by the field and equipment.  In response, Cllr Hodges stated that this was not ruled out but no one had approached the Council with a request and offers of help in raising the necessary finances.
• Avenue
  • Cllr Duck advised that a tree survey had been undertaken at a cost of £1k 2023/24 and this had itemised works which needed to be undertaken for safety reasons. Tree Preservation Order approval had been obtained and the works undertaken earlier in the year before the bulbs were in flower.
  • The wild flower turf area organised by the Climate and Conservation Group will not be included in the cut of the Avenue again this year to allow seedlings to grow.  The remainder of the avenue will be mowed including the area between the old trees after the daffodils have died back.
• Emergency planning – If anyone had an interest in being involved in this they should contact Cllr Duck
• Institute – Sue Old, Chair of the Institute Committee provided an update on the work of the Committee as follows:
  • The move to a CIO was nearing completion.
  • Double glazed windows, solar panels and battery system had been completed last year.
  • The building of the extension had commenced following the receipt of a significant grant.  The expected end date was in August. The Committee was still slightly short of its overall target so funding was still occurring.
  • Most regular things were still happening in the hall although some had moved to the Methodist Church Schoolroom.
  • Once there was a return to a fully operational hall a programme of activities would be drawn up and it was hoped that the Community would fully support these.
• Show Committee – Cllr Hodges, who had recently stood down from the Show Committee provided an update as follows:
  • Last year had been a highly successful show with a record number of entries.  There had been changes on the Committee membership with some younger members involved.

Cllr Duck thanked both the Institute and Show Committee for all their hard work.

• MVAS – Cllr Hodges reported on the statistics obtained from the Motor Vehicle Activated equipment.  During the recent time the equipment had been in situ there had been 350 cars passing the equipment daily with an average speed of 20-25 mph.  26% of vehicles had driven past at over 30mph.  The equipment had been purchased jointly with Well Parish Council and it would be moving to Well in due course.
• Bio-diversity – Cllr Pringle reported on the Council’s activities on Bio Diversity.  An action plan had been prepared and would be posted on the PC’s website.
• Village maintenance and appearance:
  • o Cllr Duck reported that he and Cllr Hodges undertake a regular survey of the village for any issues on which action is required.  He invited residents to raise issues with the Council too.
  • o Dog dirt – this continued to be a problem and required action from dog owners.
  • He expressed a big thank you to :
    • litter picker
    • the team who clear the beck
    • those who repaired the pump
    • those who regularly check the safety of the equipment in the playing field and who have erected the new goalposts, and
    • to the resident who cuts the grass at the top of the avenue.

Without this level of support the Council would have to employ a contractor to undertake these services.

• It was noted that the bollards had been damaged on the tight junction by Buckles House.
• Cllr Duck advised that the bridges needed repainting and he invited a volunteer to do this.  The Council would support with the purchase of paint and any equipment.

• A resident gave thanks for all the work the Council did.

There being no further business the meeting ended.