Minutes Council meeting 13th January 2021

MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING OF NEWBY AND SCALBY PARISH COUNCIL
held virtually on the Zoom platform, on Wednesday, 13th January 2021 at 7pm 

 PRESENT: Councillor R Towse (Chairman), Cllrs. S Barnes, E Black, J Fieldhouse (left 7.42pm), P Harriott (from 7.09pm), R Holliday, D Sutton, R Thompson, D Wiles.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Rev. Tony Hand, 2 members of public , Mrs J Marley (Clerk).

 ABSENT:       Cllrs. D Bastiman, S Foote, D Langmead. Borough Cllr. Sharma..

The meeting was called to order at 7.03pm.

 

129/20             APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE  The reasons for absence given by the following were approved:- Cllr. Langmead (work commitment), Borough Cllr. Sharma (prior commitment).

130/20             DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None.

131/20             MINUTES

131/20.1          Having been previously circulated, Cllr. Towse asked and it was agreed that Minute 121/20.3 be amended by adding “which he would bring to the attention of SBC Parking Services” after the words “Lady Edith’s Park”. The amended minutes of the Council Meeting held on 9th December 2020 were approved as a correct record and Cllr. Towse was authorised to sign them.

PROCEDURAL MATTER At 7.06pm, Standing Orders were suspended to allow the Public Open Forum.

Cllr. Harriott joined the meeting during the next item

132/20             PUBLIC OPEN FORUM Matters raised included 1] a question on whether the Parish Council had been consulted on or had any input to the review of acute services which was taking place at Scarborough Hospital; 2] details of the “Share the love” campaign which was to be run during February.

PROCEDURAL MATTER At 7.12pm, Standing Orders were resumed.

133/20             MATTERS RAISED IN PUBLIC OPEN FORUM Noted councillors had no recollection of being consulted on the acute services review and agreed Clerk to make enquiries. The “Share the love” campaign outlined by the Children and Family Youth Worker for St. Laurence’s Church was welcomed and she was asked to forward details to the Clerk.

134/20             EXTERNAL REPORTS

134/20.1          Police:- The report for Scalby (emailed to councillors 12/1/21) was received & noted.

134/20.2          County Council:- No report to receive.

134/20.3          Borough Council:-  No report to receive.

135/20             UPDATES ON VARIOUS MATTERS & COUNCILLOR’S REPORTS

135/20.1          Clerk reported various potholes, blocked gullies and flooding had been reported to Area 3 Highways since the last meeting. Ponding behind Chichester Close towards the cinder track had been reported – some difficulty knowing whose land it was on but Clerk looking into the matter.

135/20.2          Reports from Councillors of any highway & footpath or general matters requiring attention Cllr. Thompson one of the uprights on the birds mouth fencing at Foulsyke Pond had broken off.  Cllr. Sutton 1] potholes and edge erosion from roundabout into High Mill to Field Lane junction with Burniston Rd; 2] potholes junction A171 station Road; 3] graffiti on green junction boxes on Scalby road opposite Rosette. Agreed Clerk to contact the relevant agencies.

136/20             CORRESPONDENCE

136/20.1          Two letters of thanks from Christmas Lights Competition winners were received & noted.

136/20.2          Correspondence received after preparation of the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting deemed it necessary to consider as a matter of urgency – email to say that Cllr. Ron Pickersgill had died on 7th January after a long illness. Councillors suggested a short obituary to commemorate his many years service to Council be placed on our website and agreed Chairman to speak with family to ascertain their wishes.

137/20             FINANCIAL MATTERS

137/20.1          Resolved the Schedule of Accounts Payable for January 2021 (Sch 10, £3,540.17) [emailed to councillors 12/1/21] be approved. Cllrs. Sutton and Towse to do the online authorisations within 24 hours.

137/20.2          Christmas Lights Competition 2020 – noted results had been published and vouchers sent to all winners.

137/20.3          AJ1 Fund and VAS Signs [Minute 111/20.6 refers] Noted a meeting with NYCC had taken place and the location of the lighting columns to be used had been agreed.  Agreed the Chairman and/or Clerk be authorised to sign the VAS Installation with NYCC.

137/20.4          Premises/Community Hub–

  1. Cllr. Towse gave an update, which was noted and included 1] the purchase had completed, 2] the Tenancy at Will was now in force, 3] gas and electric supply for 445b had been transferred into the Council’s name, 4] as the latest Covid-19 lockdown meant it was not possible for councillors to be inside 445b the Clerk had emailed a link to all councillors on 6th January of a walkround video she had taken.
  2. It was agreed the gas and electric be paid via direct debit and any two councillors were authorised to do the online approval of the direct debits once the details were available.
  3. Covid-19 1] The restrictions tightened before Christmas and then were upgraded to a lockdown, 2] In partnership with Scarborough and Ryedale Carers Resource 50 Christmas Boxes provided by Morrisons had been distributed to people locally who were in need – the boxes had been very well received, 3] once more our volunteers were doing shopping/ medication collection and weekly phone calls to parishioners. Noted.
  4. The Chairman explained that in order to progress the programme for converting 445b it was necessary to choose a preferred builder from the 4 who had been given the proposed plans and asked to submit an estimate – an anonymised list had been emailed to councillors on 12th January. There was some resistance to the list being anonymised as councillors wanted to know who had submitted the estimates before they made their decision. It was explained that the identity of the contractor should not be relevant to the decision-making process – all those who had been asked to submit a price were reputable builders/tradesmen of long standing and to make their names public at this stage would compromise commercial confidentiality. This was reluctantly accepted by most of the councillors present. Following deliberation it was agreed the estimate by company C for a figure under £20,000 ex VAT be accepted.
  5. The Chairman/Clerk gave an update on the next phases of the project which was noted – 1] work had already begun on funding applications, 2] Tina Boden continued to do strategic work with potential hub partners, 3] 445b was now in use as office premises, 4] a Small Business Rate Relief application had been successful although there would be an invoice for £336.66, which was the empty property rate charge for the period 18.12.20 – 6.1.21, 5] a meeting had taken place with the Building Control Surveyor and a Building Regulations application (probably by R. Green who did the planning application) would need to be submitted before any conversion/refurbishment work on 445b could begin.
  6. Fieldhouse disagreed with the way the estimate process had been carried out and tried to re-visit the decision. The Chairman pointed out that Council had voted to accept bid C and the decision had been made. It transpired Cllr Fieldhouse had not read the email sent to all councillors on 12th January on the subject. Cllr. Fieldhouse continued to disagree and, taking exception to the Chairman saying that if he continued his microphone would be muted, he left the meeting.

137/20.5          Community Engagement [Minute 124/20.5 refers] – Clerk advised YLCA had said the ideal way to determine the salary was to carry out a proper salary evaluation (which was to pay for). Failing that they suggested the pay be SCP6 or above. Enquiries had been made of Castle Employment to see if someone could be employed through them but the cost was unacceptably high. It had been suggested that Council bought some volunteer time from the SPARKS Project and agreed Chairman and Clerk to investigate – if it did not prove to be a viable proposition then agreed to look at Council employing someone for 5 hours/week, on a 6 month temporary contract at £10-44/hour (adverts to be placed as necessary/appropriate).

137/20.6          2021/22 budget and precept calculations [emailed to councillors on 12/1/21] received and resolved the 2021/22 budget be approved. The RFO’s recommendation that the precept was increased to £64,400 as per the June 2020 survey of the parish was noted and resolved the 2021/22 precept be set at £64,400.

138/20             PLANNING APPLICATIONS NOTIFIED

Comments on the following applications received & appeals notified [circulated with agenda] were agreed:-

  1. 20/00989/FL-APHH/00007/20 Appeal against refusal – install dropped kerb and new gated entrance to parking and turning area at 1 Derwent Close – noted;
  2. 20/02459/FL Erect two 2.4m high fences, Cross Lane Hospital – agreed no objections;
  3. 20/02492/HS Erect two storey side extension and single storey rear extension, 73 Cross Lane – agreed no objections;
  4. 20/02676/HS Erect single storey rear extension, 307 Scalby Road – agreed no objections;
  5. 20/02678/HS Erect single storey side and rear extension, 91 Burniston Road – agreed no objections;
  6. 20/02706/HS Demolish existing garage, erect front & rear extensions, 44 Hillcrest Ave – agreed no objections;
  7. 20/02746/HS Erect rear extension, porch extension and alterations, 3 Glen Close, Scalby – agreed no objections;
  8. 20/02816/FL Erect building comprising 6no. light industrial/storage & distribution units, Ians Field Farm, Burniston Road, YO13 0DA – agreed no objections;
  9. 20/02832/HS Erect single storey rear extension, 4 Beck View, Scalby – agreed no objections.

139/20             PLANNING DECISIONS – The following [circulated with agenda] were noted:-

  1. 20/02001/HS Retrospective consent for single storey extension to rear, 1 St. Mark’s Close, Newby – refused.
  2. 20/02144/HS Erect 2 two storey side extensions and single garage, 1 Dunwell Avenue, Newby. Granted with conditions.
  3. 20/02179/FL Change of use of shop and tearoom (use class E) to parish council meeting room and offices (sui generis), 445b Scalby Road, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
  4. 20/02330/FL Erect 1 bungalow, land adjacent to 2 Hackness Drive. Application withdrawn.
  5. 20/02356/HS Erect single storey side extension, 2 Cowslip Close, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
  6. 20/02583/HS Remove conservatory and replace with single storey rear extension, 73 Newby Farm Road, Newby. Granted with conditions.

140/20             PLANNING MATTERS RECEIVED AFTER 1/12/2020

Comments on the following applications received [notified after distribution of agenda, to members on email] were agreed

  1. 20/03168/HS Erect conservatory to rear at 40 High St, Scalby – agreed no objections;
  2. 20/02775/HS Erect porch to front elevation at 4 Southlands Grove, Newby – agreed no objections;
  3. 20/02776/HS Erect two storey side and rear extension with detached garden room at 37 Willow Garth, Newby – agreed no objections.

141/20             REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES  None.

There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.07pm.

Cllr. Reg Towse, Chairman

Dated: 10th February 2021