MINUTES OF AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF NEWBY AND SCALBY TOWN COUNCIL
held in the Main Hall, Council Offices, 445b Scalby Road,
on Wednesday 20th March 2024 at 9.30am.
PRESENT: Councillors R Thompson (Chairman), R Holliday, B Kendall, B Marley, D Pickersgill, J Shepherd, J Smith.
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: NYUC Cllr. Sharma and approximately 13 members of public (all left 9.56-10am), Mrs J Marley (Clerk to Council).
ABSENT: Cllrs. D Bastiman, S Foote.
60/24 NON-ATTENDANCE OF COUNCILLORS
60/24.1 Apologies received & noted from Cllrs. D Bastiman and S Foote
60/24.2 Resolved the reasons for absence given by Cllrs Bastiman (prior commitment) and Foote (personal) be accepted.
61/24 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: none to receive.
62/24 MINUTES
62/24.1 Having been previously circulated, the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 14th February 2024 were resolved to be a correct record and authorised for signature by Cllr. Thompson.
63/24 EXTERNAL REPORTS
63/24.1 Police – the Scalby report for February incidents [circulated with agenda of 13/3/24] was received and noted.
63/24.2 NY Unitary Council – NY Cllr. Sharma explained there were no matter of report with regard to North Yorkshire Council. He then went on to refer to matters relating to himself arising from a recent Town Council meeting – the Chairman ruled these items out of order.
64/24 UPDATES ON VARIOUS MATTERS & COUNCILLOR’S REPORTS/ITEMS
64/24.1 Resolved it be noted the new tenants of 445 Scalby Road would be in residence within the month [Minute 33/24.1 refers].
64/24.2 Resolved it be noted the Whole Council Training [Minute 37/24.4, still in draft, refers] had been booked for the afternoon of 11th July 2024.
64/24.3 Resolved the following highways matters be referred to NYUC Highways – potholes Newlands Park Drive, Foulsyke duckpond, Low Street, Cumboots and Field Lane, blocked gully Endcliffe/Colescliffe, overhanging hedgerow Coastal Road/Cross Lane.
65/24 CORRESPONDENCE
65/24.1 Resolved it be noted one complaint received 19/2/24 was unresolved and advice was being sought before further action was taken.
65/24.2 Resolved it be noted one complaint received 5/3/24 was being dealt with.
66/24 FINANCE, REGULATORY & GENERAL MATTERS
66/24.1 Resolved the action of online authorisation/cheque signing by Cllrs. Smith and Thompson in respect of payment of the Schedule of Accounts Payable for March 2024 (Schedule 12) as tabled at the adjourned meeting of 13/3/24 be ratified.
66/24.2 Scalby Toilets [Minute 31/24.3 refers]– resolved the action of Cllrs. Smith and Thompson in authorising a standing order in the sum of £55/week commencing 1/3/24 to DLC Cleaning Services for regular cleaning of the toilets be ratified.
66/24.3 Risk Assessment – resolved no changes required.
66/24.4 Details on profitability/costs of the hub to 31/12/23 had been circulated with the agenda of 13/3/24.
Before Council was able to consider the matter of hub profitability, the meeting was interrupted by several members of the public asking questions about the documents. The meeting failed to come to order so was adjourned by the Chairman at 9.56 and the members of public were asked to leave (which they did).
The meeting was re-convened at 10.10am
Resolved the figures be noted. Further resolved 1] the hub to remain open for external hires but no events to be run by Council staff, 2] to review this decision in early 2025 unless Council agreed an earlier review was necessary, 3] to review updated costs when available.
67/24 PLANNING APPLICATIONS & APPEALS NOTIFIED
67/24.1 Resolved comments on the following application be submitted to the planning authority:-
- ZF24/00155/HS Erect single storey rear extension, 70 North Street, Scalby – no objections.
68/24 PLANNING DECISIONS – Resolved the following be noted:-
- NYM/2024/0125 Permission to fell and remove one Sycamore tree overhanging the road and footpath – suffering from large amounts of deadwood in the crown and also rot pockets at 4mts on the main stem, Low Hall Cottage, Hackness Road, Granted.
- NYM/2022/0476 Convert farm building to two holiday cottages and one residential annexe with associated parking and landscaping works, Beacon Farm, Beacon Brow Road, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
- NYM/2023/0856 Erect covered manure storage building, Beacon Farm, Beacon Brow Road, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
- ZF23/01945/HS Erect single and two storey extension to rear, erect detached garage and alterations to stables, 53 Coldyhill Lane, Newby. Granted with conditions.
- ZF23/01992/HS Erect single storey side and rear extensions to form garage, utility and home office, 5 West Avenue, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
- ZF23/02071/HAS Vary condition 1 of ZF23/01201/HS to allow larger extension, 4 Castle Mount Avenue, Scalby. Granted with conditions.
- ZF24/00098/HS Erect single storey side and rear extension, 34 Cross Lane, Newby. Granted with conditions.
69/24 REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES – none to receive.
70/24 MINUTES
70/24.1 Having been previously circulated, the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 13th March 2024 were resolved to be a correct record and authorised for signature by Cllr. Thompson.
70/24.2 Having been previously circulated, it was resolved the previous unsigned minutes of meetings of the Review and Staffing Committee and Extraordinary meetings of the Council held from 1/9/23 to 7/12/23 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings at those meetings, the decisions made at those meetings ratified en bloc and the minutes authorised for signature by Cllr. Thompson.
71/24 CORRESPONDENCE
71.24.1 Resolved it be noted one Freedom of information request received 13/3/24 had been dealt with.
71.24.2 Resolved it be noted a letter dated 9/3/24 (delivered to individual councillors) from parishioner in respect of 5G mast erected November 2023 on corner of Scalby Road/Green Lane had been received. While the concerns were understood, it was resolved Council was unable to help since this was a matter for the planning authority.
71.24.3 Resolved a parishioner’s letter within an email of 15/3/24 (forwarded to all councillors at parishioner’s request) be noted.
71.24.4 Correspondence received after 15/3/24 which the Chairman of the meeting deems it necessary to consider as a matter of urgency. 1] Several councillors had received a flyer signed “on behalf of the Friends of Newby & Scalby Wellbeing Hub” – resolved no action to be taken. 2] Resolved letters of resignation received from Mr S. Barnes and Mrs J Fenell be noted and further noted that the notices of vacancy had been posted.
72/24 PLANNING MATTERS RECEIVED AFTER 14/3/24 None.
73/24 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
As the premises were open to the public although none were present at the time, at 11.06am it was resolved that in accordance with section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the next item of business on the grounds it related to personnel/staffing, financial or legal matters.
74/24 CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS
74/24.1 The meeting received and noted verbal updates on various matters and resolved the Review & Staffing Committee be tasked with looking at how Council interacts with the public at meetings, considers whether any changes are achievable and make recommendations to Council. Resolved the Review & Staffing Committee also to be convened to consider classifying person(s) as vexatious. Further resolved contractors be engaged to 1] re-roof the GRP staff kitchen roof & small roof above (cost in region of £6,000+VAT); 2] repair the highway entrance (cost in region of £900+VAT). Resolved the remaining four grants relating to the hub and no longer required (total £4,242-17) to be returned to the donors [Minute 53/24.2 refers]. Resolved fixed term contracts of staff not to be extended and staff to be paid to the end of their contract as soon as possible. Resolved specialist firms be appointed to deal with media and legal matters.
There being no further business to be transacted, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.04pm.
Cllr. Richard Thompson, Chairman
Dated: 8th May 2024