Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
A meeting of Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council was held on Wednesday, 12th July 2023 at 7.30pm in the Bakehouse.
Present: D Annat, E Broomhead MBE, S Bruce, A Grindey, R Sherratt, and the clerk, S Hampson. There were two members of the public in attendance.
Part 1 Non-confidential information
23.7.1 Apologies and attendance register
Apologies had been received in advance of the meeting from Mr Wager. The other members present completed the attendance register. There was no need, by any member present, to declare an interest in the agenda items.
23.7.2 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting had been forwarded to members in advance of the meeting and posted on the parish council’s website and noticeboard.
Resolved: to accept the minutes as a true record of proceedings. The minutes were signed by Mr Annat
23.7.3 Public speaking
There were two members of the public in attendance regarding a planning application at their property. Background information regarding the history of the family in residence at the property. They also advised that the application is for a single storey extension which will improve the light to the property, reducing the carbon footprint. Mr Annat provided background information of the planning process and that the proposal would be discussed later in the agenda but the parish council try to support members of the community to achieve the best sensible living conditions.
The illegal ‘fly tipping’ at the Pinfold had been cleared in a timely fashion and cleared up very well. An article had been placed in News and Views.
Resolved: the clerk to contact Derbyshire Dales District Council to advise that the parish council was impressed with the action taken.
23.7.4 Update from District Councillor and Local Projects Fund
The District Councillor was not in attendance. Mrs Broomhead MBE reported that she had not yet submitted an application for Local Projects Funding towards the War Memorial Plaque and stone.
Resolved: to submit an application for £500 towards the achievement of a carved stone information panel at the War Memorial.
23.7.5 Former cheese factory site
The most recent planning proposal had been discussed at the Planning Committee of Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) on 16th June. Unfortunately, Mr Annat had not been able to attend to provide input on the type of stone being used at the development site. Mr Annat reported that the use of alternative stone (sandstone) was approved.
23.7.6 Telephone box and painting
The clerk had contacted other paint suppliers but had not received a response and had submitted some images from Amazon for consideration. The parish council is very grateful to the Oddfellows for offering to undertake the restoration work, prior to painting.
Resolved: the parish council to meet the cost of any sundry items required by the Oddfellows Committee during the restoration work, such as sanding/filling materials, cleaning materials, sand paper, fillers, gloves, masks etc.
Resolved: to place the item on the next agenda and to order the paint after the restoration work has been completed.
23.7.7 Neighbourhood Plan
Mr Annat advised that the Plan needs to be presented to the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) and an Inspector. Grants are no longer available; the Levelling Up Committee has allegedly returned over two billion unused funds to the government.
Resolved: to authorise future expenditure incurred by the appointed consultant for the final stage of the Plan.
23.7.8 Drainage and flood team
The developer has stated that the ‘run off’ water from the properties on the estate does not warrant a flood alleviation scheme. The parish council had not said that it will but the scheme was part of the enablement for proposals of the estate to improve flood risk measures for the village. Mr Annat had prepared a robust statement together with photographs of the culvert and restricted pipe. Camera investigation work would prove a number of issues.
Resolved: to approve a statement prepared by Mr Annat to be submitted to PDNPA the following day, along with supporting photographic evidence, to attempt to prevent PDNPA permitting the scheme to be ‘scrapped’. It would appear some present members of PDNPA are unaware of the history involved with the flood alleviation scheme.
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23.7.9 Wakes’ Wells’ Dressings
The Oddfellows have booked Warslow Silver Band for the Wakes’ march on 9th September. As previously agreed, the cost of the band will be met by the parish council. The wells’ dressings are well in hand and there will be no financial support required from the parish council.
Resolved: the parish council will grant permission for use of the village greens during the Wakes, providing that public liability insurance exists for the event. The parish council will have no involvement.
23.7.10 External audit
The certificate of exemption had been electronically forwarded to the external auditors by the clerk and RFO. An acknowledgement had been received.
23.7.11 Co-options policy
Mr Annat had not been able to convert the previous example policy forwarded to members by the clerk in time for the meeting.
Resolved: to defer the adoption of a co-options policy until the September meeting.
23.7.12 Items of account, salaries, HMRC, administration, mowing contractor
The NALC pay agreement had been received with effect from 1st April 2022. The clerk’s salary had been reviewed in 2022.
Resolved: to backdate the pay agreement for the clerk to 1st April 2023 and implement the new salary scale
Cq 1685 S Hampson July clerk’s salary, pay award and back pay £471.17
Cq 1686 S Hampson August clerk’s salary £408.77
Cq 1687 S Hampson July & August internet provision £34.00
Cq 1688 S Hampson Reimbursement of expenses £13.30
Cq 1689 Shelter Maintenance Bus shelter cleaning service £11.80 VAT £1.97
Cq 1690 Hartington Village Hall Meeting hire £27.50
Cq 1691 B W Coles June x 2 mowing £564.00 VAT £94.00
Cq 1692 B W Coles July x 2 mowing £564.00 VAT £94.00
The clerk had contacted the mowing contractor after one section of the cemetery had not been mown, as per the contract. The contractor had left it due to some wild flowers but this had left the area a little unsightly around two of the graves and now the surface of this particular area will take time to recover. Mrs Broomhead MBE provided an explanation why some confusion may have occurred over not mowing areas of wild flowers. This was related to a conversation about an area on Hall Bank that could not be mowed due to parked cars.
Resolved: the contractor to adhere to his contract until expiry. Not mowing wild flowers will be discussed prior to the next tender period in 2024.
23.7.13 Planning sub-committee, planning applications and appeals
NP/DDD/0623/0650 Site address –Woodyard Cottage, Market Place, Hartington
Proposed single storey side extension.
Members discussed the above proposal after having listened to the comments made by the applicants during the public speaking section.
Resolved: to support the above application as it does not impact on the landscape or neighbouring properties; existing stone will be reused and the result will be a sympathetic extension.
Variation of condition 2 (approved plans) of NP/DDD/1219/1298 – former Dove Dairy, Stonewell Lane, Hartington NP/DDD/0223/0156 went to committee on 16th June 2023
The change of building material for Plot 1 had been approved, despite strong opposition by the parish council.
NP/DDD/0423/0428 and 0429 Pilsbury Grange
Erection of a powder coated aluminium glasshouse sited on dwarf stone wall in keeping with existing stone work with in the property
Decision notice – refused
Telecommunications mast – comments submitted
The parish council had submitted strong opposition to the application for a 30 m high telecommunications mast. The planning application was, however, received by the neighbouring parish council, Hartington Nether Quarter and was also opposed by this parish council. In addition, over 15 other objections had been submitted by individuals. The parish council was also grateful that the National Trust had submitted opposition. From this level of opposition, it was hoped that this proposal would not be approved, as it would cause a tremendous blight on the landscape area of natural beauty.
A previous application at Hall Cottage, Hall Bank had been approved.
23.7.14 Highway issues, yellow lines, pot holes, street lighting,
Despite some recent intervention on Hall Bank, the surface area remains extremely rough beyond Hall Farm. There are also other potholes requiring attention. The potholes also remain on Dig Street and around the grass island in the centre of the village. The reporting system for Derbyshire County Council (DCC) is poor and competition for resources remains an issue.
Resolved: The clerk to report the above issues again.
23.7.15 Correspondence and communication
Rural funding digest, parish member election results, NOD Leek training estate, DALC Round Robin and training event, Parish and Town Council Liaison Forum: Monday 18 September 2023, Rural bulletin, News from DCC, DCC list of revised speed limits (this includes the Via Gelia).
DHSC Letter: Defibrillator campaign – to ensure all defibrillators are registered on the ‘Circuit’.
Resolved: the clerk to undertake the registration on the circuit by liaising with the local First Responders.
23.7.16 Items for the next agenda
War Memorial and plaque, Neighbourhood Plan, local projects fund, telephone box, former cheese factory site, external audit, drainage and flood team, wells dressings and wakes, burial ground and mowing*.
Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
Resolved: *The clerk to contact the mowing contractor for a quote to remove the gravel around the old garden of remembrance plaques, lay a membrane and replace gravel.
23.7.17 Date of next meeting: Wednesday, 6th September 2023
Confidential Items
23.7.18 War Memorial and information plaque
The clerk had contacted the contractor originally appointed to rebuild the War Memorial wall regarding the building of a small kerb, in front of the recently planted new trees but a quote had not been received in time for the meeting. This is becoming increasingly important to prevent water run-off from around the trees.
Members discussed the use of a sloping piece of limestone to have carved with an agreed inscription detailing the history of the War Memorial. An improvement of the use of the word ‘boulders’ in the description will be required. The lettering on the listed War Memorial needs attention again.
Resolved: The clerk to seek 3 quotes from monumental masons to carve the inscription into a piece of all polished limestone.
Resolved: the clerk to further contact the contractor referred to above and to copy in Mrs Broomhead MBE.
The meeting was declared closed at 8.35 pm.
Mrs S Hampson
Clerk
Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
14th July 2023
©Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting