Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
A meeting of Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council was held on Wednesday, 16th July 2025 at 7.30pm in the Bakehouse.
Present: R Sherratt, D Annat, S Bruce, S Spencer, S Wager, the clerk, S Hampson and District Councillor, Mr D Chapman. There were no members of the public in attendance.
Part 1 Non-confidential information
25.7.1 Apologies and attendance register
Apologies had been received from Mr A Grindey. The members present completed the attendance register.
25.7.2 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. The minutes were duly signed by Vice Chairman, Mr Sherratt.
25.7.3 Public speaking
The public speaking procedures document was available but there were no members of the public in attendance. Contact had been made; however, through the parish council’s website, by 2 members of the public. The members noted their comments and are always grateful to residents/members of the public bringing items to their attention.
The first item was regarding the perception of an increase in the number of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) through the village. During the Ashbourne Reborn project, some HGVs are using alternative roads.
The second item from a resident raised concerns about quite a large number of traffic cones being placed by residents adjacent to their properties or on some areas of roads in the village. Such traffic cones are not enforceable in law. Derbyshire County Council (DCC) has previously sent personnel to the village and these have been removed. The members acknowledged that in some areas there are quite a few cones, there is more justification for some than others, particularly to ensure access for large agricultural vehicles etc.
Resolved: The clerk to contact the PCSO/DCC to ascertain if it is illegal to place such cones and an appropriate course of action.
It was reported that there had been issues with the O2 signal in the village. It is believed that the mast is no longer at the Charles Cotton but now in the vicinity of Nettletor Farm.
25.7.4 Update from District Councillor and possible grant update
The District Councillor was in attendance. The clerk had contacted the District Councillor again regarding the possibility of the grant he had referred to in previous minutes. District Councillor Mr Chapman had forwarded, immediately before the meeting, a copy of Business Matters providing details of grants available to enable the clerk to circulate to all members.
Resolved: the clerk to view the different grants and to register the parish council’s interest, followed by completion of an application form for village seats around the pond.
The parish council is concerned about the loss of local representation by the District Councillor, who has attended many meetings as a result of the government’s proposals for Unitary Authorities by population size, not geographically. Derbyshire could be split into 2 portions. Further changes will also affect DCC.
25.7.5 Former cheese factory site, flood attenuation measures and enforcement request for a compliance site visit.
The clerk had contacted Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) regarding a compliance site visit connected to storage issues at the development site. Site visits have now been made and PDNPA officers are now checking through various issues – the key one being the flood attenuation scheme which formed part of the approved development. The developer’s agent has stated their intention to fully implement the flood scheme by 15th September 2025. Issues related to tipping near trees were noted.
There is currently an invalid application which the developer is now seeking to vary condition 32 to allow the implementation of the flood attenuation measures in accordance with approval on 28th November 2018 under application 0918/0836. They state the measures under NP/DIS/0221/0207 cannot be carried out due to a high-voltage mains that runs adjacent to and across the site, hence why they want to revert. The application is not approved at present. The parish council prefer 2 ponds on both sides of the road. The latest scheme showed a substantial quantity of water retained in case of flooding.
PDNPA officers were onsite again in the last week to investigate again. The storage compound and reports of waste tipping were reviewed. The officer felt there was no immediate harm from tipping i.e. to trees so no cause for action at this stage. The site storage/compound area also still appears to be part of the working operation and will reduce and be removed in due course. While on site, the officer also managed to speak with the site manager who gave confidence that a further stage of road surfacing will be taking place in the next few weeks, albeit final top tarmacing would be left to the end of the construction.
In terms of the affordable homes, PDNPA is aware of an email from their solicitor, asking for confirmation of an occupier’s eligibility in order that they can serve the necessary certificate; that request would typically only come at the conveyancing stage, so it appears that the first of the 4 units is at that stage of sale. The parish council has heard that 3 of the affordable homes have had interest expressed from people from Hartington and the adjoining parish.
25.7.6 Neighbourhood Plan
The grant monies have been sorted, the process accepted and closed off now. The Neighbourhood Plan has cost the parish council nothing. The latest position from the inspector had been reported to the parish council but remains confidential at this stage. The parish council now awaits approval by PDNPA to go to referendum. All future costs will be met by PDNPA, including the polling cards to vote.
25.7.7 Traffic regulation order (TRO) and yellow lines
The clerk had again requested a further update on the installation of the ‘No through road’ sign granted for the bottom of Reynard’s Lane and yellow lines in time for the meeting but there was no response.
25.6.8 Village seat
Also see item 25.4.4. The clerk had contacted a company who could supply village seats and secured a discount if 4 like seats were purchased. These would be £250 each plus VAT. The clerk had also contacted PDNPA and a suggestion to contact the cultural heritage team was suggested.
Resolved: the clerk to contact Cultural Heritage for approval of the seats from the above company, prior to an order being placed.
25.7.9 Community noticeboard
With many thanks to Mr and Mrs Bruce, the community noticeboard has been relocated to the exterior wall of Beresford Tea Rooms, adjacent to the defibrillator.
25.7.10 Items of account, salaries HMRC, general administration, neighbourhood plan, on line banking
Cq 1846 S Hampson July and August internet provision £34.00
Cq 1847 S Hampson July and August clerk’s salaries £884.46
Cq 1848 B W Coles June mowing £595.20 (VAT £99.20)
Cq 1849 Shelter Maintenance Bus shelter cleaning service £13.62 (VAT £2.27)
Cq 1850 S Hampson Reimbursement of expenses £9.90
25.7.11 Planning applications, planning sub-committee and appeals, enforcement
There were no new planning applications to consider.
25.7.12 Highway issues, yellow lines, pot holes, street lighting
Also see public speaking regarding an increased number of traffic cones within the village reported via the contact form from the website.
25.6.15 Items for News and Views
Resolved: Mr Annat to submit an article.
25.7.14 Correspondence and communication
A successful week of village hall celebrations had taken place.
Correspondence had been forwarded to members in advance of the meeting and included: DALC information, the MP had asked about holding a coffee morning, DCC pothole repairs completed on Dig Street and High Cross Review of Licensing Act 2003, statement of licensing policy 2026-2031, St Giles Church 3Cs servery project – a request had been received for a stall for the church on 13th September.
Resolved: to approve the request for the stall subject to a risk assessment being undertaken.
Resolved: the clerk to confirm attendance at an MP organised coffee morning by representatives of the Parish Council and to ask him for a number of dates.
25.7.17 Items for the next agenda
Neighbourhood Plan, former cheese factory site and flood measures, traffic regulation orders/yellow lines and Reynards Lane No through road, village seats, the wakes band, internet banking. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
25.6.18 Date of next meeting: Wednesday, 17th September 2025. N.B. this date is not the first Wednesday in September.
Confidential Items
There were no confidential items to discuss.
The meeting was declared closed at 8.55 pm
Mrs S Hampson
Clerk
Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
1st August 2025
©Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting