Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
A meeting of Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council was held on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025 at 7.30pm in the Bakehouse.
Present: A Grindey, R Sherratt, Mr D Annat, S Bruce, S Wager, S Spencer and the clerk, S Hampson. There was one member of the public in attendance for part of the meeting.
Part 1 Non-confidential information
25.12.1 Apologies and attendance register
The members present completed the attendance register.
25.12.2 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 the Chairman, Mr Grindey.
25.12.3 Public speaking
The public speaking procedures document was available. The member of the public attended to express concerns about accessibility in the village, including a lack of disabled parking in the village and on the public car park administered by Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC); inadequate signage, restrictions for emergency vehicles. The member of the public raised a number of valid points which the members supported. The clerk had liaised with the Chairman in advance of the meeting and he had kindly visited the public toilet facilities in the village and reported that the there was no handle on the disabled toilet door. Access is by radar key. It was reported that a toilet will be put in the church as part of future alterations. See agenda item 25.12.4
25.12.4 Village accessibility
From public speaking.
Resolved: as suggested, the clerk to liaise with Derbyshire County Council (DCC) to request the two end parking spaces to the rear of the bus shelter and nearest to pond to be designated for disabled use only.
Resolved: the clerk to liaise with DDDC to request a handle for the public disabled toilet door.
Resolved: the clerk to contact DDDC for consideration of disabled parking facilities on the public car par.
25.12.5 Update from District Councillor and possible grant update
The District Councillor was not in attendance.
25.12.6 Former cheese factory site, flood attenuation measures and enforcement
The clerk continues to liaise with the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) regarding the flood attenuation measures at the development site.
PDNPA reported that developer’s agent states that the drainage strategy has been complete and is ready for submission; the agent is now awaiting confirmation of the new owners of the houses that have already been sold so that he can serve notice on them and complete the Certificate B, thereby allowing the application to be made valid. In the meantime, the Authority continues to undertake work to seek to enforce against what remains at the moment, non-compliance with the approved planning decision.
Resolved: the clerk to contact the Head of Planning at PDNPA again for clarification over the flood measures.
25.12.7 Neighbourhood Plan and referendum
Councillors congratulated Councillor David Annat as Chairman of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, on the successful outcome of the previous Thursday’s Referendum in which 147 residents voted (over 60% turnout), with 129 (88%) voting in favour of the Plan.
This was the culmination of ten year’s work, including two full village public consultations and two detailed village questionnaires. The Plan will now be imbedded in the PDNPA’s planning policy for the parish.
Councillor Annat wished to thank other Steering Group members, Richard Gregory, Janet Bray and Keith Quine for their efforts and acknowledged the personal contribution of Keith Quine over the last eighteen months leading up to the referendum. He also thanked Leon Goodwin for the comprehensive Neighbourhood Plan website and Philip Neal for his technical contribution to the published documents.
Hartington is at present the only Derbyshire village in the National Park, apart from Bradwell, with a Neighbourhood Plan and in particular, its identification of a settlement boundary and the identification of local green spaces within the village will become important, as pressure on development inevitably grows over the coming years.
The Plan will greatly contribute to appropriate development in keeping with the size and historical character of Hartington.
25.12.8 Christmas Tree and Lighting
The members were very grateful to the resident who once again supplied a Christmas tree for the benefit of the village. Members were also grateful to the efforts of Mr Grindey and Mr Sherratt for erecting the tree. Mr Annat had also purchased two additional sets of lights.
Resolved: Mrs Bruce to ring the bell prior to the lights switch on.
Resolved: to reimburse Mr Annat for the purchase of the additional Christmas Lights.
Resolved: to pay £50 to the resident for the supply of electricity to the Christmas tree for the duration of the Christmas period.
25.12.9 Budget and precept for 2026-2027
The clerk and responsible finance officer (RFO) had prepared a budget forecast and projection of financial year end figures. Members discussed these together with a possible increase in costs associated with the new 2-year mowing contract due to commence in 2026. Members discussed mowing requirements associated with areas around the village hall, previously paid for by the parish council. The village hall now has sufficient funds and it was thought the Village Hall Committee should now meet these associated costs.
Resolved: to keep the precept figure the same as the present financial year ie £15,000.
Resolved: the clerk and RFO to continue to submit evidence to support a claim for reimbursable expenditure in the sum of £410 each year.
Resolved: the clerk to contact the Village Hall Committee to advise that the parish council will no longer fund mowing of the areas concerned with the village hall.
Resolved: the clerk to revise the mowing contract, as above, and to contact suitable mowing contractors to tender for discussion at the February parish council meeting.
25.12.10 Grit bin monitoring and snow warden scheme
The clerk had contacted DCC to order further supplies of grit for Bankside and 2 bins on Reynards Lane; however, these grit bins remain empty. Despite efforts, there does not appear to be anyone to take up the position of snow warden. Some individuals may clear their own areas.
25.12.11 Items of account, salaries, clerk’s pay award, HMRC, general administration, mowing contractor, bus shelter maintenance, on line banking, Christmas tree lights
Cq 1866 S Hampson December and January internet provision £34.00
Cq 1867 S Hampson December and January clerk’s salaries £910.92
Cq 1868 HMRC Quarter 3 income tax £341.60
Cq 1869 Shelter Maintenance Bus shelter cleaning service £ 13.62 (VAT £2.27)
Cq 1870 S Hampson Reimbursement of expenses £14.70
Cq 1871 D Annat Reimbursement for xmas lights £129.95
Cq 1872 J Johnson Xmas tree electricity supply £50.00
Mr Grindey had not experienced any success with the parish council’s bank regarding on line banking and signatories.
25.12.12 Planning applications, planning sub-committee and appeals, enforcement
Mr Grindey had viewed the extractor fan visible from the rear of the Devonshire Arms public house and advised that it was galvanised and quite visible; however, it was very quiet. Mr Wager provided some additional information about the fencing referred to in the application.
The consultation period on the PDNPA Local Plan Preferred Approach (regulation 18) commenced on 3rd November and will continue until 21st December 2025
Resolved: Mr Annat to make a submission regarding the PDNPA Local Plan.
25.12.13 Highway issues, yellow lines, pot holes, street lighting, No though road sign at Reynards Lane
Some potholes previously reported to DCC had received attention and some had been assigned instructions to complete works. Others remain outstanding. DCC had advised that the ‘No through road’ sign at Reynards Lane had been ordered but this is still not in place. Works to the pond overflow had been forwarded to highways drainage team by flood management team.
Resolved: the clerk to report two pot holes at the top of Stonewell Lane.
Resolved: the clerk to report a faulty street light below the YHA as it is permanently lit and the street light near the village green litter bins is overgrown with vegetation, obscuring the light.
25.12.14 Items for News and Views
The next edition is January.
Resolved: Mr Annat to place an article related to the Neighbourhood Plan.
25.12.15 Correspondence and communication
Correspondence had been forwarded to members in advance of the meeting and included: emergency closure on the Via Gelia road, mobile library routes, anti-social behaviour posters, community safety re flu, survey regarding open spaces, public spaces order 2025-28, DALC forums, Derbyshire Fire Service budget and plan
25.12.16 Items for the next agenda
Mowing contract 26-27, former cheese factory site and flood measures, grit bin monitoring. Additional items to be compiled by the clerk.
25.12.17 Date of next meeting:
Wednesday, 4th February 2025. NB the parish council does not meet in January.
Confidential Items
There were no confidential items to discuss.
The meeting was declared closed at 8.40 pm
Mrs S Hampson
Clerk
Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council
10th December 2025
©Hartington Town Quarter Parish Council minutes remain draft until approved by the parish council at the next meeting