Minutes of a Council Meeting, April 8 2004 at 7.30pm in the Club

Present:                       Cllr Mike Gover (chairman)

                                    Cllr Michael Binns (vice-chairman)

                                    Cllr Malcolm Willetts

                                    Cllr Pat Fairbank

                                    Cllr Mark Wheeler

                                    Cllr Irene Greaves

                                    Clerk Stephen Cohen

1                    Apologies for absence were accepted from Cllr Andrew Wheatstone and Cllr Helen Marshall

2                    Declarations of interest were made by Cllr Willetts who was a personal friend of Mr Booton, an applicant for planning permission.

3                    Approval of minutes of March 11, 2004. The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

4                    Questions from the floor. There were no questions.

5                    Clerk’s report (attached and copies available for public inspection). The report was noted. It was agreed to hold a site meeting in the recreation ground on April 15 at 6pm to decide on the location of picnic tables and benches that would be delivered on April 13.

            It was also agreed to go ahead with footpath work at Burlington Farm and Knot Farm.

6                    Correspondence received/items for circulation

i           Lothersdale Parish Trust annual report

ii           DTI Rural broadband  circular

iii          NYCC: Craven Area Committee newsletter/Notice of next Area Committee Meeting, April 15 at Grassington

iv          Craven District Council: Memorial Safety (Cllr Gover to copy and pass on to Church and Chapel representatives)/Notice of next Area Forum October 5 at Cononley/Minutes of meeting on March 10/Posters for Craven Funding Workshop, April 29 Glusburn Institute/Minutes of Council Meetings.

7                    Reports from county and district councillors.

Cllr Fairbank said blue waste paper bags could be available in the village in July but there were problems because the collection vehicle was too large and the cost of collecting was greater than the savings made by re-processing the paper.

She agreed to find out if CDC’s testing device for measuring headstone safety could be borrowed by local churches and chapels.

8          Finance

i     The following payments were approved:

SP Cohen                     £147.56 + £4.73 expenses

JC Cowgill                   £67.20 Rec ground works November 2003-March 2004

YLCA Membership      £100

ii     Balances

Treasurer                      £1869.10

Deposit                        £6706.85

9          Planning

i     Applications received

(a)    53/2004/4128 Rear Conservatory, Millwood Cottage, Wedding Hall Fold, Mr and Mrs Booton (Resubmission). Cllr Willetts declared an interest and did not vote on the application. It was agreed that the resubmitted plan did not address the issue of privacy identified in CDC’s refusal and it was also felt that the proposed new sidewall would be detrimental to the building.

(b)   53/2004/4168 Two-storey extension, 2 Peel Terrace, Mr and Mrs Pickard. It was agreed that the proposal would have a negative impact on the conservation area. The size of the planned extension and the change to the rear aspect of the line of cottages were opposed.

(c)    53/2004/4197 Installation of internal mezzanine floor to provide additional classroom and ancillary accommodation including provision of new Velux windows to rear elevation, Lothersdale County Primary School. No objections were made.

ii     Applications approved

(a) 53/2003/3489 Extension to rear of ex01756 792065isting garage to provide dining room and home workers office with space below allocated to boiler room. Gateshead Cottage, Adj Stone Gappe Hall.

10                Parish Plan progress report. The village questionnaire was almost ready for distribution and the school had agreed to make a model of the village.

11                Party in the Park:  It was agreed to offer £200 towards to expenses.

12                Footway lighting maintenance contract: It was agreed to approve NYCC’s contract for 2004-2005.

13                Speeding survey: It was agreed to discuss the issue at a later meeting.

14                Minor items for information. Cllr Gover indicated that he would be tabling an agenda item for discussion on support for a book on the village.

He also said he would not be offended if there was an alternative candidate for chairman at the AGM in May but would be prepared to carry on if required.