Minutes of the Council Meeting on July 14, 2005, at 7.30pm in the Club House

                    Present:                Cllr Michael Binns (in the chair)

                                                    Cllr Mike Gover

                                                    Cllr Malcolm Willetts

                                                    Cllr Mark Wheeler

                    Apologies:           Cllr Helen Marshall

                                                    Cllr Andrew Wheatstone

                                                    Cllr Pat Fairbank

                    In attendance:    Stephen Cohen (parish clerk)

                                                    Two members of the public

Minutes

1                  Declarations of interest:  No declarations were made

2                  To receive and accept apologies for absence: Apologies were accepted from Cllrs Wheatstone, Marshall and Fairbank

3                  To approve the minutes of the meeting on June 9, 2005 (previously circulated): The minutes were agreed as a correct record with the alteration of item 8 to £2,800.

4                  Questions from the floor:  The issue of the ditches on Mitton Lane was discussed.  It was agreed to contact NYCC.

5                  Clerk’s report (attached): The report was accepted. It was agreed to allow June Barrow until the end of the month to replace a bench before contacting the police.

Cllr Wheeler said he would investigate the appearance of two bollards on the footpath below North View.

6                  Correspondence received/items for circulation

1        Craven District Council: Report on conference on Local Development Framework/Register of electors/May Crime figures

2        NYCC: Craven Area Committee agenda July 7/Newsletter

3        YLCA: Annual report and agenda/Pointers to good practice booklet

4        Playing Fields Association: Annual General Meeting agenda (July 21, York)

5        DEFRA: Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005: received Royal Assent – parish council can now issue fixed penalty notices for litter, graffiti, fly-posting and dog offences, and also introduce dog control orders.

6        South Craven Community Action: Conference November 1, Skipton

7        Magazines: Local Council Review and Clerks and Councils Direct

8        Advertising leaflets

9        Standards Board: Newsletter

10    NY Fire and Rescue Authority: Annual performance plan

11    NHS Trust: Newsletter

7                  Reports from County and District Councillors: Cllr Wheeler reported that the Craven Area Committee had £25,000 to be spent between now and February 2006. Traffic calming funds were less than in previous years. BT had made a presentation on cashless kiosks.

8                  Finance:  A schedule of payments was agreed.

9                  To consider granting delegated authority to the Clerk for decisions on Tree Preservation Orders received during August: It was agreed that there would be sufficient members present during August for meetings to be called.

10              To consider a proposal for an underground cable in the recreation ground.  It was agreed to seek more information on the route of the cable.

11              To consider providing new goal posts in the recreation ground. It was agreed to delegate the item to the chairman.

12              Planning:

            Applications received

53/2005/5483 Renewal of extant planning permission for conversion of garage to bedroom and home office and construction of new timber garage, Fox House, Springs Farm, Mr S Richards.  No objections were made.

53/2005/5455 Conversion of existing barn to one dwelling, Mitton House, Mr and Mrs D Hall. No objections were made to the plans but it was emphasised that the Yorkshire stone roof should be retained.  The District Council was asked to pay particular attention to the water supply and the potential difficulties that could arise due to existing covenants on water use.

53/2005/5475 Single storey rear extension to form enlarged kitchen and detached garage, Brookside, 1 Brooke Terrace, Mr and Mrs Smith. No objections were made to the house extension, but it was felt that the proposed garage would alter the character of the village and would spoil the view of the dam. It was suggested that the garage should be re-sited to somewhere closer to its original position.

53/2005/5516 Remove 3 cherry trees, Lothersdale Community Primary School.  It was agreed to make a comment that the council did not understand what use the school wished to make of the area which would be cleared if the trees were removed.

13              Items of minor information were discussed:

a)      Proposed Orange radio base station in Bradley

b)     NYCC Mineral Extraction and Waste Strategy

c)      Questionnaire on Housing was completed

d)     Advance information on an eco house was circulated.  The Council, in principle, would support the proposal but no formal position would be taken until plans were received.

It was agreed to discuss Village Maps and the Youth Shelter in September