Minutes of Meetings

Meeting 8 of 2009-10 NOT YET CONFIRMED

The Parish Council met on Friday 15^th January 2010.

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith, Mr Ian Shaw, Mr Andrew Lewis and the Parish Clerk.

The Chairman informed the meeting that a reasonable period of time would be allowed before the main proceedings to allow registered electors the opportunity to ask questions and/or make statements that relate to the work of the Council.

8.1 Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest.

8.2 Apologies for absence

There were no apologies for absence.

8.3 Minutes of Meeting 7 2009-10 (December 7th 2009)

The minutes of Meeting 7 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

8.4 Matters arising from the minutes

The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising from Meeting 7 2009-10.

8.4.1 The Clerk informed the meeting that Ian Speirs, Emergency Planning Officer with NYCC, will attend Meeting 9 2009-10 on March 8^th 2010.

8.4.2 Highways Matters. The Clerk read out the previously circulated e-mail received from Ken Martin of NYCC Highways giving details of the injury collision history of the section of the A65 between the Settle and Clapham by-passes. The complete text of this e-mail is given below for information:

‘Between Clapham Bypass and Settle Bypass there were 19 accidents in the 3 years 2004-2006 ie an average of 6 per year. The Highways Agency carried out some works in 2006 and the rate has reduced to 3 or 4 a year [2007 to the present]. Speed limits are currently being reviewed on all A and B roads. We will let you know the outcome when this is complete. However, I would not expect the imposition of a speed limit to have a significant effect on the accident rate.

Double white line systems can only be laid where there is inadequate visibility, otherwise drivers ignore them and they fall into disrepute. There is no scope for extending the existing double white lines within the parameters of the national guidance.

Cross Streets junction is the 151st injury accident site in the county and 13th in Craven. There has been one serious and three slight injury accidents in the three years from 2006 to 2008. The Highways Agency installed high friction surfacing and improved the signing at the junction in 2006.The County Council is currently concentrating its resources on the top 100 injury accident sites and therefore no further action is proposed at present.'

8.5 Finance

8.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 31^st December 2009 of £2508.14 was noted.

8.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (£7.50) was approved.

8.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of £20 for cleaning the bus shelter for 5 weeks was approved.

8.6 Affordable Housing

The Chairman gave a brief appraisal of the current position with regard to the call for affordable housing sites initiated by the YDNPA. The Pant Lane site is still under consideration by the National Park Authority's Housing Working Group, but its' conclusions are unlikely to be published for some time yet.

The National Park Authority will have to approve any allocation recommended by the Housing Working Group, which will then be considered by the Authority meeting either on 26th January or 30th March. After that time there will be a process of consultation with affected Parish Councils and the opportunity to examine the appraisal sheets on which the recommendation is based, under the Freedom of Information Act if necessary. There will then be an opportunity to lobby local National Park Authority members.

8.7 Parish Council Meeting Dates

Following suggestions put forward by Councillors, it has been agreed that Parish Council Meeting dates will in future be confirmed for the calendar year and a list will be put on the Parish notice board. All meetings will be held on a Monday in the Parish Hall, starting at 8.00pm, except on the day of the Annual Parish Meeting, when the Parish Council will meet at 7.00pm, followed by the Annual Parish Meeting at 8.00pm.

8.8 Correspondence

8.8.1 An e-mail has been received from the Secretary of the Austwick Street Market asking for permission to close the roads in the village and to use the greens on Street Market day, Monday May 31^st 2010. The Clerk will reply and agree to this request.

8.8.2 A letter has been received from NYCC giving an update on the road gritting situation in the current severe weather.

8.9 Date & time of next meeting

The next 2 meetings of the Parish Council will be on Monday 8^th March and Monday April 19^th 2010. The March meeting will be held at 8.00pm and the April meeting at 7.00pm, followed by the Annual Parish Meeting at 8.00pm.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.40pm

Meeting 7 of 2009-10

The Parish Council met on Monday 7th December 2009.

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith, Mr Ian Shaw, Mr Andrew Lewis and the Parish Clerk.

7.1 Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest.

7.2 Apologies for absence

There were no apologies for absence.

7.3 Minutes of Meeting 6 2009-10 (October 26th 2009)

The minutes of Meeting 6 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

7.4 Matters arising from the minutes

The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising from Meeting 6 2009-10.

7.4.1 The Clerk informed the meeting that correspondence had been received from Rupert Douglas, who is co-ordinating the proposed ‘Way of the Roses' coast to coast cycle route, which passes through the Austwick area on either Thwaite Lane or along the proposed new bridleway link between Clapham and Austwick. Mr Douglas said that funding of c.£76k is available for this part of the scheme, but that progress was being hindered as a result of lengthy discussions with one of the landowners. Further information from Mr Paul Roberts of NYCC indicated that the authority may take out a creation order under the CROW Act which may help to speed things up.

7.4.2 Highways Matters. Following discussions on the safety of the A65 at Austwick and the narrow footpath between the Gamecock Inn and Alderman Cottage, the Clerk has spoken to a representative of North Yorkshire police to get a professional opinion on the matters at hand. Apparently the A65 does not fit the criteria for a reduced speed limit and the current white line configuration will have been carefully assessed and is unlikely to change. The junction at Cross Streets would only be altered if there was significant evident that it was dangerous. This would require analysis of injury collision data, and in any event, such works would be prohibitively expensive. Regarding the narrow footpath near the Gamecock Inn, it was acknowledged that it was a difficult area, but that it did act as a natural speed restriction in the centre of the village. Although car parking was an issue, the presence of double yellow lines was not attractive, and where would residents park if they were moved away from this point? The Clerk has written to Chris Craven of North Yorkshire Highways, the authority responsible for the A65 following its de-trunking, expressing concern about safety at the Cross Streets junction and asking for a review of the white lines and speed restriction on the Austwick section of the highway. An injury collision history of road between the Settle and Clapham by-passes has also been asked for.

7.4.3 Letters have gone out to all residents who are ‘looking after' benches in the Parish, explaining that a review of the condition of the benches will soon be carried out and asking for confirmation that they wish to continue. Replies have been received from all the people concerned and the review will be completed in the New Year.

7.4.4 The Clerk has been in contact with Ian Speirs, the Emergency Planning Officer with NYCC and will arrange for him to attend a Parish Council Meeting in the New Year.

7.5 Finance

7.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 30th November 2009 of £3003.55 was noted.

7.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (£7.50) was approved.

7.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of £24 for cleaning the bus shelter for 6 weeks was approved.

7.5.4 Councillors were provided with a copy of the Draft Budget for 2010-11. Particular note was taken of the estimated additional expenditure of £787.50 to cover local election costs in May 2010.

7.5.5 The Clerk informed the meeting that the additional expenditure noted in Min. 7.5.4 could be absorbed without increasing the current annual precept, which leaves a reduced, but acceptable current account balance at the end of March 2011. After some discussion it was agreed to maintain the current precept level for the 2010-11 financial year at £3500.

7.5.6 Following a letter requesting a donation towards the publication costs of the Parish Newsletter from Austwick Church of the Epiphany, payment of £100 was approved.

7.5.7 Payment of £365.41 to Came & Co. for the annual Parish Council insurance was approved. It was noted that this amount was less than last year due to a no claims discount.

7.5.8 Following a letter requesting a donation, payment of £30 to Settle Area Swimming Pool was approved.

7.6 Craven District Council Waste Collection Arrangements

The meeting was joined by Mr John Sutcliffe, Waste Minimisation Officer for Craven District Council and Lindsey Quinn, Strategic Manager for Neighbourhoods.

Before the main discussion began, the Chairman asked Mr Sutcliffe why the recycling bins at Orchard Leigh had been removed and why the Parish Council had only been informed after the event. Mr Sutcliffe told Councillors that the land on which the bins were located had now been sold, but that the bins would be re-located on the car park at Orchard Leigh as soon as possible.

Mr Sutcliffe gave details of the reasons for and the details of the new domestic refuse collection regime that would come into effect on February 15th 2010, after which time normal domestic refuse and re-cycled material will be collected on an alternate weekly basis. It is essential that the amount of re-cycled material is increased, not only to meet national and European targets, but because land fill costs are increasing every year and there may be future bans on food and any re-usable materials being dumped in land fill sites.

Craven currently have 35.5% of material re-cycled, but are aiming at 40% for 2010, 45% by 2013 and at least 50% by 2020.

An information pack on the new arrangements, including a collection calendar, will be sent out to all households in January.Under the new regime, glass, cans and plastic will be collected fortnightly from every household in the blue wheelie bins and paper and card will be collected in sacks, supplied by Craven. The collection of compostable material remains unchanged. Mr Sutcliffe told the meeting that there were future plans for all recyclable materials to go into one bin on an alternate weekly basis.

On the question of collections from remote locations, Mr Sutcliffe said that blue wheelie bins would be offered to those that currently did not have them for ‘lane end' collections, or bulk bins for more than one household where space permitted.

Concern was expressed about the problems of storing large quantities of paper and card and the problem of excessive packaging in general. Although there have been attempts to enforce legislation to reduce packaging on domestic goods, producers claim that actual weight of packaging has been reduced significantly. It was agreed that this is an area that needs further enforcement by local authorities.

Regarding collections from Orchard Leigh, which due to lack of space and numerous steps, necessitates the use of purple plastic bags, it was agreed that alternative arrangements would be investigated, such as small wheelie bins.

Mr Sutcliffe was asked if there were any plans to impose penalties on households who put out more than the ‘average' amount of waste, such as a ‘pay per throw' scheme. Some authorities employ this method and remove the waste collection element from the council tax bill, then charge for the amount of domestic waste actually collected. This system has not been considered by Craven because of the high cost of implementation and the possible backlash from dissatisfied residents. However, some authorities are weighing re-cycled waste in ‘chipped' bins and giving vouchers.

On the question of what type of plastics can be re-cycled, Councillors were told that the scheme was currently limited to bottles. Recycling other plastics is too expensive, but as the technology develops it was hoped to include more.

Light bulbs should not be put in the recycling bin, but should be taken to the household waste recycling centre in Settle. Also, tetra paks should not be put in with card and paper.

The recycling bins in the old road section on Graystonber Lane will remain for the time being but there are no plans to have plastic collection bins at present.

7.7 Planning

7.7.1 Details have been received from the National Park Planning Department of the re-notification policy for amended details on planning applications. Although the Authority states that ‘further consultation would take place with the Parish Council and any other consultee or neighbour whose interest the amendment may affect', concerns were expressed that there have been instances when consultees have not been informed of changes to applications affecting them.

Councillors were also of the opinion that case officers should not be the final arbiters on amended decisions, nor should they have responsibility for deciding whether or not an amendment is a ‘material' consideration.

The point was also made that certain amendments to applications could result in any objections being withdrawn, thereby reinforcing the need for interested parties to be kept informed of developments.

7.7.2 Application No. 04/2009/10117, variation to condition 1 of a previous application at Low Watson House, Clapham. The application seeks to vary the wording of condition 1 to ‘the erection of timber chalets and timber clad caravans only'. This would enable the timber clad caravans to be constructed in two parts off site, then assembled on site, representing a significant saving in cost. There were no objections to this proposal.

7.7.3 Notification of amended plans for application C/04/604C, Oxenber House, Austwick. Amended plans have been received showing that the proposed new garage has been repositioned away from the boundary with Townhead Lane and the first floor workshop/studio has been removed, thereby reducing the overall height of the building. Although Councillors felt that it would have been better if the main access to the property had been on the western side on to Townhead Lane, rather than the narrow access on the northern boundary, it was felt that there were no reasons for objection to the revised plans.

7.7.4 Application No C/49/603B&C, extension of working at Dry Rigg Quarry, Helwith Bridge. This application is to be considered at the National Park Planning Committee on December 8th 2009 and it is known that the Minerals Officer has recommended approval for the initial 17 month extension to working on the site (603B). The application for a 12 year extension (603C) will be considered by the Planning Committee at a later date. Considerable concern was expressed by Austwick Councillors at the way in which this application had been presented and with much of the ambiguous and unsubstantiated evidence that had been put forward in support of the application. Local concerns about the impact of quarrying operations in the area, including blast damage to neighbouring properties and the movement of HGV vehicles on local roads, have been ignored. Indeed, the Minerals Officer, in his summary of the application, states that ‘The application does not provide additional benefits to the environment or to residential amenity and is not considered to comply with Policy MLP2', yet still recommends that permission be granted to provide an adequate period in which to assess and determine the 12 year application.

Although a letter of objection to the extension of working was submitted by the Parish Council, in view of the Officer's recommendation to grant permission, it was agreed that there was little point in pursuing the matter further at this stage, but to await developments on the 12 year application.

7.7.5 Enforcement Ref 108.08, formation of earth bunds at Cross Streets, Austwick. A copy of a letter from Craven District Council planning department to Mr Zarzycki of Cross Streets has been received. Ian Swain, Principal Planning Officer at CDC, has agreed that the earth bunds on the side of the A65 at Cross Streets can remain provided that they are suitably landscaped and planted as per the planning department recommendations.

Concern was expressed by Councillors at the inordinate amount of time it had taken to resolve this matter and it was also noted that there had still been no discussion or decision on the application for change of use at Cross Streets to a children's care home.

7.8 Austwick & Lawkland Community Warden Scheme

The Clerk gave details of the scheme's accounts, showing that a total of £1830.47 had been spent so far in 2009 and that £1672.09 remained in the Austwick account when the Yorkshire Dales National Park contribution has been added in.

It was unanimously agreed that the scheme was working well and that Martin Holroyd, the Community Warden, was doing a good job and keeping the Parish well maintained. It was not known for how long the current sources of funding would continue, but it was felt that some additional publicity for the scheme would not go amiss and the Clerk will pursue this avenue of thought.

7.9 Correspondence

7.9.1 A letter has been received from North Yorkshire police regarding neighbourhood profile guides. It was felt by Councillors that the information in question was already in the public domain and that no further action was necessary.

7.9.2 A letter has been received from Relate regarding funding. In view of the fact that the precept has been held at current levels, despite an increase in Parish Council expenditure next year, it was decided not offer any financial assistance in this case.

7.9.3 A letter has been received from Craven District Council regarding the residents feedback panel. The Clerk will put a poster on the Parish notice board.

7.9.4 A letter has been received from the Craven Citizens Advice Bureau regarding funding. In view of the fact that the precept has been held at current levels, despite an increase in Parish Council expenditure next year, it was decided not offer any financial assistance in this case.

7.10 Date & time of next meeting

The next 3 meetings of the Parish Council will be on Friday 15th January, Monday 8th March and Monday April 19th 2010. The January and March meetings will be held at 8.00pm and the April meeting at 7.00pm, followed by the Annual Parish Meeting at 8.00pm.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.35pm

Meeting 6 of 2009-10

The Parish Council met on Monday 26th October 2009.

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith, Mr Ian Shaw and the Parish Clerk.

Mrs Sally Edwards asked Councillors about progress with the proposed A65 bridleway link between Austwick and Clapham. The Chairman informed the meeting that he and the Parish Clerk had recently had a meeting with Rima Berry, the LEADER Co-ordinator for the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. The meeting had been primarily about funding through LEADER for local projects, one of which was the A65 bridleway link. Mrs Berry had information which suggested that the proposed ‘Way of the Roses' cycle route had included the new section of bridleway in question in its plan for the cross country route and had also budgeted for the erection of a stone wall along its length as recently stipulated by one of the land owners involved. The Clerk will contact the ‘Way of the Roses' co-ordinator and see how the project is progressing.

Mrs Edwards also raised the issue of the slippery surface on the Little Bridges section of Pant Lane. Some of the paving stones have had a non slip substances put on them by the National Park and this has been very successful. The Clerk will contact Steve Hastie and see what can be done to similarly treat the remaining slabs.

6.1 Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest

6.2 Apologies for absence

Mr Andrew Lewis sent his apologies.

6.3 Minutes of Meeting 5 2009-10 (September 7th 2009)

The minutes of Meeting 5 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

6.4 Matters arising from the minutes

The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising from Meeting 5 2009-10.

6.4.1 The Chairman and the Clerk had met with John Sutcliffe from Craven District Council to discuss expanding the current recycling facilities on the old road section of Graystonber Lane to include plastics. Mr Sutcliffe said that new domestic waste collection proposals coming into effect in January 2010 would include plastic collection, thereby negating the need for additional recycling facilities. It was agreed to discuss the matter further when Mr Sutcliffe attends the Parish Council meeting on December 7th 2009.

6.4.2 Road Verges Scheme. The verge on Graystonber Lane has been cut and cleared by 14 volunteer residents.

6.4.3 The vegetation and cross drains on White Stone lane have now been cleared by the Community Warden and National Park rangers. The cross drain nearest to Wharfe may need further digging out to allow surface water to drain away more effectively.

6.4.4 The Clerk reported that he had not yet written to NYCC regarding the safety of the A65 between the Settle and Clapham by-passes. This will be done by the next meeting.

6.4.5 For information. The Clerk has asked planning enforcement officers at the National Park to investigate the current position regarding the burger van on the A65 at Harden Bridge.

6.4.6 For information. The Clerk has once again written to Dave Wilson of NYCC Highways asking for the road below Fleet Barn, Wharfe, to be re-surfaced. He has also informed highways of pot holes on Holme Lane and Orcaber Lane.

6.5 Finance

6.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 30th September 2009 of £2064.30 was noted.

6.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (£7.50) was approved.

6.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of £28 for cleaning the bus shelter for 7 weeks was approved.

6.5.4 Payment of £500 annual contribution to the Austwick & Lawkland Community Warden Scheme was approved.

6.5.5 Payment of £70 to Crossleigh Stores for cctv electricity (half year) was approved.

6.5.6 Payment of £30 annual subscription to the Society of Local Council Clerks was approved.

6.5.7 Payment of £155.25 to Mazars LLP for external audit work was approved. It was noted that this is more than the usual amount (£58.75) because the Parish Council had an additional £15000 from the ASDA donation on its accounts at the end of the 2008-9 financial year.

6.5.8 The Clerk presented Councillors with year to date and anticipated year end income and expenditure figures for the current financial year. A copy of this document is attached to the minutes.

6.6 Planning

6.6.1 Yorkshire Dales Housing Development Plan. Following the recent call for housing sites by the National Park and the subsequent release of information to the local press before Parish Councils were informed, the Clerk had written to Peter Stockton, Strategic Planning Officer at the YDNPA, to express concern at the notification process. Mr Stockton has responded, saying that all Parish Councils have now been informed of the potential development sites in their Parishes and that further consultations were being carried out to determine the suitability of these sites for development. Mr Stockton also points out that as Austwick is categorised as a Service Village in the Local Plan, it is regarded as a sustainable location for affordable housing.

Councillors also examined information provided by the National Park planning office relating to affordable and local housing in both the National Park and Austwick Parish. By simple extrapolation of the figures it could be seen that although Austwick is one of 34 villages in the National Park designated as a Service Village (2.94%), some 23% of new builds recorded in the National Park are, or have been, in Austwick. Also, 13% of local needs housing, most of which has received planning approval but has not yet been built, is in the village. Councillors considered that the scale of development, particularly in regard to local needs housing, was totally out of proportion for a village the size of Austwick. The Clerk will write to Mr Stockton expressing these concerns.

6.6.2 Planning application C/04/604C – Full planning permission for the erection of extensions to existing dwelling house and creation of detached garage with studio/workshop space over. Councillors considered the application and examined the plans provided. The following points were raised for consideration by the planning authority:

i) The design and access statement states that the work is necessary because the occupants have been unable to find a larger property, yet it is known that they have recently purchased another property and intend to move there.

ii) The proposed garage/workshop is nearer to No 1 Townhead Lane (3.0m) than it is to the applicants property (3.5m). There were concerns that this would lead to a loss of natural light to No 1 Townhead Lane, particularly in the winter months. It was also thought that restrictions on usage should be imposed for the studio/workshop to prevent any unnecessary noise pollution from affecting the neighbouring properties.

iii) The maintenance of Townhead Lane is paid for by the residents in Nos 1 to 6. The right of access of the applicant to this lane is not known but should be clarified by the planning authority.

The Clerk will pass these comments on to the National Park Planning Authority.

6.7 Benches in Austwick Parish

The Clerk raised the issue of the public benches within the Parish, the need to review their condition and to produce an up to date record of who is responsible for the maintenance of each bench. Historically, each bench has been ‘adopted' by a resident and they have been responsible for looking after it. Over the passage of time this system has in some instances broken down and a review is now required to make sure that all benches are maintained and are fit for purpose.

It was proposed that a letter will be sent to each resident who is listed as looking after a bench to ascertain whether or not they are willing to continue and to stress the importance of carrying out the work. If the resident is willing to continue this will be confirmed by the Parish Council in writing. In the event that anyone is unwilling or unable to continue then a new ‘owner' will be sought and if no one is willing to do the work then the Community Warden will assume responsibility for an annual maintenance regime.

6.8 Correspondence

6.8.1 A letter has been received from the Yorkshire Local Councils Association regarding the election of a Parish Representative. Councillors considered the candidates and unanimously agreed to vote for Cllr Alan Colin Price (Clapham cum Newby PC)

6.8.2 A letter has been received from Craven District Council regarding the Community Governance Review of all parishes in the Craven District. This document will be circulated to all Councillors for consideration.

6.8.3 A letter has been received from North Yorkshire Highways regarding flooding on the A65 at Owlet Hall and proposed drainage across adjacent fields to Austwick Beck.

6.8.4 A letter has been received from NYCC regarding a Community Emergency Scheme. The Clerk will ask for a representative from NYCC to come to a Parish Council meeting in early 2010.

6.8.5 A letter has been received from Craven District Council regarding the Council Plan 2010/12.

6.8.6 A letter has been received from Natural England / YDNPA regarding the Pennine Bridleway. A workshop on the use of the bridleway is being held at Hawes on November 25th 2009. A poster will be put on the notice board.

6.8.7 A letter has been received from NYCC with details of the Budget & Council Plan Consultation. This document will be circulated all Councillors.

6.9 Date & time of next meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Monday 7th December 2009 at 8.00pm in the Parish Hall.

6.10 Any other business

6.10.1 Councillors have received comments from residents concerned about the narrow pavement outside Alderman Cottage, a situation that is exacerbated by cars parked on the opposite side of the road. This is particularly worrying for elderly residents from Orchard Leigh who have to walk in the narrow section of road and frequently encounter traffic.

It was agreed that speed is not necessarily an issue here, but that the restricted width of both footpath and carriageway, together with parked cars, causes a lot of concern. The Clerk will write to NYCC Highways and ask for a site visit to see what, if anything, can be done to alleviate this problem.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.23pm

Meeting 5 of 2009-10

The Parish Council met on Monday 7th September 2009.

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith, Mr Andrew Lewis and the Parish Clerk. The meeting was also joined by Mr Richard Graham, Principal Planning Officer with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

The Chairman welcomed Richard Graham, Principal Planning Officer with the YDNPA to the meeting.
The Chairman then informed the meeting that a reasonable period of time would be allowed before the main proceedings to allow registered electors the opportunity to ask questions and/or make statements that relate to the work of the Council.
Mr Alec Rigby informed the meeting that SUSTRANS are completing a cycle route from Morecambe to Bridlington named the 'Way of the Roses' which will pass along Thwaite Lane and/or the A65 bridleway link when completed. Mr Rigby said that support from the Parish Council for this scheme would be appreciated by the organisers and that he would provide the Clerk with a map of the proposed route.

5.1 Conflict of interest
There were no conflicts of interest

5.2 Apologies for absence
Mr Ian Shaw sent his apologies.

5.3 Minutes of Meeting 4 2009-10 (August 3rd 2009)
The minutes of Meeting 4 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

5.4 Matters arising from the minutes
The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising
from Meeting 4 2009-10.
5.4.1 Flascoe Lane re-surfacing. The uneven section of Flascoe Lane on the approach to the Clapper Bridge has now been re-surfaced by the Community Warden and National Park personnel. The Clerk will speak to Mrs Jill Sykes to see what she plans to do with the damaged wooden bench, which has now been replaced.
5.4.2 LEADER Programme. The Clerk has obtained some information on the LEADER Programme and circulated it to Councillors.
5.4.3 Craven District Council Waste Collection proposals. The Clerk has spoken to Craven and provided dates of the next two meetings of the Parish Council so that a representative can attend and explain the new waste collection arrangements for the Parish.

5.5 Finance
5.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 31st August 2009 of œ2079.30 was noted. This total includes a VAT reclaim of œ135.93.
5.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (œ7.50) was approved.
5.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of œ20 for cleaning the bus shelter for 5 weeks was approved.

5.6 Planning
5.6.1 Non compliance notices for Wood View, Wharfe and Central Garage, Pant Lane, Austwick. These matters, the details of which had not previously been brought to the attention of the Parish Council have been investigated by the National Park Enforcement Team and will be reported to the Planning Committee on September 8th 2009, with a recommendation that both cases be closed as it is inexpedient to pursue further action. In should be noted however, that both developments remain unauthorised and require formal approval by the Planning Committee before closure as 'inexpedient'.
5.6.2 Highfield, Austwick. Correspondence has been received from Mr Alec Deary of Highfield, Austwick, regarding the removal of the high hedge between the said property and Low Bank and its replacement with a stone wall some 4 feet high. Councillors had no objections to this proposal and the Clerk will write to Mr Deary to inform him of this fact, but will suggest that he (Mr Deary), discusses the matter with the National Park planning department before commencing building work.
5.6.3 Richard Graham, Principal Planning Officer with the YDNPA, attended the meeting to bring Councillors up to date with changes in the structure and operations of the National Park Planning Department. Mr Graham explained that the performance of Planning Departments is audited by National Government in terms of the time taken to deal with applications, which does not always reflect how satisfied the applicants, or customers, of the Planning Department are with the planning process. Considerable effort has been put into achieving government targets but there has been a perception within the National Park that the customer service aspect of the process may have suffered as a result. There is now a desire to improve relations with applicants, Parish Councils, architects and so on.
Up to the present time, individual Planning Officers have been responsible for a particular geographical area. The new team based structure will help to overcome some of the problems inherent in the 'old'
regime and will look at all aspects of the planning process within a given area. This will reduce any problems associated with holiday periods and excessive work loads of particular officers. The new South Area Planning Team comprises Richard Graham (Principal Planning Officer), Lisa Bartlett (Senior Planning Officer), Katherine Wood (Senior Planning Officer), Nicola Dinsdale (Enforcement Officer) and Janet Bainbridge (Planning Assistant).
The departmental structure has also changed in that there will now be a management team looking at standards of customer care in dealing with applications and enforcement issues. The Planning Department are still offering a free pre-application service to help applicants to submit effective plans.
The Chairman thanked Mr Graham for his comments and asked for questions from Councillors.
Q. Why are some minor changes to approved plans not notified to the Parish Council?
A. Plans can always change during the course of a development, but it would depend on how significant the changes were deemed to be. Mr Graham agreed to provide the Parish Council with a copy of finally approved plans, rather than just the initial application plans.
Q. Why is there a long delay in receiving responses from the Listed Buildings Officer?
A. The officer, Sue Rathmell, only works part time. There are plans to increase her hours of work or train other team members in Listed Buildings matters to improve response times.
Q. There seems to be some confusion over exactly what is permitted in the development of listed buildings - double glazing, for instance.
A. Planning Policy Statements (PPS) cover all aspects of what is permitted in regard to developing listed buildings. The PPS for listed properties is currently under review but the current document gives specific guidelines on double glazing.
Q. Following the re-structure, have staff numbers changed in the department or are people just being re-deployed?
A. It is hoped that the re-structuring will allow better use of the staff currently available and will give the opportunity for important, but 'non-deadline' tasks to be completed sooner.
Q. Do Planning Committee members receive training on National Park policies?
A. Yes, the Yorkshire Dales Local Plan 2006 is the 'bible' for planning matters in the National Park.
Q. What, if any, progress has been made on the issues of affordable and local needs housing?
A. The initial strategy of all new housing in the National Park being 'affordable' was not deemed appropriate by the Planning Committee and hence the combination of affordable/local need was developed.
Q. There are concerns within this Parish Council that that there are people who, in the opinion of Councillors and local residents, should be allowed to purchase property in the Parish but who do not qualify under the current criteria. Also, on the matter of affordable and local needs housing, what stage has the 'call for housing' recently launched by the National Park, reached? There are concerns that important decisions could be made without Parish Council consultation.
A. Some sites that have been put forward following the call for land suitable for affordable/local needs housing are clearly unsuitable and there may need to be a re-call to see if any more sites are available. Any proposed new housing would ideally be near to existing settlements. Account would be taken of the scale of the development in relation to the scale and character of the village in question.
The Clerk will contact Peter Stockton at the National Park Planning Department and ask for an update on progress with the call for housing sites. The Chairman thanked Mr Graham for attending the meeting and answering questions.

5.7 Highways
5.7.1 Traffic Safety issues at Cross Streets Junction and the A65. Following the recent fatality on the A65 near to the Cross Streets junction, Councillors discussed lobbying North Yorkshire Highways with a view to imposing a speed restriction and double white lines along this dangerous stretch of road. The Parish Council have written on numerous occasions in the past requesting speed restrictions, but this has always been rejected by the agency responsible. Now that the A65 has been de-trunked the responsibility for maintenance and road safety rests with North Yorkshire Highways and the Clerk will write to them and re-state the case for these much needed safety improvements.
5.7.2 Future uses for the 'old road' section on Graystonber Lane. The recent removal of the pile of road planings from this area means that a large, enclosed area is now available. When the Community Warden has removed any remaining debris and vegetation from the area it could be used to house additional waste recycling facilities for the Parish, which may prove to be very useful in view of the Craven District Council proposals for domestic waste collection which come in to force in the New Year. The Clerk will make the local authority aware of this matter so that it can be discussed when a representative attends the Parish Council meeting on December 7th 2009.

5.8 The Yorkshire Dales Road Verge Scheme
The Clerk brought Councillors up to date on a project being run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, North Yorkshire County Council and the Nidderdale AONB with the aim of improving the management of road verges across the Yorkshire Dales. At the August meeting of the Austwick Field & Local History Society, James Ferguson, Conservation Officer with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, spoke to members about the scheme, which aims to work with local communities to enhance the quality of road verges for wildlife and to demonstrate a different approach to road verge management that could be applied throughout North Yorkshire.
Having looked at several sections of verge in the Parish, the area between Austwick Bridge and the open dyke opposite Suncroft on Graystonber Lane was selected as the first site in the Parish to be included in the scheme. Although the verge immediately next to the road is mown by North Yorkshire Highways contractors, the remainder of the bank is not cut at all and closer examination revealed numerous wild flower species growing in the bottom of the dense sward which would benefit from a change in management.
The Parish Council agreed that in order to encourage a more open sward in which wild flower species can develop, the verge can be cut on October 8th and the grass left on the ground until October 14th, when it will be collected up and the area raked to remove as much of the dead thatch as possible. The area will then be monitored for 12 months to assess the effectiveness of the new regime and cut in the same way in October 2010.
Mr Rick Smith informed Councillors that he had a large number of daffodil bulbs and asked for suggestions about where to put them.

5.9 Correspondence

5.9.1 A letter has been received from the Hargreaves & Green Educational Foundation with details of the funding available for 2009. A poster has also been placed on the notice board.
5.9.2 A letter has been received from Craven District Quarries Liaison Group informing the Parish Council that the next meeting of the group will be held on October 8th 2009.

5.10 Date & time of next meeting
The dates of the next two meetings of the Parish Council are Monday 26th October and Monday 7th December 2009..

5.11 Any other business
Mr Robert Cooksley commented on the poor drainage and overgrown vegetation on some sections of Whitestone Lane above Wharfe. The Clerk will bring the matter to the attention of Steve Hastie.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 9.22pm

Meeting 4 of 2009-10

The Parish Council met on Monday 3rd August 2009

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith and the Parish Clerk.

4.1 Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest

4.2 Apologies for absence

Mr Ian Shaw sent his apologies.

4.3 Minutes of Meeting 3 2009-10 (June 29th 2009)

The minutes of Meeting 3 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

4.4 Matters arising from the minutes

The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising from Meeting 3 2009-10.

4.4.1 Flascoe Lane Bench. The new stone bench has been completed. The National Park have delayed supplying stone to improve the surface of the Pennine Bridleway near Flascoe Bridge because the access route is very wet. This will be re-scheduled.

4.4.2 Pinfold Project. The community warden has sprayed off the ground elder and will lay a permeable membrane when the vegetation has completely died off.

4.4.3 Townhead Garage site. Mr Ian Shaw has discussed the suggestion to name the road into the proposed development on the site as ‘Townhead Drive' with Ian Preston. It was Mr Preston's wish that this name should be used and he made it clear that he wanted no reference to Austwick Hall in the name. In view of this, the Clerk has contacted Craven District Council to confirm the name as ‘Townhead Drive'.

4.4.4 Geocaching. Following discussions regarding the establishment of a Geocaching site near the Wash Dubs, the Clerk has received assurances from Mr Chris Maudsley of Knight Stainforth that he will carefully monitor the situation and as everyone using the site has to log in via the web site, he will be able to report on the usage levels.

4.5 Finance

4.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 30th June 2009 of £2281.78 was noted.

4.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (£7.50) was approved.4.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of £20 for cleaning the bus shelter for 5 weeks was approved.

4.6 Co-opting a new Parish Councillor

Following the recent death of Bryan Braithwaite-Exley it was necessary to elect or co-opt a new Parish Councillor. Having posted the requisite notices for the required period of time and there being no need for an election, Austwick Parish Councillors duly co-opted Andrew Lewis to serve on the Parish Council until the local elections in 2010. Mr Lewis signed the declaration of acceptance of office and the register of interests forms in the presence of the meeting and they were countersigned by the Chairman.

4.7 Planning

4.7.1 Pant Head House, Austwick. Councillors were informed that Pant Head House and the two plots of land adjacent to the property which were recently submitted for auction by the receivers had been withdrawn pending an attempt to re-finance the development. Following questions from the Clerk, correspondence has been received from the YDNPA Senior Planning Officer stating that the S106 agreement still has not been signed and therefore planning application no. C/04/148E is not yet valid. A copy of this response is attached to the minutes.

4.7.2 Planning Application No. C/04/607J/LB, listed building consent for repairs and alterations at Townhead Cottage, Townhead Lane, Austwick. Councillors examined the plans for this application and had no objections.

4.8 Rural Development Funding – LEADER Programme

The Yorkshire Dales Local Action Group has announced that the LEADER Programme, with funding secured from Yorkshire Forward as part of the Rural Development Programme for England, is now open for applications. Suggestions for local projects that could benefit from the initiative include replacement of the current CCTV system; producing walks leaflets for the Austwick area; purchase of land for village car park. The Clerk will contact the local co-ordinator to discuss potential projects and report back at the next meeting.

4.9 Correspondence

4.9.1 A letter has been received from the National Park Authority regarding changes to the Planning Dept. The Clerk will invite a representative from the new Southern Team to attend a future Parish Council meeting to explain the new Planning Department structure.

4.9.2 A letter has been received from Craven District Council regarding changes to waste collection processes. The Clerk will invite a representative from Craven District Council to attend a future Parish Council meeting and discuss the new proposals.

4.10 Date & time of next meeting

The next 3 meetings of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 7th September, Monday 26th October and Monday 7th December 2009 at 8.00pm in the Parish Hall.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.48pm

Meeting 3 of 2009-10

The Parish Council met on Monday 29th June 2009

Prior to the start of the meeting, the Chairman asked that the Clerk record in the minutes the recent death of Mr Bryan Braithwaite-Exley, who had served as a Councillor and Chairman on the Parish Council for more than 50 years.

Present: Mr Ian Smith in the Chair, Mr Ian Shaw, Mr Robert Cooksley, Ms Kate Smith and the Parish Clerk.

3.1 Conflict of interest

There were no conflicts of interest

3.2 Apologies for absence

There were no apologies for absence.

3.3 Minutes of Meeting 2 2009-10 (May 27th 2009)

The minutes of Meeting 2 2009-10 were presented and accepted as a true record of the proceedings.

3.4 Matters arising from the minutes

The Clerk gave a brief summary, for information only, of progress with various issues arising from Meeting 2 2009-10.

3.4.1 Flascoe Lane Bench. Work has started on building a stone and wood bench near Flascoe Bridge. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have agreed to supply stone to improve the surface of the Pennine Bridleway in that area and the Community warden will assist as required.

3.4.2 Graystonber Lane verges. The Clerk has been in contact with the Pennine Bridleway Steering Group regarding improvements to the verge near Austwick bridge and is awaiting their response.

3.4.3 Pinfold Project. The cost of a permeable membrane to counter the problem of ground elder on the site would be £58 + vat. It was agreed to instruct the Community Warden to carry out this work.

3.4.4 Highways. The NYCC Highways Supervisor for the area has agreed to inspect the poor road surface near Fleet Barn. He commented that the short term repairs which have been carried to date are not adequate and that full re-surfacing of the area may be required. The grass has now been cut at the Cross Streets junction and the area has been included in the urban cutting cycle.

3.4.5 The Clerk brought Councillors up to date with recent developments concerning two dog related matters. The owner of the Rottweiler at Pant Head House has been convicted of having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place and was fined a total of £801.16. She was told that the dog must be on a lead and muzzled in any public place and that any further breach might result in the animal being destroyed.

The dog owner recently fined for allowing his dogs to foul the Pennine Bridleway has been convicted again for a similar offence and fined £200 with £100 costs.

3.5 Finance

3.5.1 The balance on the current account with HSBC at 31st May 2009 of £3189.28 was noted.

3.5.2 Payment for the hire of the hall for this meeting (£7.50) was approved.

3.5.3 Payment to Andrew Lodge of £20 for cleaning the bus shelter for 5 weeks was approved.

3.5.4 Payment to Howsons Ltd of £99.91 for fitting a new infra-red bulb for the CCTV camera was approved.

3.5.5 Payment of £145 annual subscription to the Yorkshire Local Councils Association was approved.

3.5.6 The Annual Statement of Accounts for 2008-9 was approved.

3.5.6(a) The Annual Governance Statement was approved.

3.5.7 Payment of £30 to Craven District Council for dog waste bags was approved.

3.6 Co-opting a new Parish Councillor

Following the recent death of Mr Bryan Braithwaite-Exley, Craven District Council has been informed and a notice advertising a casual vacancy in the Parish Council has been placed on the Parish notice board for a period of 14 days. If there is no requirement for an election the Parish Council will be free to co-opt a Councillor of their own choice.

Mr Andrew Lewis has expressed an interest in the post and in the event that an election is not required, he will be asked to attend the next meeting of the Parish Council.

3.7 Planning

3.7.1 Application No C/04/148E, 5 local occupancy houses at Pant Head House, Austwick. Following the recent granting of permission for this development, Councillors were keen to ensure that future landscaping in and around the development was sympathetic with the village environment, including pervious surfaces and a well defined planting scheme. It is also essential to ensure any agreed scheme must be retained by future purchasers of the properties in question. Correspondence has been received from Lisa Bartlett, Senior Planning Officer at the YDNPA, stating that informal discussions will be held with the Parish Council on this matter. The Chairman suggested that Councillors consider what elements of the village landscape should be taken into account when considering the landscaping scheme for this development.

The Clerk informed the meeting that the National Park web site still referred to the application as ‘not yet decided'. The planning office has advised that the application will be held until the S106 agreement has been signed as the officer's recommendation required the prior completion of the S106 before approval can be finalised.

3.7.2 Proposal from Craven District Council to name the proposed development of 5 houses on the Townhead Garage site as ‘Town Head Drive'. Councillors felt that the use of this name could cause some confusion in the area and that a name related to the Hall may be more appropriate. Mr Ian Shaw will informally discuss the matter with Ian Preston, the site owner and report back.

3.7.3 Application C/04/98K/LB listed building consent for installation of fire doors. Councillors examined the plans for this application and had no objections.

3.8 Austwick Pa rish Plan 2

The general reaction from residents to the Parish Plan has been very favourable. Feedback has been received commenting onits excellent quality and easy to follow layout.

3.9 Geocaching

A request has been received from Chris Maudsley of Little Stainforth to establish a geo-cache site on Parish Council land at the Wash Dubs. Councillors were concerned that this could lead to an increase in the number of people calling at the site and possibly disturbing the tranquil nature of the area. After some initial reservations about the request, especially on the matter of public liability, it was agreed to allow the site to be used for a trial period of 12 months and then for the position to be reviewed.

3.10 Correspondence

All recently received correspondence has been sent out in the circulation folder.

3.11 Date & time of next meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 3rd August 2009 at 8.00pm in the Parish Hall.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.56pm

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